Where is your ‘happiness’ investment?
Posted by Michelle Moquin on November 25th, 2008
I took a break from the news, partially because I felt so entrenched by it these past many months, but mostly because there are other priorities in my life that have not let up to give me the time to watch and read. It has been frustrating as I feel a bit out of it..but life goes on…
However, there have been questions that have been going through my mind on a daily basis, and always they are in regards to money. Just where is this bailout money going and is the average American going to benefit from it or just pay the tab? I have more to say on this but I’ll save it for another day.
And then…People are committing suicide over…you guessed it ‘money’ or the lack of it. I was just talking to a friend whose husband works for Chevron and he was on Wall Street last week and the topic was ‘suicide’. Wall Streeters are committing suicide. Not like the days during the big crash but it is still happening.
I heard this news while I was lying on a table getting a chiropractic adjustment. I was pretty relaxed as you can imagine but this news left me unsettled. Suicide over the lack of money. It weighed heavy on my mind. All I could think of was, ‘It’s just money.’ Yes we all need it to survive in this world but isn’t life more valuable than money? Maybe I don’t have enough to lose that would make me want to commit suicide. But then I remember reading about the 80-year old, or was it 90? No matter…this woman killed herself because she lost her home – it was all that she had. So suicide is across the board from the poorest to the wealthiest. I read this while perusing the net this morning:
Early in November from the Huffington Post:
After learning that he would lose his job at Bear Stearns and not be hired by J.P. Morgan, a 51-year-old employee takes a drug overdose and leaps from the 29th floor of his apartment building. Elsewhere, a futures trader fatally shoots himself after reportedly sustaining huge losses to his personal portfolio. And, thousands of miles away, one unemployed financial manager murders his own family before committing suicide.
All over the loss of money. What kind of hold does money have over us? Evidently too much if it is going to push one to take their life. When I get a bit frazzled over money, I always break it down. Meaning I look at money and what it means to me. And it mostly means the ability to have a lot of ‘things’. Money buys things. The basics: a roof over my head, food in the fridge, cash in the bank for more things’. A life of ‘ease’ if we have an abundance of it. It also gives us freedoms and the ability to do ‘things’ that we can’t do without the help of money such as helping others who have less than us. But so much of it is based on our own desire and need for ‘things’. Nothing wrong with owning and having beautiful ‘things’ – I myself, love beautiful ‘things’, and I am grateful for all that I ‘have’.
The issue is when you lose all of those ‘things’, how you feel afterwards. How much of a happiness investment have you made in purely yourself, or is your happiness investment solely based on what is in your bank account and the materialistic ‘things’ you surround yourself with? Having a tough time keeping up with the Joneses? The state of the economy can be a very humbling experience for many if you choose, or it can put you over the suicide edge.
I have never lost every ‘thing’ and I do not wish the experience upon anyone or myself. But if I did lose all that I have, I would hope that I would feel a greater sense of joy like Eckhart Tolle did when he was poor and living on a park bench for a year. Having no’thing’ and feeling pure joy from life itself. Now that is living on a totally different level than most of us are accustomed to.
Considering where I am at in my life these days, I would say that I have a pretty good happiness investment in myself. You?
*********
Hi ZL: Yes it was a good ‘catch up’, and always good to laugh – thanks for your time.
Respect: I have always said that falling in love could be somewhat easy but that it was difficult finding someone to love who loves you back just as deeply. But respect…I agree too that it must be a mutual feeling between two.
Love & Respect: Give it.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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November 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
UNFORESEEN PROBLEM WITH LASIK SURGERY FOR BIFOCAL WEARERS
People I know rave about how LASIK eye surgery has solved their vision problems. So it seemed like great news when the FDA approved a new type of LASIK (Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) device called CustomVue Monovision LASIK for people who wear bifocals. This new and improved technology reduces the likelihood of some of the most common side effects of traditional LASIK surgery, which are halos around points of light and “night driving glare.” It’s a step forward technologically, but it doesn’t solve another problem inherent to this kind of vision-correcting surgery — which is that people might be unhappy with the results, even when the procedure is successful.
THE CHALLENGE OF VISION REPAIR
CustomVue Monovision LASIK delivers cutting-edge technology: It customizes eye scanning and measurement programs so the laser can react to imperfections or refractive errors. This ultra-precise monovision LASIK surgery is quite reliable and effective. The problem is, some people who have the surgery are uncomfortable with the results, I was told by James Salz, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California Medical School in Los Angeles. Just as it can be difficult for people to adjust to bifocal glasses or contacts, it is similarly, if not slightly more, difficult to adjust to the monovision produced by this surgery. The net corrective effect of the surgery is that each eye gets relegated to a specific function. One cornea is cut and tissue is removed with a laser to help one eye focus at a distance, while the other is adjusted to focus close at hand. The patient must get used to having one eye working for distance vision, then “handing off” to the other eye to see objects close-up… which is not easy since we’re accustomed to having our eyes work in tandem. Dr. Salz is concerned that the advances in technology might make potential LASIK candidates rush into having this procedure without having properly evaluated whether it’s right for them.
