Arthritis in hands is bad this morning--worst its ever been. Must be from all the stuff I had to do yesterday due to water heater break.

Turning into Bag Lady. Have to bring several bags of various stuff into place of work tonight utilizing a handy shopping cart. Very chic!

Gothic.net Gothic Link Directory - Publishers http://ping.fm/TPNJa

Horror Genre - Magazines, Publishing Houses and e-zines http://ping.fm/m8T7I

| Publisher List | NovelRank http://ping.fm/HW09q

My father had a fall while trying to transfer into bed and is now in the hospital. Long story but he is getting worse.

Ugh! Am ridden with disease (cold) in pain, and can't find my document sized envelopes. This day is shaping up amazingly.

Sumerian Gods and Goddesses - Crystalinks http://ping.fm/xF0tY

Miskatonic University: Netherworld Annex: On Sale in Hal's Club Toy Department http://ping.fm/q8DOh

If Old School Comics Were Written For (And By) Drunk People | Cracked.com http://ping.fm/CRTiA

At this moment, The Cheesemeister is wishing her iced herbal tea were a nice double shot of something much, much stronger.

Having posted signs on all bulletin boards at Gerri Atrik Retirement Community, The Cheesemeister became aware that 1 sign was on wrong day.

http://ping.fm/NMonS Vegan diet article

Cheesemeister and Crackers: Kim Kardashian Continues Her Promotional Tour Of Europe (PHOTOS) http://ping.fm/tTAq6

Kim Kardashian Continues Her Promotional Tour Of Europe (PHOTOS)

Remember "One of these Things Is Not Like the Others" on Sesame Street? Let's play! Quick! Point out the real woman in the picture with Plastic Kimmy, Stepford Kris, and the Mona Lisa. Hint: she's also the most attractive one.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Moving forward with at least talking to lenders. Crossing my fingers to get out of this money pit before the end of the year.

Feeling like ten pounds of crap in a one pound sack.

Jon Voight Brags About His Grandkids

Sometimes the apple does fall away from the tree. My father is a republican, a member of the NRA, and, I'm embarrassed to say, a bit of a homophobe. I'm very liberal, pro (reasonable) gun control, and pro GLBT rights. In defense of my father, he is very family oriented and is at this point confined to a wheel chair with his mind slipping away due to a series of strokes.
About Angelina Jolie
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Kim Kardashian Buys $30,000 Purse

As you so correctly pointed out, she has the right to buy what she wishes, but what a waste. I don't know if it's possible to have empathy in her plastic heart any more than it's possible to have a real expression on her Botoxed face. I don't even make $30,000 a year, and I work full time as a patient care aide. $30,000 a year would seem like a small fortune to me. I currently have no hot water because my water heater is blown out and have gotten sick from pulling up the saturated carpeting. I can't afford to have anyone else do it. And yet there are people that have it worse than me. People like the Kardashians and her useless ilk make me sick. If I had her money I would be doing as much as humanly possible to help others who were in need, and I would still be buying twenty buck purses. The $20 variety carries myself just as well as the overpriced thing. I'd be hard pressed to spend $30,000 on a vehicle, but that would make a lot more sense.
About The Kardashians
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

If I could buy an actual house and ditch this mobile home I could be paying $300 a month less and have my own yard. Would be lots better.

Drew Barrymore: Sometimes I Look Like Shamu (PHOTO)

I like Drew but she has no idea what "fat" is. I think it's an awful shame that the media refers to normal weight people as fat. It promotes eating disorders. We all need to stop buying into that horrible mind set.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

My little Maine coon cat Anna raised 4 kittens. She's still in mama mode with me her big ugly kitten. She growls when other cats come near.

Well, that's just splendid. My water heater is shot and it leaked all up under the hall carpet. And the hits just keep comin'.

For Atheists and Believers, Ignorance Is No Excuse

I guess agnostics get it from all sides. One is damned by the theists and sneered at by the atheists. Whatever. I'm not interested in either those who see fit to make themselves feel righteous by damning those who don't adhere to their beliefs or those who wish to make themselves feel sophisticated by claiming they have no beliefs. I simply keep my mind open to possibilities. I believe that this is what a scientist does.

