KateThoughts

Harvard Medical School recommends Tai Chi...again.

Harvard University Medical School has just published a report on “The Health Benefits of Tai Chi” that calls Tai Chi “medication in motion.” Since Tai Chi is a subset of Qigong, all of this information applies to Qigong as well. It cites research for “No Pain, Big Gains” including improvements in muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and aerobic conditioning. Under the category “Tai Chi for Medical Conditions” it recommends Tai Chi as complementary therapy for arthritis, low bone density, breast cancer, heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, sleep problems, and stroke.

This article is written in plain English, not medical jargon.

And I can testify that these claims are true. I've been taking classes and practicing for about 5 years. We do the Yang form; my teacher trained under Grandmaster William C.C. Chen in New York, USA, and others. I was lucky enough to attend a weekend workshop with him in 2007 in Phoenix.

I love this class. I would say that my biggest gains from this would be in flexibility and balance, but I also see gains in lower body strength and Much less fear of falling. I have chronic spinal issues, and though it has not been 'officially' diagnosed, I suspect that arthritis is creeping into my hip joints. A few times through the form in the morning helps tremendously in getting past that morning stiffness. Also, my regular breathing is deeper and slower, and I am able to relax much more completely. Just the body awareness alone is worth the exercise. And I even walk a little differently now: more confidently and relaxed.

There are many ways to learn. The article referenced here even mentions books and video, but I would strongly recommend a real live teacher. If that is not available to you, then I suggest something like Lee Holden's DVD on QiGong for Seniors. We have this loaded into our home DVD player and also my laptop for when we travel.

I'm going to put a couple of YouTube links in this post, but there are nuances that you just won't catch all by yourself. And most of the videos I've found are showing people in positions that might be inappropriate for some individuals, or just slightly too low or stretched; and of course, they cannot take into consideration any of your physical issues in the way that a live teacher can. And in one of my favorite videos the teacher, Tiffany Chen, is performing a mirror-image version of the words she is speaking. You might want to watch this one with the sound off!

This video is of Grandmaster William Chen leading a repetition of the first few moves. (mirror image again)

There are literally tons of tai chi videos available on YouTube; some are good, some not, and in most cases, I just don't have the experience to comment. I have had only two teachers so far, and practiced only one style: Grandmaster W.C.C. Chen's version of the Yang form. Have fun if you go exploring.

 

A couple of links having to do with aging...

...nice to see some research and development going on...

Two NPR stories:

What Does it FEEL like ...   and    Aging at Home...

The first one, obviously, is about a suit that helps researchers actually FEEL some of the effects, and the second one is about changing technology.

HAVE to share this video!!!

When I went to Facebook to see if my last post actually went over there I found this video posted by my cousin. You'll see why I had to share it. It is not new, but you'll enjoy it even if you've seen it.

Caleb called it "entitled yuppie jerk, meet airbag".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MILLIE!!

Good Morning, Millie.

I’m part of the traditional Ronni conspiracy to send you lots of greetings on this glorious day.
Up here in the mountains it’s just past sunrise; the light is gorgeous.
I hope the day is lovely where you are.
May it be chock full of love and family and friends.

 

This is my favorite birthday greeting. I hope you enjoy it. Turn your speakers UP!

Ouch; scratch me, and my Ego still bleeds

I LOVE aging.
I love the piles of adventures and experience;
I love learning (at last) more about what my body will and will not put up with; when to push it and when to coddle it; when it complains out of laziness or is speaking of what it really needs.

I love listening: to my body, to my heart, and to rain and crickets and vocal harmony, and to the tears of a friend.

I love love love learning about (and in) relationship: with my wife, with friends, teachers, strangers…whomever. All of them are buddhas; likely or unlikely, I learn from them all. That was not always the case.

I love being able to translate these things and the life lessons they brought, into the chart that has become my spiritual and ethical center.

