Unfilled Shoes

Just as a side note, since leaving my previous occupation in November, I have become accustomed to having my weekends for leisure time. Previously I would get phone calls at all hours and have to go in to work and spend my "days off" at my place of employ. (with no compensation of course) I did not realize how lazy I had become until this weekend when I spent both Saturday AND Sunday in non-stop motion. I will just say that I am not a fan. Especially Sunday, it's supposed to be a day of rest right? To top it all off I have continued to receive phone calls from my previous employer to ask for "favors" or to run errands for my former patients. I feel a little guilty for purposely not answering the phone but I should just point out that a) I haven't worked there for almost 4 full months, b) the position is not vacant they did replace me, c) the actual patients have been calling me, which means someone gave them my cell phone number, and d) I DON'T WORK THERE. It is unfortunate that since my absence the staff is apparently unable/unwilling to fill the not so large shoes that I left behind. And people wonder why I left healthcare?

Poor sick baby!

I have been constantly sick lately with one thing or another and I had an epiphany yesterday when I realized that I started getting sick when I changed careers. I went from working in a nursing home to working in an office all day. I have been sick more in the last 4 months than in the 4 years preceeding. I'm sure it's because I built up immunities to all kinds of things. The result now being that I am a wimp when I get sick. I had become so accustomed to great health that I literally feel like I'm falling apart now. I finally realized how whiny I had become lately and wondered how anyone could stand me. Then again, I haven't spent much time with people other than my family lately. So to those of you who put up with me (and you know who you are) I promise to try to do more positive thinking and quit whining. I also give you permission to confront me about it and if necessary use excessive force.

Ground Breaking Cinema

I stumbled across a great cinema treat Saturday one which I can't believe was overlooked by the Academy when it was released in 1998. Initially what made me stop my channel surfing was that I thought I recognized Katherine Heigl who looked really young. After perusing http://www.imdb.com/ I discovered that I was in fact correct. Before I forget, the movie was "Bride of Chucky". I have never felt the need to seek out any of the Chucky movies because even though they are touted as "horror" movies, I just don't see how a walking talking homicidal doll could be frightening. There is more unintentional comedy value than terror for me. The only truly disturbing thing was watching a doll give birth to a living breathing devil doll. It continues to amaze me that Hollywood seems intent on making films that have no cinematic value and have little promise of doing any better at the box office than their predecessors. I saw a preview for Hell Boy II and wondered, do they not remember the mediocrity that was the first one? Does anyone really care about a second one? I certainly don't. It is about as pointless as the second Dr. Doolittle or a second League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. What kind of delusions must a producer be under to want to produce Child's Play VII: The seed of the seed of Chucky?

The Healing Affects of Music

Not many people have made the mistake of arguing with me about music and those who do are not usually repeat offenders. I have extremely strong opinions on music and the effect that it has on people consciously and subconsciously. You can attempt to convince me that you feel no different when listening to KORN than when you listen to Rachmaninoff but you will lose. I majored in Music Therapy at Utah State and can cite study after study including this one, about the effect music has on brainwaves, moods, and healing. I scoff at people who say that music does not effect their outlook on life or the way they treat others around them. Here is an example of the smooth, calming lyrics of Snoop Dogg. Such an inspiration isn't he? I had an argument with my cousin's husband because he insisted vehemently that listening to misogynistic dogg****, was the same to him as listening to the musical stylings of someone like Cyndi Lauper. I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those people that blames an increasingly violent world on the music industry or that fact that first person shooter games are immensely popular among the pre-teen crowd. I do however suggest that after listening to women, blacks, gays, Muslims, Jews, etc. etc. referred to in a derogatory manner "Time After Time" whether it be in the home or on the airwaves, that there is bound to be an effect on the psyche. If you were told day after day that you were a fat slob, even if you were the picture of cleanliness and health, eventually you would begin to believe it. So all I'm saying is that I have no objection to you enjoying the music that you prefer, everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Just don't try to convince me that when I need music to help calm my troubled soul I should listen to Marilyn Manson instead of my usual Norah Jones, ok?

The strange and interesting origins of holidays

I hate to be the typical bitter cynical single woman but the mold just fits so well. Although to be fair I am not really feeling any of those because I have a prospect that seems relatively viable. In true scorned woman fashion though, I am trying not to get my hopes up yet.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day (in case you forgot), the day to celebrate love, young people, and happy marriages. (http://www.catholic.org/ says so!) For those of us who are single and sick of looking, we decided to move our girl's night up and hold it on what some call "Single Awareness Day". The great thing about our girl's nights is that they have been getting a little bit larger every month. I was a little disappointed however to discover that I know so many great women that had nothing else to do on Valentine's Day. There were 14 of us this time and we started out the night by comandeering a corner of the Training Table. We figured it was safe because you seat yourself and most couples probably were headed to pricey establishments,...... like Chuckarama. Training Table ended up being pretty busy but most of the foot traffic was what appeared to be grandparents with their grandchildren probably giving mom and dad an opportunity to go out.

