Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Hurts So Good
Enjoying yourself is fine, but only if it is beneficial, or so moderate as to barely raise a brow of the meanest fitnik. This seems to be the prevailing message these days.
So many people I talk to feel the need to qualify any desultory indulgence they may participate in, and it drives me nuts. Why this need to explain anything that isn't deemed 'good' for you? Why does everything we do HAVE to be good for us? The answer of course is, it doesn't have to be good for us, but there are some who think it should.
Health is the latest social religion, or perhaps it more accurate to say, the latest class system, and believers are zealous in spreading the gospel of Mania, Lean, and Jog. The elite are of course the fit, the trim, the beautiful. The untouchables are people like me, who refuse to buy into the doctrine. There's been a significant shift in the last twenty or so years. Have you noticed how people aren't fat anymore? they're certainly not overweight--they're obese. Society is obligated to try and convert these individuals, if they refuse the doctrine, they should be looked down on, after all it's only their own slovenly choices that have put them in the 'class' they're in. Which brings me to the next part of my rant.
Underlying all these messages, all these beliefs, is that poor health is preventable. This is quite possibly true to some extent, but I'm watching with growing concern a movement in this country to qualify healthcare and there's a sinister undertone to it. Anyone who gets sick only has themselves to blame. It's also quite alright to blame them, to deny them... to look down on them as lesser than the vitamin popping, gym going brigade. After all, if the fitniks get sick it couldn't possibly be anything 'they' did wrong. And yet, I can't quite blame them entirely. It's an easy brainwashing pit to fall into.
Food ads are always pimping some latest, vitamin of the month, ingredient (right now it's omega 3). There are drugs for whatever ails ya, or better yet, drugs for what doesn't ail ya, (and if you take these drugs/vitamins it never will). A day doesn't go by when you're not being informed of a latest study on this or that, telling you (dare we say, proving) that Y may prevent (name anything), or Z greatly increases your chances of getting (name anything, but it's always juicier, if you use the C word).
So it's not terribly surprising, this need to excuse those other, less healthy choices, with so many messages being broadcast daily about our health and healthy living. But let's face it, guilt and I are barely nodding aquaintances, and it is beyond me to feel guilty or ashamed for enjoying this life I've been given. So, just so we're all clear, here are my most unguilty pleasures.
I eat fat. All sorts, and what the healthniks have done to the dairy section of our grocery stores is a crime against food (I'm sorry, if you actually think it's possible to have fat free yoghurt, you have no understanding of what yoghurt is, ditto milk & cream. Turn vegan. Take a freakin calcium tablet, but leave the dairy section alone).
I drink. Not a delicate glass or two of red wine over dinner either. I've been known to get roaring drunk. I've curled up around a toilet. I've phoned a friend at 3 am. I've even taken over a karaoke bar. And had a grand time doing it. (okay the toilet thing maybe not so much, but I sure enjoyed myself before that!)
I watch TV, unbelievably crappy TV. Yes, even those dreadful reality shows. Bite me. There's a very comfy dent in my couch to prove my TV watching prediliction.
I have done reckless things in my life, I may even have run with scissors, okay the last two, not so much a guilty pleasures, just proving that I don't live in an hermatically sealed bubble of health and wellness.
And that's my rant for the week.
X
So many people I talk to feel the need to qualify any desultory indulgence they may participate in, and it drives me nuts. Why this need to explain anything that isn't deemed 'good' for you? Why does everything we do HAVE to be good for us? The answer of course is, it doesn't have to be good for us, but there are some who think it should.
Health is the latest social religion, or perhaps it more accurate to say, the latest class system, and believers are zealous in spreading the gospel of Mania, Lean, and Jog. The elite are of course the fit, the trim, the beautiful. The untouchables are people like me, who refuse to buy into the doctrine. There's been a significant shift in the last twenty or so years. Have you noticed how people aren't fat anymore? they're certainly not overweight--they're obese. Society is obligated to try and convert these individuals, if they refuse the doctrine, they should be looked down on, after all it's only their own slovenly choices that have put them in the 'class' they're in. Which brings me to the next part of my rant.
