Sundays

Here I am, playing hooky, not going to church. I have just started to get every other Sunday off. For my whole time working for Sam's Club I have worked every Sunday unless it was a holiday, like Easter. I took one off because of a flat tire. I took one off for illness and 2 off when we lost Michele. I'm wanting to enjoy a day of not needing to do anything. I've never been particularly active in church, not since my teens in an almost totally Mormon town. Now, the thought of spending 3 hours in church on Sunday, does not really delight me. I really don't have much to wear except my funeral outfit. I worry that I'm letting my Aunt down, as she is secretary of the ward relief society.

While I suppose that I'm not particularly religious, I do consider myself to be very spiritual. I speak to God every day, and try to remember to be grateful for His gifts every night. I've studied many religions as I was growing up, and I found truth in all that I've studied. There may not be total truth, but most have quite a bit of truth.

I think that you can always find answers by praying for them and listening for answers with your heart, not your head. For a person, like me, who seems to need to analyse everything to death, that can be hard. I'm working on silencing the mind a bit, so I can hear my heart. I guess the answers from the heart have more emotional feeling, and compassion. I guess I'll keep plodding along, trying to do my best and trust in the Lord.

Healthcare Vs. Health Caring

I just read a short article in the magazine, Spirituality and Heath, Sept./Oct edition. The article was written by James Duffy, MD, who is the director of Religion and Health at the Texas Medical Center. He starts off by stating that our healthcare system is growing at such a rate, that it will constitute our whole gross national product within 65 years. I'm not sure if that is, indeed, a correct assumption or not, but it really gives me a frightening picture of how big our healthcare system has become. I have certainly read reports that of any modern, industialized country, we pay more for healthcare and recieve, many times, less care than other countries in the world. Yet, supposedly, we are one of the richest nations in the world, or we were. That may not be true anymore, given our national debt. There are still many people in America who earn reasonable salaries, but fewer people can afford to pay for insurance, and having insurance is no guarentee of finding medical service.

The main point that Dr. Duffy makes, is that there is a need for this country to revamp our healthcare system and create a healthcaring system. He goes on to point out the differences in each system. He comes up with 13 different points, but I'll just mention the ones that resonate most with me.

Number 1; Our healthcare system is an industry driven by the profit motive. Heathcaring describes a system motivated by compassion for our community. Number 2 strikes me as so obvious; healthcare benefits from disease, while healthcaring benefits by the preservation of wellness. Number 6 makes such sense; healthcare tries to treat disease by subjugating nature, while healthcaring realises that nature should be used as an ally in treating disease and maintaining wellness. Number 8; healthcare sytems consider religion and sprituality to be irellavent in the outcome of disease, while healthcaring recognises the human spirit in finding wellness. Number 12; healthcare has demonstrated that it is not finacially sustainable, while healthcaring models have demonstrated financial stability.

I have not included all 13 points, as they can be found in the currant issue of the magazine. The points that Dr, Duffy made, I think, is that our currant healthcare system ignores the human part of the equation, it discounts the heart and soul of people, both the people being treated, and the people doing the treating. The patient is reduced to his/her disease and symptoms and many of those doing the treating are required to treat too many people in too little time in order to make a living, thus becoming less personal and ultimately, less caring.

Michelle Obama

I recieve regular emails from the Democratic party and Barrack Obama. Today, I received a video of Michelle's speech at the opening night of the convention. I read in the newspaper that she had given a good speech. After hearing and seeing it on video, I can say that is my opinion, it was a great speech! Now I feel that I know more about where Michelle and Barrack came from. She went into the kind of upbringing they had, parents and grandparents working to provide a better life for their kids, just like the lives most of us have had. She talked about the kind of work they had both done after college. She talked about her two daughters and her hopes for them

She reminded everyone that it's the 88th aniversary of women's right to vote and it's been 45 year since Dr Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech. The point she made about us having a choice to work for the America that can be, rather than settling for the America that is, really struck a chord with me.

She talked about workers and their needs, veterans and their families, the everyday average American that just wants to make a good life for his or her family. That sounds like the political party that I chose years ago. Hopefully, it's back and Washington is not too corrupt and set in it's ways to change.

The Olympics

I've been watching the Olympics. Thursday night, I stayed up until past midnight to watch the American women take gold and silver in the gymnastics "all around". I figured I wouldn't sleep if I tried to wait until the next day.

How about Michael Phelps?! What a great swimmer, what a great team that helped with the relay races! It was wonderful to see 41 year old Daria win a silver too. I watched the men swimming the 1500 meter. That's 30 laps of the length of the pool in around 15 minutes. I used to swim laps, for exercise, not speed. I would do 20 or25 laps in around 30 minutes, but I was swimming the width of the pool!

I watched the Romanian woman surge out of the pack in the women's marathon about half way into the race and never looked back. She finished way ahead of the second and third winners. I'm pretty impressed with anyone who even finishes a marathon. One woman,who lives in Salt Lake City, but runs for her native country, Slovakia, finished the marathon in 67th place. She had to stop twice toward the end because of hamstring cramps in her legs, but she kept going until the end. I think that takes as much courage as the winners. They were running to win and will have thier medals. The other woman was running for her country and really probably to finish, maybe as a point of honor to herself, though I'm only speculating.

