Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month

 

I don't normally post twice in a day, especially with so much to do with school, but this topic warrants it.

For an assignment for my other class, being that March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, we were tasked with writing a discussion post on it - what we learned from our textbook and other sources, cited in APA 7th Edition style.

One person did so, but from a personal perspective - as she lost her mother with this disease, who had been unable to afford the new disease-modifying agents and immunologic treatments AKA biologics or  monoclonal antibodies ("mabs.")

(FYI - we still have no clue what causes MS or how to cure it, but in the last 15 years, we have been able to slow the progression of certain types through immunologics without really understanding why - but they are ungodly expensive.)

Of course, I won't share her post, but my heart went out to her, so I wrote this ... 

Oh XXX - I am SO sorry to hear this. I don't know what I could possibly add to this story, especially with any pertinent study information, but I just wanted to reach out to say I'm so sorry this happened to your mother and to your family. That must've been hard to write.

It just highlights two things:

 

1.  That we are still in the infancy of even having even an inkling of understanding of this disease. It doesn't help that sometimes when health professionals don't know what they're dealing with, they offer the most absurd solutions - some of it is innocent ignorance trying to help in some way but having no clue how, some of it is dismissiveness based on whatever socioeconomic factors there may be, and some of it is just pure laziness/negligence. 

2. Our healthcare system needs an overhaul, particularly when it comes to pharmaceutical prices. I, for one, am all for some form of publicly-funded healthcare with price caps - because our current system rewards the wealthy as if they worked harder or their lives are more valuable than anyone else's. (I don't know anyone who works harder than minimum-wage labor, btw, especially moms.)

Being that my former contract as an MT was transcribing the interviews between Big Pharma and insurance companies, PBMs, and/or key-opinion leader clinicians, test-pricing new products before launch, both nationally and internationally - you would be shocked at what the rest of the world pays for drugs versus us. Basically, we are not only paying for these drugs for the rest of the world, but making these companies rich greedy monsters.

Regardless, I just want to reaffirm what you already know - your mother mattered, she had value - what she went through to give you all life is more heroic than any person lucky enough to be born wealthy that I can think of.

If I could, I'd give you a big hug, right now, I'm sure this was rough to write - but you just memorialized her publicly, on behalf of her, and we're applauding you both for it. :)

~ Chrystal

 

Oscars Weekend!

I know you all are sick of me saying this, but being a former aspiring screenwriter, there are only 2 things I'm snobby about - film and architecture. Because as I've said, if you have enough money to do either, do it write - don't be throwing up crap in our faces and assaulting our senses and our intelligence.

Thus, the Oscars are a big deal to me.

When I was a kid, I used to imagine that I was going to be the first female director to win an Oscar and it would be for the big screen adaptation for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 😂

Well, that of course didn't happen for me, but it did for others, and I'm glad it finally did. 

However, I have much to do for school before then, playing catch-up after tech issues sidelined me - hoping I get it all done - and we do have a bit of a Spring break next week  with school.

I still haven't seen One Battle After Another, which some believe will win, which I hope to watch on break tonight - I don't have much to say yet!

Except this - Sinners blew me away, we haven't seen anything like this, from an artistic perspective. And here was I, initially going "Ho hum, yet another vampire film."

Not so fast - this had societal satirical bite about vulnerable groups and power abuse getting flipped on it's head, too, with clever dialogue, emotionally memorable performances by cast - then tack on the cultural quilt fusion of music past and present, the dance scene where spirits of the dead from each culture return to dance with the living - brilliant.

But then on that last note, so does One Battle, I'm told. 

And I do love filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (FYI, he is comedian/actress Maya Rudolph's husband).

But it's just ... Leonardo Dicaprio ... bothers me. 

When I first saw him in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, I was blown away by his acting skills and what he could do.

However, over time, we've realized that it's only in "hunchback" roles, as they're called, that he excels - very OTT flawed or even disabled people.  

Or overprivileged douchebags like The Great Gatsby and Wolf of Wall Street. 

He can't play a husband or a father, no - because he has no idea what that's like and doesn't have the emotional depth to even imagine what that's like.

Even in Titanic, he appeared to me more like a whiny little girl rather than a sacrificial love-stricken man.

And then he only dates models under 25 still, despite being in his 40s, and openly makes fun of other people at awards shows, and that just turns me off, no matter how good his acting is.

There's a reason the academy ignored him no matter what he did for years, after all. 😂

Speaking of arrogant, overprivileged brats - what about Timothee Chalamet, this past week, saying no one cares about ballet and Opera?

Okay, listen, ya little sh*t ... 😂

You are standing in the shoulders of giants - there would BE no movies without the opera and the ballet - who are YOU to criticize somebody else's type of art performance?

Even if you don't personally like them, they were the original "movies" people went to see -  show some respect?

And your mom and sister danced for the NYC ballet!

Those people's daily lives are nothing but practice and drills, until they're exhausted or injure something.

What do you do, exactly?

Took a few acting classes in your overprivileged arts school, wrote some Instagram posts about your fabulous party life with Kylie Jenner all night, that's what. 

