I FEEL BETTER NOW

LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH...

I don't want my anger over the Chinese human rights policies to in any way diminish what these young people have worked for over many years of training. The Olympics have always been the one area where my latent nationalism was always triggered. And, in the reality of the world, it is not only the policies of the Chinese in the areas of human rights who deserve to be viewed as villainous. In almost every country this is becoming an increasing burden to society.

One only has to go to The Human Rights Watch website to see that this is a universal problem. To expect that the International Olympic Committee could make decisions regarding the ethical decision to be made in view of their own scandal ridden past.

Things are just so complicated today. But, then again, they have always probably been complicated. There is a universal connectivity that disallows one single activity to stand alone. When addressed in this fashion I see the problem as having been instituted with the origins of classism and racism. While these are listed here separately, it is easy to see that through the ages these have become so intertwined that it difficult to see them as separate entities.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights as adopted by the United Nations sums up just exactly how the world and its inhabitants should approach relationships with others. The fact that, since the beginning of history, this has never occurred does not preclude it from ever happening. I would like to be able to say that this begins with each and every one of us individually and we are the only ones who can stop the decline of society. While it does begin with each and every one of us, it is also very important the we not let an opportunity to stop an injustice from occuring pass by without action. This is not an easy responsibility to take on. It can take a jovial conversation amongst friends to a dead stop in less than a millisecond. It can mean speaking to stranges in a respectful and firm manner that such words, actions, beliefs are not to be accepted as correct. It may mean that the anger that the individual is expressing towards others is turned toward you. It is still the responsibility of each and every one of us to stay within a calm spirit and hold that knowledge does not come easily to all of us.

I would like to not have to remind children that words being used are painful, I would like to not have to tell strangers that the words they are using are hurtful to others, I would like to be able to be certain that I don't harbor some of these thoughts and it is my responsibility to not act on them or repeat them. These things have been said so many times before in so much more elegant ways and yet it is something that I believe had to be addressed again so that I could move back to superficial things and let some of this pain go so that I can experience joy that is not always tinged with sorrow.

Peace.

JUST A STORY ABOUT A GIRL AND GUILT

It is the opening of the Olympics and I found myself watching the opening ceremoinies in spite of my misgivings. They were truly amazing.

And then, these came to mind:

It's pretty tough having mixed feelings in a complicated world where thousands are displaced, imprisoned and silenced so that I can see some pretty dance moves and amazing visions of electronic magic.

I wish I hadn't watched. I wish I were shallow.

ADDENDA: DEE HAS AN ENTRY THAT MUST BE SEEN AND SUMS UP THE ENTIRE FIASCO OF THE OLYMPICS.

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO EXPLODE!

Heading home from work the other day I thought, "Hm, boy, I feel like crap!" I don't usually have headaches and this one had been there for a day and a half, my ears were ringing in a definite A above high C tone, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my temples.

Being the physician that I think I am (degree from the prestigious School of TV Doctor Shows) I decided I probably had a blood pressure issue going on or...an extravagant tumor in an unlikely place that would put me on the next Lifetime-movie-to-be-filmed cue.
Luckily Most Mediocre Husband (will explain title in another post later on) had a blood pressure cuff from life before me and we hooked the baby up and played doctor!
The numbers were not so hot...actually, they were off the chart. 188/120 to start with. OK, another lisiniprol, a muscle relaxant and a prone position with OMMMMMM running through my head. Two hours later, 164/110, we're on the path to recovery. Meanwhile, I called the Real Doctor (Mandy *cute name, huh!) and ended up making an appointment for the next day. Or today as it turns out.

No, I am not stressed over anything major, no, I am having no marital problems and no, I have not been overdoing it on the salt. Ergo, with the reading being 135/95 in the office today, we'll add a beta blocker to the ace inhibitor, we'll take today and tomorrow off and spend it prone and in complete submission to the more mellower things in life, and yes, we will start walking 45 minutes to an hour every day and yes, we will work on losing some of this weight and then join a gym and start to approach Nirvana. Or, as the picture shows, "Mother Teresa-hood."

Prepare yourself, folks, I am sure the blood pressure will drop, hopefully the weight will drop, I will live without pizza and 'Friday night movies and Chinese (OK, not real Chinese, egg foo yung...m-m-m-m!) I will eat more fruits and vegetables and I will eliminate all of the things that I have not already eliminated prior to this, but, I absolutely refuse to put on a blue scarf and adopt a healthy, beatific attitude (see illustration) and will always reserve my right to sarcasm, pessimism and a sullen demeanor as this is my destined path in the world.

And, that, as they say, is THAT!