News!

About a year or so ago I went from a full time position at Landmark Park to part time. I did this so I would have more flexibility to take on freelance work, both in writing and in music. At some point, I was hired to do the Healthy You Inc. newsletter. Healthy You is a company that puts on workshops on healthy relationships, healthy marriages, teenage leadership, active parenting and reentry help for women getting out of prison. I have always been interested in prison reentry, and I have done the prison pen pal ministry through church for several years. Anyway, my boss for that particular project offered me a full time position at her company and I have decided to take it. My first day as Marketing/PR Coordinator for Healthy You, Inc. will be Nov. 4.

I am sad to leave the park. It has been a fun job and I have really enjoyed my coworkers and all the interesting and fun things I've had a chance to do over the last nearly 6 years. Of course there are a few things I won't miss (climbing into a hayloft and getting lightheaded when I looked out the window, working lots of nights and weekends, etc.) I am so excited to work with the program and am flattered that the director wanted me for the position. I have learned a lot over those years and I can't wait to implement what I've learned with this new company.

I'm hoping that I will still be able to work on some graphic design projects for the park even after I'm gone. Landmark Park has been a part of my life for pretty much my whole life. I grew up going there for camp and on field trips when I was a kid. When I moved back to Dothan I even lived at the Park for a little while in the security cabin. Nick proposed to me at the park, and we had our wedding reception at the Stokes Activity Barn.

Wish me luck!

a few facts about me and my politics

After a heated debate on facebook, i feel i need to clarify my feelings on the Occupy Wall Street protests. And honestly, I don't care if you read it or not. Just stop right now if you can't handle seeing a different opinion.

First of all, I have always identified as a liberal. Here are a few examples. When the war in Iraq began, I stood on a cannon in downtown Mobile and protested it. My sign read "blessed are the peacemakers." I was almost arrested, along with several other protesters. My photo was on the front page of the paper. I was very lucky not to get fired from my magazine job, as this was a very public display of my personal politics. I participated in the protest because I didn't want to see our servicemen put in harm's way for what I believed was a completely pointless war. The goal of our protest was to let everyone know we didn't believe in what was going on and we wanted to see an end to it. I verify this point now for future reference.

I am fine with legalizing marijuana. I have no interest in smoking it, but I think the government could tax it, regulate it and release nonviolent "criminals" from mandatory prison sentences, making more room in our prisons for the real bad people.

In 2000, I knew Alabama would overwhelmingly vote for George W. Bush, so I voted for Ralph Nader. I didn't see it as throwing my vote away since I knew how it would go in my state. I saw it as a way to make a statement on how I felt about the two party system. During Bush's reelection campaign, I was a member of a group called Belles Against Bush. We held fundraisers for John Kerry and a different committee in that group, Belles at The Ballots, helped people register to vote.

I am completely against the death penalty.

I would love to see gays be able to get legally married. To that end, I was maid of honor at the wedding of my former roommate. She was marrying a beautiful woman. They now have a child. I couldn't be happier or in more support of them.

I have attended several feminist conventions, at one of which i got to meet then-NOW president Kim Gandy. For me, that was like meeting a rock star.

Get the point?

So you can imagine my surprise when I started reading about the Occupy Wall Street protests and I didn't jump right on board. But something just doesn't sit right with me about this. First of all, some of the people who are into these say that they came up as a response the government bailout of banks and corporations and as a response to the TEA party. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the TEA party really take off as a response to government bailouts for banks and large corporations? So, if you protest another group of protesters who are protesting the same thing as you......Doesn't that make you the same?

Second, I feel that a good protest needs a simple message and a simple demand or call for action. Stop the War. End Abortion. Agree with the message or not, at least you can know what the message is and make up your own mind how you feel about it. What is the message? Please do tell me, because I feel like a bad liberal for not participating in this. We've covered one possibility in the previous paragraph but others I've heard include "Pay for my college tuition." "Hey government, large corporations, etc., Give me a job". "

A word on the job situation. There are jobs to be had. Look in your local paper every day. If you're hungry, you will take a job doing whatever it takes to feed yourself and your family. Yes, the job may suck. Yes, the job may not pay a lot. Yes, the work may be "beneath" you and your abilities. But, people do what they have to do. My dad is the perfect example of this. He didn't finish college, but he worked his ass off for over 30 years at the nuclear plant so he could provide for his family. Yes, it sucked. Yes, the hours were long and stressful. But he did it. Like so many others who are not afraid of hard work. Here in Alabama, the Immigration bill has opened up many jobs but the entitled don't want to take them. Hell, I wouldn't either. But don't say there are no jobs. Say, instead, there are no jobs you want. To me, there's a huge difference.

