Our Supreme Court, Hobby Lobby and the Affordable Care Act

From what I read and hear, the issue at hand is Hobby Lobby, an American For Profit Corporation, feeling unduly charged with a potential penalty for not wanting to cover some specific medical items, procedures and prescription drugs for its women employees, due to the founders Religious and Moral beliefs. They apparently are upset by our United States Government, who voted in the Affordable Care Act BTW, which regulates employers on company “supported” health care. The basis given for this tremendous outlay of our tax dollars is that their Moral and Religious values, ideas and opinions are being trampled by the law.

The items at issue are all Physician ordered, or suggested and medically & FDA approved birth control medications and treatments, specifically the IUD and the Morning After Pill – not just abortion. Hobby Lobby or any For Profit business in the USA who wants to play the Moral and Religion card regarding their business which survives in America, with I’m guessing, documented America employees and approved American suppliers, in my opinion needs to NOT be hypocritical. By being a huge financial buyer and supporter of China and Chinese goods that’s to me what they are.

If in fact, Hobby Lobby is so righteous, they should support American companies, and sell America goods and support our own country that needs jobs. I feel the same about good old Sam Walton’s WalMart. Remember when their tag line was “American Made”? Why do I say this?

China is known to be one of the largest developed countries in our world. They have pretty poor morals in my opinion. For eons the Chinese government forced abortions on their female citizens and killed babies that were newly born ALIVE into a family who already had one child. This simply was and is to control their people and keep their desired population in check, no remorse on their part. Remember, one child per couple? Now for me, that’s horrible government interference.

Seems Hobby Lobby is being a bit hypocritical doesn’t it? They don’t have any problem buying and selling products from China. I’m not going to talk sweat shops and slave labor here. For me means Hobby Lobby is  financially supporting all of those senseless murders of babies and embryo’s, and financially helping the Chinese government to systematically take newborn babies from their mothers and fathers and then killing those babies. China even will take the time to track down the families who have tried to hide the second child. It’s pretty common knowledge that China as a whole, at least what we read and hear on the news and from people who have visited there, that the Chinese government has blatantly abused its citizens in an amoral and non-Christian fashion. They just make cheap goods that Hobby Lobby can sell and make a huge profit.

Hobby Lobby doesn’t seem to have any problem paying for mens medications and medical services that I’ve heard about. Penis Pumps, any erectile dysfunction services or Viagra, all for men don’t seem to be an issue. How do they feel about Vasectomies by choice? That kills sperm and prevents millions of potential babies from being conceived and born. Vasectomies are birth control for men. Why aren’t we hearing about them being up in arms over that surgery?

I’m sure the owners of Hobby Lobby are nice enough people. But couldn’t they put more good use of their time, talents and fortune into creating an American factory to employ thousands of workers making a living wage instead? The financial gain and dribble effect of a huge manufacturing company would be amazing to our country. As my mama said, “Sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on kiddo”. That’s my suggestion.

Don’t waste our taxpayer money on an endless battle of wits with our government. If you want the law changed, then hire those lobbyists and elect those politicians. What happens next, if a For Profit company plays the Moral & Religion card about gays, elderly folks, other cultures, people with disabilities, what about diabetics? It would be endless.

We as a country have such larger issues to address with our lack of good paying job, loss of manufacturing, homelessness, poverty, polluted drinking water, violence, child sex trafficking, animal abuse and on and on. This whole fight from Hobby Lobby has nothing to do with Free Speech, Morals or Religion.

This fight, that is about creating a bigger divide in our nation on a few hot topics. For me this is an example of a rich family and For Profit company with a strong, right wing agenda out to test the political waters and social values of our country by simply bullying our Supreme Court to make a decision where no one will win.

We seems to now live in a very vocal, critical, media driven society in the USA.  Whoever has the most money like the squeaky wheel, gets heard, at the expense of the rest of us. Hobby Lobby has already “won” with incredible gains in their name recognition,  free advertising on this case and maybe even share profits. So a few people win with them.

