Thursday, February 28, 2013

So long, farewell...

I had decided I wasn’t gonna go there… the Pope resigning … and all that goes along with it.
A persons faith and religious upbringing are tender things and no one should be made to feel bad about what they believe, don’t believe or how it gets expressed and acted out in this world.

You can’t live where I do – in a town named for a Catholic Saint, for Pete’s sake - and work in the healthcare system I work in - and NOT know hundreds of faithful Catholics; not one of whom believe in the totality of either the church’s teachings or the infallibility of the Pope.

We’re all perfectly willing to accept that every church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.

I was willing to take the Pope at his word that age and infirmity had taken a toll and the responsibility of his office had finally exceeded his physical ability to carry out his earthly ministry.

I think we can all respect that.
Anyone who has even remotely followed religious events over the years could see his visible decline.
However, it was the ‘throwaway’ phrase of a representative of Rome that got me thinking about the backstory - - coupled with the sudden resignations of the Archbishop of LA (Roger Mahony) and, on the other side of the pond,  the resignation of the highest ranking Roman Catholic in the UK (Cardinal Keith O’Brien) - - that reminded me anew that transparency is NOT, nor has it ever been, one of the churches strong suits.

During a televised story about His Eminence retiring to a life of seclusion and prayer, "removed from the world" in a Vatican monastery, a spokesman mentioned that, because he would be the first living ‘retired’ Pope in nearly 700 years, his correspondence and all church documentation relating to him, his ministry and his ‘reign’, would NOT be placed in the Church Archives as is the usual tradition.
Nope, it’s all going with him into the monastery and will not be available to anyone until after his death.

Really?
How convenient.

A Pope presiding over some of the worst sex abuse scandals in its history, a pope accused of condoning, through silence and the systematic protection of offending clergy, the abuse of thousands of children worldwide gets to take ALL his paperwork into seclusion with him - - just as investigators from several countries are closing in on him and his minions?

The church has always been good at 'redefining' reality – but turning witness protection into retirement may be its best trick yet!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Junk Science

I know you heard it – it was hard to miss – it was on every channel –
all the talking heads exhorting us to ‘go Mediterranean’ and eat a diet based on legumes, fish, fruit and vegetables.

Guaranteed to help you live longer – and they can prove it!

The study was SO overwhelmingly conclusive that they stopped it early.

All the typical claims of any good snake oil salesmen.

Don’t get me wrong – maybe eating that way will buy you an extra year – only YOU can decide whether an extra year of eating beans and nuts is a life worth living.

My quarrel isn’t with the touted benefits for your heart.
My quarrel is with attributing the longer lives of people in the Mediterranean as only being the direct consequence of their diet.
That’s hogwash.

ALL the Mediterranean states have state funded, universal healthcare.
ALL the Mediterranean states have an average of 36 paid days off from work per year.

Have you been to any of these countries?
They’re lovely – the people are lovely – but their work ethic stinks.

They have 2-3 hours off for lunch – some practically mandate a nap.
For a chunk of every day, their whole damn countries shut down.

They’re not getting in a car, sitting and driving an hour each way to work so they can sit at a computer in an office for 8-9 hours a day, working through breaks and lunch.
They’re walking across town, down the stairs, or out the door to work in the family store, local company or fields.

They’re shopping every day on their way home from work to buy all those locally grown fruits and legumes from local farmers because the ‘refrigerators’  fit under the kitchen counter and are the size of coolers!

Their entire countries are the size of one of our states.
Italy? Roughly the size of Arizona.
Spain? The size of Texas
Greece? The size of Alabama.

They have entirely different cultures than we do, different standards of living, different infrastructures… the list goes on.
That’s not judgmental; it’s neither good nor bad… that’s just reality and it’s just that different.

And all of those lifestyle differences might very well contribute significantly to their healthier hearts and longer lives.

It’s comparing apples to oranges – and there are two of the fruits you need per day right there.


When our country decides to give me universal healthcare, over a month off and a different lifestyle, THEN they can suggest what I eat.

In the meantime, they can keep their magic potions to themselves.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Monday, Monday

Really?

Before I even get my coat off 
for the start of a work week
you're calling me,
yelling, swearing
and insisting that I mail you a rape kit?

We're supposed to be on the same team, pal -
or hadn't you heard?

Police and hospitals
work together 
to protect kids!

We don't try to throw each other under a bus - 
or tell them to do something so patently stupid.
Have you ever heard of chain of custody?

Maybe mailing critical evidence works for adults
when you have a witness 
who can speak for themselves 
on the stand...

but not for a 2 yr old rape victim 
who had to go the OR 
for surgical repair.

You don't take a chance on the only evidence
you may have collected!

Oh, and threatening 
to report me to the States Attorney?

I'm 6o+ yrs old - 
do you honestly think I give a rats ass
about some black mark 
"on my permanent record"?

Not since grade school, honey!


Coming home to these
redeemed the day!

How can you be in a bad mood
when you have roses in the house?



You can't!

Officer WHO?

Monday, February 25, 2013

The Gift of Tears

I was inspired 
after a Lenten retreat this weekend 
to come home 
and capture a verse 
I'd never heard before ... 
or maybe just heard in a new way.


ps. 
Dear God,
you're gonna need 
a bigger bottle.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder -


Sometimes, in winter, she was blue for no apparent reason.


Saturday, February 23, 2013

She who will not be mocked

Minutes after taking this picture, 
my phone went dead...
not merely in sleep mode...
flatline, 
plug pulled 
dead!