I wholeheartedly believe that there are truly awful stories out there of people who lost their pensions, people who have lost their jobs, furloughs, etc. I would like to hear more from them. But I assume most of them are out working instead of protesting.

So, I guess my thoughts are this. Simplify your message so I can decide if I agree or not. The people who seem to be doing all the talking make us liberals look like lazy idiots.

Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.

So, once again, I am sick. Only this time, it's something much more surprising that just bad cramps. Nick and I just got back from vacation last week. We went to Disney World, we had a dining plan, and we ate more food in that one week than we probably have in the past month put together. It was gluttonous. And wonderful. For photos of our trip and the luxurious hotel where we stayed, visit my facebook page.

So, when we got back I had huge plans about what was going to happen. I was going on a diet! I was going to start riding my bike again! I was going to Zumba! I was finally going to finish painting my bathroom! So on Monday, after being back home for less than a week, I had started the South Beach Diet (and have actually stayed with it!). I brought my zumba clothes to work and was fully prepared to go that afternoon. But, what is that? Something hurts under my arm? Maybe i am so fat my bra is cutting off my circulation? but it feels worse than that......I go to the bathroom, look in the mirror, and EWWWW. There's a gross rash on me!!

I am no stranger to allergies, so I assumed I was allergic to something (the diet maybe? the idea of working out?). But there was something really weird about this rash. It didn't itch, it hurt. and it was just in one small spot on my side. Better go to the doctor just to be sure. Plus, if it spreads, I'll want some allergy ointment or something to put on it. I have too much to do this week and i can't be bothered by some strange skin condition.

So I skip Zumba, go to the doctor, he takes one look at it and says SORRY, IT'S SHINGLES!! Here are some painkillers, and two other perscriptions. You're gonna need these because it will probably spread along whatever nerve is affected. But don't worry, it will only be on your left side because it won't cross over to the other side (WTF??) . It is also going to be very painful so here are some loritabs.

While the doctor was very calm, informative, helpful and kind, all my mind could think was, Shingles? didn't my grandmother and the old lady down the street get those in their 80s or so? And weren't they pretty much moaning in agony? So while he was trying to be nice, he really scared me to death.

I have been out of work for several days now, unable to exercise, unable to paint because this thing is under my arm. So, my plans were shot. But thankfully, the pain is totally bareable. Thank goodness for my incapacitating cramps. I guess they have prepared me for anything. SO here it sit, can't do anything really but watch tv, read and play on my computer. Aside from being totally dopey from all the medicine and unable to get comfortable due to the lizard looking skin under my arm—which, by the way, feels like it's getting a neverending tattoo—it's really not too bad. But stay away from me if you've never had chicken pox. I don't want to start a plague.

Day 30

30. What has been going on this month

July just ended, and it was a month of ups and downs. I took the week of July 4th off and I painted my bathroom and hall. I also went to Mexico Beach with my parents and Nick for the Fourth. It was really fun! I got to hear Rachel Hawkins speak and got her to sign a book. I went to Hollywood with Nick's mom to visit his brother and sister in law. That was an awesome trip! I got to hang out with Michael and Merissa Bush and did quite a bit of knitting. On the downside, Michael and Merissa are moving to China so it will be awhile before we see each other again. Also, one of my co workers was (and still is) in the hospital for the entire month of July. And I had a particularly bad month in terms of endometriosis. One of the worst in recent memory. But things are looking up now. Going to the beach with my best friend this weeked and then going to see my cousin's new house in Birmingham the next weekend. As always, I am so grateful for my life. i have a husband who was made for me, a wonderful family and great friends.

Day 29

29. My wish for the future

It changes a lot, but lately I've been wishing for good health for myself and everyone, really. I wish we could all live full, happy lives and then die peacefully in our sleep at a nice old age.

Day 28

28. My favorite place

Home

I'm going to complain

I need to vent. I am so tired of feeling like crap all the time. I have been struggling with endometriosis and polycystic ovaries for a long time now and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. i have tried so many different ways of treating this but nothing works. last month i was in so much pain i felt like i was being sawed in half. this month i was so weak i had to go home early from work. i am just so sick of dealing with all this i could scream. aside from the pain and sickness i can't loose any weight. doesn't matter that i eat nothing but salad and fish on most days. i still gain weight. hell, i was on a liquid diet for three months after my jaw surgery and still didn't loose anything. that, apparently, is a symptom of PCOS. while i have found an exercise i really like, i don't feel like jumping around when three weeks out of the month i feel like i have barbed wire wrapped around my waist. sorry to be such a complainer. i blame the hormones. i have just had a really rough couple of days and i can't wait to see what next month has in store.