Underlying all these messages, all these beliefs, is that poor health is preventable. This is quite possibly true to some extent, but I'm watching with growing concern a movement in this country to qualify healthcare and there's a sinister undertone to it. Anyone who gets sick only has themselves to blame. It's also quite alright to blame them, to deny them... to look down on them as lesser than the vitamin popping, gym going brigade. After all, if the fitniks get sick it couldn't possibly be anything 'they' did wrong. And yet, I can't quite blame them entirely. It's an easy brainwashing pit to fall into.
Food ads are always pimping some latest, vitamin of the month, ingredient (right now it's omega 3). There are drugs for whatever ails ya, or better yet, drugs for what doesn't ail ya, (and if you take these drugs/vitamins it never will). A day doesn't go by when you're not being informed of a latest study on this or that, telling you (dare we say, proving) that Y may prevent (name anything), or Z greatly increases your chances of getting (name anything, but it's always juicier, if you use the C word).
So it's not terribly surprising, this need to excuse those other, less healthy choices, with so many messages being broadcast daily about our health and healthy living. But let's face it, guilt and I are barely nodding aquaintances, and it is beyond me to feel guilty or ashamed for enjoying this life I've been given. So, just so we're all clear, here are my most unguilty pleasures.
I eat fat. All sorts, and what the healthniks have done to the dairy section of our grocery stores is a crime against food (I'm sorry, if you actually think it's possible to have fat free yoghurt, you have no understanding of what yoghurt is, ditto milk & cream. Turn vegan. Take a freakin calcium tablet, but leave the dairy section alone).
I drink. Not a delicate glass or two of red wine over dinner either. I've been known to get roaring drunk. I've curled up around a toilet. I've phoned a friend at 3 am. I've even taken over a karaoke bar. And had a grand time doing it. (okay the toilet thing maybe not so much, but I sure enjoyed myself before that!)
I watch TV, unbelievably crappy TV. Yes, even those dreadful reality shows. Bite me. There's a very comfy dent in my couch to prove my TV watching prediliction.
I have done reckless things in my life, I may even have run with scissors, okay the last two, not so much a guilty pleasures, just proving that I don't live in an hermatically sealed bubble of health and wellness.
And that's my rant for the week.
X
If I Had a Million Dollars
Found this quiz over at Kris' place (yes I know it's supposed to be Kris's these days, fuck off.)
9 lasts:
last cigarette: 15 minutes ago
last beverage: A very fine single malt Scotch
last kiss: DHM
last movie seen: The Constant Gardener
last phone call: Dentist
last cd played: Joss Stone
last bubble bath: gosh, years and years??? (No bath tub as yet, still using showers)
last time you cried: This morning, reading a sappy novel.
8 have you evers:
have you ever dated one of your best friends: No
have you ever skinny dipped: Yes
have you ever kissed somebody and regretted it: Yes
have you ever fallen in love: Duh! Yes
have you ever lost someone you loved: Yes
have you ever been depressed: Yes
have you ever been drunk and thrown up: Olympic gold medalist
7 states you've been to:
1. California
2. New York
3. Nevada
4. Utah
5. Arizona
6. Washington
7. Louisianna
6 things you've done today:
1. Dentist appointment
2. laundry
3. potted
4. cooked
5. played chess with the Spawn
6. blog whored
5 favorite things in no order:
1. Wild monkey sex that recalls the stamina of my youth
2. eating with friends
3. drinking with friends
4. arguing/debating/conversing with friends
5. Movie nights
4 people you can tell [almost] anything to:
1. Chenda
2. Russell
3. Paul
4. Carrie
3 wishes:
1. Have a beautiful garden
2. Live somehwere temperate
3. Write a bestseller
2 things you want to do before you die:
1. See the wonders of the world (ancient or modern or natural, it matters not)
2. Become adventurous
1 thing you regret:
1. I gave up every opportunity to learn a musical instrument
9 lasts:
last cigarette: 15 minutes ago
last beverage: A very fine single malt Scotch
last kiss: DHM
last movie seen: The Constant Gardener
last phone call: Dentist
last cd played: Joss Stone
last bubble bath: gosh, years and years??? (No bath tub as yet, still using showers)
last time you cried: This morning, reading a sappy novel.
