Link Me Up, Scotty - Song in my Heart Edition

NOTE: It's a bit thin today - I've been trying to complete a very large RFP before THE MECHANICKY GAL comes to visit.
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An art project on what it's like to live with food insecurity. This is why we support our local food bank.
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The Sochi Paralympics are coming, and vets, both active duty and retired, are leading the way. Compete with honor, my brothers and sisters.
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Video of the Week: The Piano Guys perform Let it Go from the movie "Frozen." Awesome.

Miscellaneous Monday - Behind the Curve Editioin

Crying Uncle

I was in Las Vegas the week before last on business. I have a number of clients out there now, and while I'm happy to be busy with real opporutnities and working with highly professional colleagues, Las Vegas really is one of my least favorate cities in the world. The reason for this will be left as an exercise for the class.

And in what is becoming a really unpleasant annual tradition, I had to reroute to Ohio after my meetings due to the death of the Smart Man's Grandma. Her death was not unexpected, and she lived a good, long life, but these things are never easy. The Smart Man and I are really over funerals at this point. I mean SERIOUSLY OVER. I was horrified to discover while in Ohio that I now have multiple funeral outfits, and the Smart Man is ready to burn his funeral suit.

Crap on a cracker - enough already.

Pedaling Faster

My company offers bereavement leave as one of our benefits, and so I was out of the office Monday through Wednesday of last week. Right after I'd been assigned a major RFP (100 locations, 13K lines). So now I'm pedaling as fast as I can to catch up, as I'm constitutionally unable to be the one whose deliverables are late to the Proposal Manager. Because it's horrifying, that's why, and I have no intention of being that person.

Filling in the Lines

The last 12 months has been really hard on me physically. The grief of losing my daughter along with a very stressful year professionally, personally and physically has resulted in some weight gain, an erosion of my physical fitness, and a return of my depression.

I'm working on it, though. My physical health is improving steadily, my weight is decreasing steadily, my conditioning is returning, and I'm doing better with depression management. So - progress. Go, me.

HOWEVER.

The grief associated with Moe's death has left its mark on my face. I look in the mirror and I feel like I've aged 10 years, and the evidence supports my subjective opinion. I now have deep nasolabial folds, as well as marionette lines around my mouth.

I'm not quite ready for my lower face lift just yet, but I wanted to do something about this.* Which is why I'm a patient at a local medical aesthetics practice. They've done my botox for several years, and when I asked for a consultation about my lower face, they recommended Radiesse Volumizing Filler. I had my appointment today, and based on preliminary results, I'm pretty happy with the results. No photos just yet, as my skin is discolored from the injections and I have some swelling and bruising. Maybe when things heal up.

I'll never have my 20 year old skin again, but I'm executing a holding action.

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*Someone once asked Diahann Carroll if she believed in plastic surgery. Her response? "Oh, God, yes." Better living through medicine, baby.

Link Me Up, Scotty - Learn How to Act Edition

Ta -Nahesi Coates on the NFL, Michael Sam, and why people deserve a chance to define themselves rather than letting others do it for them.
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Isis the Scientist on the Barrio Rules for The Laboratory. Very similar to my own rules, even though I'm an upper middle class pasty white girl.
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Some interesting information about grief versus depression and how to manage both in a productive way.
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I can't get the video I wanted to post to embed, so instead here's a photo of Roo!, a rescue dog who took home the Best of Mixed Breed Award at the Westminster Dog Show's Agility competition. She's a good, good dog.

Link Me Up, Scotty -

The Complete Guide to Never Ever Ever Getting Fat. What the hell have I been thinking, with my respectful attention to mindful eating and disciplined activity? IT'S SO SIMPLE.
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The Sony Photography Awards have announced their finalists. The choices are fascinating and diverse.
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Video of the Week: Leyla McCalla performing Heart of Gold, from her newly released album "Vari-Colored Songs - A Tribute to Langston Hughes."

Fusion!

So January was my first month as a member of the Board of Trustees for Douglas County Libraries. It's an exciting time to be involved with the Library, as there are three new libraries being built in the next several years, a new Library Director to hire, and many other exciting projects in both the near and the medium term. My head's still spinning a bit from all I need to learn and do, but I'm excited about all the DCL hope to achieve in the next several years.