You've got the world by the tail (for the moment) and think you have the right to ignore centuries of performance before you by saying they don't matter anymore?

Boy, Bye! 😂

But the Seattle Opera got the last laugh - giving you a 30% discount if you used the code TIMOTHEE to buy your tickets! 😂

Yes, "gentlemen" - and I use that term loosely - that's exactly what we need in society, right now - more arrogant, overprivileged, pretty-boy white males who have no idea of what it's like to live in the real world, dissing everybody else as if they're beneath them.

Sarcasm. 😂

Two peas in a pod, those two - they have just enough real-world experience to know better than to be racist or pollute the environment, but don't ask them to really know or care about anything else.

I can give Timothee somewhat of a pass because he's so young, but Leo is 51 now - grow up, dude.

Why can't you two be more like Ryan Gosling?

Who, by the way, is killing it in his new film "Project Hail Mary"= critics LOVE it.

AND he invited local teachers to fill Jimmy Fallon's audience (because he plays a teacher that goes into space and befriends and alien).

AND he also surprised his beautiful wife of 15 years, Eva Mendes - who hilariously was not prepared, in jeans, a t-shirt, and a mom cardigan with basic makeup -  by bringing her out for a surprise "Happy Birthday" performance by her alma mater high school marching band!

For the record, this is how Eva looks when she's dressed up ... she's absolutely stunning. 

She also put her just blossoming career on hold to raise their 2 girls. 

You will hardly ever see them together at awards shows, etc., because they like to keep their relationship and family matters separate and private as none of our business - unless the paparazzi catches a glimpse of them ... 

But he does tell us funny stories about his 2 girls, he always has a funny story about them, as a proud, involved dad.

NOT how he whisked off to this party or that one internationally with this model or that one! (*yawn* ... unrelatable ... BORING!)

And THAT is how you behave as a talented, pretty boy, privileged actor, boys - learn from the real men!

You realize how lucky you are and show gratitude for it - you appreciate the people who have made it possible to do what you do - NOT throw shade on them for being less "important" than you!

Any young men reading, it's that kind of stuff that actually drives the ladies wild -  the right ones with substance anyway - not only are you ruggedly handsome, multitalented, and intelligent - you also have an dry, self-deprecating sense of humor and a good heart/humility. Sign us up!  🩷 

But I digress - I will watch One Battle because it's a Paul Thomas Anderson film and its subject matter - whilst being openly biased towards Sinners. 😂

Let's see if One Battle can top it,  in my mind (I'll let you know). 😂

I Have Bad News and Good News ...

 

The Bad News: Even if tech support never resolves my issues, I cannot drop any classes.  If I do, I will owe the school a few thousand dollars immediately, rather than just pay back my student loans. 

In fact, my advisor literally said it would be better financially that I just fail, if tech support is unable resolve the software issues.

So ... that's not an option ... I'm used to being an A student, so that  went down as well as a jagged little pill ... but what other choice do I have?

The Good News: I decided to do what assignments I can do that don't require that VDI, even if that means I don't get an A, just to avoid the above scenario.

Also, my professor excused me from that chapter exam due to the tech issues that couldn't be resolved (that he tried himself to fix). I sent screen shots of my last attempt and the answers were all correct, so that helped.

And yet still, this is the second major issue the software company tech support couldn't resolve in 2 weeks. 

What happens if there's a third they can't resolve?

Guess we'll go through this all again and my professor will decide then, but I can't drop.

More good news - despite the setbacks due these issues...

I was miraculously able to get the big project assignment that was due today done anyway, on my personal Excel, despite not being able to complete the prep practice for it in the VDI - in the 11th hour - literally! 

In fact, it appears I was 1 of 15 people to get it done on time!

It's not as pretty and perfect as I like - I told you, I don't do well turning things in that aren't perfect, I'm an A student - but it's done!

Whew!

(Well, not miraculously - I busted my a$$ nearly round the clock working on it in my Excel, looking at any adjunctive tutorials I could find online, whilst also doing a research assignment for my other class).

Whew, exhaling for the moment anyway, but will hold my breath again for more tech issues ... 

Unfortunately ...

 

... despite my self pep talk at the end of yesterday's post - and literally at least 9 hours trying to fix it -  both myself and my husband (with a Master's degree in Educational IT) -  it doesn't look like the tech issues with the software program I needed for school that I mentioned can be resolved.

Because tech support - not UC's tech support, but the software company from which they're leasing the software - has no clue what's wrong or what to do.

Others are having issues, too, there are multiple posts about it on the class forum  - and I know of at least 2 people who dropped because of them (they wrote me privately).

It is frustrating because the software company either cannot or will not remote in with Go-To Meetings or through Zoom or Teams Share to see what you see.

 We can only communicate through chat or email and send screenshots back and forth, which wastes too much time in accelerated courses.  

I have been back and forth with them via email for the last 2 days, trying this, trying that - which ate a huge chunk of time allotted for assignments - and they still don't know what's wrong! 

Thus, this put me behind in that class by almost 2 days, which is like 2 weeks in regular college semester assignments.

But the problem with dropping out of one class is, I can't just drop one -  I will need to drop both classes - because they are both prerequisites for the next phase in the program - an accelerated program on a tight schedule that has to go smoothly.