8 have you evers:
have you ever dated one of your best friends: No
have you ever skinny dipped: Yes
have you ever kissed somebody and regretted it: Yes
have you ever fallen in love: Duh! Yes
have you ever lost someone you loved: Yes
have you ever been depressed: Yes
have you ever been drunk and thrown up: Olympic gold medalist
7 states you've been to:
1. California
2. New York
3. Nevada
4. Utah
5. Arizona
6. Washington
7. Louisianna
6 things you've done today:
1. Dentist appointment
2. laundry
3. potted
4. cooked
5. played chess with the Spawn
6. blog whored
5 favorite things in no order:
1. Wild monkey sex that recalls the stamina of my youth
2. eating with friends
3. drinking with friends
4. arguing/debating/conversing with friends
5. Movie nights
4 people you can tell [almost] anything to:
1. Chenda
2. Russell
3. Paul
4. Carrie
3 wishes:
1. Have a beautiful garden
2. Live somehwere temperate
3. Write a bestseller
2 things you want to do before you die:
1. See the wonders of the world (ancient or modern or natural, it matters not)
2. Become adventurous
1 thing you regret:
1. I gave up every opportunity to learn a musical instrument
Monday, February 27, 2006
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall
Since we last met, gentle reader, I've once more entered the mysterious realm of the home gardening enthusiast. Again I'm filled with hope that THIS year I'll have a bumper crop of seedlings. Of my previous efforts (and I've done this off and on for about ten years now) I've had success once. Once in ten years. How pathetic is that? All I can say is I'm really glad there's not an activist group like, PETA, for plants, cause I'd be on their hit list.
Other things that have captured my attention this week.
Dan brown is being sued for plagurism of an historical tome... apparently some historians did some research and wrote a book on their findings. This isn't really news to anyone in literary circles, but it's interesting nonetheless. Dan Brown, that bastard, was so struck by this research that he wrote a 'fictional' story and made pots of money on it, much more than those fusty old historians. Bitterness ensues, and I'm agog to learn the outcome of this case.
Canadian olympiads were being chastised for reaming the competition. This could only happen in Canada, where a team (women's hockey) were being criticised for totally anihilating the opposition. With the national attitude being 'go for the bronze', and to apologise for being better than someone at something, you can kinda, sorta, see where this is coming from, but still, it boggles the mind.
Oh crap, there were about five things I wanted to discuss when I started writing this blog, now I can't remember the half of them.
Oh yeah, apparently we're all just seconds away from death when we fly, due to near misses (emphasis on near) above our busiest airports. It's stories like this that make me absolutely crazy, and why, when I watch the news, I end up arguing at an inanimate object. The TV. Whatever happened to the notion that the news would be full of, oh, what's the word I'm looking for... facts. Silly me, these days, the news is filled with hypotheticals. It could happen here! What if it did happen here?! Spare me!!!! (extra points for, Doug). No really, I shouldn't watch the news. It does nothing but raise my blood pressure and make me want to hurl something large at the TV. I loathe mainstream newscasts that treat everything like a very bad version TLC's 'World's Greatest (insert parameter here) Disasters'.
And last but not least, I almost, very nearly, opened my WIP document this weekend. I haven't written nought but a line (which literally had me leaping out of bed to find my notebook so I could jot it down), since November. I'm not sure what the block is there. I have the beast almost entirely plotted out, yet for some reason I can't bring myself to face it. I think I'm daunted by the scope and perhaps intimidated by the amount of work involved to bring this story to life. Mayhap I'll have to stick to the note book for a little while longer.
Well that's it for me for a while. How was your week?
X
Other things that have captured my attention this week.
Dan brown is being sued for plagurism of an historical tome... apparently some historians did some research and wrote a book on their findings. This isn't really news to anyone in literary circles, but it's interesting nonetheless. Dan Brown, that bastard, was so struck by this research that he wrote a 'fictional' story and made pots of money on it, much more than those fusty old historians. Bitterness ensues, and I'm agog to learn the outcome of this case.
Canadian olympiads were being chastised for reaming the competition. This could only happen in Canada, where a team (women's hockey) were being criticised for totally anihilating the opposition. With the national attitude being 'go for the bronze', and to apologise for being better than someone at something, you can kinda, sorta, see where this is coming from, but still, it boggles the mind.
