I have seen a disturbing correlation between all of the latest headlines. The big headline de jour is whether the torture of prisoners by our own military officers at detention centers should be considered justifiable if good information comes out of the use of such torture. I remember a time not too long ago when papers became available for medical use from Germany. These papers were full of experiments (most done in various forms of human torture) in the name of Science. The data compiled could possibly be used in many different ways, to help mankind but at what expense & the controversy was, should it even be considered at all. So many lives had been horrifically abused and many even extinguished without regard of the victims in the process.
Today, I heard that a mother had served her "full" sentence for the murder of her own child. She was seen leaving the jail. Her sentence was four years in prison and her daughter, it was explained, was a child with downs syndrome. Most folks seemed to think this was a justifiable amount of time given the circumstances.
The day before on the news, there was talk of outrage at a Florida Prison for using an electrical shock on some visiting students to the prison. How dare this prison do such a thing to these children and yet I know for a fact that more electrical shocks (yes, plural) happen to children at what is considered to be an "educational center" for children with challenges. Children have been known to be shocked as many as 77 times as punishment at the Judge Rotenberg Education Center which is still "business as usual" at present. I suppose if you are a challenged person with limited ability it is justified by some, to be treated this way
As for stem cell research killing an embryo to save another life is justifiable to some. Killing small animals by crushing them under your heel is justifiable torture and considered as Freedom of Speech to others. Still taking the feeding tube away from the old and infirm to allow them to slowly starve to death is okay for yet another group of people.
What it all boils down to is Quality of Life. Some folks feel that their quality of life is worth more than anothers. If his life is more worthwhile than her life, if my life is worth more than your life, if their lives are worth more than our lives, then whatever is done can be justifyable.
What happens to humanity when they realize that they can do such a wide range of things but then they forget to ask themselves if they should do them. Do we become like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein? Not the creation that could not help but be who he was but the Doctor that felt justified in his experiment thus becoming a True Monster in the process.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
H1N1 Worries? Is it Time?
I know alot of people are worried about getting the latest virus and the threat of Pandemic. If you are doing all you can for you and your family but still worry about falling ill, your health worsening and the possibility of dying...then this blog is for you.
Your time will come for dying and when death comes for you, there is nothing you will be able to do, you are going to Die - period. This is the Blunt Truth about Life, Everyone will die. You may eat sensibly, excercize, take all of the vitamins & medicines that you can and this may extend or prolong the inevitable (or maybe not) but eventually your time will come.
So start today on all of those projects you've always wanted to do, show those you love how much you care and as the sayings go, Live today like it is your last / Carpe Diem! / Just Do It.
Let me give you two great examples of folks that wanted to change the time of their ultimate demise;
#1.
I read in the paper about a guy whose hobby was Drag Racing. He was good at racing but as he got older, he began to worry that this may shorten his life, so he quit. Instead, he picked up the hobby of flying model airplanes. This he figured, would be a much safer hobby for him. One day, he was working the remote control on one of the models he had up in the air when something malfunctioned & the model plane came straight at him. The small plane hit the man in the chest, stopping his heart & killing him instantly! Such a freak accident - who would have thought such a thing could happen, yet it did.
#2.
Another article I read was regarding a woman that had wanted to commit suicide. She decided to jump from the top of a tall building and end her life. What she didn't expect, as she jumped off the building, is that the awnings (that covered most of the windows) would break her fall and many of her bones too. She made it to the ground and although she had shattered and broken many bones, she was very much alive.
Two people with two self-planned destinies....the plans just didn't go the way they had wished. I try to remember these two stories when I get too caught up with worrying about things that I have no control over. No one knows when their time is up & when that time comes no one on God's Green Earth can stop it from happening.
Although both stories are true but grim, they may help you realize that worrying is just a waste of your precious time. Now quit reading this blog, quit worrying and get out there and LIVE
:-)
Your time will come for dying and when death comes for you, there is nothing you will be able to do, you are going to Die - period. This is the Blunt Truth about Life, Everyone will die. You may eat sensibly, excercize, take all of the vitamins & medicines that you can and this may extend or prolong the inevitable (or maybe not) but eventually your time will come.
So start today on all of those projects you've always wanted to do, show those you love how much you care and as the sayings go, Live today like it is your last / Carpe Diem! / Just Do It.
Let me give you two great examples of folks that wanted to change the time of their ultimate demise;
#1.
