I just completed my first news leadership class. I traveled to North Carolina on Wednesday and returned home Saturday, after hitting up the P!nk concert in Louisville. I met some great people within the company and learned a lot already.
It was also exhausting. Staying awake for 3-4 days straight is no easy task when you're a vampire. I did get a nap in after I got to the hotel on Wednesday before dinner. But after that, no more naps. And the flights weren't long enough for me to fall asleep. Thursday night, I crashed right after dinner. I had no energy for Facebook or reading or anything I usually do in my "free time".
The plane rides were interesting for someone who rarely flies and had never flown alone. I had two instances where pain shot through my forehead or jaw during the descent. The forehead one was awful. I thought fluid might pop out of my head and I was close to bawling. Other than that, everything went pretty smoothly and I'm thinking about flying to the next class in Alabama in June.
This week, I'll be gone again at the end of the week. Bon Jovi concert is Thursday. In Louisville. What can I say, I can't stay away. Pmo and I will be taking Mom with us on this one. Then things should calm down a little bit until next month. Another concert. Another trip, this time to the Keys!
Speaking of concerts, Tom Petty is coming to the Ford Center in May. Gotta search for a presale password!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Whatta Week
I just finished my Saturday morning ritual: getting up super early ('cause I can't sleep any longer), taking the dogs out, giving Bug his meds (except his insulin shot 'cause he'll wake up Pmo), watching Jack trot back to bed, cleaning up the kitchen ('cause I'm worthless on Friday nights and need to get it breakfast-ready), getting the coffee ready to make later, starting a load of laundry and settling down in my chair with Diet Coke/cream cheese/crackers to sort through the mail and newspapers with the hope of making time for my Kindle. Sometimes I blog, too. Just so happens I have plenty to talk about this week.
First of all, this guy I met at work nine years ago, and married about four years ago, GOT A PROMOTION! Pmo will now be working for our parent company, Raycom, as a digital advertising designer. He's very excited and I couldn't be more proud of him. He will still work out of 14 WFIE so we don't have to move. And if I were to take another job within the company, he would most likely be able to move anywhere with me and keep his job. He could even work from home.
Speaking of other job opportunities, I also found out this week that I was accepted into the 2013 Raycom Leadership Class. This means I will go to several management training sessions throughout the year as well as participate in monthly webinars. 15 people were nominated company wide (about 40 stations) and 8 were chosen. The goal of the program is to eventually advance the "graduates" into higher management. My first trip is to Charlotte, NC next month. I have to fly because I had a prior committment that would be a conflict if I drove. I haven't been on an airplane since 2007, that was for work, too. And before that, only a few other times.
Finally, a Bugton update. He's had a rough week. On Sunday, he was trembling and felt slighty hot. On Tuesday, he couldn't quit coughing. On Wednesday night, he had an accident in the house. And on Friday morning, his paw was bleeding from a swollen bulge between his toes. We now have medication for that. Of course, all of this didn't make Pmo and me happy campers either. But that's what taking care of an elderly dog is like. There are good days, bad days and incredibly frustrating-try-your-patience days. The big guy turns 12 on Monday, by the way.
As for Jack, well, he's bored and has cabin fever. But he still smells good from his "spa day" at the vet a few weeks ago.
Other than that, Pmo and I are gearing up for a very busy couple of months: four concerts, a trip to Cincy and a vacation in the Keys...all by the end of April. Not to mention our new work duties. But I think we're ready to get back into the swing of things because January was pretty uneventful.
Bring on spring!
First of all, this guy I met at work nine years ago, and married about four years ago, GOT A PROMOTION! Pmo will now be working for our parent company, Raycom, as a digital advertising designer. He's very excited and I couldn't be more proud of him. He will still work out of 14 WFIE so we don't have to move. And if I were to take another job within the company, he would most likely be able to move anywhere with me and keep his job. He could even work from home.
