I broke silence three times. Two times with email and one trip to the grocery store. I guess the temptations were too great. The more I try things like this the less I am in awe of people who go into the mountains for months. It’s easy to be zen with no distractions.

When all is said and done I am in a better mood. I’m going dancing tonight too.

Thanks to Sundar for the link.

The New Yorker runs a satirical cartoon image of a political figure - this is news?  It’s clearly poking fun of the FOX sponsored campaign of smear on Obama.  I think it’s funny.  Much funnier that say being a conservative Republican and seeing a cartoon of your candidate doing something asinine that’s actually true (not satire).

Exhibit B:

If you have any doubt left about whether or not Wolf Blitzer is a moron . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=840i4KqgjGg

My final Adriamycin and Cytoxan treatment was not near as bad as I feared. I got to a good place before the treatment (see my last post) then after my treatment I had some good old fashion healing time at my mom’s and then some serious time alone at Amma. I just came to a wonderful place. I mean I was centered, in the now, feeling great, whatever other positive catch phase you can think of, I was it.

Wednesday I went to meet my new oncologist. I’ll be doing my next set of treatments (Taxotere and Herceptin) a block away from my house in the ER of Jefferson County Hospital. My new doc. seems good. All should be well. But since that meeting my stomach and mood has been at times a little sour and at times very sour.

I know this is all in my power. I was not sick from chemo. I now realize how powerful my attitude impacts my recovery. Yet it can be very difficult to master.

I think that behind every negative emotion is fear. So I just have to have compassion for myself that I am scared. Why I could completely overcome it before and not now, I don’t know. It’s different now. You think you get it all figured out and the game changes.

This of course is the beauty of life! ;-)

How to Build Community

Turn off your TV
Leave your house
Know your neighbors
Look up when you are walking
Greet people
Sit on your stoop
Plant flowers
Use your library
Play together
Buy from local merchants
Share what you have
Help a lost dog
Take children to the park
Garden together
Support neighborhood schools
Fix it even if you didn’t break it
Have pot lucks
Honor elders
Pick up litter
Read stories aloud
Dance in the street
Talk to the mail carrier
Listen to the birds
Put up a swing
Help carry something heavy
Barter for your goods
Start a tradition
Ask a question
Hire young people for odd jobs
Organize a block party
Bake extra and share
Ask for help when you need it
Open your shades
Sing together
Share your skills
Take back the night
Turn up the music
Turn down the music
Listen before you react to anger
Mediate a conflict
Seek to understand
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles
Know that no one is silent though many are not heard. Work to change this.

Created using wecanbelievein.com.

Between his support of faith based initiatives and the FISA legislation, he’s showing a pattern of supporting and catering to Bush doctrines.  I didn’t think Obama was capable of doing such a thing, yet he’s running towards the middle just as Kerry did in 2004.  I find this highly disappointing and upsetting for two reasons.

First, who in the hell is leading the Democratic party?  Where is the confidence in the right position (which for some reason is to the “left”)?  Who are the knuckleheads advising Obama to leave his base and reach out for people that believe in illegal wire tapping and the integration of church and state?  Obama you don’t need McCain’s base.  You’ve got this election - just be the same person that won the primary.  WTF is going on here?

Second, I feel had by Obama.  I feel like he lied to me.  I feel like he stole from me.  This is not good.  If the past couple months are an indication of the type of President he’s going to be - I don’t want him as President.  I want my money back.  This country is done for if we cannot manage to elect a real leader.

I think back to the Iowa Caucus.  There I was standing with two other people under the sign that said Chris Dodd.  Dodd is not supporting FISA.

This system sucks.

Oh and for those of you spreading rumors that a) the gnat problem is gone, and b) the gnats won’t bite you if you rub vanilla extract on your body.  You’re wrong on both counts.  Exhibit A (notice the cloud of gnats in the foreground):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RisxckQlzc