My Get Fit and De-Stress Plan

OK, some of you may have noticed that I'm a bit on the stressed out side. I'm also way too far toward the sedentary side for my own comfort. As a result, today I started the Couch to 5k training program, as well as a follow-up short yoga practice. (Props to Rachael for the link -- this woman has run a marathon since getting started, as well as some shorter runs.)

Three times a week. Twenty-five to forty minutes, depending on your love of yoga. I figure a good goal is to be able to run/walk the AIDS walk in May -- if that's not your bag, you can probably find another organized event to shoot for. Or you can get together with a group of friends and make your own goal event (I like the idea of an informal 5k followed by a massive italian dinner reward, but that's just me).

Beat the blahs, get fit, and have fun. Anybody with me?

AAARRRRGGGGHHHH

CAN'T SLEEP, THOUGHTS WILL EAT ME!!!!!

(Erm... Having a smidge of insomnia, don't mind me...)

Molly Ivins vs. Hillary Clinton

It's about time the Dems got smacked around for not taking a stand. I like this article because it shows exactly how far off both sides of the Washington aisle are from what the people they represent want.

Freak Out City

Greetings from my new outpost here in Freak Out City. Last night at four in the morning I had visitors at my window. Human visitors. I am not amused. In fact, I am scared out of my mind. Momm found tracks that indicate these uninvited guests were "casing" my window, as it were, and so here I am FREAKING OUT, dead tired yet unable to sleep. Which always leads to strange activities. Like sorting ammunition in the wee hours because digging out the old .22 target pistol, I found that the boxes had broken in the three years they've not been touched, and my hollow points had mixed with my wadcutters (I wonder what you would call the offspring of such intermingled lineage?). Then there was the massive hunt for the keys to the gun case, because that, too, has not been seen in three years (I need to start shooting again; it would probably help strengthen the wrists greatly... also the eyes). Then the massive hunt for the instructions on taking the gun apart, so that I could inspect the damage wrought by three years of neglect in a dank basement (all external and superficial, everything working fine).

This hunt also lead to me realizing that I have a filing system that lacks systematization in a huge way: the handbook for the Ruger was in with the files from the old Dodge (sold in 2002) as well as a bunch of cards from my 21st birthday. Also found were the letters E sent me when we were exchanging letters pretending to be people living in the 19th century. I was, predictably, a ship's captain (yes, there was a backstory to how a woman became a ship's captain, but bugger all if I remember what it was. E?), though I can't recall how she spent her time, and was in too much of a strop to stop and read the letters.

So. Then I fought with my conscience about the whole "would I ever shoot at someone" thing, and then we argued about the whole "is it wist to be the party who introduces a firearm to the conflict" thing, and finally we compromised on the "we fucking know there have been two people looking in the window at four in the morning, and wandering back and forth on the dark side of the house" thing. If they're breaking in to a room they know is occupied, I'm betting they've got weapons, too. Until my mom gets motion lights up on that side of the house my conscience will have to hate me a little bit.

(Incidentally, when you call 911 at four in the morning and tell them you just saw people outside your window, they respond REALLY fast. And the officer even calls back to tell you that the coast looks clear.)

My Post-Holiday Diet Plan

Before:



After:


My hair colorist:

The fabulous E!

That's a lot of weight lost, mates, and it's all on its way to Locks of Love.

Dear Anonymous Trolls,

President Chimp seems to think that he has pwnz0rd joo. Be advised, those who troll here anonymously will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law -- which seems to stop at, wait, if they're anonymous, how the hell do we prosecute them? Also, how do we prove intent to annoy? Also, where in the freakin' constitution do we have the right to life, liberty, and to never be annoyed?

See, though anons do in fact annoy the living crap out of me, I am reminded of Oliver Wendall Holmes' observation on the extend of personal rights: "My right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." See that? Not "when it begins to annoy the person standing next to me," but "where the other man's nose begins."

In other words, I think you're safe. Troll away; I'll continue to exercise my freedom to delete your comments.
CJ

Sublimation

Isn't it funny how a solid knot of resentment, though it makes a person absolutely certain that she will simply lob a bucket full of molten indifference at it's recipient, instead converts itself directly into a bubbly, babbly stream of noxious chatter-gas?

Only, funny in that "more bloody annoying than funny" kind of way.

Dangerous Ideas?

The Edge annual question, and it's answers, has left me with a rather head-snapping ambiguity of sentiment: the variation, contradiction, and disciplinary short-sightedness all point up the ways in which ideas have a much more difficult time being "dangerous" in the present specialized, information-soaked world; they also make me want to burn every non-fiction book I've ever read, build a cabin in the Montana wilderness, and never be heard from again.

And still, not a sociologist in the bunch. The freakin Philosophers and Anthropologists got more play. A former Monkee, for christ's sake. It's a good thing I'll only ever be three-quarters of a sociologist, or I'd really have to feel slighted.

Ralph Nader Can Roast in Hell

Go read this, then come back. I'll wait.

Back? Good. Hi. How you doing? Are you as almighty pissed off as I am? Because good god, this is all eat up with stupid.

For those of you who didn't click the link (I know that finger clicking can get tiring), the FDA has banned Cylert/pemoline, a drug most commonly used to treat ADHA, but also to treat narcolepsy. This is due to pressure applied by Nader's "consumer safety" watchdog group. See, the drug (like many others) has a risk of liver damage associated with it. Patients have to get regular toxicity tests done to make sure they're not breaking themselves. Well, apparently (this was cited in the comments to the above post; my google fu was not good enough to figure out how to confirm it) only one person has suffered liver failure from this drug since the risk was first discovered.

Clearly, this demon drug must be stopped.

The FDA has withdrawn approval for the ONLY DRUG that can keep some people functional. In the case of the post linked above, you might want to read functional as "awake."

I would go off on a rant about democracy, about how crusades that claim to work for "the little people" so often end up stomping on them, or on the role of government in health care; but I'd rather Teresa be able to function. So I'm making demands on all ten of you, my readers (yes, even on the internet, I'm an introvert). Your mission, should you find yourself pissed off:

1. Contact your congressperson. There, I even made it easy for you. Two clicks, you've got email, snail mail, and phone numbers for the folks who represent you. There's some argument about what's most effective, with the leader usually being the telephone. Email and letters can be put off, but the phones have to be answered. Whatever you do, whatever you say, be polite. Your words will most likely be heard by a very harried intern or other support staff who really aren't the folks to be pissed at.

2. Spread the word. Link back to Teresa's post on your own blog (if you keep one), link to the nifty congress-finder, and talk to people you know in Real Life.

It's one thing to take something universally dangerous off the market. This is not that thing. It's really time that Ralph learned the difference.

Happy New Year!

I missed the party I was supposed to go to, owing to the pestilence my mother and I have been suffering from all week. Nevertheless, I'm perfectly happy to see the end of 2005. Here's to great things in the new year!