Not your normal Anniversary!

Today is a very special day. It is an anniversary, of sorts, but not the kind where you go out to dinner and celebrate and have cake and balloons. It is a somber occasion. Today marks 10 years since America was attacked by terrorists. Yes, I said attacked, right here on our soil, not some distant far off land that only exists on our television screens on CNN.  Why were we attacked? That's the funny thing. There is no reason. We did not provoke the attack in any way. We did not "start it" as a child might say after being confronted by a parent when asked why he hit his brother or sister. Were we at war? No. Was it some strategic military base that held secret weapons or plans and seen as a threat and therefore destroyed? No. The people attacked that day were ordinary, everyday, people just like you and me who were in the right place at the wrong time. They had started the day just like any other Tuesday by going to work or starting their shift of rescue or fire or police or boarding a plane for business or vacation, but oh how the day would end. Some of those people would survive and live to tell their amazing story. Most would not. There will be many posts today and articles and documentaries talking about 9/11 and what happened that day. I am going to choose to talk about two groups of people that, in the face of incredible danger, and without thought for their own selves did what had to be done. I am talking about the teams of firefighters, rescue and police and the passengers aboard United Flight 93.
1. The First Responders
No one was prepared for what would unfold when they got up that morning 10 years ago. None of us were. But when it did happen, these brave men and women rushed to do their job, and many lost their lives for it. This was not a routine, all in a days work call. Many of us were glued to the television in the safety of our homes, and thanking God that we were not anywhere near what was going on. Sitting there afraid of what would happen next when they were right in the middle of it saving lives and giving the help that was needed. Where would we have been without them? They are our heroes everyday, but this day they were superheroes. Sadly, unlike superheroes, they were not indestructible, and we lost so many. God bless them all!
2. The Passengers of United Flight 93
That Tuesday started out routine for them as well. They boarded a plane in Newark, NJ bound for San Francisco, CA. Maybe some were traveling for business as they had done a thousand times before. Perhaps some were headed to see the Golden Gate Bridge or Fisherman's Wharf on their first vacation to the west coast. It turned out to be the last time they would ever fly anywhere because 4 other people boarded that plane with them that had other things besides business trips and vacations on their minds. It is believed that those 4 men intended to hijack and fly the plane into the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. However, the passengers, in this age of technology, were able to call loved ones and others on the ground and were told of the horrors that had already taken place. They voted to rush the cockpit and make sure this suicide mission of evil would not succeed. Ordinary people stepped up and acted in an extraordinary manner, and again, became unlikely heroes. Not what they intended that day, to be sure, but nevertheless, their bravery kept at least one plane from reaching it's destination at the cost of their lives. God bless them all!
I hope that none of us will ever have to face such dangerous times again, but if we do, I hope that we will find in ourselves, somewhere the amazing courage all of them showed that day.

I would make a really bad Amish person

Exactly 4 days ago my hometown, Richmond, VA, got hit with the remnants of Hurricane Irene in the form of a Tropical Storm. I have experienced the aftemath of a hurricane before when Isabel blew through, and my girls (very young then) and I sat in the candlelight and listened as tree after tree snapped and then crashed hoping the next would not come through the house. We finally got to sleep. The next morning was the calm after the storm. It was beautiful and sunny and QUIET. We went outside, and I couldn't believe all the trees that were down all around us. We were without power for about 4 days then, but it didn't seem that bad. We cooked food on the grill, cleaned the house and played games. That was 8 years ago. We just got power back today after losing it around 6:30 on Saturday evening. Barely 3 days, and it seemed like forever. What was the big difference between now and then? A huge difference has to be our immense dependence on technology. We have become "connected" 24/7 to news, internet, bank accounts and friends with the tap of a finger on a touchscreen or a couple of keystrokes on a computer. We have the choice of hundreds of television stations and movies as close as the remote. When that power source leaves, so does that connection, and we are all at a loss. Another big difference for me was that I didn't have to be anywhere in 2008 when Isabel hit. I had a job with the school system, and we were closed. The girls were young, and it was somewhat of an adventure. The girls are now in their teens, and 24 hours was enough! We were all thrilled when we got "THE CALL" today that power had been restored. I was actually excited to wash my dishes today. That feeling won't last, and tonight it was business as usual.
When you get used to something, you take it for granted, but when it's gone, you realize just how blessed you are to be able to have all those things mentioned above. So many people are upset with Dominion Virginia Power as if somehow it is their fault that power was lost. The storm was the thief. The power company is the hero working tirelessly to restore electricity to over 1 million customers. Think about that. We are very fortunate that it has only been 3 days. I am so thankful for all the workers who have been out there dealing with very dangerous stuff so I can update my status on Facebook! So when you drive by a crew working in the next couple of days, wave, smile and give them a thumbs up. They deserve at least that and so much more!

