Carried Away with Double Tasking

Last night I caught myself trying to balance my cell phone against my shoulder while brushing my teeth and trying to talk to my dad...as you can imagine, I wasn't able to do either task very well. I couldn't really TALK to my dad while I was brushing my teeth and trying to brush your teeth with your head leaning onto your shoulder while trying not to drop the phone isn't very effective either. Then I realized, what the heck am I doing? I am clearly getting a little too obsessed with trying to get things done efficiently, accomplish all the little tasks that build up, AND get into bed at a decent time. But as I think about it, the way our society is becoming, everywhere you look there are "time savers" that allow you to do lots, at once. This morning I walked out of my house to drive to work at 8:30am and watched a young woman walking her dog down the street while talking loudly on her cell phone to a friend about some problems she's having...the poor dog was was being starved of attention during his/hers one time of day she/he has to spend with his owner...I realized I wasn't getting to have a very quality conversation with my dad while trying to brush my teeth too. I often find myself checking e-mail while talking to my friends on the phone (or vice versa) and realize, why are we talking on the phone when we aren't really focusing on having a quality interaction? This has all been a reminder that I need to bring a little mindfulness back into my life and take the time needed to focus on important conversations AND tasks...like brushing my teeth, but doing them at the same time only jips them both.

I want clean air!

I can't wait for an end to this administration. This article discusses how the feds aren't letting California have stricter clean air standards than the federal laws. Not only is this a problem for California, but several other states were planning to follow California's lead and will also be unable to if this persists. The whole thing is even more ridiculous because California has a long history of having stricter standards--which really seem needed if we are to get out of the global warming mess. Read this short editorial from NYT about the topic:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/opinion/04tue3.html?th&emc=th

The Nutrition Question

Two articles today in the NYT focusing on fruit and vegetables (f & v), and the difficulty getting them to people.

First, this article discusses how the government's crazy subsidy programs make it so difficult for small f & v farmers to produce much:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/opinion/01hedin.html?th&emc=th

It is ridiculous how the government so overtly supports huge farms that grow subsidized products only (like corn). The subsidized products are mostly what goes into making crappy fast foods so cheap and healthier f & v so expensive.

The other article offers a cool idea to me in order to get more fresh fruit and veggies into the areas that need them most.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/opinion/01sat4.html?th&emc=th
In New York City, mayor Bloomberg is working to get green carts filled with fresh f & v into areas that need them most--low income areas without access to stores that carry much f & v. Also in those low income areas, little stores that carry some f & v usually charge a lot of money and people cannot afford them anyways.

A Play to See

A review on the play "Fences" by August Wilson from the Culture Lust blog at KPBS:
http://www.kpbs.org/blogs2/index.php/culturelust/comments/august_wilsons_fences_at_cygnet_theater/

My boyfriend and I saw this play about a week ago and both loved it. It is delightful to find a gem of a playhouse in San Diego (the Cygnet), and one that you can easily score 1/2 price tickets for and where all the seats are good ones (it's tiny). We've enjoyed all of the productions we've seen there but "Fences" was one of the best. I am not always a big fan of plays; I find them to often be drawn out and too long and not entertaining enough to hold my attention. This play was on a very apt topic to those of any generation and race. The characters were each incredibly well acted and had enough depth to keep you engaged and concerned about what was going on. I highly recommend seeing this play; it is playing through March 2nd so hurry!

A Compelling Compulsion to...Read

I had a really bad night's sleep the other night...the reason for it is that I was reading one of those books that is just impossible to put down...The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The story is devastating and disturbing so certainly not the easiest material to be reading late into the dark of night, but I just couldn't stop myself...I had this feeling like I just need to read the whole thing, right now, regardless of it being time to be sleeping. This happens to me every now and then with that certain type of book. The book, by the way, is fabulous, it sucks you into the amazing connection and fight for survival between a father and his young boy. Luckily, the book is only just over 200 pages long and has large type so my plan is to wait until I have a few daylight hours to read and plow through, but not sure when that will be and I'm finding it hard to wait...

