Walking and Writing

Last month I tried to train for a mini-marathon I'm doing a few months from now. Unfortunately Flower the Dog who follows me whenever I go walking or jogging almost got her head ripped off by a group of dogs as a result.

Stupid effing dog! I didn't do a lot of working out after that. I'll have to find a different way to do that...

This month I want do something for writing. Not a lot of writing...maybe just 31 500 word stories...one for each day. I've been thinking about it and I think it's something that will help me do better at writing.

Here is my first little ficlet:

 Dro dropped me off at the hotel told me to wait, he told me he'd be there soon. Liar.

I gave our names at the door and caught the blue eye of a freckle-faced young woman, her face promptly flushed with red and turned away from me. In my own ignorant way, I attributed this to local norms, perhaps they have an aversion to eye contact. It could have been so, I don't know, I'd never been to The Isles before.

I was still wearing the jumpsuit with the logo on it, it surprised me that they even let me in without asking for identification. This should have tipped me off, but I was younger then and I can definitely say this experience taught me a few things.

The staff welcomed in to a “suite” which is kind of like a really nice house that was stacked on top of other houses. It was the most beautiful room I'd ever seen; clean and white, with a fireplace and a balcony with a view of the ocean.

It is also funny, though now in an entirely non-humorous way, I didn't feel tether anymore. No longer did I feel it eating at my back, I thought I was free.

I took of my jacket and noticed something different. It felt different. I removed the upper-half of my jumpsuit and immediately realized why Dro needed to get me new clothes.

Somehow great cuts of meat had attached themselves to my skeleton leaving great ripples on my arms, chest, back, stomach...everywhere. That wasn't the only change, my skin was two shades lighter. My eyes an even shade of brown. I blinked and touched my arm where the bulbus pocket of flesh was. It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel like it was a part of me either. He said I would like it, but I didn't I liked being a tall teenager with extra long limbs, large hands, uneven skin tone. That was a normal body. This body was a freak.

“You.” I said waving a finger at my reflection, as if glare back guiltily. “I hate you.”

My mind started racing, I started doing some ritualistic activity, the type of thing I always used to do at home when situations seemed out of my control. Dro's clothing was organized by color (which was had because almost all of his clothing is brown or gray). My jump-suits were folded neatly, the room was immaculately clean. The only thing dirty was my skin which I realized would probably look even more pale when the layers of dirt were removed.

Dro had some explaining to do when he got back.

It wasn't until I was in the shower that I realized he wasn't coming. It wasn't long after that, that I stopped thinking.

Looking back, I realize I should have thought a little more. I should have wondered why he'd sent me in alone, I shouldn't have assumed he was just parking the car. It should have crossed my mind that he could have sent me in to hurt someone, it was the first time I'd simply done as he told me. My first mistake.

I could feel his thoughts of things so alien I can't explain as we walked down a long hallway and knocked on a door.  

Katniss' Kitty-Mommy

Remember my previous post about pro-life and pro-choice and how it was all about a lack of responsibility in our society?

Well, It turns out I'm just as guilty as everyone else.

 Here I was, preaching about the pros and cons of birth control and how education just wasn't cutting down pregnancy rates, I didn't even notice...

(I close my eyes, shake my head and sigh in severe self loathing and shame)

Katniss...Katniss was pregnant, and pretty far along.

I live in a two-story house. I occupy an upstairs studio and my grandmother uses the first story. When I got her, Katniss was intended to be an indoor cat. I wanted her to stay upstairs in my studio apartment when I'm not home. However, when I am gone Katniss gets lonely and my grandma will let her roam around outside.

At first I would try to explain to my grandmother that Katniss couldn't go galavanting outside because she was not spayed. Grandma would invulnerably say "Oh, yes, we don't want her to get pregnant." And yet, she would persist in the behavior that I EXPLICITLY ASKED HER NOT TO DO!

It got to the point to where I would would be downstairs with Katniss doing laundry or something and GRANDMA goes over and opens the FRONT DOOR! GAAAAHHHH.

What did I do? Did I buy a pen and keep her upstairs all the time? Did I spend the money and effort to take her in to get fixed?

No, I was too busy with school and work. I didn't want to think about it.

Then Katniss is sitting on my lap with this stomach porturding  out of either side. I can feel that it's not normal cat stomach, it's baby-kitties inside her.

Initially I was very, very, extremely reluctant to terminate the pregnancy. Babies aren't supposed to die. They're supposed to grow! I agonized over knowing that I couldn't care for a liter of baby kitties, and that fact...babies...even non-human ones...are NOT supposed to die.

I think my family was ultimately proud of my big girl decision to have her be spayed and the pregnancy ended. Still I am a bit ashamed to say I didn't even do that part myself, except to make an appointment to have my sister take Katniss and Tigerlily (My dad's "Outdoor" cat who also lives in my house) to get spayed.

I think I did the right thing, I know I couldn't have cared for a litter of kitties and I couldn't have found them homes. But the thing that still gets me is that I wasn't a responsible kitty-mommy. Because the REAL "Right Thing" to do was to get her spayed while she was still young. Which I didn't do.

January Sans Soda

Last month I went without soda.

