Last month I had a scare. My neurologist insisted that it was a very strong possibility that I had a tumor in my brain. It took 2 weeks from the moment he wrote the words - "diagnosis: brain tumor" on a prescription pad to give to the MRI tech, until a Friday evening 2 weeks later, when I received the voicemail from my doctor that my scan was clear. I didn't quite process the news until the next day. I was getting prepared to take Devan to the library (with her brand new library card) and sort out my own library fees so I could reinstate my own library card that I sat down on the couch and just cried from the stress and the relief of it all. Because not everyone is so lucky. I know this. I have watched someone, not a close someone, but someone i interact with frequently on a messageboard go through the diagnosis and the removal of 90% of a brain tumor. I was, for two weeks, paralyzed with fear. It sounds dramatic, yes. But in my mind, all I could imagine was not being able to find words, form ideas, convey my feelings, my love for my girls and for Jon, without lots of time and therapy. If I were lucky. I cried for a long time, and lots of other fears and worries and negative feelings poured out of me and for a few hours I was bogged down in it all, and still wondering "why does my head feel like this all the time?"
Two weeks ago I found out why! I have a condition called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. It's also known as Pseudotumor Cerebri. It acts exactly the same way a brain tumor acts, putting pressure on your brain, triggering severe migraines, nausea, blurred vision, tinnitus, constant head pain etc.
I am on a medication to control the fluid levels in my brain right now, but if I miss a dose, which I'm likely to do, because I'm quite forgetful (and also very wary of swallowing pills) the pain comes back within a few hours. It's quite painful and I don't wish it on anyone, but I'd take it ANY day over a brain tumor. If this medicine doesn't start relieving the pain in a more permanent way (like, i still have blurred vision, especially early in the morning, and that's when my head hurts the most) I will probably require frequent lumbar punctures (spinal taps)to drain excess spinal fluid or have a shunt inserted - because even though this is not as serious as a brain tumor, it can cause permanent vision loss (read: blindness.) So it's no joke.
I have a few prescriptions for pain medications, but they really don't help unless I take them around the clock, pain or no pain, and I cannot stand the feeling of always floating around in a vicodin/percocet/ultram haze. It's not how I wish to live the rest of my life.
On to more pleasant news. Because of my medication - I can no longer drink SODA! My one addiction that I've battled since high school is carbonated beverages. Now, when I drink them, it tastes like ...well, when you eat something very spicy and your cheeks and tongue burn. not a good burn, a painful burn. So I've been drinking water and unsweetened cranberry juice. Now's as good a time as any to try to become healthier. Perhaps losing a chunk of the excess weight I'm carrying around will help lessen the symptoms of the IIH. That might be wishful thinking though.
As far as the rest of my life: My greatest joys lately are coming from my library time with Devan, since it's just she and I spending time looking at books (both of us are mad about reading, so this is a great thing to share. we've been going every saturday afternoon and I feel HIGH from the happiness of spending one on one time with her.)
Watching Wrenna's personality develop, seeing her become a little person, instead of this inert baby. She's not quite crawling yet, but she gets around and gets into things (today she spilled a box of industrial staples all over the floor) and I absolutely love to curl up with her in my arms and take a little nap. She makes these little tired noises until she nuzzles close to my face and fall asleep. It's absolutely the best thing I can think of. She's almost 10 months old - it's a double edged sword. I love watching her grow, but I am also like "what the hell? where did the time go?" and it terrifies me to think this might be my last baby, and it's almost over already.
Another simple pleasure is falling asleep with my head on Jon's chest, listening to him breathe. He made a promise to do ACTIVITIES with me in counseling and he seems to be really trying to keep that promise. Next week we're going to a Gogol Bordello show @ the Filmore (it's a Haiti benefit, so I'm not all bent out of shape that the tickets are pricey) and in April we're going to a taping of the Colbert Report (we've gone a few times and it's just a fun thing to do. On May 1st we're going to a Devotchka/Gogol show in Philly. He didn't have to do any of these things, isn't a Gogol or Devotchka fan, but he WANTS to, and that's the most important thing, to me.
I've been doing quite a bit of reading lately. I can't remember them all, but I read Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood last week. I reread a Wrinkle In Time this week and I'm reading When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. I've started Moonlight In Odessa (sucker for stories about Ukraine) and The Kindly Ones. I started the Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood last night, but it's due back on Saturday and I don't think I've got time to finish it. Not sure if I'll renew it. I have also finished The Weight of Silence (I wasn't super into this, but I loved the author's descriptions of the environment..if that makes sense.)
I've still got to finish the books I've started, plus I also bought Normal People Don't Live Like This (short stories) and Little Bee. I'm interested in picking up The Help, Brooklyn, Tender Morsels and What is the What. (sorry, I'm too tired to look up authors names.)
Yesterday was a fast day. Devan was only at school until 1:15, due to week-long parent teacher conferences. I wasn't feeling good all morning, so I took a nap with Wren. I felt good enough after my shower that when I picked Devan up at the bus stop, I decided to take them both shopping.
First we needed gas and I needed coffee. Oh Quick Chek, if your coffee weren't so good I'd never be able to forgive your rude employees. I'm always so torn when I find myself walking through your doors.
After coffee, tacos were necessary. Devan was hungry and I may or may not have forgotten to pack her something to eat, causing her to be the only child without something to eat at snack time. So we ate tacos (tacos and immodium for me, thanks) for lunch and headed over to Trader Joes, where I picked up PUMPKIN BUTTER and also GINGERBREAD COFFEE.
After TJ's we went to Borders, so I could feed Wrenna and Devan could nag me into buying her a book. I bought myself 2 books that I have been picking up and putting back down for a few weeks now:
Oh, those candies there, I STOLE THEM. I stuck them in the baby's stroller, meaning to buy them, but I completely forgot and didn't realize til much much later the horrible crime I'd committed. I find myself stealing lots of things lately. A package of batteries here, ibuprofen there. you know, anything that falls between the side of the shopping cart and the diaper bag. If you're expecting that I'd see what I'd done and rush back into the store to pay for said items, you're nuts. I usually discover the pilfered items after I've fastened Wrenna securely in her seat and started my car. THERE IS NO GOING BACK AT THAT POINT.
After looting Borders, I took the girls to Target, where I purchased a really awful pair of boots for myself, and an even more awful pair of boots for Devan (why are these Ugg type boots popular again??) And I got Wrenna a BUMBO CHAIR.
After this I made dinner, wound yarn into a ball, knitted and watched House, and then I finally GROOMED MY EYEBROWS (it's really annoying when you cut your bangs and remember that you haven't messed with your eyebrows in MONTHS) and then I took a shower and remembered the meteor shower. I went outside in shorts and bare feet and shivered for 45 minutes. I saw one really bright meteor and 3 little guys. It was exciting. I felt very lonely and quiet and small while i stood on my deck, which was unsettling. My stomach kept growling, so I went inside and made myself a pbj sandwich and then I went to bed.