 

AND my capital E ego can still cringe at times. Even bleed a little. What makes it different now is the perspective that aging brings. What would have been a huge cause for major drama and lament only a few years ago, is now just a little scratch. It doesn’t need a bandage anymore. It just reminds me that I am still in a human body and still dancing with that ego. And I can smile and think, how wonderful that I am still learning. And that, now – usually sooner rather than later - I can tell when my dance partner is that Ego and when it is a better part of me.

 

I would not trade my years for anything at all.

The Lady and the Reaper

This one cracks me up on SO many levels!

Enjoy

Thanks for sharing, Ronni.

The Ongoing Saga of the Battle Between Ego & Spirit

There may be more rambling than saga here, but... it's a blog after all - not a thesis.
(I looked thesis up, and it is that, actually: 3. A hypothetical proposition, especially one put forth without proof.)   :)

As some of you may know, raising my consciousness/awareness is a value I hold. It's one that often conflicts with other things going on in my (moderately compulsive) brain.

Increasing my awareness about the food I consume is one of the ways I advance this ideal of mine. Lately, that has been fueled by Michael Pollan and his books. And also by the film Food, Inc. and stuff I'm reading around the web, such as articles by my friend Laura. Moving my body a bit is another way. This manifests as continuing lessons in T'ai Chi but has not yet presented as a regular daily practice.

So, what's the battle?

Well, I was watching a trainer speaking to a group of women the other day (TV). He was teaching them this mantra: "Exercise is not negotiable," and suggesting (strongly) some very drastic (to me) changes in their eating habits. He seemed to want them to believe that they truly had NO choice. Basically, his message was exercise and eat right or DIE. And his absolute, in the 'not negotiable' sentence raised all my hackles and fired up my ego and compelled me to yell at the screen: "Oh, yeah! Of course, it is negotiable, you idiot."
I can choose dying.

And there is the dilemma.

I think that it may be a responsibility of mine to get off this planet as soon as the trip takes me to that point. It's not about suicide; it's about too many people. It's not about me; it's about the planet. It's not about health, per se, it's about consequences.

It's balancing my food addiction and my real love of all things food, with my increasing spirituality and consciousness. I suspect that it's mostly denial, as in that river in which so many of us are floundering.

My addiction is quite active. If I am not eating (or maybe while I'm eating), I'm planning the next food opportunity: recipe search, shopping, prepping, cooking, serving, and back to eating again. I love cooking for other people. And while all my choices for guests consider their own food issues or goals or tastes, I'm drawn, still, to all those old comfort-foods that continue to work for me.
(What fun I am already having preparing the Super Bowl Party food! I could care less about the game.)

So, I have a long way to go here.

I'm sure I will continue to evolve. I think I could not really stop evolving, even if I tried. And I'm fairly sure that spirit/god understands the 'thing' I have with food even though I clearly do not, as  yet.

Balance is the only way I can think of these matters at the moment. And I don't pretend for a moment that I am actually IN balance. (Work-in-progress...hold that thought.)

Some of what feeds the confusion or inability (or unwillingness) to move in one direction or the other is what I see when I look around me at stuff on TV; at some of the people I know; at national and world politics; at the way we teach each other and our kids to value score-keeping over consciousness.

Gotta go play with someone else's computer... I'll be back to this.

"Funniest Staff Meeting"

"Funniest staff meeting."

Just a warning: You may want to read it in private. Enjoy!

"The boss of a Madison Avenue advertising agency called a spontaneous staff meeting in the middle of a particularly stressful week. When everyone gathered, the boss, who understood the benefits of having fun, told the burnt out staff the purpose of the meeting was to have a quick contest. The theme: Viagra advertising slogans.

The only rule was they had to use past ad slogans, originally written for other products that captured the essence of Viagra. Slight variations were acceptable. A few minutes later, they turned in their suggestions and created a Top 10 List. With all the laughter and camaraderie, the rest of the week went very well for everyone! The top 10 were:

10.  Viagra: Whaazzzz up!
  9.  Viagra: The quicker pecker picker upper.
  8.  Viagra: Like a rock!
  7.  Viagra: When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.
  6.  Viagra: Be all that you can be.
  5.  Viagra: Reach out and touch someone.
  4.  Viagra: Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.
  3.  Viagra: Home of the whopper!
  2.  Viagra, We bring good things to Life!

