New Beginnings

I quit my job today and I'm moving to Tennessee in January.

Whew, that felt good.

Rush to Judgment

"Possibly worse than making fun of someone's disability is saying that it's imaginary. That is not to mock someone's body, but to challenge a person's guts, integrity, sanity.

To Rush Limbaugh on Monday, Michael J. Fox looked like a faker. The actor, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, has done a series of political ads supporting candidates who favor stem cell research, including Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, who is running against Republican Michael Steele for the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes.

'He is exaggerating the effects of the disease,' Limbaugh told listeners. 'He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting.'

Later Monday, still on the air, Limbaugh would apologize, but reaction to his statements from Parkinson's experts and Fox's supporters was swift and angry."

- The above is a portion of an article written by David Montgomery for the Washington Post. View the entire article or watch the ad.

When I first heard about the comments made by Rush Limbaugh, I was infuriated. Why? Because I heard about it from my father who has Parkinson's.

I am not here to support or attack stem cell research. I am still on the fence when it comes to that issue. I'm writing this out of the frustration that is brought on from watching all of the political nonsense that has been taking place over the past months. We've all seen the ads. We've heard about, or seen, the crashed press conference in Tennessee. We've come to accept the fact that during elections, politicians become ranting raving 9 year olds that have nothing better to do than poke holes in their opponent's platforms.

For what? The greater good of our country? Explain to me how watching a father and son talk about how all they really wanted to do was visit Jim Davis, but couldn't find him, is going to help me make an informed voting decision.

But back to the Michael J. Fox ad.....Did he take his meds before filming that ad? Probably not. But the fact that he has to take meds at all in order to be able to stand upright without shaking or wobbling speaks for itself. My dad practices his signature all day long. He does this so he can see when the meds kick in the strongest and when they are wearing off. He has good days and bad days. I can assume that Michael J. Fox is not any different. Was this a shameful exploitation in order to support a political platform? I don't think so. The media shows starving children and AIDS infected communities all the time in order to raise awareness or money. How is this any different?

I hope that for Rush's sake he never has to face the physical effects of a debilitating disease. But if he does, maybe he'll remember to take his meds.

Broken

Broken.

Shattered.

Separated.

Destroyed.

Once again, I'm broken.
He's broken me.

On my knees, wanting, needing.
Flat on my face, can't get up.

It's the only way He can help me up.

Mistakes, deceit, sickness, lies.
All keep me down.

Flat on my face crying for mercy, for grace.
His mercy, His grace.

It's the only way He can help me up.

Please, help me up.

Broken.

Product (RED)

As if Bono wasn't the coolest man to ever walk the earth already, he has now launched a new campaign to help fight the spread of AIDS in Africa called Product (RED). Here's what he has to say about it:

“Sometimes when I'm walking down the street a passer by will say "love your work on Africa Bono, great cause." Sometimes, they wish they hadn't. As I'm Irish, I love to talk to strangers. I love to talk about Africa. It can be hard to get away. . . Each time it makes me think we need to do much more to get the message across that this is not a 'cause,' this pandemic that we and so many others are working on. 5,500 Africans dying a day of AIDS, a preventable, treatable disease is not a cause. 5,500 Africans dying each day is an emergency.

Enter Product (RED). Red is a new idea we're launching to work alongside the growing ONE Campaign to Make Poverty History. Over the past year, almost 2 million Americans have joined ONE, in churches and chatrooms. . .on soccer pitches and movie sets. . .at NASCAR races and rock concerts. By 2008, we're aiming to have 5 million members – that's more than the National Rifle Association. Just think for a moment of what that kind of political firepower could achieve for the poorest of the poor. . .

Where ONE takes on the bigger, longer-term beast of changing policy and influencing government, (RED) is, I guess, about a more instant kind of gratification. If you buy a (RED) product from GAP, Motorola, Armani, Converse or Apple, they will give up to 50% of their profit to buy AIDS drugs for mothers and children in Africa. (RED) is the consumer battalion gathering in the shopping malls. You buy the jeans, phones, iPods, shoes, sunglasses, and someone - somebody's mother, father, daughter or son - will live instead of dying in the poorest part of the world. It’s a different kind of fashion statement.

You might think (RED) sounds too simple. But AIDS is no longer a death sentence. Just two pills a day will bring someone who is at death's door back to full health, back to a full life. Doctors call it 'the Lazarus effect'. I’ve seen it myself and I have to say that it’s nothing short of a miracle. These pills are available at any corner drugstore. They cost less than a dollar a day, but the poorest people in Africa earn less than a dollar a day. They can’t afford them, and so they die. It's unnecessary. It's insane.

