I have discovered in the last year that I love to run. Not because it think it's great exercise or anything like that, I am not a big fan of the word exercise. I prefer to say that I run so can come home and drink a beer and stretch and meditate. That's what I love about it. Not anything great about running 5 miles but, that stretch. I love it.
On Sunday, I took myself on my first full 5 mile run that I have ever done without stopping to walk or anything. I was super stoked that I was finally able to relax into it and go. About the time I hit almost 5 miles, there was a truck that drove past me with it's confederate flag waving proudly and I started to think about that flag and what it meant to me, but, more importantly, what did mean to the south back then. What did it represent to them, that was worth fighting for? Certainly the argument can be made it was about fighting for slavery, and I would say that's mostly correct. I am seriously offended when I hear, why this flag is such a great one, and the south will rise again line of horse shit! Whatever. But I had watched Gone With the Wind this week, and while I know it's a bit fictitious, it's the way of life.
So then it got me thinking, what was it about this life that was so great? To start, life was simple, you knew where your station was in life and for the rich, I don't really think much has changed. They still get sent to private schools and compete fiercely in sports, which leads them to be competitive in life which in turn, keep the rich, rich. This is really what I got out of it: The way of life to them was worth preserving. They had slaves, true and that shit's bad, but, there was more. The gentlemen were just that, gentlemen. They opened doors for ladies, they stood up when I woman walked into the room, or when she got the table or the get up from the table. They knew what manners were, they were able to learn to run their homes, which, in these cases were huge farms. I run a small household and that's not always easy. There was always scandals and gossip but there is that now. The women, they were actual ladies. They knew how to entertain, how to run the house, discipline the kids, teach their daughters how to be ladies and have manners and they could throw a party. Not just a run of the mill party, but, huge massive events that took weeks to plan. And it seemed everyone gave a party at least once during the season. The dresses were never too revealing, though there was a lot of cleavage that could be seen.
And then, if you look back to the where did they get this idea of high society and such, it came from England. The Regency era was alive for many years from the 1700's to the mid 1900's. Oh the fashion has changed and hem lines got shorts and neck lines plunged deeper, the scandals were just the same, but, this was a way of thinking in polite society. The beauty pageants that we see now, are in memory of a time gone by. Big dresses and hair, learning how to dance and sing, have different talents, be able to handle yourself in a conversation. These things were a representation of the South. I love all these things, the hair, the dresses, the carriage rides, the hand that helps a lady out of the vehicle. At least, that's what I see.
We now live in a world where these things are laughed at. To be polite is be passive and to help a lady is considered to be pussy whipped. A woman is laughed at when she wants to get dressed up to go out, or even to dress up for anything. We think that nice jeans will suffice for that party. The way that we treat each other as people, mates, friends, spouses, I think is just terrible. We have lost the pride and respect for ourselves.
I see the ones who say that the Confederate flag is not a symbol of oppression or slavery, it's of the south. Yet these are the ones who aren't doing that way of life any justice. They have mistaken the word southern for redneck. A redneck is a whole other ball of wax that I don't wish to talk about. But this is what I have to say to those who think it's still ok to say that's just what you're proud of. Then be proud of that way of thinking. Open the door for your lady, kiss her hand when she greets you, compliment her on her dress. Learn to be what we would call a gentleman. And Ladies... Respect yourself. Let them open the door. If your man opens the door for you, he is not trying to take away all the freedom that you have, he's not trying to tell you that you are incapable of this life without him, he's simply opening the door. It's a way that people show they care, or they are respectful to you. Learn to be a lady.
Bottom line is this, I can't make you any less of a racist bigot than what you already are. We are all a bigot in some ways, and it's a flaw that I try to work on every day. But if you're going to be proud to be Southern, and wave that flag like you were there in the war hoping that your way of life would be preserved, then perhaps you should learn what it meant to be Southern, not a redneck.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
When did we become so easily offended?
This holiday season is one that I am looking forward to. I am excited by it, I love the holidays. Not because of gifts or anything like that, but, because of the season itself. So then, why are we already seeing so many people offended by... are you ready for this one, a red cup.
So, in hearing about this one, I knew I had to say something about it. Our easily offended delicate natures are up in arms because it's not Christmasy enough. It's a disposable coffee cup, that is red, with a white lid and the company logo on it. That's it. There is nothing else on it, there is no snowflakes to indicate winter season, no saying on it to wish anyone a happy winter holiday. Nothing like that, it's just red. Wow, it seems so obvious to me now. Am I the only one that thinks this is just about as ridiculous as can be?
