Friday, April 27, 2007

I Don't Get It!

Okay. Monday left at t (regular time) arrival at work: N +3 3 minutes late. (Goal is N-5)
Tuesday left at t-5; arrival at work: N
Wednesday left at t-10; arrival at work: N
Thursday (running late) left at t; arrival at work:N

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Relieved

Today after driving by the bloodstained spot on the street, I wondered what happened. I watched the news ever since it happened and didn't hear anything. I assumed the worst. Perhaps he did die, I don't know, but my relief was in the manner in which it happened and the reason. I finally got up the guts to call the police station and they explained that now with HIPA I couldn't know what happened to him - and I know that. What I wanted to know was the call to 911. Why did they call? Finally after stumbling through the computer he was able to tell me that it was for a seizure. I am so relieved after the picture that I had in my head of him laying there on the ground with his eyes wide open and the fresh red blood coming out of his mouth was not due to being run over or shot down. He must've hit his head and/or bit his tongue. The stain that is still there was pretty large for a tongue bite.

I decided to take off for work this morning to avoid the traffic I experienced yesterday. Just my luck, they all left early, too. Same traffic jam, different day.

I was told today by a coworker that she likes me because I am a sincere person. I almost cried. I thanked her. She made my day!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Hitting the Pavement...

I came across something very strange on my way to work this morning. I had to drive around a man laying in the middle of the street with blood coming out of his mouth and his eyes wide open. There was a vehicle halfway in the driveway and I honestly don't know if they parked there to help him, or if they backed over him. I would say that I hope it was nothing serious, but it looked too serious or too late for that hope.
Throughout my life, I have had a problem with things like that. My vision gets so focused and I wonder how the world can keep working when things like that happen. I was shocked, stunned and yet, drove to work, hung my coat up and went about my day like nothing happened - not really, but sort of half-brained for the first part of the day.
I guess this is life. We should count our blessings.

Monday, April 23, 2007

The Uphill Battles of Depression

I will gladly take Tom Cruise up on this battle.

In this world some rain must fall. For some it falls in the form of Diabetes, others MS, others have high blood pressure or heart disease, but for many it is Depression. Perhaps we all experience this once or twice in our lifetime, episodically. Some people are crippled with it. The media and our society as a whole have place the big blinking "FREAK" sign on the disease. Would we call a diabetic a freak? Would we call someone with high blood pressure a freak? heart disease? Maybe some would. There are definitely those that have been blessed with perfect health, but most people have something that could be improved - even if it is just their eyesight.

I don't know if this VT thing has been a blessing or a curse for those with depression. There definitely needs to be more knowledge and understanding with this disease. Depression presents in many ways: It is that listlessness that just won't go away. It is those negative thoughts that are in the back of the mind. It is the slow boiling anger. It is the fiery angry bursts that hurt the ones we love and intensifies itself. It is the tired that makes us sleep or want to sleep all day. It is that inability to accomplish those things we want to accomplish. It is us separating ourselves from others. It is not caring how we look, smell or act. It is a heavy lump of hopelessness and despair.

So often depression is a hindrance to its own cure. Exercise is a good remedy, but when getting out of bed in the morning takes all your energy, exercise is hardly on the agenda. Reaching out to someone, anyone is often a good cure, but who wants to do that. You just don't want to burden others with it, or be labelled a "FREAK".

The brain works in mysterious ways. We know now with Pmris and other diagnostics that the way the brain fires is different in those with depression as well as other disorders. This is physical proof that although it is in your head, it's not. The old way of thinking is: "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps", "Buck up!", "Knock it off!", "Just think happy thoughts". Okay, tell this to diabetics. Tell this to those with heart disease. There is a mind-body connection to physical ailments. Just because an illness is "mental" does not mean it is made up or controllable with thoughts. It is also physical. Many people have been able to overcome physical ailments using their minds. But do we want to take that risk? Virginia Tech. Do we really want to take that risk? Murder-suicides. Is it worth labeling these people as freaks? Columbine. Do you want to lose the people you love? suicide.

