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This Week's Links - with MORE love graffiti!

For the last few months, random acts of love graffiti have been showing up around Minneapolis. I heart it. There's one right by our abode, on the retaining wall of the duplex that we refer to as The Monks' House. (There used to be at least one Buddhist monk living there, until the community sold out and moved to Elk River. (Even the monks are moving to the burbs, man.) Anywho, here is the latest love graffiti that showed up on Flickr this morning:

6-23-07 on a lamppost on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Hanging Hearts on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
all smiles on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
again with the buddha hearts on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The strange noises we make: Kind of a love story
I love Chronic Babe...it's a website about how to be sick but still be cool and young. I know that when I think about my medical issues it makes me feel like an old woman, but Chronic Babe helps me deal with it in style. For example, it's where I found out how to get a super-cool MedicAlert bracelet without making me look 90.

Anywho, this story cracked me up not only because of the noise, and the documentation of how funny things get to be inside jokes in a marriage (and friendship, for that matter), but because it reminded me of a woman that I used to work with at the hospital, who would sit in her office and moan until I would come running to see what she wanted...usually computer help. Irr.i.ta.ting. For the love of FSM, please don't do that to anyone.

Everyone Needs Therapy: Obesity Wars
Great. Now states are putting BMI on report cards (at least one has repealed that listing, but I'd bet more are to come). I'd like mine on my paycheck, please. You can never have too many reminders that you're a fat ass.

And another thing...
I love this blog not only because she works in a call center, but because of her attitude. This entry, on April 17, 2007, about the Virginia Tech shootings, exactly mirrors my stance on guns. Just fucking outlaw 'em.

Boing Boing: Blood puddle pillows
This is probably not at all appropriate considering what went on this week, but I still totally want one of these for my desk....

An Inconvenient Truth Carbon Calculator
Check this site out - you can estimate your "carbon footprint" and find ways to reduce it. I'm proud to say that my carbon footprint is 1.5 -the national average is 7. Yay!

I can never resist an adorable hedgie picture...http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/04/ladies_the_secr.html

Note to politicians | Salon.com
Reading Garrison is generally worth sitting through the commercials to get the full access to Salon.

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
It's daffodil season in the city!!!

I, Asshole: Tuesday Round-up in Three Parts
I love I, Asshole, and the flow chart of insults is invaluable.

Boing Boing: Boss-proof your computer with a USB foot-switch
Awesome. Just...awesome...

Boing Boing: Silly shipping label for wine
Another reason I am ashamed to be an American.

ARTICLE: Lay blame on Cho, not Tech leaders (The Virginian-Pilot - HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com)
Thank you, news media, for finally pulling your head out of your ass and realizing that, most likely, this could not have been avoided.

whipup.net - Tutorial, Rag Rug
To be added to the Things I Want to Make Should I Ever Totally Be Unemployed Yet Wealthy and Have the Time to Make.

Boing Boing: Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

What's my sign? This is MY sign!
surly missed the point on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

That's all it said~ on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/04/ketch_a_falling.html
I love this picture not only because I can't wait to get a hedgie, but check out the kitty/hedgie picture. Adorable!


Overheard in New York | It Dislodged Several Ceiling Tiles
It's funny because it's true. Jeff and I take yoga on Monday nights, and we both have this huge fear of farting, and congratulate each other at the end of class if we've managed to make it through without a big fart (and were relieved when someone else in class did!)

libries on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Yes, yes you do.

Berserk-os at I Blame The Patriarchy
Amen, sister.

SheFinds.com Weblog
The No Bra Boob Blunders...something Sarah and I discuss with frequency.

Helicopter parents: What's that I hear, a whirry bird? | BlogHer
No. Oh, no. Hellz no. This is dreadful. When I breed, I'm tattooing this somewhere on me so I don't become one of Those Moms.

What does it take to be a moral leader?
I haven't said anything about the Virginia Tech stuff because I have nothing original or inspiring to contribute. But I agree with this writer in that it was wrong to leave Cho out of the memorial. In my mind, whatever demons he battled made him the ultimate victim of this sad, sad day. I would like to think that this would give us, as a community, pause to think about mental illness, and how we can reach out to those who suffer around us, but I fear that it will just stigmatize it more. Why is it when our bodies attack us, we are to be pitied, but when our minds attack us, we are monsters?

Davezilla: Clean humor, filthy comments » PEDESTRIANS PROHIBITED

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Word, Dr. King

Cowardice asks the question—is it safe? Expediency asks the question—is it politic? Vanity asks the question—is it popular? But conscience asks the question—is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right.

~ Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

And, an Update

Things that I have wanted to get done this week, and have not, nor will I in the coming weekend:

1. Address and mail out wedding announcements (must be done before postage goes up, as I have a metric fuckton of stamps)
2. Finish birthday gift for Magnus
3. Research realtors that are good at selling condos and/or buying old houses
4. Look for a place to live in the unlikely event our condo sells
5. Read the South Beach diet book, make a menu, and go to the grocery store
6. Hell, just go to the grocery store – we haven’t been in about three weeks
7. Have quality time with my sweetie
8. Have quality time with my cat
9. Have quality time with my laundry basket
10. Respond to my email of a non-urgent, but would still like to talk to nature
11. Update my Palm so I know what I need to know
12. Set up the new hard drive which is actually big enough for all the stuff that I want on the computer, and which I have had since Christmas, and which is still sitting in it’s box on my computer desk at home
13. Have a nap

Things that I did do this week which, while productive, were not the above things

1. Go to Mayo to have blood tests done. I went to see one of the leading experts in HAE last Friday (and have been meaning to blog about it ever since then, but haven’t had one damn minute to do so), to see if I can get into a clinical trial for the good drugs, which are not yet FDA approved. My current doctor was a bit confused, as my blood tests do not show that I have Type I or II HAE (the kind where there is a problem with the blood protein) so I have been diagnosed at idiopathic. However, the last two times I was hospitalized, I reacted really well to having plasma with the protein in it, which (if I was truly idiopathic) shouldn’t have made any difference.