I would call myself an agnostic with Buddhist philosophies and Pagan tendencies. I like the old ways myself. Plus the old deities are so much more interesting. Some of them are even friendly.

Again, I have no problem with polite and open minded atheists or theists of whatever persuasion. It is those who have to be right above all to the point of rudeness that I have no need to bother myself with. Life's hard enough.
About Atheism
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Well, ain't that just happy crappy. Something is causing water under the rug in the hall. Have a feeling its water heater related.

The Fundie God

GodIs says:
God understands the problem of character and realizes that not only is the unbeliever unfit morally for Heaven, but he would choose to leave Heaven because of his discomfort with incompatible ends.

If God were to welcome the wicked into Heaven and make some allowances so that they would choose to stay, they would jeopardize the stability of the Heavenly abode. The goals of these selfish citizens would be at continual odds with those of God and the righteous citizens, throwing Heaven into turmoil and ultimately inciting insurrection and destruction.

Thus, God is obligated by His commitment to peace and harmony to confine those who have chosen self as their sole end to a place appropriate to their character. Since sinners love darkness rather than light, God gives them over to darkness. Since they love themselves supremely, God gives them an eternity to satisfy themselves. Since they love wickedness, He gives them wicked companions. Since they reject righteousness, God gives them a place devoid of righteousness. Since they love to mock the blessings of God and His love, God gives them a place devoid of Him and His love.

You see, God even loves sinners enough to give them exactly what they want most. Eternal misery and suffering in Hell is the most loving thing God can offer the unrepentant sinner.

The Cheese Says:

Right then. But your god does not make a distinction between a person who doesn't believe in him but treats everybody wonderfully, saves ten orphans from a burning building and builds a hospital for the poor; and a person who goes about stomping kittens and puppies and impaling infants. According to the fundamentalist rules, both the good hearted atheist and the evil sicko will burn in the fires of hell. This god doesn't seem like a very fair deity to me, nor loving in the least. I think I'll choose me one that has a little more sense and sensitivity.
And if your god is all powerful, how come he creates unfit creatures in the first place?

For Atheists and Believers, Ignorance Is No Excuse

I'm not trying to be a smart ass but I wish to query, why, if God is love, would God want any of its creation to suffer? I was raised Catholic and came to the point where I could no longer buy the whole fire and brimstone thing. If indeed there is a higher power, then I believe it is more like the Native American Great Spirit than like the church God that I grew up with. To punish your creations for not believing in your existence seems to me to be very egotistical, and being egotistical is a human condition. A higher power would have no need for such frailty.
About Atheism
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Writings of Benjamin Franklin: Boston and London, 1722 - 1726 -- A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain http://ping.fm/hjdmS

For Atheists and Believers, Ignorance Is No Excuse

I have discovered something in my lengthy amount of time spent on this planet. I can get along with people of any religion, except for the fundamentalists. This includes fundamentalist atheists. A fundamentalist atheist is the kind of atheist who proclaims that anyone who has any spiritual beliefs is stupid and/or insane for feeling that something can exist beyond physical life. To me these people are just as impossible to talk to as Christians, Muslims, or anyone else who claims their beliefs superior to others beliefs. The only thing we know for sure regarding any of it is that nobody knows for sure. So the least we could do is treat each other with respect, whether we believe exactly as the other person does or not.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Westboro Baptist Church's Search for the Jewish 'Elect'

Wowie! God according to the Westboro Bats**t Cult is going to have mercy on the Jews! Now all the Jews can die happy! I bet they were all just waiting for this moment, wondering when Fred Phelps and his gang of inbred loonies was going to shine the light of their infinite wisdom upon them! Oh, what a glorious day!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

How Life Works | You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options http://ping.fm/5f5XB

Love "live agent" robots that come up when you try to close a page? To me those things are waving a red flag and hollering "run like hell!"

