I mentioned the other day that I had a "feeling" my younger daughter
was closer than I thought she'd be, and sure enough, she surprised the
hell out of me the other day by sauntering in the door one fine
evening. She was in full retreat from the UK winter -- London
post-riots and pre-winter was just too much for a California girl to
bear.
I am lucky to be able to keep her for a while,
for her response upon walking into our house was deep despair. Finally,
after 10 years of being away most of the time, when she got a good look
at the dear family home, a miserable combination of financial disaster,
two physically/mentally disabled adults (one a hoarder dear god) -- she
almost left right then and there.
But the woman who
came home is a vastly different person than the girl who left. To my
shock, this new (to me), fully responsible human came home and began to
shovel out the Augean Stables. This is an ancient Grecian mythological
reference to a stable that never could be cleaned, no matter how hard
the person worked. So it would seem at my house after 27 years of
raising children, becoming permanently spinally injured and then losing
the money I had to pay a friend to clean house for us.
PLUS!
My sweet Patrick is a true-to-life-watch-it-on-the-television-show
Hoarder -- from "Hoarders" -- we are trying to change our lifestyles,
and it is a difficult thing indeed. As someone who has taken the mighty
plunge over Niagara Falls without a barrel financially lately -- had a
home stolen by a bank and a relative as well -- my mind has disappeared
in the process, and once things start to get away from you they don't
fall back together very easily -- I feel like Humpty Dumpty. All the
King's Men are here, trying to shove me and my mess together, but they
cannot do it, man!
My daughter has been more and more
annoyed as the depths of the chaos is revealed, and I cannot blame her.
I think parents are supposed to be more adult than I've been able to be
-- this brain thing has really gotten in my way, this bi polar disorder
-- not to mention being crushed by the economy. My girl thinks I've
also got Borderline personality disorder, and me -- besides feeling like
a loser, I - I - "wish I had a river I could skate away on." (Joni
Mitchell).
But one day at a time; we just paddle on one day at a time.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The GOP likes Women -- in Their Place!
What gives you Political MEN the right -- the vaguest suggestion of an idea that YOU should have a single thing to say about the disposition of the body of any woman in this country? You have no right to touch any legislation that controls the physical well-being of the daughters of America.
Certainly we want your support in our desire for our health and ability to live lives unhindered by situations that place us at risk. But lately you have shown that you do not understand us. You wish to force us into lives of poverty by denying us Choice, the literal power to choose the size of the families we must forever support, no matter what our liabilities might be. For example, I raised 2 children with bipolar disorder -- undiagnosed at the time -- I did the very very best I could, only to hear the words "You didn't raise us; we raised ourselves!" thrown at me when conversations take a dark turn during the holiday season.
If I had been forced to bear the two other children that wanted a place in my body, my rational mind would have shattered more often and my ability to care for 4 would have been nil. I don't see that anyone outside of a person's intimate home and family should be able to control what happens in circumstances like mine -- when there's a mental illness that is exacerbated by the stress -- physical, mental, emotional -- of bearing children. Make no mistake -- having my babies was the best, happiest thing I have ever done -- but the angelic beings that love you without condition are temporary, and often-times replaced by those who have contempt for your weakness. It's a "pack" thing. We haven't evolved much.
It is clear that to refuse all women options that MEN disapprove of is neither rational nor in any way good for the future of the planet, human relationships, or the children born into circumstances where their cradle might be a bottom drawer in somebody's bedroom. Many of these "leaders" want to lead the little ladies all the way back into the kitchen, with motherhood the only option, and yet no good way of making it on a one person salary. What's up with this?
My mother always taught me to ask: who benefits? I hear the old Judeo-Christian desert God Yahweh bellowing through these fundamentalist Leaders of all sects, trying to get the women back into our tents again, under the stern control of men we don't even know. Guess what? That doesn't work for the 51%!! We women actually have the vote now -- though it took us longer than anyone else, and I don't think we're going to give the power we have achieved back. In fact many of us think we deserve more representation by our own gender.
I think these guys are motivated by the unconscious desire to put the genie back in the bottle, by dis-empowering us further, and it's disgusting. They aren't God and should stop pretending. It's literally repugnant to women, this paternalistic rule-making by the boys' club. If one stops, pay attention for a moment and takes a closer look at the faces our our representatives -- they are almost all male. Politics is, after all, quite the "blood sport" and a woman has to be tough as nails -- think of Secretary of State Clinton -- to survive the usual witch-hunts that occur when a woman is taken seriously.
But in order for we women to protect ourselves and our daughters/granddaughters, we MUST become more active politically! We must not simply glaze over, sit back and go limp as one by one our human rights, which have taken a few hundred YEARS to hammer out, are taken from us, with great glee, by those who should be our balanced and sane lawmakers. Get out and Rock the Vote!! If we want to see a change or thirty, we MUST act.
I personally am sick and tired of being told we are the weaker sex because our bodies are weaker. I was told early in life that women are less intelligent because -- oh get this -- our brains are smaller. Sigh. Like I said, Ladies -- let's get to work. We need US now!
Even if you did inhale!
