A Police Officer nearly killed me this morning.  I reported his ass.  Not that it will accomplish anything.  I wish that I had gotten his plate #.  Sonovabitch!!! 

 I miss wasted Tom Petty Singalongs!  SATURDAY NIGHT! Who's in?!  

And Jessica... MAKE CRAIG COME!

 I am pimping myself out all over the web!!!

PLEASE TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO VOTE FOR MY TATTOO!!!! IF I WIN, I GET A FREE 5 HOUR SESSION WITH A TATTOO ARTIST!!!!  IT'S NUMBER 79! http://www.windfm.com/pages/6097197.php?imageGalleryXRefId=1649947#imgXR

 I'm taking a walk in my half hour to try to burn off some of this energy!  Wahooooo!

 Sometimes all that it takes to lift my spirits is a haircut and a color.  I needed it so badly.  For about a month now, every time that I turned on the bedroom light and looked in the mirror, this 2-inch streak of salt and pepper was staring me in the face.  It's all better now.  And the dead is gone.  My hair has life again (even though it's just dead cells to begin with, LOL)!  Russell thought that I had colored over his work.  He was a bit pissy asking me what I did to it.  I told him to check his books, I hadn't been in for at least 4 months.  It was right at my chin last time, but this time it was past my shoulders.  I got a bit of a lecture because he likes for my hair to be perfect so that I can tell everyone that he did it :).  I guess being sick and busy with other things just put beauty on the back burner. But its nice now.  The color had faded out so bad that I forgot how red he makes it.  And since I have a girl crush on Kate Walsh... The chick who plays Addison Montgomery in Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice (don't judge me! haha), I am absolutely enamored with it.  

I've been doing menial housecleaning things today.  I dusted the blinds and furniture (which needed it badly) and vacuumed.  I love the smell of the Murphy's oil that I use on the wood.  Sometimes I feel my mother's OCD kicking in and I can appreciate the value of a clean house.  Things like this make me unusually happy.  Yard work, housework, etc..  But I guess that the reason I enjoy it so much (afterwards, not while I'm doing it) is because I can see the fruits of my labor.  Instant results.  This sort of thing doesn't normally happen in my life.  Or in anyone's really.  I totally understand why my landlord is a woodworker.  He spends so much time working on something just to find it exactly how he wanted it to be.  It's awesome.  That's also why I love to cook.  

We are having the entire family over for fishing in the canal tomorrow.  Dad is rigging up a bunch of poles and mom is making tuna fish and egg salad sandwiches (I LOVE egg salad!).  I'm glad that we're doing it.  The kids have been excited all week. Drew is spending today working in the yard, tearing down old thorny vines and clearing out the side yard where the Buddha is.  He swears that he will have it done in one day.  I don't believe him, but I think that it will be awesome if he does.  He found a bird's nest in a low-lying tree.  It was empty, but it had a snake-skin hanging off of it.  Talk about imagery.  He cut it down because he figured that the bird wasn't going to be coming back any time soon.  Poor baby birdies.  I'm assuming that we will be setting up the hammock today.  Which is great, perfect timing for me to read this awesome book that I borrowed and now cannot put down.  I have to make a deal with myself though and do some Spanish lessons first.  Why is it that the one thing that you have to do always turns in to the one thing that you would rather put off?  Who knows, but I need to get moving.  It's almost "grow up and get a job" time.  But it is nice to have more downtime these days.  It's good for the soul.  

I have been talking politics via facebook message with my Uncle Tom who is a fairly intelligent person but mostly leans to the right.  He was misinformed on a few topics and I was able to sort of straighten those things out.  Then I realized that the more we got to talking, the more he started agreeing with me.  It isn't my intention to sway people's opinions.  Frankly, I like to be challenged, but I do feel that I have a knack for encouraging people to research subjects and see things from my point of view.  I am also an avid researcher, and thanks to the scholarly books that I have been forced to read for my degree, I have a broader knowledge of issues from the economy to the environment and everywhere in between.  I am constantly on the UF Library websites searching for peer-reviewed journals and gathering statistics and data on all sorts of random subjects.  Once my uncle and I delved deeply into a lot of these ideas, he told me that he would love to contribute to my campaign if I ever want to run for anything. 

