Truths in My Life

I have bad check out line karma. Customers all over shared a sigh of relief when I started internet shopping. If you see me in a line, for your own well being, choose another line.

I am not as quirky as I would like to think I am. Being a chocoholic, having a cat with no tail, and practicing complementary healing does not make one quirky. Wow, that's kind of a drag in a way.

I am embracing not caring more about others' problems than they do. This can be a challenge with my family and patients, but it doesn't mean I'm not supportive or empathetic. Just the opposite actually, but I can't take my kid's science tests or my patient's insulin shots for them.

I am daily suprised and humbled that my husband and kids think I am worthy of their abiding love and affection.

I am proud of the fact I can live with ambivalence and for all my struggles, I have beautiful scars.

Thank you for the gift of your time by reading this and sharing your own truths if you wish. Best to you and yours for a restful Labor Day Weekend. (Hey, that's kind of an oxymoron, isn't it?) Also, if you're of a mind, please check below for "WTF Wednesday" contest for fun and prizes.

WTF Wednesdays with Prize Awarded

Welcome to the Inaugural Edition of "WTF Wednesday"! I am inspired today by Mrs.Spit and other bloggerinas who hold contests and class to keep all of us motivated and educated. Thank you all so much! I have a prize for anyone who can guess the location or details about the above picture. What is the prize you wonder? Is it worth your time or effort? Hmm, how about some Organic Shower Gel in your choice of Tuberose or Lavender? I thank you for your participation and hope you enjoy the picture. Best to you and yours, Martha

Fun uses for beer besides drinking it

I was reminded today (because my hair is especially cooperative) of all the fun uses for beer besides drinking it. Which I don't do because I don't like the taste and never have despite growing up in the great brewery city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Shout Out to Little Kings Cream Ale and Shimay Ale made by Trappist monks but that's another story. Bottom line, I used up my alcohol quota in high school and college and rarely imbibe.

So what do hair and beer have in common? If you use your clean stale beer as a finishing rinse after washing your hair, you will be "drunk with delight" at how shiny and manageable your locks are. Apparently it's the antioxidants from the yeast and hops and stuff. A new use for Old Bud, or Alaskan Winter Amber in my case.

Another fun use for beer is to add it to a batter recipe in place of all or part of the liquid in the recipe. Yummylicious for seafood and onion rings.

Of course, a perennial favorite is using stale beer in shallow cans in your garden to drown slugs. At least they die happy.

Thank you for stopping by and please let me know if you have any other suggestions. I apologize for the lameness of the post. I could of blogged about sports overload with the Olympics or the Democratic Convention. (Actually, that reminds me, I do have something to blog about with the Convention, something fun, I promise.) Best to you and yours and I hope if you enjoy beer, it doesn't get stale.

Obnoxious Door to Door Salesmen & Warning Politics Discussed

I live in a nice neighborhood except for one thing, occasionally we get a plague of door to door salespeople, selling everything from overpriced candy, real estate services, or God's love. We have all become quite adept at dealing with these folks. First, a disclaimer, I certainly do not mean to offend anyone who sells overpriced candy, real estate, or salvation, but Guess What? I will seek out your services If and When I desire them! And it's not in the middle of dinner! My husband loves to deal with these folks, but it's usually me who gets the pleasure. I live in jeans and tshirts (ah, the joys of telecommuting) so when I answer the door to a salesperson, I just tell them I'm the housekeeper or babysitter. (So Not A Lie, because well, I AM! At least somedays...) That's pretty painless for all parties involved. My favorite is telling the various missionaries who come to our door that I am a Zen Buddhist. I love to watch their reaction. Most recently, a man came to our door asking me to support Proposition 8 which would nullify California state law allowing marriage between same sex couples. I said, "Put the word - Jew, Muslim, Asian, or Black in that phrase, and tell me it's not a question of Civil Rights. I think we will look back on this in twenty years and say - What took so long?" Needless to say, he beat a hasty retreat, the look on his face, PRICELESS.

In both California and Massachusetts, the sun is still rising in the East and setting in the West, even with Gay marriage. I feel it is every state's right to set their own laws based on the will of the voters. So, now I am out of the closet, a Suburban Heterosexual Soccer Mom who thinks it's okay that Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi got married. I'm just bummed I wasn't invited.

Show and Tell:Fashion Inspiration from LA

"Who Inspires Your Style?" (from www.laist.com)

This lady looks like she can make a killer borscht. Not everyone can wear yellow (with matching kerchief) with such panache. The footwear totally completes this look with style. Hope you have a great weekend!

Emotional Intelligence, Healing Power of Humor, & Guided Imagery

Hi there and sending my best to you and yours. I have been hard at work finishing up my "Continuing Education Units" for renewal of my Registered Nursing license. This year I took some really eye opening and even fun classes to keep my clinical skills and knowledge up to date.
The courses included clinical updates on pediatric and maternal/child health issues, Emotional Intelligence (EI), The Healing Power of Humor, and Guided Imagery. I really enjoyed these last three courses and utilize them in my daily practice even more than clinical stuff.

Emotional intelligence refers to self awareness, empathy, and motivation. This differs from IQ (Intelligence Quotient) which I learned only accounts for about 4 - 25% success in job performance. The ability to empathize and have self aware social skills not only helps your clients, patients, students, etc. but also the practitioner, nurse, teacher, lawyer, and Indian chief by improving job satisfaction and reducing "burn out". Really cool stuff and glad to see EI in addition to IQ acknowledged and researched.

The "Healing Power of Humor" was another excellent class and one I definitely practice. Humor stimulates the immune system (NK cells and Immune globulin A for my clinician friends) and promotes restful sleep. (10 minutes of mirthful laughter results in 2 hours of pain free sleep according to Norman Cousins' research). Clinicians also use "Gallows" or Black Humor to help cope with stressful or overwhelming situations. Other professions have this too - law enforcement, teachers, pilots, etc. I remember taking a flight and hitting a Huge Air Pocket (Gee how I hate those!!) and the pilot came on to apologize for "Unexpected Turbulence and people pay money for that experience at Disneyland". It certainly lightened a stressful situation.

The Guided Imagery class described using visualization as a coping and healing tool. The examples included standing on the banks of a frozen river which contained your negative feelings and throwing rocks of all sizes onto the ice until the ice breaks up and the river runs free. Whew, powerful stuff. I use guided imagery during painful or stressful procedures for both myself and my patients. I will put myself or ask the child (or grown up) to place themselves in a serene and joyful place like at the beach or next to a mountain stream and experience with all their senses, feeling the wind and sun against their skin, listening to the birds and water, feeling the soft sand. I send you peace and a ticket to a calm, happy place this weekend. Thank you so much for stopping by, I appreciate it.

Wordless Wednesday