From Flipflops to fashion statement!?!

Okay, today I am rambling and ranting. Here is the deal...what is the big fascination and attraction with flipflops? I mean really, when we were kid, you go tone pair every summer - to wear to the beach or the pool. These were NOT shoes you would wear shopping - or - God forbid, to school, work, and never to church! Now, you see flipflops EVERYWHERE! People invited to the White House have even worn the things to meet the President!

Here is the deal: they are gross. You can shed your toe-jam anywhere. Your stinky smelly feet are just out and about! It is truly nasty. For goodness sake, wear socks!

I worked at one company where - honest to God - people would walk around barefooted. Can you actually believe that one? Thank God I do not work there any more - for that and many other reasons to be sure.

On a similar topic - I have been to the grocery store on a number of occasions, and mothers (used losely) allow their children to wander the store - where you and I buy the food we eat - barefoot. Now, if it is not bad enough to have the occasion that athlete's foot will end up in your yogurt, what if someone dropped a jar of pickles, and a glass shard cut their little darling? They would sue. No question in my mind. This country is going nuts! Do you remember: "No shoes, No shirt, No service"? I do.

A personal Journey through Hypothyroid Disorder

I have been on Thyroxine (T4) treatment only for 10 years and though my TSH levels have been regulated at times over the past decade, I have never felt like myself.

This journey began in 1994/95 although I am beginning to suspect that there were earlier affects that I did not really know were potentially related to thyroid. In 1994, I married (eloped with) my first husband, Bert. He was in the Navy and was going overseas to Japan after some training in California. We planned that I would stay in the US for another year and then travel to Japan with him. Unbeknownst to us, I got pregnant with my first child, Marcos over our Christmas Holidays. After finding out, we were very excited, but chose to continue with our plans, as he would be out to sea when I was due.

In March 1995, on a short cruise, Bert was killed in a helicopter accident. I had Marcos in September following an otherwise unremarkable pregnancy. All told, I had gained 20 pounds during the entire pregnancy. By 10 weeks post-partum – November 1995, I had lost 25 pounds and was doing well. By Valentine’s Day 1996, I had gained 30 pounds. I had not changed my eating or exercise habits at all - I was still running 1 mile a day! My doctor ran some tests and found my Thyroid level for TSH was in the 30 – 35 range.

After adjusting dosages for about 6 months, we settled on a dosage of .075. I felt reasonably well. I was not able to budge the weight very much – I had lost about 15 pounds but nothing was working on the rest. I was told a variety of things ranging from “You’re eating to much/not exercising enough” to “your body is very frugal with calories, you need to eat less”. Well, on a diet of 1000 – 1500 calories per day, there is not a lot less you can eat. I thought I would just have to live with it. I continued to run daily and lift weights 3 days per week.

In December of 1997, I noticed I was not feeling well again and had more tests done. My thyroid TSH level was high – 5 – 6. So, we adjusted my dosages again and after settling on .112, things were better. I started line dancing on Saturday nights with some friends and lost some more weight. By the spring, with a new job, I was feeling good.

In the summer of 1997, my dosage again needed to be tweaked and was moved to .125/day. This was a dose that I stayed regulated on until the just after New Year’s 2000. That period was the longest I have ever been regulated and feeling good. I lost weight and stayed at a size 10/12. Not the best shape ever, but pretty darn good.

I moved to Dallas in the fall of 1999, got engaged to my husband David and in early 2000, moved to Lewisville. We had a lot of stress and upheaval going on at work. I was put on a prescription for Prozac and noticed my weight had gone up a little. My thyroid was slightly off and the dose was bumped to .15.

In fall of 2000, David and I chose to get married with little fanfare. We had fun and were a happy little family. Things were going well. In the spring of 2001, my job went through 2 major changes and my thyroid responded to the stress. I was now on .175 and not easily able to control my weight – it was still creeping ever upwards.

As fall 2001 came along, and with it the attacks of 9/11, my stress was very bad. My thyroid was bad and my dosage went to .187. I settled in for a little bit – tried giving the Atkins plan a whirl in May of 2002. David lost 30 pounds. I lost 10. We were trying to get pregnant and in July, I was excited to test positive. At the start of August, I miscarried. I did not know Hashimoto’s disease could affect pregnancy.