People were offended because things said Merry Christmas, and what if they didn't celebrate that day, why should they have to be told something that if they don't believe in. So then, in answer to that, we started to see things with Merry X-Mas, to let those know that we are trying to be more adaptable to other people's feelings. But that's not cool... You have taken Christ out of Christmas and that's just sacrilegious because Christ is the reason for the season... So, we cautiously put in here and there, just to those we know will or won't get offended by our words.
When does this stop though? When do we stop getting so upset by something that has nothing to do with us? When are going to see that the actions of a small number of people are just that, their own actions? When do we stop trying to blame others for our delicate sensibilities? Personally, there are only one thing that really offends me. Joking about rape, because, well, there is nothing funny about it. And if you think there is, we aren't friends for a reason, due to the fact that, to me, there isn't anything funny about it. Most people who have been brutalized in such a way don't think it's funny. Ever. Not even a little bit, not even in a joke. That's the biggest one for me. I can be offended by others but, if I do, then I let them have my power so I try not to get offended by little things.
And all of this pales in utter comparison to the fact that we should be paying attention to the world around us. The one where we live, where the United States just gave Israel another 30 billion in aid. Where in the world does a nation with a trillion dollar deficit get an extra 30 billion to give to anyone else. Wouldn't we put that to better use maybe helping those who live here by fixing problems with the VA? When is Israel going to pay us back? Are we going to get the money back or are we just writing checks with a never ending bank account? Where does this stop? How can we as a nation say that we are in such financial dire straights and can't balance the budget and there are more and more cuts to Medicare and Social Security and we are giving other countries BILLIONS of dollars!! I think we have some of our priorities a little out of whack.
I think we need to start taking a step back and realizing that we have become so narcissistic that we are unable to see anyone else's opinions. We need to re-learn what it means to be humble and grateful and not so focused on stupid things that really aren't that important. We need to take back our much-ness. We use to be much more much-ier and now, we are not. We seem to be a bunch of self entitled, internet dependent, instant gratification, assuming, easily offended brats. I for one don't want to leave this place feeling like that is what I have left for my girls. I am doing something about it. I am teaching them to be quick to think, yet slow to reply. Use manners, think before speaking, use sarcasim in moderation, the world already has an abundance of smart-asses. I hope what I leave behind is a world they are ready for, because quite frankly, I am not pleased with it. I am working to change it though... What are you doing to make it better?
So, in hearing about this one, I knew I had to say something about it. Our easily offended delicate natures are up in arms because it's not Christmasy enough. It's a disposable coffee cup, that is red, with a white lid and the company logo on it. That's it. There is nothing else on it, there is no snowflakes to indicate winter season, no saying on it to wish anyone a happy winter holiday. Nothing like that, it's just red. Wow, it seems so obvious to me now. Am I the only one that thinks this is just about as ridiculous as can be?
People were offended because things said Merry Christmas, and what if they didn't celebrate that day, why should they have to be told something that if they don't believe in. So then, in answer to that, we started to see things with Merry X-Mas, to let those know that we are trying to be more adaptable to other people's feelings. But that's not cool... You have taken Christ out of Christmas and that's just sacrilegious because Christ is the reason for the season... So, we cautiously put in here and there, just to those we know will or won't get offended by our words.
When does this stop though? When do we stop getting so upset by something that has nothing to do with us? When are going to see that the actions of a small number of people are just that, their own actions? When do we stop trying to blame others for our delicate sensibilities? Personally, there are only one thing that really offends me. Joking about rape, because, well, there is nothing funny about it. And if you think there is, we aren't friends for a reason, due to the fact that, to me, there isn't anything funny about it. Most people who have been brutalized in such a way don't think it's funny. Ever. Not even a little bit, not even in a joke. That's the biggest one for me. I can be offended by others but, if I do, then I let them have my power so I try not to get offended by little things.
And all of this pales in utter comparison to the fact that we should be paying attention to the world around us. The one where we live, where the United States just gave Israel another 30 billion in aid. Where in the world does a nation with a trillion dollar deficit get an extra 30 billion to give to anyone else. Wouldn't we put that to better use maybe helping those who live here by fixing problems with the VA? When is Israel going to pay us back? Are we going to get the money back or are we just writing checks with a never ending bank account? Where does this stop? How can we as a nation say that we are in such financial dire straights and can't balance the budget and there are more and more cuts to Medicare and Social Security and we are giving other countries BILLIONS of dollars!! I think we have some of our priorities a little out of whack.
I think we need to start taking a step back and realizing that we have become so narcissistic that we are unable to see anyone else's opinions. We need to re-learn what it means to be humble and grateful and not so focused on stupid things that really aren't that important. We need to take back our much-ness. We use to be much more much-ier and now, we are not. We seem to be a bunch of self entitled, internet dependent, instant gratification, assuming, easily offended brats. I for one don't want to leave this place feeling like that is what I have left for my girls. I am doing something about it. I am teaching them to be quick to think, yet slow to reply. Use manners, think before speaking, use sarcasim in moderation, the world already has an abundance of smart-asses. I hope what I leave behind is a world they are ready for, because quite frankly, I am not pleased with it. I am working to change it though... What are you doing to make it better?