So, off to Mayo I went to get the really, really good diagnostic tests done. Let me tell you, I was about as impressed as can be by the Mayo. Their facilities are gorgeous, everyone is unfailingly polite (even the doctor addressed me as Mrs….they ALL did. NO use of the first name at all), and they ran on time. AND I had an entire hour with the doctor. They didn’t torture me for my insurance card any step of the way, nor continue to ask repetitive medical questions. The departments actually seemed to talk to each other, so instead of discussing my insurance, I got to discuss my HEALTH. What a radical concept.

Unfortunately, I had eaten before my visit, so they couldn’t do the labs they wanted to. I went back down again on Monday, and had eight vials of blood drawn – a personal best! A quick shopping jaunt to Hobby Lobby for super-cheap yarn, lunch at Fazoli’s (the one up here closed!), and back home for a nap for my sweetie, and an afternoon off for me.

2. And I good thing I had that afternoon off! I got a call from my long lost friend/ former co-worker Kelli last week, and she mentioned a job opportunity. It would be for a small recruiting firm (as in, one guy) and she will be starting there in the fall after her baby is born (she’s due soon!), and they want one other person in the office too, and she called me. I haven’t done any recruiting since, oh, 2000, so I’m a bit rusty, but she thought that we’d made such a good team then that we should try it again. Why the hell not? I updated my resume and sent it on to her on Monday afternoon, since I decided not to go to work.

3. And while I was updating my resume anyway, another recruiter that I’ve been working with, John, called me about a part time benefits job…turns out I’d work about 25 hours a week and make MORE money than I currently am. Am I interested? Hellz, yes, I’m interested. Updated another version of the resume and sent that puppy off too.

And that was just Monday.

4. Tuesday I went back to work to find that our new billing statements had finally come out, and no.fucking.one can understand them, because (ZOMG!!) changes have been made. While we had announced the changes several times, and have resources all over our damned website, everyone was caught unawares, and cannot, repeat, cannot figure the damn thing out. The main problem is that, previously, for all benefits we had send the bill the month before (i.e., you got billed for April in March). Now, we have moved it so retirement contributions are billed in the current month (i.e., April benefits are billed in March, but April retirement is billed in April). Therefore, as is indicated in all the literature, there are no retirement contributions due this month.

If you understand this, as I assume you do, Gentle Reader, you are smarter than the average bear, and 10x smarter than my average member. This week, we have had about 2,500 calls (average in a week is about 800) and 90% of them are ZOMG WHERE DID THE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS GO?

Every single time I have asked if they read the inserts that came with the billing statement. I have gotten everything from “there wasn’t anything in there” (bullshit) to “I couldn’t understand it” (idiot) to an indignant “NO” (sorry about your illiteracy – didn’t want to touch a nerve there. Stop drooling on the phone.)

I’m being harsh. I realize that it’s not only inhumane, but Un-American to make someone read something. After all, I was put on this earth, Gentle Member, to wipe your ass, get you a cookie, and read all your mail so you don’t have to. Would you like me to chew up your food for you so it’s not so hard on your itty bitty self?

This week has led me to the following conclusions:

1. Our members are idiots
2. They are also assholes
3. They are, as a group, illiterate, or
4. They read below a third grade level
5. They are lazy, lazy motherfuckers
6. Our communications suck (which I have said before)
7. And finally, I need to get right the fuck out of here before I go berserk.

5. Wednesday was more of the same shit, different day at work, but after work I met with the recruiter, John, at Legends after work. Julie and I did some power shopping during lunch, since I was wearing a very ugly (although clean) outfit. Met him over there, had a blast, and he loved me. He thought I was a perfect fit for the job. On top of sounding like a perfect place, more money, a good fit….it’s business casual! I don’t even have to wear Big Girl Shoes to work there!!!

I went home (a dash across the street), talked Jeff into taking me to get wings for dinner, and then we power shopped for a jacket to wear with my good interview skirt, since I was informed I’d probably have an interview on Monday. (Sarah, if you are reading this, damn you for going on vacation right when I needed some fashion advice!) The other jacket I have was too heavy – it’s a suede one that yells, “The last job interview I had was in the dead of winter!” and I would die if I had to wear it in spring weather. I think my sweetie did very well picking out a jacket that’s kind of jean jacket in style, but a lighter cotton, and black to go with the skirt. With my funky heels, it’s going to be a great outfit (Sarah is forgiven.)

6. Thursday, I found out that I have an interview at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, and that this company is absolutely thrilled that I want to talk to them. Woot!!!!

7. And, now it’s Friday. So far we’ve gotten only 272 calls today, which is about what we get, total, on a busy Monday. After the rest of the week, it feels like cake. Julie and I are about to head to lunch, I’m going to try not to call any of our members motherfuckers for the next three and a half hours, and then I’m going home. Craftstravaganza is tomorrow, and I coincidentally got paid yesterday. Did I mention I could use a new purse for my job interview(!!) on Monday???

8. If you are reading this, or intuiting it, or thinking about me in any way, please keep all applicable appendages crossed for me!!!

Interview ME!

I was reading I found a fatal flaw in the logic of love… yesterday, as I do when it pops up as new on my Bloglines. Now, I don’t know Alissa, but I love her blog, and feel that if we lived anywhere close, we might hang out. Yay for cool bloggers!

She had five questions that her friend made up in a meme, and said that if someone said “interview me!” in her comments, she’d make up five questions, too. Well, being a sucker for that sort of thing, I jumped on. Here are Alissa’s questions for me, and my answers….

1. What smell instantly takes you back to childhood and why?

I am so the wrong person to answer that. I have almost NO sense of smell, and what I can smell is generally unpleasant. Like, I have a hard time smelling flowers when I have my nose right in them, but I can smell manure in the fields on a road trip just fine, thank you.

That being said, I remember when I was really, really little, my mom bought some doll house furniture for my father’s mother (she must have had one of those really fancy doll houses, but I don’t remember that part). I remember that there was a green velvet Victorian style couch in the bunch of stuff in the box she was giving my grandmother, and I remember exactly how it smelled.