Speaking of other job opportunities, I also found out this week that I was accepted into the 2013 Raycom Leadership Class. This means I will go to several management training sessions throughout the year as well as participate in monthly webinars. 15 people were nominated company wide (about 40 stations) and 8 were chosen. The goal of the program is to eventually advance the "graduates" into higher management. My first trip is to Charlotte, NC next month. I have to fly because I had a prior committment that would be a conflict if I drove. I haven't been on an airplane since 2007, that was for work, too. And before that, only a few other times.
Finally, a Bugton update. He's had a rough week. On Sunday, he was trembling and felt slighty hot. On Tuesday, he couldn't quit coughing. On Wednesday night, he had an accident in the house. And on Friday morning, his paw was bleeding from a swollen bulge between his toes. We now have medication for that. Of course, all of this didn't make Pmo and me happy campers either. But that's what taking care of an elderly dog is like. There are good days, bad days and incredibly frustrating-try-your-patience days. The big guy turns 12 on Monday, by the way.
As for Jack, well, he's bored and has cabin fever. But he still smells good from his "spa day" at the vet a few weeks ago.
Other than that, Pmo and I are gearing up for a very busy couple of months: four concerts, a trip to Cincy and a vacation in the Keys...all by the end of April. Not to mention our new work duties. But I think we're ready to get back into the swing of things because January was pretty uneventful.
Bring on spring!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Birds, Stars, Flowers and Godwinks
I just finished this book called "Godwink Stories: A Devotional" which I discovered on The Today Show. Okay, it was the Kathie Lee and Hoda hour. Sometimes I like to dip in, just to see what they're blathering about. Don't judge me.
The book is one of several by SQuire Rushnell. That's not a typo. The "S" and "Q" are both capitalized. Anyway, here's his definition: "A Godwink is what some people would call a coincidence, an answered prayer, or simply an experience so astonishing that it could only have come from God." Some examples: finding an inspirational letter (when you're feeling blue) in a parking lot that was meant for someone else but has your name on it, or two brothers who used to be dressed alike as kids and haven't spoken in years show up wearing the same thing at a family reunion. SQuire also calls it "divine alignment".
I'm not very religious. I don't think I'm gullible. And I'm not sure what I believe in. But I like to read about faith, God and spirituality every once in awhile. I also enjoy conversations, but I'll only talk with certain people. I don't want to be preached to, pushed upon or barked at. And I can tell who's authentic and who's putting on airs.
As I was coming to the end of this book yesterday and about to go to sleep, I think God may have had something in his eye.
First, I heard one bird, chirping, outside my window. A sound I am accustomed to in the summer but haven't heard in months. Because it's January. And flipping cold. I listened for a bit then got up, looked outside and by then a whole flock had gathered in a tree. Then a group of geese flew overhead, squawking.
Next, while I watched the birds, out of the blue, my iPhone started playing music from its dock on the nightstand. "Stars" by Grace Potter. I hadn't set my alarm for 2:00 p.m. or whatever time it was. So I started to freak out.
Then, the doorbell rang. A box of flowers was delivered from one of my friends.
This all happened within a matter of minutes. One after the other. I was just blown away. I'm usually asleep at that time anyway. Or at least I should be. But I was so close to finishing that book...
I realized later that I must have hit the "nap" function on the dock when I was trying to clumsily put the phone on it from my bed, and that would explain the music going off. The flowers are easy to explain. I was expecting something (didn't know what or when) from my friend because she had asked me for my address. And the birds, well, I guess they're not totally unheard of in January.
But all of those things converging at once? In rapid succession?
I was so taken aback I decided to look up some Bible verses on birds, stars and flowers. Just for fun.
Here's what I found.
Psalm 11:1 - "In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?"
Genesis 1:16 - "Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day; and the lesser to rule the night. He made the stars also."
Song of Solomon 2:12 - "The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land."
Take what you will from it. I won't try to interpret the verses, though the flowers did "appear" on my porch and the birds were sort of singing. I just thought it was interesting enough to share. Now I'm going to start a new book. And get some shuteye.