You might think it’s too difficult to get these drugs to the people who most need them. A couple of years ago when DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) lobbied President Bush, Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac to do more on AIDS we went to experts about this. From Bill and Melinda Gates, to Dr Paul Farmer working in the poorest places on the earth, to Dr Coutinho in his AIDS clinic in Uganda. Is it easy? No. Is it impossible? No. Can we do it? Absolutely. In 2001, there were 50,000 Africans taking ARVs. Now there are over one million people getting these life saving drugs thanks to President Bush's AIDS initiative, and thanks to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

There are though still 4.3 million Africans without drugs, which is why 100% of (RED) money is going directly to the Global Fund to support the work they are doing. (RED) uses the power in your pocket to keep people alive. ONE uses the power of your voice to create a more just world where people can earn their own way out of poverty. This means tackling more than AIDS. It means fighting corruption. Insisting on good governance. Getting kids in school. Changing trade rules. Getting businesses to invest in Africa. Myself and Ali started a company called Edun – a fashion line that makes clothes in Africa – because so many Africans we met said what they wanted more than anything was a job.

All of this is ganging up on the same problem – the greatest health crisis in human history and the extreme poverty in which it thrives. The Number 1 question we get asked is, what can I do to help? From today, you can do one more thing than you could do yesterday. Shop (RED). And if you haven’t already, join the One campaign at one.org.

As I said, this is an emergency. And in these dangerous times, how we in the West respond is an opportunity to show what we stand for, as well as what we stand against. If we're successful, we will not only transform millions of people's lives, we'll transform the way these people see us ... and in turn, the world in which we live."

Check out the Product (RED) website.

I Drive on 95

I was in an accident today.

Not a horrible accident, nobody was hurt, but my poor little SUV was the middle car in a 3 car pile-up on 95. I got it from both ends.

Lucky me.

It was just typical rush hour South Florida traffic on 95. The car in front of me slammed on his brakes, causing me to slam on my brakes and stop just short of his bumper. The guy behind me apparently couldn't stop in time, hence the 3 car pile-up. It was one of those surreal moments where you're not quite sure how to react. Do I get out of the car? I mean, I'm in the middle of 95. Do I check to see if anyone's hurt? They guy in front of me got out of his truck, so I knew he was ok. Who do I call first? My parents, the police, insurance, someone to come pick me up? All these questions running through my head.

As I was getting ready for bed tonight, I started thinking about all of those questions again, and the one that really stuck out in my mind was the, who do I call first? question. I realized that I was not at a loss for people to call. I spoke to about 7 people between the time of the accident, and when the police showed up. Two of my friends were coordinating who was closer to come get me, without even talking to me, and I had 3 other offers to come pick me up.

I am so blessed with such wonderful friendships, I can't even begin to fathom what I've done to deserve such amazing people in my life. And I am aware of this fact all the time, but it's sad that it took an accident for it to really hit home. Thinking about the care and concern that I received this afternoon brings tears to my eyes, and I am not a crier.

So in all sincerity, I have to say,

Lucky me.

The Man

I saw him yesterday.

The man.

It was not a good day. He hurts.

I look back upon other days and I remember.

I remember the man who bounced me on his knee.
The man who took me to dance class.
The man who walked me to school.

I remember the man who cheered from the sidelines.
The man who scared away boyfriends.
The man who cried when I graduated.

I remember the man who hugged me when I hurt.
The man who picked me up when I fell.
The man who held my hand, even when I didn't want him to.

The body is different, but the man is the same.

The man fights it, but it fights back.
His body is filled with chemicals, just up until the point where it can kill him.
Why? To kill the cancer that is trying to kill him. Funny how that works.

The man. My father. He hurts.

Single White Female

I recently had a conversation with a friend of a friend. We were discussing our different workout regimes and I explained to him that I get up at 5:30am to run. He looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face and then asked, "Do you have kids?" To which I replied, "No." He then proceeded to ask if I was married, and again, I answered no. Last, but not least, he asked if I had a boyfriend, and of course, I answered no. The puzzled expression disappeared from his face and he said, "Well, that explains it." What the hell is that supposed to mean? What exactly did the answers to those questions explain?

I was caught slightly off-guard, and didn't get the chance to really think about his statement until later. And then it hit me.....since I don't have a husband to care for, or children to nurture, or even a boyfriend to entertain, I must have all the free time in the world. Apparently, to this man, pursuing a master's degree, embarking on a new career, and constantly worrying about a father who is battling cancer translates into a lifestyle that should allow me to run at my leisure.

And here I thought that the world was more accepting of single women.......wrong again.

I'm ok with being single.

Let me say that again.

I'm ok with being single.

Don't get me wrong, I do have a desire to get married. However, I refuse to let that desire define me. I have no control over whether or not I get married. I put that control in God's hands a long time ago, and I don't want it back. One of the biggest sins I struggle with is that of discontent. Discontent in my job, in my friendships, and yes, in my dating life. I have to remind myself on a daily basis that if it's God's will, I will get married. But if not,

I'm ok with being single.

Ok, so I'm very new at this whole blogging thing and I've stayed away from it for so long because I figured that no one out there would want to hear what I have to say.

I've gotten over that.

I've come to realize that this isn't a forum for other people to read what I've written, but rather a place where I can say whatever I want to without judgement. No one asking questions or interrupting or putting in their two cents. Just me and my thoughts. That is a very liberating feeling.

So begins a new chapter in this simple story of my life.

Let's just say that I hope these next chapters are better than the first few......