The Jamacian, "Lightening" Bolt really put on a show. I watched him on Friday night during his trials, and he was almost dancing, he was so hyped. When he ran for the gold on Saturday,he broke a world's record, but I think he could have gone even faster, but just before the end, he looked around at the others and realised he'd make the gold, then he just glided into the finish, and he even kept running. Of course he orignally started running the 200 meter, not the 100.

On the whole, so far, the Olympics have been very nice.I always enjoy watching these people, who have devoted much time and effort get the chance to compete with others like themselves from around the world. It's very exciting to see them strive no matter what country they are from. I do enjoy seeing Americans win, but I get a kick out of seeing someone from a small country that doesn't win much, kick butt and win over the odds and bring a medal home.

Mom, Still Missed

I was looking through some of my pictures and this one btought back memories of Mom. This was taken at Murray Park. It was the summer picnic for the clients of Oquirah Dialysis Center. This was Mom's last summer with us. I'm really glad that the picnic was here where there was a stream and woods for her to enjoy. She was getting to the point where she didn't get out and around so much. This was a nice break for her and she could be around the people she saw 3 days a week in a more relaxing and social way. I've looked through so many of the pictures that I took that last year and realised how sick she had gotten. When you're around them daily, sometimes you don't really notice how thin she had gotten. She had gotten forgetful sometimes, but she always had a really beautiful smile that she flashed often. She's been gone for a bit over 2 and 1/2 years, and I still think about her sometimes and miss her. Still, when I look at some of the pictures that show how sick and weak she had become, I know that I would not wish her back to that kind of life. I know she's happy and well and enjoying being with all that have gone before. I expect that she can enjoy having Michele sit on her lap again. I miss you both, and Dad as well, but I'm sure I'll see you all again.

Odds and Ends

I've been enjoying watching the Olympic coverage. Unfortunately, I end up staying up too late. I didn't get to see the opening ceremonies as I had a friend getting married on the auspicious date of 08/08/08. I didn't get home from the reception until most of the ceremonies were over. It's too bad there have been some things marring the "One World" goal of things.

The fact of Russia attacking Georgia is pretty sad. The Bush Administration's denoucing of Russia's act may be how the country feels, but to have Bush making noise to Russia for doing something that our own country, under Bush's command, did to not one, but 2 countries, seems a bit strange. It's like the pot calling the kettle black.

Bush seems to be enjoying watching the Olympics, like he's kicking back, ready to get into private life. Still, he's got 5 more months to do some damage. The latest thing he wants is when building projects come up, and decisions need to be made about enviornmental impact, he wants to take the scientists out of the loop. Whatever department is involved in the project can use thier own bosses to make decisions rather than letting anyone with scientific knowledge study things and make recomendations. I suppose that might save time and red tape, assumming that any government department could cut down on red tape, that is. Bush has always seemed to look upon scientists with distrust. I wonder how we got such an anti-intellectual as President. Just lucky, I guess.

Lady,Not To Be Left Out

I wouldn't want to leave out the animal that I'm currantly sharing a home with. This is my Aunt MaryLou's dog. Lady. She's probably Labrador and Retriever, and who knows what else. She's a little on the portly side. She really likes her food. If you are in the kitchen, making a sandwich or fixing a bagel, she will grab it and have it eaten if you're not aware of her love of bread. She loathes cats, will snag an unwary or slow bird, but she's afraid of thunder storms and fireworks. Today, I had her playing in the water, trying to grab it from the hose. It's been hot and she needs cooling off once in awhile. Maybe we should get her a haircut.

Jake,A Sweet Companion

This is Jake, my cat for quite a few years. I no longer have him and sometimes I miss him. He had a sweet disposition and was always ready to eat. Not surprising, he weighed 18 pounds. He also had short legs and the back ones toed out, so he looked a little funny from the back view when he walked. He was also quite long in the body, sort of like a feline dachshound. He was my alarm clock,since his tummy woke him early. It's pretty hard to sleep in with a 18 pound cat sitting on your chest meowing. Thank you Jake for the company and love for those years.

Sunday

Hey! It's Sunday, and I'm not at work. It feels a little strange, but nice. My team leads have started something new. There have been some people who have requested to only work every other Sunday and have been accomodated, while the rest of us have continued working every Sunday. It was believed that with a little tweaking, everyone could be changed to the every other Sunday schedule. We just have two groups exchanging Sundays and Thursdays with each other. This is my first Sunday, so I've decided to really enjoy it, just relaxing and doing mostly just what I want to do. It's kind of a good and not so good change though. One week, I only work 2 days together, Fri. and Sat. The next week, I work 4 days, Thur, Fri, Sat and Sun. The 4 days will make me tired I guess, so it's a trade off. Right now with having to mow the lawn and do the laundry every week, I get some exercise at least.

We're still waiting around to find out who our new boss is going to be. Hopefully, it will be someone who is willing to go along with the new schdule. Of course, when the Holidays roll around, we'll probably get busier and may have to work more Sundays. Who knows.

Speaking of holidays, we have some Halloween decorations in, as well as Fall decor. We've even got new toys in for display. Of course retail stores always jump the gun on new seasons and holidays, and warehouse stores are even more ahead.