I recently watched the movie Julie and Julia, which is about a blog written by a rather simple girl who just had a great deal of passion and something to say.  It spoke to me, mainly because I felt like a lot of her traits were similar to my own.  I guess that what I am getting at is that I would like to come up with a blog or website of some sort that discusses current events, news headlines, and basically my two cents on all things political. 

I think that a website would probably be easiest.  I have a page on yolasite right now highlighting my education, work skills, etc. so that employers can get the URL from my resume and learn a little bit more.  http://colleenmcrouch.yolasite.com/

If I did something like this, I could add links to individual pages where I would breifly spell out my position on the major issues.  Next I could create a daily blog that would add links, resources, and daily commentary.  I am basically looking for any suggestions that you guys would like to give.  It would be great if I could put it up on a site where it would actually be seen by people that I don't already know.  Obviously I could post links to it on my facebook, twitter, etc. but I would definitely like input from outside sources.  I was also thinking that I could submit it to Huffington Post or other major publications once it is up and running.

Do you guys think that this is a good idea?  I won't be offended if you don't.  I realize that my opinion is not #1 on the list of things that people want to read, but I thought that it would be worth a try.  It would be amazing if at some point I could turn something like this into a column.  Feedback, Please!

<3 <3 <3

 We just got our hammock and hammock stand!  It was our Christmas gift from Drew's mom.  It freaking ROCKS! It is big enough to hold us both and has a built in pillow.  I can't wait to put it out next to our bamboo and read a book.  

 Drew just got off the phone with the Vet's office.  Jasper was in there just 6 months ago and apparently he is due for another $200 worth of services.  Sometimes I feel like I can draw parallels between automobile mechanics and veterinarians.  They pull on your heart strings and make you feel awful if you don't spend a small fortune on your pets.  Sometimes I wonder if having a child would have been cheaper.  

I mean really, does a dog need a heartworm prevention pill every month?  Because I had several dogs growing up who never had these medications and I don't remember any of them dying from heartworms.  And why do they need shots every 6 months when people only need them a few times in their entire lives?  To be honest, I think that they have uncovered a goldmine.  People are always so adamant about being "responsible" pet owners they will buy just about anything that a "professional" tells them.  

And if you turn down any services, they look at you like you have a third eyeball.  They told me that Jasper was due for his 3-year dental cleaning.  The dog's teeth are immaculate.  I take the time to brush them on a regular basis and he chews bones all of the time.  I swear they made me out to be a neglectful bitch.  And now every time that he is due for anything, they also remind me that he is still due for that cleaning.  

I have been trying to research the effectiveness of vaccines and heartworm prevention, but it is difficult.  Mainly because the first things that pop up when you google the subjects are veterinarian websites and drug companies.  I have, however, found sites that claim that heartworm "prevention" is not prevention at all.  It is a medication that kills off the larvae before they are able to mature to adults.  And apparently lots of holistic veterinarians claim that the health risks associated with it are more detrimental than the benefits.  

About Heartworms:

Apparently, heartworms are not carried by all mosquitoes.  First of all, they have to be female.  Secondly, there are only a handful of mosquito species that will allow the heartworm to mature to the infective stage.  These mosquitoes would have to bite a dog that has been infected with sexually mature male AND female heartworms that have produced larvae.  At the time of the bite, the larvae has to be in a specific stage of development.  Next these larvae would have to be at the right temperature to mature further inside of the mosquito and make their way to its mouth.  If the larvae are transfered to the dog's skin via mosquito, they then have to mature there for another 3-4 months before making their way to the dog's blood.  The majority of these larvae do not make it to adult stage because the dog's immune system is able to fight them off.  Lastly, the worms cannot multiply unless the dog is infected with both male and females.  If there are only males or females in the dog's body, then they will eventually die off, unless your dog is infected again with worms of the opposite sex.  

One more very important fact that veterinarians fail to mention.... Larvae cannot develop in temperatures below 57 degrees Fahrenheit.  And they need a period of weeks to mature.  Therefore, there is virtually no risk of your dog getting heartworms in the dead of winter.  

Also... The cost of prevention for one dog is approximately $45 every six months.  That's $90 per year.  The cost to treat one single heartworm infection is $750-$1000.  I know that health-wise, an infection is awful for your pet, but it isn't necessarily fatal if your pet is otherwise healthy, and if there is only a small chance that they will become infected, it seems more cost effective to take your chances.