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
How massage can help you stay healthy
I love how great I feel after getting a really good massage. I feel like I can take such a nice long nap and it would be perfect way to end the day. However, if I get one in the morning, often times a nap is not going to happen for me. With so many reasons to love getting a massage, if I had to narrow it down to what I love most about a massage it's this, I feel so good afterwards.
We all have some sort of little things that we do to keep us healthy, well, at least some of us do. I run and stretch and meditate at least three days a week. It would be ideal for me to do it four times a week, but, I haven't quite gotten to that point yet. I also don't eat things that hurt my stomach thus, making the rest of my body feel so much better. I don't eat wheat. No because I have been diagnosed with anything, I just know that it hurts if I eat it, so I don't. I don't indulge in too much alcohol, but I do have a beer at night after running while stretching. I read so my mind stays active, I write to become a better writer. I paint because I love how I feel while I'm doing it. And I love to listen to music and just relax and watch the weather outside do its thing. All of these I do to keep my healthy. The most important thing I do, is get a regular massage. I know of nothing better to keep my body is it's best shape that I can, and it's great for what it does for my peace of mind.
Why is massage so important? How does that keep me healthy and feeling my best? There are lots of ways that massage helps. For starters, if you think about the dis-ease that we suffer from that are generally terminal, they are caused from one of three things; poor circulation, inflammation of the body, and stress.
Stress does so much to a body that it can boggle the mind what it's capable of. There are so many people in our lives who have no outlet and the stress is literally tearing their bodies apart. Pain of any kind, heart dis-ease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression, weight problems, auto-immune dis-eases are all ways that our bodies react to stress overload. With so much going on in our lives on a daily basis, it would seem that no one is really needing to have these kind of issues with their health. But how do we deal with stress. There are so many way to deal with and yet, we have to be reminded of it. In fact, we as a society have gotten so lost, we have to pay someone to remind us to breathe and relax. Go back to the basics, to when you were little and the hardest decision in life was do I finger paint the driveway right now, or do I go play tag. What did we do to relieve our stress? We played, we went outside and had fun rolling down the hills on the grass. We laughed. Our mom would rub our backs when we weren't feeling good, or kiss our knees when we fell off our bikes. We loved life and didn't care about anything but having fun.
There's that idea of touch again. Fast forward to our lives now. For me, in my thirties, I wonder where do I go from here. I have so much stress that it tends to misuse my imagination a lot, but, with all of it, I make time to get the massage. It allows my mind and body to free itself from the tension that comes from being an adult. I am often asked how often should one get a massage and my response is always the same, if possible, once a week. Not everyone can swing that, so for those who can't, once a month is good too.
Inflammation of the body is one of those little things that creeps up on you and before you know what hits you, you have developed some sort of problem that you really don't have the time to deal with. If left alone, chronic inflammation can lead to serious issues including some kinds of cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, periodontitis, and hay fever. Once again, our lives have way too much going on for us to have to go through the pain and heartache of these problems. A certain amount of inflammation is alright, especially when fighting off infections, but, in the case of excess inflammation, these are all possible outcomes. Again, a massage offers a relaxing alternative to a vast industry of pills and cures. (I'm not saying that everyone will be going off of their meds and before getting a massage, if you have these kinds of issues, you will need to consult with your doctor, and in some cases, have a doctor's note to receive the massage.) By manipulating the bodies soft tissue, you are moving the lymphatic fluid and helping it to drain to the proper locations thus relieving inflammation. This is why we are telling you to drink lots and lots of water to flush the lactic acid out of your body. Also, to take a nice hot bath before you go bed. Your skin is your largest organ and by sweating it out, you are doing exactly what your body needs to be doing. Again, flushing out the lactic acid, though this way is through perspiration.
We have all seen what poor circulation can do to a person. Makes them turn blue. With good circulation, think of a child's cheeks after playing outside, all flushed and out of breath. They are red as can be. That's the flow of blood to the skins surface. Some common problems with poor circulation include Peripheral Artery Disease, blood clots, varicose veins, diabetes, obesity, and Raynaud's dis-ease. PAD, blood clots, varicose veins would all require a doctor's note before receiving a massage.
With so much that can go wrong with a body, a massage seems like a drop in the bucket in taking care of yourself, but to know that it can help with all of these things, that it can take the knots out of our bodies, help us sleep better, focus more, and feel a bit happier, perhaps you should ask yourself this instead: Isn't my health worth that much each month to take care of my body and mind? Isn't my peace of mind and attitude worth that much to help chase the gremlins out of my head? Isn't my life worth that?
