Going Up or Down?

".., more than 30 percent of all cancer cases can be avoided through simple measures, including non-tobacco use, exercise and healthy diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and protection against cancer-causing infections." - Dr. Shin Young-soo, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific

There is something off, not right, abnormal within me that persists in denying the entire truth of the statement above. I feel good about myself because I no longer smoke, or use alcohol or drugs of any kind. I feel bad about myself because I still choose to overeat and under exercise. I know that I'm not ignorant about the health benefits of eating good food and working out. In fact, I probably know more about these things than most people. Still, I resist and hang on to the erroneous idea that I am in control of these vital issues when I'm not. My last physical exam showed me that I am out of control and just on the border of needing medication in the areas of cholesterol and glucose. The writing is on the charts. I must choose a healthier diet and exercise.

Simple things for most people, but incomprehensible problems for me. Why won't I choose to do the work I need to do to be healthy? Why have I given up on so many diets and gyms? Have I finally found a program that addresses these questions and will I stick with it?

Just for today, I choose to do the work to be healthy. Just for today, I will use the program tools and escape from obsession and uncontrollable compulsions. I'm doing it now. Why? Because life is a miracle, a gift to cherish, and my family and friends need me to be active and happy in their lives. Life is good.

May all beings know love and peace.

Keepin it Fresh

"If your garbage cans get knocked over and it rains, all of that trash is going to go down into the curb, into the gutter, into a storm drain, which goes into a riverbed that flows all the way out into the ocean. If you come to a beach cleanup you'll see it and want to use less Styrofoam and less plastic." - Kim Masoner of Save Our Beach

Last week's massive storms dumped huge piles of garbage on Southern California beaches, but Masoner notes that the garbage contains less plastic and styrofoam which cause great harm to fish and other ocean wildlife. Apparently, recycling programs work on several levels, among them are less waste in landfills and less waste in the oceans.

This is encouraging and reassuring news. It shows that each person can and does make a difference in our world. I am so happy that buying less plastic, bringing my own cup/bag/container to stores and restaurants is worth the effort. The habit of recycling and conserving does take effort and the most effective effort for me was to change my thinking.

Once I started to think of my yard as an extension of my living room, and my sidewalk as an extension of my yard, and the roadways and public spaces as just another hallway and room in my house; I found it easier to be less wasteful and thoughtless. It feels good to keep my house and the world fresh, clean, and clutter free!

A Tough Week

Vibrant Erosion

Hawk on the Roof

Every Which Way But Loose

Keep it Flowing

There is one thing that is more disappointing and sad than a missed opportunity: No opportunity.

I am thinking about this today. This week's political upset in Massachusetts is a disappointment on several levels. I am most concerned with the impatience and frustration of the voters in this country. I feel their pain, but I'm not willing to let a republican relieve this pain, not after eight years of economic thumbscrews and evaporating opportunities. Do voters really believe that the political opportunism and sound bite thinking of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh are the way to create opportunity and solutions to America's problems? Six years from now, will Massachusetts voters think that going backwards with Scott Brown and his beautiful, bare cosmo body is a solution?

Take it from a citizen of California, the state that elected the charismatic and body beautiful, Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, the answers are no, and no.

California voters bought into the governators "power to the people"/ "no new taxes" publicity stunts and watched as he and his corporate backers destroyed the vehicle license fee that would generate almost 40 billion dollars in revenue and balance the state budget. Fast forward six years, and California is bankrupt, missing the 40 billion that would have averted this disaster.

I don't blame the Schwarzenegger, or his corporate sponsors. They are predictable in their mission which is to make money for their shareholders and campaign contributors. They are consistent opportunists and whenever a problem arises, they politicize it, and try to score points for their side. There is no "public good" in their calculations. The "public" is the adversary. I see the ancient bones of feudalism and wealthy excess in these machinations. The rich get richer while the rest of us pay their way, grist for the mill, ...you get the picture.

So, citizen beware! And, last week the U.S. Supreme Court gave us citizens another opportunity to beware of corporate opportunism. Did you hear the one about the Supreme Court of the USA?

"The court ruled that corporations should be given the same right to free speech as people, which is — I mean, corporations are not people, and if they were people, they’d be real jerks." –Jimmy Kimmel

I'm not surprised at the outcome of Citizens United vs The FEC this week. This is just another reiteration of America's golden rule: "he who has the gold, rules."

The American public has an opportunity to regain balance and dignity over the next few years. President Obama has managed to slice off a few of Hydra's heads, despite getting bit by the ones he still needs to lop off. But, there is a long way to go to repair the damage caused by a sleepwalking populous and congressional partisanship. One year is not enough time to do magic and Obama and his team are not magicians. They need to be more present, to advertise, to spin, to spend money on convincing us that they have a plan and it's working.

Obama needs to recognize that we must hear the sane voices of productive leadership and those voices need to drown out the crazy wignuts that have gotten a choke hold on the public airwaves. And, it wouldn't hurt if the voices had faces like Barbi and Ken. Hmmm, maybe the President should pump iron, or bare all in Cosmo. Voters may be distracted from those annoying wars, bank failures, job losses, medical expenses, corporate bribery, and media propaganda if he flashes his washboard abs.

Making Soup

It's cold and wet outside today, a perfect day for soup!

Just got a call that a meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening is called off because of the rain?! We are such fragile creatures. I look at the birds, even the dogs and cats, and rain/water does not deter them from responding to the genetic signals for survival.

I have always thought our brains often overrule good sense. Well... it's soup time.

Crisis

God help Haiti.

Years ago, I had a traffic accident and discovered that I had allowed my auto insurance to lapse. My car was totalled and the police reported that I was the cause of the accident and liable for the damages. I had just remarried and did not want to tell my new husband about either of these bad mistakes. I told a good and very savvy friend of this problem, hoping she would have a slick solution for me.

"What should I do," I asked.

"Pray," she said.

At the time, her advice seemed almost cruel and sarcastic, but I accepted her words and later after much thought, I accepted that no one but me and God could solve this problem.

Yesterday, when I heard about the earthquake in Haiti, the press reported that President Obama's "... 'thoughts and prayers' were with the people of Haiti after it was struck by a major earthquake and pledged to come to their aid if needed."

"Thoughts and prayers!"

"What kind of lame response is this," I thought. I had the same feeling about this advice in response to overwhelming disaster as I did years ago when confronted with a crisis of my own.

I have since read the President's White House news conference comments which were much more specific and comforting. But, the hard truth is that in times of crisis, prayer delivers the hope, mental relief, and the strength that one needs to go on. It is the gulp of air needed to sustain that long swim back to shore. It is the match flame when the lights go out. It is peace in the midst of chaos. It is the first refuge of the afflicted. I pray that the suffering ends soon in Haiti, and I donate what I can to provide the tangible aid people need right now.

May all beings know love, peace and comfort.