We're Off to See the Wizard!

Today is the anniversary of a very important event, well important to me anyway. On this date back in 1939, The Wizard of Oz premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA. It is no secret that I absolutely adore The Wizard of Oz. In fact my first blog post was about a Wizard of Oz snuggie that I had received as a Christmas present. I can't ever remember not watching the movie. It has always been in my life. Of course, when I was growing up, back in the mid 1960's and early 70's, there were no VCR's or DVD's or Cable television for that matter. There were 4 stations. ABC, NBC, CBS, and Public Broadcasting. Therefore, The Wizard of Oz was broadcast once a year, and I never missed it until my senior year in high school when a Forensics competition prevented me from my yearly viewing. I was extremely distraught! With the invention of video and now DVD and Bluray, one can watch this amazing movie whenever the urge strikes, and as odd as this may sound, that makes me a little sad because the yearly viewing was an event, something to look forward to, like a holiday. I am, however, very grateful that I have the movie preserved and in my possession to watch in case television ever decides to stop airing it. As much as I love it, I have only seen it on the big screen twice and that was as an adult, although you wouldn't know it by my excited behavior! The Wizard of Oz is  one of those movies you either love or hate. I have met some haters in my day, but regardless of what you feel about the the film and its story, I defy anyone to watch it for its production value and not be amazed at the final product and just how well the movie is filmed! Now remember, this was filmed in 1938 when there were no computers, so no CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Every special effect had to be designed with something tangible and filmed to make the desired effect. The "twister" scene in this film is so realistic, that if I had been on set, I may have pushed  Auntie Em out of the way to get to the storm cellar. The  idea to film the farm scenes in Sepia tone and the over the rainbow scenes in brilliant color was ingenious, and forget about the Wicked Witch of the West being scary (in fact I know some adults to this day who are afraid of her). It's the Flying Monkeys that are the creepiest! I can't believe they are people in costume. Add to all that a magnificent cast, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton and Frank Morgan and you had an awesome film! It has become an icon of the 20th century, and it has been delighting audiences, young and old alike, since it's debut. Whether your child watches it over and over again on DVD or you catch it on TBS when they run it back to back on a weekend ( and don't pretend that when your channel surfing if you see it, that you don't stop. I know I do) it will always be with us as part of our history and part of our hearts.