There are several treatments out there for depression. To deny people these treatments by stigmatizing and labeling and making them feel weak is inhumane. (Tom Cruise) Rather we should be embracing them and their uniqueness and supporting their treatment. It helps. For many it is the difference between doing something rash and being in control. Help them. Reach out with words. If you don't know them well enough, talk to them. Any contact is better than ignoring them - you don't just need to direct them to help. There are so many things that these people would be able to do if only they would get help. Don't stop them. Stop the ignorance and the labeling. Become part of the solution.

This weekend one of my sons told me that he is having suicidal thoughts. He is reaching out. I hugged him and cried with him. He was so brave telling me this and asking to seek counseling. I know how hard this can be. I will do whatever I have to to save his life. I am calling for counseling this morning. I am educating him as much as possible and being open about it here. He said he wants to quit his job. I completely support this. Just the day before he said this, I watched him walk into work, slouched shoulders, and knew he had to get out. I love you, man! I am there for you!! Thanks for being brave!

Friday, April 20, 2007

Just For The Fun Of It

Peepapalooza

Check out the galleries...

Some folks have too much time...

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Community Meeting

Odd night, it was...

We had a neighborhood N.I.C.E. meeting last night. City officials were there to answer questions. To be brief, I will quickly list the topics:

Good: M. Cooper is interested in finding a group of neighbors from areas around the focus area in the mayor's plan. He gave me his card and said, "Call me". (I picture Mike Meyers saying this in So I Married an Axe Murderer.) There were many present that were interested in my ideas: donating time and materials to improve properties of those less fortunate. Such as painting or repairing the house of a less fortunate person, or painting or repairing a house owned by a slum lord that will not do it himself. Beautification of parkways.

Once again K.R. came and talked to me about promises that a certain slum lord is on the brink of death. (I don't believe it. Only the good die young and this guy is going to live forever.) Apparently his wife said that when he dies, the houses will be sold before the funeral. This guy must be really awful to live with, too, if his wife is promising to settle the affairs before the funeral. Apparently she already has a place down in Florida that is sitting empty waiting for her.

T. Smythe, slumlord mentioned in previous posts, is facing a 405 page injunction. The scope of his slumlordiness is larger than previous thought, as he is in cahoots with another person who is now going down with him. He said at one point that he had 20 some units in Sioux Falls and neighboring areas. I know that I have seen more than that listed in the foreclosures already listed in the Argus. He is going through bankruptcy now and K.R. said if I call back in a month I should be able to obtain an update on this situation.

Bad: Vagueness on the neighborhood improvement. Called M. Cooper yesterday and call was not returned.

Questionable: A new ordinance that the city council approved Monday that will supposedly be more effective in cracking down on slums and according to K.R. will take care of the vacant house behind us. This won't go into effect for 20 days and I am unable to find any information on the content of the ordinance.

Ugly: Unbelievable!!! I brought up landscaping on the parkways to help make the neighborhood more attractive. The forestry person from the parks department told me that doing so would be in violation of city code that permits only trees and grass. I said that we may just have to change that ordinance. One of the people at the meeting brought up the fact that some people already do this, to which he replied: Where? We will address this!! Nobody gave an address. What an a$$hole!

Well, I had better get back to my homework.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

We interrupt this program...

My apologies to all. I have been busy! I am approaching the end of the semester, my son graduates and has been busy skipping class (putting his graduation in peril), I have papers and tests coming at me left and right, I had to find a car for my son (I would rather have all my teeth pulled one by one with no Novocaine than look for vehicles!) and I found out why I am so tired!!! I am anemic, my thyroid is even worse and I have a hiatel hernia! If anyone would like to assist me, I have a whole list of crap that needs to be done. I apologize for not blogging enough. It has been my outlet and now I have run out of time for that. As soon as I finish my last two papers, take my tests and do my presentation I will be back full boar!! Til then, perhaps a line or two here and there will have to do.