Okay. I saw my chiropractor today and she did an excellent job of filling out the form I needed for the disability hearing on Friday. Bless her heart.

Hopefully I'll have a judge who listens to chiropractors, especially since she's not my treating doctor. The emphasis of my treatments is not making adjustments either. She does some deep tissue massage of the knots I get in my back and shoulders. Makes me feel sooooooooooo much better.

I guess some judges are taking chiropractors seriously. Just last week, one of my chiropractor's patients got a positive ruling from a judge who said his favorable decision was based mostly on the chiropractor's report.

Lots of folks with fibromyalgia look at "alternative" medicine. When I was in Michigan, I had accupuncture and it really did help the pain.

And when you do choose alternative methods of treatments, you usually see that person more frequently.

Here's what my chiropractor said:

"In your review, please consider that over the last two years I have had the pleasure and opportunity to see this patient over 40 times. I have had a lot of contact with this patient. I have seen her at her worst, and I feel I can access what she is capable of doing in the workforce accurately."

She has seen me more than my M.D., that's for sure.

*************
Hey, check this out. Do you know someone who is disabled and not able to get out to go to movies or rent/buy them? Individuals, corporations, small businesses, video rental stores and movie companies donate funds as well as new or gently used DVD's and VHS movies to MOVIESFORFREE.ORG. MOVIESFORFREE.ORG then matches up individuals who have contacted them with a movie of their choosing. They then ship out the movie free of charge. (proof of disability is required)

http://www.moviesforfree.org/
 

I didn't get the nicknames "Smiley" and "Ms. Merry Sunshine" for nuttin'. My disposition is usually pretty laid back and even keeled. Usually. But today I really lost it. I just hope losing it doesn't come back an bite me in the butt.

As I mentioned previously, I finally have my hearing before a judge about whether or not I can work a full time job or should be defined as disabled by the Social Security Administration. The hearing is Friday, July 6.

Today, I heard from my regular/treating doctor's office. Of course it wasn't the doc herself who called, but one of her staff. My son says I raised my voice at her, and since he was in the basement and I was on the first floor, if he heard me, I guess I did.

My doc is actually out of town. Her nurse called to tell me two things.

1) They would be sending my medical records to my attorney. Good.

2) My doc refuses to fill our the functional capacity form. The doc doesn't feel that she is qualified to fill out the form and suggested that I see a rheumatologist to get the form filled out.

Sigh. When I discovered that my attorney would be sending this form to my doctor, I left a message with her that I would gladly pay for an appointment to come and go over the form with her and answer any questions she had. The questions ask how much a person can move limbs and if/how much a person can lift, stand, sit, etc. Together we could have filled out the form. But no. She has refused to fill it out. Even if she would fill it out, though, she's out of the office all week.

You know what really bugs me? My doc is perfectly willing to bill $115 each time I visit her office. Next month I have a complete physical scheduled and if the price is the same as two years ago, it will be $153 plus tests. To me that's all a bit costly. Yes, our insurance company pays most of that. I paid only $65 for my regular doc in Texas, though, and only $55 if I saw his physician's assistant. Okay, I know that was 4 years ago now. But I doubt that his prices have increased that much in 4 years.

My attorney and I discussed whether or not I should see a rheumatologist at this late date when he and I visited last week. He decided that it would be better to have my treating doc fill out the form, since she has been seeing me consistently since February 2005 than to have a new rheumatologist see me just to fill out a form.

I did see a rheumatologist in Michigan in 2003. That's how I was officially diagnosed with fibromyalgia. But, I have not seen one since I arrived in Cincinnati. And the 2003 report is old and I don't even know if SSA and my attorney have copies of it.

This afternoon, I did some checking and of the rheumatologists who are close to my house and in our insurance plan, there are not any who could see me on Tuesday or Thursday of this week. (Wednesday, of course, is a holiday.) The one that my psychologist recommended to me doesn't have a "new patient appointment" until the end of August.

I finally called my chiropractor's office to inquire about whether or not she ever did functional capacity tests. She does. So my appointment with her is tomorrow at 3 p.m. She's cool, too, so she'll probably let me deliver a copy of the test to my attorney's office or will fax it to him tomorrow.

Hopefully I didn't aggravate my regular doctor's staff so much that they won't send my medical records this afternoon as they were going to when they called.

I guess I'm getting antsy about all of this. It has been five years since I first filed for disability and what I can and cannot do has decreased over that time.

Pray with me that I don't lose my cool in court. That would not be a good thing.



 

I saw an article by Dr. Patrick Jonston recently. Below is just a bit of what he said.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Johnston/patrick11.htm

The illegal immigration crisis offers wonderful opportunities to judge the integrity of our leaders: will they abide by their oath to uphold the Constitution and enforce immigration law, or will they capitulate to powerful business interests and strong globalist forces and perpetuate lawlessness?