Persepolis

See it...

This was an excellent movie that I highly recommend as would, I believe, everyone else I saw it with. While the cartoon style of the movie might make you think this is not the movie for you (this is what I thought I must admit), take my word for it, you will love this movie--animation and all...it actually works really well because it allows attention to be drawn to aspects that you might otherwise not see. The story is fabulous and a great deal of the history of Iran is learned through watching Marjane's struggles...now I want to read the books.

Fast Food Battles

Very interesting article in today's NYT about a new law to take effect in New York City requiring restaurant chains to post calorie contents of foods in noticeable places. Apparently the head of the Obesity Society (whatever that is, I've never heard of it) says this rule could actually backfire causing people to overeat later in their day or making those foods more appealing as "forbidden fruits." He is against the law.
I do not agree with that guy--to put it bluntly. I think that his thinking underestimates the importance of giving people the information they need to make choices. Having the calorie contents available lets people start to become more aware of what they are putting into their body. They are not banned from still buying those foods--just as cigarette smokers still buy packages that have warning labels of how hazardous smoking is all over them. Having the calorie content of foods more available may also encourage these chain restaurant owners to be more embarrassed of the horrendous foods they sell to make themselves wealthy (while building up a huge obesity problem in society). Then maybe they will rethink having quadruple cheese burgers with bacon on the menu. They may also be more likely to atleast add more lower calorie and healthier options.
Read the article for yourself at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/business/16obese.html?th&emc=th

Eco Moms

An article in today's NYT helped me draw together the environmentally friendly movement with the research I do. The article discusses eco-mom's who attempt to improve their children's health and that of the earth by being environmentally conscious. Interestingly, this made me think about how turning off the TV (something I promote in my research) is also saving electricity and helping the environment. Also, living nearer to schools allows kids to walk to school (getting more physical activity) which also saves carbon emissions and gas.
Link to article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/us/16ecomoms.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th&adxnnlx=1203184285-OpRG%20c0NgCXUsV7LZ%20T5kw

On the issue of suburbia:
Here's another NYT article from earlier in the week that mentions several researchers I work with are mentioned in this article from the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/fashion/10suburbs.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&adxnnlx=1203109961-DI0CKu0vzgXnh3eOR+iZ4Q
The idea is that to improve the environment, huge stand alone houses on large lots with 3 car garages are not going to help. Living in such places means long commutes to work and school (cutting physical activity and consuming lots of gas).

Superstar

Do you ever have the experience of hearing a song that you loooove at first listen and have no clue where you'll ever find it again or who sings it? I still remember a song my friend and I heard in hip hop dance class, I can still remember the tune on occasion and crave to know who sings it. But that was now years ago and the song is long lost...

Well, I had one of these experiences last week while shopping at Forever 21 with my friend. The lyrics and beat of the song weren't what were memorable at first. It was that, in the front of the store, a young father was holding his son and swaying to the song as he sang it to his little boy, probably as they were waiting for the mom to finish her shopping. It was the cutest thing and it clued me in to listen to what music was playing. Well, on this occasion I was lucky. Just tonight I heard the song on the radio on my drive home and, as rarely happens at least to me, they actually named the song right afterwards...Superstar. I ran home, logged on, opened iTunes and...found it after a short search (there are a lot of songs called Superstar). If you want to check it out the artist is Lupe Fiasco. It is fabulous. He actually has another good song, Daydreamin' with Jill Scott and Kick, Push. I haven't found a hip hop artist I've been excited about in awhile so I was glad to track him down.

Send Bushy A Message

This is so great I have to post it. Help Bush receive tons of condoms...