For inspiration, and for my idea of the perfect female candidate, go check out Elizabeth Warren's speeches on YouTube. She is the ideal combination of brains, financial acumen, guts and pure awesomeness! Oh, and she's got serious communications chops; she is the Mother of all Orators! I hope she's the first woman president, now that Mrs. Clinton has said NO.
Certainly we want your support in our desire for our health and ability to live lives unhindered by situations that place us at risk. But lately you have shown that you do not understand us. You wish to force us into lives of poverty by denying us Choice, the literal power to choose the size of the families we must forever support, no matter what our liabilities might be. For example, I raised 2 children with bipolar disorder -- undiagnosed at the time -- I did the very very best I could, only to hear the words "You didn't raise us; we raised ourselves!" thrown at me when conversations take a dark turn during the holiday season.
If I had been forced to bear the two other children that wanted a place in my body, my rational mind would have shattered more often and my ability to care for 4 would have been nil. I don't see that anyone outside of a person's intimate home and family should be able to control what happens in circumstances like mine -- when there's a mental illness that is exacerbated by the stress -- physical, mental, emotional -- of bearing children. Make no mistake -- having my babies was the best, happiest thing I have ever done -- but the angelic beings that love you without condition are temporary, and often-times replaced by those who have contempt for your weakness. It's a "pack" thing. We haven't evolved much.
It is clear that to refuse all women options that MEN disapprove of is neither rational nor in any way good for the future of the planet, human relationships, or the children born into circumstances where their cradle might be a bottom drawer in somebody's bedroom. Many of these "leaders" want to lead the little ladies all the way back into the kitchen, with motherhood the only option, and yet no good way of making it on a one person salary. What's up with this?
My mother always taught me to ask: who benefits? I hear the old Judeo-Christian desert God Yahweh bellowing through these fundamentalist Leaders of all sects, trying to get the women back into our tents again, under the stern control of men we don't even know. Guess what? That doesn't work for the 51%!! We women actually have the vote now -- though it took us longer than anyone else, and I don't think we're going to give the power we have achieved back. In fact many of us think we deserve more representation by our own gender.
I think these guys are motivated by the unconscious desire to put the genie back in the bottle, by dis-empowering us further, and it's disgusting. They aren't God and should stop pretending. It's literally repugnant to women, this paternalistic rule-making by the boys' club. If one stops, pay attention for a moment and takes a closer look at the faces our our representatives -- they are almost all male. Politics is, after all, quite the "blood sport" and a woman has to be tough as nails -- think of Secretary of State Clinton -- to survive the usual witch-hunts that occur when a woman is taken seriously.
But in order for we women to protect ourselves and our daughters/granddaughters, we MUST become more active politically! We must not simply glaze over, sit back and go limp as one by one our human rights, which have taken a few hundred YEARS to hammer out, are taken from us, with great glee, by those who should be our balanced and sane lawmakers. Get out and Rock the Vote!! If we want to see a change or thirty, we MUST act.
I personally am sick and tired of being told we are the weaker sex because our bodies are weaker. I was told early in life that women are less intelligent because -- oh get this -- our brains are smaller. Sigh. Like I said, Ladies -- let's get to work. We need US now!
Even if you did inhale!
For inspiration, and for my idea of the perfect female candidate, go check out Elizabeth Warren's speeches on YouTube. She is the ideal combination of brains, financial acumen, guts and pure awesomeness! Oh, and she's got serious communications chops; she is the Mother of all Orators! I hope she's the first woman president, now that Mrs. Clinton has said NO.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
"Yahweh or No Way" -- or the Crackly Male Voices of the Old Desert Gods
My partner and I, delicate types, have been on the cusp of the recession, which crushed us like a wave crashing, slamming into a surfer, having having a massive, devastating affect on everything about our lives from 2007 on. I have literally dropped off the cliff from relative wealth to indigence with poor health and no insurance. Having been stricken on all levels, I'm writing to rally myself! I am writing no matter what my audience might be as I cannot help myself.
The world is changing so very rapidly now, and so few people talk about the things I see. I might as well get it out there, else I will burst. There are things that want to be said, that must be said. Things are happening in this country so quickly -- union busters seek to rob from the poor while giving yet more in unnecessary indulgences to the rich -- like thieves in the night these jackals come to steal the raw soul of our country.
Although Mother Earth is poisoned, her creatures dying off by the hundreds and thousands -- we humans, stoked on by the crackly male voice of old desert Gods, resist limiting our species with sane methods like birth control. We prefer war, plagues, and pestilence and capital punishment -- or at least it seems that way to me.
I wish that it were easy to escape from Life when it got too hard, but we're not supposed to do that, I hear it said. I just sometimes wish there were a "game over" button when you just feel you've had enough heartache, disappointment, etc. But hey -- so far I still have my house and having just realized I've had a huge amount of money taken from me, I have hopes of keeping it. I know so many of you are in the same position, and it hurts to know that.