I read in the paper about a guy whose hobby was Drag Racing. He was good at racing but as he got older, he began to worry that this may shorten his life, so he quit. Instead, he picked up the hobby of flying model airplanes. This he figured, would be a much safer hobby for him. One day, he was working the remote control on one of the models he had up in the air when something malfunctioned & the model plane came straight at him. The small plane hit the man in the chest, stopping his heart & killing him instantly! Such a freak accident - who would have thought such a thing could happen, yet it did.
#2.
Another article I read was regarding a woman that had wanted to commit suicide. She decided to jump from the top of a tall building and end her life. What she didn't expect, as she jumped off the building, is that the awnings (that covered most of the windows) would break her fall and many of her bones too. She made it to the ground and although she had shattered and broken many bones, she was very much alive.
Two people with two self-planned destinies....the plans just didn't go the way they had wished. I try to remember these two stories when I get too caught up with worrying about things that I have no control over. No one knows when their time is up & when that time comes no one on God's Green Earth can stop it from happening.
Although both stories are true but grim, they may help you realize that worrying is just a waste of your precious time. Now quit reading this blog, quit worrying and get out there and LIVE
:-)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Weeding Out the Undesirable
There seems to be so much talk about Genetic Screening and now a call for Genetic Therapy even for the (yet) unborn as the Push for Perfection rages on. I can't help but feel the need to ask this question; should a diagnosis of diversity and difference always be seen as a tragedy?
Society's need for "Designer" Babies grows and even though some seemingly devastating disabilities, diseases, physical challenges and frailties have a large affect on humanity, history has shown us that it has not all been a negative force with a need for elimination or cure. I sometimes feel adversity can be one of mankind's best tools for forcing creativity into motion. Let me give you a few examples:
Franklin D. Roosevelt - Polio kept him confined to a chair but his strong guidance helped us get through the Great Depression and WW 2.
Stephen Hawking - His challenges are many but his inner strength and intelligence are unparalleled in his contributions to physics & the field of astronomy.
Ray Charles - I can't help but think that his lack of sight helped him to see music in a way we can only dream to understand it.
Thomas Alva Edison - who had 1,093 patents for inventions in his lifetime, was too disruptive in his own classroom to the extent that his mother finally pulled him from conventional schooling and home-schooled him. I wonder what drugs they would have forced on him if he had lived in the present time?
I'm not saying that these (and many, many more) individuals would have been any less great without their challenges, but some part of me wonders if their strength came from the very, so called, "human weaknesses" that someday we wish to eliminate.
The list could go on and on with the names of many individuals throughout our past and in recent history that have used what some would see as a barrier or a difference to achieve remarkable and uncommonly distinctive things. Is it a possibility that without our challenges and obstacles we would lack our unique individuality and our ability to think original thoughts? Would our very own creative essence be lost in the quest for conformity and perfection? This is something we need to ponder and examine as we decide whether or not to dedicate humanity to a life of uniformity & perfection.
Society's need for "Designer" Babies grows and even though some seemingly devastating disabilities, diseases, physical challenges and frailties have a large affect on humanity, history has shown us that it has not all been a negative force with a need for elimination or cure. I sometimes feel adversity can be one of mankind's best tools for forcing creativity into motion. Let me give you a few examples:
Franklin D. Roosevelt - Polio kept him confined to a chair but his strong guidance helped us get through the Great Depression and WW 2.
Stephen Hawking - His challenges are many but his inner strength and intelligence are unparalleled in his contributions to physics & the field of astronomy.
Ray Charles - I can't help but think that his lack of sight helped him to see music in a way we can only dream to understand it.
Thomas Alva Edison - who had 1,093 patents for inventions in his lifetime, was too disruptive in his own classroom to the extent that his mother finally pulled him from conventional schooling and home-schooled him. I wonder what drugs they would have forced on him if he had lived in the present time?
I'm not saying that these (and many, many more) individuals would have been any less great without their challenges, but some part of me wonders if their strength came from the very, so called, "human weaknesses" that someday we wish to eliminate.
The list could go on and on with the names of many individuals throughout our past and in recent history that have used what some would see as a barrier or a difference to achieve remarkable and uncommonly distinctive things. Is it a possibility that without our challenges and obstacles we would lack our unique individuality and our ability to think original thoughts? Would our very own creative essence be lost in the quest for conformity and perfection? This is something we need to ponder and examine as we decide whether or not to dedicate humanity to a life of uniformity & perfection.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Growing Time
I am trying to map out my veggie garden in my head today. I need to plant all of my carefully nurtured seedlings this weekend, this is for certain. It is the placing of my plants that needs the careful thought. I hope this years crop is even better than the last.