SEND GEORGE W. BUSH A SPECIAL VALENTINE
Support family planning efforts this Valentine's Day by making a donation to Planned Parenthood in President Bush's name. When you do, we will send the President a Planned Parenthood Condom on your behalf, reminding him that investing in preventative reproductive health care saves Americans hundreds of millions of dollars a year and improves our communities' quality of life. On this day of love and compassion, you can make a difference in Orange and San Bernardino Counties by making a donation in President Bush's name.
After all, you know that love isn't just about chocolate, flowers and candy.

XOXO,Planned Parenthood
http://plannedparenthoodosbc.org/support/love.asp

Thinking about the Environment

An article today in the NYT reminds me of how important it is to use our heads when it comes to many things, including the environment. There's been a surge to replace our regular fuel with biofuel. The article though discusses 2 studies that have shown that biofuel ends up destroying the environment just as much. Read the article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/science/earth/08wbiofuels.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

What this article says to me is that the bottom line is that we need to be buying and using cars that consume less gas--hybrids, smart cars, electric cars--and not big SUVs and trucks that are the mainstay on the road these days (and often with only 1 person in them). Our obsession with gas guzzlers is sick. From the monstrous SUVs and trucks to the smaller cars that have large engines--we are gas mongerers. Think about what the point of a vehicle is--to get from point A to B (and maybe some places in between). Do we really need some larger than life souped up status symbol on wheels? Or can we focus on what we really NEED and help ensure that our environment is protected for a long long time. To me, it is way cooler to drive a simple Honda Civic that gets nearly 40 miles/gallon than a hummer, or should I say (as the slogan goes on a T-shirt I saw a Whole Foods), a bummer.

Music News You Can Use

So sad these days how so many musicians are really struggling to get their personal lives together, Brittany, Amy, and so on. The Grammy's actually sound really interesting this year because there are so many different singers and groups up for awards. In today's NYT, there's an article about how Amy Winehouse was denied a visa so she will not be making the flight overseas but instead will be satellited in for the show. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/arts/music/08gram.html?th&emc=th

Health News

Huge health news today. A study examining tight control of blood sugars in patients with type 2 diabetes was stopped because more participants were dying of heart attacks. This shocked study researchers because it has been well accepted that better control over blood glucose levels decreases risk of the complications from type 2 diabetes including heart attack. Read more in the NYT today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/health/07diabetes.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

I was at a meeting today with some top medical researchers here in SD and it was briefly discussed. One concern is the huge focus in our country on medical treatments, including medications and insulin, for controlling diabetes. This study, however, shows that results with medical treatment are not always as expected; and doctors do not know why. Thus, non-medical interventions such as being physically active could be that much healthier and can help decrease medication use as it lowers blood sugar levels.

Several Strands

I'm not even going to go there--to Super Tuesday. Instead, time to refocus on several important things happening in places that are important to me.

1. Seattle, amazing, Seattle, hailed in the New York Times today for opening 2 new museums that focus on the role of minorities in the region. One of these museums, the Northwest African American Museum, is 2 minutes from my house and I have driven by the vacant school millions of times over the years. I'm so glad to hear it is finally turning into a sacred space. You can see a picture of it and read the article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/us/06seattle.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

2. Another big issue today that I just heard about on These Days (KPBS) is that the Coastal Commission is meeting today about a proposal to extend a toll road from Orange Country to 1-5 north of San Diego that would go through a habitat preserve. Our governor is for it because he believes it would decrease traffic on I-5. This is so frustrating to me because it has been shown that when you build new roads traffic worsens because in actuality more people will then decide to drive (and of course these people will be single passenger vehicles). Then more roads need to be built and there is a vicious cycle. Instead, money should go to getting people who make such long commutes onto public transportation, like trains that go down the coast. This sends the message that we do not want more single occupancy vehicles on the road. Luckily the Commission is against the proposal but if they reject it, the proponents can appeal to the federal government because they own part of the land the road would go through. Unfortunately, if they do appeal I worry that with such a conservative government, these road building monsters would ultimately win their sordid battle. Read a UT article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080117-9999-1m17toll.html

Keep on Rolling

Super Tuesday is tomorrow. So of course can't be uninvolved. Still so divided though on who I prefer. Really I would just be so thrilled for democractic president and am increasingly concerned that McCain will beat either Hillary or Obama.

