Presidential Proclamation--Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Remember the children! September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! Spread the word, take a moment to read some info (links on the right), and lets beat this thing!
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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Each year, thousands of children face the battle against cancer with inspiring hope and incredible bravery. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, an entire family and community are affected. The devotion of parents, grandparents, loved ones, and friends creates a treasured network of support for these courageous children. During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we honor the young lives taken too soon and the survivors who face chronic health challenges, we celebrate the progress made in treatment and recovery, and we rededicate ourselves to fighting this disease so all children may have the chance to live a full and healthy life.
While survival rates for many childhood cancers have risen sharply over the past few decades, cancer is still the leading cause of death by disease for young Americans between infancy and age 15. Too many families have been touched by cancer and its consequences, and we must work together to control, and ultimately defeat, this destructive disease. I invite all Americans to visit Cancer.gov for more information and resources about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood cancers.
Tragically, the causes of cancer in children are largely unknown. Until these illnesses can be cured, my Administration will continue to support investments in research and treatment. The National Cancer Institute, the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research, is supporting national and international studies examining the risk factors and possible causes of childhood cancers.
The health reforms included in the landmark Affordable Care Act advance critical protections for individuals facing cancer. Provisions in the law prohibit insurance companies from limiting or denying coverage to individuals participating in clinical trials, the cornerstone of cancer research. After recovering from cancer, children can no longer be denied insurance coverage due to a pre-existing condition. It also requires all new plans to provide preventive services without charging copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance, increasing access to regular checkups that can help detect and treat childhood cancers earlier. The Affordable Care Act eliminates annual and lifetime caps on insurance coverage and prohibits companies from dropping coverage if someone gets sick, giving patients and families the peace of mind that their insurance will cover the procedures their doctors recommend.
This month, we pay tribute to the health-care professionals, researchers, private philanthropies, social support organizations, and parent advocacy groups who work together to provide hope and help to families and find cures for childhood cancers. Together, we will carry on their work toward a future in which cancer no longer threatens the lives of our Nation's children.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2010 as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I also encourage all Americans to join me in recognizing and reaffirming our commitment to fighting childhood cancer.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
As the kids begin their adventures back to yet another school year, I have decided that it's time to give myself some scheduled discipline as well. I have always heard that writers should schedule blocks of time devoted just to writing. Somewhat akin to a job schedule. This is my "other" job, and it needs to have dedicated time just for it. I have to write. Regardless of what spews forth, or where I spew it at, as long as I'm writing, it's okay.
Since the kids go to bed at 9pm (and I may increase it to 10pm if they get up easy enough in the mornings) I am officially making my writing time from 10pm until 12am. Tonight, that writing is going here. Eventually I want to move it to my story, but that task is a bit daunting right now, and I am honestly not in the mind frame for it.
I've noticed as Summer slips the torch onto Autumn, that my mood becomes quite internal and reflective. I have issues about / with myself that I someday hope to come to terms with, figure out, resolve, and whatnot. I have here and other blogs to help purge that from my system as well. My son's Language Arts teacher is requiring them to keep some type of journal this year. I am thinking it might be prudent for me to do the same. I won't be able to sort through most of this junk if I just keep letting it pile and don't honestly take time to decipher it.
As for more easier, if more physically daunting tasks, I have a few around-the-house items I need to attend to. Autumn cleaning, if you will. I need to organize the crafting area. Since my daughter has gotten involved in crafting, that area has just exploded! Which, is great, but it makes it difficult to find stuff. We need to put some sort of system in place so we can see what we have, know where it is, and be able to see when we need more!
I also want to completely clean out the carport and porch area. That has almost gotten to the point of physical need at this point. It makes coming home not-so-pleasant. The first thing I see is junk, disorder, yuck. That needs to change. The same goes for the front yard, though that is not quite as bad.
I really want to just go through and give each room of the house a complete overhaul. It seems like a crazy idea. But, I think it will do good to just take a room, pull everything completely out of it, and then put it back in. It will help with the decluttering, which is something I desperately need to do, both around the house and within myself!
All three bands put on spectacular shows. Testament was more vocal, as in, they talked more, riling the crowd up with mosh pits and the Wall of Death. Megadeth came out and thrashed the place, and then Slayer ended it with their overdose of awesome as they always do. I was beyond thrilled. I think I could have died and gone to heaven after they played Dead Skin Mask (which is my favorite Slayer song). Okay, considering where I was... maybe not Heaven, but it would have been a gloriously happy death nonetheless.
Yesterday, we were surprisingly not overly sore, as I was expecting to be. We were sore, but not stay-in-bed-all-day-because-I-can't-move sore. We instead went to a friend's birthday BBQ, and sat there all day. We finally left around 11pm. It was fun, and a lot of yummy food.
Today, we're going over to the Blackberry Festival in Bremerton. Tons of vendors with all sorts of different wares for eye-candy (and perhaps purchasing) pleasure. Then another birthday party, but this for a much younger sort. More fun times.