TEST DRIVE YOUR LASIK SURGERY
Dr. Salz says it’s best to take this procedure for a “test drive,” so to speak. He suggests wearing contact lenses that adjust your eyesight to what it will likely be post-surgery. “This demonstrates the effect so people can make sure they are comfortable with it,” he says. Some people report feeling dizzy, like they’re on a boat — and afterward they don’t want to have the surgery. “With those who are good candidates, as soon as you put the lenses on, they say, ‘Oh, this is great’ and you can tell right away that they’re going to be happy.”
This brings us to Dr. Salz’s final point: Work with an ophthalmologist who will take the time to make 100% sure you’re comfortable before you proceed with surgery. He suggests first consulting an eye doctor with a good reputation who doesn’t do LASIK to ask about the surgery and for a recommendation to a physician who performs it in your area. “When you ask a doctor who does the surgery, the recommendation is usually surgery — done by that doctor,” he points out. “You can get a bias-free recommendation by asking someone who doesn’t stand to gain.” Then work with that doctor to try out the monovision feeling for at least a week with contacts before going under the laser, just to be sure. LASIK treatment is quick and almost completely painless — but you need to be sure it’s right for you.
Source(s): ??James Salz, MD, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California Medical School, Los Angeles.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
FDA does its best Barney Fife impersonation with raid
Watching the FDA take enforcement action sometimes makes you think of Don Knotts’ Barney Fife character in the Andy Griffith Show. You know, the guy who got to carry a gun but was liable to shoot his foot off at any second?
But every now and then, even Fife made a bust. And it looks like the FDA finally took some decisive action and got its man, too.
Federal agents in November, at the FDA’s request, raided a Cincinnati distributor and seized containers of the contaminated blood thinner heparin, which was manufactured in China.
That’s right – believe it or not, there’s still some contaminated heparin floating around. As I’ve told you before, the government has received reports of 250 deaths linked to contaminated batches.
In April, the government had inspected Celsus Laboratories, the Cincinnati company, and discovered contaminated heparin in two kinds of products. Celsus wasn’t alone, of course — contaminated batches from the Chinese manufacturer were found in the products of 12 companies.
But, like Barney Fife, the FDA stumbled and bungled its way through this enforcement action. They only asked for the raid after TWICE asking Celsus to recall contaminated products and not getting a sufficient response.
That’s right – a company refusing the FDA’s request once wasn’t enough to spur action. America’s favorite bureaucracy decided to try again – perhaps the second request had a “pretty please” attached.
In the end, the right thing was done. But, as always, it took way too long to get there
November 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Hi Michelle
I tried to get in yesterday, but I couldn’t so here is my answer to your question of who would I pick to give all the power to.
I would pick my friend Joseph. He is an economics professor at the university that I attend. He chairs the tutor program for Juniors with academic problems. I was among a few straight A students that he picked to act as TAs for him.
He is so intelligent and he has an open mind. When I told him about the campus buzz about your column, he said that he would have to check it out and get back to me.
About two weeks later, he did. He said that either the world has a lot to learn there or you are a damn good bullshit artist.
That was about 6 months ago. Since then we (GirlZs and GuyZs) meet once a week in the Circle to talk about our favorite characters and debate the reality of the stuff we have read. Joseph often comes early and stays late. He is very open to what in on your blog.
He challenges us to look deeper into what we read on your blog. To look for other solutions than the ones suggested there. He often proposes ideas and concepts that leave us spellbound with his insightfulness.
We all agree he would make a great wise alien. One that could lead this planet to a better place morally. He switched many of us to Obama’s camp. He was for McCain initially. I was for Hilary.
Thanks for staying with your column.
Linda
November 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Michelle
I would love to have Madaline come to my country and help us with our men. She would be the one I would pick to have all the power. This is what my sister faced after an attack by those cowards. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27901460/
If I had the power, I would kill them all.
Nawzad.
November 25th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Respect, oh really? It would be nice if you owned up to who you are. I got you to read this blog to gain some insight on having a relationship with a woman. But no as usual you try to show off your superior (you think) intellect.
Well, just to let you know. I prefer the superior (for sure) inches of your brother. He may not have your money or brains, but he knows how to treat a woman.