Get it?
Shuteye?
Wink?
;)
The book is one of several by SQuire Rushnell. That's not a typo. The "S" and "Q" are both capitalized. Anyway, here's his definition: "A Godwink is what some people would call a coincidence, an answered prayer, or simply an experience so astonishing that it could only have come from God." Some examples: finding an inspirational letter (when you're feeling blue) in a parking lot that was meant for someone else but has your name on it, or two brothers who used to be dressed alike as kids and haven't spoken in years show up wearing the same thing at a family reunion. SQuire also calls it "divine alignment".
I'm not very religious. I don't think I'm gullible. And I'm not sure what I believe in. But I like to read about faith, God and spirituality every once in awhile. I also enjoy conversations, but I'll only talk with certain people. I don't want to be preached to, pushed upon or barked at. And I can tell who's authentic and who's putting on airs.
As I was coming to the end of this book yesterday and about to go to sleep, I think God may have had something in his eye.
First, I heard one bird, chirping, outside my window. A sound I am accustomed to in the summer but haven't heard in months. Because it's January. And flipping cold. I listened for a bit then got up, looked outside and by then a whole flock had gathered in a tree. Then a group of geese flew overhead, squawking.
Next, while I watched the birds, out of the blue, my iPhone started playing music from its dock on the nightstand. "Stars" by Grace Potter. I hadn't set my alarm for 2:00 p.m. or whatever time it was. So I started to freak out.
Then, the doorbell rang. A box of flowers was delivered from one of my friends.
This all happened within a matter of minutes. One after the other. I was just blown away. I'm usually asleep at that time anyway. Or at least I should be. But I was so close to finishing that book...
I realized later that I must have hit the "nap" function on the dock when I was trying to clumsily put the phone on it from my bed, and that would explain the music going off. The flowers are easy to explain. I was expecting something (didn't know what or when) from my friend because she had asked me for my address. And the birds, well, I guess they're not totally unheard of in January.
But all of those things converging at once? In rapid succession?
I was so taken aback I decided to look up some Bible verses on birds, stars and flowers. Just for fun.
Here's what I found.
Psalm 11:1 - "In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?"
Genesis 1:16 - "Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day; and the lesser to rule the night. He made the stars also."
Song of Solomon 2:12 - "The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land."
Take what you will from it. I won't try to interpret the verses, though the flowers did "appear" on my porch and the birds were sort of singing. I just thought it was interesting enough to share. Now I'm going to start a new book. And get some shuteye.
Get it?
Shuteye?
Wink?
;)
Sunday, January 13, 2013
This Time
A week ago, I spent the better part of Sunday in the ICU waiting room because my grandma had been admitted the night before. I had visited her in the hospital several times over the years. But this time was different. She hadn't been doing well for awhile. She'd been fighting bedsores and all but given up any activity besides moving from the chair to the bed and vice versa.
My family had been called in very early that morning, so they were there for some time before I learned about the situation and arrived. The prognosis was grim and we were given "the options". We parted ways that afternoon, but they were called in again very early the next morning. And I left work early to join them this time.
The decision was made on Monday to let her go. We waited until my aunt and cousin made it over then went back to her room. They closed the curtain, took her off the ventilator, then let us back in to watch the other machines eventually tell us she was gone. I held my mom's hand and cried. Grandma's breathing continued for awhile, then slowed, then came to a stop. The lines on the screen went flat. The numbers dropped to 0.
I wasn't there when Grandpa died. I was 20, in Terre Haute, with my best friend, partying like it was 1999. 'Cause it was. This time, I was 34, with a front row seat. It was weird, it was emotional, I didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to do it. There are two things I'll remember vividly. Walking in that room at 5:30 in the morning, looking at Mom with tears in her eyes saying, "I think this is it." And walking out of that room after Grandma had passed and looking back to see Mom patting her leg and saying "Love ya, Mom."