Before and after, well at least 5 months after

To look at me now, one wouldn't think that I had the nickname "Skinny Minnie" growing up, but I did. Up until the age of 10 I could eat anything, and I never gained an ounce. I was literally skin and bones. Then nature played a cruel trick on me. My metabolism changed, and I started to gain weight. From then on it was up and down all through my middle and high school years. Now, I must say that with all the hype of media about body issues for girls, you would think it was something new. It's not. I went through High School thinking I was fat. Looking at pictures now, I can't imagine what I was thinking. I might not have been tiny, but I was in no way "FAT" I've spent pretty much of my adult life going on this diet or that to get into a dress or please someone else or look good for this or that event. I'm sure you can guess where this is leading. It never worked. Oh, sure, I would lose the weight, get to a point where I was starting to look good to myself, and then tire of the deprivation of those wonderful foods that I loved so much. And then, pack on the pounds as I indulged. Last February I went to the doctor for a check-up to renew my blood pressure medication. They did lab work, and I got a call at the end of February from the nurse. She asked me if I had a minute. Now, let me pause here to say that I have always been pretty healthy all through my life, even though I have spent a lot of it overweight. So imagine my shock when I heard what the nurse said. She told me that my lab work had come back, and that my blood sugar numbers registered as Pre-diabetic. I was told to go on a low carb, low sugar diet. WOW! Talk about a wake-up call. At this point, you may be thinking, "Didn't she know she was overweight?" Of course I did, but I had a mental attitude of "I like who I am inside, so screw the world, and their definition of beauty." There's nothing wrong with that attitude. It is important to love ourselves no matter what package we are wrapped in, but I kept "feeding" (no pun intended) that attitude as I ballooned higher and higher up the scale. When I got the call from the doctor's office, my weight was at an all time high, and 18 lbs. over the mental limit I had told myself I would never cross. The words I heard on the phone that day made me stop and re-examine my "attitude" I'm not stupid I knew that the weight I was at was unhealthy, but it took someone to tell me what I was risking to make me do something. I found out on a Friday, and that Monday I started my new life. I choose not to use the word diet. I have been on many "diets", and they have never held long term results. There's no magic formula,  no matter how many commercials you see or ads you hear that claim that there is. What has really made things successful for me this time, I think, is that I'm not on a diet, I'm not in a hurry, and I haven't set some unrealistic goal. I'm living a new way to preserve my health. Weight loss is just a perk. I'm not preaching, and I hope it doesn't come off that way.  Losing weight is not a race to the finish line, it's a journey to a better, healthier way of life. I'm still on my journey, and I just want people to know that it's not easy, but it's worth it! 40 lbs. so far, and I feel so much better, and so glad I started this voyage.

Why can't life be like the movies?

I love movies! I don't see as many as I would like to anymore as I rarely see one in the theatre, TOO EXPENSIVE! But...there was a time when I saw movies on a regular basis, and then the ones I really liked in theatre, I purchased on video (that word right there dates me) for my own collection. My collection is filled with movies I adore, some old , The Wizard of Oz, Hitchcock's Notorious, Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant and many others, some new-er like Pleasantville, Rain Man and Victor, Victoria. There is one film in my collection that I have been thinking a lot about lately given the government's current financial stand-off. It is a movie called Dave starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver that was released in 1993, almost 20 years ago. If you've seen it, indulge me while I give a brief synopsis. If you haven't rent it and watch it!
 Bill Mitchell is the philandering and distant President of the United States. Dave Kovic is a sweet-natured and caring Temp Agency operator, who by a staggering coincidence looks exactly like the President. As such, when Mitchell wants to escape an official luncheon, the Secret Service hires Dave to stand in for him. Unfortunately, Mitchell suffers a severe stroke whilst having sex with one of his aides, and Dave finds himself stuck in the role indefinitely. The corrupt and manipulative Chief of Staff, Bob Alexander, plans to use Dave to elevate himself to the White House - but unfortunately, he doesn't count on Dave enjoying himself in office, using his luck to make the country a better place, and falling in love with the beautiful First Lady. ~ from IMDB

Why do I love this movie so much? Well first of all, I love anything Kevin Kline touches and secondly, it's one of those great, feel good, do the right thing, hope for the future movies that I am drawn to. With recent news depressing us all, I couldn't help but think of this film, and how "seemingly" simple things could be. I long for the day, when it's not about winning and control and argument for argument's sake but about running this country in a manner that is best for its people and being fair and working together. A pipe dream? Maybe, but this film gives me a glimmer of hope. Maybe life needs to take a lesson from the movies, well...at least this one.

"So shines a good deed in a weary world." ~ Willy Wonka

I spend a good amount of time on the Internet between email and Facebook. Ahhh...Facebook..that phenomenon of social networking. If you are familiar with Facebook, and if you're not, you need to seriously reconsider that "hermit" thing, you know that people post things all the time. Some are of interest to me, others are not, but every once in a while someone posts something that touches me deeply. This morning as I was scrolling through my news feed I came across a video that Jim Beaver posted. It was about a softball team and one particular player who scored her first home run, but there was a problem. She hit the ball over the fence, but turning 1st, she tore her ACL and dropped to the ground in pain. The rules state that if her own team members were to touch her to help her around the bases, she would be called out. What to do? And then something happened. A player from the opposing team asked the umpire if she could pick her up and carry her around the bases. She was told there was no rule against that, so she and another teammate picked up the injured player and carried her around the bases, stopping to touch her uninjured foot on each base. She had her home run, her first and last, as the injury ended her softball career. The opposing team lost the game that day as the home run they assisted with drove in two other runs, but it wasn't about winning that day. It was about doing the right thing, putting someone else before yourself! As I watched the video, and, YES, I cried, I couldn't help but think, ALL IS NOT LOST! There is till hope for a better world when you see young people exhibit such selfless behavior. The world is in their hands, and I'm pretty comfortable with that.