Oh crap, there were about five things I wanted to discuss when I started writing this blog, now I can't remember the half of them.
Oh yeah, apparently we're all just seconds away from death when we fly, due to near misses (emphasis on near) above our busiest airports. It's stories like this that make me absolutely crazy, and why, when I watch the news, I end up arguing at an inanimate object. The TV. Whatever happened to the notion that the news would be full of, oh, what's the word I'm looking for... facts. Silly me, these days, the news is filled with hypotheticals. It could happen here! What if it did happen here?! Spare me!!!! (extra points for, Doug). No really, I shouldn't watch the news. It does nothing but raise my blood pressure and make me want to hurl something large at the TV. I loathe mainstream newscasts that treat everything like a very bad version TLC's 'World's Greatest (insert parameter here) Disasters'.
And last but not least, I almost, very nearly, opened my WIP document this weekend. I haven't written nought but a line (which literally had me leaping out of bed to find my notebook so I could jot it down), since November. I'm not sure what the block is there. I have the beast almost entirely plotted out, yet for some reason I can't bring myself to face it. I think I'm daunted by the scope and perhaps intimidated by the amount of work involved to bring this story to life. Mayhap I'll have to stick to the note book for a little while longer.
Well that's it for me for a while. How was your week?
X
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Keep Myself Awake
Did I mention my new computer?
I spent the weekend battling with the transfer of files. All I have to say is, Steve Jobs has a lot to answer for for turning my miraculous Macs into fucking PCs. I'll spare you the mental rant (verging on tears) that occured during this process, suffice to say if I had a list like the FBI most wanted, or Bill O'Reilly, Steve Jobs would probably top it right about now.
In other news. My precious wonderous book files are once again safely housed and accessible. Strange how I haven't even looked at them since November, but boy oh boy, the mere possibility that I couldn't access them sent me into a serious anxiety moment.
Blog whoring going well. I got so involved reading an online discussion I even spent a portion of my time searching out and learning about fiat currency (yes this is how anal I am).
The weekend went as most of my weekends have gone lately. Friends over and far too much red wine consumed followed by a killer hangover on Sunday. Red wine, while excellent going down, should not be consumed by the multiple bottles. The body objects strongly on so many levels. I blame this all on my men folk who troll the liquor store looking for new 'labels' to try. The Bastards!
What else, what else. oh yeah. I'm registered for the Atlanta conference. So that will be great, to see all my writing buddies and crit partners (sometimes they're one and the same) again. These are people I share something so private, so intimate with... honestly, sex has less exposure than I have with these women. And when you think about it. The trust involved in baring your creative sweat to others... wow. It just makes me appreciate them that much more. For their support, encouragement, and absolute empathy. Perhaps only another artist could understand.
Merciful Zeus, I started out whiny and ended up maudlin. Time for another scothc, and to sign out methinks.
Cheers,
X
Friday, February 17, 2006
I've Got The Music In Me.
The new computer arrived. Yay!
I have to wait until Dearest Husband of Mine gets home with his laptop to begin transfering all my book files. So I've spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out how to transfer my music files over (priorities, man). Thanks to the wonderful program developer of Senuti, I managed to transfer directly from my ipod (great big hugs) I'm so squee at the moment. At least my reading this afternoon informed me a little more on the intricacies of itunes and music libraries and such. Annoyed and frustrated but a bit better educated.
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE being able to purchase just one song. What I detest is the automatic assumption that I will get up to criminal activity with this music, and the built in protections to prevent this. It's very very insulting. So on the one hand, yay! being able to purchase just the great songs off an album, on the other, I want to boycott the whole thing.
Yes I'm fickle.
X
Added after post: I swear, sometimes I am too stupid to live. For the last week my blog has looked funny to me. the side bar disappeared to the bottom of the posts. Just now I grabbed the expander tab at the bottom right of the window and made the window larger and my sidebar popped back to where it was supposed to be. sigh. Somedays, I tell ya...
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
The Ayes Have It.
There are a lot of political blogs out there these days. Some with excellent coverage and informed readership. A repetitive theme on a lot of these blogs is the erosion or undermining of the principals of democracy. An incident happened up my way recently which made me think about how easy most of us have it when we exercise our democratic rights.