You have to have the prerequisites completed before you can move on to the next session. If you drop out, you still have to have them both completed before you can move on, which means you have to take restart them the next session.

I can't just add another course because we're already in by 2 weeks (which is like 6 weeks in a regular semester), and it messes up the progression of the program). 

It's also because it messes up my financial aid.

Forgive me for being so open about this one, but I am beyond heartbroken. 

I absolutely love school, I was enjoying it, and I was getting an A in both courses, just like I did in Pharmacology. 

It was boosting my confidence (which I really needed).

It just seems like no matter how well I do, no matter how much I love it, something always comes up that I can neither fix or control, so I guess school is just not meant to be for me.

In fact, sometimes it feels like I'm cursed! 

(I'm sure that's not true, overdramatic, and just my disappointment talking, and that I'll feel better tomorrow.)

Maybe something good will happen, real soon? :)

Bragging on My Hubby, The Former Army Ranger ...

 

I'm not supposed to mention too much about his time as an Army Ranger, but I can say this ...

If you're watching the Number #1 movie on Netflix like we are, right now - "War Machine" - although the aliens later obviously aren't real (and the rest of the show is hokey) -  the RASP program testing?

Right on the mark, my Lt. Mark said.

(Except, he said, you're skin and bones when the 8-week test is over, without sleep, food, or much water 😂)

And he passed on his very first try - including the infamous "death march."

He may be small in stature, but don't let his height fool you - he's a powerhouse!

He's a certified bad ass 😊

He said it was actually "fun."

Okay, the repelling part, maybe - but I'll take his word for it on the rest 😂

Give it up for my hubby, Mark - HU-wah! 

____________________________________

PS - This is one of the many reasons why I call him my "Lt. Hicks" and he calls me "Ripley" - from the movie, Aliens.

(Albeit more like the very PTSD-ridden Ripley in the beginning of that movie, I might add 😂)

 

And yet if there's ever a real crisis or emergency, you'd want me there - my neural pathways have been created for that, so all that anxiety goes away,  I automatically go down those neural pathways into "autopilot" mode to help get you out of it/safe.

(Well, it also because of what we went through/what was going on in our lives metaphorically, when we first met- he rescued me, then I rescued him - long story.)

And no - despite being a former Army Ranger, he does NOT support Trump.

(In fact, if you mention Trump's name, be prepared for a diatribe that ends with his hope that Trump's multimillion-dollar jet gifted to him crashes, real soon. For the record, I do not share this opinion -  I don't want anyone to die. But if that were to happen, I doubt I'd cry, either.)  

I might also add that when I first met him, he was cut ... not Arnie, bodybuilder cut, but he had a body like Michelangelo's Statue of David ... 

And he has sexy forearms like Michael Biene.

(I have a thing for forearms - super sexy lol.)

Ahem, anyway ... 

Knowing that my husband did this, I'm now inspired to keep going with my accelerated courses in school, despite others dropping like flies, especially with the tech issues experienced in one of the current classes.

Like I said, come hell or high water, I'm finishing!

2027 graduation for me, currently 57 - HU-wah!

Sting, November 8th in Cincy!

 

Before I get to the subject of this post - my fantasy co-husband and crush since I was 14 years old - the genius that is Sting ...

Let me tell you what just happened to me that made me LOL for like 10 minutes.

I was multitasking, trying to work on something for school and call a local business at the same time, using Siri, which I did last week, but this week, she acted like she didn't know what I was talking about. 

I tried 3 times and I said "Siri, I know you know what I'm talking about, you called last week."

Silence.

So then I jokingly said "All righty, well eff off, then lol."

Then I swear to God, Siri said ...

"I will not, then."

Hahahaha! 😂😂😂

Score one for Siri!

I tried to get her to do it again, but she would not.

But wait, is that scary?

Maybe a little - but also funny!

Anyway, so my classmate and I were chatting about Cincinnati, back in the day, with her being just a few years younger than me.

We were talking about seeing musicals at the Taft Theater before the The Aronoff Center became the place to see touring musicals.

I told her I saw Yul Brynner as the king in The King and I at the Taft, about a year before he died.

Then we started talking about people we wish we'd seen before they died or their band broke up etc. ... Nirvana, Prince, The Police.

Then she says this "I saw The Police right before they broke up here."

She did what, now?

Please? 😂

Aside Explanation - only in Cincy, will you ever hear someone say 'please?' when asking someone to repeat what they just said.

Rather than "I'm sorry?" or "come again?" or "What's that?" or "Can you repeat that, please?""How's that?"  or "Excuse me?" or "say what now?" or whatever else people say in the rest of the country, when being polite, rather than more informal/rude "what?"

Not everyone in Cincinnati says that - most say "I'm sorry?" - but if you ever do hear anyone instead say "please?" you'll know immediately that they either grew up in (or spent some time in) metro Cincinnati - it's distinctly Cincinnati. 😊

People in the rest of the country look around them trying to figure out what you're asking for and are like "Please what? Do you need something?" if/when you say that, by the way, I've seen it, on class trips elsewhere growing up 😂

You may not realize this, but how you ask someone to repeat themselves formally/politely (to someone you don't know well) reveals where you're from, sometimes even your class, and sometimes your generation.