Shawn
November 25th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Make and keep clear agreements. Respect the difference between yourself and your partner. Don’t expect he or she agrees with you on everything. Reach mutual agreements or plans, and then commit to them. Leave the partner if you can’t reach any agreement or you find he or she always makes excuses for breaking the agreements or plans. If you say you’re going to meet your partner at noon, be on time, or call if you’re going to be late. If you agree to have a monogamous relationship, keep that agreement and/or tell the truth about any feelings you’re having about someone else before you act on them. Keeping agreements shows respect for yourself and your partner, as well as creating a sense of trust and safety.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
I have voted for 4 different Presidents. I believe if any one should be the one to have this much power it should be Obama. I am a southern white man who lied to everyone but who voted for Obama. Most of my friends who I could trust told me they would have voted for him but they didn’t trust the secrecy of the polls. Most had relatives or friends of people who have been part of the polling authority for years. They have been manipulating the vote of more than 60 years. They know how everyone voted. I just said enough is enough.
Well sure enough they have begun to harass me about my vote. I was sent a copy of my vote and told that nigger lovers don’t belong in the white side of the county. I have sworn that I intended to vote for McCain and that if it said I voted for Obama it was a mistake.
Most have said that they cast my vote for McCain anyway because that nigger just was not going to win Tennessee. I thanked them. But they have put me on notice that they are watching me. I now know that I have been party to something evil.
So if I had all the power in the world, I would pick Obama to lead this great nation of ours. He is honest, brilliant and fair to all people regardless of their race. May God bless him and protect him from my friends.
George
November 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Nazad you would write such things for infidels to take heart with. Has it ever occurred to you that those females were in violation of the will of Allah? You should be ashamed of the way you have conducted yourself.
Rezar
November 25th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Shawn
What makes you think that you know who Respect or Relations is? Why not listen to the words and let them resonate in that black heart of yours. What man would want a woman who would lie down with his brother because of the size of his penis?
Lia
November 25th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Relations why did you change your handle. R-E-S-P-E-C-T Aretha said it best Sock it to me baby. I liked what you had to say. Matter of fact, I copied and sent it to this chick I’ve been trying to jump. Keep up the stuff. We guys could stand to have a few more good lines. Why should Anonz get all the fine p***y?
Yeah, that means you Zen Lill. I know he’s springing those fine legs of yours. You could do better. I work for Saturn and I make good money. I keep my body in good shape. And I have had no complaints about my love making. This white boy can ride.
Roderick
November 25th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
fuck it, I’m with you Michelle. I would put me in charge. The world is full of bullshit artists. I want to control the world.
Jerold
November 25th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Hi Mischa, I’m selling most of my belongings on eBay, having a tough time wanting to part with my Asian artifacts so some of that beauty might have to stay with me : ) but generally speaking I am cheerful no matter what the cash flow is, and a sense of humor helps, I still laugh just as much as ever.
Nawzad, I clicked through to that article, how horrendous is that, acid burnings so girls/women won’t go to school. Tonight I blogged on a similar topic, ‘Finally. The UN urges an end to abuses of women’ – worldwide horrors to our global sisters is occurring and it’s 2008 and it must stop.
Shawn, screwing your man’s bro, wow – that is certainly an off limits thing to me – unless he’s the last man left on earth after a nuclear incident. Then, well, all bets are off…
Roderick, thanks for the compliments : ) but how do you know I’ve got fine legs? It’s true and ‘legs’ is one of my more common nicknames bc they’re so long, but you know, I’m just curious how you know…Anonz is in Germany and I am in So CA so how he’d be ‘springing my legs’ is anyone’s guess. I can’t comment on if I could ‘do better’ I have not met the sweet pea in person yet. Good luck with the response from ‘chick you’d like to jump’ a good show of respect and fine lovemaking skills are a good start but shoot higher then ‘no complaints’ OK? Give her a hero ; ) tee hee
Ciao Ciao, Zen Lill
November 26th, 2008 at 8:41 am
STENGLER’S MEDICAL MYSTERY: SURPRISING CAUSE OF MEMORY LOSS
Memory lapses — as in, what is her name? — are an uncomfortable but generally inevitable part of the aging process. Sometimes these lapses are amusing — but there’s only anxiety and fear, no humor at all, when memory decline creeps into and interferes with everyday life. This is what had begun to happen to 69-year-old Brad, a financial consultant whose professional success had brought him the home and lifestyle that a high-level career affords. Rather suddenly, Brad began to have trouble remembering things he’d just been told. He sometimes got lost while driving in areas he’d long known well. As a way to compensate he began to carry a pen and notepad at all times, constantly jotting down reminders about things people told him and tasks and errands he needed to do.