Anyways, a friend of mine was able to go see Oprah, Maria, Michelle, and Caroline yesterday at UCLA. It sounded amazing! The New York times columnist who attended the event stated that "Four extraordinary women put on the best campaign rally I’ve seen in 20 years of covering presidential politics." Here's a link to that article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/opinion/04mon4.html?th&emc=th)
We need some political energy and excitement in this country after so many years of...crap.

But, wow another column also in today's NYT really puts some fire under what Hillary is doing. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/opinion/04krugman.html?th&emc=th for Krugman's column on health insurance. He reports on economic analyses that show that Hillary's health care plan is really much better than Obama's. Incase you don't have time to read the link, what it boils down to is the final sentence:
"If you combine the economic analysis with these political realities, here’s what I think it says: If Mrs. Clinton gets the Democratic nomination, there is some chance — nobody knows how big — that we’ll get universal health care in the next administration. If Mr. Obama gets the nomination, it just won’t happen."

Politics Some More

We had an excellent debate at bookclub the other night in a room filled with ardent Hillary and Obama supporters. We read Bernstein's book on Hillary Clinton which is really fascinating, even if you don't like her. I also received a letter from my dad that I am posting below about a group who supports Obama for his work with the rights of prisoners at Guantanamo.

HABEAS LAWYERS SUPPORT OBAMA
January 28, 2008

Dear Friends:

We are at a critical point in the Presidential campaign, and as lawyers who have been deeply involved in the Guantanamo litigation to preserve the important right to habeas corpus, we are writing to urge you to support Senator Obama.

The Administration's Guantanamo policies have undercut our values at home and stained our reputation around the world. All of us are lawyers who have worked on the Guantanamo habeas corpus litigation for many years, some of us since early 2002, and we were all deeply involved in opposing the Administration’s attempt to overturn the Supreme Court's Rasul decision by stripping the courts of jurisdiction to hear the Guantanamo cases. We have talked with Senator Obama about why the Guantanamo litigation is so significant, and we have worked closely with Senator Obama in the fight to preserve habeas
corpus.

Some politicians are all talk and no action. But we know from first-hand experience that Senator Obama has demonstrated extraordinary leadership on this critical and controversial issue. When others stood back, Senator Obama helped lead the fight in the Senate against the administration's efforts in the Fall of 2006 to strip the courts of jurisdiction, and when we were walking the halls of the Capitol trying to win over enough Senators to beat back the Administration's bill, Senator Obama made his key staffers and even his offices available to help
us. Senator Obama worked with us to count the votes, and he personally lobbied colleagues who worried about the political ramifications of voting to preserve habeas corpus for the men held at Guantanamo. He has understood that our strength as a nation stems from our commitment to our core values, and that we are strong enough to protect both our security and those values. Senator Obama demonstrated real leadership then and since, continuing to raise Guantanamo
and habeas corpus in his speeches and in the debates.

The writ of habeas corpus dates to the Magna Carta, and was enshrined by the Founders in our Constitution. The Administration's attack on habeas corpus rights is dangerous and wrong. America needs a President who will not triangulate this issue. We need a President who will restore the rule of law, demonstrate our commitment to human rights, and repair our reputation in the world community. Based on our work with him, we are convinced that Senator
Obama can do this because he truly feels these issues "in his bones."

We urge you to support Senator Obama.