After having my second child, Kaleb, in 2003, I have been on the worst roller-coaster ride of my life culminating in a TSH reading of 46.41 - and a 20 lb weight gain - while on a dosage of .2 Synthroid. After getting completely fed up with the thought that the rest of my life was going to be like this, I started some research and found that others have had the same types of issues. I also found that there are some Hashimoto's patients who cannot convert T4 to T3 and need a combo medication. I have just transitioned to Armour and have high hopes that this may make a difference. Without my husband's support I would probably have thrown in the towel by now!

Finally, September 12, I had new bloodwork drawn. I am drastically better - and feel it! Last weekend I was actually able to finish a 5K roadrace! This is a major step in the right direction for me. I will continue to run - and keep working toward feeling better!

"Not yours to give" - A Constitutional Look at Charity handouts from the Federal Government!

This story is a Texas historical document. It was written by Rep. David Crockett who died at the Alamo. It brings up a very interesting fact about the Federal Government and "Charity monies". Have no doubt about it - he is correct in his logic. Our government needs to stop handing money to people every time they skin their knees! It is up to the community to care for people through Charity! 

Originally published in "The Life of Colonel David Crockett," by Edward Sylvester Ellis. By: Col. David Crockett - US Representative from Tennessee

One day in the House of Representatives a bill was taken up appropriating money for the benefit of a widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches had been made in its support. 

The speaker was just about to put the question when Crockett arose: "Mr. Speaker--I have as much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living, if there be, as any man in this House, but we must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has not the power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member on this floor knows it. 

 We have the right as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money. Some eloquent appeals have been made to us upon the ground that it is a debt due the deceased. Mr. Speaker, the deceased lived long after the close of the war; he was in office to the day of his death, and I never heard that the government was in arrears to him. 

"Every man in this House knows it is not a debt. We cannot without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money as the payment of a debt. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as charity. 

"Mr. Speaker, I have said we have the right to give as much money of our own as we please. I am the poorest man on this floor. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week's pay to the object, and if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks." 

 He took his seat. Nobody replied. The bill was put upon its passage, and, instead of passing unanimously, as was generally supposed, and as, no doubt, it would, but for that speech, it received but few votes, and, of course, was lost. 

Later, when asked by a friend why he had opposed the appropriation, Crockett gave this explanation: "Several years ago I was one evening standing on the steps of the Capitol with some members of Congress, when our attention was attracted by a great light over in Georgetown. It was evidently a large fire. We jumped into a hack and drove over as fast as we could. In spite of all that could be done, many houses were burned and many families made houseless, and besides, some of them had lost all but the clothes they had on. The weather was very cold, and when I saw so many children suffering, I felt that something ought to be done for them. 

The next morning a bill was introduced appropriating $20,000 for their relief. We put aside all other business and rushed it through as soon as it could be done. 

The next summer, when it began to be time to think about election, I concluded I would take a scout around among the boys of my district. I had no opposition there but, as the election was some time off, I did not know what might turn up. When riding one day in a part of my district in which I was more of a stranger than any other, I saw a man in a field plowing and coming toward the road. I gauged my gait so that we should meet as he came up, I spoke to the man. He replied politely, but as I thought, rather coldly. 

I began: 'Well friend, I am one of those unfortunate beings called candidates and--- 

"Yes I know you; you are Colonel Crockett. I have seen you once before, and voted for you the last time you were elected. I suppose you are out electioneering now, but you had better not waste your time or mine, I shall not vote for you again." 

 "This was a sockdolger...I begged him tell me what was the matter.

"Well Colonel, it is hardly worthwhile to waste time or words upon it. I do not see how it can be mended, but you gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. In either case you are not the man to represent me. 

"But I beg your pardon for expressing it that way. I did not intend to avail myself of the privilege of the constituent to speak plainly to a candidate for the purpose of insulting you or wounding you. I intend by it only to say that your understanding of the constitution is very different from mine; and I will say to you what but for my rudeness, I should not have said, that I believe you to be honest. But an understanding of the constitution different from mine I cannot overlook, because the Constitution, to be worth anything, must be held sacred, and rigidly observed in all its provisions. The man who wields power and misinterprets it is the more dangerous the honest he is."