Twitter and the Cowardice of Sarah Palin

U R A Jeenyus!

I reckon that's the way my heroin Sarah spells it when she's Barding up the language on Twitter, you betcha!
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Cheese at 18: "It's the time of the season for lovin'!"
The Cheese at 45: "It's the time of the season for sleeping!"

Cheesemeister and Crackers: Another One Gone http://ping.fm/WeXk5

Another One Gone

Another victim of bullying commits suicide. This was my response to the post.

I sympathize with bullying victims because I was bullied mercilessly throughout school. People need to wake up. We all need to realize that the people who are doing the bullying are doing it to make themselves big by making someone else feel small.
Interestingly, although there were tons of rumors about my sexual orientation when I was in school, being called a "lez" didn't bother me, and maybe it was because I was actually straight so it just made me laugh. Being called a slut bothered me a lot more because even though I lost my virginity when I was barely 16, I thought I was in love with the jackass. I wasn't promiscuous. I started self-injuring at that point in my life and ended up locked in a psych ward for a weekend when I gored the hell out of my wrist after taking a handful of diet pills. The wounds were actually superficial. This was back in the early 80's. I was treated like I was both stupid and crazy. I'm not saying that cutting oneself is normal behavior, but it's a sign that something is going on that needs to be looked into, and simply acting like a condescending ass isn't going to help anybody. One nurse even told me "you are a freak, you will always be a freak, people like you will never be normal." I said "better a freak than a bitch like you." She went out of her way to make my stay there hell.
It took until I was 38 years old to be properly diagnosed with Bipolar II, and longer than that to realize that I also have borderline personality disorder, OCD, and PTSD.
I certainly hope that the mental health system has improved since I was a troubled teenager, but the schools need to be on the lookout for kids like this young man and all adults are responsible for teaching kids that being different is not an open invitation to inflict misery on another.

Leo DiCaprio Shells Out Cash for Exotic New Pet | TMZ.com http://ping.fm/hgT9y

Blake Lively's Little Black Dress: Rad Or Bad? (PHOTOS, POLL)

It's kind of cute and sometimes asymmetry works in clothing, but in this case it ends up looking like her slip or bra came out on one side and she needs to tuck it back in. There should either have been lace on both sides or not at all.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Taylor Momsen Carries A Knife… « HitDanBack http://ping.fm/LqYrp

6 Time Travel Realities Doc Brown Didn't Warn Us About | Cracked.com http://ping.fm/lUXEo

Misunderstanding Buddhism - Things Most People Believe About Buddhism That Are Not True http://ping.fm/R7mRF

More Regulation for Psychics http://ping.fm/hsGkB

8 Facts About Lady Gaga's Meat Dress: Pics, Videos, Links, News http://ping.fm/W5C72

The Dumbest Shirts At The Glenn Beck Rally: Pics, Videos, Links, News http://ping.fm/M67Ff

I hate being broke. It's depressing.

I always have trouble with the "I accept myself" part of affirmations.

http://ping.fm/9l2iV Fuck that. You're better off staying fat.

http://ping.fm/DfEsq The side effects of aspartame

The Butcher Who Cried “Hoarder” : Nathan J Winograd http://ping.fm/IOo1F

6 Famous Unsolved Mysteries (With Really Obvious Solutions) | Cracked.com http://ping.fm/RsamU

Off to see if I've received a small stipend in my mailbox.

Cheesemeister and Crackers: B Vitamins and Mood Disorders http://ping.fm/HXes7

B Vitamins and Mood Disorders

I'm going to have to look for an enteric coated or time-release B vitamin. I searched online and know such things exist and one is a brand that is carried by the local natural food store. It will be more expensive unfortunately, but I had to stop taking B vitamins because they were upsetting my stomach so badly. B vitamins are an important part of the self-care regimen for someone with a mood disorder. I don't know if we use them up more quickly, but supplementing them with a B-100 supplement helps to lower the suicide ideation thoughts.

I like to drink the grapefruit juice out of the grapefruit sections bowl, but somehow I always manage to spill it on myself gracefully.