Personally, I’d love to see them spend more time trying to unify this great nation of ours, leading by example of Godliness, gratitude and acceptance rather by judgmentally pushing the envelope and creating a more negative environment with their holier than thou attitudes. Render unto Cesar that which is Cesar’s, and unto God that which is Gods. Yes, I can quote scripture when needed.

If you’d like to pay me for my opinion, let me know and I’ll send you my mailing address!  It’s America, I can ask for what I want too!

Players List of who's in the House for June 2013

Bella my 5 year old Cocker Spaniel purchased from a back yard breeder in Hayesville, NC on MLK Day 2009.

Madelyn a 2.5 year old Rat Terrier, actually my first CritterMama Rescue in Ruskin. She was all of 6 pounds of flea infested, mange covered, scared to death little pistol of a pup. All the No Kill Shelters were full. After having her through her first heat - damn did she bleed a lot - and then having her spayed . . . she became my under cover bed buddy.

Molly the Tabby cat, rescued in Snellville, GA as a thrown away tiny kitten, when her much too young and stupid human parents had a baby. She's about 9 years old now, and my official Cat Trainer with the dogs.

Trixie another one I found under my car closer to Halloween nigh, hence her name. She is a beautiful Tortoise Shell, long haired female who was also found under my parked car in Snellville, GA at my Condo complex. Afraid, starving, covered in fleas, UGLY, shy and illusive. She's my hide-a-way girl. And certainly one of the most striking cats I've ever seen!

Rescue dogs:

Blaze is a five month old, shiny & smooth black coated, runt of the litter of 12 puppies from Ruskin. She's a funny, gangly female Lab Mix who is with us until after she's spayed June 24th . . . and her new family comes back off vacation.

Olivia is a very pretty,12 pound, long, two year old ShihTzu with white and tan fur, who's already had one litter of puppies and is now "in Season" - more on that later. Sweet girl, she'd make a great one person doggie for a cuddly person. Playful, calm and gets spayed June 26!

KimChee is Olivia's brother "by the same Mother". He's a spoiled little man with lot's of personality for a 5.6 pound fur ball. The Vet thinks he's 10 weeks old. He's spoiled mostly because of me picking him up and rescuing him from the bigger dogs who think he's a squeaky toy.  Problem is, after scolding the big dog and removing KimChee . . . he races right back for more play and attention with the same dog!

Buddy is a 50 pound typical, 11 month old, "Ruskinese" Pit Bull Mix.  Black with white spots on his toes and chest. Cute, lovable, just plays rough - in a nice way. This is his second round here.  I'd rescued him several months ago then quickly found him a nice home with a family. But as he GREW he played harder with their old female dog and she was getting hurt from the rough housing. He has a peeing issue making anywhere he can, so he outside on the pool deck or in the fenced yard during day light, unless someone is here to monitor him inside. A night he sleeps in the Pool Cabana House!

May 7, 2013 And I still haven't changed my Life . . . from the outside

Well, my Dream Stealers have been at it for months . . . and I just couldn't figure out how to let their energy move thru me and not stick in my gut.  So, I've taken a few classes.

One was the Heart Forgiveness workshop with Heather Honey Smith, LMT in Brandon. http://brandonsetcenter.com/heartforg.htm

It's a group class where you don't have to vocalize your struggles, or fill in any blanks in your life with the group.  All the work is done internally in your own HEART and Head while listening to a the voice and lessons of Dr. Ed Carlson.

Boy, did things come up for me!  It was a great 4 week class, and I do know I got over a bunch of "stuff" that I feel keeps cropping up over and over in my life. Little things that had been said to me as a small child, a kid, a teen and as an adult. Some from family members, others came from teachers or counselors, people I was suppose to look up to for direction.

Now, I get it. Now, I see how remembering those words and actions of those adults, were for me, a way to never excel because I had been trained to think I never could.  In anything. Period. 

Example, my Mom was our Brownie Leader, Scout Lead through most of my years in the group. Rather than let me work on badges and projects on my own, or for me to learn to fail on my own, or EXCEL on my own, Mom would "help me" with whatever it was.