I replied, " I admit the truth of all you say, but there must be some mistake."

"Though I live in the backwoods and seldom go from home, I take the papers from Washington and read very carefully all the proceedings of Congress. My papers say you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000 to some sufferers by fire in Georgetown. Is that true?"

 "Well my friend; I may as well own up. You have got me there. But certainly nobody will complain that a great and rich country like ours should give the insignificant sum of $20,000 to relieve its suffering women and children, particularly with a full and overflowing treasury, and I am sure, if you had been there, you would have done just the same as I did."

 "It is not the amount, Colonel, that I complain of; it is the principle. In the first place, the government ought to have in the Treasury no more than enough for its legitimate purposes. But that has nothing with the question. The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man, particularly under our system of collecting revenue by a tariff, which reaches every man in the country, no matter how poor he may be, and the poorer he is the more he pays in proportion to his means. What is worse, it presses upon him without his knowledge where the weight centers, for there is not a man in the United States who can ever guess how much he pays to the government. So you see, that while you are contributing to relieve one, you are drawing it from thousands who are even worse off than he.' 

"If you had the right to give anything, the amount was simply a matter of discretion with you, and you had as much right to give $20,000,000 as $20,000. If you have the right to give at all; and as the Constitution neither defines charity nor stipulates the amount, you are at liberty to give to any and everything which you may believe, or profess to believe, is a charity and to any amount you may think proper. You will very easily perceive what a wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favoritism, on the one hand, and for robbing the people on the other.' 

"No, Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose. If twice as many houses had been burned in this country as in Georgetown, neither you nor any other member of Congress would have Thought of appropriating a dollar for our relief. There are about two hundred and forty members of Congress. If they had shown their sympathy for the sufferers by contributing each one week's pay, it would have made over $13,000. There are plenty of wealthy men around Washington who could have given $20,000 without depriving themselves of even a luxury of life.' 

"The congressmen chose to keep their own money, which, if reports be true, some of them spend not very creditably; and the people about Washington, no doubt, applauded you for relieving them from necessity of giving what was not yours to give. The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution.' 

"'So you see, Colonel, you have violated the Constitution in what I consider a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it, and no security for the people. I have no doubt you acted honestly, but that does not make it any better, except as far as you are personally concerned, and you see that I cannot vote for you.'

I tell you I felt streaked. I saw if I should have opposition, and this man should go to talking and in that district I was a gone fawn-skin. I could not answer him, and the fact is, I was so fully convinced that he was right, I did not want to. But I must satisfy him, and I said to him: 

"Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I had not sense enough to understand the Constitution. I intended to be guided by it, and thought I had studied it fully. I have heard many speeches in Congress about the powers of Congress, but what you have said here at your plow has got more hard, sound sense in it than all the fine speeches I ever heard. If I had ever taken the view of it that you have, I would have put my head into the fire before I would have given that vote; and if you will forgive me and vote for me again, if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law I wish I may be shot.' 

He laughingly replied; "Yes, Colonel, you have sworn to that once before, but I will trust you again upon one condition. You are convinced that your vote was wrong. Your acknowledgment of it will do more good than beating you for it. If, as you go around the district, you will tell people about this vote, and that you are satisfied it was wrong, I will not only vote for you, but will do what I can to keep down opposition, and perhaps, I may exert some little influence in that way."

 "If I don't, said I, 'I wish I may be shot; and to convince you that I am in earnest in what I say I will come back this way in a week or ten days, and if you will get up a gathering of people, I will make a speech to them. Get up a barbecue, and I will pay for it.' 

"No, Colonel, we are not rich people in this section but we have plenty of provisions to contribute for a barbecue, and some to spare for those who have none. The push of crops will be over in a few days, and we can then afford a day for a barbecue. 'This Thursday; I will see to getting it up on Saturday week. Come to my house on Friday, and we will go together, and I promise you a very respectable crowd to see and hear you. 

"'Well I will be here. But one thing more before I say good-bye. I must know your name." 

"'My name is Bunce.' 

"'Not Horatio Bunce?' 

"'Yes. 

"'Well, Mr. Bunce, I never saw you before, though you say you have seen me, but I know you very well. I am glad I have met you, and very proud that I may hope to have you for my friend.' 