What does the law say about illegal immigration? Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," anyone who “Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers” has committed a federal crime. Violations are punishable by fines and/or prison, and, according to the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 237 (a)(1)(B): “Any alien who is present in the United States in violation of this Act or any other law of the United States is deportable."

I guess I just don't understand. If people are in the U.S. illegally, there are laws that address that. Why have those laws been ignored?

Some say the reason is that Americans don't want the jobs that illegals have. That's probably true - if they are being paid less than minimum wage.

Back in about 1993, my son and his father and I moved to Central Florida. I remember the first time I saw a bus load of migrant workers. I'm sure many of them were here illegally. They didn't speak much English. And day after day, the bus that transported them to the orange groves stopped at a convenience store about six miles from our house. (It was the closest store to our home, and sometimes I stopped there for milk or bread, since the nearest grocery store was another four miles or more away.)

I thought it was odd that the bus had a porta-potty attached to the back of the bus, but that the foremen never filled up a large container with ice. Instead, the workers each ventured into the store to buy a soda, which is not the best drink when working in the hot Florida sun. The foremen of construction crews in the area always had a tub or two of ice and jugs of water. Why didn't the orange groves provide these amenities to their workers? Probably because they didn't know any better and could not complain.

I knew a few public school teachers. The migrant children attended school when they were in the area, but the usually didn't spend long there before moving on to another part of the state or the country. I learned from the teachers that the families were provided "company housing" and there was also a "company store." The workers did not make much money, but I guess it was more than they would have made back in their home country. The conditions in which they lived and worked were reminisant of the 1940's. It amazed me these conditions still existed in the early 1990's.

I suppose this is why politicians and businesses can proclaim that these workers perform jobs that no one else wants to do. Of course they don't, if they won't be paid properly.

It was about the year 2000 when I looked into what was required to move to Canada. Back then, they required that one be marrying a Canadian who could support you or have a guaranteed good job waiting for you or come across the border with at least $10,000 in available funds. I'm sure the requirements are similar today.

Why is it that we cannot have similar requirements? And enforce them?

The article I mentioned above says that between 36 and 42 percent of illegal immigrants are on welfare. That wouldn't happen in Canada. I doubt it would happen anywhere else either.

Why do we let this persist?






 

Grrr. I made an entry then hit the wrong key and I lost it.

Anyway...

No, I have not seen the whole movie. But I have seen quite a few clips and enough interviews with Michael Moore to know that I will. And soon.

I understand that Larry King interviewed Michael Moore last night and that he wasn't very respectful of his guest. Supposedly he treated him as if he had to do the interview, not as if it was a topic of interest to Larry.

And supposedly afterward there was another show where the Republicans responded to the movie.

I've been a Republican for years, but this just could be an issue that changes that.

I was told that one stupid Republican said that we - I guess Americans who are for universal health care - need to wake up and realize that health care is not a right.

As one who suffers a chronic illness and who has seen numerous people not being treated or being mistreated because of financial issues, them's fighting words. The not-so-nice part of me (yes, I do have one, considering - as Budroe is Blessed! says I have a belly button) wants that Republican to be without health care himself for once in his life and to find out what millions of Americans face every day. Or to have coverage and have to fight with the insurance company to cover something that should be covered.

I like the not yet candidate Fred Thompson, but one of his first blog entries is all about how we cannot have universal health care and how our health care system is set up to be and should remain part of our capitalist system. Grrr. His blog also mentions that the people who live in countries where health care is part of the tax system have to wait for years to get elective surgeries.

I really have not come across anyone in Europe or Canada who would trade their system for ours. Have you?????

When I lived in Florida, I met hundreds of Canadians. Snowbirds we called them. They knew to the day how many days they could spend wintering in Florida before they had to go back home...just so they could keep their Canadian health coverage. Not one of the ones I met wanted our health care system. They didn't complain about having to wait weeks or months or years for treatments. In fact, if you asked them about that they claimed it wasn't so. So why do the Republicans insist on bringing this up?

People in other countries live longer. There are probably two reasons for that.
1) Everyone can get preventive care as well as care when they are sick.
2) They don't have to worry about how they will afford to be cared for if they are sick.

Unfortunately, I really don't know how they will fix our system. Right now, doctors get rich. Pharmaceutical companies get rich. Insurance companies get rich. They would not like having the opportunity to get and stay rich taken away from them. And they have lots and lots of lobbyists who wine and dine our congressmen/women. (Who of course don't have to worry about health care themselves, since they have a whole program set up just for them.)

