Poor, Poor Pitiful Me

I know that I’ve been strangely silent of late.  I’m still at home recovering.  I went to see both my surgeon and infectious disease doctor last week.  The surgeon found another area, near the first, that caused him concern.  He excised more skin and there was additional drainage from that area.  I go back to see him this Wednesday.  The infectious disease doctor doesn’t seem as concerned.  At my urging, he continued my IV antibiotics for another week, then is switching me to oral antibiotics.  He didn’t change the IV antibiotic even though the first area is still draining and a new area has cropped up.  I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv, but it seems logical to me that the current IV antibiotic not only hasn’t cleared up the infection, but also hasn’t stopped it from spreading.  Hopefully the results of the culture sent out by my surgeon will result in trying a different antibiotic.  

PICC line for IV antibiotics - not me in picture

I had planned to put up a post following the massive tornado strike in Moore, OK early last week.  It’s written (mostly), but I just lost my motivation.  The focus is on the plight of animals in all types of disasters.  Following the unexpected minor surgery last Wednesday, I was in a lot of pain and, frankly, feeling sorry for myself and down in the dumps.  Yes, I can be ridiculously self-centered and pissy.  I really don’t make a good patient, maybe because I’m an impatient person and I despise being held back by infirmities.  

I haven’t felt like watching my favorite “political” programs on MSNBC or even Jon Stewart’s show.  The crap going on both on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures across the country is so overwhelmingly horrible that it is demoralizing, at least for me.  The firm grip that major corporations and uber-wealthy activists (yes, Koch Brothers, I’m talking about you) is unbelievably maddening.  Often times it leaves me feeling hopeless, which is much easier to accomplish in my doom and gloom mindset.  Instead, I’ve spent much of my time napping, playing Cat Herder – an online game, or watching television.  On the television front there is some good news.  Both The Glades and Longmire are premiering tomorrow night.  Major Crimes on TNT will be back on later in June (bad news, these shows conflict with each other).  In the fall, ABC has picked up the Joss & Jed Whedon/Melissa Tancheroen show, The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – WHOO HOO!  There is the problem that it’s opposite one of my favorites – NCIS.  Love me some Mark Harmon.  

I will make a shout out to the incredible women of Sky Dancing.  I have been getting my political fix from them.  With their amazing posts, a couple of times each day, I am able to keep up with not only the rancid news of the day, but amazing stuff happening as well.  Sky Dancing has been my lifeline to the real world through the eyes of like-minded bloggers and readers.  Thanks to one and all there for giving me a modicum of sanity in this insane world.  And, of course, my darling kitties and crazy dog, Maggie, have kept me smiling…..except when Maggie insists on barking at absolutely nothing.  

Contacting Your Elected Officials

My regular readers know that I am proud to proclaim that I am a Liberal.  Rarely do my elected officials agree with my position on most of the issues of our day.  It's no different this time.

I support restrictions on guns and ammunition.  This issue is scheduled to finally be voted on in Congres, nearly FOUR MONTHS after the massacre of 26 children and adults in Newtown, CT.  Reports have said that many of the children's bodies were nearly blown apart due to the type of weapon used, the proximity of the shooter and the massive number of bullets Adam Lanza discharged from his weapon.  I cannot imagine how the parents of those children are coping.

Adding to this horror, these parents have to endure the rhetoric coming from gun advocates, whether it is Wayne LaPierre of the NRA or elected officials across the country.  Fortunately some state legislators have stepped up and passed stronger laws to regulate guns and ammunition.  That isn't' enough though.  People can cross the state line and go to a neighboring state that has few, if any, restrictions to make their purchases.  Federal regulations are necessary. 

After hearing a story on NPR this morning about the NRA's latest lobbying effort, I decided it was time I let my Congressmen know how I feel.  Unfortunately it isn't as easy as it once was to send those messages.  I had to go to each individual contact page for each of them:  Senators Nelson and Rubio and Congressman Webster.  I started here:  Contact Elected Officials.  I found it interesting that on Senator Nelson's page (the only Democrat in the group) that Gun Control was listed as a topic.  That wasn't an option on either Senator Rubio's nor Congressman Webster's site, both of whom are Republicans. 

Here is a copy of my email message, sent to each of them:

Fortunately I have a job.  That means that I cannot camp on your doorstep nor repeatedly call you to express my views.  I would hope that my opinion carries as much weight with you when making a decision on a critical vote as someone who visits your office.  I am a registered voter and I vote.

I support universal background checks on ALL gun sales. 

          

I support limiting the capacity of gun magazines.  This will go the farthest in preventing mass slaughter of innocent Americans.

I also support restrictions on assault and semi-automatic weapons.

How many more people must die before Congress has the courage to protect us?

I encourage each and every one of you reading this to let your voice be heard, whether on this issue or others of importance to you.  More often than not our elected officials listen to their aides and lobbyists and not to the voters themselves.  Voting isn't enough.  Speak out - speak up and let those in government know that you are listening and paying attention and you want to be heard as well.  

Time Flies.....

.....when you are worn out.

I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since I've posted anything to the blog.  Frankly, even though our nightmarishly busy season at work is over, I'm still buried alive in work to do.

