wealhtheow

Happy Anniversary!

Today is the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade--34 years of a woman's right to choose! I want to be clear--I'm not celebrating abortion, I'm celebrating that I get the final say on what happens to my body. As my husband and I start thinking about starting a family eventually, it's comforting to know, that, God forbid something should awful should happen, I have the freedom to decide what is best for my family.

We all know that right is in danger. But that's not what I want to talk about. Another right may soon be in danger.

Head on over to Planned Parenthood Activists of Virginia and check out their 2007 bill chart. Pay special attention to HB 2221:

Birth Control Protection Act: Codifies the definition of birth control using the FDA definition. Also prevents birth control from being regulated by Virginia's abortion laws (mandatory 24-hour delay, state-scripted counseling, refusal clause and parental consent).

Will someone tell me why every pro-life legislator in Virginia isn't signing on to this bill? If you are against abortion (a viewpoint with which I disagree, but can understand), why on earth would you not use every resource at your disposal to prevent unwanted pregnancies?

The cold hard fact is if you take away a woman's right to decide when and if she has children, you take away women's rights. Tie a woman in the chains of her own body, and everything else becomes moot. Understand that I am not talking about fourteen year old girls, but about adult women. In my own experience, my husband would have been unable to go to graduate school if we'd been unable to use birth control--and I would have been unable to afford day care after my second child, effectively removing my choice of whether I should work outside the home or inside the home.

Using birth control save lives. See this study for information on the negative correlation of birth control and infant mortality.

We can not and should not abandon the fight to keep abortion safe and legal. But we must be aware that anti-choice foes are coming in through the back door. Check your local Planned Parenthood website to see the legislation in your state. Sign up with the Planned Parenthood Action Network to get e-mails delivered to your inbox with quick links to take immediate action. Do it for your wives, your girlfriends, your sisters, your cousins, your daughters. Do it for yourself.

Ten things Meat Loaf won't do for love.

Meat Loaf will do anything for love, but he won't:

10. Sort your laundry.

9. Let your crazy sister come for a three-week visit.

8. Share his fries.

7. File your tax return.

6. Take your ridiculous purse dog for a walk in public.

5. Let you sleep in his favorite shirt.

4. SIt with you while you idly flip through the channels, completing a full circuit no less than 4 times before finally settling on "Bring It On," and then insisting he join with you for all the cheers.

3. Go to your book club.

2. Carry your purse while your shopping.

And the Number 1 thing Meat Loaf won't do for love?

1. The dishes.

He would do anything  for love, but he won't do that.

Thistle on the Road to Recovery

No stone, just an infection. Rick is bringing her home, probably even as I write these words, along with a dashing assortment of antibiotics and I believe some kitty analgesics, as she's in quite a bit of discomfort. As one can imagine!

I'm so relieved there's nothing seriously wrong with my girl. Pets are a special blessing--these strange little animals with whom we have so little in common, but who have chosen to share their lives with us. I'm thankful every day for the love and joy our little furry one brings into our lives, and doubly so on a day like today.

Sick Kitty

Last night I came home from a long bout of sight-singing and grocery shopping (although not simultaneous, as amusing as that would have been) to an extremely complainy cat. I tried to help R make dinner (gorgeous cheeseburgers, to satisfy a craving), but Thistle kept meowsing at me, so I tried to go sit on the couch with her, which usually calms her down. For some reason, she doesn't like it when we're cooking in the kitchen. But she still seemed very discontent, walking hither and thither. I gave her fresh water in her bathroom glass (yes, she's too spoiled to drink from a bowl), and then I noticed she was sitting in the corner next to the door--not something she ever does. I took her upstairs to see if she was hungry. I filled her bowl, but she didn't seem that interested. I took her into our bedroom to see if she wanted to hang out and cuddle on the bed, another favorite activity of hers. Again, she didn't seem like that was what she wanted. I took her into the upstairs bathroom to freshen up her upstairs water glass (see above re: spoiled), but again, nothing doing.

Then she hopped into the bathtub. The cat only goes into our bathtub when she's very bored or not feeling great. She started scratching at the tub like mad, then hunkered down and began to urinate. Now, Thistle never ever urinates outside her box. That box needs to be absolutely filthy for her to eschew it.* By an extremely fortunate coincidence, the bathtub seems to be her place of choice for when she does decide to eschew the box. So while I'm staring at the cat and thinking that I need to bitch R out for not cleaning the box, I see something extremely alarming. Mixed in with the urine stream is a thin red line. As it grew more prominent, I realized it was blood.

When the cat finished, she hopped out of the tub and curled up on the bed. She left behind what looked like an alarmingly large puddle of blood, but in retrospect was probably a little smaller than a quarter in diameter. I ran to the top of the stairs and yelled, "Rick, I need you upstairs right this second." I heard a grumpy voice from the kitchen: "I can't right now, I'm busy with the griddle." I screamed "No, you need to come upstairs right now, the cat is pissing blood."

My heart was in my mouth. Thistle had woken us up in the middle of the night by running around and being loud, so we'd decided to keep her awake all day to make sure the performance didn't repeat itself. So I had spent the whole day plopping her in and out of laundry baskets and not allowing her to sleep. The whole time, the poor little thing had been sick. I cannot describe how guilty I felt.