I read somewhere where it would take an uprising or a "Boston tea party-like" happening to get the attention of those who can begin to change this for us. And you know...I don't think Americans are up to that anymore.

Nope. We're comfortable with what we have. We believe what people tell us - about how the people in Europe and Canada have it so badly with their health system. We might watch this new Michael Moore movie and get riled temporarily. But we'll be back to being silent as soon as the hoop-la is over.
 

Posting this link will probably get me a few emails from folks who don't like the article. I didn't write it. But I do have to agree with some of what
Coach Dave wrote.

His recent posting at News With Views is called, "Have You Ever Visited a Gay Pride Parade?" http://www.newswithviews.com/Daubenmire/dave75.htm

I have not. But almost 30 years ago, I found myself in Houston, Texas during a arts festival in the midst of Montrose, an almost entirely gay community (at least back then). As one who had just recently left a small town in Michigan, just being in the big city of Houston was a big enough shock. Seeing what others considered "normal" activities and attitudes, but that I would consider extreme at a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade, was...well it was something.

Even though I lived in Houston for 8 years (and later just an hour south of Houston for another 6 years) I never set foot in Montrose again. Even though it was said that they held some of the best arts shows and had a few really good restaurants.

In 1999 Coach Dave Daubenmire was sued by the ACLU for praying with his teams while coaching high school in Ohio. He now spends his energy fighting for Christian principles in the public domain.

He is the founder and President of Pass The Salt Ministries http://www.ptsalt.com and Minutemen United http://www.minutemenunited.org, is host of the high octane Pass The Salt radio show heard in Columbus, Ohio.

Oh what the heck. Here's another News With Views article that is bound to get to some folks. Martha West says, "Americans have been asleep at the wheel while powerful far left ideologues work--round the clock to create words in his or her own image. Before you know it we'll all be echoing "One Nation Under Liberals." http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha47.htm

Note: At the end of both of these articles, there are email addresses where you can send comments to the authors if you choose.


 

As you'll recall, I didn't make it church last Sunday. But hubby did. We kept forgetting to sit down so that he could read his notes to me. (I can't always read his writing.) Then I suggested that he type them up.

We thought the Building Character Series was over. We were wrong.

Part 11 - Honesty

John 8:44 NLT
The Devil...has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Steps to Building Honesty in Your Life

Proverbs 23:23 NIV
Buy the truth and do not sell it.

Have an honesty check up

Where is honesty an issue?
At work?
At home?
With friends?
"I can stop (drinking, smoking, etc.) at any time I want."

How is honesty an issue? Everyone has an issue with honesty.
Protecting others.
Slander/gossip - Paris Hilton, for example.
Exaggeration.
Deceit.
Flattery.
Justification (You get too much change back at the store and don't give it back. Justification? The prices are too high anyway? I got cheated the last time?)

The Greek word for dishonesty is "resume." (Exaggeration)

Have an honesty re-evaluation

Provergs 13:21 NLT
Trouble chases sinners while blessings chase the righteous.

Dishonesty sometimes has gains. When you cheat on taxes, you get more money back. The Bible says those gains are temparary. It catches up.

Honesty Benefits

Develops character

Proverbs 20:7 NCV
The good people who live honest lives will be a blessing to their children.

Character is what I am when no one is looking.

Ephesians 4:15 NLT
Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and mroe in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Integrity is when honesty gets together with character.

Home is the place where character is tested. Lays the groundwork for spiritual maturity.

Cultivates confidence

Proverbs 11:6 NCV
Doing right brings freedom to honest people.

"It's easier to tell the truth. That way you don't have to keep track of anything." ~ Mark Twain

Completes the connection (with God)

Psalms 51:6 TLB
You (God) deserve honesty from the heart.

The more He is in your life, the harder it is to be dishonest.

When the message starts to get to you inside, don't feel guilty. That's a good sign - that God is speaking to you. The Spirit is not like a Jewish mother; guilt is not the goal.

Honesty? Just do it.

Take an inventory inside. God wants to connec with you here and now.
 

When problems arise in a Christian's life, does he call upon God first? Hopefully so. And God answers. He doesn't always answer in the ways we expect, but He answers.

If you don't believe in God, then who do you call when you're in trouble? I guess you have to call on your fellow man. Frankly, we're not always as reliable as God.

I think I've mentioned my cousin before in my blog. He'll be 65 this year. He has a master's degree in psychology and at one time he practiced. He worked for the worker's compensation board in Canada years ago. I think he was probably quite good, even if he was somewhat unorthadox. The problem was that he and the insurance people didn't always agree on treatments or on diagnosis, and he's not one to back down.