I eat a little kimchi every day to keep my innards properly spiced. It's a good source of naturally occurring probiotics.

BISHOPCASTLE.INFO http://ping.fm/ftuTL

BISHOPCASTLE.INFO http://ping.fm/8x6sf

Colorado's craziest curmudgeon's colossal castle

I'm a curmudgeon, though I'm not a misanthrope like this honorable member of the Curmudgeon's Club. I think I need to start building a Curmudgeon Castle of my own as soon as possible. Living in a mobile home park is simply not a suitable arrangement for a devoted cynic such as myself. I will not be able to die happy until people can say "There's the castle of the grouchy old Cheesemeister."
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Loveland Fire Update: 925-Acre Fire 20-25% Contained; No Injuries

Apparently the extra rain in the early summer led the grasses to grow pretty thick and this coupled with the dryness later in the season have set up ideal conditions for these fires.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Headless Body Found Near Evanston Middle School, Explosive Device Nearby

Well, that is certainly a unique way to commit suicide. I feel sorry for the fellow who had to see the aftermath, as well as any surviving family the victim may have.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The 45 Dumbest Signs At The 9/12 Tea Party Rally: Pics, Videos, Links, News http://ping.fm/4MCQC

6 Famous Unsolved Mysteries (That Have Totally Been Solved) | Cracked.com http://ping.fm/67Yri

Cat Adopts Baby Squirrel, Teaches It To Purr (VIDEO) http://ping.fm/9TO4j

Kim Kardashian In Newly Released NUDE Playboy Pics (PHOTOS)

ZZZZZZZ....what? Kim Kardashian feigning outrage at nude photos of herself. How...the same. Guess I can go back to sleep now.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

John Waters: Let's Ban Heterosexual Divorce

Well, if that were to go through, thank what powers that be that my divorce was made final back in 1994! I'm heterosexual and I'm for same sex marriage. I don't understand the school of thought that gays marrying is somehow a "threat" to heterosexual marriage. Seems damn silly to worry about it to me.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

OK time to quit farting around. I need to help son study for a huge test on Wednesday.

With some onion buns, Hillshire Farm roast beef, and Sargento chipoltle cheddar, it's easy to make Arby's style sandwiches but lots cheaper.

I am looking for more high protein low fat foods in my diet but I will NEVER eat an egg white omelet. Just--yuck! The yolk is the good part.

Watch Rebel Monkeys Online - Full Episodes, Latest Seasons, Stream Videos & Clips - Yidio http://ping.fm/ctIzo

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." (A. Einstein)

Watching a kangaroo fight on National Geographic channel.

As the Noose Tightens

My son's friend needs a place to live. She has a very dysfunctional family and the people she's currently living with are freaks, and not in a good way. She's a great person, and I want to help her out. Like a lot of people in today's economy, she's in a bad place. She's on unemployment and has no car. My son is finally learning to drive but he currently has no car of his own either and no job because he's in school full time in a very difficult program. (EMT) I looked into getting food stamps but the fuckers still consider by what you make before taxes and insurance come out. Before taxes and insurance, I make about $2200 a month--not great, but I could pay for everything. HOWEVER: after taxes and insurance are taken out, I only make $1400 a month. $1100 of this goes to housing. I can't get housing that is much less expensive than this and I do not qualify for subsidized housing because I make too much money. See how that works? I've been having to ask for help from family members for a long time and it's fucking humiliating. I work full time. 

I'd like these clowns who make the rules to try and buy food for a household of two people--let alone three--to purchase food, gas, and utilities for $300 a month. Jackasses.

I don't want something for nothing, but it would be nice to have something besides strife and some lint in my wallet.

It would be nice to have someone to help with the cleaning, though, as that's something I'm very bad at.

Kim Kardashian Upset Over Release Of Nude Photos: Report

This "headline" should look a bit more like this:

Kim Kardashian "Upset" Over Release of Nude Photos

It's just like the time she was "upset" over the release of her sex tape.