Any regular of my blog knows that our area is knee deep in hearings regarding a proposed pipeline to transport our natural gas to the south. One small community along the route held a vote last week to decide if they would allow the pipeline to pass through their land. This is a fairly small, isolated community and this issue has been a divisive one. Some people in positions of power and influence have been applying pressure in this community to vote against the pipeline. So what's the big deal about that, you might ask? Let the democratic process take its course.
The vote went 104/80 against the pipeline. I was disappointed in the results, but didn't think any more of it; they'd exercised their rights and the decision was made. That is until I found out it was a public vote by a show of hands.
Knowing how strongly some people feel about the pipeline and how frightening some people's passions can be, I had to rethink my views on that democratic process. What an uncomfortable, maybe frightening position to be in. And I really have to applaud the courage of those 80 people who stood up in a public meeting and went against the leaders. They were marked and noted, and I'm sure, for some, the next little while will not be easy or comfortable for them.
But it made me wonder about my own principals. would I be brave enough to vote for what I believe in in the face of overwhelming condemnation, and perhaps reprisals? I don't think I like the answer. Do you?
X
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Age of Aquarius
Kate's got thirty inches.
And as I was over at her blog showing a complete lack of sympathy for her plight, I was reminded that the sun has come back. Yay! and I'm daily being treated to a spectacular colour display due to our hours long sunsets that dazzle the horizon every afternoon. Perhaps soon I'll even get out of this miserable funk and stop being a snarling bitch to everyone. I may even get back to being a fun gal to be around. Here's hoping.
Oh, and the new computer should be here next week. No more struggling with this 'very' large keyboard. No more typos that aren't liquor induced. )although I'm promising nothing)
X
And as I was over at her blog showing a complete lack of sympathy for her plight, I was reminded that the sun has come back. Yay! and I'm daily being treated to a spectacular colour display due to our hours long sunsets that dazzle the horizon every afternoon. Perhaps soon I'll even get out of this miserable funk and stop being a snarling bitch to everyone. I may even get back to being a fun gal to be around. Here's hoping.
Oh, and the new computer should be here next week. No more struggling with this 'very' large keyboard. No more typos that aren't liquor induced. )although I'm promising nothing)
X
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Lazy Blog
Monday, February 06, 2006
At the Hop
No idea why this title, just felt kind of peppy.
Been blog whoring a lot the last several days. Bopping around some truly awesome current affairs blogs and reading many articulate arguments on a number of subjects. Which I will not bore you with here. Suffice to say it satisfied my eternal need for informed discourse.
On the weekend I broke my laptop. It's still laying in several pieces on my living room floor mocking my ineptitude (it may be fixable, but not by me). And so I'm borrowing himself's puter for a little bit. We do have another, table-top computer, but man it's awkward to sit at (at least it seems that way now). Plus we use the TV as the monitor, so access to that puter is always at the whim of the viewing masses.
What else has been happening around here? I'm refurbishing a small chest of drawers. From everything I've gathered online I can't rush to make it pretty, I have to get all the paint off (which is a pain in the ass) and do all the repairs before doing any staining etc. This unit isn't exactly dazzling in it's beauty, it is very old, and very plain, but I think once it's gussied up it will look very stylish where ever I put it. Right now it's in the upstairs storing candles and notepads and... crap. LOL (the drawers are fairly small, not even high enough to store DVDs in (which would have been wonderful but alas...)).
I've also finally made a move to get some work done on our walk in closet, well I've remeasured the area, and made some preliminary drawings of where I want the hangers to be. Hopefully, on the weekend, dearest husband of mine will cut the melamine and we can hang up our clothes, yay!
Spawn is coping somewhat with being a mean-ager. Mum not so much. Why can't we put these kids on Prozac, why WHY? Seriously, I'm getting tired of going from angelic helper to watching his head spin around his neck. Of course the worst is never knowing which one you'll meet when you ask him anything, Angel or demon? And this has just begun whimper-whine-I-wanna-curl-up-until-he-goes-to-college-whine-whimper.