The visitation was almost overwhelming. When you move away from home, you don't fully understand the scope of what it means to have spent 87 years in the same place, with the same people, and all of those faces coming out of the woodwork to pay their respects when the time comes. And I thought I had done all of my crying until I heard them play Alan Jackson gospel music at the funeral. He was her favorite singer.
Things like this make you face your own mortality. But it's making me face other mortalities. My parents. My husband. I don't want to bury them. I will most likely have to unless I go first. It also makes me question my life choices. Where I live, my lack of reproduction, what I've done (or not done) with my life. I can't get too wrapped up in that, though. Everyone does the best they can, right? You gotta do what you gotta do. Focus on the good. Deal with the bad. Cherish the memories. Life goes on.
Rest in peace, Grandma.
My family had been called in very early that morning, so they were there for some time before I learned about the situation and arrived. The prognosis was grim and we were given "the options". We parted ways that afternoon, but they were called in again very early the next morning. And I left work early to join them this time.
The decision was made on Monday to let her go. We waited until my aunt and cousin made it over then went back to her room. They closed the curtain, took her off the ventilator, then let us back in to watch the other machines eventually tell us she was gone. I held my mom's hand and cried. Grandma's breathing continued for awhile, then slowed, then came to a stop. The lines on the screen went flat. The numbers dropped to 0.
I wasn't there when Grandpa died. I was 20, in Terre Haute, with my best friend, partying like it was 1999. 'Cause it was. This time, I was 34, with a front row seat. It was weird, it was emotional, I didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to do it. There are two things I'll remember vividly. Walking in that room at 5:30 in the morning, looking at Mom with tears in her eyes saying, "I think this is it." And walking out of that room after Grandma had passed and looking back to see Mom patting her leg and saying "Love ya, Mom."
The visitation was almost overwhelming. When you move away from home, you don't fully understand the scope of what it means to have spent 87 years in the same place, with the same people, and all of those faces coming out of the woodwork to pay their respects when the time comes. And I thought I had done all of my crying until I heard them play Alan Jackson gospel music at the funeral. He was her favorite singer.
Things like this make you face your own mortality. But it's making me face other mortalities. My parents. My husband. I don't want to bury them. I will most likely have to unless I go first. It also makes me question my life choices. Where I live, my lack of reproduction, what I've done (or not done) with my life. I can't get too wrapped up in that, though. Everyone does the best they can, right? You gotta do what you gotta do. Focus on the good. Deal with the bad. Cherish the memories. Life goes on.
Rest in peace, Grandma.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Behind
I'm behind on my blogging.
I'm behind on my reading.
I'm behind on exercise, eating right, housework, Bug snuggling, Jack frolicking, Pmo time, yard work, vacation planning, coupon clipping, cooking, baking, crafting, scrapbooking, organizing, home improvement, vitamin taking, flossing...
you name it, I'm not where I want to be with it.
But it's not like I've been doing nothing for the past month.
Christmas sucks the life out of me.
I have a feeling January is going to be pretty boring.
How does one do it all?
How does one do all of this with kids?
How does one do all of this with work, and kids, and in-laws, and cooking, and hosting...
I'm exhausted and I haven't done half of that.
I'm also emotionally exhausted as I'm sure many of us are.
As a member of "the media" (if I hear that one more time...)
I have been inundated with the Connecticut school massacre and access to hundreds of stories that I choose not to drown myself in.
I'm actually pretty numb to shootings, even mass shootings.
But Connecticut was different.
Aurora was different.
There's innocence, and then there's selfishness.
I'm sorry you have mental problems.
I'm sorry you feel like you need to kill yourself in order to solve those problems.
But taking others with you, I just don't understand.
People that have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with your issues.
Gone.
If I was a parent of one of those children, you couldn't tell me anything to help me understand.
God's plan, he/she's in heaven now, things happen for a reason, free will, evil in this world.
No.
Save it.