A year or so later, we moved out to Maryland, and as my mom’s a bit of a history buff, we went to all the cool places in the DC area. One of our favorites (and still mine) was Mount Vernon, and I remember when I walked into the cellar it smelled just like that couch. Now, anytime I smell something musty, like it’s been in a basement for a long time, I think of that couch, and Mount Vernon. (I’ve also been back to Mount Vernon several times over the last 25+ years, and it smells exactly the same.)

2. If you could have been born into any other culture, which would you choose and why?

Oh, that’s a hard one. It would have to be an advanced culture, because I loves me some indoor plumbing. (I have a feeling that if I’d been a pioneer and had to use an outhouse, I’d spend every trip thinking, ‘there’s GOT to be a better way.’)

My first inclination is to say English or Irish culture, because even though they are modern and English-speaking, it really is a different way of life, and much more my style. Europeans have a much more pragmatic view of life, and what goes on, and how to balance the necessities thereof. Having grown up in the Midwest, in a very protestant-work-ethicky-we-don’t-need-nothing-from-no-one way, it would be interesting to live in a more socialist society, and one with a government that can’t be bought with special interest dollars.

Also of interest would be any culture which is not based on the Judeo-Christian values. India of course leaps to mind, as my grandfather-in-law was an immigrant from Northern India and a practicing Sikh. The middle east with it’s basis in Islam would also be fascinating, although I think my basic I am woman, hear me roar attitude would not be particularly welcomed (something that my college boyfriend from the UAE and I discussed a lot…he wanted me to come back to the UAE with him to visit, and I told him that while he thought my loud-mouthed American ways were ”cute” and “charming” to him here, they’d be an embarrassment to him there).

Gosh, so much to experience, and so few lives to take it all in. I think it would be fascinating to be independently wealthy (or more willing to live hand-to-mouth in uncertainty than I am) and just travel and experience the different cultures…find one that seems cool, and settle in for a few years, repeat. Mmmm….

(I now look at my cubicle in distain. Why aren’t you somewhere cool?)

3. What would be your super power of choice?

Teleportation. No more time wasted going to and fro, no more squished legs on airplanes, much shorter commute time. No brainer.

4. If you could live one year over again, which year would it be?

This could be a double question: which BAD year would you like to live over again, so it would be good, or which GOOD year would you go through again, cause it was so fantastic you just want more? I’m gonna answer both, cause I’m just like that. Oh, and I’m avoiding work. And if I’m typing in Word, it looks like work.

My BAD year – 2004. (Really, 2002-2004, but I don’t want to be greedy.) It started out in the shitter: my grandfather died the day after New Year’s, then I got canned, and then the husband and I split up. I was sick as hell the whole year with the HAE, on steroids and hospitalized. Frankly, it didn’t get much better from there. On New Year’s Eve I went to Kieran’s with a bunch of friends and The Troll, gave him his first ever midnight kiss (ew for me), and was so relieved that the year was over that, even with two eyes swollen shut and a killer case of bronchitis, I began to dance (and by dance, I mean lurch drunkenly).

My GOOD year – 2000. That was the year that I turned 25. I was finally over my big love interest, and started doing the rounds of the city. I left a job that wore me down at the beginning of the year, and had that year to basically build a division of the company I worked for from the ground up (it folded soon after, but not due to anything I did. I blame the gambling alchy that came in after me). I lived in a place I loved, and it was the social hub of my fabulous group of friends. I traveled, I took road trips, I drank every bottle and screwed every guy that came around. It wasn’t a lifestyle that I could keep up for long, but I think that I “found” myself that year, felt like a real person for the first time in my life, and had a blast doing it.

5. What is the one thing in the future you are looking forward to the most?

Immediate future, getting a house. We’re currently in the middle of changing our real estate agent, and hopefully will get some more action with the next one we go with. I’d really like to be settled in a new house by the time we have our party in the fall, and not have to arrange for an alternate location. That, and I miss my stuff, and having things the way I like them versus the way they need to be to show a place. It’s just not my style, and it doesn’t feel like home.

A bit longer term, Jeff and I having a baby. I can’t wait to see what we produce together.

Wanna participate? The "rules"...

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick them, and you have to answer them all.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions

This Week's Finds

Boing Boing: Sao Paulo goes advertising-free

Awesome. Why can't we do that here?  I can't think of a single space -

anywhere - that you can't see advertising from.  Annoying.  Anyone want

to teach me Portuguese?



Does Today Suck?

I will be adding this website to my Bloglines...

However, I am not sure that I agree with their thoughts that my birthday was a BAD day...Does Today Suck?: April 7th in review



Reason Magazine - Hit & Run > Surprise--Teens Ignore Adults Who Tell Them to Not Have Sex

Huh.  I totally listed to my parents.  I'm still a virgin.  So are they.



Funnymos.com - Funny news and weird humor - Daily Updates » Mystery Cat

A kitty that sees the value of mass transit while he rests his weary paws.  Adorable.





Bar of soap gives caffeine kick in the shower | Health | Reuters.com

If anyone finds this - buy me a case!!!



Fruity cocktails count as health food, study finds | Health | Reuters.com

Finally - booze as health food.  I would actually get my USRDA of something then...



Boing Boing: Recreating vintage photos of London

This is just cool. 



Boing Boing: Who Is Sick? user-generated epidemiology map

I think I'm going to send this to the HAE group - find out where we all are!



Why parking your car is more environmentally destructive than driving it. - By Steven E. Landsburg - Slate Magazine

I never thought about it that way...



the sky's the limit on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The bridge that comes out of the Walker Sculpture Garden is one of my favourite parts of the city...here is one of the quotes from the poem that is engraved along the bridge.



Solo/Hope/Junkies on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

More fantastic urban graffiti...



Trusty the Hedgehog on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Woot!  Another hedgehog site to check out!

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Shun the Unbeliever…Shun….Shun….

(Thanks, Charlie the Unicorn)

I have come to the realization that I am an Unbeliever. I don’t believe in god (although, to wildly misinterpret the point of Fox Mulder’s poster, I want to believe), and worse, yet, I don’t believe in Corporate America.

Yes, I said it. I don’t believe in Corporate America.

