Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
A Sunday
It has been a rough winter emotionally and physically as the heating system in my building seems to be on over drive all the time causing all sorts of low motivation and sluggishness. Now that Summer is around the corner, I have been feeling much better. A month ago I got into high gear when it came to my health, and have been rapidly shaping up. My endurance level is up there with most competitive swimmers right now and I feel great. A doctor's visit gave me the answer to an extremely important question and since then my health has really been looking up. I have been exercising an hour daily, taking vitamins and eating vegetarian again. (including fish, excluding most dairy, red meat and chicken). I have also been taking care of my mental health to a good degree, by keeping up affiliations with good people, good books and important studies.
It has been a rough winter indeed, and now that I feel good again, it seems people notice and end up wanting to hang out more. Or maybe they too are feeling better and are coming out of the hibernation zone of winter. Either way this proves to make my life a little more complicated, albeit rewarding, as i have to juggle my house work, health, time to study and time to socialise.
I like to put a lot of effort into my friendships and so socialising for me is a little different than it is for most. I wouldn't have it any other way, but it just requires a careful balance between me and others.
I miss my family and am looking forward to returning to Montreal for Greek Easter weekend, next week.
It has been a rough winter indeed, and now that I feel good again, it seems people notice and end up wanting to hang out more. Or maybe they too are feeling better and are coming out of the hibernation zone of winter. Either way this proves to make my life a little more complicated, albeit rewarding, as i have to juggle my house work, health, time to study and time to socialise.
I like to put a lot of effort into my friendships and so socialising for me is a little different than it is for most. I wouldn't have it any other way, but it just requires a careful balance between me and others.
I miss my family and am looking forward to returning to Montreal for Greek Easter weekend, next week.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
as i waited for my class to start
I found the horoscope section of the newspaper and voila, my proof that everything happens for a reason...(the best part is the poem)
Virgo:
You're in luck Virgo, Not so much in the sense of winning the lottery or scoring a major award but more in a Spiritual sense.
You're about to be or have just been blessed with glimpses of the beauty your life has to offer that has been hidden from you for whatever reason, in the past.
Someone who holds great power to change your life believes in you and wants to see you successful and happy.
Do you know the poem: Auguries of Innocence by William Blake?:
"to see the world in a grain of sand/And a heaven in a wild flower/Hold infinity in the palm of your hand/and Eternity in an hour".
Don't give up, this is your time to shine.
Virgo:
You're in luck Virgo, Not so much in the sense of winning the lottery or scoring a major award but more in a Spiritual sense.
You're about to be or have just been blessed with glimpses of the beauty your life has to offer that has been hidden from you for whatever reason, in the past.
Someone who holds great power to change your life believes in you and wants to see you successful and happy.
Do you know the poem: Auguries of Innocence by William Blake?:
"to see the world in a grain of sand/And a heaven in a wild flower/Hold infinity in the palm of your hand/and Eternity in an hour".
Don't give up, this is your time to shine.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
an unbelievably rewarding weekend
I was extremely impressed this weekend by a young man i met. More so than I have ever been with any of my friends at the age he is now. The reason I imagine I was so taken aback, is that I can relate to certain emotions and thought processes that he has. Despite a significant age difference, I never felt I was speaking with a child.
I only had to wait a little bit for his defenses to come down, in order to see how truly exceptional he is. I know that many gifted people express their intellect and creativity differently but being in line with my way of thinking, it was even simpler to appreciate.
Not only that, but his desire to succeed despite some pretty serious obstacles, and at such a young age, impressed me to no end. I see clearly now, how my family contributed to keeping me in line, and now know it wasn't an easy battle for them to face. I also appreciate my family friend Tony, who was able to set an example and encourage me in his own way, to do well.
I know that at seventeen, I was only starting to realise how certain things affected me, and it took me quite awhile longer to put certain checks in place and begin to succeed.
I cannot imagine, given the obstacles this young man has faced, how he could possibly be as motivated, intelligent, creative and respectful as he is right now. What is most shocking is that he has never lost his heart and kindness, throughout everything. I am willing to move mountains (do anything in my power without compromising my own life) to make sure that him and his sister stay in school and do well. Anything less would be more than a waste. I guess I do understand now, how my family felt about me at one point in my life.