Politics

The races are heating up and I am still...undecided. Really split over some of the candidates. I have been checking the New York Times daily for different takes on the Clinton v. Obama issue. This column makes a good point, are we really wanting another Clinton in office after have over a decade of the Bush saga and nearly a decade with one Clinton?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/opinion/28cohen.html?th&emc=th

On the other hand, I am reading Carl Bernstein's book on Hillary and finding her life fascinating. She basically has been in politics since serving as student president at Wellsley. She was raised by an atrocious father who instilled conservative Republicanism in her. It was at Wellsley when she finally started moving in a more liberal direction. From Bernstein's account, the students at Wellsley adored her and she was an excellent leader at a very confusing time with the civil rights movement and Vietnam war. She really did meet Martin Luther King Jr. and was one of his most ardent admirers. I am really excited to finish reading the book and learn more about her.

By the way, when perusing the Times, I always end up finding other great articles. This one is about a new homeless shelter in Oakland that was built "green," pretty awesome if you ask me:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/us/28shelter.html?th&emc=th

Also see this link for an interesting column on whether cholesterol is really the culprit behind heart disease...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27taubes.html?em&ex=1201669200&en=2219ce6dff19d9c2&ei=5087%0A

Break the cranky

It's been a weather-full weekend, changing rapidly from calm and sunny to cloudy and windy and rainy. Good weekend to stay inside and watch movies or the Australian Open, but I need to be doing work on my dissertation which has put me into quite the cranky mood. Additionally, I have a landlord who is too senile to be one and cannot even remember that I reported days ago that my kitchen sink is clogged. It is one of those days where I want to throw up my hands and yell AHHHHHHHH...but instead, I need to do work, that'll cheer me up!

Work on a Saturday

Well, Saturday morning and I'm at work. Just squeezing in a quick strand...it's nice having this blog because when I have a few spare moments I can update! Anyways, we only have one family coming to group this morning so they will get lots of personal attention.

Saw a movie last night, "No country for old men." Liked it, but don't know why I liked it. Very violent, no specific point to the movie, very ruthless killer. I am sure I had weird dreams stemming from seeing it. At the end of the movie everyone was upset because it just suddenly...ended. I didn't think it was ending so I had totally zoned out at what was going on the moment before it ended so now I feel guilty and like I'm going to have to see it again but I really don't want to!

Gotta run to group...group on...

Back to health

Welcome to my daily strands. A few thoughts today. I met with a holistic personal trainer this morning who completely re-energized me. I am now hoping to shift my focus back to being mindful of what I put in my body, adding revitalizing stretches and relaxation breathing to my exercise regimen, and gaining back bodily balance. The trainer recommended several supplements that I had always thought of taking but got too overwhelmed when trying to buy them in the store. He told me exactly what to buy and recommended this website: www.mercola.com for the best products and prices. I am now going to take Complete Probiotics and Carlson's Cod Liver Oil (also available at Whole Foods). Additionally, he recommended a gluten free diet as I've been having a lot of stomach issues (even driving me to do undertake one of the most horrible experiences of my life--a parasite test). Even though I don't have Celiac Disease, websites for Celiac disease provide good information on gluten free diets:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319/DSECTION=8
Nowadays most stores carry gluten free products. Interestingly, gluten free may be particularly good for those with blood sugar problems such as myself. High gluten foods also tend to be high glycemic index (GI) foods and good to avoid anyways. My trainer gave me a good list of foods to avoid. I think I will miss having pizza and beer! However, many alcoholic drinks are still ok to have, including wine.

Other thought today...I finished reading Dave Eggers book "What is the What" at about 4 am this morning. This is the amazing, true account (even though it is labelled as fiction in order to be overly protective about calling memories absolutely true facts, a bit over the top if you ask me) of a Sudanese boy whose village was destroyed and he had to walk across the entire country to get to a refugee camp with little food and clothing. The book goes back and forth between Mr. Deng's current day (in which he is robbed in his own home) and his memories from his trek across Sudan, to Ethiopia and then a camp in Kenya. He directs his stories to characters in the present day as well as to the reader. This man is amazing. Here is a link to his website:
http://www.valentinoachakdeng.org/
I love being able to catch up on what has happened since the publishing of his book.