I'm having a heart attack, take me to the ER....WAIT! Can you afford that?

This is my 114th blog post, and the 113 before this one have been personal revelations, insights, opinions, not many have entered into the political realm. This one won't really either, but something happened to me about a month ago that has opened this door for me.
On the 10th of June, I started feeling this all too familiar pain in the left flank of my back. The annoyance of a kidney stone. Yes, I am one of the lucky ones that suffers with kidney stones. they were first presented to me as a gift from my soon to be born second child back in 1995. From 1995 to 2005, I had a major stone ~ by that, I mean one causing pain severe enough to send me to the ER ~ about every 6 months. And then, as if by magic, they stopped. I'm sure it had a lot to do with diet changes. They stopped until Friday, June 10th, 2011. By Saturday, June 11th, the pain was so intense I could barely take a breath, and the pain had moved. It was more in the front than the back and seemed to be in my abdomen. I thought, what if this isn't a kidney stone? What if my appendix is about to burst or I have some major Gastrointestinal issue. I woke my daughter and asked her to drive me to the ER. Ahh, the ER, perhaps another blog post for another time. Needless to say, it was not a great experience. Cutting to the chase, I spent 5 hours there to find out I had a kidney stone (actually, 3, but one large enough to be lodged in my ureter, hence the pain in my abdomen and two smaller ones sitting in my kidney) and to get a pain shot with discharge instructions to follow up with my urologist. Now, let me start by saying I am not a baby when it comes to pain. I have a very high tolerance for pain. An Example: The accident I had when I was young that I have blogged about before required that I have a plastic surgery procedure on my face called skin planing every 6 months for 8 years. That's 16 procedures. The patient is given a local (in my case, Novocaine) and the procedure is done while the patient is awake. I felt all but one, because I apparently needed more Novocaine than the average dose. However, I never told my doctor until the last procedure that I could feel everything because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. All that to make this point. I don't visit the ER at the drop of a hat. When I visited on June 11th, I was asked for a $75.00 co-pay. I thought to myself, "Oh, it's gone up from $50.00 to $75.00," never looking at my card to check.  Not checking the insurance before going to the ER, this was my first mistake. Me, of all people, one who used to pay insurance claims. I remember denying claim after claim because the insured had not followed procedures.
Yesterday, I received a bill from the hospital for my 5 hour stay in the ER. Are you ready for this? Over $8,000. Luckily, I was not being billed for the $8,000. I was being billed for $680.00, which might as well be $8,000, because I don't have either. I couldn't believe it! $8,000 for 5 hours! Thank God they didn't admit me! The reason I should have checked my card? I no longer have a co-pay for the ER. My insurance only covers 70% of an ER visit. I know, right now you're doing the math and saying 30% of $8,000 isn't $680.00. I did the same thing, but am deciding to just keep my mouth shut. It'll take me years to pay the $680.00 off. What if I didn't have insurance? How in the world could I or anyone else who isn't a millionaire pay an $8,000 bill? Something has to be done! Not just for people like me but for the elderly and the people with no insurance. If it's not national health care, then something needs to be done about the vicious cycles of the the hospitals and doctors charging these astronomical fees because the insurance companies are paying less and less, and the insurance companies paying less and less because the they feel the doctors and hospitals are charging too much. I don't have the answers, but somebody needs to come up with them. No one should have to decide if they can afford to be sick or pick and choose which life-saving medications they should eliminate because they are too expensive. I  told my daughter who was there when I opened the bill, "If I ever have a heart attack, make the EMT's treat me in the living room because I can't afford for them to take me to the hospital." She thought I was joking. I wish I was.