Things That Make You Go Hhuummmm

What a beautiful weekend! The weather is crisp, the sun is out, birds are singing, it's ashame that tomorrow is Monday...

Never A Good Time
Last week my office mate went to the doctor on Monday afternoon. She did not come back to work on Tuesday or Wednesday, citing doctors orders, her blood pressure was Very high. She'd had issues with this before and is not on medication, but she said the measurements the doctor took were 'stroke'-worthy. She's only 33, not too much over weight and a very active, vital woman. She has created her own company dealing with entrepeurship, written an e-book, works with charities and her church and does some web-design on the side. Her commute daily runs about 1 - 1.5 hours, from her home on Conyers to 5Points. She's been talking about slowing down lately as she's just too tired. She also does not drink alcohol or coffee nor smoke.

I have high-blood pressure, and in my case it's easier to take a pill than it is to lose weight and start exercising. That would be the normal, human response, I feel. I thought there was other issues, but she would say when she would say. Well, she told our Friday Lunch Group (just 3 of us, myself, her and another guy) that she's pregnant. Ahh, says I, that explains the bed rest! She was pretty open about her thoughts now, she's rethinking her life style, her goals and her approach. She will slow down, take care of herself better, eat better, think pure thoughts. But she still wants to retire at 40. I'm thinking maybe not the way she's planning on now, but she may be out of the work force by 40.

Socrates said 'The unexamined life is not worth living'. You have to question things in life and in your life. Society changes, ideas change, people change, and a smart person will be able to adjust, and, as I share later in this posting, not blame other people.

I have never had the reason she has to rethink my life. I've never been in the position to think about starting a family. I don't feel too much loss, I'm not really the Mommy-type. I have always questioned areas of my life, but as I approach the Big Birthday, I have been rethinking lots of things. The almost 3 year stretch of unemployment also is cause for reflection. I'm enjoying my new job, new paychecks and meeting new people. I'm doing the commuting thing, riding public transportation. It's helped me in that I'm getting more exercise, but I really hate being tied to a bus/train schedule. For almost 3 years I've been on my own schedule, awaking early (at least by 5am) but not getting out of bed until the crack of 9am, so this having to be at the bus stop by 6:59am sucks. And the stress of getting to the bus stop, and the uncertainty of the bus is a problem. Marta busses are notoriously late, but my bus has never been late, she's even had to stop at a few stops and wait, just to be sure she isn't early. But again, the stress of her being early....

The biggest thing I've decided is something that I heard Joel Osteen say on Larry King: 'Don't surround yourself with negative people.' I'm trying to rid myself of the bad influences in my life, bad ideas, bad practices, bad karma. Some of these people and practices aren't necessarily bad, just bad for ME. So I'm trying to discover new ideas, activities, people that are good influences. Earlier this summer I cleaned my house and got rid of junk, I'm doing the same with my life. So far, it feels pretty good!

News And Views
Genarlow Wilson is out of jail, finally. He was sentenced to 10 years when he was 17 for consensual sex with a 15 year old girl. I thought his attorney was a glory-grabbing attorney, rejecting several deals to let him out of jail, but he'd still have to register with the sex offender registry. But this is just proof that percervierense pay off. He's out and not on the sex offender database. Consensual sex, is just that, both parties are in agreement. Yes, teenagers should not be having sex, but it happens. The girl in this case was NOT a victim, she was a participant. Whatever happened to her? Yes, there are predators out there, but this guy wasn't one. He did stupid things, which he recognizes now, and hopefully will move on. I hope his 3 years in jail didn't put him on a downward path. He was a good student, good athlete, and he had plans. I hope he can pick up where he left off.

The Drought
Things are tough here in the Peach State. We need LOTS of rain, and the govenor has asked us to take shorter showers, just a week or two ago. We've been in a drought for many months, and just now he's asking us to take shorter showers? A letter in the AJC today says it all, about lots of issues, not just the drought.

"No simple answer exists
We are too quick to blame anyone but ourselves. Though the Army Corps of Engineers built Lake Lanier for the purpose of providing hydroelectric energy, we now chastise the agency. Yet we have appropriated the lake for use as drinking water. We don't deal with complexity well anymore. A myriad of interrelated issues cause problems, but we tend to say it's always someone else's fault: "if only the mussels; if only the Democrats; if only the Republicans; if only the litigating attorneys." If only it were that simple. We are all culpable, and there is no one simple answer. But as long as we blame someone else, though we may feel absolved, we are sure not to solve any problems.
RICHARD COMMINS, Atlanta" (published in the AJC, Sunday, Oct 28)

SCHIP program and vetoes
When will the 'talking heads' realize the difference between 'socialized medicine' and government sponsered health insurance? Just a bit of a difference. I'm still not sure if either is good, I just know they aren't the same.

Bad News
I have heard of such things, never have experienced it, but now I've been put on notice. I was on my front porch today, reading the paper, and there, scampering across my newly manicured lawn I saw Vermin. A rat. A large dark brown almost black rat, about the size of a squirrel. At first glance I thought it was a squirrel, then I noticed the tail. My cat took great interest, but she's an indoor cat and I don't want her dealing with disgusting stuff like that. The rat took off across the street, but now I know They're Here. I will invest in traps and the like to keep them from infesting my house. There are stray cats in the neighborhood, but this one seems to have gotten away. Gross.

Have a Good Monday!

More to come...
As things happen, I'll be posting. Thanks for taking the time to read. You're opinions are welcome but if you have to start calling me names, don't bother, I won't read them. As my Dad says 'Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one.'