I will be planting squash and beans, greens, onions and tomatoes, lettuce and spinach, just like last year. My cucumbers, eggplant and a few of my fancy heirloom tomatoes did not fair well last year and so I am replacing them with other veggie delicacies. All of my seeds are heirloom and I grow everything organically. I am SO ready to eat food from my own garden! There's just nothing like it and it saves me so much $$ at the store, too.
This year, I will be adding to my herb garden a few extra types of basil & oregano and maybe even a few more healing herbs....I have quite a bit that has surprisingly survived the winter and so I'll wait and see how much more I need to plant. I think I will plant fragrant herbs (like Chamomile, Lavender and Lemon Balm) in my inside yard close to the front entrance and try the tiny Feverfew seeds that I received from a friend. My Mint has jumped from my planter and is growing nicely on the slope near my drive, which is a good place for it to grow.
I am going to try sugar peas and sweet corn this year, for the first time, too. I hope it grows well in the place I have prepared for it. I also have a few fruit trees and lots of berries that grow without much fuss. I have strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, cherry trees and an apple tree....my peach tree has not weathered the winter storms well and is probably dying but my pear tree looks as if it will recover very nicely.
This year, a new fruit will be introduced to my property; Blueberries! I love to eat blueberries and so I figured I might as well grow my own and freeze the leftovers (if there are any, heheh).
I am so totally pumped for this years growing season. I just hope I can keep up the energy I'll need to keep the food growing all season long.
I will be planting squash and beans, greens, onions and tomatoes, lettuce and spinach, just like last year. My cucumbers, eggplant and a few of my fancy heirloom tomatoes did not fair well last year and so I am replacing them with other veggie delicacies. All of my seeds are heirloom and I grow everything organically. I am SO ready to eat food from my own garden! There's just nothing like it and it saves me so much $$ at the store, too.
This year, I will be adding to my herb garden a few extra types of basil & oregano and maybe even a few more healing herbs....I have quite a bit that has surprisingly survived the winter and so I'll wait and see how much more I need to plant. I think I will plant fragrant herbs (like Chamomile, Lavender and Lemon Balm) in my inside yard close to the front entrance and try the tiny Feverfew seeds that I received from a friend. My Mint has jumped from my planter and is growing nicely on the slope near my drive, which is a good place for it to grow.
I am going to try sugar peas and sweet corn this year, for the first time, too. I hope it grows well in the place I have prepared for it. I also have a few fruit trees and lots of berries that grow without much fuss. I have strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, cherry trees and an apple tree....my peach tree has not weathered the winter storms well and is probably dying but my pear tree looks as if it will recover very nicely.
This year, a new fruit will be introduced to my property; Blueberries! I love to eat blueberries and so I figured I might as well grow my own and freeze the leftovers (if there are any, heheh).
I am so totally pumped for this years growing season. I just hope I can keep up the energy I'll need to keep the food growing all season long.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Just Wondering
Wondering…..
What to fix for dinner tonight, making a mental list of groceries to buy for the next week.
What I can pay this week and what I should hold off paying (without causing myself any grief).
If I can hold out just a little longer before making appointments to see my doctor & my dentist – I just can’t spare the money this week, either.
Where I can scrape up the money for my son to get his eyes examined & to get the pair of glasses he desperately needs.
If I can make it to the bank in time to pay my very late mortgage payment.
How much later I can be on paying my property taxes.
Not only if I have enough gas to get to work for two more days, but if my badly worn tires will hold out for at least another month.
If I’ll even have a job to come to next week with the economy the way it is.
Wondering so many more things that it will be a wonder if I’ll get any sleep at all tonight…
What to fix for dinner tonight, making a mental list of groceries to buy for the next week.
What I can pay this week and what I should hold off paying (without causing myself any grief).
If I can hold out just a little longer before making appointments to see my doctor & my dentist – I just can’t spare the money this week, either.
Where I can scrape up the money for my son to get his eyes examined & to get the pair of glasses he desperately needs.
If I can make it to the bank in time to pay my very late mortgage payment.
How much later I can be on paying my property taxes.
Not only if I have enough gas to get to work for two more days, but if my badly worn tires will hold out for at least another month.
If I’ll even have a job to come to next week with the economy the way it is.
Wondering so many more things that it will be a wonder if I’ll get any sleep at all tonight…
Monday, April 20, 2009
Hello,
It’s nice to meet you. I’ll be the one to take care of things for you today. I will help you to schedule your meetings and greet your customers. I am the one that will serve you breakfast, lunch and even your dinner, if you’d like. I’ve worked all night to clean your office and even the restrooms.