I'm sure we've all heard people say that Valentine's Day is a holiday created by the greeting card companies. (My vote's for Hallmark) I have also heard vague tellings of a Catholic saint named Valentine, but I have never been privy to why he deserved a holiday. In an attempt to stave off boredom and avoid other unpleasantness I decided to do some research. It turns out that Februrary 14th is the anniverary of the beheading of poor Valentine. As holidays go this one was chosen rather oddly. If you think about other holidays, Presidents' Day is celebrated around the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (or Civil Rights Day if you will) is celebrated in the birth month of Mr. King. It made me curious as to which category St. Patrick fell in and he as well is celebrated on the day of his death. I find it curious but not unheard of that it is their deaths that we celebrate. Some would say that Easter is the celebration of Christ's death, but I think most people would disagree and say that it is his resurrection that we celebrate not his actual death. One thing to point out here as well is that the aforementioned holidays (Presidents' Day, MLK Day) were not chosen by any ecclesiastic leaders.

I would also like to mention that there are a lot of saints! As I was browsing the list of saints the last one, St. Zoticus, ended up being number 2,042. Wow!

Wow CNN, you are visionaries!

So two minutes after the polls closed here in Utah CNN had "Breaking News". Romney takes Utah. Really? Seriously? You know I really thought that maybe it might have gone to Guiliani. No? My mistake.

I had a few problems voting today, the first one being that in the past 4 years I have lived in Holladay, Murray, Sandy and Salt Lake. My voter registration has remained in the same precinct as my parents because it was just easier that way. So earlier today I got online to check my polling place, just in case it was not where I remembered. After being told that the system couldn't find my registration I ended up calling the voter office. A nice young lady (who had a mouth full of food) assured me that I would still be voting in Sandy. After work I made the trek out of my way to Sandy so that I could do my civic duty to ensure that my generation will be represented. Upon arriving at the "Cottonwood Improvement District" building (ie dump site for RV waste) I happened upon my parents neighbor who was taking names and he graciously told me that since I didn't live at home I couldn't vote there. I understand that it is not my district and if there was more than one thing on the ballot I could understand, but they are very strict and they sent me on my way. Having to vote provincially was actually an advantage because it meant that I didn't have to vote Republican which I would have had to in Sandy. The other problem is related to party voting. I was not too keen on having to align myself with one party or the other so that I could vote but apparently that is a requirement. I would have preferred to have been able to vote without tying myself to one party or another. I haven't checked with other states, but is it a requirement in every state? And was it really necessary to take my blood because I wasn't voting Republican?

Forget the Super Bowl, I Love Puppy Bowl!

I actually do enjoy watching football, but it has got to be college. Once you get into the NFL and AFC I get lost. I know that doesn't make sense since it's still football but I can't decide if I dislike it because it confuses me or if it's because of the attitude most pro players seem to have. I usually make an exception for the Super Bowl because it's also a fun social event as well.

This year however, I have found myself with a double dose of the conjunctevitis and a single dose of anti-social paranoia. So instead of indulging in the ridiculously over-hyped Super Bowl, I was flipping the channels and came upon literally the cutest show EVER in history. On Animal Planet they were broadcasting the Puppy Bowl IV (can you believe I missed the first 3?!) It's basically hours upon hours of adorable puppies playing with toy footballs in an "arena". They even take time out to introduce the different puppies and their stats. There was a water bowl at one end of the field that had a camera looking through the bottom so you could see the puppies drink. The puppies are given free reign unless it gets too rough and then a foul must be called and the puppies in question separated.

Maybe I was just feeling exceptionally sappy but I cannot describe the "cuteness" of this TV show. And of course there were the commercials for homeless pets and the like that pulled at your heart-strings. The whole thing made me want to see my parents dog, but then I realized I didn't want to drive that far and my dog is not a puppy. And after a while I realized that cute as it was I hadn't spoken to anyone at all in about 42 hours and was done with my self-imposed isolation. With limited options I went to an acquaintance's house where a Super Bowl party was in full swing. I still didn't watch a second of the game. Giants, Patriots whatever. Watching them will probably never be as entertaining and full of adorable things to look at as the Puppy Bowl.