I'll admit, I'm a fence sitter.  I also prefer to have my head buried in the sand. In my universe, all things are fair, everyone gets along, and there is no need for lawyers, police, or politicians.

For instance...

Sports

When I lived in Chicago, people asked me, "Are you a Cubs fan, or a Sox fan?"  I'd just answer "Yes."  Of course, they would expect me to make a choice.  My thought was they both were Chicago teams, they played in different leagues, so why not be a fan of both?  That train of thought is almost sacrilegious.  You HAVE to pick one.  I just preferred to sit on the fence.  Or now that I've moved back to Michigan, I don't have to sit any more since Michigan has only one baseball team.  So now I am back to being a Tigers fan.

But then, I get asked, "Are you a Michigan fan or a State fan?"  I just answer "Yes."  Of course, they want me to make a choice.  So I choose to root for whichever team scores when I watch the game (whether it be football, basketball, or whatever) - they are both Michigan teams and I am always happy to see either team do well.  But when they play each other, I am told I HAVE to come down off the fence.  Since I refuse, I am usually asked politely to leave the room until the game is over.

Politics - normally I won't blog about politics.  I'm not a democrat, nor am I a republican.  I'm somewhat a libertarian, but in their view, I am not a libertarian, either.  So here is my view.  I want a strong military to protect our borders.  I don't necessarily want to protect anyone else's borders, but I would like to prevent our enemies from getting too big.  (like back in the cold war when we would fight someone to prevent the spread of communism)  although now I don't really care, as long as they leave us alone.  I also don't want the government to tell me what I can do in my own home, as long as I am not hurting anyone.  I'm not talking about running a meth lab.  I'm not really even sure what I'm talking about here.  I don't do any recreational drugs, but I guess if I wanted to smoke a joint in my own house, as long as I was not hurting anyone, I should be able to.  (Smoking anything around children hurts them, so that would be where the government would be protecting someone from their enemies.)  I also want the state to provide police and fire protection - and regulated.  I don't like the amount of power-hungry police antics I read about in the paper on a daily basis.  Hmmm.... I want to be able to make the choice as to whether or not I want an abortion, if it came down to it.  (I am past the age of child-bearing, but I would likely NOT opt for an abortion - but I would want that to be MY choice.)  I want to be responsible for my own retirement.  I want the government to stop taxing me 15% of my wages (my share and my employers share - all my share if I'm self-employed) for an insurance policy that may or may not be available when I decide to retire.  I set up a 401(k) and I could be putting that 15% there instead of in the government's incapable hands.  I also give to charities.  Charities who do more for poor people than the government ever should. 

Charity - another place where I'm on the fence.  I give.  A lot.  I also support "charity begins at home" by making sure my immediate family members don't need charity.  For instance, my sister gave the home she couldn't afford on her salary to her daughter and moved in with me, rent-free, while she is going to school and learning a new trade, to hopefully find a decent-paying job.  It helps both of us.  She has a place to stay while saving money and I'm not porting money into her bank account to help her pay her bills anymore.  If everyone took care of their own, as much as they could, there would probably be much less need for government welfare programs.  I know there are some people who absolutely need it.  And that's where I stray from being both libertarian or republican, because I can see having temporary programs for those in need.  But even my sister, who died from pancreatic cancer, got more help from charities than she ever got from the government.  That shows that if one does enough research, they can find help without expecting the government to provide for them. 

I believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  I don't believe in entitlement.  Just because I am a US citizen, that does not mean I'm entitled to a house, car, job and medical care.  I AM entitled to pursue those things, though.  I can choose my own line of work.  And throughout my life I've chosen MANY lines of work.  I don't drive a Ferrari because I can't afford it.  Hell, I don't drive a Dodge Charger because I am more on a Dodge Avenger type of budget (had to throw that in there because Roger works for Chrysler lol).  I don't think I am OWED a car.  I live in a pretty nice house, because I worked hard all my life and finally can afford it.  I don't have a pool, though, because I can't afford it.  I am only "entitled" to this house because  I worked for it and can afford it, not because the government owes me a place to live.

Enough about politics.