That was my Monday. Now I need to lay down until it's time to take Devan to the bus because I only got 2 hours of sleep.
not really. but at least I remembered that I made a goal to post something every day.
I sent my resume to a job in the city today. I'm nervous but also kind of NOT NERVOUS, because deep down I wish I could stay home with my daughters forever. If I get it, I'll tell you about it.
I've been away for far too long! I decided today that I'm going to start blogging again. If not blogging, at least posting a daily picture. I've started a 365 project - taking a photo every day. Here's what I've got so far, to catch up:
Sometimes I hear the lyrics to a song incorrectly, but then when I find out the true lyrics, I'm a little disappointed because what I thought they said were better.
An example of this is the line "The Brazilian Sea amazes me" from the song "I Cried Like A Silly Boy" by Devotchka. In my sleepiness I thought he said "Your resiliency amazes me" and i like that better because it makes more sense and i've never seen/been anywhere near the Brazilian Sea so I can't relate.
This is the most ridiculous first world problem I've ever had.
Ok, I'm not a bad mom who takes pictures of her children pooping so I can make internet meme's. I was trying to take a pic of her overalls, which I successfully did here. Now die kanye meme.
i posted these songs for 2 reasons. 1. I am in love with Nick Urata's voice. and his face 2. the lyrics, like many songs by this band (too tired, 'til the end of time, etc) describe my feelings perfectly.
*Just an embarrassing little tidbit. I've been googling "how to become an acrobat" so that I can somehow whisk Nick Urata away from his acrobat wife. plus I think being an acrobat would be an interesting and useful life skill.
Excuse our pallor, I had my camera on it's custom setting and clearly I do not know how to customize the settings. Anyways, I thought I'd share Wrenna, who is rapidly approaching FOUR MONTHS OLD, if you can believe it.
I don't have anything else to post about here because I'm tired. I somehow ripped my fitted bed sheet and my foot kept getting stuck in it and waking me up all night. It was unpleasant! I need to buy a new sheet!
Oh, I also wanted to say that I very much enjoy Cherry Dr. Pepper. It's very good. Better than Cherry Coke, in my opinion. I know that's probably controversial but I am not interested in arguing about it!
Tonight Devan will be sleeping over at a friend's house so it's just me and DUB (which is the nickname I find myself calling her, based on the idea that her name starts with a W. It's better than BOOBIE, which was what I was calling her for awhile, even though it has nothing to do with anything) all alone all day til Jonnyhandsome gets home. We have no plans, but sometimes that's the best. I'm rambling so I'll stop now. I'm a terrible blogger.
I cannot believe that Devan starts school in 2 weeks. I just cannottt! How is summer almost over already? I haven't even been to Ohio! I haven't seen the ocean! I haven't even put on a swimsuit! Holy moly.
I'm not sure how much longer this blog will be in this location. I've gone ahead and paid for a month of hosting, but I'm not sure I do enough with this site to continue to pay money every month to keep it. It will be a bittersweet thing when I do finally let it go. I've had this thing for 8 years and it's been nice to connect with other people and get feedback on my projects and ideas.
I've got some creative ideas churning around in my head, making it hard for me to relax. I've decided that I need to use my letterpress or sell it - I have to make a choice. It just sits there, haunting me on a daily basis. I am also thinking about selling quite a bit of my yarn. There's just no way I'll use most of it even within the next 10 years unless i suddenly go insane, knitting 24 hours a day non-stop. Honestly though, I haven't finished a project or even worked on something for more than a few minutes since before Wrenna was born. Oh, speaking of Wrenna, here's a recent pic (3 months old):
If I don't post again soon, enjoy the rest of your summer!
yea, so what? Here's a picture of my little pooper, uh, pooping while propped up on some pillows:
I'm sitting here at 12:45am, eating a BLTA (a is for avacado) on a croissant from Red Robin, sippin' a beverage, and singing 'twinkle twinkle little star' between bites, to my littlest baby, who's finding it very difficult to fall asleep tonight.
For those of you who don't know or don't remember, it's my officially my birthday since it's past midnight. We went to Red Robin earlier to redeem my free burger coupon and I had a delicious watermelon margarita on the rocks. First alcoholic beverage since Wren was uh, created. It was mighty good, but g-damn. $7 for one drink is just outrageous. Especially when I have a Margaritaville® Margarita machine (Jon won this at his work holiday party last year) upstairs just waiting to be opened. I have decided that since it's my birthday we will be grilling steaks and making margaritas and sitting on my freshly scrubbed patio furniture, surrounded by my new, freshly potted plants and herbs and some pretty candles, and maybe even some twinkly lights if I can locate some for a good price.
For those of you who do know me, I seem to have turned over this brave, new leaf. I have a thing about cleaning lately. Since Wren was born I cannot stand to see dishes in the sink or dog hair on the floor or couches or cobwebs or anything else that I normally would just look right through, in favor of laying down and reading a book or playing Skipbo on my DSI. I actually was up until 4am scrubbing my floors and refrigerator and oven. Have I gone mad? Possibly. But at least it's productive and makes my family happy. Now if only i could develop some kind of compulsive healthy eating habit or a jogging habit. That would be perfect.
I apologize for this awkward, disjointed post. Half of my mind is concentrating on being very, very quiet, listening to Wren suck on her nuk, and the other half is very sleepy.
I haven't written anything here in a month! Whoops!
I'll bring you all (all one or two of you who read this) up to date on recent events. I'm 40 wks pregnant now, with no signs or symptoms of impending labor. It's getting incredibly uncomfortable, if I may complain for a few moments. I can hardly catch my breath. I see stars if I walk up the stairs too quickly. When I walk around there's a pain that shoots down from my hip to my knee. I've had heartburn for 3 months (at least.) Since January I haven't slept through the night. Lately, I wake up about 6 times per night to use the restroom - partially because my favorite thing to eat/drink is a giant cup full of water and a whole tray of ice cubes (which I enjoy chomping on more than I enjoy eating actual food.)
Ok, enough of that. I'm excited for the baby to be born, but I'm not looking forward to my 40 wk appointment tomorrow because my doctor told me last week that if I hadn't gone into labor by then she wanted to induce me. I don't want to be induced...so I'm not looking forward to the conversation. I spent a few hours in the St. Barnabas PET Unit on Wednesday, so I'm honestly not looking forward to going back to the hospital at all. In the last few months I've given a bit of thought to the "birth experience" and how ridiculous and over the top a normal labor/delivery is treated by hospitals and doctors. I really, really wish that I'd thought about this stuff seriously a LOT sooner and tried to find a birthing center or done a home birth or something with as little medical intervention as possible. Aside from Cervidel to soften my cervix, Devan was completely natural and not that big of a deal. I hate the idea of all of the monitors and IV's instead of actually drinking fluids to stay hydrated. I'm complaining again. I'll stop.
