Monday, July 19, 2010

Book Review

While I read nearly constantly, I rarely feel the need to post a review of what I am reading. This is mostly because I read a bunch of bad "girly" fiction. This last week has been the exception. I just finished "Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion" by Fr. Greg Boyle.

For those of you not familiar with Fr. Greg, he is the founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, an organization that helps gang members to reform their lives. He has a pretty incredible personal story and his work with Homeboy is phenomenal. I have heard many of his stories via Jason (Fr. G says mass once a month at the probation camp that Jason helps at) and his stories are often funny and always touching. This book is a compilation of his experiences over the last 20+ years working with gang members. This is one of those rare books that had me laughing, even as tears ran down my face. Fr. Greg helped me remember that even though the men and women that he works with may seem a world away from me, we are all children of the same God, one who loves us all, despite our mistakes.

Please, please, please, buy his book! It is available on Amazon and Kindle.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Battling RA

A little over two years ago, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was fortunate that I was in the early stages when diagnosed, so hopefully management with medication will help to slow the disease. However, it is a disease for which there is no cure. This is a disease that I will have to live with for the rest of my life. This is a disease that is often misunderstood - I often wish it came with purple spots so that people would know that I was sick instead of just thinking I'm lazy. My friends at RA Chicks posted this beautiful video on battling RA that I wanted to share.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Is it possible for me to say no?

All evidence shows that no, I can't say no.

A couple of months ago, I discovered an RA (rheumatoid arthritis) page on Facebook. I "liked" it, and began commenting and conversing with other women with RA. I got to be fairly good "friends" with the founder of this page. Her fiance set up a website (separate from Facebook) and I helped her with a few suggestions for moderation - some people were leaving inappropriate comments and starting some nasty arguments. The main Facebook page has grown to over 4500 members and a secondary page about a medication that we take has about 400 members. Niki has become increasingly overwhelmed with it all and asked if I would be willing to co-admin one of the pages with her. Since I obviously don't have enough to do, I agreed. Ugh.

So, I get to kick people off who are being stupid (because NONE of us want to hear about how exercise is going to cure our RA) and start conversations about the things that concern us - how different meds work, all our different aches and pains, and mostly help create a place for us women suffering with this hateful disease to come together and commiserate. This should be fun, right? Certainly it is a project worth my time, even the little time that I have.

Friday, July 9, 2010

No, this blog has not been abandoned

I was a little embarrassed to hop on here today and realize it has been weeks since I last posted. Oops! So no, the blog is not abandoned, the author's time is simply being devoured by the summertime antics of four kids.

Don't misunderstand. We aren't busy with fun, exciting things. We have made a few trips to the orthodontist (with more to come), a few trips to the pediatrician (conjunctivitis), playing in the sprinklers nearly every afternoon (the kids, not me), lots of T.V. watching, video game playing and tons of reading (at least for me and Darian). Of course there is also the near constant arguing, whining, tattle-telling, and crying. Typical summertime! I will have some relief this month since the 3 oldest will be attending summer camp with the Carmelite sisters. Thank God!!! I am certainly ready for a break. As soon as my mind is able to function a little better I will resume more frequent postings. In the meantime, don't forget to check both of Jason's blogs. That's right. My overachieving husband has two blogs, here and here. He is maintaining two blogs, working on his Master's degree and working a gazillion hours a week. I stay at home with the kids, read crap novels and can't even maintain my one blog. I post on Facebook fairly often though - does that count?