At the age of 60, he learned to be a truck driver. Even that wasn't a pleasant experience - for him or for the company. He didn't like being paired with an equally inexperienced driver after training. After having his life endangered by his partner, Cousin Ed called the company and quit when they wouldn't put him with a safer driver. (His stories about training and riding with that other new driver are scary. It's no wonder there are accidents with 18-wheelers.)

Today, he delivers buses - school buses and those cute little buses that you find at retirement centers and hotels.

He drives his Tracker to where he's to pick up a bus, then attaches his vehicle to the bus and tows it so that he has a way to get back home. There are not many instances where he has a back haul (a bus to deliver the other way).

I knew he was going out on a delivery yesterday. He had been sick, and that concerned me. He was also delivering from Indiana to Louisiana, and with the rain being so bad in so many places, it had me a bit concerned.

This morning I heard from him - a bit earlier than he might usually check in. (He does check in while he's on the road so a family member is aware of his comings and goings.)

The weather had not affected him, but he was in a bit of a pickle. He got on the road pretty early this morning. And sometime after he left his motel, one of his rear tires on his Tracker blew, but he didn't know it. Hundreds of cars probably passed him before two drivers tried to alert him to the problem. The first pulled up beside him and yelled and yelled. That didn't communicate anything to my cousin. He thought the guy was just mad at him for something.

The second sat on his horn, and that let my cousin know that something was wrong. He pulled off the road and discovered his problem. By then, the tire was gone and the wheel and rim and probably the brakes were ruined. He must have driven at least ten miles without realizing there was a problem.

There he sat on an interstate highway, but in the area of a very small town in Mississippi. He talked with his employer, but since the bus is okay they weren't very interested in his problem. He could very well just leave the Tracker and deliver the bus and then figure out how to get back home or to where his car sat.

While cousin and I talked, I got on Mapquest to see where he was stuck. Then I checked for churches in the area. Boy, there were hundreds.

You see, I remembered a time when my ex and my son and I were having car trouble - in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. I even wrote about that experience.

ID: 1209724   (Rated: E) What Kind of Pastor Are You?  Yes, it took five days to get there. But God was obviously along for the ride. by Kenzie

The fellow from church never did find my cousin either, I guess. Weird. Unless, of course, God just had a different idea.

I just heard from the Cuz. He's back on the road again. The guy who worked at the towing/junk yard and his boss saw to it that he got his car fixed, road tested, and back on the road just after noon their time - and for only about $200. Cuz is still scratching his head about that one. You know...there are still some good folks out there...

Personally, I think God was at work in another way today too. Yesterday, my son could not find his cell phone. It doesn't get a signal in our house, so calling it doesn't help. It won't ring in the house. He looked in every room about six times, checked cushions, checked all over my car. It just was no where to be found.

I told hubby that if Derek went to sleep in his room, I was going to check the basement myself. I was certain that his phone was under the sofa. I fell asleep before he did, though, and woke up after he did.

Not long ago he mentioned that he found his phone. He said that he felt "prompted" to check under the sofa again, even though he had alreay done so last night. This time, he lifted up one end and there it was.
 

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Wasn't that a book title?

Hmmm. A quick Google search says that it's part of a quote from Doug Horton and part of a song by Eric Bogle. If Wishes Were Fishes is also the title of a movie (according to imdb.com) and the title of a new board game (available in Geman now and in English soon).

Who cares?

********
I did participate in the consumer panel about toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental habits.

And promptly after I wrote that last line, I took a nap. I've been up for hours now, but I keep making trips to the bathroom (or to the kitchen sink if I can't make it to the bathroom) to barf.

What I don't know is if the reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyyy upset tummy is an extension of my flare-up that started almost a week ago.

Or...is it a result of having taken a pain pill last night. I'm not sure. I do know that I finally remembered that I still had some of my nausea medicine. Duh. Of course, it makes me extremely drowsy. So in just a bit, I'll back to bed I'm sure.

Anyway...

I did spend two hours talking with a group of folks about dental care and toothbrushes. I have no idea what organization was behind our focus group. We often don't find out.

Now...any idea I had about what I was going to write today is gone, gone, gone. Perhaps if I put my head on the pillow again, I'll remember. Probably not, but the pillow is calling me anyway.



 

Okay. I feel like doo-doo today. Both physically - the fibro flare-up is still in progress. And emotionally. I should have gone to the church for a few hours today for my volunteer time.

I should also go across town for two hours this afternoon. I have another consumer panel/study where I can earn $150 for two hours of my time - talking about toothpaste and toothbrushes. Not an exciting topic to me, but the money would help.