DIFFERENT DOCTORS, DIFFERENT ANSWERS
Always an active and forceful person, Brad wasn’t the type to simply accept that dementia might be setting in. Because his cholesterol levels were moderately elevated and he worried about his heart, the physician he saw most regularly was a cardiologist. When he called her to discuss his increasingly frequent memory lapses, she referred him to a neurologist for an evaluation. This doctor examined Brad, ran standard tests and gave him the much-feared diagnosis — it appeared he was in early-stage dementia, perhaps from vascular problems or possibly as the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Facing this dire diagnosis prompted Brad to call Mark Stengler, ND, in the hope that a physician trained and experienced in treating illness with natural substances might offer a way to strengthen his memory and perhaps even ward off dementia. Dr. Stengler first reviewed Brad’s medical history, including when his memory problems started and how rapidly they had progressed. He quickly realized that this disturbing symptom first presented itself just a few months after Brad’s cardiologist had put him on a statin drug (Lipitor) to lower his cholesterol. Knowing that statins have been anecdotally linked to a wide variety of side effects, including false dementia, Dr. Stengler decided to investigate if a more natural protocol to lower Brad’s cholesterol could replace the drug. By stopping the Lipitor without endangering Brad’s cardiovascular health, they would determine if his dementia was real or a side effect of the drug. His cardiologist was informed of the treatment plan.
NATURAL TREATMENT BEGINS
This wasn’t going to be merely a matter of substituting a vitamin regimen for his prescription drug, however. The first step prescribed by Dr. Stengler was a diet to reduce Brad’s LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, the potentially dangerous one). It included:
• Regular consumption of soluble fiber, including foods such as beans, barley, oats, peas, apples, oranges and pears. Soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines into the bloodstream.
• At least two servings a week (optimally four or more) of fish such as anchovies, Atlantic herring, sardines, tilapia and ocean or canned salmon, specifically for their omega-3 fatty acids. This could also be accomplished with supplements.
• A daily handful of nuts rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, such as almonds and walnuts. A Spanish study found that a walnut-rich diet reduced total cholesterol by as much as 7.4% and LDL cholesterol by as much as 10%.
• Ground flaxseeds — up to a quarter-cup daily with 10 ounces of water or tossed into a salad or shake. This has been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol.
To manage his cholesterol, Dr. Stengler also had Brad double his number of weekly aerobic exercise sessions, from twice each week to at least four times. He prescribed plant sterols, shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 14%, recommending Beta sitosterol, which works by inhibiting cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract by up to 50%, without disrupting the more beneficial HDL cholesterol. Dr. Stengler prescribed a 1.5 gram soft gel capsule to be taken with breakfast and dinner for a total of three grams daily. Brad would need to continue this regimen for life, since in taking his medical history Dr. Stengler had learned that his elevated cholesterol had genetic roots.
JUST REMEMBER THIS… MANY MEDS CAUSE FALSE DEMENTIA
Brad is now six months off Lipitor and into his new program and his memory has improved significantly. He has no need for memory-enhancing supplements, although he does take a multi-vitamin daily per Dr. Stengler’s advice. Dr. Stengler also monitors Brad’s cholesterol levels regularly. He says that they have remained in a normal range and Brad had no reason to return to statins.
Clearly Brad’s memory problems were not symptoms of early dementia… but rather side effects of the statin drug. But statins are not the only drugs that may trigger side effects that mimic dementia. Other drugs that can cause these problems include tricyclic antidepressants and certain medications for Parkinson’s disease — which is ironic in that PD itself can eventually cause dementia. Pain medications (narcotics such as OxyContin and Vicodin) can also cause memory problems, as can regular use of over-the-counter antihistamines including Benadryl, Chlortrimaton and Tavist. These drugs have a common denominator: They all have anti-cholinergic properties, which means they suppress neurotransmitters that regulate certain aspects of mental functioning, especially those that relate to memory. This explains why anti-cholinergics can actually cause cognitive problems, and why the principle drugs to treat AD are in the pro-cholinergic category.
When concerned about memory lapses, many people today turn to a variety of supplements. A more effective strategy would be to schedule a visit to a naturopathic physician to review the medications they take regularly, both pharmaceutical and OTC, as these may be where the problem lies. In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal reported on 372 elderly people without dementia who were taking anti-cholinergic medication. After following this group for eight years, the researchers found that 85% of this group had mild cognitive impairment, compared with 35% of the people in a second group who had never used the drugs. As Dr. Stengler says, this is an important reminder why people and their doctors should wonder whether symptoms of early dementia might relate to medication — and therefore be reversible. That’s advice worth remembering.
Source(s): ??Mark A. Stengler, ND, a naturopathic physician and leading authority on the practice of alternative and integrated medicine. He is director of the La Jolla Whole Health Clinic, La Jolla, California, and associate clinical professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, Portland, Oregon. He is author of the newsletter Bottom Line Natural Healing, http://www.DrStengler.com.