Not to say that I’m some sort of Corporate America denier…I know that it exists, and I interact with it every single day. But I have come to the realization that this is not the way that we are intended to live…bombarded by advertisements, eating “food” made from petroleum and plastic parts, unable to express ourselves through our clothing and belongings because everything is mass produced by some tragic 12 year old in Asia for pennies on the dollar of what I’ll spend to wear it.

And although I try hard to be a careful, green and thoughtful consumer, those things seem mutually exclusive. After all, I’m not an “American” if I don’t participate in corporate culture. However, I am also not eating, or wearing clothes, if I don’t…there’s just not much way around it. Even charity has gone corporate (United Way, anyone?).

I’ve dropped out in my own way.

I don’t shop at Wal-Mart. I don’t think I have to explain why. Instead, I shop exclusively at Target – not because I think they are better, per se, (ok, yeah they are), but because the contribute to the community through charitable giving, and because although their workers are not the highest paid, at least they don’t look like they’ve recently been taken to the stock room and beaten by the overseer…I mean master…whoops, I mean manager. Going to Wal-Mart used to make me cry. No more.

We don’t have cable. We don’t have long distance. We don’t watch TV (we keep it behind a screen except for the one show that Jeff loves, and for movies). I get all my news from Minnesota Public Radio (yes, I’m a long-time member) and the internet. I don’t click on ads on the internet. We don’t subscribe to magazines. For the most part, we try not to use credit, and will be out of debt in June.

I bring my own bags to places, or ask that I not get a bag when I have a small purchase. I have been given the You Fucking Hippie look more times than I care to admit, and have even been told that I must take a bag – that it’s corporate policy. It’s corporate policy to make me take something that is a waste of resources, that is going to add extra shit to my house, and is going to end up in a landfill because of the lack of good recycling programs? No thanks – that’s why I have a big purse. I’m not terribly interested in your “policy”.

We don’t even buy books anymore. Jeff is a library regular, and finds about all he wants there. (We also get most of our movies at the library.) I participate in book swapping via PaperBackSwap, and have saved literally hundreds of dollars (as I read about 100 books a year, it’s a HUGE savings).

For the most part, I* don’t eat processed food. I’m not going to say there aren’t exceptions (we all know I’m a Coke addict, and Jeff loves the Tombstone, and I did just recently go through a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup phase…), but for the most part I like to know what’s in what I’m putting in my mouth. I’ve been appalled at recent statements by Kraft surrounding their guacamole which contains no avocados…their defense was, to paraphrase, “We’re Kraft. No one expects our food to be real.” (Apparently General Mills used – and one with a similar defense in regards to it’s Carrot Cake.)

There are some companies that I refuse to support, for various reasons. I don’t make anyone not support them with me, but it’s my little way of saying, “Hey, Giant Corporation? I’m not taking your shit anymore!” It makes me feel a little bit better. Here are a few of my favorites. This list is not only not exhaustive, but growing all the time. I don’t go out of my way to find reasons to boycott things, but if a reason comes to my attention, I cannot, with good conscience, continue to give them my hard-earned money.

• Gillette – This was my first boycott, and I have not purchased a Gillette product (that I know of) for about 15 years, due to their terrible history of animal rights abuses.

• We already mentioned Wal-Mart. I also oppose shopping at K-Mart as they are always open, and do not give their employees the benefit of holidays with their family. I also generally refuse to shop on major holidays for the same purpose – I don’t actually need anything on Christmas morning that I can’t get the next day. While I appreciate that Walgreens is open that day for medicine needs, if you are that bad off, you should be at the hospital, where they have their own pharmacy. For the love of Jebus, don’t refill your prescriptions on Christmas day!

• Menards. Save big money, because they rip off their employees big time. They pay horrible wages, and continually spy on their employees via the “security” cameras. From corporate. They also “fine” you if you make a mistake in your job – it’s taken right out of your “bonus” to keep it barely legal, but it also means that most of your annual pay is taken away. Not only are you fined, but all of the higher ups in the organization are fined if you make a simple, honest mistake. I’m not talking something like whacking a customer in the head with a two by four, I’m talking about not filling in every single line of a form with the company approved lingo. I worked there for a day, found out too much, and never went back.

• In talking to some friends about my corporate dropout, I have added two more to the list in the last day. The first one is General Mills (I might get kicked out of Minnesota for this one). Word is that they give a monthly “stipend” to each employee to buy General Mills products in the company store. If you don’t use your “stipend” you are disciplined by management, at your manager’s discretion. So, for those of us that don’t eat processed foods and don’t have them in our homes due to health concerns….I’d eventually be fired for refusing to eat their food.

• And my favorite of today, as told to me by my friend Lisa. Wells Fargo is now out of my purchasing list (not that I have dealt with them in years anyway). All tellers at Wells Fargo must suggestive sell a product or service to each person that comes to their window. Sometimes a team lead will sit and watch everyone, and if a teller is caught not selling, s/he is sent to the break room for a “time out.” Yes, it’s actually called that. While I have often felt like a third grader at my current job, at least I’ve never been sent to the naughty stair.

So, ok. I have my few things that I do a bit differently than your average American. I have a list of places that I won’t do business with for various reasons. I live without a lot of things that the average American thinks are “necessities” and have lived to tell about it. (Word to Mom: I’m not getting cable. Or a bigger TV. Lay off.) I do this to not only life with myself, but to later provide my child/ren with good examples, and show him/her/them that the road to happiness is not paved with Happy Meals, and to learn to be a conscientious consumer and citizen.

Does it matter? I mean, between Jeff and I, we’re not pumping big bucks into the economy, and I doubt that Wal-Mart/Gillette/Menards will ever notice that we’ve left. We’re not saving giant redwood forests by taking our own bags to the grocery store. And we seem to be in the minority – there are not that many people who really think about where their money is going, and what they are supporting by spending money with that organization. (Another example: Curves, the fitness club for women, is owned by a giant Christian man, and heavily supports anti-choice causes.)

I don’t know what the answer is. I know that I am sick and tired of doing things the American way, and the easiest way, and the cheapest way. I’m tired of giving my money to corporations that are doing improper things, that are loading our food supply with too much sugar and fat and preservatives, and bending to the Company that really runs our world.