We're working two Farmers' Markets a week now, and the people there are worried as hell. It's Christmas time and sales are slow, even in Sausalito CA today. It's my belief that we're in a depression, no matter what the Pols (as opposed to "polls"; poles; or )say. I keep reading about more jobs being shipped overseas by the Greedheads, while the GOP tries to decimate government jobs. On what planet does this make sense?? In what way does the elimination of jobs serve to create jobs??
Someone -- enlighten me, please! In the meantime, why doesn't anyone care that Mr. John Boehner, a politician that GOP TV personality Morning Joe Scarborough called a "lazy drunk", got to be SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE??? No wonder all he can slur is Noooooo.
And this man's stated goal for all Americans, whether WE (meaning me too, because cold and hunger are now appearing at this house) want it or not, is to make President Obama a one-term President. I was born in a very minimalist shack on the outskirts of old Gold Rush County. On my birth certificate my dad was listed as a "ditch digger" although he later got his GED, graduated from college and got his real estate broker's license as well.
I was never cold or hungry. Never, not until now.
After pulling this country out of its broken, bleeding economy and giving us 3 million + jobs, ending the Iraqi war not to mention the life of Osama Bin Laden, after beginning to mend the errors of the techno-phobic 19th century style gentlemen who inhabit Washington DC, busily ruining our lives -- what possible excuse is there for the U.S. not to give Mr. Obama (no he is not perfect; I don't care) a second term, just to see what he can do without all the resitance, hopefully-- or at least without a good part of it?
Senator Mitchell and Speaker Boehner are simply put, LOSERS and they, like the mythical suicide-lemmings, are leading their Caucus to disaster, along with all the rest of us. And they are at least SOMEWHAT familiar with the rules of governance. The new candidates are a joke. The only suitable candidate ready to "Occupy the White House" is, in my opinion, already there.
As for the Senate/House in your neck of the woods -- do due diligence, figure out who is truly obviously corrupt, talk/listen to the new faces who want to replace the old faces -- and then, throw the bums out!!
PS: I MUST attribute the "Yahweh or No Way" quote to Stephen Colbert, although I thought of it somewhere along that time too. Honestly! I love you, Stephen!!!
The world is changing so very rapidly now, and so few people talk about the things I see. I might as well get it out there, else I will burst. There are things that want to be said, that must be said. Things are happening in this country so quickly -- union busters seek to rob from the poor while giving yet more in unnecessary indulgences to the rich -- like thieves in the night these jackals come to steal the raw soul of our country.
Although Mother Earth is poisoned, her creatures dying off by the hundreds and thousands -- we humans, stoked on by the crackly male voice of old desert Gods, resist limiting our species with sane methods like birth control. We prefer war, plagues, and pestilence and capital punishment -- or at least it seems that way to me.
I wish that it were easy to escape from Life when it got too hard, but we're not supposed to do that, I hear it said. I just sometimes wish there were a "game over" button when you just feel you've had enough heartache, disappointment, etc. But hey -- so far I still have my house and having just realized I've had a huge amount of money taken from me, I have hopes of keeping it. I know so many of you are in the same position, and it hurts to know that.
We're working two Farmers' Markets a week now, and the people there are worried as hell. It's Christmas time and sales are slow, even in Sausalito CA today. It's my belief that we're in a depression, no matter what the Pols (as opposed to "polls"; poles; or )say. I keep reading about more jobs being shipped overseas by the Greedheads, while the GOP tries to decimate government jobs. On what planet does this make sense?? In what way does the elimination of jobs serve to create jobs??
Someone -- enlighten me, please! In the meantime, why doesn't anyone care that Mr. John Boehner, a politician that GOP TV personality Morning Joe Scarborough called a "lazy drunk", got to be SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE??? No wonder all he can slur is Noooooo.
And this man's stated goal for all Americans, whether WE (meaning me too, because cold and hunger are now appearing at this house) want it or not, is to make President Obama a one-term President. I was born in a very minimalist shack on the outskirts of old Gold Rush County. On my birth certificate my dad was listed as a "ditch digger" although he later got his GED, graduated from college and got his real estate broker's license as well.
I was never cold or hungry. Never, not until now.
After pulling this country out of its broken, bleeding economy and giving us 3 million + jobs, ending the Iraqi war not to mention the life of Osama Bin Laden, after beginning to mend the errors of the techno-phobic 19th century style gentlemen who inhabit Washington DC, busily ruining our lives -- what possible excuse is there for the U.S. not to give Mr. Obama (no he is not perfect; I don't care) a second term, just to see what he can do without all the resitance, hopefully-- or at least without a good part of it?
Senator Mitchell and Speaker Boehner are simply put, LOSERS and they, like the mythical suicide-lemmings, are leading their Caucus to disaster, along with all the rest of us. And they are at least SOMEWHAT familiar with the rules of governance. The new candidates are a joke. The only suitable candidate ready to "Occupy the White House" is, in my opinion, already there.
As for the Senate/House in your neck of the woods -- do due diligence, figure out who is truly obviously corrupt, talk/listen to the new faces who want to replace the old faces -- and then, throw the bums out!!
PS: I MUST attribute the "Yahweh or No Way" quote to Stephen Colbert, although I thought of it somewhere along that time too. Honestly! I love you, Stephen!!!
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