And the unanimous number one slogan:

  1:   This is your peepee.   This is your peepee on drugs."

I found this all over the Web, but I did not find anyone claiming to be the author. Here is the link I liked the best.

A Thought on Aging

The thought of the day from my homepage: "Refdesk" is

"It is always self-defeating to pretend to the style of a generation younger than your own; it simply erases your own experience in history." - Renata Adler

It'll do your heart good...

and here is where they tell us how it came about... Inspiring couple, great sense of humor:

I didn't know Judi Dench could crack me up one minute and make me cry the next.

and then there is this clip from A Little Night Music: There is a short set-up that will give extra weight to the song...

You know, it is one thing to carry strong emotion thru a play. It is another, and much more dificult thing, to get to that emotion in just a few minutes and from an interview.
Dame Judi Dench: a true master of her craft.  There are other videos  if you care to search.

The Boyle Phenomenon: a rant in two parts

Why was it somehow ok to laugh at her before she sang but not after she sang?

 

I’ve been reading again; always a dangerous activity for me. My brain can run in circles and I’ve heard more than once that I just “take it all too seriously”… mountains out of molehills, that’s me. While most seem to be wondering or ranting about banks, government, politics, etc., I wonder about where civility has gone. Is it really surprising that we are here, in these times & circumstances, when we no longer value things like honesty, respect for others, courage, taking responsibility, & personal integrity?

Yes, I loved the video(s) of Susan Boyle. Like many of you, I’ve searched for her on the ‘net, listened to the song a dozen times or more, looked up Elaine Paige, and tracked downs interviews with Susan, Piers, and Amanda…
(there are more than 11,000 links to videos of SB on YouTube as of this writing, midnight 4-22-09)

Here is an article I found referenced in the comments section at Time Goes By in a post called Celebrating Old Old Age. An excerpt from the article says,

“The YouTube clip of Susan's angel voice soaring from the unkissed mouth of that scrunchy-faced, eyebrow-enforested, unprepossessingly dumpy representative of anonymous humanity was the third irresistible message to us all to get over ourselves.”

I do so completely agree with the last 4 words.

Piers Morgan, a BGT judge said in the videos,

“…Without a doubt that is the biggest surprise I’ve experienced in the three years of this show. …I’m reeling with shock…everyone was laughing at you; no one is laughing now.”

Amanda Holden, another of the BGT judges, said, “…everybody was against you…”, and called it “the biggest wake-up call ever.”

And well it should be.

But is it, really, quite the wake-up call we need? I say no.

In every reference to Susan that I have found, the wake-up call seems to be about judging books by their covers. Ok. There’s nothing really wrong with that; it's a great lesson.
But the lesson I would rather see learned is the one about respect for a human being – any human being – and every human being.  

So I repeat: Why was it somehow ok to laugh at her before she sang but not after she sang?
Susan is herself and came to the competition AS herself, with a tremendous amount of courage, because she had a dream to ‘sing before a large crowd of people’.

What was the relevance of SCowell’s question about her age in a competition with no age requirements? And the eye-rolling & laughter that went on when she answered, “47”…
Given the wide acceptance of rude and offensive behavior in the world today, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, but can we really just laugh out loud in someone’s face?

Clearly so.

And then we apologize, and express that hearing her sing “was a privilege”. And all is well; we’ve learned our lesson; let’s get on with things; Susan will be a star and make records…blah, blah, blah.

And what of the woman who lives next door to Susan – or to me – who looks just like her; who does her own hair and sees no need to be or look different than she is; and whose talent is only creating a warm and comfortable home, or, as Susan did before we all discovered her, working for charities, or caring for aging parents?

We don’t applaud those talents very often. So do we just get to keep laughing?

The TGB article is related, though the focus is somewhat different. It comments, in part, on the evident shock that many feel when they learn that an old person can actually DO things, like cooking or driving or working, for heaven’s sake. As if they haven’t been doing that for some several decades already!