Tomorrow is Monday, Labor Day, and I don't have to work. So, I get to go hit up the Goodwill's $1.29 stuff, not to mention whatever other sales they have going on for the holiday. Who knows when I'll get another available Monday for this, so I'm definitely not missing it!
My weekend has been incredible so far. Love it!
It's been a long week. I was sick Tuesday through Thursday with some weird headachy-stomach thing. I noticed the headache as I was driving home from work Monday evening. By Tuesday, it had gotten pretty bad, and then on the drive to work that morning, my stomach decided to do jumping jacks. I wound up having to leave work early and go home. I slept most of that day, then that evening, since sleep seemed to have made it worse, Dustin took me out to eat and walk a bit. That may sound counter-productive, but in my case it usually helps, and it did. Wednesday I only had to work a half-day, since I had worked at the Back To School Celebration the previous Saturday. It was the longest 4&1/2 hours I've ever worked. My head was pounding, and at one point I almost threw up right into the book bin. Thursday morning I thought I was going to be okay as I headed out to my meeting, but by the time I got home, my head and tummy were back at blows, each vieing to be the King Yukinator. By the time I went to bed I was near tears from pain and just plain sick of feeling ill.
Then Friday we went to the Kitsap County Fair.
That was actually quite nice. My stomach and head cooperated and in return I stayed mostly away from the fair food and rides. I went ballistic in the goat area. I love those little creatures! I think I embarrassed my kids by my outpouring of uncontrollable cute overload, squealing at each little adorable animal. My own animals (aka children) stayed on the other side of the building and avoided eye contact.
The same thing happened with the bunnies.
I totally want goats and bunnies now.
I think I could actually get away with goats, but I'm pretty sure my cat would think he had been such a good boy for killing all the mice that we brought him home a tasty treat as a reward.
In other news, my daughter has really gotten into crafting lately. She picked up a book that had a felted bag in it that she made. Her bag blew the book's bag away. Her's was so much cooler, and I'm not just saying that because I'm mom. It really did. So, now I'm making a Halloween one, and she is on a crafting kick. It's awesome. Like Dustin, my boyfriend, said: "Now we're trying to kick her off the crafting books at 11pm to get her to go to bed instead of kicking her off the computer." It makes it a lot harder to enforce! She's spent about $40 of her own dollars on crafting supplies. It rocks socks that maybe one day she'll make!
Saturday we went out and did some family photos at the park. I think they turned out great. We still need to go down and do some at the studio, but so far I think I picked out about 6 or 7 from the park that I want printed. My kids are such little models sometimes! Most of the time they just run amuck. That's what kids do. =)
Maybe I'll post one on here!
Then the boys went to a movie while my daughter and I went (guess, guess) CRAFT shopping. Bet you couldn't guess. Dinner with friends, those friends giving us a bunch of books, going home...
Sunday I went and kept a gal-pal company for awhile, then home to work on my Halloween bag, housework, laundry, dinner and hanging out with the kids.
So, my week started off crappy but ended quite nicely.
Anyway... that's what's up.
There was a lady I saw today, that I just have to incorperate into my story. Of course, she probably won't appreciate her role, if she ever read it, but then again, maybe she would find the humor in it.
She had to have been 70 or 80 years old. She wore a beautiful gossamer-type skirt, all black and flowing. Something I would think to see in a ballroom type dance. She had on black tights, with a hint of shimmer, and some black sandals. Then, she had on a raggedy blue t-shirt. Her hair was buzzed short, white. Her nose was elongated and wide. Her mouth, lips thin and pursed, were drawn down into a sort of sneer. Her blue eyes were piercing and wide. I can imagine her with feathers pinned into her hair.
I want to make her one of the gals in the sanitarium where one of my main characters lives. A true, bona fide nutcase. But a fun one. She would be a fun one.
So, I've been looking at my blog, realizing that I've been very naughty about upkeep on it. I haven't posted in ages, even with stuff going on. It's hard to motivate myself to blog, when I can't even motivate myself to write!
Some things that have happened in my absence:
*My best friend and her son came up to visit from California! I've known her since I was 15 years old. That was a LOOOONNNGGG time ago! Okay, maybe not that long, but it sometimes feels like it. We went and visited a place called Wolf Haven. It was very cool. If you are in the area, it's worth a looksie. We did the whole Pike's Place Market in Seattle, and took the Monorail to the Seattle Center. But, other than that, we didn't do a whole lot. It was nice to just hang out and catch up and see what a great guy my godson has grown into!
*I finally got myself to the doctor. I found a new one who seems to be working out pretty well so far. While doing my normal checkup, he discovered a couple of moles he really didn't like the look of, so he had me schedule another appointment to come back and get them biopsied. It's a good thing I did, because both showed what they called "Neoplasm of uncertain behavior: skin". What they told me was that basically both moles came back showing signs of developing into cancer, so it's a damn good thing we removed them. Now I get to become OCD about checking my moles to make sure they aren't growing, or changing color, or whatnot. Fun times, eh?
