Healthcare in New Orleans

This is a harrowing article about primary care right now and the fate of Charity Hospital in New Orleans.

Update

Report on the state of things in Baghdad today, after the destruction of the Askari Mosque, from Riverbend:

"All morning we’ve been hearing/watching both Shia and Sunni religious figures speak out against the explosions and emphasise that this is what is wanted by the enemies of Iraq- this is what they would like to achieve- divide and conquer. Extreme Shia are blaming extreme Sunnis and Iraq seems to be falling apart at the seams under foreign occupiers and local fanatics.

No one went to work today as the streets were mostly closed. The situation isn’t good at all. I don’t think I remember things being this tense- everyone is just watching and waiting quietly. There’s so much talk of civil war and yet, with the people I know- Sunnis and Shia alike- I can hardly believe it is a possibility. Educated, sophisticated Iraqis are horrified with the idea of turning against each other, and even not-so-educated Iraqis seem very aware that this is a small part of a bigger, more ominous plan…

Several mosques have been taken over by the Mahdi militia and the Badir people seem to be everywhere. Tomorrow no one is going to work or college or anywhere."

In World News Today

The mosque that was destroyed today. Guys, this is not good.

Pep Talks

From my Yahoo horoscope:

"A long while ago, you discovered that the best way to make something as ethereal as a dream turn into reality is to tackle it practically and realistically. That means you've got to work very hard now to make your current fantasy come true. You're ready, willing and able, but you may not be entirely confident that you can make it come about. Stop that. You can, and you know it. Doubt is fatal to power. Get going, and don't stop until you're there."

Jeez. I'm working on it.

Enough Said

http://www.scooterlibby.com/

Free beer for the person who can think up the funniest fake spam to send to ol Scoot.

Vie Commenter Vachon (scroll down to comment #12) at The Poor Man.

Nostalgia

In the spirit of the season. Beck at Unfogged provides some commentary on the history of Mardi Gras.

"Mardi Gras changed a lot over the five years I went (1996-2000) and the biggest change was in the culture of flashing. I place the blame squarely on Girls Gone Wild, which emerged in 1998. Before GGW, flashing was just an infrequent eccentric local custom that was part of the bigger party; by 2000, it had become the central focus. What people don't understand is that there used to be a kind of weird etiquette involved that was so oddly chivalrous, sweet, and innocent that I doubt even a priss would have objected."

There's the olympics, and then there is me

I did more weightlifting today. I did squats, sort of. I still can't actually do a full squat without a bench under to sit on, but I lifted some weight. Squats and benchpresses sort of took it out of me though and the remainder of the workout involved me trying not to throw up or pass out. I really didn't leave enought time after lunch before the workout. The trainer, James, was kind to me and swore it would get easier. We'll see.

Fat Camp

Two childhood demons were excess weight and camp. So MTV's Fat Camp (reviewed favorably here) seemed like it would be sort of rough watching. There is the awkward girl, the popular girls, and the insecure, mean boy that somehow snags a cute girlfriend. That said, the kids at Fat Camp are a far sight nicer than the rednecks at Lutheridge, which was not, upon reflection, a very nice place to spend a week for six summers.

Progress

I do feel better after more weight lifting, although my right shoulder is pretty tight and achey still.

I am still retaining mad fluids because I've gained at least three pounds by the scale's estimation. My jeans however, the tight ones that always serve to remind me how much ground I have lost since March 2004 when I was the very skinniest I even was, are looser.

This is good focus as I try to distract myself from the fact that I have no idea what I am doing with my life and everytime I think I might have come to some resolution and made a decision about where I will be living in, oh, June, something happens to upset that assurance.

Achey, Breaky

On Sunday I worked out with a trainer for the first time ever, and I had some stupid request for learning how to do compound movement like squats and the like. The ensuing days have involved the requisite stiff jointed complaints. I'm on day three of not being able to lift my arms over my head, and wondering if really something that makes me feel this way is such a good idea.

I'm going back tonight though. Because to just do it once won't really help me out at all. And I'm not liking the idea of feeling this way for four days for nothing.

The Best Valentine's Day Song Ever

Got nobody to sing it to, but it's still a pretty song, so...

I come to you with empty hands
I guess I just forgot again
I only got my love to send
On Valentine's Day
I ain't got a card to sign
Roses have been hard to find
I only hope that you'll be mine
On Valentine's Day
I know that I swore that I wouldn't forget
I wrote it all down: I lost it I guess

There's so much I want to say
But all the words just slip away
The way you love me every dayIs Valentine's Day

If I could I would deliver to you
Diamonds and gold; it's the least I can do
So if you'll take my IOU
I could make it up to you
Until then I hope my heart will do
For Valentine's Day

-Steve Earle

Me on Valentine's Day

I like Boondocks today.

Nieve

It's been unseasonably mild all winter, so today's blustery storm has inspired the same delight that rare snows in North Carolina once did. The windows sills and fire escapes are all covered and it's still coming down hard. It's a good morning for staying in reading, all curled up in bed.

The cruel reality is that I have a long-planned appointment with a trainer at the Y, but that isn't for hours and hours. So, nesting comences.

No fair

Apparently, I have been tagged by jillypickle, who was tagged by Risa.

4 recent jobs I've held (recent is relative):

Volunteer English Teacher
Foundation Program Officer
AIDS Hotline Lady
Standardized Test Grader

4 movies I could watch over and over:

Breakfast at Tiffany's
Boogie Nights
Fargo
Sunshine State

Note: Not my favorite movies, just the ones I can watch ad nauseum

4 places I've lived:

Richmond, IN
Derry, Northern Ireland
Banner Elk, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina

4 TV shows I love:

Northern Exposure
Daily Show
Entourage
BBC World News

4 places I've vacationed:

Siem Reap, Cambodia
Panajachel, Guatemala
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Beijing

4 of my favorite dishes:

Macaroni and Cheese
Green salad with avocado and grapefruit
Pad See Ew (spelling?)
Chicken Kurma

4 sites I visit daily:
Google
Talking Points Memo
Baghdad Burning
The Poor Man

4 places I'd rather be right now:

This is kind of a complicated question right now.

4 people I tag:

Erik
Emily Who obviously fixed her blog, after I tried my best to fuck up all the formatting
Chris (Yeah, whatever, you don't have a blog, just put it down there in the comments)
Laure

Voluntario

El Centro, The school where I am a sometime English teacher, has a spiffy new website. I found the photographer!