Here’s a short excerpt:

“The discomfort, I have come to see, is due to how such a statement diminishes the person. It negates and demeans an entire life, as though the fact that she works at age 100, and not the work she does, is the most important thing about her.”

(Do follow the link to the article, and read the comments, too. There is real meat there, and links to the story of a remarkable woman.)

How is it that we expect a different kind of behavior from our leaders today, in business, politics, government, etc. when we’ve all played our own parts in creating the culture we have? As long as the quantity of one’s possessions is more important than the quality of one’s own integrity, we will continue to live with the Madoff’s of this world. There ARE other voices out there besides the ones who rant & complain. They are just harder to find. One great one can be found here at No Safe Distance.

So when we see a Susan Boyle, and are pleasantly surprised by a rich & beautiful voice, we cry, and feel inspired…for a moment; and never think of the real life of that other woman who flips hamburgers or turns down the bed in our next hotel room, or is old.

And I’ll bet that our own American Idol would not be the raging success that it is if the audience couldn’t do their share of booing and laughing at ___. Why, even the first few episodes of each season are designed to show us the most ‘laughable’ of the contestants. I know two people who only watch those first episodes. It is of no interest to them who might win; they just want to laugh at someone. And if you think I might be exaggerating, go read the comment streams under some of those videos. But don’t read many of them; they are poisonous, symptomatic of our cultural & social ills and very contagious.

How to Dance in the Rain

A beautiful story that came to me by email...(thanks Marilyn!) I don't know the author, but given its broad distribution, I think it will be fine to post it here.

“It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am..
I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.
As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him,
'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me,
but I still know who she is.'
I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought,

'That is the kind of love I want in my life.

True love is neither physical, nor romantic.
True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the best of everything they have.  
 

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.”

Wonderful Voice and a lesson or three

I would love to embed the video here, but that feature has been disabled. Here is the link to one of the Susan Boyle videos - we've seen her several times already!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk 

Watch Simon's eye-rolling when he asks Susan her age. The cameras catch  audience members doing the same and many are laughing.

Susan's response? "That's just one side of me."

And her sheer delight at the reaction of the crowd, and later of the judges, seems charming, & genuine.  She was not remotely flustered by everyone's reactions: not the first laughter & derision, and not by the turnaround when those watching realized what they were seeing.

So:
You can't judge a book by it's cover.
Age is a number in someone else's mind.
Follow your dreams.
Take a chance.
Savor the moment.

Bookmark this video and watch it often.

A Model for Aging Well

Can you imagine a political figure with a 92% approval rating? AFTER she's been in office...for THIRTY-ONE years?!

Can you imagine playing hockey at 88 yrs? Why the hell not?!
Check out Hazel McCallion. What an inspiration! Enjoy!



I think I'll play this everyday.

Aging Well ~ the Quest

Somehow this morning (cosmically led, perhaps?), I came upon this old post of Ronni Bennett's from several years ago. Her post is about May-December romances. Mine is other...

I was struck by this excerpt:

"Carolyn Heilbrun, in her book, Writing a Woman’s Life, acknowledges the well-known invisibility that envelops most women at middle age, but she goes on in a manner I find encouraging:

“We will move invisibly for a time, to relearn seeing and to forget being seen. As we grow slowly visible, we will be heard more and seen less. Our voices will ramify, our bodies will become a house for our new spirit.”.

And there are younger men who find that spirit more attractive than mere youth.

I'm particularly struck by the phrase, "to relearn seeing and to forget being seen". I have spent so much of my life aware of, concerned about, and afraid of what others think of me that, at times, I've been almost paralyzed. (Wonderful to have moved from that place!)

"To relearn seeing"    
When I was living that fear, what was I seeing? What do I need to relearn? I think it is not so much a re-learning process as it is a new learning process. I thought I was seeing - looking at - but, I was really only seeing myself, and so concerned with 'what' people saw when they looked at me that I could give no thought at all for the 'who' they might have seen. And the 'who' - the real me - was invisible, largely because I was so outwardly focused.