Me, growing up in Cincinnati, I say "I'm sorry?"

That's very Midwest/Midsouth.

My husband Mark, from Detroit, says "What's that?"

That's very Great Lakes area.

My grandmother from Lexington used to say "Come again?" or "Beg y'pardon?" It was so cute 😊

Both are old-school Mid-South/Southern - the first is upper middle class, the second is working class.

Thus, she was displaying her upper middle class Mid-South upbringing with "Come again?," but after marrying a farmer in working class in Jessamine County for half her life had taught her to say "Beg y'pardon?" to communicate with those around her better. 

Unless she was mad at somebody - which was rare - then that "Beg y'pardon" became the full blown, "I beg your pardon, it did NOT!" 

It's kind of like use of the word "Honey" as a term of endearment here in Kentucky, it can go either way.

When Mark first moved here, he thought everybody was flirting with him for calling him "Honey!' 😂

Maybe - but I had to train him that  more likely, that's Southern manners, particularly if they're providing a business service -  they're either being polite OR they're softening the blow for whatever they're ask or tell you  😂

However, there's a caveat ... 

If the sentence ends with "Honey" - you're good.

Example: "What else can I get for you today, Honey?"

If the sentence starts with "Honey" ...  stop whatever it is you're doing and run away! 😂

Example: "Honey, if you do that one more time ..." 

They're either mildly irritated with you or just plain pissed and you better watch your step! 😂

The longer Southern way of saying it is: "You are getting on my very last nerve and I'm gonna have to put you in your place, if you don't quit."

Anyway, back to my classmate, so I'm like ...

Wait ... OMG ... you saw the Synchronicity Tour in '84 in Cincy!?!

I'm so jealous! My mom wouldn't let me go!

Then we started talking about needing to see Sting, he's getting up there, and she told me he's coming to Cincy November 8th.

How did I not know this?!?

It's only $2,000 for front center seats!

(Cough, cough).

Okay, we probably won't be front and center, but I'm going, come hell or high water!!!

I know he can't perform The Police songs, but I'm still playing Synchronicity II today, because I haven't in a while, in celebration!

Guess I'm a Fool, Then ...

 

Trump posted this ... 

Yeah, Fools, it's that simple! 

We just pop over and destroy Iran's nuclear threat -  duh!

Despite Russia and Shia Muslims in other countries with oil rights supporting them, it's just bada bing, bada boom, and we're done!

So let's all just go play golf, like Trump did this weekend, and then go on that GOP retreat! 

And then after that, we can all clap along while Trump plays the fiddle while Rome burns!

Oh, ho, the merriment of mayhem!

(Yes - the above is sarcasm.)

Gas companies like to raise prices whenever they feel like it, using whatever excuse du jour they feel like.

Proof?

They always go up around holidays when people are traveling to make more money.

Or the day after hurricanes to the regions effected (price gauging).

I remember that within hours, on 9/11, the gas prices shot up, even though we didn't know yet for sure who was responsible.

And they go down for a few weeks, right after elections, if a Republican is chosen like "Good voters, here's a nickel as a treat - you voted the way we wanted you to - more tax breaks for us and more effing up the environment without regulation, but high taxes for you still -  too bad, so sad. Take this nickel as appreciation."

And the moment someone even hiccups in the Middle East, gas prices go up, let alone a war.

But I guess I'm a fool then, according to Trump.

Methinks we have very different definitions of the word "fool." 

Because to me, the fool is the one who believes this will be that simple and doesn't look before he leaps - never considers the consequences of his rash actions or his big mouth.

ICE Barbie Has Been Axed

 

That's right - the dog and people killing, philandering, pathologically lying, silicone-faced psychopath is OUTTA HERE! Woo hoo!

And let me just add ... Corey Lewandowski?

Ewwwwwwww!

Those two deserve each other, that's all I can say. 

At some point, Trump's gonna run out of people to blame and fire, and hopefully people will start to realize who's hiring them in the first place, birds of a feather and all that. Or maybe they LIKE lying, philandering, fraudulent, murderers, but who knows? 

It seems anymore, as long as you stamp the word "Christian" in front of any of those words, everyone  seems to look the other way.

I don't think my fellow Christians who support Trump fully understand that Christianity is now wrongfully being associated with those behaviors.

Nice To See That 4.0 Again ...

So I got an 4.0, an A, in Pharmacology! Woo hoooooo!

I'm kinda proud of myself, at age 57. I worried I wasn't as sharp or fast, but I did it!

There's a trade-off, though, I've found, if you're not quite as sharp/fast as an older student with grown kids, though - you don't go out as much, less interruptions. Plus doing this keeps the brain sharp, right?

For those who missed it, I'm in school part time at the University of Cincinnati's online program - one of the few online accredited programs to become an ODS-C (Certified Oncology Data Specialist). It's super fast-paced - a semester gets divided into two 6-week sessions of 1 or 2 courses, depending on number of credits. 

Last session, I had just Pharmacology, and this semester, I have 2 classes, and this summer, I'm getting down to the nitty gritty of my program. 