So, I’m going to try to not do it anymore. I’m going to think about my money, and how hard I work for it (ok, I don’t work all that hard, but I do put up with a lot of shit), and what kind of statement I want to make with that money.

How about you? What do you do to be less corporate?

*I have to specify that “I” means “I, Diana” as my husband would probably die without his current level of preservatives. Thankfully, he realizes that his diet will never become my diet.

I am Geek, Hear Me Roar!

Mingle2.com: Free Online Dating60% GeekMingle2.com - Free Online Dating

Spring Fever

It's official. I have spring fever.

Yesterday, I sat on Sarah's front porch and started knitting a hedgehog. In bare feet and no sweater (me, not the hedgie). It was not only exactly what I needed yesterday, but what I need for the next several days.

And, to make it all worse, I re-potted my desk buddies at work today. My cube smells like fresh, wet dirt. I don't even like to garden, but it makes me want go roll around in some dirt.

A Letter to those without Hereditary or Idiopathic Angioedema

One of the sites I visit regularly is Chronic Babe, which is targeted towards young women with chronic, and often invisible, conditions. Today, one of the things that came through was a webpage that had an Open Letter to... dealing with different conditions. I have updated one for my specific issue, hereditary angioedema. Here you go:

A Letter to those without Hereditary or Idiopathic Angioedema

Having angioedema means many things change, and a lot of them are invisible. Unlike having cancer or being hurt in an accident, most people do not understand even a little about angioedema and its effects, and of those that think they know, many are actually misinformed.

These are the things that I would like you to understand about me before you judge me.

Please understand that being sick doesn't mean I'm not still a human being. I sometimes spend most of my day in considerable pain and exhaustion, and if you visit, sometimes I probably don't seem like much fun to be with, but I'm still me, stuck inside this body. I still worry about school, my family, my friends, and most of the time, I'd still like to hear you talk about yours, too.

Please understand the difference between "happy" and "healthy". When you've got the flu, you probably feel miserable with it, but I've been sick for years. I can't be miserable all the time. In fact, I work hard at not being miserable. So, if you're talking to me and I sound happy, it means I'm happy. that's all. It doesn't mean that I'm not swollen, or in a lot of pain, or extremely tired, or that I'm getting better, or any of those things. Please don't say, "Oh, you're sounding better!" or "But you look so healthy!" I am merely coping. I am sounding happy and trying to look normal. If you want to comment on that, you're welcome.

Please understand that being able to stand up for ten minutes doesn't necessarily mean that I can stand up for twenty minutes, or an hour. Just because I managed to stand up for thirty minutes yesterday doesn't mean that I can do the same today. With a lot of diseases you're either paralyzed, or you can move. With this one, it gets more confusing everyday. It can be like a yo-yo. I never know from day to day, how I am going to feel when I wake up. In most cases, I never know from minute to minute. That is one of the hardest and most frustrating components of angioedema.

Please repeat the above paragraph substituting, "sitting", "walking", "thinking", "concentrating", "being sociable" and so on, it applies to everything. That's what angioedema does to you.

Please understand that angioedema is variable. It's quite possible (for many, it's common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, while the next day I'll have trouble getting to the next room. Please don't attack me when I'm ill by saying, "But you did it before!" or "Oh, come on, I know you can do this!" If you want me to do something, then ask if I can. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel a previous commitment at the last minute. If this happens, please do not take it personally. If you are able, please try to always remember how very lucky you are, to be physically able to do all of the things that you can do.

Please understand that "getting out and doing things" does not make me feel better, and can often make me seriously worse. You don't know what I go through or how I suffer in my own private time. Telling me that I need to exercise, or do some things to "get my mind off of it", may frustrate me to tears, and is not correct. if I was capable of doing some things any or all of the time, don't you know that I would? I am working with my doctors and I am doing what I am supposed to do.

Another statement that hurts is, "You just need to push yourself more, try harder". Obviously, angioedema can be experienced internally, such as in abdominal attacks, or can be viable, such as extremity and facial swelling. Sometimes participating in a single activity for a short or a long period of time can cause more damage and physical pain than you could ever imagine. Not to mention the recovery time, which can be intense. You can't always read it on my face or in my body language. Also, angioedema may cause secondary depression (wouldn't you get depressed and down if you were hurting constantly for months or years?), but it is not created by depression.

Please understand that if I say I have to sit down, lie down, stay in bed, take these pills or get to my doctor or hospital, now, that probably means that I do have to do it right now. It can't be put off or forgotten just because I'm somewhere, or I'm right in the middle of doing something. Angioedema can be fatal, does not forgive, nor does it wait for anyone.

If you want to suggest a cure to me, please don't. It's not because I don't appreciate the thought, and it's not because I don't want to get well. Lord knows that isn't true. In all likelihood, if you've heard of it or tried it, so have I. In some cases, I have been made sicker, not better. This can involve side effects or allergic reactions, as is the case with herbal remedies. It also includes failure, which in and of itself can make me feel even lower. If there were something that cured, or even helped people with my form of angioedema, then we'd know about it. There is worldwide networking (both on and off the Internet) between people with angioedema (see HereditaryAngioedema.com for more information). Drug companies are working on treatments for us right now, but in the US, there are options, and those that are available have very negative side effects, and aren’t able to be used by everyone. It’s not that we don’t want to be better, or aren’t trying all of the available options.

If, after reading this, you still feel the need to suggest a cure, then so be it. I may take what you said and discuss it with my doctor.

If I seem touchy, it's probably because I am. It's not how I try to be. As a matter of fact, I try very hard to be normal. I hope you will try to understand. I have been, and am still, going through a lot. Angioedema is hard for people to understand, because it is so rare. Even those of us with it may never have met someone else that has it. It wreaks havoc on the body and the mind. It is exhausting and exasperating. Almost all the time, I know that I am doing my best to cope with this, and live my life to the best of my ability. I ask you to bear with me, and accept me as I am. I know that you cannot literally understand my situation unless you have been in my shoes, but as much as is possible, I am asking you to try to be understanding in general.