As I'm aging, (thank you, god) the rest of that quote is becoming true. Again, Thank God.
I am becoming more visible - to myself - than I have ever been. I'm more clear on the 'who' that I am, more brave, and my body is becoming the "house for my spirit".

I had to look up ramified, and I find that that is true for me, too. I am more complex; and my spirit, my interests, indeed, my own voice are multifaceted and much more powerful.

"To forget being seen"
In some ways, this seemed easier for me for many years. What that ease turned out to be was, at first, just an amazing ability to avoid mirrors. It started with cameras and other people's photos of me. I just got tired of that coy, "oh, no, my hair looks terrible" type of BS and came to realize that I would never have to look at them; could forget that they existed. What a relief it was to say, 'Sure, go ahead". and just smile.  

Now, I can consider the thought that I am truly blind if I am too much concerned with 'being seen'. I don't really see other people, or the truth of a situation if I am concerned with how I look or what others think.

Now, I know that looking in is for my meditation or prayer. I can forget that anyone is looking. My years and my path have brought a perspective that we only gain by growing older. With a bit of open-mindedness I might even be(come) wise. As for being seen; the only opinion that really matters is my own. I'm concerned with how closely I stand by my values. When I remember these things, I am in great shape: happy, content, integrous.

"Heard more, seen less"
I can't say that I am seen less. What do I know of what another really sees? I do know that I care less. And this blog attests to the fact that I have stuff to say. Do you hear me?   :)
Guess what...even that matters less to me, and ultimately matters not at all.

It seems a bit curious to me.
As I age, I seem to look inward much more in some respects (usually related to self-knowledge), and to become more self-centered. I think it is in some relationship to my interest in dying well. I'll continue that exploration the rest of my life, I suppose. And I can see that I also see others much better, or with thinner blinders. Perspective again, I'm sure.

As Bette says, "From a distance..."

PBS's FrontLine: exploring "Living Old"

This link is a great jumping off place for articles, stories, videos and even a video stream of the complete show. The cut line of this home page says,

"A powerful and intimate journey into the uncharted territory of Americans living longer than ever -- and what it means for them, their loved ones and our society."

Worth some time, I think.

Food for Thought or Balancing on One Leg

I’m 61½ now, and I’ve been living the life of Riley for about 4 years.
Things are tougher now, as they may be for many of you, but we have the prospect of Social Security ahead to take up some slack. Joel’s income from that source really makes a difference to us now. I’m still planning to stick it out until I’m 66, but people keep trying to mess with my future.

I hope you will all read The Coming Attack on Social Security… a column by Ronni Bennett of Time Goes By.

She writes clearly, and with links to her sources, which many folks don’t bother with anymore. Follow those links a bit; learn some stuff.

So, should I tell you this? …point you to articles that may scare you, too? Well, no. To focus on the fear is to give it energy, make it bigger than it is. Doesn’t it?
Yes, I believe so.

Ronni makes it clear that SS is fine, for now. IF there is to be a real problem, it will affect our kids & grandkids.
So what am I worrying about?
Just my self, my comfort and ease.
The space between watching HD shows on TV and watching the grass grow.
The difference, in the occasional restaurant meal, between the ‘dollar menu’ and a nice Thai dinner.
The really scary one is the prospect of canceling the trip to Chicago this summer. We’ve been saving up for a year!

I’m at a point in my personal evolution where I am, frankly, stumped: caught between financial fear and its stresses, and the spiritual state of confidence that would, otherwise, allow me to rest in the knowledge that I will learn what I need to know, and be provided for as are the ‘birds of the air’. One day moment I rest in faith that all is as it should be; the next day moment my heart is pounding and I wonder how soon I must drop the cable service or (heaven forbid) the internet, or sell a car.

Maybe I just need to stop reading this stuff.
What happens to my sense of gratitude for all that I am and have?
What is the balance between awareness of current events and resting in the arms of god?

These are the thoughts I’m exploring these days; the fears I grapple with; the wisdom to which I aspire.