* I think I need to go back to the doctor. The incision on my butt isn't doing too well. It's causing pain and problems. It's being a pain in the butt! (yuck yuck yuck). I don't want to go back, despite Dustin's insistence that I do. I'm being stubborn. I love that I found a new doctor that I like, but 3 times in one month already is enough!
*The weather is finally gorgeous here. I've been spending as much time as possible at the lake. The kids like it, I like it, and I even got some writing done due to it! Not nearly as much as I'd like to, but any amount is good mojo for me!
*My son entered another karate tournament, and came out 3rd in his katas and 1st in sparring for his division! I was so proud. And rather loud, judging by the judges dirty looks. I didn't care though. I was excited!
*That's all I can think of. I'll leave it at that for now, save this in a draft, and see if anything pops into my head in the next few little while.
Sometimes I just feel so unbelievably inadequate, no matter how hard I try to change it. Everything I do just seems to get screwed up in one fashion or another. Or it's not good enough.
I'm going to make a doctor's appointment tomorrow. Hopefully I can get a new doctor that I actually feel comfortable talking to. Think I might look into mental health, as well. Check out what all my insurance will cover.
I'm thinking about cutting my hair. It's long, and it's heavy. But, it's also a big part of me. It's one of the things people immediately recognize and associate with me. I'm not talking about going and getting a trim. No, I'm thinking a few inches. That's right. I said few. As in, multiple. Like, to my armpits. I'll call it my armpit hair. It will make me giggle. We all know all is right with the world if I'm giggling. That, or it's about to all go to hell. Take your pick.
Today, I was sitting at the table in the staff room eating my lunch, when I noticed a van very slowly and carefully easing its way into one of the parking spots in the staff parking lot. This usually makes me fume, and I find it deliciously funny when they get parked behind, and then have to wait while the staff member who parked behind them gets a chance to run and get their keys so they can move. Today, however, after the young lady got out of the driver's seat and ran to the front of the building, I noticed someone still in the van. As I was reading something rather not-the-best-while-you're-eating, my mind was prone to wandering. I leaned forward to glare at this person in our highly-coveted parking spot, and noticed a great big "STUDENT DRIVER" sign plastered on the back of the van. The person in the passenger seat was her driving instructor. Way to go, Teach. Learn em' to park where they should and very well could get ticketed!
As for that book I was reading in above-mentioned scenario, I am starting to think there is something dreadfully wrong with me and my brain, when it comes to reading material. Especially since most reading material is read either A: while I'm eating, or B: right before I go to bed. I am drawn towards the outrageous and macabre, and always get to those real "juicy" spots right when I'm taking a bite. Right now, I'm reading "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach. It's, naturally, about dead bodies, and all the scientific stuff that's done to them. I just happened to be on the chapter about how, in great and food-descriptive detail, bodies decompose. It was awesome.
My big toe is driving me crazy. I think I have athlete's foot on it. It burns and hurts when I wear shoes. Just there on my poor big toe. Right up on top. I mean, I think it's there between the Big Toe and the Pointer Toe in that.. webbing there. But, that doesn't bother me so it doesn't really count. So, yeah. Just throwing that out there, because it's irritating me right now.
I just had a lady come in and get almost naggy irritated that we told her husband he could not check out books on her account because he was not an authorized user. "Well, we've always got them for the kids before...". I politely mentioned that on kid accounts, usually the parent is listed on there. For the adult cards, we can't just let any Joe off the street come in and say "I want to use So-and-So's account." Could you imagine? She finally was like.. "Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense." At least she got it. Sometimes they just go on being huffy.
My car blew up. But, then I found out just the water pump went out, and that doesn't sound nearly as fantastic and dramatic. However, it's a hell of a lot cheaper to fix. So, hopefully that happens this weekend. My best friend from California and her son are coming up next week, and I think it would be most fabulous if I did not have to have her rent a car while she's here.
Speaking of her coming up, I'm totally stoked. I don't know what all we're going to do, but I don't care. I can't wait to see her. It's been like... eleventy billion years or something close to that, since I've seen her. *Happy Dance*
Ok, I'm going to leave on the dancing note, because random sporatic dancing is just plain fun.
So, I've been wanting to start getting up earlier. I want to go back to needing less sleep- be once again one of those "late to bed, early to rise" people like I was. Stupid aging.
I digress.
Anyway... what I did not have in mind was waking at 3:30 this morning! *slap forehead*
I'm tired. I thought I was going to be sick by the time I left the house at 8:30am. By my break at 12:15, I was tired, but okay. Now, I'm doing much better than I anticipated. I'm curious as to whether that will all break down the moment I walk through the door at home, though. Bummer is, I can't go to sleep when I get home. Slacker me hasn't been on the treadmill since I don't remember, and no exercise since the Friday before this past one (so the 14th?). Bad, bad me. And I had vowed "no excuses" tonight. American Idol is on, so I have something to watch. Kids are gone, so I don't have that distraction. So... NO EXCUSES! Which means I need to drag my tired butt onto that treadmill for at least 30 minutes tonight.
Hey... I'll sleep good tonight, eh?