It was one of the luckiest hits of my life that I met him. He mingled but little with the public, but was widely known for his remarkable intelligence, and for a heart brim-full and running over with kindness and benevolence, which showed themselves not only in words but in acts. He was the oracle of the whole country around him, and his fame had extended far beyond the circle of his immediate acquaintance. Though I had never met him, before, I had heard much of him, and but for this meeting it is very likely I should have had opposition, and had been beaten. One thing is very certain, no man could now stand up in that district under such a vote. 

At the appointed time I was at his house, having told our conversation to every crowd I had met, and to every man I stayed all night with, and I found that it gave the people an interest and confidence in me stronger than I had ever seen manifested before. 

Though I was considerably fatigued when I reached his house, and, under ordinary circumstances, should have gone early to bed, I kept him up until midnight talking about the principles and affairs of government, and got more real, true knowledge of them than I had got all my life before.

I have known and seen much of him since, for I respect him - no, that is not the word - I reverence and love him more than any living man, and I go to see him two or three times every year; and I will tell you, sir, if every one who professes to be a Christian lived and acted and enjoyed it as he does, the religion of Christ would take the world by storm. 

But to return to my story. The next morning we went to the barbecue and, to my surprise, found about a thousand men there. I met a good many whom I had not known before, and they and my friend introduced me around until I had got pretty well acquainted - at least, they all knew me. "In due time notice was given that I would speak to them. 

They gathered up around a stand that had been erected. I opened my speech by saying: "Fellow-citizens - I present myself before you today feeling like a new man. My eyes have lately been opened to truths which ignorance or prejudice or both, had heretofore hidden from my view. I feel that I can today offer you the ability to render you more valuable service than I have ever been able to render before. I am here today more for the purpose of acknowledging my error than to seek your votes. That I should make this acknowledgment is due to myself as well as to you. Whether you will vote for me is a matter for your consideration only." 

"I went on to tell them about the fire and my vote for the appropriation and then told them why I was satisfied it was wrong. I closed by saying: "And now, fellow-citizens, it remains only for me to tell you that the most of the speech you have listened to with so much interest was simply a repetition of the arguments by which your neighbor, Mr. Bunce, convinced me of my error.' 

"It is the best speech I ever made in my life, but he is entitled to the credit for it. And now I hope he is satisfied with his convert and that he will get up here and tell you so.' 

He came up to the stand and said: "Fellow-citizens - it affords me great pleasure to comply with the request of Colonel Crockett. I have always considered him a thoroughly honest man, and I am satisfied that he will faithfully perform all that he has promised you today.' 

He went down, and there went up from that crowd such a shout for Davy Crockett as his name never called forth before.'

 "I am not much given to tears, but I was taken with a choking then and felt some big drops rolling down my cheeks. And I tell you now that the remembrance of those few words spoken by such a man, and the honest, hearty shout they produced, is worth more to me than all the honors I have received and all the reputation I have ever made, or ever shall make, as a member of Congress.' 

 "Now, sir," concluded Crockett, "you know why I made that speech yesterday.' 

"There is one last thing which I will call your attention, you remember that I proposed to give a week's pay. There are in that House many very wealthy men - men who think nothing of spending a week's pay, or a dozen of them, for a dinner or a wine party when they have something to accomplish by it.' 

"Some of those same men made beautiful speeches upon the great debt of gratitude which the country owed the deceased--a debt which could not be paid by money--and the insignificance and worthlessness of money, particularly so insignificant a sum as $20,000 when weighed against the honor of the nation. Yet not one of them responded to my proposition. Money with them is nothing but trash when it is to come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it."

Katrina - Blame and Victim Mentalities!

This country needs to stop playing the “blame game” and pointing fingers. What’s past is done. Stop the drama and start moving! Action will make people feel better.

There are LOTS of poor people and well-off people who had the wherewithal to look at the news and say, “oh, a Category 4/5 storm I have never been through one of those – I better think twice on this. And plenty of these folks did think twice and left. They are all over the country right now. Some are here in Dallas and have been since the day following the storm. The citizens of Dallas are helping these people. The citizens of America are helping these people.