********
I had the TV on this morning and saw the newest commercial against Wal-Mart by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. It got my attention. Here's the website home page: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/

And here's the link for the latest ad: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/video/beapatriot.html

I haven't done much shopping at Wal-Mart myself since mid-2003. I didn't shop at Wal-Mart at all when I was living in Michigan and have only been there once since I arrived in Cincinnati at the end of 2004.

Years ago, when I traveled all over Florida selling and recruiting for House of Lloyd/Christmas Around the World, it bothered me that, as I drove down the highways, the only way to tell that I had entered a new county or a new town was that there was another Wal-Mart. They bought former farm land to put those stores on the highways. In town after town, I noticed fewer people shopping in the quaint, little town shops and more and more people in those Wal-Marts. That bothered me even back then and I avoided shopping at the big stores and faithfully shopped at the smaller mom and pop stores.

The ad I saw today says that Wal-Mart is buying more and more from China. And that China is selling weapons to Afghanistan, weapons that kill our U.S. troops.

I don't know about you, but I'm rather wary about merchandise from China any more. First it was a food recall. Then a dog food recall. Most recently, there has been a tire recall. People didn't know that their new SUVs had tires from China. I guess that explains why they fell apart and why some people died.

********
Do you ever read World Magazine? It's a weekly magazine, much like Newsweek, except with a Christian slant. If you cannot afford a subscription, perhaps your library has copies. Or you can see the latest news at http://www.wordmag.com

In an essay by Marvin Olasky, we're reminded that George W. Bush is trying to return Washington to the principles of our founding fathers.

It also reminds us that George Washington said in 1789:

"Every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience." Washington also said - as many of our founding fathers did - that if Americans stopped believing in God, the nation was in big trouble.

This article also points to a book by Stephen Mansfield called Ten Tortured Words: How the Founding Fathers Tried to Protect Religion in America...and What's Happened Since. Sounds like a book I'm going to seek out.

Another great excerpt from the recent issue:

By Nancy Tishler, Professor Emerita of English at Pennsylvania State University, and author of studies in Scripture and ligerature: "When Paul told the Philippians to try chewing some tough meat, he meant something deeper than the feel-good theology of a satisfied people. Rathen than baby's milk, too many Christians settle for cotton candy or angel food cake, when they should be seeking to understand suffering and God's mercy."


 

I'm feeling old today. No, it's not because of the pains and fatigue I've had since Saturday, although I'm still struggling with both.

Nope. I'm feeling old because I just heard Kelly Clarkson on GMA. I heard one song that was pretty, but the next one was a "bunch of screaming." I remember my mother saying that - the screaming part, not a pretty song part - about Janis Joplin. Not that Janis Joplin was one of my favorite singers back in the day. But she was definitely part of my teen years.

Now that I'm older and I ponder a lot - as opposed to immediately concluding that parents are weird as I did as a kid - I realize how hard it must have been for my parents' generation.

My mom liked Nat King Cole and Perry Como and Frank Sinatra, for pity's sake. If she thought that Elvis was "out there" I cannot imagine what she thought of Janis Joplin. Yes I can. Mom thought that Janis Joplin screamed, not sang. And she was a bit right about that. But it seemed okay back then.

Today, Kelly Clarkson's screaming annoyed me. And that made me feel old.

And it made me remember a sign I used to have. "Mirror, mirror on the wall. I am my mother, after all."

*****

A few days ago, I included a note about praying for winter. We still need to keep her in our prayers. But did you see her last blog entry? Check it out: "Invalid Entry" . God is good!

I heard the good news from Budroe is Blessed! first last night. I told him that I had a bit of a bad morning, but that God showed Himself in quite a few ways throughout the day, reminding me that He's in control.

Oddly enough, one of those ways was in an email I got. Just as I was pondering my son's fantastic idea - that I'm dying to share, but can't - yet - and thinking that eventually his idea could find him on local or national talk shows if all goes well, I got a marketing email.

I usually ignore the emails from this dude, but I have never tried to unsubscribe. I guess I'm afraid that corresponding with someone I don't choose to have a business relationship with will just cause more correspondence. That does happen.

Yesterday, instead of just deleting the email, I read it. Seriously, this came in the midst of pondering my son going on talk shows with his new idea.

Know what the email was? It was an invitation to a conference call about....how to get on radio and TV talk shows to promote your book, product or service.

Signing up was free. And since our long distance is almost free (well, you know - a set amount each month for unlimited long distance), all it will require is the time to listen in. Derek will be asleep this afternoon during the time of the conference call, so I'll be listening in.

Also included in that email was a link to one of Oprah's web pages - one that lists future shows and has a link to suggest shows. http://www.oprah.com/tows/intheworks/tows_works_main.jhtml Check it out. Perhaps there's something there for you.