So since I last posted I've
Inhaled way too much paint stripper
had 37 power struggles with the Spawn (btw, that's just a rough estimate, I'm sure the actual figure is much much higher)
contemplated using the table saw (thankfully some latent ,common sense gene, woke up kicking and screaming and I walked away from that one)
Settled for drafting the plans for the WIC
Gone to the hospital 3 times in abortive attempt to get a urine test done (for insurance purposes)
Played transportation monitor whilst DHM travelled the ice road and due to a miscommunication nearly sent up a red flag when I 'thought' they were an hour and a half over due (turns out my phone went dead just as DHM was relaying the pertinent info to let me know they'd hit a snag and would be very late)... 3 am I went off duty, everyone home safe and sound.
So that's the weekend round-up for me.
What did you do?
X
Been blog whoring a lot the last several days. Bopping around some truly awesome current affairs blogs and reading many articulate arguments on a number of subjects. Which I will not bore you with here. Suffice to say it satisfied my eternal need for informed discourse.
On the weekend I broke my laptop. It's still laying in several pieces on my living room floor mocking my ineptitude (it may be fixable, but not by me). And so I'm borrowing himself's puter for a little bit. We do have another, table-top computer, but man it's awkward to sit at (at least it seems that way now). Plus we use the TV as the monitor, so access to that puter is always at the whim of the viewing masses.
What else has been happening around here? I'm refurbishing a small chest of drawers. From everything I've gathered online I can't rush to make it pretty, I have to get all the paint off (which is a pain in the ass) and do all the repairs before doing any staining etc. This unit isn't exactly dazzling in it's beauty, it is very old, and very plain, but I think once it's gussied up it will look very stylish where ever I put it. Right now it's in the upstairs storing candles and notepads and... crap. LOL (the drawers are fairly small, not even high enough to store DVDs in (which would have been wonderful but alas...)).
I've also finally made a move to get some work done on our walk in closet, well I've remeasured the area, and made some preliminary drawings of where I want the hangers to be. Hopefully, on the weekend, dearest husband of mine will cut the melamine and we can hang up our clothes, yay!
Spawn is coping somewhat with being a mean-ager. Mum not so much. Why can't we put these kids on Prozac, why WHY? Seriously, I'm getting tired of going from angelic helper to watching his head spin around his neck. Of course the worst is never knowing which one you'll meet when you ask him anything, Angel or demon? And this has just begun whimper-whine-I-wanna-curl-up-until-he-goes-to-college-whine-whimper.
So since I last posted I've
Inhaled way too much paint stripper
had 37 power struggles with the Spawn (btw, that's just a rough estimate, I'm sure the actual figure is much much higher)
contemplated using the table saw (thankfully some latent ,common sense gene, woke up kicking and screaming and I walked away from that one)
Settled for drafting the plans for the WIC
Gone to the hospital 3 times in abortive attempt to get a urine test done (for insurance purposes)
Played transportation monitor whilst DHM travelled the ice road and due to a miscommunication nearly sent up a red flag when I 'thought' they were an hour and a half over due (turns out my phone went dead just as DHM was relaying the pertinent info to let me know they'd hit a snag and would be very late)... 3 am I went off duty, everyone home safe and sound.
So that's the weekend round-up for me.
What did you do?
X
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Why don't you all? Why don't you all? Why don't you all get fucked!
Hey it beats running up the nearest clock tower with an AK47.
Vile, bitching. Pisser! of a mood these days. No idea why, the only time in my life I've been more vile has been those times I tried to give up smoking. Uberevilbitchdemonfromthesixthlevelofhell.
Methinks little suzy homemaker is trying to wear too many hats and wearing them all poorly. I don't deal well with inadequacy. Being a pathetic overacheiver my whole life, failing in any area burns me something fierce. So for the next little while don't expect any sweetness and light or reasonable counsel from this quarter.
X
Wallowing.
Of course, I could just be PMSing.
Vile, bitching. Pisser! of a mood these days. No idea why, the only time in my life I've been more vile has been those times I tried to give up smoking. Uberevilbitchdemonfromthesixthlevelofhell.
Methinks little suzy homemaker is trying to wear too many hats and wearing them all poorly. I don't deal well with inadequacy. Being a pathetic overacheiver my whole life, failing in any area burns me something fierce. So for the next little while don't expect any sweetness and light or reasonable counsel from this quarter.
X
Wallowing.
Of course, I could just be PMSing.