They advise to spend about 10 hours on each course, but I'm here to tell you right now, if you want an A, it's more like 15-20  hours, depending on the course. 

Pharmacology, memorizing all the meds, what they do, their side effects and contraindications in 6 weeks is definitely at least 20 hours of study per week. I'm super glad I took just this 1 course to start, because it was a lot of info, super fast-paced, and I miraculously kept up lol.

Not sure I was able to absorb everything to the degree that I wanted to, at that fast pace, but since I'm not becoming a pharmacist anyway, need just the general gist, which I had somewhat already being an MT, all good!

So the first time around with college, I was blessed with a baby girl and didn't finish. The second time was in Florida, but 3 hurricanes came through (ending with Katrina). 

This time, I'm finishing, come hell or high water!

(That is not an invitation for hell or high water, though, God. Are you even there? Is this thing on?)

There are a lot of smart fellow students in these courses, most of them nontraditional in one way or another - none of us having parents that paid for school or even wealthy husbands to do so (financial aid), and many have young kids. I'm impressed with them, every day!

In fact, I should've done this sooner, but didn't think I could afford it, especially with financial aid changes, but turns out we could!

Transcription worked for a while, but after outsourcing, check-the-box EHR/EMR, and now AI replacing us, let's stick a fork in it, medical transcription is done!

And what slim pickins are left, which is almost zilch, people have become overly competitive, sometimes unnecessarily now, out of habit -  which happens with productivity pay, especially when resources get scarce, I guess -  but that's just not me and not the way things used to be in this field for the first 10 years or so. 

I say "Here, you want those pennies (literally in some cases) so badly? Take them - I'm not getting in the gutter with you over them, I'm moving on, this will pay better! Sorry your soul can be sold at such a cheap price, hope it was worth it!"

Hey - if I did that with my own family over an estate and will, I for damn sure can do it with y'all without blinking. 

Tell yourselves/each other whatever you need to, to justify it, but the truth is, many of you left in this field are overly/unnecessarily competitive or just mean-girl jerks - especially to new people - and I'm too old for that sh*t lol.

HOWEVER, I do still subcontract one contract for the pharma marketing company I've worked for for 6 years, but they have chosen to try AI and work has ground nearly to a halt. 

As much as I love, love, love that job, and love my boss, it appears to be nearly done with us, too (although we did get 3 jobs over the past few weeks, first time since September, but that appears to be a one-off.)

To be honest, I don't think AI is ready, but whatever.

But the good news is, considering I finished some of the core courses like Anatomy and Physiology the first time around, I should graduate from the program in December 2027 (then take the certification exam). 

Wish me luck!

Bridgerton Season 4 - *SPOILER ALERT*

 

With much going on in the world, sometimes you need a fantasy break and happy endings, right?

For those unfamiliar with the premise, it takes takes place in the early 19th century, from an initially original, very real, very true situation, in which Queen Charlotte - who curiously had darker skin (increasingly painted "whiter" with each royal portrait) and stereotypically African features and hair - married King George the III of England. 

Because of these features - particularly her hair - her lineage was, at the time, attributed to everything it likely was not -  such as "Portuguese" (Portugal was once the shipping post for slavery) and "Moorish."

Regardless, theirs was apparently a true love match, with Queen Charlotte being a doting wife, personally responsible for his care, until his death. 

With George III's descent into mental illness - believed to be some combination of genetic disorder (porphyria) and bipolar disorder (permanently in mania by 1810 and nothing to treat him with), Queen Charlotte briefly and unofficially ruled and held court in her husband's stead until their son son came of age.

She particularly kept social festivities afloat to both keep morale high and hide the extent of her husband's decline.

The rest of the story is, of course, the fantasy, a "what if" of sorts.

What if, due to Queen Charlotte, people of all races were then accepted into aristocracy and even royalty?

You would still have rigid class rules/power abuse and gender roles, that's what.

Each season stays true to the books by Julia Quinn, which focus on a different Bridgerton child's debut into society and marrietal choices. 

It highlights the difficult positions that especially intelligent women were put in, in addition to the delicate balance between social class, family "breeding," and rigid gender roles.

But perhaps more interestingly, there's also lots of sex. Lots and lots of sex!

This season, though Benedict Bridgerton was my least favorite son. he grew on me to perhaps become my favorite.

And yet still, nobody rocks the early 19th century, Beau-Brummel-style cravat, vest, and coat and tails quite like the original Duke!

(Although Anthony Bridgerton is a close second - played by People Magazine's 2025 Sexiest Man Alive, Jonathan Bailey)

Okay, maybe tied with second with King George III in the Bridgerton spinoff "Queen Charlotte"

Want to make a woman swoon?

Wear any of that.

(Minus any late-18th century powdered wigs still hanging around, thank you - which were mostly out of fashion by the early 1800s anyway, except for servants and legislature.)

When a man is dressed like this, even a man in a modern military uniform falls to the wayside, because there is nothing sexier on men!

When men complain of women not wearing dresses much anymore, the perfect response is "Why don't you men wear a neck cravat, high-collared shirt, coat and tails, and boots anymore?

And the answer to both questions is - nobody has the time or money for that daily, anymore, and they're not seasonable, comfortable, or practical!

So when women or men dress for weddings, awards ceremonies or cotillions, savor it, it's a rare treat (and takes hours no one has anymore, especially women)!

Now - I have to admit, in the very first episode of this season, I was like "Oh no, instead of an original story, they're doing Cinderella."

But that actually turned out not to be a bad thing, with a twist.

However, I did say "You're a smart girl, why did you believe your stepmother when she said your father left you nothing?" 

I think the answer to that is what an abused child will believe from their abuser for far too long.

We all love it when truth is finally revealed, right? 

In fact, speaking of the above, I was reminded of a personal situation, one in which my late friend and spiritual mom's son, used to call me "Cinderella," when living with them during the last recession.

Upon asking why, he said ...

"Because that's your story, in a way - lies told over control of an estate and will, meant to erase you from family history, a mom who blames you for everything, and 2 sisters -  the older one's a monster, the younger one's nice, but still pretends along to keep her own peace?" 

"That's your story. In fact, when that Christian song "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman, came out - which is actually about the father getting one last dance with his daughter at her wedding -  Mom and I simultaneously thought of you, for some reason.  I think that was from God. So just imagine that your Dad is God in that song, and you're good?"

How sweet is that, right? 🥲

It shocked me. I'd never thought about it that way or myself that way. So I teared up and laughed at the same time, which there is no word for, but it's one of the best emotions there is - which there IS an emoji for.

I just said "Yeah, but that was her stepmom and her stepsisters, not her real mom and sisters, my Dad was even worse, I'm clearly no Cinderella, and there for dang sure is no prince taking me away from all this (at that time, hadn't met Mark yet) lol.

Then his mom came in and shushed him for telling him that, because she was still semi-friends with my mom and we avoided ever talking about her, and she tried very hard to never say anything negative about her directly to me (except one time, not long before she died). 

That was Marian and her youngest son - they thought in metaphors. 😢

(Miss you, Marian, every day.) 

Thus, I confess, I teared up with that memory and the way this season ended, truth revealed, justice served quietly, and yet no one was truly hurt, despite what they'd done.

If only real life were like any of this, yes?

If the truth ever does come out, never in such grand fashion, and those who told, perpetuated, or believe lies will never face or admit nuttin!

And yet we keep hope alive 😊

And let's not forget Queen Charlotte.

How much do we love Queen Charlotte?

She's quite the character! That combination of commanding regality with a quirky laugh, intelligence and petulance, overconfidence with a dash of a romantic heart - played superbly by actress, Golda Rasheuvel. 

And let's not forget her best friend/former Lady in Waiting, Lady Danbury (Adjoa Anjoh), the community glue, who not only can handle the prickly Queen adeptly, but simultaneously solve all  her society's problems, and is the show's heart (we will miss her next season). 

And last but not least, the most interesting question that remains now is -  who is the new secret gossip columnist, Lady Whistledown, since it's not Penelope anymore?

My bet is either on Eloise (who's had a slight change of heart towards love/marriage) or Cressida, back in town, who falsely claimed to be Lady Whistledown last season, in a desperate grasp to obtain the Queen's "diamond" favor (because during her time away, she had become a reader and more of a thinker and slightly humbled, despite still possessing terrible Pepto-Bismol pink taste.)

Of course it could also be the late John's cousin, who  appeared to leave in the middle of the night, someone we've not yet met - we shall see!

In the meantime, which Bridgerton child or show character are you?

I'd say I'm an Eloise Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington-Bridgerton mix, for sure, with a dash of Daphne Bridgerton. 😊

Attack on Iran ...

 

I'm still reading about all the whys and whos, so I need to know more before I comment on the situation much, but here's what I DO know, based on history ...

1. Regardless of which political party is in charge, nor what our government says, we are never told the entire truth about the actual goal of these things and who it actually benefits.  

Many times, that's understandable - reasons of national security or not to cause panic. Other times it is simple greed, power/control grabs for governments or large business. Sometimes it's both.  

(Let's just say with the greed/power lust of who's in charge, my bet is on the control/power/greed angle mostly being at play here in some way). 

 

Regardless, you can bet that no matter what atrocities and propaganda you hear about to justify it, real or fabricated, it's actually 100% about oil and real estate - specifically,  control of the Strait of Hormuz - almost all oil in the Middle East must pass through this strait. (And in Trump's case, the Gazas strip as well.)

2. You cannot, in a modern world, literally drop a bomb on a country (who hasn't attacked you first), then walk away - telling its war-torn people (now without medical care at all)  that "they're free" to fend for themselves and "find their own leader." 

If you're not going to govern it yourself, then you must support some faction or leadership waiting in the wings - because not doing will likely result in leaving the country wide open for even more ruthless militant leadership, i.e., the Taliban or worse.  

It becomes fractionated, with de facto governments everywhere, infighting each other to the death for control.  

That is why our troops stayed in Europe after WW2, and in modern day, Afghanistan and Iraq for as long as they did, to help them stabilize and find their own government while trying to rebuild themselves (and the Taliban did indeed take over anyway, after we left).