Feel like sharing what’s going on in your own head? I’m interested.

…just ‘had’ to…thanks for listening.

Feel the PANIC, ...exhale

No sooner do I "lose it", do I find a fellow speaking with the voice of reason. Thanks, Mike.  :)

Go read this. An excerpt:

Once again we are faced with making mindful decisions and taking measured actions when everything within us is screaming to panic.

Everything in its right time, I guess. I'll be reading lots more of Mike's stuff from now on; he's been reading some of my mail.     

First I was afraid; now I'm PETRIFIED!

I've read this article twice now. Here's an excerpt:

This headline from Reuters, More Suffering From Chronic Illnesses, and other pieces trumpeting the spiraling cost of health care could lead one to believe that universal health care is unsustainable and/or unaffordable. But we're not necessarily getting the whole story. As we speak, the health care industry and the insurance industry (they are not the same) are stacking the numbers.

from AQ who blogs at Always Question 

Here's where I stand at the moment. Like AQ, I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and I'm fat. (I can say, thankfully, that I have no history of cancer; though my Mom had breast cancer - successfully treated by surgery.) As far as medical records go, her history is a part of my history.

I also have health insurance for which I pay almost $250/month. To keep the payments that low (!?) I have a high deductible and a lot of limits about what can/cannot be treated. Those factors, plus a suspicion about the info that goes into the "system" has kept me going slow and almost holding my breath about having any of these checked out again. Basically, I have health insurance I'm afraid to use. 

I'm a long way from Medicare, though, at 61, and now I'm basically terrified.

And THAT'S a pisser because I'm also convinced that "thoughts we hold in mind, produce in kind".

Aaarrrrrrrrrrggghhh!!!!!!!

I want to scream, and then kill somebody! Hopefully, not myself.

One of the values I've held for a long time is to stand FOR something
rather than to struggle/fight AGAINST something.

There is little doubt that I am being called into battle, now. I feel like David in front of Goliath, who is, of course, Big Pharma, Big Insurance, and Traditional Western Medicine which knows a lot about illness and very little about health.

I'm being called to battle and I am very pissed! And I'm worried that I/we can't fight it fast enough to make a difference in MY lifetime. That doesn't make the battle less important, it just leaves me scared - and that affects my health - and that makes me scared.....
SHIT!  What a tail-chaser.

I'm going for a walk with Mango, then I'm going back to my meditation cushion and see if I can surrender all this turmoil in this moment.

If you're concerned about health care, I suggest you read this and lots of other articles on the subject. TGB has many in these categories: Health and Universal Healthcare. You know I'm partial to the folks over there, but just Google the subject; there is no dearth of information.

Prayer in Old Age, attributed to a 17th Century nun

attributed to a 17th Century nun, and found in this post at TGB, by guest blogger, Chancy of Driftwood Inspiration:

"Lord, you know better than I know myself that I am getting older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

“Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but you know, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

“Keep my mind from the recital of endless details - give me the wings to come to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

“I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.

“Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old woman is one of the crowning works of the devil.

“Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and the talents in unexpected people. And give me the grace to tell them so."

"Grandma's Got it Going On"

posted sometime in 2000, this is Slam Poet Shane Koyczan's terrific performance of a funny and powerful piece. I trust you will enjoy it.

A Good Quote from Jung

"The afternoon of human life must also have a significance of its own

and cannot be merely a pitiful appendage to life's morning."

- Carl Gustav Jung

Health care: Wouldn't it be great to have some for EVERYBODY?

Ronni Bennett, about whom you already know from this blog, just keeps getting better and more on point, IMHO.
I hope you'll read her article, "Elders Lobbying for Healthcare for Others".  Here's the opening excerpt:

"As I’m sure you remember, during a speech in Cleveland on 20 July 2007,
President Bush had this to say about health care:

"I mean, people have access to health care in America.
After all, you just go to an emergency room."

For the president of the country with the worst record on health care in the
developed world to make such a statement is awful enough,
but I think the greater giveaway is that it tells us a lot about
what rich people think the rest of us are worth."