Barely into the New Year, I found out that our IT person and all round Jack of All Trades had accepted a new job and would be leaving before the end of the month.  It was a scramble to try to find a replacement, get the new guy trained and have others on staff (mostly me) pick up the rest of the IT guy's duties.  Maybe, before I am eligible (and rich enough) to retire I'll be able to get back to doing my job duties instead of taking on more.  Yeah, right.  Add to this that our Development Director will be retiring in March (that deserves an entire post of its own), and I'm in stress overload.

When I get home from work I am beat.  I feed half the cats and the dog and then choose between fixing myself something for dinner or feeding the other half of the cats.  On a good day I can do all 3 plus scoop a couple of litter boxes.  Lately, I've been asleep in front of the television by 8PM.

I'm going to make this brief so I can get to the laundry, dishes and, of course, the litter boxes.  I hope you will check out the video links below.  I have been a fan of Bill Moyers since the first time I saw one of his PBS shows many, many years ago.  I am never disappointed and always come away better informed as well as angry about the latest injustice most often committed by our elected officials.  This week was no exception.  He began with the underhanded, but typical, Washington insider BS that gave half a billion dollars to AMGEN, an American biotechnology firm convicted in Federal court in December, 2012 and fined $762 million dollars.  Our tax dollars are supporting a criminal operation - imagine that!  The second segment was about Roe v Wade.  Once again, a thoughtful and informative piece of journalism.  It also gave me hope that the forces on the Right will not continue to dismantle this critical legislation.  I highly recommend watching the full show.

TRUTH? Fa Gedda Bout It!

I am full to overflowing with the continuous BULL$HIT that has been flowing for the past year (or longer, it seems) and has solidified in Tampa this week.  I live not far from the middle of the famed Interstate 4 corridor.  In case you haven’t heard of the pivotal political pull of Florida’s Interstate 4, I have one question.  Have you been living in a cave?  Interstate 4 traverses my lovely state from Tampa on the west coast to Daytona Beach on the east coast.  Orlando is smack dab in the center of the state.  And the westerly winds, blowing in from the Tampa area, have carried the malodorous smell of ripe, putrefying BULL$HIT that is being heaped by the tons in Tampa this week.  For you cave dwellers, you may be asking “Why is there so much BULL$HIT in Tampa?”  Well, the Republican National Convention has been going on since Tuesday (delayed from Monday because of the threat of then tropical storm Isaac).  Isaac missed Tampa, no doubt because of all the devout Christians in town for the convention who prayed the storm away.  Isaac instead slammed into Sodom & Gomorrah, otherwise known as New Orleans, Louisiana.  I guess Republican governor and evangelical Christian, Bobby Jindal couldn’t gather enough folks to help with his prayers.  Or maybe he just spent too much time on television complaining to the world how President Obama wasn’t doing enough to help the state recover from the storm that had not even hit them yet.  

 

I’ve decided to throw in the towel and stop listening to the projections, prognostications, predictions and multi-faceted interpretations of this presidential campaign.  The massive amount of lies, half truths, and talking in circles by the various surrogates, candidates, public relations puppets has finally pushed me too darn close to the edge of the cliff.  I know who I’m going to vote for.  In fact, I’ve known for nearly a year.  It is crystal clear to me that those on the other side are not interested in facts or the truth.  They prefer listening to BULL$HIT that supports their distrust and absolute hatred of the opposition.  If these people can’t or won’t seek out honest politicians who have integrity, there isn’t anything I can do to change that.  The dice have been cast.  Minds are made up, except for a very few.  It is going to come down to how many people will bother to show up to vote and, of those, how many will even be allowed to vote. 

With the new voting regulations in over 30 states, many former voters – some who have been voting regularly for 40, 50, even 60 years – will be turned away.  Why?  Because they don’t have a valid state photo ID.  Why?  Because not everyone drives a vehicle, not everyone has a checking account so they haven’t needed a photo ID or they don’t have a passport.    They may not know they need such an ID.  They may not have the extra money to order a new birth certificate since they no longer have their original one.  They may not have access to a computer to order the birth certificate, or a credit card to pay for it online.  Many rely on public transportation, some may work two or three jobs and only have one day a week – probably Sunday – off.  Many of those folks relied on transportation provided by their church following Sunday services on the last Sunday before the official election day.  However many, if not all, of those 30 some states with new voting regulations have shut down weekend, early voting.  They’ve cancelled evening voting in many places as well.  

 

Let Freedom Ring.  America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.  At least that is what we tell ourselves and the rest of the world.  Well, surprise – that’s another load of BULL$HIT.  These states are worried about VOTER FRAUD.  Of course, during George W. Bush’s 8 years in office, about 196 million votes were cast.  Fraud cases?  That was a whopping 86 cases.  Who wouldn’t worry?  Maybe the SANE people?  Maybe the people who not only respect and uphold freedom, but also believe that the right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy?  Those would be the folks who remember that people were beaten, imprisoned, force-fed and even killed so they could WIN the right to vote.  

Aaron Sorkin can say all this much better than I ever could.  Here is a video from his latest series, The Newsroom, which sums it all up.

 
UPDATE: I just wanted to add another Newsroom video about The Tea Party & the Koch Brothers: