Can everyone stop already?!

I just don't know about people sometimes. 

I've been watching, for almost the past year, post after post of someone angry and feeling the need to trash Muslims, refugees, immigrants, and anyone else that they decide to be mad at. The thing is, I can deal with a little upset, annoyance, etc. because those feelings can be dealt with and others can explain and then the annoyed one is more likely to listen.  But that is not what I've been watching and reading lately.

I'm not sure where all this anger is coming from, but it really seems to be gaining momentum.  
I've wanted to speak out and say something, but what do you say to someone who seems to have no idea that the refugee they are angry over taking 'our jobs' or 'our money' is just a person like them and if anyone here was placed in that refugees shoes, they would be begging to just come live on a street that was safe, forget about money.  
People are people, no matter where they come from, no matter what they wear or what language they speak or the religion they are or their skin colour.  

I had a conversation with someone the other day and we both agreed that too many out there are absolutely clueless and have had way too much safety and comfort in their lives to truly be empathetic toward others.  Why that is, I don't know.  We all have the ability to step outside ourselves and imagine how someone might feel. 

So, lets take the example of Muslims....that is a religion, and a dang cool one at that.  Their religion happens to be very close to mine.  They are taught to love others and that they and everyone else have worth.  They are taught to treat others in a kind and loving manner and to be honest in their dealings with others.  They are taught about life before and after they live on earth and they are wonderful people. 
Saying all Muslims are all terrorists is like saying all Christians belong to the KKK.   
Sounds ridiculous, right? 

There are good people all over the world, in every country.  And there are also evil people all over the world.  But if we take the time to quiet our minds and look around peacefully, we will see all the good and realize that our job is to hold the good up as a standard and treat everyone with kindness and as we would want to be treated.  
Our job is to search out the good in everything and everyone.  Look around, it surrounds you. 

Seriously, people, just stop already.   

Recent Memory Lane

So it's not my "turn" or anything (ahem dad ahem), but the other day I was perusing through my journal and--do you love journals? Mine has evolved over the years. They started out with a lot of gushy mushy angsty boy loving, and slowly over time turned into this, what I find, engaging mixture of thoughts and events. Probably helped by the fact that I get to it so infrequently that whenever I do I always have something interesting to mention. And so leafing through the past few years of them has become a real treat. I'm always like, "Ooh, I'm such a poet! Why can't I be like this in real life?"

Anyway, so I was perusing through my journal and I landed upon the "family vacation" entry. And I loved remembering all the details, so I thought it would be fun to share with all of you. Here, for your reminiscing pleasure, is that entry:

"Well, the family vacation has ended. The visit was lovely. Brad met us on the road just outside Lethbridge so we spent all our time with him there. The first week we hung out at my parents', going to the pool, and the park, and the pond, and Cardston. We took pictures at the temple and ate at the pizza place Brad and I went to after getting married. Mom and Amy and I went shopping and for dinner, and later dessert. Mom got new Birkenstocks and I got a new wallet. It is fun to not worry about money! The Swensons arrived on Sunday as we were all gathered at the Bennetts' place, and on Monday I took Becca and the kids on a nature walk while Alex drove to Calgary to pick up Laurel from a trip.

The cottage was fabulous in my opinion! The play structure kept the kids mostly downstairs, which is good because the main space, with vaulted ceilings, was extremely echoey. On Wednesday we played in the ravine at the river, and had a visit from Ben Raymant. Thursday, under wildfire smoke skies, we drove to Waterton and climbed Bear's Hump, then visited the town. Friday just the adults (and Finn) spent the day in Lethbridge while the grandparents watched the kids. We shopped, and had lunch at Montana's, and went bowling. It was pretty fun. Saturday Brad set up targets and the kids shot the pellet guns, and in the afternoon we had the Bennett clan over and sang happy birthday to Roysten. Sunday was Roysten's baptism, and Monday those that were left (Leslie and the Swensons had gone) went to Wally's beach, which had almost no water but some truly excellent MUD!

And every night the adults gathered to eat junk food and play games, or sing songs and play instruments, or just chat. That was perhaps the best part!

And every morning, exhausted and underslept, I would gaze admiringly over the ravine with its sandstone walls, and the rolling hills and valleys, with a herd of grazing cattle dotting the distant plains. It was lovely."

I hope you enjoyed that trip down recent memory lane. Where are we going next?

Poems for late trees

Quietus

I watched them cut down

All the trees around my home. 

No one yelled timber.

Lights Out

Once, their souls did shine

verdant; Now their grief settles

in a thick, grey fog. 

Leap Day! (I was leaping along... *leap. leap. leap.*)

Look at me! I get to write about the leap day this year. I feel special :)

So, at approximately 2pm on the 29th, I got three of the most goodest newses ever, and I thought I would share them with you.

One:

I went to a new endocrinologist (hormone specialist) that day.

Maybe I should start with a bit of background. (And I'm sorry cause this will probably be incredibly boring for most of you).

So my thyroid is broken. It thinks I'm sick, and therefore it is sending my thyroid a bunch of antibodies. Having extra antibodies, though, hurts my thyroid and scars it. Because of the scars, I can't produce as much T4 hormone which is a problem because it is used in a little bit of everything. Sometimes, the disease also makes it so people can't convert that T4 into its usable form of T3.

Kay, so I went to my last endo when I was diagnosed, and she put me on synthetic T4s. It worked alright for a while, but then it stopped working and I went back to being completely exhausted and stuff. Through doing research, I found out that often, the reason for that is because we, thyroid patients, need T3 supplements as well, but most doctors don't acknowledge that as long as your T4 number is good.

I did some MORE research to find a doctor in Victoria who would put me on Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT). It's thyroid from a pig and has T4s and T3s and other hormones that the thyroid produces in it. A lot of people do better on NDTs than synthetic T3/T4, but in the medical world, a lot of doctors are wary of it (even though, I found out, they used to only use NDT to treat thyroid patients.. so.. )

Anyway. I found that doctor. I went to the appointment and told him I wanted to try NDT because the T4s were not doing it for me and, just like that, he put me on them, which is amazing by the way. It's harder than it should be to be allowed to try NDT.

So that was part one super exciting news on the 29th.

Two:

While I was in my appointment, I got a missed call from an unknown number and a message. It was Paladin Security calling to do a phone interview. After the appointment, I called them back, went through the interview, and then they scheduled me for a real interview! That interview was today. It went well. I was told at the end of the interview that as long as my references check out, he would love to give me a job. So yay!

Two main reasons why that was so exciting:
1. They pay for me to get my security license! I was sour about having to pay to do the course because I am SURE I have already learned all the information in my three years of schooling in Justice programs. But whatever.... apparently not.
2. I can use it to finish my degree! I'm doing an applied degree which means my fourth year of schooling has to be completed while I do full time work or volunteering in the field, and security qualifies for a job in the field. So that's super awesome!

Three:

While in the appointment, I ALSO got a text from my roommate asking if he'd told me that he has a cat (which he did not) that is coming with his girlfriend next week (on the 11th)! A CAT, GUYS!!! I GET A TEMPORARY PET CAT!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! He for sure did not tell me before that had a cat, but he was happy that my reaction was positive. Man. So basically I'm accepting it as his birthday present to me. Haha. Not that he had to get me a gift. But.. Now he's covered anyway. (YAY!! KITTY!!!!!!!! I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Anyway, that was my leap day. Pretty successful overall, I'd say. I hope everyone else's extra day this year was all they'd ever hoped and dreamed.