A local STL had to resign because he posted a comment on the St. Louis-Dispatch newspaper's blog.  According to editors, it is against the rule to use profanity on their blogs, so they traced the offender to his work place, a local school, and notified his boss.  After being confr… Read full post »

in 2011.  That's right, Oprah announced the end of her show in a couple of years.  Can you imagine giving your boss this much notice if you were going to quit? (Of course, Oprah is the boss in this case.) ABC News suggested that she is walking away from her job… Read full post »

According to news reports about Sarah Palin’s new book, "Going Rogue", the former governor is naming names and settling scores for how she was controlled during John McCain’s presidential campaign.  It seems that she didn’t like being given a script for being the vice-president… Read full post »

In the latest Grey's Anatomy episode last week, Karev was given a medical bill for over 200,000 dollars because he was the next of kin for his wife who had cancer, Izzy, who had absconded in an earlier episode.  This small bit of drama rang true in my own life because… Read full post »

Now when I watch Letterman's show, I can't help but see everything that goes on through the lense of the sexual scandal recently revealed involving Letterman.  Just now Shakira gave a sexually provocative performance, enough to make me shake my head glad I don't have a daughter who might imitate… Read full post »

I was driving to the post office when I turned on NPR and listened to the funeral at Ft. Hood for the slain soldiers due to a strange and seemingly random act of violence.  I haven't turned on the television and seen the images or heard the spin that is probably… Read full post »

I have been working on a memoir about my experiences with my daughter's death from SIDS for a few years now.  I am posting a snippet of it because 1) it helps me think about ways to revise what I have wrote, 2) thinking about making meaning out of tragedy helps me deal with d… Read full post »

Mad Men's finale was closure in so many ways; the new mystery for next season seems to be, how will the characters embark on a new business--and new lives--both personally and professionally.  Each character faces the future with new possibilities, while letting go of old hopes and dreams.

The f… Read full post »

UPDATE:  I am still eagerly waiting--the DVR is on pause and my husband and I are derailed by everyday life...phone calls, pet duties, making dinner--gotta deal with the mundane before we watch the meaningful mundane, our own drama stalling real drama!  Can't wait....

How will this season e… Read full post »

We have lots of talk about the patient, and what her needs are--and the health care bill passage is one step for health care reform.  But we need to remember the caregiver!  What sort of rights should caregiver have? 

Come join the discussion about what a caregiver's bill of… Read full post »

In my last blog post, "Being the caretaker for the caretaker," a discussion was started by zumalicious about the need for a caregiver bill of rights.  I think that this topic deserves its own blog post, and I wanted to start with Steve Klingaman's interesting reply and then try to get other… Read full post »

Or, is there a support group out there for the person taking care of the person taking care of someone who is ill?

What about the people affected by this caretaking?  How do you adequately support your mate when a loved one of that mate is dying or ill? 

Here's… Read full post »

I have noticed a trend in our collective vocabulary, in terms of using the phrase "in terms of" --it replaces our addiction to the word "for", and gives us  a momentary breather when we are thinking of what next to say, but it one of the most annoying verbal tics I think we a… Read full post »

I am proud to say that my husband's musical project, "The Localistas" just had their first single come out--it is now available through itunes and other venues.  It is a rock song, with romantic elements, called "Some Sunday Morning."  Check it out--just click on the itunes button!

Yes, I dress up my English Bulldogs.  Daisy and Boss Hog are dressed as doggie superheroes.  They are snoring right now, but they are ready to go when needed, especially if little kid tricker-treaters are involved.

 Boss and Daisy happy on a pumpkin

++++

Trick or Treat

… Read full post »

I hate to see my husband cry

He cries more than me

in the face of our loss

we live with the sadness, mine ever present,

his submerged but on the surface,

when reminded

Maybe my mood swings prevent true depth,

or makes me less vulnerable to the passing

grief; it… Read full post »

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Even today, the kids of Slumdog Millionaire make news, so I  think it is appropriate that I post this.  I have been studying for my comprehensive exams for my doctorate in rhetoric and composition. One of the ways I have been studying has been to write practice essays th/… Read full post »

Or, how I helped

my husband's

awareness come out

of the closet.

Nine years ago when I met my husband, he was the stereotypical redneck--no gay for him.  I mean, he wasn't interested in gay culture or works of art by gays.  His ideas of masculinity and femi… Read full post »

In the aptly titled episode "Everyone oug… Read full post »

I would like to find out from fellow "mad hatters" out there how you have been discriminated against, persecuted, or badly treated because people knew of your diagnosis of bipolar condition, or even some other mental illness.  I think to openly talk about how we have been marginalized is one way… Read full post »

This is my lithium brain on Doan's pain pills. 

Notice, the picture is of a crater 

I had a back ache this weekend, and my husband suggested that I take Doan's pain pills...something I had never heard of.  Well, I did, and I started to feel sort of funny, kind… Read full post »

Currently I am reading "Bipolar Expeditions" by Emily Martin.  This book presents an anthropological look at manic-depression as a cultural artifact and personal journey, and how the disorder is evoked, disdained, and celebrated.  What is unique about this perspective is that it bridge… Read full post »

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In the latest news reports, Mayumi Heene admits that the "flying saucer" type balloon was released intentionally as part of a hoax.  From the report I saw, claims are made that the boy hid in the garage in order to give the impression that he was in the balloon.  However, after… Read full post »