February first I forgot that I could have soda, and still ordered water. I didn't feel like I went without, it was actually really nice. :D

This month I want to do something with walking, which I don't think I'll be able to do every day. But it would be nice to set a goal for miles of walking.

What do you think?

Tumblr Vs Pinterest and Why Bilbo Is AMAZIN'

I spent a month without Pinning. It wasn't that bad because Tumblr was my methodone. No! Pinterest is the Methadone for Tumblr!!!

Way more fun and interactive!

Oh, and Guess WHAHAT?????? I found my Geek Glasses!!

(Note: In honor of the six-movie series, this will be the first in a six-post series dedicated to the awesome that Tolkien made.)

*pushes her Geek Glasses up the brim of her nose*

There, that's much better. Now, where were we? Oh, yes! The Hobbit.

Now, in ebster's dictionary this one is filled under 'H', or 'T'...no?

OK, maybe 'B' No?” Lemme see....

(rummages through a few more pages)

“Oh, yes! Here it is! Under 'A' for 'Amazin'”

On more then one occasion (before "The Hobbit" movie came out) I've gotten into those geeky movie conversations with people who enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movie series. Whenever I would get into these conversations I would invariably ask the golden question: “Are you familiar with The Hobbit?”

More then once the response has been something like, “Oh, I read that one when I was in school." Followed by a dismissive shrug indicating disinterest in the subject.

Whenever this happens, I really can't help but wonder if I'm the same species as these people.

I think of what an impact this story and it's main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, has had on how I look at life. For me, it's not just a not a story about a Hobbit and a Wizard and a Ring, its a story about a little man with unflinching integrity.

What Bilbo Taught Me:

1) Even when you stand nothing to gain...

 you can show kindness and mercy.


2) Even when it costs you a friendship...

you can life your standards and do the right thing.

and 3) (This one comes later...)
Even if you are never taken seriously, never get married, and are seen as an eccentric kook for the rest of your life...

you can be true to who you are.

You can choose to be the hero, you can choose to do the right thing. You can live the adventure of your life for the rest of your life.

Community Health Nursing and The Sorry State of Society

It's December 31st and I am sitting in Starbucks with my little sister. (She isn't bored yet, I gave her my tablet.)

I spent most of this month researching reproductive health services for the community as a part of a community health nursing class. A lot of it was spent going around to different healthcare centers in my community and asking questions...and then asking citizens about their opinions and analyzing the data and coming up with a plan for correcting a health disparity based on one of the health indicators in the Healthy People 2020 Initiative.

I learned that our community has a lot of excellent resources for economically disadvantaged pregnant women and young mothers, but few resources for family planning and STI prevention.

This project was a lot of fun (and by "fun" I mean "facinating" and "eye opening"). I feel that, in a sense, I've become richer from it. I got to talk to people, and not just in a "survey" way...some of them really opened up, about something that was important to them.

In my final paper, I endorsed the placement of a Planned Parenthood clinic in my community as a key way to reduce the rates of Teen Pregnancy, Chlamydia, Syphilis and Gonorrhea (turns out my county is in the top fifty for the country).

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Mormonhippie, You're Pro-Life. You've never been pregnant, and you practice abstinence. What the frak?"

The reason is:

1) Sexual health is more then having babies or not having babies. I learned that when I had to start taking birth control pills because my periods were irreglar.

2) As a society we are abhorrently polarized by this issue. Conservatives see pro-choicers as selfish and Liberals see pro-lifers as ignorant. NEITHER of those steriotypes are universally true, and I think it's shamefull that we've been so dismissive of an opposing veiwpoint and that we can't find common ground. 

3) I'm fascinated by public health, and I think that by polarizing this issue we hurt people. How do we "make" people take care of their bodies? How do you cause that kind of social change where people THINK about how their behavior effects other people?

I don't think we have all the answers yet, but denying services to men and women in need is the wrong way to go.

In my case I have to look out for myself and do what I know is right before God because by-and-large I may be the only person doing so. 

.....................

NOW!!!! On to something way more fun to discuss!

(The Hobbit, An Unexpected Awesome)

Just give me a chance to find my Geek Glasses, K? BRB

....

November and NANO

Last month's experiment was kind of a bummer. I had intended to show appreciation to some people I don't know well but I associate with regularly. One of them was on a road trip and the other called off of work that night.

So instead, I spent money on people who are actually an important part of my life. That was nice ("nice" in a Mr. Tilney kind of way)

The best part of the month was nano. I finished my 50,000 words but, like the previous story on which this one is based, it's pretty unstructured and episodic. Yet another revision I will have to put on the shelf for some mystical time known as "later".

This month I'm not pinning anything on pinterest.

Being a Vegitablearian

So, How was my life without meat, cheese, eggs and basically all animal products? Not bad actually.

I learned a lot of the things I thought I enjoyed actually aren't that important to me and that a lot of the foods I thought I enjoyed really just made me feel sick. 

It's important to eat regularly and have an energy source that takes longer to break down before a long trip, or when you might not have access to food for a while.  

I honestly hate how fresh foods spoil now. I think I should buy more freeze dried stuffs.

Yesterday I almost messed up. I put a half string cheese in my mouth. I now feel dirty and violated, I spit it out right away. 

I thought by the end of all this I'd really be dying for, like, a hamburger or something, what I really want is another of those Vegetarian Chapolte Burritos!