I doubt that I'll update this again before the baby is born. I just don't really have anything to talk about.
We've been busy around here... and it's been a little stressful. First we had our anniversary, which was nice and low key. I can't believe it's been 5 yrs since we ran off to Canada and got married! And now that the 10th has passed, I can't believe it's been 11 years since our first date! It's been a long, hard trip for us, full of problems and struggles but it's nice to feel like things are falling back in to place and that we're moving forward in a positive way. We've been doing marriage counseling for the last 4 months and it's helped so much. We have had a really hard time communicating for so long, and it's really opened things up and removed a lot of what we thought were problems, but were really just miscommunications. It's nice to feel close again. Things seemed pretty hopeless for awhile so it's really nice to feel hopeful!
After our anniversary we started the switch - moving our bedroom to our family room, and our family room to our bedroom. If you've ever been in my house, you'll know that my family room was a deeeeep dark red color and desperately needed to be painted. We chose a nice calm, neutral color called Gobi Desert. I'm not totally happy with putting my bedroom in this room because there are no windows, so there's no breeze, which I hate. But on the plus side - You know how when you go to a hotel and you use those blackout curtains and you can sleep all day and not know what time it is? It's like that. The pic on the left is new, and on the right is how it used to be. It's also much bigger now, with room for the changing table, baby's dresser & bassinet.
We hit a HUGE roadblock when we moved our bed into the new room. The very first night sleeping in bed, I woke up (with a terrible toothache) and heard this 'tap, tap, tap' sound. I put my arm out and water splashed on it. It turns out our upstairs toilet had started leaking (coincidentally on the same day we painted the ceiling, yay!) and was dripping through the floor. It took us a couple days to find the source of the leak and stop it - but we did. But for now, we've moved our bed onto a different wall.
Our family room is nice. Now it's the open, airy room. Lots of light and lots of room. We've done a lot of sorting and throwing things away, and moving furniture to other parts of the house to keep things more simple and nice. I am enjoying getting organized. It feels good. I don't have a pic of the family room right now. I'll wait until I've got some art on the walls or something. It's boring right now.
As far as baby news goes, well there's no 'real' news to speak of. I'm 35 wks pregnant and sort of miserable! I'm excited for her to be born and to meet her and give her kisses and smell her little head. I've been knitting and sewing and making things to give her:
I've got some more works in progress. A little pinafore, a cabled owl vest, and various other things but I'll show you pictures of them when they're finished.
In Devan news, well, she's silly as usual. She's on spring recess right now and has been watching lots of movies because it is NOT warm out. I think it's supposed to warm up towards the end of the week so we can hopefully get out of the house or have a playdate outside or something. She's excited to be a big sister (as long as it's not on her birthday!) and she likes the new bedroom/family room arrangement. I'll be back soon with a shorter, more interesting post (hopefully!)
We were all pretty shocked to hear the story about the 9-year-old Brazilian girl, who, after years of being raped by her stepfather, wound up pregnant with his twins. Adding insult to injury, the Catholic Church has decided to excommunicate the little girl's mother and the doctors who performed the abortion, "God’s law is above any human law," said regional archbishop, José Cardoso Sobrinho.
Although abortion is illegal in Brazil, exceptions can be made if the pregnancy poses a grave threat to the mother's or baby's life. Since the girl is only 9-years-old and weighs a mere 80 pounds, doctors felt that she would be unable to carry the baby to full term safely. One of the doctors involved, Rivaldo Albuquerque, told a Brazilian TV station that he intended to keep going to Mass, regardless of the archbishop’s order.
The Vatican defended the regional archbishop's decision saying, "It is a sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two innocent persons, who had the right to live and could not be eliminated."
The stepfather who sexually abused the little girl for over 4 years has not been excommunicated. The church has stated that the sexual acts he forced upon the little girl and her mentally disabled older sister are not as bad as ending the life of an unborn child. "It is clear that he committed a very serious sin, but worse than this is the abortion," Sobrinho declared.
I guess it's about time I updated this thing. I haven't really had a lot to say. There's been a lot of stuff going on, but nothing I want to talk about publicly (nothing terrible, just not for public consumption.) As far as the baby, though, I will update on Saturday after our 4d ultrasound (with pics!) I've been knitting for her, and thinking about some fun little quilts. Mostly though, I'm stressed out. I don't want to have Gestational Diabetes again, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to. I also don't really know where to put ANY of the baby's stuff. We're thinking about swapping our family room for our bedroom, which would be nice and good --but our sectional sofa is a monster and might not fit. There's also an issue of storage and all of my art and craft supplies. It's a little first world nightmare that I can't wake up from. :(
i was bored today so i went and bought a couple things that looked promising.
first of all, infallible lipcolor by revlon. basically this is like, nailpolish for your lips?? and it wouldn't come off til i scrubbed it really hard with a cloth and now all around my lips it's all pink, like when you get your mustache waxed (only the top and bottom instead of just the top) ...and it doesn't help that i bought the wrong color, so it looked weird. I will post a normal makeup picture and this infallible (ha!) lipstick picture to compare (please ignore my weird smirk. i don't know why i do that) :
the hair stuff...well I was told I needed product in my hair and I know what a 'product' is but i don't really know which product would make my hair do amazing things. I looked for a really long time at a lot of stuff and I bought these 2 things:
Paul Mitchell Wax Works, which promises extreme texture but basically just made my hair kind of sticky and greasy looking.
Paul Mitchell Re•Works, which says it's a versatile texture cream. I didn't try this yet, because the sticky wax stuff is still in my hair and I don't have the self esteem to fail at hair twice today.
Basically I need lots of help and I don't know what to buy, which colors 'work' for me, what hairstyles look good on me, or how to use the products I buy.
I forgot to update this thing! Jan 2 I had my 20 wk ultrasound. It's a GIRL
So since then, girl names have been tossed around, impossibly small dresses have been purchased, and baby girl knitting has begun. Devan's pretty excited because she wanted the baby to be a girl. But the names she is picking out are...well...let's just say we're not naming a Webkinz or a kitten, we're naming a human child here!
I'll update this again when I've got some new thangs to talk about!
I had a doctor appointment today. Sat around for a long time while my doctor talked with the other doctors until they all decided that I have to have some MRI's and stuff done. I also had some bloodwork done (testing for Down's, etc) that I was reluctant to do in the first place. Not a happy person right now. Oh, no u/s so no pics. I was mistaken.
hey fartfaces. how were your thanksgivings? i enjoyed mine. went to jon's grandmothers and ate lots of food and reclined in a chair for awhile.
tomorrow is dec. 1st which seems totally crazy. I have a dr. appt tomorrow, and hopefully it will go well. and hopefully i will have a u/s picture to post. this whole thing is like something out of a dream. i am waiting for the reality of the situation to set in.
yesterday we took dev to see Bolt. I was pleasantly surprised that Nick Swardson (my boyfriend) plays the voice of a Hollywood pigeon. The movie was cute, and it was funny to listen to devan giggling next to me.