 

...a female version of Rip Van Winkle? That's what I want to be. I could just sleep and sleep and it's not because I've taken a bunch of drugs. I'm just plum tuckered out. Plus I have pains in places I didn't know I had places.

Been this way all weekend. Well...since I walked down the three flights of stairs from the movie theater to where we were parked in the garage. No, that's not quite right. I was fine after that. It started Saturday morning, I guess.

I missed church on Sunday and I missed feeding the folks at the apartments that our church adopted (Sunday afternoon). Hubby went, though. He even stayed to help clean up afterwards. I also missed my evening small group Bible study on Sunday evening.

I did drive Derek to work last night and pick him up this morning. But now my mind is in a total fog and my eyelids are so heavy that I don't know how I'm staying awake. Won't be for long. I can tell.

My muscles hurt, but they're also feeling heavy. Every movement both hurts and feels like I'm dragging around a ball and chain. Or maybe a dozen balls and chains.

Be sure to keep July 6 in your prayers. I really need the Social Security judge to see how this fibromyalgia affects my life and ability to work a full time job. If he decides there's some full time job out there that I could do, the dance is over. This is it. If I have to file again, I would have to use July 7 as my new "can't work" date. And if I do that, I won't have enough work credits to qualify anymore. (I do have enough credits up to the knee injury I had in 2002, which is the disabilty date we've been using. I have not worked full time since then.)

So that's what I need from you, my friends. Lots of prayers about this hearing coming up.

And understanding that I'm not visiting your port or your blog right now. I'm just too tired.



I wrote this a few days ago, but just posted. I guess I was chagrined about an email chain letter I received that day.

ID: 1281893   (Rated: E) We Are So Gullible  Send this email. You'll get rich and your wrinkles will disappear. Hey, it worked for me! by Kenzie

My son came up with an absolutely brilliant idea. I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom. No sirrreee. I'm saying that because I'm 55, have been to college, have worked in business and sales and marketing (and writing). I'm saying that because I have always known that he could come up with an idea this good. I know that his IQ tested in the genious level when he was only two, and that he has been working below his abilities for years.

I can't reveal his idea at this point. But I will once he's ready to go global with it. (Yes, global!)

I told him that I'd help with preliminaries, though. So, if anyone has any suggestions and/or advice about...

The best web site host (especially if he's going to get lots of visitors, which I think he will)

Registering a domain name

Registering a trademark

I think that's all for now. I'll let you know later if I need any more help.

Meanwhile?


 

So... I've been on a roll for some time now. Having an entry every day for.......I'm not even sure for how long. But even if the entries have been short, I've had one. But not for Saturday.

Hubby and I, plus my son and and hubby's daughter went to the movies again on Friday night. The last time we went, Tiff didn't really like the movie and Derek fell asleep. This time, everyone enjoyed the movie. What was it? Evan Almighty.

Peronally, I didn't like Bruce Almighty. But I highly recommend Evan Almighty. It's rated PG. And the whole bunch of us enjoyed it. Even Tiff's friend who came with us. Our ages: 10, 12, 23, 55 and 58. Two kids who attend church. Two adult committed Christians. And one adult who struggles with what to believe. We all enjoyed the movie.

I have to admit, I wondered how it was going to work. I was curious about how and why there would be another flood needing an ark. But it's okay. The movie doesn't disregard what the Bible says about that.

My mistake was to take the stairs to the parking lot after the movie. Three flights. I figured since we were going down to the parking lot, it wouldn't bother me that much. Wrong.

My knees were aching last night when I went to bed. Now, my knees, back, ankles, hips all ached The bottom of my feet are on fire. My ears feel like they're frostbitten (I really hate that one!). And I slept longer than usual Saturday morning and had two short naps during the day. All - most likely - because I decided to take the stairs after the movie. Grrr. This is my version of having a flare-up. And...compared to some folks I know who have fibromyalgia, it's not really that bad.

But it's bad enough. I'm tired. But I also hurt so badly that sleep just won't come now. And don't you know that I forgot to refill my pain pills (the ones I really hate and put off taking until I have a day like Saturday). Can't fill now until Monday, 'cause the prescription I have now says no refills. Grrr. I'm forced to try some anti-inflammatory pills which don't work real well, but do kill my stomach. So...I'll be taking some anti-barf pills too.

Know what else? The next time we're at that movie theater, I'll probably still want to walk down the stairs to the car. The elevator takes so long. And I still can't get it in my thick head that I can't do the things I once took for granted.
 

I had an opinion piece I wanted to get out there - somewhere besides here. I decided to send it to the newspaper where I used to work in Texas. They used to publish my guest columns quite a bit - before, during and after I worked there.

I decided to check the "rules" of some other newspapers, especially where I have lived.