In many ways I depend on you, people who are not sick. I need you to visit me when I am too sick to go out. Sometimes I need you help me with the shopping, the cooking or the cleaning. I may need you to take me to the doctor, or to the store. You are my link to the "normalcy" of life. You can help me to keep in touch with the parts of life that I miss and fully intend to undertake again, just as soon as I am able.

I know that I asked a lot from you, and I do thank you for listening. It really does mean a lot.

Abode Selling Progress

Well, it’s really clean….that’s nice.

We had three showings last week. This doubles the number of showings that we have had since October, when we went on the market, so we were encouraged. We have not only dropped the price, but also lifted the restriction of no daytime showings without at least 24 hours notice (Jeff has decided at this point he’ll just give up some sleep to get this place sold – what a guy!).

Showing Number One:

We still haven’t heard anything on. We know someone was there, cause they left a card, but they have not responded to our agent’s request for feedback, nor do we know if it was an agent “preview” or a buyer “showing”. They are supposed to tell us if it’s a “preview” but the language that the realtor’s front desk used with both me and the realtor was that it was a “showing.” I’m guessing that, in this case, no news is not great news.

Showing Number Two:

They came in mid-afternoon with about two hours notice for me to get Jeff out of bed and make the final touches before he goes to try to nap in the car (which didn’t work s’good, so he went to the library to read up on how to buy foreclosures). By the time we met with Eva (our realtor) for a place we were looking at that night, we got feedback that the place was nice, but that the buyer had already settled on another property. Within three hours?!?!

Showing Number Three:

This one has a wee bit of hope behind it. It was a young woman, recently married, whose husband will be going to the U of M law school in the fall. She said it was “very clean” (no shit – we’ve been spending hours a week on the place!), but thought it might be too small for two people to live in. Uh..what? While I admit that it’s too small for Jeff and I, most of that reason is because we both lived alone for more than 10 years, and tried to cram all that stuff into a place with both of us. If we were in our first post-college place and newly married, owning the commensurate amount of stuff, it would be a great place. This condo has more storage than anywhere I’ve ever lived. And who wants to mess with a house when you’re in law school? I’m still holding out a bit of hope for this one.

Open House

Eva held an open house yesterday, and only one person came through – a young single woman with a cat. She really liked the place, but officially, we’re in a ‘no pets’ building. We got special approval from the association board to have my cats, with the contingency that we were putting the place up for sale soon, and moving out as soon as it sold (and we all thought that it would be far before this…average days to sale at that time was 39. We’ve been on the market for six and a half months). Eva told the woman that she could ask for an exception, but Jeff and I think that it probably won’t be granted (although, I’d be willing to plead her case to the board if she’d just make an offer!)

So, nothing doing. I’m going to try some guerrilla marketing on my own – I’m sick of waiting around and keeping everything really clean. J Anyone have any suggestions?

Lazy Saturday

My Sweetie is sleeping in the bedroom - I'm not sure how, as I (the Queen of Sleep) can't get a nap in with all the construction going on next door.  So, I'm playing my characters on KOL and checking out my blog feeds. 



I subscribe to a Flickr feed of photos with Minneapolis tags...this one was particularly fantastic:

The Stone Arch Bridge on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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Minneapolis Daily Photo: A Loon With a View....

I love the juxtaposition of the ducks with the skyline...

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Being married rules

I got my first letter to Dear Mrs. MyNewLastName last night. Giggle.

I'm all, like, adult and stuff.

Links for Today

I hate to say it, but one of the reasons I moved back to Blogger was to be able to use the Performancing feature on Firefox. I have been using the clipping feature on Bloglines, but haven't been really happy with it. Here I can make notes and keep an eye on...what I'm keeping an eye on. :)





DNA shows Birkhead is baby's father - Yahoo! News

I hate to admit that I have been following this. Back in the day, the X and I watched the Anna Nicole show, and I was completely hooked on the stupidity. I have to say that I was rooting for Howard...



HandMade Nation: A Sneak Peek | BlogHer

Ooohhh...a documentary about crafty goodness!!!



From Overheard in Chicago:

Sleet sucks


Guy:
(on cell) "I know I'm late, sir. Yes, sir. Yes. No. I know, sir. But I
couldn't get out of my driveway beca...yes, sir. Look! Every time I
tried to shovel the shit, it would plop out of my shovel, soak my
socks, and destory my shoes.!Next time, I'll tell the heavens to open
up AFTER my 8 AM meeting so that we can earn another 60 cents per god
damn widget or whatever the hell we're trying to sell!"



- Blue Line



-- Submitted by KC





And from Overheard in Minneapolis: Barb, this totally gives you permission to just make up words!

I Do It Because I'm Not A Scientist.

Professor: ...Is that a word? Whatever, I'm a scientist; I can just make words up.



U of M classroom
Overheard by Not looking forward to the test.





P pimping laxatives as the new diet aid? | BlogHer

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Sicko

Diabetes Mine: Anticipating Sicko

Awesome. Michael Moore is making a movie about the American health care system. Can't wait to see what he finds out!

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The Enemy Within

As I believe I mentioned yesterday, I recently read The Fat Girl's Guide to Life. I liked it so much that today I was checking out Wendy Shanker's website and found this article she'd written about living with being Fat and having an autoimmune disease.

While I am certainly not as sick as she is, it was interesting to read someone else's take on their (really rare, incurable) health condition, and relate the things that we go through to the weight loss struggle. It's long, but totally worth the read.

Go now!

Today is the first day of the rest of my life…right after I go grocery shopping

So, it was my birthday this weekend, and I made my annual resolution that I will end this year of my life thinner than I started it.

I really, really mean it this time.

Seriously. I am going to lose some lard.

I have been reading books about being fat all weekend…both The Fat Girl’s Guide to Life and Fat Land. (Yeah, I’m a speed reader.)

I feel conflicted after the two books. Fat Land has informed me that I am probably going to die before my 33^rd birthday because I am so ungodly fat, and that my children will be oozing balls of lard for their entire life. The Fat Girl’s Guide to Life, however, has informed me that I can be fat AND healthy, but I need to take good care of myself. If my set point is what it is, I can’t change that, and I just have to be as healthy as possible.