GI Joe believes it has something to do 
with the latest update I installed 
that morning.

I know better...

and I promise, 
I'll never take a mocking picture
of my eye phone again!

Luckily for me,
GI Joe and his fiancée LOVE hanging out in the Apple store
and are taking it in for me today.

I'm going to a Lenten retreat
on the Gift of Tears.

I think I'm getting the better deal.
They think they are;
total win/win!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Surrender

A day that started like this

progressed to this:

and ended like this:

Sit down
Let go
Breathe in deep
Exhale slow

Unclench
Unwind
Ease up
Free the mind

No rules
No goal
Light heart
Quiet soul

Spoil the child
Spare the rod
Give up
Rest in God

Julie Palestrina

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Only in St Louis

would 500+ schools 
close for a 'snow day' 
before 1 drop of precipitation
or 1 flake of snow
hits the ground!

You'd think we were preparing
for the end of the world.
Good grief!

It's winter.
It snows in winter.

Deal with it!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Let's get back to basics

I was doing some early spring cleaning the other day - and came across an old workbook...
and, while this particular one hadn't been mine, I certainly remember the genre and doing schoolwork in them!

As I was looking through it, I realized how many 'reality checks' we learned everyday at school -
back in the day before teachers had to be social workers, police officers, therapists and parents all rolled into one!

Couldn't help but think of dozens of people in my workplace - or on 'reality' TV - who could have benefitted from doing some of these exercises!



and my favorite category-


Maybe I need to make up a worksheet for the next ER doc meeting - -
some of them clearly need remedial lessons! 

I'm pretty frustrated today 
with the folks who believe anything 
coming out of peoples mouths.

Actually,
they're right up there with the folks 
who believe
they can believe 
anything they read on the computer!

Damn good thing 
I've cornered the truth
and am in their lives 
to set them straight, right?

On a happier note -
am totally loving my new travel mug
and before all my Nikon loving friends wonder,
while this is a Canon lens mug - 
YES; it comes in Nikon lenses too!

I'm also thinking of using it as a vase -
in case I ever get roses again! 
insert smile here

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Out of the office - please!

Would be more than happy
to play hooky today
and stay home...

loving my roses
my camera...
and a trinket
which reminds me that 
spring is actually
just around the corner!

It's OK with you, right?

Monday, February 18, 2013

I'll take mine now...


don't worry about sending flowers to the wake when I'm dead!


Thank God for a man who knows
there's no such thing as
too many roses!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Well, that didn't take long...

and perfectly sums up so much that's wrong with our legal system.

Less than 24 hours after making it back to solid ground comes word that the first law suit has been filed against Carnival Cruise Lines for the disastrous recent cruise!


I'll bet lawyers were lined up three deep on the docks waiting for passengers to disembark!

Does it sound like the cruise was an absolute nightmare - with no working toilets, no refrigeration, waits of several hours for meals, horrific smells etc?
Yes.

Did the people filing the lawsuit contract Ebola virus, Hepatitis or some permanent disabling condition - NO!
They're suing for 'emotional distress'.

Oh, suck it up!
Since when is having a lousy vacation grounds for a lawsuit!?

When did we become such a nation of whiners?

Saturday, February 16, 2013

New cityscapes...

because sometimes you have to see new places...

 or old places in new ways!
Hopefully the buildings I'll be staying in 
are made from something other than staples!

But, hey, metal is metal!

Have a great weekend, friends!

Friday, February 15, 2013

I've tried.

Honestly I have.

You all KNOW what a 'roses' girl I am!

Well, at the risk of being considered
 'closed off' and inflexible, 
I've tried to branch out...

and it's not that I don't appreciate 
the beauty of other flowers...


But, we can safely rule out tulips
 as the contenders that will 
steal my heart away.

Frankly, I can't look at them 
without expecting to hear 
a deep tenor voice saying, 
"Feed me, Seymour"
(a reference to Little Shop of Horrors
for the uninitiated)

Nope,
they just won't do!

Moving on...

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Playing with food

Just one more Valentine Day
themed picture; 
I promise!


Which do YOU prefer?

Traditional - but gaudy -
or contemporary and subtle?
I'm surprised - 
since I'm an old fashioned girl - 
but subtle gets my vote!

A Valentine Day reminder

Especially for those singletons who have been 'burned' before...
Remember 
you're gorgeous -
 even if you're not
being currently consumed 
by the heat of passion.

The fantasy is 
that life is better 
when you're on fire 
and, 
when you are, 
it seems the whole world is.

When you end a relationship though, 
it seems like the whole world is still on fire - 
and you're the only one 
out of sync.
What you can't see,
 unless you pay attention, 
is that no relationship 
is static...

all are in the process of running their course;
 some are barely hanging on.

It's amazing how, 
even knowing the odds,
as we enter into a new relationship, 
we tell ourselves that 
this time 
things will be different.

 This time,
ours will be
 the one 
that makes it...
And maybe that's true -
for a lucky few...

The reality, 
for most of us, 
is that we'll be back 
in the recycle bin 
before we know it!
Still glittery 
and 
still in good company!

Some hearts have wick left
and some, 
aren't even looking for 
our 'match'!

The reality is that nothing
stays the same.

That's either a comfort
or a curse.

Celebrate wherever you are today!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Two hearts becoming one

Neither as easy
nor as pretty
as it seems!