Know what I discovered? The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette actually pays for opinion essays and guest columns.

Know what else? They pay for poems too!

Here's the link for submission guidelines: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03001/657233.stm
 

It looks like it should/could/will rain today. I hope it does. We need rain badly.

Did anyone see the news item about the little girls who were loud while swimming in their backyard pool? And the neighbors took the parents to court?

If you go to ABCnews.com and click on Good Morning America, it's quite a hot topic. If you missed the video, it's there.

Personally, I think the neighbors were right. The kids were too loud.

I tried posting a comment at ABCnews.com myself, but the page just kept flashing and never did accept my comment. Grrr.

What I tried to say was that the whole situation - the kids being too loud, their parents' attitude about it, and the neighbors' anger all show how different today's world is than when I was a kid.

When I was young, any adult in the neighborhood could have requested the kids to play a bit more quietly - especially without the shreiks! - and the girls would have responded, "Okay Mrs. _____. We're sorry." And they would have played more quietly.

Or, if they didn't, any one of the disturbed neighbors could have approached the parents and the parents would have apologized and asked their kids to play more quietly.

Back then, we were more other centered. Now we're more "me centered." We worry more about our own rights than the comfort and rights of those around us.

What's sad is that the kids and their parents may someday learn the importance of kids not shreiking and screaming that way. If they are ever really in trouble, their own parents and the neighbors around them will just ignore the screams. You know...the story of the little boy who cried wolf?

I can't tell you how many times I shared that story with neighbor kids in Texas - when they were shreiking in the courtyard or in the swimming pool. When put to them that way - that their cries for help could go unnoticed - they tended to listen to me and not just think I was a cranky old lady.

I guess I put too many links in an entry a few days ago. I may be about to do the same thing.

Here's the link to that bad poem I posted as part of a contest. (You know, the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest.)

You're supposed to click here and read my bad poem, then vote on it like it's really good. Seriously. If you vote for my poem the most one day, I could win an I-pod or $1000. Really. Now wouldn't that be fun? Hey, I would share. Well, not the I-pod, but the money. I could buy some gp's and spread them around. http://www.poetry.com/voteforme/poemvote1.asp?PID=11956341 I'll wait....

Done?

Okay on to the next topic. I guess I'll never win an award for staying with one topic.

Ever feel tempted to send on a chain email letter or a popular forward? Know what you can do instead? Just send some of these links. These folks have collected some of the best and worst email chain letters and forwards. You can find more examples by just putting "email chain letters" or "email forwards" into a Google search.

http://bl.net/forwards/
http://www.chainletters.net/?page=index

This one is good: THINGS YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW WITHOUT THE MOVIES
http://bl.net/forwards/movies.html Reading this could actually help you do a story some day.
 

Someone asked if I've been sleeping more than usual lately. Yes. Definitely. At least during the day.

Do you look at your blog stats? I do, but just once in a while. I usually get between 20 and 35 views per day. Yesterday, I had 58 views.

I wonder...did I have some weird key word?

Was it because I had 3 entries?

Guess we'll never know.

Anyway, I am working on the sermon notes.
 

I know, I know. I still haven't posted my sermon notes from Sunday. I will. (Although the longer I wait, the better the chance that I won't be able to read my own handwriting. )

I was at the church for a few hours this morning. I'm not sure I accomplished all that much. I did meet with the pastor and with Susan. Susan is the leader of our small group. She's also active in outreach ministries. She and I are going to help with the ArkALMIGHTY ministry in our church.

We're meeting at the church again tomorrow at noon for a conference call about this program. With the movie Evan Almighty coming out on Friday, we really want to tell our members - SOON - about this ministry.

We have a cool (big) banner to put outside that just says, "Help is here." It has a picture of the ark and gives the web site, www.ArkALMIGHTY.com on it.

We have some great bulletin insert pages, t-shirts for the pastor and Susan and I to wear as we introduce this. And a video clip to show. But we need to make sure we understand everything before the questions start. We also need to provide forms to fill out for those who do not access the Internet.

Lots to think about. Lots to do.

But, just like yesterday, I'm tired. I really have to take a nap before I think about all of this.

Grrr.

 

I found another entry from a while back that I had marked as "keep private." Wish I would quit doing that.

Anyway, here's what you missed.

I'm not a doctor. Just a woman suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and all that goes along with those...

Stomach ailments happen to fibro patients. And IBS. But my pains and digestive problems really bug me sometimes. I've had every test you can have - 2 and 3 times! But the medications meant to reduce stomach acid don't seem to help the pains (and burping and passing gas). Then I read somewhere that people over 50 often don't make enough acid. I tried taking some wine vinegar every day and that seemed to help. So who knows...

If you spend time on the internet researching what "helps" fibromyalgia, you'll find that there probably are not two patients taking the same exact meds. That's probably because every patient also has different pains and symptoms. It makes it hard to figure out - for patients and doctors.

My gastro doc finally did admit that my pains might just be spasms, since everything else spasms and suggested a different muscle relaxer than I take for skeletal muscles. Sigh.

There are plenty of fibro patients who swear by taking guaifenesin. And there are plenty of doctors and researchers who seem to want to stop them from both taking gauifenesin and from talking about it. They claim there's a placebo effect. Perhaps. But supposedly, the man who started all of this, R. Paul St. Amand M.D., had it himself, and was, therefore, motivated to find something that would relieve or cure the symptoms.

Here are just some links about guaifenesin:

http://web.mit.edu/london/www/guai.html
http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/GuaiProtocol.htm
http://www.fmnetnews.com/resources-alert-product6.php
http://drlowe.com/QandA/askdrlowe/guaifenesin.htm
http://fibromyalgia.ncf.ca/dsguai.htm

L-glutamine is something that body builders take. But if you poke around on the internet, you'll find that it's been given to cancer patients for pain. I've been taking it, and, you know, it seems to help.

***************

Here's that bad and silly poem I wrote and sent to poetry.com just because doing so was a requirement for entering a constest. Remember? The Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest I mentioned a few weeks ago? http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php

Here's how the poem looks at poetry.com. Y'all should really vote for it, 'cause it's sooooo good. vhttp://www.poetry.com/voteforme/poemvote1.asp?PID=11956341

*************
Here's a link to outpost-earth.com where my blog is listed.
http://outpost-earth.com/users/Kenzie

This is where you can find my ezinearticles.
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Marilyn_Mackenzie

And here's http://www.bloggernity.com a blog search directory. Here's my blog listing there. You can even vote for it. http://www.bloggernity.com/blogs/41777.html

That's all the stuff 'n' such for now.
 

...I think.

I have to about it, otherwise I might . It drives me nuts that I have to take naps. Sometimes I can go for days without needing to do that. Then Tiff will be here for the weekend and I'll have to nap while she's here. That really makes me mad. At least this past weekend, I was able to nap while she and hubby were out having daddy time.

********
My son came looking for me and asked if he woke me. He didn't. He was finally using the bongo drums his dad sent for his birthday. I don't think he had used them much before today.

For Christmas 2005, I gave Derek a Djembe (an African drum), and he has used that. Now he has both the Djembe and the bongos. I'm glad he's using them today. Sometimes it helps him relieve stress.

In case you don't know what they look like, here's a Djembe:

Nope. He didn't wake me. I was already awake when he started drumming. But I really don't think it would have mattered that he was drumming and I was sleeping. It seems, once I am asleep, that nothing much wakes me up.

*********

You know what bugs me? I'm signed up with a few different (real!) mystery shopping companies. But I have not gone out of my way to do any mystery shopping since I've been in Cincinnati. You know why? Many of the companies have not raised their payments in years. Grrr.

I did my first mystery shopping before there were mystery shopping companies, I think. Back then, I worked for a private investigator. I had to pretend to need an apartment and report on the leasing office. That was in Houston, way back in about...1979 or 1980. I was paid $25 for about an hour of my time, and back then that was excellent.

The company that I'm signed up with to spy on (okay they wouldn't like that phrase) apartment leasing offices now pays $40. That's okay.

But the pay for some other kinds of shops stinks. Like...there's one company that pays $5 to shop a restaurant. Granted you don't have to buy much to be able to report. But still. They're not reimbursing for the meal or snack. And it could take 3 or 4 weeks to get the $5. With gas prices, I'm not sure about that one.

Today I got an email about doing shops for a hotel. This could be worth something. They reimburse for the cost of the hotel (plus meals if you're required to report on them) plus $20. They expect you to do these shops in your own area, so there's not a big travel expense. (Or you can schedule a shop somewhere else while you're traveling. That could be interesting - getting your hotel reimbursed plus getting paid.)

Anyway, in case you're interested in trying this, here's the link: http://shopper.application.freemangroupsolutions.com/

**********
Speaking of not increasing pay...

That has become a hot topic about some of the writing magazines and e-zines. They have not increased pay at some of them. Funny, isn't it? They will criticize other magazines and e-zines for taking advantage of writers and not paying enough. Then they will pay very little for articles about how little the other magazines pay.

*********

Okay. I'm not sure that last paragraph made much sense. I wonder if I'm getting sick or something. I'm shutting down, as I tell hubby. That means that I need to be in bed in the next ten minutes or so. Wonder why I'm so sleepy today??????

Bye again.