What is the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch? | MNN - Mother Nature Network

I came across this article that I would like to share with you. It is something that we should all know about. What is the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch? MNN - Mother Nature Network

An Important Message About Growing Old Well Crap! Now I forgot what it was!

Have I Become That Person?

I would notice as I was getting older, that older people can be very opinionated, crabby, mean, rude and generally just a big pain in the tushy. I would say to my husband "I hope I don't get that way when I get older". I think I am getting that way, and I even think I know why.

I have spent my whole life being the nice, polite, do everything by the rules person that I was brought up to be. My family expected me to be this way, I expect me to be this way and my friends expect that too. Heaven forbid I would break the rules, "start something" or not be polite! Well I am here to tell you, I am getting tired of that crap!!

Example: Telemarketers

My old way - I am sorry, but I am not interested, but thank you for calling anyway.

My new way - Who the hell do you think you are calling me at dinner time anyway? Take my number off you fricken list and never call here again!!!

Get the drift? For me this is what it adds up to. I have lived 59 years and it has went by so fast it makes my head spin. I look at my probable length of time that I have left and it isn't that long. And if that time flies by as fast as before, which it will, I don't have that much time left to make my mark.

So....from now on I will do as I please, speak as I please, well...I will say "I'm sorry" if I make you cry, but if you call me and I don't like it, oh well, I don't know you and you don't know me, so I can't hurt your feelings that bad, now can I?

My Blog (A piece of my own little world)

I am learning what a competitive world blogging can be. I started blogging as a hobby as a place for me to communicate with others. I am not here to compete with anyone. I am not a pro blogger. I am a high school graduate and I have no degree from a university. It is just me, a 59 year old stay at home wife who just wants something that is mine and just mine alone to have and be proud of.

From now on you will only hear words that are directly from me and only me. I may post a link to information that I think may be valuable to my followers, but I will use my own words in response to that information. What I write as far as I am concerned is for everyone to read and take with them any way they choose. If I didn't want it that way, I wouldn't be putting it on the Internet for all to see to begin with.

Now that I have got my rant out I do feel a little better. I would say more, but I am sure that you all get it.

Health Update for Women - The Power Of Margaritas

Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness?

Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Margaritas.

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions.

Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.

Margaritas may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it..

Side effects may include:

Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration

Erotic lustfulness

Loss of motor control

Loss of clothing

Loss of money

Table dancing

Headache

Dehydration

Dry mouth

And a desire to sing Karaoke

WARNING: The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

WARNING: The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.

WARNING: The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing.

WARNING: The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

Please share this with other women who may need Margaritas. Thank you.

American Bandstand and Dick Clark

I am in the category of Baby Boomers who were born 1942 to 1953; we associate their youth with Howdy Doody, Davy Crocket hats, and later, Woodstock and Vietnam War demonstrations.

My favorite was American Bandstand. I knew everyone of those kids names and embraced them like they were my best friend. I would dance through the whole show by myself, or with a broom or doorknob, and even the cat, if he would let me hold him. I loved that show and Dick Clark. We still get a glimpse of him on New Year's Eve, but those were the best times of my life.

When my husband and I got our first apartment we lived straight across the hall from a guy who's name was David Crocket and they called him Davy Crockett. I thought that was pretty cool, plus he was pretty cute too!

To me listening to the music of the 60's brings back the best memories. And that music never gets old, even younger adults listen to it and it is the best party music, no matter what age you are.

UPDATE TO THIS POST

Since I have published this post to the internet I have had the ultimate pleasure of receiving an e-mail from one of the regulars on American Bandstand. You have no idea how this has made my day, my week, my month and my year!! With his permission here is the e-mail that I received:

I am always glad to hear that so many people watched "American Bandstand" and enjoyed the show so much. I was one of those kids you watched ("the regulars") from "1959 through 1961." My partner was Bunny Gibson. As Dick Clark would say "Keep Rockin."

Fondly,

Eddie Kelly

Fibromyalgia and A Good Night's Sleep

Getting the best night's sleep you can is essential when dealing with fibromyalgia. There are various medications and herbal remedies you can try; those that increase the time spent in deep sleep are believed to be the most effective, but if you can find something that will help you fall asleep and stay asleep that is a good place to start. Some prescribed medications can be split into two doses so that if you awaken during the night you can take a second dose. You can also do practical things to increase your chances of a good night's sleep: *Establish a regular sleeping pattern: go to bed at the same time each evening and get up at the same time every morning *Do an activity to relax you before going to bed. This could be listening to music or a novel on cassette, having a warm bath with lavender bath oil, doing some relaxation exercises, or simply reading a book. Watching something scary or thrilling on TV can sometimes be a little too stimulating. *Ensure that your bed and pillow are comfortable and supportive. Try out various mattresses and ergonomic pillows; an Adjustamatic bed or a Tempur mattress and pillow come with good recommendations, though they are quite expensive. Make sure you stay warm during the night and avoid being near any drafts from open windows. When you get a good night's sleep it is much easier to face the day and cope with the nagging pain and fatigue. It is certainly worth persisting with good sleeping habits and various medications to achieve the best night's sleep you can. MY SLEEP HABITS Getting a good nights sleep has been the one big thing that I have constantly struggled with. Some of my other problems come and go from time to time, but I have never been able to consistently get a good nights sleep. For me, Ambian worked wonderfully for awhile, but our insurance company decided they wanted me to pay an arm and a leg for the pleasure of a good night's sleep. My sleeping habits change like the seasons. I am now in my going to bed at 4:00am season. No matter how hard I try, I almost always see the clock roll past 4:00am, 5:00am and sometimes 6:00am. Needless to say my day is always screwed up.