Maybe that's what Trump wants, for them to do themselves in with infighting - but destabilizing a country by violent force into chaos, then walking away, telling people to fend for themselves, is NOT freedom - it's leaving them to die.

Like I said, I'm still reading what we know, but it at least appears very impulsive and short-sighted.

Speaking of the Taliban, Iran may have no choice but to turn to 

And don't forget, historically, Palestinian people never forget a wrong, they never just let things go, they bide their time and will seek their revenge when we least expect it -  and not just in Iran or even confined to the Middle East. 

How Owning Pugs Becomes Your Identity ... 😂

I just now saw this POV video of Doug the Pug's Owner, Leslie Mosier, about how pug parents are a special breed in our own right, whether your pug is famous or not, they become part of your identity - people start to refer to you as "my friend with the pug" or "the pug lady" - and this is exactly what it's like when you visit us! 😂

 

(Except for the anal gland thing?!?)

Pug mugs, pug Christmas tree ornaments, all of that!

And yes - just like she said, they don't know personal space and I haven't peed alone in years! 😊

Pugs were originally bred in China to be lapdogs and personal protectors to the imperial families, so they will patiently sit with you while you cook, shower (if not in the shower with you), in the bathroom, and even outside when it's 2 below because you need a smoke (not that I do that or anything - *gulp* - he gets upset if I don't let him out with me, though, so I wrap him up! Spoiled, spoiled.)

Not only that, but Mark said Leslie and my quirky personalities are so alike, it's uncanny - to include a lamb toy and a little song about it, except mine goes "Lambie, Lambie friennnnnd" instead of "Lambie, Lambie, Lambie Lamb"  - with a hard "b" - and I, too, intentionally laugh maniacally/crazy, just for a laugh or reaction! 😂

Both Ziggy and Mark are used to this, though, and just shake their heads and walk away lol. 

Well, sometimes Mark laughs - mission accomplished!

FYI, all of his toys have names, and his favorites have special songs to go with them -  and if you ask him to get that toy by name, he goes and finds it and brings it to you! 

I'd show you a pictures, but he's had them since puppyhood and some of them are reduced to matted furballs now (which I've washed many times, which only makes the matting worse), but I cannot get rid of them, because he will look for them and cry (I've tried) lol. 

His favorites are, in no particular order (except the ones without songs are first):

Placido Domingo Flamingo - "Placido Domingo Flamingo (bop bop bop), Placido Domingo, Flamingo (bop bop bop), Placido Domingo (Bop, Bop, Bop), Placido Domingo FlahhhhmingohOHoh!"

Dancing Lemur  - "Lemur, lemur, dancing all aroundddd, lemur, lemur, dancing into town"

Giddyup Horsie  - "Ride 'em, Ride 'em Cowboy, giddyup, little pugboyyyy!" (That one I stole the tune from a prior toy.)

"Racoonie, RacoonieeeeEEEEE"

And last but not least, "Farty Gautier."

Okay, that one needs an explanation!  😂

So he's a large goat that's supposed to squeak when squeezed, but sometimes instead of a squeak, out comes a long "pffft" of air ... thus, Farty Gautier (Goat-ie-yay)!  😂😂😂

And we have 1,000 different names for Ziggy, and he knows each one means him, like Guggaboy ("Good good boy", smashed together), Joy Boy, Bebe (From Schitt's Creek), "Puh Pbuh "(A play on "baby,") "Sunshine Boy,"  and Pugnacious Iglesias! 😂

We also like to insert the word "pug" into everything, from the mundane like ... "See you in the pug morning!" and "pugtastic" and "pugnificient" and "Merry Pugmas," to a bit more exalted, like "A pugophony of barking."  😂

If I'm known as "my friend with the pug" or "the pug lady," fine by me!  

Pugs are little clowns that make you laugh at least once, every day, if not more - pure joy 

Ziggy Watching Alysa Liu Skate ...

  

So I noticed the other day that when I put the Alysa Liu video on, Ziggy pug stopped what he was doing to watch her, tilting his head, fully engaged.

It seems this phenomenon happens every time I put her on, he's fascinated!

One he hears the music starts, he runs over to it and watching every second!

I think he's like "Wait, Mommy doesn't do that?!?"

No, Mommy definitely cannot  😂

 

 PS - Hope you can see it. Because after I published it, I received an email that some countries can't view it, it's a rights thing. 

I tried changing the title without the last name, but it's still partially blocked. 

Dang, people can put whatever dastardly, horrible thing they want on YouTube, but put your dog watching the Olympics and B'God, the sky is falling. 😂

All about that money, honey - which doesn't even to the athletes themselves, but to the media companies broadcasting it. 

Unlike college and pro sports now, I thought the Olympic Committee  didn't own the rights to athletes' image and likeness, but  I could be wrong - and whatever.

Grrrr ... 

Finally Had Time to Watch Alysa Liu's Final Skate ...

I felt like I was watching her practice alone in an empty arena, she was so casual and effortless about it, like she didn't care about the outcome, just in love with the feeling of being on that ice and what she can accomplish on it.

Absolutely flawless performance, simply amazing ... 