But I guess you have to believe in something to get you through it, or else the grief will consume you, the tables turn, and you may feel compelled to do something rash, unimaginable and tragic.
Whatever the answer is, I hope we find it. And those 20 little lives were not lost in vain.
Do something. Please.
We can't fall any further behind.
I'm behind on my reading.
I'm behind on exercise, eating right, housework, Bug snuggling, Jack frolicking, Pmo time, yard work, vacation planning, coupon clipping, cooking, baking, crafting, scrapbooking, organizing, home improvement, vitamin taking, flossing...
you name it, I'm not where I want to be with it.
But it's not like I've been doing nothing for the past month.
Christmas sucks the life out of me.
I have a feeling January is going to be pretty boring.
How does one do it all?
How does one do all of this with kids?
How does one do all of this with work, and kids, and in-laws, and cooking, and hosting...
I'm exhausted and I haven't done half of that.
I'm also emotionally exhausted as I'm sure many of us are.
As a member of "the media" (if I hear that one more time...)
I have been inundated with the Connecticut school massacre and access to hundreds of stories that I choose not to drown myself in.
I'm actually pretty numb to shootings, even mass shootings.
But Connecticut was different.
Aurora was different.
There's innocence, and then there's selfishness.
I'm sorry you have mental problems.
I'm sorry you feel like you need to kill yourself in order to solve those problems.
But taking others with you, I just don't understand.
People that have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with your issues.
Gone.
If I was a parent of one of those children, you couldn't tell me anything to help me understand.
God's plan, he/she's in heaven now, things happen for a reason, free will, evil in this world.
No.
Save it.
But I guess you have to believe in something to get you through it, or else the grief will consume you, the tables turn, and you may feel compelled to do something rash, unimaginable and tragic.
Whatever the answer is, I hope we find it. And those 20 little lives were not lost in vain.
Do something. Please.
We can't fall any further behind.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
You Give Love A Bad Name (And I Want To Punch You In The Face)
Disclaimer: I will most likely buy tickets to a Bon Jovi concert for my mom in the near future as a Christmas present (again) so PLEASE do not mention this blog post to her in any fashion. I just couldn't let this go. There is also some profanity. In case you don't like that. Or don't know me. At all.
I was reading comments on the KFC Yum! Center's Facebook page about Bon Jovi coming to Louisville, because I KNEW there would be some crappy a** remark about something or other. And I like to torture myself, apparently. So, of course, I found one.
This guy says, and I quote, "Great, let's just invite springstein too and have all the washed up musicians who got the vote for obama."
First of all, SPRINGSTEEN IS A LEGEND and anything but washed up. I feel extremely fortunate to have seen him in concert, and although I would have preferred some different song choices, he's "the boss". Seriously. Are you kidding me? THE BOSS.
Second, JON BON JOVI IS A GOD. The whole band rocks and is still together after all of these years. That's stamina. That's classic. That's epic. You don't insult that and you certainly don't eff with it. Washed up? Really? So that's why he/they keep making albums and selling out stadiums, huh? A GOD.
And third, OBAMA WON, ROMNEY LOST. Yes, Springsteen stumped for Obama, but I could care less. Bon Jovi may have, too, I don't know. I'm so sick of this crap. Why do these people have to turn everything into an effing political fight? GET THE F*** OVER IT.
I don't pin all of my hopes and dreams on politicians.
So I'm not devastated, bitter or lost without any sense of direction when they lose.
I also don't blame other people or the government for my problems.
I prefer to be a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kind of girl.
I believe what I believe.
You believe what you believe.
Agree to disagree.
Whatever.
But when you take something sacred, like a concert, by one of my favorite groups, in the world, of all time, and turn it into some pissing match about liberals vs conservatives, I take serious effing issue.
Most people would say the best thing to do is ignore people like that.
Don't buy into the argument, don't fuel their fire.
But then they get away with it.