I love it when people like her, who exploit themselves constantly, become "upset" over being exploited yet again.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Pygmy Hippopotamus Born In Wroclaw, Poland (VIDEO) http://ping.fm/IhWuw

Help! Dog Trapped in a Box! http://ping.fm/yLfFe

Cats are funny. Anna didn't want to get into her carrier to come home. Now she's lying in there with the door open like it's the best ever.

Had a good workout last night. Here's hoping I can convince myself to do it again. I've got a busy day ahead with very little rest involved.

Watching a program about giving birth. This lady just had a 9 lb 10 oz baby. Reading that made my female parts hurt!

Light & Fit yogurt is actually pretty good but the yogurt-sucking space alien broad in the ads still scares the hell out of me.

Perplexed by the loud grinding noise from my computer, I moved the computer over a few inches. The sound stopped. I am now more perplexed.

If I start referring to myself as Author Cie Cheesemeister you have my permission to kick me hard. Goddess Cie Cheesemeister you must accept

The Author Photo: Where's My Body Double When I Need Her?

As a proud member of the Curmudgeon's Club, I believe that I would use a photo of my hands showcasing my favorite finger.
About Jon Stewart
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Author Photo: Where's My Body Double When I Need Her?

Seeing as how I'm in a foul mood this morning, I'm not going to put too fine a point on it. The woman scrutinizing you was a hag, and I'll be blasted if I'm going to let a jerk like that ruin the idea I have a great face for writing. I am far from a raving beauty, and in fact I don't believe I will ever put an author photo on any of my books. Stephen King isn't ugly, but nor is he exactly G.Q. If freaks who write (not that you're a freak but I proudly claim myself to be one) suddenly have to worry about being supermodels, then as far as I am concerned, it is the apocalypse. Writing is the one place where I can let my freak flag fly, and I'm not going to allow some narrow minded hag with a book club and an agenda ruin that for me.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

In desperate need of a lifetime supply of Fukitol.

I am plenty angry right now. If you don't like cats or dogs then don't have one for a pet. Only filthy cowards deliberately harm an animal.

Dreamed last night about a friend I haven't seen in more than a year. It's been so long since I was able to get out and cut loose!

I hate Thursdays. Tons of appointments, and then I have to go back to work.

The Duke. — Cute Overload http://ping.fm/ytEEk

Cat Attacked by Brain Slug [PIC] http://ping.fm/JQ4BZ

The Real Stuff White People Like: Pics, Videos, Links, News http://ping.fm/Aof6g

This Fish Looks Like Shrek: Links, Pics, Videos, and News http://ping.fm/VpRWj

Emoticon Faces Acted Out by Turtles: Pics, Videos, Links, News http://ping.fm/ljAh2

The Fuxedo: Formal Wear For The Lazy, Sexually Active Male (VIDEO)

Snazzy! Now that's some real class right there!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Venus Williams' U.S. Open Outfit: Short, Skimpy & Pink (PICTURES)

Looks like shorts and a tank top to me. Oh well, I guess this is news to some.
About Tennis
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Spears' Ex Kevin Federline Defends Britney, Disputes Abuse Claims

Britney Spears may be emotionally unstable at times and she may have done some questionable things, but I highly doubt that she would have done anything to put her kids in danger in the way this bodyguard is claiming, such as feeding her children shellfish while knowing they are allergic. I have never perceived her to be a malicious person. This bodyguard is just out for money and should be ashamed of himself, not only for trying to extort someone but for being blatantly stupid while doing so.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Dennis Rodman Broadcasts Naughty Romp With 6 Women: Report

Trying to buy another 15 minutes of fame by adding a new level of sleaze.
About NBA
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

U.S. Open Spider Monkey Tries To Predict Tennis Matches

I love 'em! There's always a soft spot in my heart for the critters.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Mark C. Miller: Bible Translated Into Redneck http://ping.fm/A3XSQ

Tim Mihalsky: Eminem: On the Forefront of Public Relations http://ping.fm/kBmot

Katy Perry Wears Latex, Says She's Becoming British (PHOTOS)

I believe I saw her in a department store window recently.