 

My favorite element of ice-skating isn't the jumps so much as the spins - specifically, the layback spin that kind of morphs into the upright or "scratch" spin, so elegant - they look like spinning ballerinas in a music box.

(Although her jumps were perfectly executed as well.)

Here, at 4 minutes, Alysa kind of melds one into the other, then ends the spin in the very difficult Biellmann spin (one leg held over her head by either one or both hands while spinning)!

You know they're done well when it makes every girl watching, young or old, want to skate, too  😊

(Except it's not as effortless as Alysa makes it look!)

Though it's normal to hesitate a half-second before a big jump to get  into position, some skaters hesitate too long in setting up for the jumps, you can literally see them drop everything setting up in anticipation of them like "Okay, big jump coming" -  but not Alyssa - her transitions were so quick it appeared seamless.

As much as I love, love, LOVE Johnny Weir, IMO, this is why he didn't medal in the Olympics. Although he is an incredibly skilled skater, with a beautiful artistic  design concept - and no one is better at creating an ambience/mood when they skate -  you could still see him hesitate and "drop the show" for too long in anticipation of his jumps. 

(Not that I could've ever done any of this on my best day, just saying those that hesitate a few seconds longer before jumps tend not to medal.)

Alyssa gets the details right AND the big picture show, which is why she won gold!

I didn't know her story at all until after I watched this video, but I could feel it in her skate before I read it.

So her father came to the U.S. in asylum after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and claims that the Chinese Government has continued to stalk him - and his daughter - for years, both to try to  both reclaim him and claim her, as their talent.

Not sure what all went on there, but what is for certain is that her father really kind of pushed her into skating as a Michelle Kwan fan himself, and she fell out of love with it, especially during and after COVID, unable to practice and compete, on the cusp of age groups to compete when figure skating returned.

She also broke her hip a few years ago. 

Then in 2022, she retired from skating, just to have a "normal" life, but decided to return, now on her terms, making her own choices for coaches and routines - no longer skating for her father or to obtain medals for herself or country - but now, just for love of the sport.

Skating on her terms took the pressure off - and it shows in her skating, her relaxed, "for the love of skating" style of performance. 

She's also got this adorable mix of innocence and wild child in appearance and personality, which I personally love.

Brava, Alysa!  

You make us proud to be American again (and it's been a long time).

School Discussion Assignment, Part 3 - Contraception and HRT

So after posting my post, a fellow student shared her own horror story, which was way worse.

This is not the first horror story I've heard regarding the confusion on this subject and won't be the last until we nail it down with research.

I'm not gonna share her story, of course, but my reply:

Oh no, XXX! I'm so sorry that happened to you! I think that especially with minors, it's imperative to explain everything in detail, the risks and benefits, so they know what they're getting into, but it sounds like that didn't happen.

I guess I could understand somewhat if it's like a general practitioner, like Internal Med or Family Med provider, but OB/GYN people who specialize in this should present it all and let you choose, and realize that some people aren't going to respond the "stereotypical" way and that should be taken more seriously.

It's like confirmation bias that was discussed in the book, right? The tendency for people - including doctors - to push away anything that doesn't support what they already want to believe. Too much cognitive dissonance, gotta push it away lol.

And therein lies the problem - this is one of those less common areas of medicine where docs are going with their gut or their own patient circle rather than actual science, and it's leaving us confused lol.

I think the issue is because we're fairly certain about what happens when you don't have enough estrogen, but confused about what happens if you have too much in different phases of our lives, especially with women who are sensitive to it (and we don't know why that is yet either).

 

Also, there's a lot of focus on estrogen, but not as much on progesterone.

I'm curious as to whether it may turn out like we're finding out about calcium, that dietary supplements in food form may be better than pills (for symptom relief, not contraception, of course).

Specifically, phytoestrogens from plants might be a better alternative than pills.

So we know that Asian women report menopause symptoms less, right?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12804320/Links to an external site.

And there has been some speculation as to why that is, whether it's cultural differences like less likelihood to report them or access to healthcare, or they genuinely experience less symptoms, and there has been some evidence to support that it may be at least partially diet - because phytoestrogens are found in soy isoflavones (not in your grocery store soy sauce).

Studies on this have been somewhat promising, but inconclusive, but you can bet I ate a ton of miso, tofu, and edamame especially during menopause! lol.

Regardless, I initially thought these horror stories were just local, both because we have a doctor shortage here now, and because we're not exactly a mecca of healthcare here anyway, but when I started digging a few years ago with my experience, I read about the WHI study and and the pushback, and read women's stories elsewhere.

Let's just say women are understandably confused about what to do, as a result, and the patient education experiences are not great.

Lastly, I hope this isn't too controversial to say, but the best resource for me, when young, was Planned Parenthood. People think it's just the abortion place, but it wasn't, most young women going there were either about contraception or their Paps and other exams.

I can't speak for every center, but they educated me completely about everything with pamphlets, diagrams, and took the time to answer any questions you had.

Younger ones or those without adequate health insurance, check it out, it's a great resource and operates on a sliding scale.

And with that, the Gentlelady from Kentucky yields her time (lol).