And I HATE when people get away with things like that, just because you're supposed to "take the high road" or "be the better person". In the meantime, they get to say whatever the hell they want without repercussions, responsibility or even accountability.
Fine.
I'll ignore it and let it go.
After I post this blog, of course.
But WWBJD?
(What Would Bon Jovi Do?)
Hmmm, I know.
♫ When the world gets in my face, I say, HAVE A NICE DAY! ♫
Ah, all better now.
I was reading comments on the KFC Yum! Center's Facebook page about Bon Jovi coming to Louisville, because I KNEW there would be some crappy a** remark about something or other. And I like to torture myself, apparently. So, of course, I found one.
This guy says, and I quote, "Great, let's just invite springstein too and have all the washed up musicians who got the vote for obama."
First of all, SPRINGSTEEN IS A LEGEND and anything but washed up. I feel extremely fortunate to have seen him in concert, and although I would have preferred some different song choices, he's "the boss". Seriously. Are you kidding me? THE BOSS.
Second, JON BON JOVI IS A GOD. The whole band rocks and is still together after all of these years. That's stamina. That's classic. That's epic. You don't insult that and you certainly don't eff with it. Washed up? Really? So that's why he/they keep making albums and selling out stadiums, huh? A GOD.
And third, OBAMA WON, ROMNEY LOST. Yes, Springsteen stumped for Obama, but I could care less. Bon Jovi may have, too, I don't know. I'm so sick of this crap. Why do these people have to turn everything into an effing political fight? GET THE F*** OVER IT.
I don't pin all of my hopes and dreams on politicians.
So I'm not devastated, bitter or lost without any sense of direction when they lose.
I also don't blame other people or the government for my problems.
I prefer to be a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kind of girl.
I believe what I believe.
You believe what you believe.
Agree to disagree.
Whatever.
But when you take something sacred, like a concert, by one of my favorite groups, in the world, of all time, and turn it into some pissing match about liberals vs conservatives, I take serious effing issue.
Most people would say the best thing to do is ignore people like that.
Don't buy into the argument, don't fuel their fire.
But then they get away with it.
And I HATE when people get away with things like that, just because you're supposed to "take the high road" or "be the better person". In the meantime, they get to say whatever the hell they want without repercussions, responsibility or even accountability.
Fine.
I'll ignore it and let it go.
After I post this blog, of course.
But WWBJD?
(What Would Bon Jovi Do?)
Hmmm, I know.
♫ When the world gets in my face, I say, HAVE A NICE DAY! ♫
Ah, all better now.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
An Open Letter to Mass Murderers and Perverts
This is not a joke about Hostess.
I'm not running out and buying up the last supply at Schnucks.
I've had "Cloud Cakes" and knockoff Ding Dongs.
I think we'll all be just fine.
This is not a rant about the election.
Obama won.
Other people you may not have voted for won.
Life goes on.
Get over it.
Focus on the future.
Quit wallowing.
Suck it up.
This is a fedup, can't-stand-it, so-tired-of-this-crap, what-kind-of-a-country-am-I-living-in, realization.
But let me say this first: I read many, many, many, many stories about domestic violence, drug deals gone bad, junkie arrests, etc., where people end up dead or severely altered for the rest of their lives. I'm pretty numb to it all by this point. But at least, in these situations, I get it. There is a relationship involved between a husband and wife, druggies run in the same circles, etc. There's some sort of understanding of what happened and why. Not a justification. But an understanding. And even with the methheads or other drug addicts, in general, they're only hurting themselves, if you don't count what they do to their family and friends psychologically.
What I don't get it is these mass shootings/plans for mass shootings and child molestors/child pornographers/people who possess child pornography. These people are the most sick, twisted, selfish, delusional people in the world. They take innocent, precious lives and either end them or ruin them for eternity.
If you have homicidal thoughts, seek treatment. We have plenty of services out there designed for this kind of thing. All kinds of people with bleeding hearts who want to touch your soul and get down to the bottom of what causes you to think like that. I am not one of those people. But they're out there, trust me.