Although it is hard to put into words how I feel. I think a mixture of protectiveness, appreciation and friendship is about right.
I only had to wait a little bit for his defenses to come down, in order to see how truly exceptional he is. I know that many gifted people express their intellect and creativity differently but being in line with my way of thinking, it was even simpler to appreciate.
Not only that, but his desire to succeed despite some pretty serious obstacles, and at such a young age, impressed me to no end. I see clearly now, how my family contributed to keeping me in line, and now know it wasn't an easy battle for them to face. I also appreciate my family friend Tony, who was able to set an example and encourage me in his own way, to do well.
I know that at seventeen, I was only starting to realise how certain things affected me, and it took me quite awhile longer to put certain checks in place and begin to succeed.
I cannot imagine, given the obstacles this young man has faced, how he could possibly be as motivated, intelligent, creative and respectful as he is right now. What is most shocking is that he has never lost his heart and kindness, throughout everything. I am willing to move mountains (do anything in my power without compromising my own life) to make sure that him and his sister stay in school and do well. Anything less would be more than a waste. I guess I do understand now, how my family felt about me at one point in my life.
Although it is hard to put into words how I feel. I think a mixture of protectiveness, appreciation and friendship is about right.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Our failing health care system
When a doctor takes less than 10 minutes with each of his patients, it seems this is indicative of our over-taxed health care system. A routine physical is a great way to prevent disease, but i firmly believe the doctor delivering the results has to take time enough to properly covey the results in order to convince the patient that they have missed nothing.
When you can Google the information that a doctor had to take 10 years to learn, when you have to remind them what you think you need, and question each and every decision they make, it does not make for a re-assuring experience. I am beginning to understand why the rich are paying for their health care. This is not to say that doctors are not an essential service, that they don't mean well, or that they are incompetent. It's just to say that beyond not being able to know everything, the patience it takes to put someone under their care at ease, is lacking. I have had this experience with each and every one of the doctors i have ever seen, with one exception, and with some doctors being worse than others. It could be that I am the type of person that needs to be in control of my life, and is curious to know about everything, but I still strongly believe in the inadequacies of patient care, despite my character. At one point a doctor gave me an RX for a drug without even telling me the immediate and long term side effects or pros and cons of the medication. Needless to say that medication stayed in my medicine cabinet without ever being taken. I think it may have been a medication that could have helped me sooner, but without the proper information to put my mind at ease, i allowed my general hesitancy to ever take RX drugs to take over and it sat there until being thrown out a year later.
Being educated in and interested in the mental health field, I have attended a few conferences and done my own research, only to conclude that psychologists are not exempt from this problem. Despite having more time due to working in private practice, they are quick to label disease, and send someone off with a referral to a psychiatrist without taking the time it takes to diagnose what could be a very serious mental illness or to make the patient feel in control of their lives.
I have come to understand that this problem is so significant that some people are not being treated for their health problems until it is too late.
When you can Google the information that a doctor had to take 10 years to learn, when you have to remind them what you think you need, and question each and every decision they make, it does not make for a re-assuring experience. I am beginning to understand why the rich are paying for their health care. This is not to say that doctors are not an essential service, that they don't mean well, or that they are incompetent. It's just to say that beyond not being able to know everything, the patience it takes to put someone under their care at ease, is lacking. I have had this experience with each and every one of the doctors i have ever seen, with one exception, and with some doctors being worse than others. It could be that I am the type of person that needs to be in control of my life, and is curious to know about everything, but I still strongly believe in the inadequacies of patient care, despite my character. At one point a doctor gave me an RX for a drug without even telling me the immediate and long term side effects or pros and cons of the medication. Needless to say that medication stayed in my medicine cabinet without ever being taken. I think it may have been a medication that could have helped me sooner, but without the proper information to put my mind at ease, i allowed my general hesitancy to ever take RX drugs to take over and it sat there until being thrown out a year later.
Being educated in and interested in the mental health field, I have attended a few conferences and done my own research, only to conclude that psychologists are not exempt from this problem. Despite having more time due to working in private practice, they are quick to label disease, and send someone off with a referral to a psychiatrist without taking the time it takes to diagnose what could be a very serious mental illness or to make the patient feel in control of their lives.
I have come to understand that this problem is so significant that some people are not being treated for their health problems until it is too late.
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