Vaccination:

Vaccinations have been linked to immune suppression leading to arthritis, skin diseases, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, spondylosis, epileptic seizures, loss of motor control, cancer, and even death.  Aggressive behavior and fearfulness has also been linked to certain vaccinations.  The only vaccination required by law is the Rabies shot, given every 3 years.  

Although the vet claims that dogs need certain shots every 6 months and others every year, the American Animal Hospital Association claims that it is only necessary to give a dog a booster of the essential shots (meaning Parvo, Distemper, and Rabies) every 3 years.  The vet also insists that we give them vaccines for Bordatella (kennel cough), but the AAHA claims that this shot should only be given when a dog is being boarded.  

I also didn't realize that there is an Antibody Titer Blood Test that a veterinarian can give your dogs to make sure that their immunities to certain diseases haven't worn off.  Most vets insist of giving the shots anyway without checking.  

It's crazy... When we got Jasper, Anya had given me proof that he had been vaccinated.  He was due for one shot.  I called the vet and told them that I had the records, but they didn't trust them.  "We feel that it is best for you to take him to a vet that you trust and give him the whole work up just in case.  It doesn't hurt to re-vaccinate."  But from what I have read, it DOES hurt them.  Could you imagine switching doctors and having them ask you to re-vaccinate your child for something that they have already had?!  It's insane.  There is actually a condition called "Vaccinosis."   It is characterized by fever, muscular aches, bone pain, prostration, etc. and is 100% caused by over vaccination.

So why do they do this?  From what I have read... To keep you coming back.  To make a profit.  

"He who believes he knows the ending of things before they begin is either a very wise person or an idiot. Regardless, he is unhappy for he hast drove a knife into the heart of wonder." -Osten Ard

 I woke up with a nose full of dried blood.  I'm sure that the heat was that catalyst, but I'm tired of not being right.  My uncle Tom swears that I have an infection that may be traveling to my brain.  He had one once.  Had to be admitted and pumped full of antibiotics and fluids.  I love how people try to diagnose you based on what they've had.  I mean, I get it...  A lot of our own problems or our family members' problems are really the extent of our medical knowledge.  It's the same thing with car troubles.  But he did kind of get me all paranoid.  The last thing that I need is to be pushed into hypochondriac status.  I have enough problems on my own.  

My mom is turning into the fierce momma lioness this morning and trying to get things done for me health-wise.  I think that it may be good for her to get a lot of other things off of her mind.  I mean, before all of the crazy family drama happened, she would have swooped in and taken it upon herself to help me anyway.  Perhaps it restores a bit of normalcy for her.  She says that she is going to call the insurance company (since I am on my parents' policy) and ask if they have received a request for authorization of a CT scan.  If they have already approved it, she wants me to call the ENT office and make them schedule it ASAP.  If they haven't received any requests, she says that she is going to call our primary care and ask them to either refer me to someone else or request the CT scan themselves.  I'm glad that she's doing it.  I have to be available to answer the phones here and since the call volume is much higher lately, I can't sit on hold with the bureaucracy all day long.  

And speaking of this lovely place, I just found out that I am one of the only people in my office who will not be receiving a raise.  Apparently it isn't in the budget, although they have eliminated at least 3 positions and I have absorbed the work.  Fuck that man.  I lose respect for these people more and more every day.  I absolutely can't wait to hear about how hard it is on them when I am gone.  It is just motivation to get to a career.  This is just a job.  I have to remember that.  A JOB, not long term, just supposed to get me to the next step.  Thanks to them for reminding me.  

I woke up this morning ready to rock.  I'm in a pretty good mood, and VERY ready for this week to be over.  I have worked a lot of extra hours, so the next paycheck will be better than usual.  I have the feeling that today will be great.  This weekend will be great.  I'm not letting anybody steal my sunshine :).

I definitely have a few issues like this, but neither capital punishment or abortion are one of them.  