Even if wearing latex wouldn't make me break out in a horrific rash and court anaphylaxis (which it would--I've worked in the medical profession for years and am allergic to it) wouldn't it be, dare I say--sweaty as hell? And thus get way smelly? Maybe someone who has more experience with it can correct me if I'm wrong.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Taylor Momsen Set Her Neutered Dog's Testicles On Fire

Um...just...why?

For me, the critters get neutered because then they don't spray all over or hump things--like my arm, in the case of my old Siamese cat. Once they've healed they don't miss it and everyone's happier. Maybe I'm missing something, but I never thought "gee, I'm gonna ask for my dog or cat's 'nads so I can set 'em afire." Who even thinks of something like that?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Tweeting Heart Attack | Tommy Christopher | Mediaite http://ping.fm/q64nw

VIDEO: Anderson Cooper Reads “Quran-Burning” Florida Pastor… « HitDanBack http://ping.fm/kjz5d

What Ever Happened to Equal Rights for Women?

 "Manster" sez:

This will sound condescending and chauvinist towards women. In my experience women in the workplace first focus in the morning is food not work. At some point in time during the day most women are distracted from work having to tend to a personal issue. Men are distracted at work by their natural attraction to women. In a workplace that maintains an environment that discourages employee personal interaction productivity is very high although employee happiness takes a serious hit. Can women function in a job that openly discourages eating while working or juggling home responsibilities at work? My experience is they don't last very long because they wear their feelings and unhappiness on the exterior. Food in the work environment is always a BIG distraction not to mention unhealthy impeding productivity. I love all women; just don't like working with them.

The Cheese Retorts:

Well, Manster, I can think of a couple places where you could work without them damn women eatin' up all the food. One is an all-male bath house, the other is a gay bar.

About Women's Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Paris Hilton Accused Of Smuggling Drugs In Her Privates

Her bits must be made far differently than mine. I don't know about the rest of you ladies, but for me, the idea of putting something with corners, such as a cigarette box, into my hoo-ha, sounds very uncomfortable. The strange way I was walking would probably give everything away.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Mabon Countdown: Ten Ways to Celebrate http://ping.fm/BaEbI

Morrissey: Chinese People Are A 'Subspecies'

Good question. Skinning something alive is inhumane in any case. I can't quite wrap my head around eating dogs and cats but can perceive that someone who is starving might be desperate enough to eat one. However, just like any other animal to be used for food, the only humane thing is to slaughter it first in a way that is as quick as possible. I am not going to argue here the merits of being or not being a vegetarian. I am only going to state that for those who raise livestock in a caring and sensible way--not on factory farms--that the humane treatment of the livestock is always paramount. This includes the manner in which the animals are slaughtered. Ethical farmers would agree that suffering is to be minimized.

Those engaging in the brutal practices depicted in the videos Morrissey mentions are unconcerned with the suffering of the animals. And it is my understanding that these animals are not being used for food, but rather for fur.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Morrissey: Chinese People Are A 'Subspecies'

http://www.peta.org/skinnedalive
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Morrissey: Chinese People Are A 'Subspecies'

Morrissey is correct that treatment of animals in China is incredibly inhumane. There are no laws protecting them. However, the treatment of people as a whole is rather inhumane as well. He should not have categorized an entire nation of people as subhuman. There are many caring and decent people in China. Although there are no laws that could put this individual in jail, a group of such people worked to out and shame a woman in Hangzhou--a nurse, yet--who was supplementing her income by making crush videos. There are also people in China who are trying to improve the treatment of animals in their country. Just like anywhere else, there are good people and bad people in China. Placing a negative label on an entire group of people is always misinformed.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Don Murray Held Marilyn Monroe Close in <em>Bus Stop</em>

Marilyn Monroe had some serious issues, there's no doubt. But she still had a class and dignity that so many of today's attention whores masquerading as performers are seriously lacking.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Got an 86 on my first pathophysiology test. Not bad considering that I was flying by the seat of my pants!