Rick came upstairs. He wasn't sure it really looked like blood, but I was certain. The cat was hanging out on the bed, looking uncomfortable and licking herself. Her nose was hot and leathery. But she didn't look incredibly miserable, and her eyes weren't glassy. After some quick internet research, we figured out it was probably just a bladder infection, an assumption given more strength as she hopped in and out of her litter box all night.

She's over at the vet right now. The doctor said she showed tenderness when the doctor palpitated around her bladder, but when they tried to draw a urine sample her bladder was empty, so she needs to hang out there until she fills on up again. They did a quick ultrasound, which showed a little spot that may be a stone. If that's the case she'll require surgery, but the doctor thinks it is much more likely that that's just a fold her in empty bladder, and that she has a bladder infection instead. Rick went over to the store and got some new litter, and he's at home changing and sanitizing her box (something he does every month regardless). He's also going to run the vacuum, something I didn't want to do last night to avoid stressing out the cat.

So Thistle will almost certainly be just fine. Worst case scenario right now is a stone (which would definitely account for the blood in her urine (which the vet confirmed, so HA!)), which would require surgery to remove. But Thistle is a very strong and healthy cat, and surgery doesn't pose any significant risk to her. Chances are this is just a bladder infection, and fortunately we caught it very early. There are sometimes benefits to being completely obsessed with your pet, one of which is you tend to notice unusual behavior right away. Rick should hear back from the vet in a couple hours, and I'll post an update.

*Urinating outside the litter box is a classic sign of feline illness. If it hurts when they urinate, they associate it with the box instead of with the act of urination. They are adorable, but not necessarily that bright.

Sundry's meme

From Sundry

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
I took some yoga classes, which I wound up really loving. Now I'm getting crazy ideas like some day taking instructor training. But that's probably just a pipe dream, as I'm still working on going to class on a consistent basis.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any new year's resolutions last year. This year I want to continue eating more healthfully and riding my bike. And work on being more tolerant. And WORLD PEACE!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A friend gave birth.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My husband's grandmother passed away a few weeks ago, which is part of the reason for my silence here for a while. It was difficult, but we're very glad she's at peace now.

5. What countries did you visit?
Surely you jest.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
I'm playing that particular card close to the chest for now.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
December 15, when my husband's grandmother passed. Possibly also August 5, which was my high school reunion. I'm not so good with dates.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Achieving more peace about where I am in my life right now. I know, cheesy. But it was a big one for me. I've made great strides in making peace with my body, and with some issues I'd been having with interpersonal relationships and my neediness and shit. I feel that I respect myself a lot more than I did at this time last year.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I could have made some better progress in being more assertive and seeking out some better challenges at work. I could have taken some more responsibility at home.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My yearly bout with bronchitis. And also, I whammed myself but good on the piano bench last night, and rolled about on the floor whimpering and feeling ridiculous. But then when I went to put on my pajamas I noticed a giant giant raised bruise, so I felt a little more justified in the rolling and whimpering. But still.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought a very expensive skirt. I felt like I deserved something really nice. Often I think I look like a trainwreck because I feel that eschewing fashion is a way of stating my values to the world, and that to value my appearance means that I'm a shallow gal. But I'm trying to encourage myself to dress a little more sharply, as I think it probably is a professional tool that I tend to dramatically undervalue.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The American voter, for kicking the Republicans out of Congress and demanding change.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The Republicans at large, especially people like Mark Foley.

14. Where did most of your money go?
mortgage and food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The midterm elections. Also, my girl la femme C getting married to le homme C. YOU GUYS FUCKING ROCK!!!!!

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
God, I don't know. Maybe John Tavener's Funeral Ikos.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier. I'm 
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. But I'm working on that. 
c) richer or poorer? richer, since we refinanced the house.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercise, and not even because of the weight gain.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Moping around feeling sorry for myself. I am very melodramatic sometimes

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it with my cousins, eating fondue and talking politics. I love those guys!

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
I fall more in love with my husband every day

22. How many one-night stands?
None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Doctor Who. And Battlestar Galactica. And Baking with Julia.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I'm trying hard not to hate folks.

25. What was the best book you read?
In 2006? Dianne Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
John Tavener--call it a rediscovery.

27. What did you want and get?
I wanted a bike and I got one. Also, I wanted a new Senator and the Dems to take over Congress. I got that too.

28. What did you want and not get?
Among other things, an exit strategy for Iraq.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Hmm. I don't think I have one.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I fasted (Yom Kippur). I turned 28.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
WHAT? I wasn't aware the average person had a fashion concept. I'm not even sure I know that is.

33. What kept you sane?
My husband. Also my cat. Also yoga.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I fancied Howard Dean for his extremely successful 50 State strategy. Also Johnny Depp, because the man is hot.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Women's health issues, specifically some EC and abortion bans. Draconian abortion bans.

36. Who did you miss?
my family.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Reconnecting with Michelle has made this year such a blast.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
My husband's grandmother taught me that death is a natural and beautiful part of life, a final rest and a gentle goodnight. When she died I didn't mourn her passing, because her presence was still so powerfully in my life.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
All my song lyrics are from classical music.
"Fall on the rocks and be broken, for my holy word is spoken. Lie beneath the raging billows, twist and turn and bend like willows." This is a Shaker song about the value of humility. I think the big thing I've learned this year is to listen more carefully, and to see the value in hardship and adversity. Not that I've experienced a lot of it this year, but I'd like to think that I've made some strides in being more tolerant and trying not to let things get under my skin. Unless we're talking about those goddamn Republicans.