Skinless Backs and Pure Wind

Political language, verbal manipulations, give "an appearance of solidity to pure wind."

That is one phrase in a piece by Hunsinger that Chris TN put on Broken Glass today. It gave me much pause to consider the ways I have seen spin, propaganda, deception... aka "Political language" used to give the "appearance of solidity to pure wind."

Pure wind. It sounds a bit blissful perhaps? That's not the truth of the matter. I re-read the phrase and ponder it, as I simultaneously watch hurricane coverage (for the umpteenth time this season) and again see the horrendous damage that pure wind can do...yes....the deception of spin, political language is indeed a dangerous thing. Anderson Cooper said it well tonight: it can peel the skin right off your back............. yesss........... I do understand.

Last night I stumbled upon and watched a special called: The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off, a story about a 36 year old "man" who allowed filmakers to follow him for the last months of his life. http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/B/boy_whose_skin_fell_off/

Johnny Kennedy had sufferred from a horrible genetic disease since birth, EB, where the skin doesn't stick to the body and continually peels off. A truly horrible condition. There was one particularly intense scene in the film where his mother is changing the bandages on his back -- a terrbily painful process that had to be repeated every week for decades.

The image of the skinless back is fresh in my mind.

The skinless back; the damage that deceptive language can do.

Skinner Mt on Friday 10/21/05

On Friday I joined Jess on a hike of Mt. Skinner in South Hadley with the 8th graders from Great Falls Middle School in Turners Falls (where Jess is student teaching). Ben and I helped Jess and the teachers chaperone the 100 or so kids. It was a bit more rigorous than I expected -- I had never climbed Mt Skinner. But the weather was perfect and the views were great. I was with the slowest of the slow hikers, bringing up the rear with 4 kids who barely made it. They were slow for even me, sitting down at every rock out cropping and wondering how they had become convinced to come on this hike! It took us 2X as long as it should have but in the end we made it! Yeah!

More Flooding October 15,2005

We had terrible rains last week, on October 8 and it caused local flooding. Then it pretty much rained all week. So, this past Saturday, October 15, when it again poured all day...there was more flooding. Here are a few shots from the Leverett/North Amherst line.

Jess's 21 Birthday Party

Last Night - Friday, October 14, was Jess's 21 BD party at our house in Shute-ho. Ben was the event planner and BBQ chef extradonaire, even in the pouring rain. It was a great time with friends and family. Here are a few shots.

Jess's BD!!

Today was Jess's 21 BD. The family went to dinner at Smokin' Lils and then Jess and Ben met some friends at the Tunnel Bar both places are in in Noho (tunnel bar = high end bar in in the old rail station tunnel). Jess also got to do her very first full day of teaching today....on her 21 BD. She was a math sub all day at Great Falls Middle School (where she is doing her student teaching). Cool coincidence.. .. first day teaching on a special BD!
Happy BD Jess XO!

Thinking of Writing and Looking Back

Today, due to the rain, I decided to do indoor work which this time meant cleaning our bedroom: sorting through stuff, cleaning stuff out, washing curtains, and getting out the winter down comforter and flannel sheets. One shelf had a few older journals of mine. Since I am thinking more about writing for publication these days I decided to take a glimpse at the oldest one there...from February 1985. The first entry had a lot to do with baby Jessica, who was then just over 3 months old. Since her 21 birthday is in a few days, I thought I would blog some of my old journal entry from Febraury 4, 1985 which I had entitled "Interruptions."

"Interruptions'' That's my life these days. I got this piece of paper out to write on over an hour ago. Just as I looked for a pen, Jessica woke up from her nap. She has had a fever yesterday and today. I got her up and changed her. As I washed my hands I noticed how dirty the sink was so I washed it, which then led to cleaning the toilet and tub. In doign so, I noticed the shower curtain was slimy on the bottom so I took it down and put it in the washer. By then Jesscia was tired of sitting in her baby seat watching me clean so I took her down stairs. As I started to put her into her swing so I could write, she began whimpering and I realized she was hungry. So, now, having fed her and put her down for another little nap, I found a pen and sat to write. Then, I was not sure what the date it is today so I had to get back up, go into the kitchen and check the calendar. Now that I finally sit to write I am not sure I can recall what promted me to decide to finally begin this journal today. Pretty soon Jess needs to be awakened as I will be taking her to the doctors..and the wash will be done. Yes, this is how my life goes, especially since the arrival of Jess. Most of the time I just flow from one task to another and then, the day is over and it is time to start supper.

Well, after that intro, Jess slept a while I suppose, or I wrote fast, because I had time to write 2 pages before rushing off to the doctor's. Jess had a bit of the flu as it turned out. Most of the entry was about how I was trying to decide what I wanted to do about the career track verses being more available to my children. Guess the answer to that, 21 years later, is now obvious. :-) I never did go back to any regular agency work where I could work up the career ladder, etc. No regrets tho.

Writing

The latest thing in my head is that I am trying to more seriously get into writing. I met 1:1 with a Christian writer who coaches, I went to a 2 hour workshop by a coach who specializes in professional social work type writing, I bought some recommended books and a web based market guide for 2006....and I have tried to begin my first article. It is a daunting process....lots of detials and marketing oneself to get anything published. We'll see where it all leads.

Rare Abdominal Birth

In my Deans Book course we are studying all about genetic engineering, as we are reading Remaking Eden. One thing in the book is that technically men can gestate babies if an embryo was to be implanted in their abdomen. This is based on the fact that in some rare cases women have gestated babies where the embryo implanted (accidentally) in their abdomen instead of the uterus. THEN... just this week.. . one of these very rare cases (with a woman) happened in Canada. Here's the link for the story includign photos of the baby and the mom!!
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050926/miracle_baby_050926/20050927?hub=Health