Religion.  Here I am not on the fence at all, really.  To each their own.  Don't try to convert me and I won't try to convert you.  I am athiest. I don't believe there is anything more than what we have already.  I think religion was man-made to provide a reason for living (and ultimately dying.)  But there are people out there with a very strong faith that something else out there exists, and I respect their beliefs.  I will not try to convince them otherwise, even though many time they try to convince me!  However, something I think I have in common with those who have religion is my system of morals and values.  Sort of.  I believe in treating everyone with respect.  I trust everyone until they betray that trust, then it will be very difficult for them to gain it back.  I treat people with dignity.  I do not get nasty with people in the service industry.  You will never see me yell at or belittle a waiter or waitress, or a store clerk, cashier, etc.  If I don't like the service I have gotten, I will take my business elsewhere in the future.  I may write them a letter explaining why I am unhappy.  I guess I try to live by the golden rule, which I think is the basis for pretty much every religion (it's in the details where they go separate ways).  Really, there is not much difference in my beliefs and a Judeao-Christian's beliefs.  I just believe in one less god than they do.

This should be my one and only post about politic and religion

Yesterday I had my annual mammogram.  While the technician was taking the pictures she asked me to hold my breath.  Not for very long, just a few seconds.  But twice I felt myself on the brink of passing out.  Kind of scary.  Then tonight at chorus practice, I felt faint several times. 

I wonder if you can get a home oxygen saturation test kit.  With my allergies, my sinuses have been draining into my lungs at night and I can feel them filling up with fluid, but when I was at the doctor's office Tuesday she listened to my lungs and they sounded clear.

Oh well, in the meantime, I'm just not going to hold my breath, sing or anything that will make me feel light headed.  I took a Mucinex this morning.  I'm hoping that will help. 

I'm getting kind of bored with Xanga.  If it weren't for having a lifetime account, I'd just give it up completely.

Thought I'd update.

Last week I went shopping at Kohl's - found some great stuff but spent $500.  The good thing is that I got $100 in Kohl's cash so  I took Roger with my $100 in Kohl's cash back to Kohl's on Sunday.  Found $220 worth of stuff for him (A pair of running shoes, three shirts - two of them came with tee-shirts) all half price so total was $110 and with my Kohl's cash, we only had to pay $10.

My new drug regimen seems to be working, almost too well. My Endocrinologist put me back on Actos - he said it is used also to treat fatty liver because the main cause of fatty liver is insulin resistance and that is precisely what Actos fights.  He also put me on a new drug (injectible) called Victoza.  This drug replaces a missing hormone that helps my food digest more slowly and keeps my blood sugar steady.  Side effect is nausea.  I started out with .6mg for a week.  Just as my body was getting used to it (nausea abated) I had to double the dose - 1.2mg.  I was on that a week and again, just as I was getting used to it, I had to up it to 1.8mg.  The sample pen was almost empty (about 3 days worth left) so I took my prescription up to be filled.

Turns out this drug is supposed to be pre-approved by my insurance company before it is prescribed.  So when I went to pick it up, it wasn't ready.  I asked how much it was without insurance. <THUD> $500! So I said I'd wait.  I called my doctor today and it was approved, so Roger just left to go pick it up for me.

Anyway, this stuff works WELL.  Almost too well.  I've reduced my basal insulin by 30 units and have only had to take meal insulin once in the last two weeks.  Problem is that I am waking up a lot with low blood sugar (45-55).  And about 2-3 hours after breakfast it is low (45-55).  It seems to want to stay at around 70-80.  I think that is too low (but it would make for one hell of a good A1c!!)  When I called my doctor today I told the receptionist what was going on and she is going to talk to the doctor and call me back.  Or, rather, call Roger.  I can't find my freaking phone!

Weight loss has tapered off.  I'm down 16 pounds.  I can't eat less, so I have to move more.  It's time to join the gym.  I think we're going to do the family plan.  I am also going to hire a trainer.  Maybe by this time next year I'll be a healthy weight.  (I almost said I'd be normal, but we all know that ain't gonna happen LOL)

Allergies have been kicking my butt.  Finally broke down and got some Claritin-D.  That stuff works WONDERS.

And just for grins, I bought a long hair wig.  Will probably wear it to the next hippie fest with my tie-died Rare Earth tee shirt.  My hair was this long when I was 20 years old.  Hasn't been this long since.

I just got a very nice white embossed thank-you card from Kohl's thanking me for my recent purchase.

Doesn't matter that it was all done via computer.  It's still a nice customer relations gesture.