Learn About Arterial Blood Gases http://ping.fm/Y50F8

Struct-Function Cell Orga.pdf (application/pdf Object) http://ping.fm/aDCzn

Ill effects of lead http://ping.fm/IruFw

Having trouble forcing myself to take this *%*^) pathophysiology test (online.) Bribing self hasn't worked. May have to resort to beating.

Lady Gaga and the Pornification of America

Parents need to be aware of what their children are watching and in some ways talking to them about what they are seeing is even more important than simply barring them from watching certain things, which only leads to a feeling of desire for the taboo. Lady Gaga's videos are not appropriate for younger children, but I see no harm in allowing an older teen with whom one has discussed sexuality and self respect to watch them. Lady Gaga is artistic and although her material is sexual, she promotes independent thinking rather than being someone's toy/eye candy as does Katy Perry or the myriad of other pop tarts. If I were to overtly express my sexuality I would feel far more empowered doing it in the manner of Lady Gaga or, to go a bit further back in time, Mae West, who express themselves as thinking, independent, strong women. Using my sexuality only to gain the approval of men, becoming a plaything, would be to compromise my own self-respect.

In my opinion, Katy Perry went the pop tart route because the Christian icon route was not garnering her enough attention/money. She's a pretty girl but not particularly talented and not very interesting. Lady Gaga is creative, independent, and original. I always thought of her work as being more for an adult audience though as a teen, I would have appreciated her as well.
About Lady Gaga
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Temple of Athena Rises Again http://ping.fm/5Ef6Y

If you want to find out what's behind these cold eyes You'll just have to claw your way through this disguise

A Complete Analysis of Pink Floyd's http://ping.fm/bOTlP

Heidi Montag Massages Breast Implants, Laments Ear Pinning

I lament every time I see Heidi Montag's name mentioned and I wish her 15 minutes were up. Would y'all like me to tweet the next time I do a breast self-exam or scratch my butt or pick my nose or anything? Because according to Heidi's logic, folks really like hearing about that kind of stuff!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

'Mike & Molly,' The Sitcom About People Who Happen To Be Fat

Drew, you seem to show more kindness than a lot of these prejudiced people and I salute you for that. Being overweight can be due to an eating disorder. Binge eating disorder is not talked about as often as bulimia or anorexia, but it is a real eating disorder. There are other factors that also go into a person's weight. It certainly doesn't help people avoid eating disorders that in this society people sneer at anyone who isn't a twig as being "fat." In Hollywood, people of average weight are expected to starve themselves down to an unhealthy thinness. We have a very sick and prejudiced society indeed. That is why I was glad to see some non-hateful thoughts like yours regarding this issue.

I have been on all ends of the eating disorder spectrum. I have starved myself, I have been bulimic, and currently I am struggling with the effects of having binge eaten for a number of years. My relationship with food is very negative because my relationship to myself is negative. It isn't that I sit around eating all day, but I tend to use food for comfort. I have no other addictions and I am otherwise healthy and I am active. People never know someone's whole story and should not judge till they've walked a mile in their shoes.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

'Mike & Molly,' The Sitcom About People Who Happen To Be Fat

From what I've seen, the focus of the show is their size--one fat joke after another. This is not affirming that people of size are just that--people. It is enforcing that it's "okay" to make jokes at the expense of someone who is larger. No, it is not okay. People who feel poorly about themselves are always looking for a scapegoat. These days if one scapegoats a person of another race, they will get shot down. But if someone who wants to make themselves feel better by making someone else feels bad wants to rip on a large person or a person with mental illness, it's still, sadly, socially acceptable.

Whether or not a larger person may be prone to more health problems is beside the point. The point is all the meanness I see in many of these comments, calling people piggy and sneering at them for being "unable to control themselves." Would you also rip on someone who is anorexic for being unable to put enough food in themselves? Didn't think so.