Today I went back over to the mall and got a delicious burrito. I took a couple bites of it and now i'm totally stuffed and angry at myself that I can't just somehow make myself eat the entire thing.
I'm feeling kinda tired and anxious and i could really give a damn about proper punctuation and capitalization today. sorry.
so we went to san diego. That was nice. the food that the restaurant at the resort provided was gross and fancy, and i felt really desperate to have something normal the whole time, but when we drove up highway 101 and found a good restaurant I was happy again. We did visit the zoo and stuff like that, and I have some photos of our trip here
Now we're back and I want to go to florida...i can't think of anything else to say today.
zzzzzzzz. I just want it to be over with! I'm so tired of hearing all the commentary. I'm tired of Joe the Rock Star, I mean Plumber. I'm tired of Obama the socialist or communist or whatever we're calling him this week. I'm really tired of Sarah 'foot in mouth' Palin, who doesn't understand why fruit fly research is important for AUTISM research (remember how mccain said she, more than anyone else cares about autism?) ugh.
Let's talk about the day AFTER the election, when I will be escaping with Jon to San Diego for a few days of rest and relaxation. Hopefully we'll both be over our colds and sore throats by then.
let's stop talking about 'partial - birth' abortions because it's a made up term. Let's stop focusing on late-term abortions, because they're no one's business but a woman and her doctors. Let's stop letting old, white men decide what women can and can't do with their bodies. GO OBAMA!
You're not a woman, so I can't imagine you'll ever have to go through the agony of chosing your 'health' over your pregnancy. I'm sure you'll never have to go through the pain of deciding to have a late-term abortion. Because you're such an ignorant idiot, I thought I'd give you a few examples of heartbreaking accounts by women, of their experiences with late-term abortions.
ps autism and downs syndrome are not remotely similar, so i really don't get how Sarah Palin knows better than anyone what it's like to raise a child with autism.
This political race makes my heart hurt. Here's a comment (that wasn't condemned by ANYONE on LGF:) This is what happens when you continue to brand Obama as a potential killer and an accessory to past attempts at murder.
543 warlord 10/11/08 4:01:03 am reply quote 1
I am getting a little tired of all you chicken shit wimps saying if Obama gets in the Republic is finished.
Where are your balls, we are obligated to overthrow that same government. The Declaration of Independence mandates it.
If you are going to tell me that all you cowards will let it happen.
Do me a favor and stand in front of my rifle so you can protect Obama and shield the Marxists and traitors from my aim.
Paper tiger is right. More than 60 million guns and all I hear is weeping and whining.
This is an opportunity to get it right and straighten it out.
ALL WE NEED IS THE COURAGE.
If you want my address and some ammo let me know .
I cannot believe some of you cowards. The enemy has infiltrated our electoral process, you fail to see it. Then we are letting it happen and are preparing to surrender. Pathetic.
I feel like a giant loser complaining about being pregnant after trying so hard and putting myself through so much for so long to get this way. But that's not going to stop me.
When I was pregnant with Devan I threw up about 12 times a day, sometimes more but usually no less than that. I spent the rest of the day trying not to throw up. This went on for so long, way longer than my first trimester. This pregnancy is shaping up to be exactly the same.
I've been trying so hard not to let myself throw up, because eating is such a chore, I don't want to lose any of that hard work/nutrition. I have tried ginger ale, ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger drops, ginger gum (which helps a little) but I'm feeling very little relief. I'm going insane. I feel like I can't leave the house for fear that I might throw up in public. Even going to the bus stop to get Devan has got me nervous (and I bring plastic bags in the car, and a bottle of ginger ale) This is getting ridiculous. Anyone got any remedies they'd care to share?
Also, if anyone knows how to reduce the appearance of busted blood vessels around the eyes (from throwing up) I'd be delighted to hear them!
be extremely condescending. lie a lot! refuse to answer the questions presented to you by the moderator, and instead just talk about whatever your party has been coaching you on for weeks. Refuse to 'argue' a point during a debate. keep pronouncing the word nuclear incorrectly (after all the prez does it, so why should you have to be any smarter than him?) become increasingly adorable as you babble a bunch of nonsense and fragment sentences. smile your little heart out. Oh, and best - talk about how TOLERANT you are, lol!
Apparently all you have to do to win the hearts and minds of stupid Americans is to NOT swollow your tongue and pass out during a debate. As long as sounds come out of your mouth at the right time, it doesn't matter what you say. And being mildly attractive helps.
I'm so sad for America. Anytime Biden said anything remotely intelligent the little 'audience response' meter on Cnn went down. BOO! Talk to us like we're dumb! Sarah Palin, just so you know, I hate you and I don't care about stupid Todd. Jeez. Biden, I understand why you didn't wipe the floor with Palin, but by not taking her to task on all the ridiculous and nonsensical things she was saying, people will see her as 'holding her own' during the debate. BARF.
I've been spending the last week or so feeling like I'm basically dying. In this time I've rekindled relationships with some long lost friends.
When I haven't been barfing my guts out, or sleeping like a dead person, I've been designing some plates to make holiday/christmas cards. I'm not gonna post them now because they're not finished, but maybe in a few days. I have to go lay back down now.
I don't want to know any of this stuff for career reasons, just because I sometimes think about it and wish I understood it better.
Photography - Today I processed my first roll of film from my photo class and the pictures are pretty good for just clicking away to test out the camera, but i really wish i were a photographical genius so i could wow the internet with my flickr photos.
Web design - sometimes i think it would be cool to be a web design genius because i get really bored with my blog and my myspace and everything else that i can alter the appearance of... plus it would be sweet to do freelance work and make extra money.
Cooking - I'm a pretty good cook. I enjoy the meals I make, which is saying a lot because I am picky. I do wish I was a kitchen wizard though, because I wish that instead of searching for tomato/spaghetti sauce recipes on the internet, I could just be like 'oh here are all of my fresh tomatoes and a little of this and a little of that and voila'
Dancing - basically i wish i were an awesome dancer. i do not know how to dance at all, slow or fast. there's not much else to say about this.
I don't know what else right now. I'm just killing time while Jon watches ufc craps on tv.
September 19, 2008
Op-Ed Contributor
Blocking Care for Women
By HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON and CECILE RICHARDS
LAST month, the Bush administration launched the latest salvo in its eight-year campaign to undermine women’s rights and women’s health by placing ideology ahead of science: a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would govern family planning. It would require that any health care entity that receives federal financing — whether it’s a physician in private practice, a hospital or a state government — certify in writing that none of its employees are required to assist in any way with medical services they find objectionable.