Fibromyalgia Causes and Risks

The cause of this disorder is unknown. Physical or emotional trauma may play a role in development of the syndrome. A number of lines of evidence suggest that fibromyalgia patients have abnormal pain transmission responses. It has been suggested that sleep disturbances, which are common in fibromyalgia patients, may actually cause the condition. Another hypothesis suggests that the disorder may be associated with changes in skeletal muscle metabolism, possibly caused by decreased blood flow, which could cause chronic fatigue and weakness. Others have suggested that an infectious microbe, such as a virus, triggers the illness. At this point, no such virus or microbe has been identified. Pilot studies have shown a possible inherited tendency toward the disease, though evidence is very preliminary. The information about Fibromyalgia presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Fibromyalgia or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes. The disorder has an increased frequency among women 20 to 50 years old. The prevalence of the disease has been estimated between 0.7% and 13% for women, and between 0.2% and 3.9% for men. Symptoms * Multiple tender areas (muscle and joint pain) on the back of the neck, shoulders, sternum, lower back, hip, shin, elbows, knees. * Fatigue * Sleep disturbances * Body aches * Reduced exercise tolerance * Chronic facial muscle pain or aching Signs and Tests A number of tests may be done to rule out other disorders. An examination reveals multiple tender areas on the back of the neck, shoulders, sternum, lower back, hip, shin, elbows, or knees. Sometimes, laboratory and X-ray tests are done to help confirm the diagnosis. The tests will also rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms. Other underlying ailments, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis, can also be present. New patients should be checked for these underlying conditions as well as fibromyalgia

The History of Father's Day

Father's Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when a "father's day" was first proposed there were no Father's Day cards! Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day.". In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. Father's Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father's Day.

Ten Years With Fibromyalgia

I have had a fibromyalgia diagnosis for about ten years. I sometimes find it hard to write about it or talk about it because I really don't acknowledge that I have it openly. When I first learned that I had fibro it was a huge relief to finally know that it wasn't just me being crazy. A relief mostly that it was real. A real disease, not just me, but something actually that I could read about and get information. It didn't just choose me, there were other people out there experiencing the same thing. I think what is the biggest thing of all, is finding out the symptoms are real, not in your head, or that you are not being lazy, or looking for ways to get out of things. Which I believe a lot of non-fibro people think and in turn makes you wonder that too. I can say that I live with it, but it is a daily chore living around it. I can never make plans too far ahead, because I don't know how I will be that day. What I miss most is being able to go on long walks and trips to Chicago. I live just south of Chicago and at one time I could spend the whole day there just walking and sight seeing. Now when we ride the train, I am lucky to get 2 or 3 blocks from the train station. This really makes me sad, because I miss seeing and doing so many things that I have available to me.

My Fibromyalgia Trigger

We all have read that they don't know how people get fibromyalgia. But a lot of people seem to know when it started and it usually has to do with a very traumatic event. It could be an accident, a death, almost anything that was extremely hard to go through. My event was a nasty fall at work. It had been snowing and freezing rain and the sidewalks weren't cleared yet. I was leaving work and I was being careful, but my feet just slid and went right into the air and I came down hard on my back, neck and shoulders. And then I slid down the sidewalk, through the landscaping stones, over a curb, and almost under a car. I laid there for a few moments wondering if I would be able to get up or not. I slowly got up. I knew I broke my finger, because it hurt something awful. I didn't drop my purse or my lunch bag. I think I fell fairly gracefully as far as falls go. It wasn't the kind of fall that your friends stand there and laugh at you. It was an "oh no" kind of fall. I should have went with my first instinct and gone to the hospital and been checked out. But I did as my manager said and went to see the company doctor. And so the story goes on and on and on for over a year of the most ridiculous ideas and so many doctors that I can't remember them all. If I would have taken care of it myself, I would have been able to have the surgery on my neck right away, and been back to work in probably 6 to 8 weeks. There wouldn't have been all the trauma that went on with workman's comp and my workplace management. They made me work that whole year, which made my problem worse over time until I could no longer feel my shoulder, arm or my hand. I couldn't hold on to anything without dropping it. I may not be in the place I am now if I had went with my first instinct. I did break my finger and I had a discectomy with a fusion on my C5-C6 vertebrae. I never did get back to work. There are times to this day that I still want to put a brace on just to hold my neck up. When my neck flares up really bad, it feels like it takes all of my energy to hold it up. It is very tiring and uncomfortable.

Rotator Cuff Mishap

I have now discovered what it is like to not be able to use my right arm. I am sure that I have a rotator cuff tear. I have had problems with it before, but not to this extent. I looked on Google and the symptoms match mine to a tee. So now I have great difficulty washing and combing my hair and most anything around the house that demands trying to raise my right arm above my elbow. There are some good things about this. I have a great excuse for not getting anything done. The negatives are, that I am home all day and can't fasten my bra. This means that I can't leave the house or open the door for anyone. To put it as politely as I can, the Girls are now on a first name basis with my belly button. Their names are Hang Low, Hang Lower and Miss Button. I am quite sure that no one wants to see this or get to know them on a first name basis. I am trying to put off going to the doctor, because I know what is going to happen. There are miracles every day, and I may wake up tomorrow with no problem with my arm at all. I am going to stick with that for now:)