Saul Friedman, Newsday writer and long-time journalist, wrote this post recently, from which I take this opening excerpt:

"I’m old enough to remember how it was before Medicare. My mother-in-law was in declining health and my wife and I were seeing to her care. On one visit to her family doctor, a golfer whom we called Buzzie, he told us, “Boy, if she only had the money we could give her the treatment she should have.” We left him for a nice, non-Jewish doctor I had met on the police beat."
[emphasis added]

Both of these articles contain links to other reports and articles related to this issue. Here is one from the New England Journal of Medicine, penned by David Blumenthal, an unpaid advisor to Obama.

Ronni calls us to action! So go do it! Here is a link to Obama's Change.gov site where you can tell him what & why. 

Then go to these websites and tell your Congress people.
[Note, some of your Congressional leaders will be new in January; mark your calendar and write to them them. ]

The US House of Representatives
The US Senate

Ronni, thanks for the story, the links, and your encouragement to step up and say my piece. 

So, what's on MY mind? Well...

I'm 61, and in pretty good health, though I have some high blood pressure and I don't even want to know my cholesterol numbers. The most chronic problem is pain in my lower back (from a VERY old injury), and some stuff that may be the beginning of some arthritis. I have a very high threshold for pain, and don't need anything except periodic generics like aspirin or ibuprofen.

Which is a good thing, because my insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has already disallowed everything that could possibly be associated with my skeletal structure and/or that old injury. In order to comfortably afford the payments, I had to choose a pretty big deductible, and because the treatments I would most like to use and from which I could benefit (chiropractic, massage, Rolfing, etc) are disallowed, I rarely meet the deductible, and so I don't use the services.

Also, there is a $400 annual allowance for 'preventative' care. I tried that out last year. My doc decided that I should have a colonoscopy. No real symptoms, just age related. So, I didn't ask a lot of questions, I just made the appointment and went. Well, part of it all was covered: the $400, of course, but then 50% of this charge and 20% of that charge and yada yada yada, until I was out of pocket almost $2500, AND HAD NOT MET MY DEDUCTIBLE for that year. Better not get the flu!

So, I have health insurance. I can use it for broken legs or heart attacks. In four years I can dump it...and will have enriched BCBS by about $15,000 for basically nothing. What a joy it is.

And the very worst thing, to my way of thinking, is that I'm actually betting with the insurance company that something WILL happen. I'm betting AGAINST myself. Wow! How's that for confidence in the laws of attraction? Crimenentlies!

So, yeah, you bet; I sent my letter to Obama. And I've plugged my calendar to remind me to send similar letters to my 'leaders' in January. Now, you go do it, too.

"Afternoon of life..."

"The afternoon of human life must also have a significance of its own and cannot be merely a pitiful appendage to life's morning." - Carl Gustav Jung

 

Birthday Bonanza!

You might not know this about me: I can stretch a birthday out for days, sometimes even weeks. It's working that way this year, too! Friends have taken me to meals: New Mexican food for lunch on Thursday, regular and tasty American bacon & eggs for breakfast on Saturday, wonderful roast duck w/dark cherry sauce for dinner on Saturday, a terrific chicken Marsala on Sunday evening, and Joel has promised me lunch out today - the real birthday. Yum! Along with those I've enjoyed great wine, a Dirty Martini, imported beer, and a couple of tasty desserts. And time on my own back patio with friends.

In case you haven't noticed, I really appreciate dining out. From eggs to exotics, I just love to share food & fellowship. Such a great time. I'm the chief cook & bottle washer around home, so it's a double treat when someone else is doing all the work.

Dad sent some cash, as always. This time it will go with us on our trip to Florida tomorrow morning. That will buy some lovely grouper or stone crab while we're there. ...savoring the anticipation already.

Today is the actual official birthday. I got up early, made some coffee and was sitting in a corner with a ton of windows, reading a book, when the movement of this beauty caught my eye.