The shame and the hate help NOBODY. Being mean-spirited is a lot worse than being overweight. So how about we all stuff the viciousness and live and let live? Life is hard enough without all the junior high nastiness that we can all do without.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Ostara Countdown: Rebirth Ritual http://ping.fm/drbcB

Not pleased with the onset of arthritis in my hands. :-p It isn't entirely unexpected given the amount I do, but when they get cold--OUCH!

Mabon Countdown: Ten Ways to Celebrate http://ping.fm/m4H2p

Beer makes me so sexy. I sneeze my head off and then have to pee twice as often as normal. Yowza!

My dear brother writer Adam (Everhard) writes with the kind of passion I had before life crapped piles of doody (duty) down upon me.

Bipolar Disorder Research

This was something I posted in a discussion for my Pathophysiology class.

Bipolar affective disorder, formerly known as manic-depressive disorder, is a mood disorder with a cyclic pattern between a depressive state, a normal state, and a manic or hypomanic state. Type I bipolar disorder presents with full mania, Type II presents with hypomania. Bipolar disorder used to be classified as a psychosis, however not everyone with bipolar disorder presents with psychotic manifestations and thus it was re-classified as a mood disorder.

Scientists believe that the mutation for bipolar disorder occurs on the 13th chromosome. Recent studies conducted by J.A. Badner and E.S. Gershon have shown that the chromosomal regions 13q32-33 and 22q11 are believed to confer susceptibility to this disorder.

Bipolar disorder usually onsets at puberty, but there are childhood onset cases and sometimes it can be triggered later in life. It affects people of all races equally. There is no way to tell that a person has bipolar disorder by looking at them. Bipolar II can be misdiagnosed as unipolar depression as the hypomanic state does not present with the extreme behaviors of the manic state. In my own case, I was misdiagnosed as having unipolar depression with anxiety until I was 38 years old, when in fact I have Bipolar II.

A person having one parent with bipolar disorder has a 25% chance of manifesting the disease at some point in their life. If both parents have bipolar disorder, the chances rise to 50%.

Bipolar disorder can be treated by a variety of medications. One of the medications is usually a mood stabilizer such as Lithium. Each person is different and will respond differently to medications. I am personally unable to tolerate either antidepressants or sedatives and thus only take Lithium. Other people may not be able to tolerate Lithium but might respond well to other mood stabilizers or to antidepressants. Some mood stabilizers, such as Depakote, are also anti-seizure medications. Pharmacologically speaking, Lithium is a unique medication and is not classified as anything but a mood stabilizer.

References: The American Society of Human Genetics

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1180266/

Polymorphisms at the G72/G30 Gene Locus, on 13q33, Are Associated with Bipolar Disorder in Two Independent Pedigree Series

Eiji Hattori, Chunyu Liu, Judith A. Badner, Tom I. Bonner, Susan L. Christian, Manjula Maheshwari, Sevilla D. Detera-Wadleigh, Richard A. Gibbs, and Elliot S. Gershon

What I Look Like Isn't Who I Am

This was my response to a post at Day of the Woman regarding standards for female beauty.

I actually like to wear a little makeup and look as nice as is possible for a fat 45 year old broad, but it rarely happens due to lack of money combined with exhaustion leading to a tendency to inertia whenever I don't have to work. I have, however, always hated being defined by my appearance. Many an eon ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth I was applying for an administrative assistant position and happened to glance at what the interviewer was writing. It wasn't about my ability to type 75 WPM nor my stellar spelling skill. Nope, I was summed up in three words: "Cute little blonde."
I was not flattered, I was incensed.
Also, and I know I'm unusual in this, I do not like people commenting on any weight loss that may happen for me should I be able to stick to a diet or what have you. To me, this is a personal issue. It has nothing to do with my worth as a person. Compliment my cool outfit, should I be wearing one, or give me a generic "you look nice today." When someone says "you've lost weight--you look great!" I feel like saying "yeah, chemotherapy has that effect," because their comment implies "you looked like ten pounds of shit in a five pound sack before." I'm still the same person no matter what I weigh. That shouldn't enter into anything.
You know you've done a good post when it inspires a mini-post on my part--so, well done, BJC!