by Paula | May 30, 2016 | Uncategorized
There is a quasi-technical side to blogging. WordPress makes it super easy — until something isn’t working right. Technical Trouble-shooting separates the blog nerds from the wanna-bes; and recent events prove that I am firmly in the latter category.
I have a computer science degree collecting dust somewhere. At one point in time, I could write and test a very respectable COBOL program — which was very useful in the Year 2000 heyday (remember that?). In the many years since I have hung up my programming hat, technology has changed at a blistering pace.
Subscribers to this blog quit getting email notifications of new posts a few months ago–despite the fact that I’ve made no changes to the notifications software or settings. I am not so naive to believe that all of my subscribers are actual people (vs. bots)… but still, there are one or two of you that read (if not enjoy) my periodic posts.
This turned out to be a sticky problem that defied resolution. After hiring some geeks, who failed to resolve the problem; a couple hours on the phone with tech support; a couple more hours in on-line support ‘chat’; and a couple MORE hours cleaning up the multitude of fake subscriber emails that were clogging up my system and exceeding my email limit. I think (?) email notifications are working again. But, after all that work, I had no energy to write anything of even marginal interest.
If you are reading this, I assume you are a real person … sorry for all the test emails, and PLEASE rescue me from your spam folder!
by Paula | May 7, 2016 | Anorexia sucks
This was recently posted by the Academy for Eating Disorders–based on decades of experience treating eating disorders. It directly rebuffs some of the most common myths and mis-perceptions about eating disorders. I offer it here, along with my own personal commentary (prefixed by ‘PP’); if you only have time to read one of these – read the last one, its SOOO important! And when you are done reading, sign up for the NEDA walk closest to you.
- Many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill. PP: The misconception that you have to look like a skeleton to have a eating disorder can make it more difficult for sufferer’s to seek out treatment — many are told ‘ they don’t look like they have an eating disorder’; when they try to get help.
- Families are not to blame and can be the patients’ and providers best allies in treatment. PP: Unfortunately, there is still a cultural propensity to blame the parents (often the mother) when a young person is diagnosed. In reality – Moms and dads are usually their child’s strongest advocate against the eating disorders. They need support… in the same way a parent dealing with the serious illness of their child needs support.
- An eating disorder diagnosis is a health crisis that disrupts personal and family functioning. PP: Boy Howdy; they aren’t kidding. If anyone in your family has been diagnosed with a serious illness, such as cancer… you can relate.
- Eating Disorders are not choices, but serious biologically influenced illnesses. PP: Telling a sufferer to ‘get over it and just eat normally! ‘can be the equivalent of demanding that I do the splits. It isn’t that I don’t want to… but I am unable to. Hollering and demanding that the behavior change is likely only to make the sufferer feel worse about their inability to meet your demands; deepening their anxiety.
- Eating Disorders affect people of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, body shapes, weights, sexual orientation and socioeconomic statuses. PP: Unfortunately many, many sufferers will not seek treatment because they don’t think EDs affect someone like them; OR they may encounter serious obstacles when seeking treatment such as: providers who don’t take them seriously (because they don’t fit the stereotype of someone with an ED): lack of available treatment in their area and/or; lack of affordable treatment.
- Eating Disorders carry an increased risk for both suicide and medical complications. PP: Have I mentioned that eating disorders SUCK?
- Genes and environment play important roles in the development of Eating Disorders.
- Genes alone do not predict who will develop eating disorders. PP: This seems a bit redundant with #7… but OK.
- Full recovery IS POSSIBLE!!! Early detection and intervention are important. PP: There is HOPE; there is life after ED!
by Paula | May 2, 2016 | Family, Uncategorized
It is May – which means we’ve rounded the corner on warmer weather. This time of year inspires me like no other – with a whole summer season stretching in front of us with all it’s endless possibilities: Beach outings; music festivals, baseball games, outdoor tennis matches, barbecues, meals on the deck, and the simple pleasure of being outside without gloves on!
The snow-birds are back from Florida, with their tans and well-practiced backhands… If I were so inclined — I would be jealous. However, they probably don’t get the same attitude boost that the rest of us get when the last of the snow melts away and the greenery re-appears. Good weather all the time would be boring!
We had a dreary, cold, rainy weekend – but today (Monday) the sun was shining. At work, I am starting to divide my time between two buildings, and it’s delightful to have a short stroll between the two sites once or twice during the work day. There’s a creek along the path and there is usually a couple frogs offering their vocal offerings along the way.
The dog is benefiting from my renewed enthusiasm for being outside – we did the FULL circuit of the neighborhood tonight; instead of our cold weather abbreviated version–which often consists of no more than a quick trip to the roadside mailbox and back.
With our new house, I suspect we will develop new rites of spring: One of which seems to be that Dan is currently fixing the (very) used riding lawn mower we purchased with the house. If he doesn’t get it fixed soon, our second rite of spring will be hiring one of our new neighbors to mow our yard.