Both books pointed out the terrible things that are done to our food in terms of additives and high fructose corn syrup, et cetera. It makes me want to graze on grass and catch my own meat. Oh, wait – their environment is polluted too. I’m not sure that whatever ChemLawn throws down is any better than the HFCS.

I don’t think I am at my set point – I think I can get rid of a few before I hit that mark. So, this time, with the proper incentives in place, I am going to do it…just as soon as I get to the grocery store and buy some healthful foods.

I am also putting together a little incentive program for me. Not only do I have the big incentive of getting my sweetie in a kilt when I get to a certain weight, but I am giving myself some added things along the way. Something I have wanted to do is get the entire collection of This American Life and now Audible has them grouped by season, and I can get an entire season for about $18.00. For every point in BMI that I go down, I get to download one season (and listen to them while I walk around the block).

Today, my BMI is 34.1. (Yes! I am OBESE!) I need to lose six pounds to get to my first season of This American Life.

I can do this.

I CAN DO THIS.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday dear meeeeeeee
Happy birthday to me!

Work Daze

I have “officially” been off the phones for about two months at work, but this was the first week that I really felt the difference in volume. Of course, part of the reason may be the fact that I have been in all sorts of meetings for the last two weeks, but when I am at my desk, the volume is down. Yay!

At this point, I don’t really have enough to do to keep me busy all day. This is expecially true this week, as 95% of what I do is dependent upon the one system that is currently out of commission (yes, the system that was supposed to be up yesterday morning looks like it won’t be up until Monday…if then).

I am training on a process that is supposed to be highly intense and time consuming. Interestingly, I already have two processes that everyone hates, and that “take forever,” yet I seem to handle it all just fine, within my allotted forty hour weeks. My supervisor is worried that this new process will be “too much” for me. I think that Company seriously underestimates my capacity for Getting Shit Done.

I hate to be bored (that’s most of the reason that this post was written longhand during a training session which seems to be the same stuff as was covered in the last four that I went to). I have so many other interests and things that I want to do that spending time at work not actually spent working drives me nuts. If I can do my job in six hours a day instead of eight, why should I waste two hours of my time and my employer’s resources?

This is something that – in my opinion – is wrong with the entire American view of the workforce. To begin with, work is not correctly distributed. I can think of lots of people that legitimately have too much assigned to them (not the ones that are too busy fucking around to actually do work), and lots of other people, (like me) that are completing their jobs in less time than they are allotted for them. This is the case all over my organization. Wouldn’t it be a better use of resources to shift the distribution of labor?

In my organization, the management is also in love with the forty hour work week. While they are generally willing to pay out overtime (and none of us are underpaid for the ass monkey work we do), there is no such thing as being part time. Either you are full time, or you just don’t work here. Again, if I can do the same amount of work (thanks to my super ninja office skillz) in less time, why should I be paid for more time?

I’m going in circles here. I started out wanting to talk about how much less stabby I’ve been feeling since I’m on the phones less, and here I am, lambasting the American employment scheme.

I don’t hate my job as much as I used to, because I am dealing with a much smaller population of assholes. I do still find it boring and pointless, but at least I don’t want to stick my head in the oven every morning, nor do I spend my commutes sobbing. That’s a nice improvement. I think I can live with this (for a while).

(I’m sorry to say that writing this – longhand, on the back of training materials – only took me about 35 minutes. I have another 40 to go…If you are reading this online, at leat I didn’t die of boredom.)

I Am All Woman (Except for the couple parts where I'm like a man)