On Saturday, the Smart Man and I attended the Grand Opening at the Parker Library of one of the technology projects that began before I joined the board - Fusion - A Media Lab. This a pilot project for us, and will act as a test bed for other facilities in the three new libraries. As the Chairperson of the Technology Committee, I'm really excited about this. From the website:

Fusion is a digital creativity space, located in our Parker Branch, where your ideas come alive. Use it to:

• Convert your novel into a published ebook
• Record a stand-up comedy routine and upload it to You-Tube
• Produce a manga or anime video
• Create and edit a musical composition
• Make a short film or video
• Create animated gifs for Tumblr
• Digitize old home videos
• Record a video resume for your professional website
• Make a photo poster
• Create your own brand
• Convert VHS to DVD
• More!

People of all ages and skill levels can use our state-of-the-art software and equipment to create top quality products. Fusion is available to any patron with an active library card. Reservations are available in three-hour blocks. 

The equipment is top-notch, and there are also opportunities to learn new software for those who may not be familiar with multi-media creation. There's a music station, a video station, a photography station, and more. And there's a Green Screen for those who REALLY want to get creative.

This is the type of project I'm excited to be a part of, and one of the reasons I wanted to serve on the Board - it's an opportunity to give people access to the technology that will drive our country into the 21st Century, and a chance to help close the digital divide for those patrons who may not have access to the complex technology that drives our world.

Well done, DCL staff. Well done, indeed.

Link Me Up, Scotty - The Post-"ism" World Edition

In case you thought that on-line feminists aren't really subjected to rape threats, misogynistic language and a general assortment of condescending jerkwads, here comes "The (Un)censorship Project," sponsored by SkepChick. Superimposed on old-timey photos are actual communications from men who feel compelled to communicate their deep, insightful commentary with the website authors.

Way to represent, dudebros.
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"Gee, I'm totally surprised that the General who led the coup that deposed Mohammed Morsi last July in Egypt is running for President," said no one ever. Because democracy is just supposed to "win." You know - like magic.
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Some interesting thoughts on the nude female form, and why it really doesn't have to be about titillating the men in the audience.
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Video of the Week: Rowr.

Miscellaneous Monday - Forward Thinking Edition

Dog Day Afternoon

The Smart Man and I are finally ready to get the ball rolling in terms of our getting another dog. Boogie's been gone since Thanksgiving 2012, and while I suspect we would have been ready sooner if Moe hadn't died, we miss having a dog, and feel we're ready to take on the time commitment of raising and training another pup. We're investigating breeders now, and believe we may have a pup by early Fall.

His name shall be "Milo," and he shall be a good, good boy. And handsome. That, too.

Whole Foods

As I noted last week, I'm working hard to try and get my depression under control. One of the things I'm doing is trying to eliminate refined sugar and white flour from my diet, while simultaneously increasing "whole foods," as I've read some journal articles that lend credence to the idea that depressive minds do not do well with these types of foods. So no dessert for me, not even Weight Watchers or other low-cal options*, and I've incorporated some whole food smoothie recipes into my daily meal plans, as well. So far this seems to be working in terms of my daily mood, so I'm going to stick with it for a while and see what happens.

Side note: I don't want to turn into one of those people - you know, the ones whose conversation is "all food, all health, all the time," but my current drive toward better mental and physical health is taking up a considerable portion of my mental and physical energy at the moment. You have my permission to smack me a good one if I start acting all self-righteous and smug about it, though. Because I would TOTALLY DESERVE IT.

The Nature of the Manipulator

I read something on Captain Awkward this morning that really resonated with me: "Manipulators want to isolate you so that the only voice you listen to is theirs."

Oh, my, YES. There have been any number of people with whom I've had relationships who have fallen in with a manipulator who used this tactic to isolate and then control their victim. And I'm of two minds about this.

There's a part of me that believes that this type of controlling, isolating behavior is a form of emotional abuse, and that the person being manipulated needs help and compassion, not judgement.

And yet I'm honest enough with myself to also admit I believe that those who fall into this trap and thus fail to see reality (or the other party in the relationship) clearly are also culpable when their outside relationships fall apart and they find themselves isolated and alone. Because let's face it - if the Smart Man tried to force me to give up my familial relationships through lies and manipulation, there's a very good chance he'd find himself on the wrong side of the door with my fist-print in his throat.

And then I feel guilty because I know I'm indulging in victim blaming to a certain extent, as well as having a failure of compassion.

And then I feel like I'm letting people off the hook, because I believe in self-determination, agency, and choosing your own outcomes in your life.

Stupid moral dilemmas.

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*I have started using Noosa as a special dessert-like treat in lieu of traditional options. While the caloric and fat density on those things is really high, it also contains pretty decent ingredients compared to other choices.