I do not respect people who believe that welfare is an unnecessary drain on the system.  These people in my opinion are ill-informed and do not realize that only 1% of our national budget, that's right 1% of your tax money actually goes toward social welfare programs.  I also find it absolutely ridiculous that anyone would honestly believe that every single person in this country has the opportunity to meet their basic needs when those who make minimum wage are well below the poverty line.  I hate that people are perfectly fine with handing tax dollars over to large corporations who then spend it on huge bonuses for the very CEO's that ran them into the ground in the first place, but they have a problem with putting food in the mouths of starving children.  

“The principles are clear and explicit. The free market is fine for the third world and its growing counterpart at home. Mothers with dependent children can be sternly lectured on the need for self-reliance, but not dependent executives and investors, please. For them, the welfare state must flourish.”
-Avram Noam Chomsky

"The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied...but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing."
-John Berger

"If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin"
-Charles Darwin

"Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy."
-Wendell Berry

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also have a very serious problem with anyone who claims that healthcare is a privilege and not a right.  Why is it that everyone in this country has been given the right to a free education (K-12) but they do not have the right to proper healthcare?  As far as I am concerned, our priorities are absolutely screwed.  Anyone who feels that healthcare should be considered a commodity to be bought and sold is giving a death sentence to those who work in this country but cannot afford it (not to mention the children of these people who are born into their socio-economic status and do not have the opportunity to better their situation).  And those who complain that healthcare quality will suffer if everyone is covered are basically saying that excluding other people and pushing the rich to the front of the line is better than offering equal opportunities to all of us.  I do not understand how politicians can get away with such an obvious human-rights violation without being scorned for their lack of moral fiber.

"Of all forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I guess that all of the issues that I have are concerning human rights in general.  I don't feel that anyone should be discriminated against, treated unfairly, or deprived of basic needs because of race, sexual preference, religion, or socio-economic status.  This type of prejudice is, in my opinion, absolutely inexcusable and unworthy of my respect.  



http://www.storyofstuff.com/

http://charterforcompassion.org/

http://www.lowwagework.org/Shulman.htm

http://www.edchange.org/handouts/corporatization.pdf

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/why.html

http://images2.americanprogress.org/CAPAF/2009/07/health_factsheets/health_reform_fl.pdf

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/

 Sometimes I think that Florida is beautiful when covered with a white layer of ice.  The life seems to hold on much longer than it does in Tennessee.  You can see the shades of green trying to squeeze their way through.  The leaves shrivel but still manage to soak up enough sunlight to keep their color.  

This morning I was absolutely shocked by one of the most horrific car accidents that I think I've ever seen.  It was probably so bad because I pulled up alongside the fire truck.  Of course with all of the sirens, I went to the side of the road and stopped.  The paramedics hadn't gotten there, so the fire fighters immediately jumped out of their truck and began trying to pull a person out of an upside-down car.  They got them out, laid them on the side of the road and covered them with a blanket.  The other car must have hit them head on at a fairly decent speed because the front end was smashed in.  I was shaking when traffic finally got going and I was able to drive away.  The first thing that popped into my head was "your day could always be worse."  It makes me very grateful to be alive and well.  I just hope that everyone that was in the accident turns out okay.  

 Yeah, I know that it's late notice... Just wanted to let everyone know that we are having a potluck/shindig at the house.  All that we ask is that people bring a dish and whatever booze they may want to drink.  We are probably going to set up a bonfire in the backyard and whatnot.  Should be fun.  

 I'm making Stuffed Shells for dinner because I'm tired of Turkey.  My mom did Lasagna a lot when we were kids.  I'm excited about this traditional Italian dessert I'm going to attempt!  It's called Zuppa Inglese.  You make a homemade cream filling and chocolate filling, then you make 2 yellow cakes and cut them in half horizontally so that you have 4 layers.  You baste the cake with a rum/apricot glaze, layer it all as pictured and top with berries.  YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Drew's vacation buy-back plus our union property money has all come in!  FLATSCREEN THIS WEEKEND!!!!! Tonight If I have any say in it.  WAHOOO!!!!!

 Back to the Doc at 4:30.  

I'm feeling very cynical about it.  We'll see.  

I took the longest shower ever last night.  I stood in there until I used the very last drop of hot water.  It was great.  

Still no water pressure in the kitchen... Not sure why.  

I am so ready for the day to be over.  Not feeling very social.  

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can incorporate that song "Blackbird" by The Beatles into a tattoo without having something that looks all masculine and unattractive?