The BBC has a website where you can test if you think more like a man or more like a woman. Check it out. Here are my results:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 The scale below is an indication of where you fall in the male-female brain continuum. The results are based on the angles, spot the difference, 3D shapes and words tasks. Bear in mind that your performance may be affected by many factors in addition to gender, like age and intelligence. Your personal brain score: Average score for MEN who've taken this survey: Average score for WOMEN who've taken this survey: If you are using a public PC we strongly advise you to print out and delete your results if you do not want anyone to see them. back to top Part 1 Angles This task tested your ability to identify the angle of a line by matching it with its twin. This is a spatial task, which looks at how you picture space. Your score: 19 out of 20 Average score for men: 15.1 out of 20 Average score for women: 13.3 out of 20 What does your result suggest? If you scored 0 - 12: You have more of a female brain. Scientists believe that people with a female brain find it more difficult to judge the slope of a line because they're not wired for spatial tasks. In past studies, 65 per cent of people who scored in this range were women. If you scored 13 - 17: You found this test neither hard nor easy. This suggests your brain has male and female traits when it comes to spatial ability. If you scored 18 - 20: You have more of a male brain. On average, men outperform women in this task and those with more mathematical knowledge tend to score quite high as well. In past studies, 60 per cent of the people in this range were men. Interestingly, men's testosterone levels fluctuate through the seasons and studies have shown that men's scores are lower in the spring, when their testosterone levels are at their lowest. Do our cave dwelling ancestors offer us any clues about why men and women score differently on this task? Find out more. Spot the difference This task tested your ability to identify which objects changed position. You lost points, if you incorrectly identified objects. Your score: 43% Average score for men: 39% Average score for women: 46% What does your score suggest? If you scored between 0 - 33%: You may have more of a male brain. Scientists say men tend to under perform in this task. The corpus callosum, the part of the brain that links the right and left hemispheres, is a fifth larger in women. This means women can process visual and other signals at the same time more easily than men. There is also a theory that oestrogen levels in women give them an added advantage in spatial memory. If you scored between 34 - 66%: You may have a balanced female-male brain. If you scored between 67 - 100%: Those with a female-type brain generally score in this range. Your ability to remember where objects are may serve as an advantage to you when you're trying to find your way around places. You're more capable of recalling landmarks to get from one place to another. Find out more about our spatial abilities. back to top Part 2 Hands You said your left thumb was on top when you clasped your hands together. Right thumb on top: This suggests the left half of your brain is dominant. Many studies have tried to establish whether there is a relationship between handedness and brain dominance. Some scientists believe that if you are left brain dominant, you would be more verbal and analytical. Left thumb on top: This suggests the right half of your brain is dominant. Some studies theorise that as a right brain dominant person, you may excel in visual, spatial and intuitive processes. However, these theories are debatable and leave much to be said about the small percentage of people who are ambidextrous. Find out why right-brained people may be better fighters and artists. back to top Part 3 Emotions and Systems This task looked at whether you prefer to empathise or systemise. Empathising No score available. It appears you didn't complete this task. Average score for men: 7.9 out of 20 Average score for women: 10.6 out of 20 Empathisers are better at accurately judging other people's emotions and responding appropriately. If you scored 15 and above, you are very empathic and would be an ideal person to comfort people in a time of crisis. Women in general are better at empathising. Systemising Your systemising score is: 4 out of 20 Average score for men: 12.5 out of 20 Average score for women: 8.0 out of 20 What does your result suggest? Systemisers prefer to investigate how systems work. A system can be a road map, flat pack furniture, or a mathematical equation – anything that follows a set of rules. A score of 15 and above suggests you're good at analysing or building systems. Men in general are better at systemising. Scientists are keen to learn more about people who score high or low on both tests. They want to find out whether or not empathising and systemising are linked. Is a possible to make yourself more empathic? Some scientists claim that our empathy and systemising abilities can be traced all the way back to prehistoric times. Find out more. Eyes This task tested your ability to judge people's emotions. Your score: 8 out of 10 Average score for men: 6.6 out of 10 Average score for women: 6.6 out of 10 What does your result suggest? If you scored 0 - 3: Do you think you're good at judging how another person is feeling? Your score suggests this doesn't come to you quite so naturally. If you scored 4 - 6: Your result suggests you have a balanced female-male brain and find it neither easy nor difficult to judge people's emotions. If you scored 7 - 10: Your result suggests you are a good empathiser, sensitive to other people's emotions. Women generally fall into this category. Professor Baron-Cohen at the University of Cambridge says that people usually perform better than they expect to on this test. Men often think a person's eyes are sending signals of desire when that's not the case at all. Find out more. back to top Part 4 Fingers We asked you to measure your ring and index fingers. Your ratios came to: Right Hand: 1.02 Left Hand: 1 Average ratio for men: 0.982 Average ratio for women: 0.991 It's thought that your ratio is governed by the amount of testosterone you were exposed to in your mother's womb. The ratio of the length of your index finger to the length of your ring finger is set for life by as early as three months after conception. Even during puberty, when we experience intensive hormonal changes, the ratio stays the same. Men generally have a ring finger that is longer than their index finger, which gives them a lower ratio than women, whose ring and index fingers are usually of equal length. Studies have found that men and women with lots of brothers generally have more masculine finger ratios. Find out what other things scientists think our ratios may tell us. back to top Part 5 Faces This task looked at how you rate the attractiveness of a series of faces. The images you looked at were digitally altered to create slight differences in masculinity. Your choices suggest you prefer more feminine faces. Highly masculinised male faces possess more extreme testosterone markers such as a long, broad and lower jaw, as well as more pronounced brow ridges and cheekbones. Interestingly, women's preferences are said to vary across the menstrual phase. A more masculine face is preferred during the 9 days prior to ovulation, when conception is most likely. A typical 'attractive' female face possesses features such as a shorter, narrower, lower jaw, fuller lips and larger eyes than an average face. Are you surprised at what researchers think they can learn from your answers? Find out more. back to top Part 6 3D shapes This task tested your ability to mentally rotate 3D shapes. Your score: 2 out of 12 Average score for men: 8.2 out of 12 Average score for women: 7.1 out of 12 What does your result suggest? If you scored 0 - 6: Do you find yourself having to physically rotate a map to point in the direction in which you're travelling? This might explain why you scored in the lower range in the 3D shapes test. Twice as many women as men score in this category. Previous studies suggest that those with a female-type brain or with an arts background fall into this range. If you scored 7 - 9: In past studies, 50 per cent of the people who scored in this range were women and 50 per cent were men. If you scored 10 - 12: Are you an engineer or do you have a science background? People with these skills tend to score in this range. Past studies have concluded that people in this range have a more male brain. Nearly a third of men who took this test got full marks, whereas less than 10 per cent of women managed the same. Find out why. Words This task looked at your verbal fluency. Your score: you associated 17 word(s) with grey and you named 11 word(s) that mean happy. We are assuming that all the words you entered are correct. Average score for men: 11.4 words total Average score for women: 12.4 words total What does your result suggest? If you produced 1 - 5 words: You are more of the strong, silent type with a male brain. You probably find it easier to express yourself in non-verbal ways, preferring action rather than words. If you produced 6 - 10 words: Most people in this range have a female-type brain. Women are said to use both sides of the brain when doing verbal tasks while men mainly use their left side. Studies have shown that girls develop vocabulary faster than boys. This difference in brain power is caused by levels of pre-natal testosterone. Find out more . Ultimatum This task asked you how you would divide money. If you had to split £50 with someone, you said you would demand £25 So far on the Sex ID test, men have demanded 51.6% (£25.80) of the pot and women have demanded 51.0% (£25.50), on average. What does your response suggest? Sex differences are small in this task. Demanding less than 60% of the pot (ie £30) is more typically female. Demanding more than 65% of the pot (ie £32.50) is more typically male. Scientists believe that people with lower testosterone levels tend to take fewer risks so they are probably more willing to keep less for themselves. Those with higher testosterone levels tend to drive a harder bargain and are less compromising. Men's testosterone levels fluctuate over the seasons and are at their lowest levels during the springtime. This is said to influence their bargaining power. Find out more about the role of testosterone. back to top Click here for a printer friendly version of this page Return to the Sex ID start page

Human body homepage Sleep homepage Sex ID homepage Sex ID articles Brain Sex Empathising and systemising Facial attractiveness Handedness Spatial tests Testosterone Facts and features Fish oils and brainpower Hot topics - Intelligence Other psychology tests Personality type Memory test Spot the fake smile What's your millionaire potential? Face perception 1 Face perception 2 bbc.co.uk/news - Differences between men and women Woman's Hour - Male and female behaviour bbc.co.uk/parenting - Tomboy or sissy? UCLA - General intelligence equal between sexes Guardian Online - The truth about science and sex The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.