Sunday Scribbling - "Puzzled"

I'm very puzzled and quite frankly shocked over a few news reports I've heard lately. They are issues that are killing our children and putting our whole country at risk. They are issues that are close to my heart because they are hurting my own children and their future. Obesity, Education and Government are giant snowballs rolling across our country, as we step out of its way, watching it just roll by.

I have a daughter who is overweight to the point of it being a danger to her health. It started when she turned eighteen but as most overweight people know it's more about emotional issues than about the food. Her self-esteem is so low that I would say she was depressed and rarely leaves the house. It's a very sensitive subject, I can't bring up unless asked, which is very rare. It breaks my heart that she is in pain and she is not alone.

Latest Obesity Statistics
USA Obesity Rates Reach Epidemic Proportions
58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese
Eight out of 10 over 25's Overweight
78% of Americans not meeting basic activity level recommendations
25% completely Sedentary
76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990

I heard we are 17th out of 22 nations on our educational report card. How in the hell does the most powerful nation in the world rank so low? Yes we have power but will we keep it if we continue to ignore our educational status. I read a statistic that 38% of our kids hate school, teachers are still under paid while getting little help from parents. Many parents are raising kids with a since of entitlement (whole different rant) and not teaching them to earn what they want. Colleges are raising tuitions for the kids that desire an education, while government cuts scholarship funding. I should not be puzzled that we are 17th, but I am.

The US government is very important in securing the stability of our country in the world. The majority of our young people are not even voting and think most politicians are corrupt. I'm puzzled as to why no one can run without getting sucked into the political games. They can tell you about Brittney Spears but not about who's running for president. Can't some one step up to the plate and inspire our young people to care? Be a real hero for our country. If many of you don't like Bush, can you imagine who will run this country when these kids grow up and don't vote. Can we afford to elect another "politician"?

The media is raising a generation of kids who seem to have lost hope and the country seems to have lost its moral compass. I'm puzzled, where are the good guys to help us find our way.

To read other scribbles on puzzled visit here

Create a Connection

It seems like yesterday we had a wedding here.

How can I leave my view

Getting to Know You

I had to do this because I'm a big fan of the "Actor's Studio" on Bravo. You're really not suppose to think about your answers for too long on the show, so neither did I. Finally my little part of California got some snow but with it came a very COLD power outage that went from the middle of night until 11am. I think I've finally defrosted enough to do this ;)

1. What is your favorite word? Delicious
2. What is your least favorite word? No
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? My close relationships.
4. What turns you off? Selfish people
5. What is your favorite curse word? Dipshit is one that works for me but I've used them all. It's weird that I swear more around people who swear. Does that mean secretly I like it? Hmmm
6. What sound or noise do you love? Dave laughing out loud just tickles me, even if I think it's not funny.
7. What sound or noise do you hate? Dave's 3am alarm clock that he puts across the room so he is forced to get up. It's a cheap one that has a loud beep, beep, beep!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I'd love to work with kids living in homes with a chronic illness.
9. What profession would you not like to do? Mortician or Medical Examiner.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You did good kid and your grandma Margie is waiting right over there.

To see other connections go here

Poetry Thursday - "The Body Knows"

The Body Knows

The body knows
when it’s time for life to burst forth
nesting in adrenalin high
racing to the finish line
water gushing
crowning glory

The body knows
when it’s time to blossom and grow
racing hormones reacting
stretching skin to curves
always searching
wanting more

The body knows
when something is not right inside
brain messages blocked
body fumbles to stay
weakening limbs
awakens faith

The body knows
When your time on earth is done
breathing begins to rattle
organs slither away
acceptance forced
eternity begins

By Tammy2007

To see other poetry visit Poetry Thursday

Self Portrait Challenge- "Black & White"

Dove rolled out a campaign using models of all shapes and sizes in their underwear. This year they rolled out a campaign showing the beauty of more mature women in tastefully done nude ads. I love that they are celebrating the beauty and sexiness of real women. In my SPC I thought I'd join in by showing that a 45 year old disabled woman can be beautiful and sexy too ;)

This is me with my hubby's workshirt and boots on. I hate the perception that walking badly or being in a wheelchair takes the focus away from being sexy. I may use a walker and talk like a drunk but I'll always remain sexy to Dave because I'm a woman first.

One Deep Breath - "Spices Fib"

Earth

fresh

crushed

aroma

enhancing flavor

dancing delicacies to taste

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hot

zing

zesty

savory

creating palette

cultures come together as one

To create a Fib: In essence, there are only 2 rules. The first rule is the sequence of syllables which is 1/1/2/3/5/8. The second rule is that no one-syllable lines can contain an article (the, a, la, le, etc.) That's it. The photo is from Stockxpert.

To view other fibs check out One Deep Breath

This Got My Attention!

WATER

#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.) #2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.

#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

#6. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

#1 The active ingredient in soda is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

#2 Caffeine dehydrates.

This blew my mind because I don't drink water. My ALS makes it easy to choke on water, my bladder is a weak muscle and going to the bathroom can be tiring (up, down with clothes and pulling body up and down). This makes all that seem trivial. Just because I have one illness does not mean I can't get another. I drink coffee in the morning and cold green tea during the day, all with caffeine that is dehydrating...YIKES! I thought you might not have known some of this.

Sunday Scribbling - "Crush" First Crushes

David Cassidy

Bobby Sherman

Donny Osmond

When I think of a crush it takes me back to my youth where boys my age still had cooties. I didn't know back then that tugging on my pigtails and chasing me into the girls bathroom meant they actually liked me.

I preferred the older men that hung on my walls, as I laid on my red bean bag chair, while they sang love songs to me. I would cry into my pillow over my overwhelming love for them, as they stared at me with loving eyes from my Teenbeat magazines. I'd day dream about how we would meet while scribbling their name's in every slam book I wrote in. I wrote endless fan letters and when I received something back I truly believed it was written by them to me. Then I watched every TV show they were on, but was constantly interrupted by my little brother's endless teasing. He would hold his heart with both hands while batting his eye's saying "oh Donny, I love you!" I had to punch him every time it was at a commercial.

My mom actually let me go with a group of girls and their mom's to see Donny Osmond in concert. We were so far away he was 3 inches tall but we made absolute fools of ourselves during his big hit "Puppy Love." We never heard the song through our screaming and tears but we were sure he was singing to us. The moms must have been laughing hysterically. We left thinking that was the best day of our lives ;)

I'm not sure when I went from those crushes to chasing boys. Between my day dreams of teen idols and a Harlequin romance novel addiction the boys never really stood a chance. I dated too many jocks in high school...enough said! It really screwed up my chances to have a realistic relationship when I got older. My expectations were too high and my dreams of love were shattered. Now that I'm older and have lived a little, my days of crushes and dreams of knights on white horses are long gone. They have been replaced by real love and real life.