Mind. Body. Spirit. Beyond.

Well, this has been one killer week. Book-ended by 2 winter storms that added about 6 inches of snow to the 30 inches we already had on the ground plus about an inch or 2 of ice in between.  Each day this week has been about survival to the next day – at least mentally.

Mind.

This evening The Oracle and I had planned a date night that was to include just one activity – seeing The King’s Speech (what…you were expecting something else? A lady never kisses and tells…).  The mind was wiling....the body was weak. Pulled into our driveway and we both decided that perhaps we would finish watching the last season of The Tudors. In our jammies. Drinking beer. Eating popcorn. Comfy. Cozy. Warm. sigh

Body.

Well this week I have not given my body anything that could closely be called T.L.C.  I’ve eaten the wrong foods, and too much of them besides.  And my body is feeling the effects of it all – poor diet choices and some pretty big stresses during the week. I aim to get back on track with the eating thing … by going to see The Oracle’s parents on Sunday afternoon.  Given that my MIL is one of the best cooks – ever – I may have a challenge ahead of me.

Spirit.

Seeing The Oracle’s parents is good for … well, for everything.  Kinder, gentler people you will never meet.  My FIL is just one big flirt – and I find nothing wrong with that.  My MIL is a gem – sweet, even-tempered, a hug from her can last you for months.  As my family imploded it was the support and unconditional love of my in-laws that helped us get thru the nightmare.  Bewildered by it all – as what happened is so completely outside of their experiences - they just stepped in with understanding and empathy.  They remained hopeful for quite some time that reconciliation would happen, that someone in my family would reach out to me. And when that didn’t happen, they just closed ranks around us, sheltering us and giving us an emotionally safe place to just – be.

Beyond.

I feel quite beat up by the week.  Every fiber of my soul feels pulled taut, twisted and burning.  My job is causing me crazy-stress right now – and not for the normal reasons you think of when someone says their job is stressful.  It is other influences besides workload (see post immediately prior to this one for a sample) that are leaving an increasingly sour taste in my system.  In this economy there really isn’t much I will be doing about it – for now.  I’m not rocking our household’s boat in this fiscal climate and that just adds to the levels of frustration.  Thankfully I have a loving husband, wonderful extended family and truly inspiring friends to help offset this period of aggravation.

Avoidance

Is it wrong that I love this?

After the day I had today ... this hits the spot. Sometimes the Forutne 100 is like a battle zone and I feel like I need to arm myself.

Question: how does an executive who makes, conservative estimate, around $450,000 per year in salary & bonus ... expect his assistant to write a $200 check for a deposit on an event who then has to wait for reimbursement from other executives?  On what planet is this how things are done?

It seems it is the planet on which I find myself with my boss.  This is not a question of fiction - this is based on real events that happened to me today.  I swear I don't blame you if you don't believe me; I spent some time this afternoon trying to believe it myself.

So here I am - faced with writing a $200 deposit check to ensure that our 125 employees have a summer picnic at the best place possible and then hounding 11 executives for their share of the deposit.  I will write this check because these 125 people deserve the best summer picnic we can give to them as they all work ridiculously hard under some very difficult circumstances.

And in the meantime my boss - the above-mentioned wealthy executive - pays me HIS share and allows me to write this check.

There just aren't words to exrpess how pissed off I really am.

Follow-up

In the comments to my post on my latest wish list item, a few of you asked for a picture of me with the Mossberg 500.

This is what I like to think I look like:

Hey ... it's my fantasy.

The image is of the actress Gabrielle Anwar, in character as Fiona Glenanne on the uber-sexy, uber-hot show Burn Notice.  A show which definitely has fun with guns.

Evil Has A Face

And that face is one Kermit Gosnell, owner of his own clinic specializing in abortion and catering to the disadvantaged population in Philadelphia. Gosnell is accused of killing 8 people at his Women’s Medical Society – including 7 babies born alive due to abortions performed as late as 8 months.

He killed these babies in the most heinous way imaginable.

(Philadelphia D.A. Seth) Williams said during a press conference Wednesday that Gosnell "induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord."

In addition to these poor babies he also allowed a 41-year old woman to die thru the incompetent administering of anesthesia during her abortion.  Eight other people from the Gosnell clinic have also been arrested on similar charges.

Gosnell’s license to practice medicine was suspended in 2010 after a raid of his clinic revealed barbaric and unsanitary conditions. He is also under investigation for drug-related complaints.

A real pillar of his community, Gosnell made nearly $2 million in one year and claims he is innocent.

Yeah, just like the babies he killed.

Certainly my new spiritual journey into Catholicism is starting to have an influence on my opinion on abortion.  The fact is that for some time now I have felt that abortion should be an available option in extremely narrow circumstances: incest, rape or where the mother’s life is in serious jeopardy.  Using it as contraception or because a woman changed her mind just don’t cut it with me anymore.

What Gosnell has done is murder. And anyone who doubts that should read this from District Attorney Seth Williams:

“I am aware that abortion is a hot-button topic,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “But as District Attorney, my job is to carry out the law. A doctor who knowingly and systematically mistreats female patients, to the point that one of them dies in his so-called care, commits murder under the law. A doctor who cuts into the necks severing the spinal cords of living, breathing babies, who would survive with proper medical attention, is committing murder under the law.

Good for the D.A. for recognizing that what Gosnell and his band of miscreants have done is not part of a political debate.

As if this story wasn't hideous enough, reports indicate that his butchery of women went to levels that should only be seen in horror movies. And even worse - yes - the State of PA knew about it for nearly 20 years. From the grand jury report:

We discovered that Pennsylvania’s Department of Health has deliberately chosen not to enforce laws that should afford patients at abortion clinics the same safeguards and assurances of quality health care as patients of other medical service providers. Even nail salons in Pennsylvania are monitored more closely for client safety.

...

State health officials knew that Gosnell and his clinic were offering unacceptable medical care to women and girls, yet DOH failed to take any action to stop the atrocities documented by this Grand Jury. These officials were far more protective of themselves when they testified before the Grand Jury. Even DOH lawyers, including the chief counsel, brought private attorneys with them – presumably at government expense.

So they ignored this monster - by design. More interested in protecting themselves than their citizenry, these pigs and Gosnell allowed things like this to happen:

One woman, for example, was left lying in place for hours after Gosnell tore her cervix and colon while trying, unsuccessfully, to extract the fetus. Relatives who came to pick her up were refused entry into the building; they had to threaten to call the police. They eventually found her inside, bleeding and incoherent, and transported her to the hospital, where doctors had to remove almost half a foot of her intestines.

...

A nineteen-year-old girl was held for several hours after Gosnell punctured her uterus.  As a result of the delay, she fell into shock from blood loss, and had to undergo a hysterectomy.

There has to be a special kind of hell for these kinds of ... well there just aren't words for them.

Apropos of Nothing

This little beauty is on my wish list.

Mossberg 500 Tactical.

Impractical for anything but home defense and we already have something for that.

I just like how I look holding it - like a total badass.  I hear phrases in my head like "go ahead, make my day" and "do ya feel lucky, well do ya ... punk."

Fantasies - we all have them.