If your still not convinced, try it for a few months and see what it can do for you. You may just be surprised how much better your body feels afterwards. Give it a shot, after all, we need to take care of our bodies, it's the only place we have to live.
We all have some sort of little things that we do to keep us healthy, well, at least some of us do. I run and stretch and meditate at least three days a week. It would be ideal for me to do it four times a week, but, I haven't quite gotten to that point yet. I also don't eat things that hurt my stomach thus, making the rest of my body feel so much better. I don't eat wheat. No because I have been diagnosed with anything, I just know that it hurts if I eat it, so I don't. I don't indulge in too much alcohol, but I do have a beer at night after running while stretching. I read so my mind stays active, I write to become a better writer. I paint because I love how I feel while I'm doing it. And I love to listen to music and just relax and watch the weather outside do its thing. All of these I do to keep my healthy. The most important thing I do, is get a regular massage. I know of nothing better to keep my body is it's best shape that I can, and it's great for what it does for my peace of mind.
Why is massage so important? How does that keep me healthy and feeling my best? There are lots of ways that massage helps. For starters, if you think about the dis-ease that we suffer from that are generally terminal, they are caused from one of three things; poor circulation, inflammation of the body, and stress.
Stress does so much to a body that it can boggle the mind what it's capable of. There are so many people in our lives who have no outlet and the stress is literally tearing their bodies apart. Pain of any kind, heart dis-ease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression, weight problems, auto-immune dis-eases are all ways that our bodies react to stress overload. With so much going on in our lives on a daily basis, it would seem that no one is really needing to have these kind of issues with their health. But how do we deal with stress. There are so many way to deal with and yet, we have to be reminded of it. In fact, we as a society have gotten so lost, we have to pay someone to remind us to breathe and relax. Go back to the basics, to when you were little and the hardest decision in life was do I finger paint the driveway right now, or do I go play tag. What did we do to relieve our stress? We played, we went outside and had fun rolling down the hills on the grass. We laughed. Our mom would rub our backs when we weren't feeling good, or kiss our knees when we fell off our bikes. We loved life and didn't care about anything but having fun.
There's that idea of touch again. Fast forward to our lives now. For me, in my thirties, I wonder where do I go from here. I have so much stress that it tends to misuse my imagination a lot, but, with all of it, I make time to get the massage. It allows my mind and body to free itself from the tension that comes from being an adult. I am often asked how often should one get a massage and my response is always the same, if possible, once a week. Not everyone can swing that, so for those who can't, once a month is good too.
Inflammation of the body is one of those little things that creeps up on you and before you know what hits you, you have developed some sort of problem that you really don't have the time to deal with. If left alone, chronic inflammation can lead to serious issues including some kinds of cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, periodontitis, and hay fever. Once again, our lives have way too much going on for us to have to go through the pain and heartache of these problems. A certain amount of inflammation is alright, especially when fighting off infections, but, in the case of excess inflammation, these are all possible outcomes. Again, a massage offers a relaxing alternative to a vast industry of pills and cures. (I'm not saying that everyone will be going off of their meds and before getting a massage, if you have these kinds of issues, you will need to consult with your doctor, and in some cases, have a doctor's note to receive the massage.) By manipulating the bodies soft tissue, you are moving the lymphatic fluid and helping it to drain to the proper locations thus relieving inflammation. This is why we are telling you to drink lots and lots of water to flush the lactic acid out of your body. Also, to take a nice hot bath before you go bed. Your skin is your largest organ and by sweating it out, you are doing exactly what your body needs to be doing. Again, flushing out the lactic acid, though this way is through perspiration.
We have all seen what poor circulation can do to a person. Makes them turn blue. With good circulation, think of a child's cheeks after playing outside, all flushed and out of breath. They are red as can be. That's the flow of blood to the skins surface. Some common problems with poor circulation include Peripheral Artery Disease, blood clots, varicose veins, diabetes, obesity, and Raynaud's dis-ease. PAD, blood clots, varicose veins would all require a doctor's note before receiving a massage.
With so much that can go wrong with a body, a massage seems like a drop in the bucket in taking care of yourself, but to know that it can help with all of these things, that it can take the knots out of our bodies, help us sleep better, focus more, and feel a bit happier, perhaps you should ask yourself this instead: Isn't my health worth that much each month to take care of my body and mind? Isn't my peace of mind and attitude worth that much to help chase the gremlins out of my head? Isn't my life worth that?
If your still not convinced, try it for a few months and see what it can do for you. You may just be surprised how much better your body feels afterwards. Give it a shot, after all, we need to take care of our bodies, it's the only place we have to live.
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