It’s because of my hard work that your company runs smoothly and makes you a profit. I also deliver your flowers and parcels and watch your children while you are away at work. I make sure your hotel room is clean and the beds made with crisp clean sheets, just the way you like them.
If you need a few items like groceries or toiletries, you can rest assure that I will help you check these items out and bag them up for you so you are able take them home safely. I’ll even carry your parcels out and load them in your car, if you prefer. Whatever you need I’ll be there to take care of it for you, so that your life runs just a little smoother.
I’ve heard it said that you think of me as lazy even though I work very long hours. You say I have no motivation to be something more, when it’s all I can do to pay my bills and put food on the table. You say I just don’t care enough but that’s a lie – I care very much about my life and the life of my family and I take pride in the work that I do for you.
Yet, I find myself struggling to pay for things that my family should not have to do without and still sometimes, they have to be without them. Things such as medical or dental checkups or nice warm clothes, coats & boots and things like fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats – they are just not always possible with my stretched-to-the-limit budget…and so, all too often we do without.
I sincerely wish I weren’t so extremely tired and worn out all the time but I’ll still try to make time at the end of the day, to help (as much as I can) with homework and to hug my little ones and . . . if there’s time, read them a book before bedtime. Please do not doubt the fact that I love my family as much as you love yours and want the best for them, too.
I sure hope you will remember my face the next time you see me taking care of your needs. I don’t want your pity or a handout from you, I have my pride and I’ve always worked hard for what I have. I just want to be paid a fair wage so that I can live a better life and I’d like healthcare that even I can afford.
Remember me,
I am the Working Poor.
It’s nice to meet you. I’ll be the one to take care of things for you today. I will help you to schedule your meetings and greet your customers. I am the one that will serve you breakfast, lunch and even your dinner, if you’d like. I’ve worked all night to clean your office and even the restrooms.
It’s because of my hard work that your company runs smoothly and makes you a profit. I also deliver your flowers and parcels and watch your children while you are away at work. I make sure your hotel room is clean and the beds made with crisp clean sheets, just the way you like them.
If you need a few items like groceries or toiletries, you can rest assure that I will help you check these items out and bag them up for you so you are able take them home safely. I’ll even carry your parcels out and load them in your car, if you prefer. Whatever you need I’ll be there to take care of it for you, so that your life runs just a little smoother.
I’ve heard it said that you think of me as lazy even though I work very long hours. You say I have no motivation to be something more, when it’s all I can do to pay my bills and put food on the table. You say I just don’t care enough but that’s a lie – I care very much about my life and the life of my family and I take pride in the work that I do for you.
Yet, I find myself struggling to pay for things that my family should not have to do without and still sometimes, they have to be without them. Things such as medical or dental checkups or nice warm clothes, coats & boots and things like fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats – they are just not always possible with my stretched-to-the-limit budget…and so, all too often we do without.
I sincerely wish I weren’t so extremely tired and worn out all the time but I’ll still try to make time at the end of the day, to help (as much as I can) with homework and to hug my little ones and . . . if there’s time, read them a book before bedtime. Please do not doubt the fact that I love my family as much as you love yours and want the best for them, too.
I sure hope you will remember my face the next time you see me taking care of your needs. I don’t want your pity or a handout from you, I have my pride and I’ve always worked hard for what I have. I just want to be paid a fair wage so that I can live a better life and I’d like healthcare that even I can afford.
Remember me,
I am the Working Poor.
Friday, March 30, 2007
A Thread Away From Disaster
Yesterday morning, at work I needed to use the restroom. As I left my “cube” and hurried down the long corridor to the back bathroom (the quieter one/the less frequented one) I began to think I wasn’t going to make it.
As I entered the bathroom, I began to prepare for the rushing of water….but to my dismay, the threads around my pants’ buttonhole had frayed and wrapped themselves around my top button of my pants. In a frenzied struggle to free the threads without popping the button right off of my pants I began to think that I was in line for disaster. At last, by some miraculous bit of luck, I was able to loosen the threads from the button keeping the button in tact and was then able to complete the task that I came to do. Relief without disaster!
How many times (I began to think) are we a thread away from disaster? Okay, maybe some disasters are not as horrific as others but yet can be quite difficult none the less. Take a wrong turn, make a hasty choice or even make a wrong move and BAM, disaster is there waiting to change the course of your day. This little drama-de-jour of mine played out in a matter of minutes and was quite tense, with the possibility of accident involved and yet no one would ever know it had happened…at least until now. Today has been (so far) without disaster but it is still early in the morning. Who knows what lies lurking ahead today. I am both fearful and strangely excited to find out what the day holds for me…and so, my day begins.
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