I felt like I could never do anything great.  I was never good enough. From one incidnet with my Mom and Aunt, I began to instantly beleive that what I said couldn' be the truth. I witnessed 2 boys breaking into a school in southeastern GA as we were driving through town one afternoon. I told Mama and my Aunt. My Aunt instantly didn't believe me, and Mom followed her lead, this was her older sister after all.

Now, my Dad had instilled in me to be observant, to watch, look, listen, notice the small things.  One of his favorite things to do was to check my memory on the TV show sounds.  How many times did the Sheriff fire the gun on opening scene to Gunsmoke? How many doors clanged closed on Get Smart? I learned to pay attention, because I never knew when I'd be tested.  And I HAD to be correct, or had to listen to Daddy tell me that I was not paying attention or was not good, or I was wrong - always a bad thing to have to hear. My self esteem suffered forever.

So, within a few blocks my Aunt did turn her car around, and they both saw the boys climbing in and out of the school windows.  They called the police when we got back to my Aunt's home. Even when it was proven by the police to BE the truth, I can't remember ever being vindicated, at all by either of them. I don't remember being thanked for noticing. They didn't even let me hear the truth from the police over the phone.

I just learned, over and over, that no one would ever really believe me about some things. 

Why?  Beacuse those adults had their own issues they were not dealing with and projecting their thoughts and ideas onto me. Dang, it really wasn't all about me, after all.  How cool is that?

I feel much better about a lot of childhood things now!  Thanks Heather for encouraging me to take this class while I was laying on your table getting some sinus work done!!! xoxo

Recently installed Security Alarm

   Well, it's Tuesday and I haven't written every day - as I said I'd do.  Gees, so many things have happened, but sitting down here to write isn't a habit yet.  Here's my story for the day.

   Recently, we had our friend John Severns (941-650-5356) instal a Devcon Security System in our house.  I've never lived with one of those things, so it's been an effort to remember to set the alarm when I leave - and at night before bedtime.  It's real easy to remember to turn it off when I come back home because the box makes a lot of noise when I open the door!  However, it's a pain if we set it at night, then have to get up in the middle of the night and every morning has become a challenge!

   It's usually me letting the dogs out, so I get to walk out of the bedroom, down the hall, through the Sun Room, through the mostly empty Living Room area, to the Kitchen where the box is located.  Sometimes, this journey also involves our 2 girl dogs, Bella the Cocker Spaniel and Madelyn the Rat Terrier.  And sometimes both cats, Molly and Trixie, meet us at the bedroom door and follow us up the step to the Dining Room, then around the 1/2 wall to the Kitchen door, so I can "disarm" the thing.  It's a large, rambling house, not all furnished mind you, but a long expanse of floor to cover when you all have to pee.  I can then disarm the alarm. 

   By this time I really need to pee and so do the dogs who are excited and turning circles around my feet!  We all walk back through the Dining Room, down the step, through the Living Room, through the Sun Room, open the slider and race out through the Pool area.  Then manage to open the screen door to the back yard.  Being the human girl, I come back inside and use a real bathroom.  If I was the guy, I'd pee in the yard.  Who'd ever know?

   So, this morning about 4:00AM, Bella wakes us up growling and barking at the Bedroom window.  You would have thought it was a burglar.  I got up to check it out and sure enough, it was a . . .  raccoon eating the date nuts under the palm tree.  How does she hear these things?

   Art wakes up, takes off his CPAP and yells at the dogs to stop barking.  Madelyn has now chimed in with her shrill little bark.  Not thinking, I unlatch the window and slide it up for Bella to bark at the raccoon and scare it away.  Guess what, the security alarm works!

   By now, Art is up and out of bed and headed to the kitchen - via that long path mentioned previously - to turn off the alarm.  Of course, there isn't enough light in the kitchen at 4:00AM, so he's upset that he can't read the buttons on the box to shut it off.  I think it's all a little silly, which kinda pisses him off.

   He wants to know where my phone is because the Devcon company will be calling me first before the police.  I mention they are to call him 2nd - and his cell phone is closer than mine in the Bedroom.  I still haven't pee'd.