                                                                                        

 

He's just across the street from me; in this shot maybe 40 ft. away. He lives near here somewhere, and is the same elk we saw last Christmas morning. What a treat to see him today.

Elk is a power animal for me. I don't really understand that, but my heart beats quicker whenever I see one. To have one so close is wonderful. And to have him appear at sunrise on my natal day is just the grandest thing.

Thanks, Universe.

This one isn't a great picture, but I shows his rack. BIG!

During this I'm wandering around outside with my camera and my sleep shirt, probably scaring the neighbors, but not really caring. what fun!

The cats were with me, as they usually are. Here's one right behind the elk. They stayed fairly near me, then walked me home.

Such a wonderful morning.

I've received many great cards, including one with a 'scratcher' that won me $20. Every single block on the card was a winner!

I just realized, as I linked this post to the one from last Christmas, how much the woods have changed. The land & cabin was purchased (nice couple) and the woods have been cleared for fire control and view stuff... It's not really woods anymore, but a nice tree-studded yard.

The elk looks really different, too, without his winter coat, but I'm confident he's the same one.

Here's a shot of our Big Boy taken on the 26th and a little later in the day.

One of the greatest things for this birthday came to me from my sister, Susan, by way of my Aunt Conny. It's a cool necklace of pewter and bone and shells and beads that my Mom made for her sister, my aunt, back in 1981. Such a special thing to have it come back around to me.  Thanks Susan & Conny.

So, bright & early tomorrow morning we begin the trip to Florida. Since we live in the back of beyond, that starts with a 3 hr. drive to the airport in Albuquerque, from which we head to Denver in order to get to Orlando. (Only the airlines...) We'll be spending time with my Dad, and a friend we met a few years ago when we were living in FL. We'll also share an airboat ride with my Dad and stepmom, Frankie.

On the 3rd & 4th, for the fireworks, we'll be in Clearwater Beach. Joel and I just love fireworks! and Joel will never get enough of beaches and big water. On this trip, we'll get to spend time on both coasts: the Gulf side and the Atlantic. Just so excited - more birthday, as far as I'm concerned!

So, miss me while I'm gone. I'll share photos when we get back.

Me & Merlin & Gandalf the Grey

Ronni Bennett has another interesting post on her blog today; this one by Dr. Bill Thomas, a geriatrician and twice-monthly columnist for TGB.

If you're beginning to feel your hips or knees in  different ways, or if you wish your balance was a little better, be sure to read this post. It's all about the many reasons a walking cane is completely UNcool (not to mention more damaging than helpful).

Here's an alternative - and one I can embrace with gusto. What could be more appropriate for an Omnicrone, after all?

                                                                                                              Here's mine: 

In 1981 it was just a stick on the ground. On that New Year's Day, I decided to climb a mountain. I was down in the valley then, at Glencoe, where I was apprenticed to a sculptor and lived above his studio. The 'mountain' across the road is scarcely more than a molehill but to me, the newly imported flat-lander from West Texas, it would qualify as Mountain. And it seemed an appropriate way to mark the new year.

As I neared the top the way became steeper and the rocks looser and I began to look for a stick that could make it all easier to navigate. Low & behold, there was my new quarterstaff just lying on the ground waiting for me. And it seemed like a good idea to keep it.

Over the next weeks I stripped the bark off the top portion and used my pocket knife to make it smooth (without removing character). And I glued a small crystal into the tip.

The rest of my quarterstaff is still as it was; bark in tact and a nice little fork in the bottom. I had visions of maybe holding down a snake or other pesky something with that part, but there has never been the least inclination to do so. The only snakes I have ever seen here tend to be of the garden variety, and never threatening.

As evidence, here's the only one I've captured on film:

I don't know how long he was, since he didn't stretch out for me, but he was only about as big around as my pinky finger: a hiking pal, not a theat.

So my quarterstaff has been with me on every single hike I've taken in these mountains. Now that I know how tricky the traditional cane can be, I'll be using the staff if I ever need something for normal day-to-day maneuvering.
Thanks, Ronni and Dr. Bill.