Laws that have been on the books for some 30 years already allow doctors to refuse to perform abortions. The new rule would go further, ensuring that all employees and volunteers for health care entities can refuse to aid in providing any treatment they object to, which could include not only abortion and sterilization but also contraception.
Health and Human Services estimates that the rule, which would affect nearly 600,000 hospitals, clinics and other health care providers, would cost $44.5 million a year to administer. Astonishingly, the department does not even address the real cost to patients who might be refused access to these critical services. Women patients, who look to their health care providers as an unbiased source of medical information, might not even know they were being deprived of advice about their options or denied access to care.
The definition of abortion in the proposed rule is left open to interpretation. An earlier draft included a medically inaccurate definition that included commonly prescribed forms of contraception like birth control pills, IUD’s and emergency contraception. That language has been removed, but because the current version includes no definition at all, individual health care providers could decide on their own that birth control is the same as abortion.
The rule would also allow providers to refuse to participate in unspecified “other medical procedures” that contradict their religious beliefs or moral convictions. This, too, could be interpreted as a free pass to deny access to contraception.
Many circumstances unrelated to reproductive health could also fall under the umbrella of “other medical procedures.” Could physicians object to helping patients whose sexual orientation they find objectionable? Could a receptionist refuse to book an appointment for an H.I.V. test? What about an emergency room doctor who wishes to deny emergency contraception to a rape victim? Or a pharmacist who prefers not to refill a birth control prescription?
The Bush administration argues that the rule is designed to protect a provider’s conscience. But where are the protections for patients?
The 30-day comment period on the proposed rule runs until Sept. 25. Everyone who believes that women should have full access to medical care should make their voices heard. Basic, quality care for millions of women is at stake.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is a Democratic senator from New York. Cecile Richards is the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
I wasn't going to say anything, but I figured that was kind of stupid. There's nothing I can do to stop something bad from happening. Not talking about it won't stop it! Ok. Here's the deal, I'm pregnant again! woo! Hopefully I'll stay that way. Want to know something weird? My due date is May 24 (Devan's 8th birthday!) She's not thrilled about that but I assured her due dates are just an estimate.
I found out on Sept. 11th while I was watching '9/11 as it happened' or whatever msnbc was broadcasting, when I checked the hpt that I took earlier in the morning and i was like 'woah that looks positive' so I took another and I was like 'woah that looks positive too!' so I ran out and drove to the store in my pajamas, and that test was positive too. So there you have it.
I won't have an ultrasound until October, so until then I'm hoping for the best, but I'm being cautious about getting excited, allthough I've decided I want to start working on some baby projects. I figure EVEN IF something happens, there's no shortage of babies who could use some cute knitted/crocheted/quilted/sewn things. Right? Here are a few things I've got my eyes on:
I'm not putting links up right now because most people who read this aren't on ravelry anyways, and wouldn't be able to access the links.
The Chairman of the Republican in Macomb County, Michigan (of course) party said this, "“We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses”
Who says these people have moved out of their homes? Who says they aren't going to work out a payment plan with the bank? The idea is to discourage people and to waste their time. That seems really anti-american and also mean spirited to me. I'm sure Republicans see it differently though. Unfortunately, this is also happening in other places, like Franklin County, Ohio. I almost forgot to mention that the notices sent out in the mail, challenging a voters rights are intentionally designed to look like junkmail, so many people just throw them out.
“The Republican-led state Senate has not moved on the anti-predatory lending bill for over a year and yet [Republicans] have time to prey on those who have fallen victim to foreclosure to suppress the vote.”
I'm really excited. For my 3-d design class we are doing 7 different origami models this week. Next monday, we'll choose our favorite and scale it up to these 10 ft tall/long origami sculptures. I've found several designs I plan to use. I found a pregnant woman! a t-rex, some different birds and flowers. Once we've completed our large scale sculptures we'll be displaying them in the college court yard. It seems really awesome. I hope I do a good job.
In other news, my hatred of Sarah Palin still burns with the white hot intensity of 1000 exploding suns. When is McCain gonna tell the world he's just kidding about making her vp?? When!??
Devan started soccer today. Her coach seems nice, and I'm glad that they are really easy going and not really interested in who wins, but just being active and having fun. I think Devan really enjoyed herself, which is great. I always wanted to play soccer in school but I my parents weren't home that time of day to cart me all over and my mom was worried I'd be molested by whoever would take me home so I wasn't allowed. I'm living vicariously through Devan but in a positive and not oppressive way!
Devan also started school this week. She seems to really like it. She misses her 1st grade teacher but she said 2nd grade is going to be so much more fun than 1st. She's delighted that Lauren goes to her school now. Devan, Kellie and Lauren all get along really well and sit together in a 3 seater on the bus every morning. It's cute. Here's a pic from their first day:
I was watching Sarah Palin (and the rest of these butts, except Huckabee - he's funny) speak tonight and I'm just totally grossed out. There are only a couple things I have to say:
1. I would really like to rescue that poor baby Trig from these people. "Hi let's exploit a baby & my pregnant teen daughter. also i give my kids stupid names."
2. What a giant hatefest. It's really sick. The DNC was so positive and upbeat that i felt hopeful and good and a little teary-eyed. This is so negative, and ridiculous. To discredit the work that Obama did for his community as a recent college grad - is just strange. What was Palin doing? Beaut Pageants? PTA? part-time sports reporting? If you don't know what a community organizer does, read this and then ask yourself what you were doing when you were 23 yrs old.
3. ps. why are the people at this convention so creepy and why all the cowboy hats? and why the poor poster making skills?
I've been back from Ohio for about 2 weeks. I miss the big sky and my friends and family. I want to go back soon!
I started another round of fertility meds when I got back and I'm hoping for some results. If not, that's it. I've decided to at least GO to a specialist and talk about the next step. I just want another baby so bad!!
I start school on Tuesday. I'm taking 3 classes. I'm pretty excited. I'm sorry I don't update much anymore. I just don't really know what to say.
I just turned on the O'Reilly Factor (I don't know why.) Laura Ingraham is on. She's really obnoxious, complaining about Luda. Bitch please.. Even her voice is annoying. I want to hit her in the face really bad.
Ohio Friends - I'm coming to you this weekend. I'm going to see Gogol Bordello Sat. night at House of Blues in Cleveland, and after that I'll be hangin' round my parents house. So let's get together people! There are only 3 things I'm certain of during my trip: 1. I am going to eat the shit out of a Marie's (in Wadsworth) salad. 2. I'm going to eat heartily at Wild Ginger. 3. I'm going to dance my pants off at the Gogol Bordello show and attempt to touch the hutz's weiner. help me figure out what else to do.