If you have sexual thoughts about someone who is not a consenting adult, seek treatment and read above. Yes, I know. Most likely, these people were also sexually abused and they don't know any better than to perpetuate the cycle, blah blah blah. But if you realize that, can't you also realize that it is wrong? That it made you feel awful and now you're passing that on that trauma to an INNOCENT HUMAN BEING???
I think these things are more important to address right now than whether a business is required to pay for its female employees' birth control. Or allowing illegal immigrants to live in this country. Or where in the hell Obama was born.
I don't have the answers. Well, I do. But they're not well thought out or even legal. But someone's got to have the solution, right? We have some really smart people in this country. It's America! Can't we come up with something? Are we allowed to screen people for perversion and homicidal tendencies at an early age? Like a standardized test? Something that would show "the warning signs"? Then we could nip it in the bud early. We have all kinds of other requirements/policies/restrictions/laws to be able to live and work in this society. Or, wait, I'm sorry, is that a violation of civil rights?
Because I tell you what: the victims of mass shootings and sexual abuse have rights, too.
Or at least they did before this crap happened to them.
They have a right to go about their business.
They have a right not to be bothered.
They have a right to feel safe.
They have a right to live.
And I have a right to say something about it.
I'm not running out and buying up the last supply at Schnucks.
I've had "Cloud Cakes" and knockoff Ding Dongs.
I think we'll all be just fine.
This is not a rant about the election.
Obama won.
Other people you may not have voted for won.
Life goes on.
Get over it.
Focus on the future.
Quit wallowing.
Suck it up.
This is a fedup, can't-stand-it, so-tired-of-this-crap, what-kind-of-a-country-am-I-living-in, realization.
But let me say this first: I read many, many, many, many stories about domestic violence, drug deals gone bad, junkie arrests, etc., where people end up dead or severely altered for the rest of their lives. I'm pretty numb to it all by this point. But at least, in these situations, I get it. There is a relationship involved between a husband and wife, druggies run in the same circles, etc. There's some sort of understanding of what happened and why. Not a justification. But an understanding. And even with the methheads or other drug addicts, in general, they're only hurting themselves, if you don't count what they do to their family and friends psychologically.
What I don't get it is these mass shootings/plans for mass shootings and child molestors/child pornographers/people who possess child pornography. These people are the most sick, twisted, selfish, delusional people in the world. They take innocent, precious lives and either end them or ruin them for eternity.
If you have homicidal thoughts, seek treatment. We have plenty of services out there designed for this kind of thing. All kinds of people with bleeding hearts who want to touch your soul and get down to the bottom of what causes you to think like that. I am not one of those people. But they're out there, trust me.
If you have sexual thoughts about someone who is not a consenting adult, seek treatment and read above. Yes, I know. Most likely, these people were also sexually abused and they don't know any better than to perpetuate the cycle, blah blah blah. But if you realize that, can't you also realize that it is wrong? That it made you feel awful and now you're passing that on that trauma to an INNOCENT HUMAN BEING???
I think these things are more important to address right now than whether a business is required to pay for its female employees' birth control. Or allowing illegal immigrants to live in this country. Or where in the hell Obama was born.
I don't have the answers. Well, I do. But they're not well thought out or even legal. But someone's got to have the solution, right? We have some really smart people in this country. It's America! Can't we come up with something? Are we allowed to screen people for perversion and homicidal tendencies at an early age? Like a standardized test? Something that would show "the warning signs"? Then we could nip it in the bud early. We have all kinds of other requirements/policies/restrictions/laws to be able to live and work in this society. Or, wait, I'm sorry, is that a violation of civil rights?
Because I tell you what: the victims of mass shootings and sexual abuse have rights, too.
Or at least they did before this crap happened to them.
They have a right to go about their business.
They have a right not to be bothered.
They have a right to feel safe.
They have a right to live.
And I have a right to say something about it.
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