   I choose to find the Bathroom first, and then go back to the Bedroom for my phone.  Yep, they had called at 4:04AM and at 4:06AM.  So I redial the number, chat with the nice lady who is perky, professional and obviously wide awake on the other end of the phone line.

   False alarm I say and give her our password.  All is well.  I traipse back through the house to the yard to fetch my dogs from the yard.  Then meander back to the Bedroom with 8 little feet racing beside me.  That's 32 little toenails clicking on laminate and tile, not counting the dewclaws. I get back into bed for a nice nap till 6:00AM.

   I still don't think Art sees the humor in any of this.  Hoo-Boy!

Starting Over, again

   Okey, dokey - When I created this blog last year I wanted to write on here daily, share my experiences, tell folks of cool things to do and see in my newest living area of the USA, offer some healthy tips, yummy recipes, food choices,show some photos and generally spread Positive Energy and Good Cheer!  Well, I kinda got shot down.
   Several influential folks in my life told me that I was just wasting time on a blog.  Simply put, I was once again avoiding the reality of life. What I really needed to be doing was spending time either looking for a real job or talking to folks about my Home Based Business - so I could make MONEY and bring more income into my household.  Rats!  So I stopped writing.
   I felt like someone had ripped a part of me away, I was sad, too.  And immediately felt unfulfilled - beacuse I know that I'm suppose to grow up and be a writer.
   Why? Because I LOVE to write and share things of interest. I've always seen things others miss.  Like those tiny purple flowers over there on the ground 6 feet away from the trail.  Or the way my neighborhood Hawk sits patiently for ever on an upper tree limb, just waiting to swoop up that field mouse for dinner.  Or the way the Conk looks under water as he slowly scoots along beside my kayak. 
   Gees, the first thing that came up on my "Spiritual Gifts" questionnaire list was HELPER.  That made sense to me!  Tho, I did think that "coordinator" was going to be the first "gift".

   So, Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed ahead!  I'm going to do this Blog thingy!  I'll use my timer on my phone, and only write for 15 minutes a day.  Every day.  That's my new plan A.  Maybe, I should call it my 2012 Resolution?

   What are you going to do this year that YOU love to do?

Bathroom Remodeling

We're into the last stages of our hall bathroom re-deaux.  Our friend Rob Wolfe, owner of Majestic Flooring in Ruskin is laying us an amazing (newer) product on the floors!  It's a hard man made material, but flexible, with a little give when you walk over it.  Rob is laying it with "grout" lines between the pieces.  Those are actually made of long strips of plastic he cuts to fit.  The new floor will look just like we have a nifty, expensive slate & terracotta floor in there.  Will take photos soon, no light fixture back in there yet. I have step by step photos of the "before" with my drywall repair, moving the wall electric, texturizing all the walls with mud, priming with a deep pink paint and then painting the walls a deep terracotta red.  Today, we picked the vanity cabinet base paint. So now all that's left to do is for my Handy Husband Art to paint, cut and attach the wide baseboard we've chosen, then paint the cabinet & drawers.  He's decided that painting the cabinets is HIS job.  OK, twist my arm!  Then we can instal the new toilet, cabinet, sink/vanity, mirror, light fixture, towel bar, TP holder, shower curtain, window curtain, a closet door or drape and maybe even a new bathroom door!

Monday Thoughts - Happy August

Had a great Power Walk this morning with my walking buddy.  We started today about 6:30AM and the sky was a beautiful deep blue and pinky-orange.  Little Bats were still flying around lapping up bugs before they headed off to bed in some remote dark place.  I'm bringing up Bats because some Critter is eating our fruit on the Carambola (Star Fruit) Tree in the back yard.  The tree is directly outside my office window.  I get to marvel at the spender of this huge tree every time I'm at my computer!  Anyway, I've noticed that some of the fruit looks chewed.  Looks like tiny "teeth" marks, chewing marks in a scooping shape. Could it be the Bats? Some fruit ends up on the ground chewed and others are still hanging in the tree. Just something I wonder about.  At least we're naturally feeding our organic fruit to some Critter!