Today I went to Best Buy and had a new car stereo installed. Now I can listen to all of my music from my ipod without making cds and I'm psyched! Unfortunately, when I opened the door to the installation bay to pay for the work they did, the door (which was super heavy) shut on Devan's heel. She has a humongous gash on the back of her foot now, and a really thick flap of skin is hanging off. I was so annoyed that the guy at best buy was completely unphased (devan's foot was bleeding all over the floor and her shoe) and i had to ask the guy to give me a paper towel, he was like completely disinterested and I was getting really annoyed. Whatever, anyways I'm worried that she's gonna have a hard time wearing her riding boots tomorrow :( Tomorrow is her last day at camp, and hopefully I can catch her riding her horse and get some nice pix.
Because I watched that movie Wristcutters: A Love Story, last night i dreamed that tom waits and i were drinking lots of coffee and that we found a cat who'd given birth to kittens. we took care of the kittens together and gave them cream and talked for hours. it was fantaaasstic
Aside from another dream I had this week (which I cannot discuss here) I'd say the subconscious is beating the conscious... going back to sleep now.
and my mouth hates me. The last few years of my life have been DENTAL HELL. right now, I've got a broken tooth cutting into my tongue. It's making me talk funny, and it hurts like a sonofabitch. I have a dentist appointment on Monday, but damn. I can't afford this crap!!
Oh, by the way, I am 27 now...and yes, I'm wiser and MUCH more mature.
Well I made it through my HSG and it wasn't too terrible. Well, I lie. It was terrible as soon as it was over and remained that way until I woke up (late) this morning. Now I just feel a heaviness in my lower abdomen that I hope will go away soon! Anyways, everything's clear so hopefully I can have a freakin' baby. Jeez.
I don't really have much to talk about. I spent a LOT of time today looking at pictures of this week's HOT DUDE OF THE WEEK, Fabrizio Moretti.
and just for fun here's a pic I photoshopped (my pic was taken in photobooth so there was really no way to make it look authentic) but it's making me laugh alot!
Aren't we a lovely couple? Well I've got to go get ready to return my slushy machine (it broke) and take Devan to her Girl Scouts end of the year party. Later dudez.
My new bed was delivered last week and basically the bed and I are in love. That's not the reason I'm in bed right now though. We had an a/c service dude come out and look at our central air unit and it's pretty much shot and it costs a lot to replace it (and we just redid our whole room so we don't have any money.) Hopefully we can come up with a payment plan before I whither and die. So anyways, back to my tale of woe, this morning, after waking up drenched in sweat (lovely, I know) partly from the heat and partly due to 'hot flashes' from the fertility drugs I have to take, I decided to get in my car and sit for awhile with the a/c running. After that I put on some lip gloss and went to walmart and bought a couple fans. Then I went to Quick Chek and bought a gigantic icy (at 9am. I felt pathetic) Right now I've got one fan in front of me and one fan behind me and I'm still freaking miserable. Jon is taunting and teasing me from upstairs because he knows that I refuse to budge from this position (unless the new position involves air conditioning or cool water)It's going to be even hotter this week! What on earth am I going to do? Maybe I'll just go shopping all week until I'm forced by my parental duties to come home. Ugh.
So as I mentioned I'm on the fert. drugs again. Hopefully this time they'll work because this is the last time I can use them. Doing any more rounds of clomid increases uterine/ovarian cancer risks. If it doesn't work we're basically out of luck and probably will not have another baby. Injectible treatments and IVF cost alot, plus I'm not really interested in doing anything too invasive. Oh well enough of that.
Right now Devan is at her first EVER sleep-over. My friend Jenny had a party last night and Devan spent the night. She got to sleep in a/c. I'm jealous. I was up until 2 am, sweating and reading about the most unbelievable thing ever. A baby juggalo funeral. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm not going to explain further - but let's just say my mind has been blown like 8 different times over the past 12 hrs.
Oh - my original reason for posting. I've been saving this HOT DUDE OF THE WEEK (which really isn't weekly, sorry) for a long time (8th or 9th grade long) but I came across this totally hot pic of him and felt compelled to add him to the list: PAUL RUDD
I didn't really like Paul Rudd in knocked up UNTIL the cirque de soleil scene/hotel room w/ all the chairs scene. Holy crap. That was hilarious. But I loved him in Clueless, The Shape of Things, Romeo & Juliet, etc. That's it for now - I have another dude in mind for next week (no it's not HUGH LAURIE, even though I don't know how I'm gonna live until the next season of House starts. *sigh*)
I went on a trip. To Tennessee. Rode a horse named Connecticut. I mined for gems. Played trivial pursuit and KICKED ASS. Got in a fight with my brother (don't mess with a bitch's beauty rest when she's on fertility meds, dang!) Played with the cutest baby in the world (peyton) and also made him giggle. Walked around and got smoothies with my brother and my sister-in-law. Hung out in a sweet cabin in the Smokey Mtns.
While I was in Tennessee I decided to get a new bed. I bought it tonight online.
I splurrrged and got KING SIZE! wooo! And a nice, memory foam (Developed by NASA) mattress to go with it. I'm so psyched to sleep! Even more than usual!
I'm going to try to carve out some time to paint my bedroom before the new bed arrives cuz I'm betting it's pretty heavy and I don't want to have to move it twice.
Today I had my very first HOUSE MD Sexy dream. Ahhh Hugh Laurie, my love, you've answered my prayers. PS DID I mention I got a new bed?
We lost a loved one early Sunday morning. We're very, very sad and shocked at how quickly this happened. I know I definitely held on to hope right to the very last moment, that this was just a temporary setback. I was wrong.
I've been looking through pictures, wanting very much to share them with people, but my scanner is broken and my past digital pictures are stored on various external hard drives that I don't have near me. Here's one of Aunt Dee holding Devan when she was 4 days old. It makes me so sad that she won't be able to hold another one of my babies.
Tomorrow I'll bake some muffins and take some jam over and sit with Jon's grandmother and maybe have some tea. I hope I can provide some sort of comfort and distraction from the sadness.
Things have been so sad lately. I'm hoping the clouds go away and the sun starts shining again very soon.
Where do you go with your broken heart in tow?
What do you do with the leftover you?
And how do you know when to let go?
Where does the good go? Where does the good go?
Could I stop having this stupid cough? It's really bad and vaporub and mucinex are not helping. I don't want to go to the doctor because I just took Devan and she had tests done and supposedly it's not a big deal. Either way both of us are hacking our lungs up all day long.
We had a nasty snow storm thing around here. Devan didn't have school today and our cable/internet was off ALL DAY. BOO! I didn't really care because I'm preoccupied with babymaking, but Devan was pretty irritated.
Back to the subject of babymaking - I'm already tired of this process. Not the "babymaking" but the waiting and the not knowing and the side effects of the different fertility meds. I'm not looking forward to negative preg tests, I will tell you that right now. I can barely stand the thought of this not working. I really need to get over it though, because I honestly don't FEEL like the meds worked this time. OPK's I've taken have yet to show any signs of anything working.