The people who were left in the city and got stuck in the disaster and devastation are in a world of hurt right now. Some of those people are in a mess of their own making. This does not mean that I do not sympathize and want to help them, but for God’s sake, take a little responsibility and say, “yeah, I messed up. I made a poor choice.” Instead, President Bush is standing up and taking ht responsibility - like the man he is - for the failings of the federal response. Where is that stand form the Mayor and Govenor?

The City of New Orleans should have planned better. If you have buses – city and greyhound, tour buses, school buses and church buses – that have to leave or be flooded, load them up. Don’t drive them out empty! Use those large vehicles – and others like U-Haul vans etc. to evacuate the poor and infirm. And if those vehicles were left behind and flooded out – shame on the Mayor of New Orleans – not the President! You could have made pleas to people to fill their car with a neighbor! Car Dealerships could have offered vehicles (which were going to be totaled in the flood) to people to drive to the next dealership in a nearby safe city! There were plenty of alternate methods that could have been used to get out of a basin waiting for water to fill it up.

Instead, it is easier for people to look at a bad situation and make it worse by pointing fingers and saying “Bush didn’t do enough fast enough”. That is a crock. You all know how long it takes the arm of the Federal Government to get moving. Do you think it moved faster in Indonesia? No, it did not. Look back at the stories and pictures. This is an issue where the first responders should have been the City and State. Their plan was inadequate and it failed. Now, the Federal Government is on the move and getting aid there. It will get there. Is it fast enough to save everyone? No. But, then again, they weren’t fast enough to save themselves either.

What will happen to those people once they are in a shelter? For some of them, it is an opportunity for a new start. And some of those folks will make just that. Get out, take advantage of offers to help, get a job, and get out of the shelter into a short-term apartment – or just start over and bloom where they are planted. Why will they hit the ground running and work hard to overcome this devastation to a way of life? Because they are “doers” and go-getters! They want to be role models for their children or family. And it does NOT matter what color your skin is!

What will others do? Sit around the astrodome or wherever with a victim mentality and listen to Dr. Phil about “post-traumatic stress disorder” and look for someone to blame. Well, there is no one to blame! This was an act of God, people. Get over it and get moving. Would you rather have your kids see you as a hero who worked hard and got a sense of normalcy for the family as the holiday season looms on the horizon, or would you rather they see you as a “oh, poor me” victim who couldn’t get their thoughts together to DO something with life? God Bless that you are alive and have the chance, America is here to help, get moving!

Introduction

So what, you may ask yourself, is a “Keltic Witch”? And, for that matter, how did she come to be? Well, that is a somewhat long story so sit back and enjoy the ride – it is a meandering one.

I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I spent most of my “growing up” years in the Waltham/Watertown area and lived the typical “small town near a big city” life. My brother was 3 years younger than me and we always tried to “out do” each other. Most of our extended family was within an hours ride – if not ½ hour and we spent a lot of time with family while young.

My maternal Grandfather, Da, was a super great cook. He could go out and have a meal and come home and recreate that same meal. It was amazing to watch him at work. He made fantastic dishes in what has to be the smallest kitchen I have ever worked in. Much of my spare time was spent at his knee and so I learned a great love of cooking and creating recipes.

I went to college in Worcester, MA at the College of the Holy Cross, a Jesuit school. I studied Political Science at a time when we were the biggest superpower in the world, the Soviet Union was still our major rival, and terrorism was something that happened only in the Middle East and Ireland.

I tried my hand at everything I thought I wanted to do. I was a banker, office worker, teacher, and finally found that I was good with computers. I made a career out of managing large-scale software projects. I liked what I did and was good at it. It afforded me the ability to travel and see the country.

I fell in love with a man in the U.S. Navy. He was dashing and handsome. We eloped and planned a great life. He went back to Japan and we found I was pregnant. Not a huge obstacle, we could handle it! After 3 months, he was killed in a training accident and I was alone. Six months later, I had my son and vowed he would have the best I could give.

For four years, I scraped and sold myself to the company with the highest bid. I landed in Texas and met the one man I was born to love forever. My husband, my friend. He smoothed all my rough edges and polished my hurts. It has been five of the best years I could hope for. We now have our “bitty boy” too. Our lives are so peaceful.
Soon, we will move out of the big city and have land and a ranch to raise our boys out of the mess of the city. God Bless my family, please.