Lasik

I go in for lasik eye surgery tomorrow morning. I admit, I have a horrible fear of going blind and I am nervous. However, I have followed the pre-op. instructions: no contacts for the past few weeks, no makeup or perfume, no alcohol, etc.. Spence is with his cousins and Steen is driving me over. Hopefully I will be blogging about how great it went by Sunday night. :)

Oh... Spence has glasses, I'll add pictures soon.

The Reason I Run

There are days that I just don't want to do my training. I have chaffing marks in strange places, blisters all over my feet, and my muscles ache. I have invested over $300 dollars out of my own pocket for this endeavor. When I am feeling glum, lazy, or just plain old unmotivated, I watch these video clips and try to remember that what I am doing is important.




Recently, I found out that both Steen and Spencer have a genetic predisposition for the developement of Leukemia. Both Steen's maternal grandfather and uncle died of Leukemia. That was a frightening revelation and is something that we made note of in their medical files. Hopefully, that is not something we have to face, but the possibility of it makes me incredibly glad that I am participating in such a wonderful program.

Addicted to the Boob Tube

Like many Americans, I find myself drawn to TV shows.


However, I do not have the patience to be a devoted watcher and wait for the next show each week. I prefer to purchase seasons and watch them at my leisure. Some of the favorites for our family include: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Angel, Smallville , Dr. Who, Bones, Dollhouse, McLoed's Daughters, Firefly, & Five Mile Creek. It is quite funny to think about the attachment that we, as an audience, form to fictional characters. We cry with them, laugh with them, and feel as though they become a part of our family. Or, at least, that is the way it works in our house. (Yes... as indicated by the images, my two favorites are Buffy & Gilmore Girls).

Thoughts On Gender

I have been encountering many groups lately, both feminist and anti-feminist, and the thing that frightens me the most is the negativity. I consider myself an equity feminist, meaning that I embrace the differences between men and women and believe that there should be equitable treatment. Women should not get "special treatment" and neither should men. We should work together to build up our society without anyone trying to "oppress" the other.



I am a wife and a mother. I love my husband and think of my role as a mother as the highest honor in my life. I am a teacher. I enjoy that fact that my work helps support our family financially and that I get to have an impact on today's youth. I enjoy my independence, but my husband is also my best friend. We have a partnership, using our mutual strengths to make the best decisions possible for our family. If I ever have a daughter, I want her to appreciate and understand her worth and potential and make choices that will leave her fulfilled and happy, the same hopes that I have for my son. I want my children to respect people, not based on gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. but rather based on an individual's choices and actions in life.
Maybe if everyone would spend a little less time worrying about distinctions and ways in which they can be segregated then we would all be better off.

Tasty

We have a tradition at our house. Each year for Christmas Eve I make Lobster Bisque. It is a tasty hearty meal perfect for a cold night. Last year, we took a picture and I have to say that I am incredibly proud of the presentation of dinner. It is kind of fun to be able to create new traditions for our family that Spencer can grow up appreciating. Let's hear it for comfort food. :)

Creepy but delightful story.

I am a fan of Laurel K Hamilton. It is a guilty pleasure. Her books are creepy, graphic, violent, disturbing, kinky, etc. but the are also gripping and about some of my favorite mythical creatures: shape shifters and vampires. Recently, when browsing her website, I was delighted to see that they are going to turn her Anita Blake series into a TV movie series. Sure, it will probably be a typical low budget movie, heavy on nudity and poorly acted, yet I find myself checking back frequently for updates. If you are a vampire/shifter fan and don't mind a creepy story, I would recommend checking out the press release. Who knows, maybe it will be surprisingly good. Stranger things have happened.

Rece's Eugene

Sisters are the best. I got to hang out with Rece at her new stompin' grounds while in Oregon and it was quite the pleasure. She showed me her favorite places and we had a fun time catching up and playing speed (she cheats). I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Eugene is awesome. Here are some photos of the visit. (marketplace courtyard, beautiful building & Rece's reason for picking Eugene, a pretty church, cafe near campus, and Rece's Rory spot) Enjoy.

Beach Day

In our family, July 4th is a huge holiday and we all get together to celebrate. This year we took a trip down to Fogerty Creek for a picnic on the beach after a day of lunch at Mo's and hanging out at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It was an amazing day. Spencer got to pet a shark, Steen got to BBQ with my dad, and I got to see my favorite thing... the ocean. This is going to become a yearly tradition for our family (although we won't do the aquarium every time). Check out the pictures of our beach adventure.

Scary

Ok. I was browsing online tonight and I came across a scary website. Recently, my husband and I got into some pretty strong debates with some friends and family over equity and gender. I am frightened when I see such a strong resistance to the evolving roles of gender in society. We have to be a dynamic species to survive, our society must evolve to remain strong and to meet the changing world we live in. I would hope that the changes can be met with integrity, graciousness, and tolerance... not with the blind hatred and obvious fear spewed in this website

My heart hurts when I think about the need for some individuals to attack with hatred and anger instead of listening, even if there is no agreement, with respect and compassion. We are all part of the same species, we each have our own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when we allow ourselves to love that we are able to see the best that humanity has to offer. This is just my vent... the ramblings of a sleepy "silly woman" hoping that people will work towards empowerment instead of oppression. I am woman, hear me roar. Grrr hisss, how do you like my rebellion?

Gotta Love It

This is for all the Buffy fans.