If you don't mind, keep us in your thoughts. We do want this very badly.
Thing a week sounds more reasonable at this point. I've been too sick from the meds to do any heavy duty...anything, so, yea that's where I'm at. I've been knitting a sweater but no one wants to see that.
I can't believe it, and I'm sure you won't either, but this is the latest I've been up in about a week and a half!! I've been going to bed between 9 and 10:30 everynight and waking up at 6:30am. I'm trying to keep it that way, but I was catching up on some shows and some knitting, so I thought what the hell.
Last night we were going to get Mexican and go see Rambo, but Kevin made us go get Indian instead, and also refused to see Rambo! I got this Tandoori platter that was kinda good. But I have to be perfectly honest and say that Indian food really isn't one of my favorites. I enjoy trying new things, but I'm not a spicy food eater, really.
This week I've got a few doctor appointments. First I have to have a long awaited root canal, and I'm so relieved. It was actually scheduled for a couple Friday's ago, but I got lost somehow, on my way there (even though I've been to the specialist before!) So I had to reschedule (and they were mad at me for some reason, so I feel weird going there now) the appointment for Tuesday.
Wednesday I have to go back to Livingston/West Orange (whatever, it's by Short Hills, that's all I know) and get a pelvic ultrasound to make sure everything's going ok with my innards.
I'm also hoping to schedule another root canal by the end of the week because one of my teeth is really bothering me and I'd like to take care of it before I get too involved with the fertility meds (which, hopefully I will be starting in the middle of next week, if the first course of meds works correctly!) I'm pretty excited, but also kinda "bleh" about it because I already got nauseous and barfed in my car on Friday outside of the grocery store.
In other exciting news, we'll be seeing Pat on Friday! !! !! He's coming to NJ for the weekend, and Jon took the day off so we can pick him up from the airport and have lunch and hang out! I'm psyched! My life is so much more boring without our Friday lunch dates :( Taco Bell (I know) and Red Robin are not the same without him being there doing embarrassing things.
I'm gonna go to bed now. Maybe I'll be back tomorrow with some KNITTING PHOTOS! I know you're excited about that.
I'm having a hard time with the whole "blogging" thing right now, so bear with me (if anyone's left to bear with me.)
I've got 2 things to talk about right now. 1. Jon and I have started a new fertility treatment and hopefully we will see results (i.e. a baby) very soon!
2. I've decided to sign up for this:
Hopefully thing-a-day will help me to not obsess over the baby-makin' and will also help me feel more creative, and you know, like I'm doing something with my time.
Oh yea, one more thing. Remember how I mentioned going back to school? Well it wasn't gonna work out this semester, for several reasons. Also, the only classes I even cared about were CANCELLED! Wtf? Ok that's it for today.
Friday night it hit me that I only need to complete about 8 more classes for my degree. Not that it's enough though, because eventually I want my Masters of Fine Art and I will get it one day, when I've got the time to fully devote myself to it.
This week (once the snow has cleared) I'm going to go to the college and speak to an advisor about a couple of classes and see about signing up for a few of them.
Whether I use my degree is still up in the air. And by that, I mean, trying to use it on a resume to find a good job, etc. For me, my lack of confidence when it comes to the field I have worked in, as well as the medium I work with -- all stem from not having a degree to back my work up. Hopefully procuring this magical degree will help with that. Mostly this is for me. Kind of an expensive confidence booster, eh?
To be honest, I just really need to get out of the house on a regular basis or I'm going to go insane, so I thought this would be a worthwhile use of 'out of the house' time.
I haven't been terribly busy or running around or anything, I have just been enjoying this time with my guy and my girls (dev & lily.)
How's your new year going? Mine's going alright so far! Today I made some peanut butter cookies in my new kitchenaid mixer that jon got me for christmas. Last night we had fun, just the 3 of us, watching Ryan Seacrest count down to the new year, while we played Monopoly Jr. and ate snacks. When the ball dropped, we all gave each other kisses and Devan danced around while Fergie sang "Clumsy." All was going well until Devan fell and hurt her butt and cried for about 20 minutes (mostly from being tired.)
I don't really feel like making a big post right now, so I'll save it until I have some time tomorrow afternoon. Dev goes back to school in the morning, so I should definitely have a few minutes to spare, to post some pics and stuff.
I'm going to run some errands in the morning, and then I have every intention of updating this thing! I have a bunch of things I want to brag about and a couple things I want to rant about, and then just some general junk to talk about!
This morning I found this while browsing for a humidifier. Jon and I keep waking up at odd hours lately unable to breathe and swallow due to the excessive dryness that's set in all over our house. Not entirely sure why it's happening, but this little guy should help.
I have finished sorting/folding/hanging up clothes in the bedroom and now it's time to start sorting/shelving my supplies in my cute little studio space.
The branches of the tree are dry now, so I can put the lights on tonight.
Tomorrow I am taking Gockey holiday shopping, and then Devan has Brownies. I have to still iron all of her patches onto her vest before the meeting.
Hopefully I'll find some time to put the decorations on the tree. The goal is to be ALL done with decorating before we go away on Saturday.
I also wanted to take a minute to recommend a book to everyone in the world. It's called The Diving Bell And The Butterfly. It's a memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby. I saw a preview for the movie they made of this when we went to see No Country For Old Men (which was pretty dang great) and it looks spectacular, but I am a fan of reading the book before seeing the movie in most cases.
I've got a lot of work to do. More than normal for this time of the year. My goal is to be cleaned and organized by Friday night because Jon and I are going away to Mohonk on Saturday.
We went shopping last week and bought the furniture I need for my studio space. Jon put it all together yesterday and we started moving all my supplies into the room.
There's another book shelf on the other side of the desk. I want to get a shorter table for my press because the one it's on is a little bit too high for comfort.
Tonight we got our tree. It's a little bit damp but it smells amazing, and it looks perfect. Here's a pic of Jon adjusting it to my specifications:
I'm just so irritated. It's December already. I've got so much to do.
The house is a mess. I still don't have my office/studio space set up. My press is still in a very dark corner of the family room, which makes it incredibly difficult to use. ...I won't even say more about that right now because I'll probably explode.
Every year I have the best intentions...Advent calendars, handknit stockings, handmade gifts, homemade cookies, lights and decorations everywhere...guh. Why do I do this to myself?
It's Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving! We had our delicious dinner at Jon's grandma's and enjoyed each other's company.
Tonight Jon and I watched Shoot 'Em Up, starring former hot dude of the week, Clive Owen. This movie was the most awesome, hilarious, ridiculous movie ever. Also Clive Owen is hot.
I haven't updated this lately because I'm bored of it, to be honest. I've been busy. We went to Ohio for a week to visit my new nephew, Peyton. There are photos in my flickr, if you want to see the little guy.
Jon and I went shopping in Morristown today. He needed wardrobe help and I'm pretty good at picking out clothes (for other people, not for me.) The knitting store, Accent On Knits is right by the parking garage we used, so we stopped in. Ugh. What a waste of time.
First of all, they have no sock yarn which is basically the only yarn I'll buy from a yarn store because you get so much more for your money online. The place was a mess and was also organized by colors. Ridiculous. I won't comment about the people in the store, because that's rude. But seriously, what a crappy layout and what a mess! I lingered for a second and ran out as quickly as my legs could carry me.
Aside from that our outing was a success. Jon's new wardrobe is adorable and stylish and HOT. I'm pleased with myself.
Let me start off by saying Fuck George W. Bush. I haven't really said anything political on this blog since this douchebag got re-elected, due to extreme depression over the situation. But right now I'm fired up about this guy! Hey Bush, Let's stop using terms like 'socialized healthcare' because they don't MEAN anything. How about trying to define problems within a system, and change them, rather than dismiss them as too costly (the article explains how the costs would be met on taxing cigarettes) or worse yet "too close to socialized healthcare." Even Karen Ignagni, the president of America's Health Insurance Plans encouraged people to contact their state gov't to push for this bill to be passed.
I guess this president would rather spend a trillion dollars on a pointless war that we will never win, than take care of the people in his own country who need it the most.
President Bush vetoed a bipartisan bill expanding a popular children's health insurance program Wednesday, setting up an override battle with Congress.
It was only the fourth veto of Mr. Bush's presidency, and one that some Republicans feared could carry steep risks for their party in next year's elections. The Senate approved the bill with enough votes to override the veto, but the margin in the House fell short of the required number.
The White House sought as little attention as possible, with the president wielding his veto behind closed doors without any fanfare or news coverage.
But Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, quickly condemned the president's action. Reid, D-Nev., called the veto "heartless" and said Congress will "fight hard" to override it.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the veto was "incomprehensible" and "demonstrates a stunning lack of compassion for some of the most vulnerable members of our society."
The State Children's Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP, is a joint state-federal effort that subsidizes health coverage for 6.6 million people, mostly children, from families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford their own private coverage.
The Democrats who control Congress, with significant support from Republicans, passed the legislation to add $35 billion over five years to allow an additional 4 million children into the program. It would be funded by raising the federal cigarette tax by 61 cents to $1 per pack.
The president had promised to veto it, saying the Democratic bill was too costly, took the program too far from its original intent of helping the poor, and would entice people now covered in the private sector to switch to government coverage. He wants only a $5 billion increase in funding.
Mr. Bush argued that the congressional plan would be a move toward socialized medicine by expanding the program to higher-income families.
Democrats deny that, saying their goal is to cover more of the millions of uninsured children and noting that the bill provides financial incentives for states to cover their lowest-income children first. Of the over 43 million people nationwide who lack health insurance, 9 percent, or over 6 million, are under 18 years old.
Eighteen Republicans joined Democrats in the Senate, enough to override Mr. Bush's veto. But this was not the case in the House, where despite sizable Republican backing, supporters of the bill are about two dozen votes short of a successful override.
Hoyer said earlier that Democrats were imploring 15 House Republicans to switch positions but had received no agreements so far.
House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said he was "absolutely confident" that the House would be able to sustain Mr. Bush's expected veto.
Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Congress should be able to reach a compromise with Mr. Bush once he vetoes the bill. "We should not allow it to be expanded to higher and higher income levels, and to adults. This is about poor children," he said. "But we can work it out."
It took Mr. Bush six years to veto his first bill, when he blocked expanded federal research using embryonic stem cells last summer. In May, he vetoed a spending bill that would have required troop withdrawals from Iraq. In June, he vetoed another bill to ease restraints on federally funded stem cell research.
Mr. Bush's four vetoes are far fewer than any of his recent predecessors. In fact, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, you have to go back to James Garfield in 1881 to find the last president who cast fewer vetoes than Mr. Bush. FDR cast the most vetoes: 635 during 12 years in office. Eight presidents never vetoed any legislation, among them both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
In the case of the health insurance program, the veto is a bit of a high-stakes gambit for Mr. Bush, pitting him against both the Democrats who have controlled both houses of Congress since January, but also many members of his own party and the public.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched radio ads Monday attacking eight GOP House members who voted against the bill and face potentially tough re-election campaigns next year.
And Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, said a coalition of liberal groups planned more than 200 events throughout the nation to highlight the issue.
Now a question for those of you who voted in one or both elections, how do you justify voting for such a tool?
We didn't go into the city tonight. I was really sick and cranky and miserable all day, and then Jon called and said there was a problem with our tickets, (we weren't sure they were validated, oops!) so we decided not to chance driving into the city for nothing. Waste of time and money, especially with how crappy I felt.
Instead Jon decided to take care of me. He brought me home my favorite soup, Baked Potato, from Panera, and a sandwich. We were going to spend the evening watching a girly romantic movie, Becoming Jane, but I didn't think I had the stamina to pay attention, eat, and knit. I know, it's a rough life. Instead Jon turned on another 'romantic' comedy. Usually British comedies are my favorites, but I wasn't really into this one. It was Love and Other Disasters. Brittany Murphy is cute, but her accent going from British to American was just really annoying. I'm glad they explained it finally, but it was weird. It was a kind of cute movie and it sort of poked fun at itself and its genre.
I watched the Colbert Report from home and it was sort of a boring show, so I'm not heartbroken about missing the taping. We'll do it again soon, I'm sure. Right now I'm catching up on some recorded programs on the DVR and finishing up the last bit of knitting on a surprise I want to finish by tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do all the seaming and blocking tomorrow, but I'm going to be busy catching up on stuff I've been to sick to do for the last few days.
no macbook today. I'm gonna save up for a 17" macbook pro. I don't want credit debt, because right now we don't have any and we don't want any so I don't want to finance it.
I've got a shit-tastic cold right now and I'm crabby as hell. I'm watching intervention and drinking some grape drink.
Tomorrow we're going to go to another Colbert Report taping in the city. I can't remember who the guest is, some environmentalist/author person. It should be fun as long as Jon and I are both feeling good. Maybe we'll eat dinner in the city too. That would be good.
1. If I don't get pregnant soon, I'm going to go insane.
2. Devan's a 1st grader now. She felt sick on her first day, because she was soooo nervous. Here's a pic (one of many that turned out weird due to the weird, distressed looks she kept giving me)Click for a few more 1st day photos.
3. I finally saw knocked up. My opinions on the movie are mixed. See #1 for one reason why.
4. I'm knitting something adorable. I'll show you soon.
5. I love the newest photo & print project, A New Emptiness, from port2port press. I feel soooo many different things when I look at the photos.
That's it for now. I'll catch up with ya next week.
