Miracle Cure - #HAWMC Day 20

Miracle Cure. Write a news-style article on a miracle cure. What’s the cure? How do
you get the cure? Be sure to include a disclaimer  ;)

This is a fantasy article for a health challenge.  None of this is true! Unfortunately...

Cure Found for Dry Mouth and Dry Eyes

After years of research, scientists have found a cure for Sjogren's Syndrome.  Sjogren's Syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. The most common complaint is dry mouth and dry eyes.  The syndrome came into the news this past year when Venus Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren's. The cure for Sjogren's Syndrome requires patients to visit their doctor's office for three injections one time a week for three consecutive weeks.  After the three injections, the symptoms of the disease begin to recede. Researchers hope that the cure for Sjogren's will lead to a cure for other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn's disease.

Until tomorrow...

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

5 Dinner Guests - #HAWMC Day 19

5 Dinner Guests. Who are 5 people you’d love to have dinner with (living or
deceased) and why?

Five dinner guests?  Gosh I am too tired to do this.  It feels like a test of my wits.  Okay, let's think. 

Someone funny and chatty.  I would say Carol Burnett but I saw her on some shoe recently and she was kinda bitchy.  I would ask Bette Midler. She can sing and be funny. 

Someone political. I like that Donna Brazile. She is interesting and quite funny sometimes. 

Someone who was an activist.  I think Martin Luther King, Jr.  He would bring some lively conversation.  I think he would get a hoot out of Bette Midler.

Someone who is a good writer.  Alexander McCall Smith.  He is a Scottish writer who wrote "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and who is hysterical.  We met him in person a few years back.

Lastly, someone who is an actor.  I think Dame Helen Mirren would round out this group.  She is really funny and looks like she could keep conversation going at a dinner party.

There you go.  More alive than dead.  It should be a great dinner party.  Really funny.  Just how I like my meals, with a side of humor!  Who would you invite?

Until tomorrow...

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

Open a Book - #HAWMC Day 18

Open a Book. Choose a book and open it to a random page and point to a phrase. Use that phrase to get you writing today. Free write for 15-20 without stopping.

From the book I Touch the Earth, the Earth Touches Me, by Hugh Prather

One reason that I sometimes have difficulty "deciding" is that I assume that I should have no reservations. The word itself implies a completion. Often I can bypass "deciding" simply by noticing in which direction I am leaning.  Asking myself, "What is my preference?" cuts through this perfectionism.

I have a hard time making decisions sometimes.  Not on the little things like what type of sandwich but on big things.  This drives my partner crazy.  She sees something and wants it.  She doesn't need to see any other options or another color.  She actually gets angry if you try to show her other options.  She sees it and that is it.  She is done.

I am the exact opposite.  I see something and I want to look around and see if there is something else I like better before I spend my money. Before I bought my car 10 years ago, I went back to see it three times.  Drove it twice.  I already knew I wanted it but it was a big purchase.  My last car was a less expensive car rather than a car I was passionate about.  It was bought new when I was fresh out of college and my father co-signed the loan for me.  So this car was my going to be my first car that I wanted.  My convertible!  Of course I bought it and have loved every minute of driving it.

I also had bouts of indecision when I bought my Ipad.  I actually went to buy a Kindle Fire but then I had a sales person talk me through all the tablets and I was sold.  I went to see the Ipad three times before I bought it.  Of course I love it.


I guess I am a perfectionist when it comes to making decisions.  I just want to make the right decision.  I am scared to make a wrong decision.  I mean, who wants to make a bad decision?  Who wants to buy the wrong car and get stuck with it for 5 years?  I am just a cautious decision maker.  Not a "jump and the net will appear" type of decision maker.  That is not me!

Until tomorrow...


If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

Learned the Hard Way - #HAWMC Day 17

Learned the Hard Way. What’s a lesson you learned the hard way? Write about it for
15 today.

A lesson I learned the hard way?  There are so many lessons I learned the hard way.  Don't touch a hot iron.  Don't shake a soda and then open it.  Don't leave ice cream out on a hot day.  Don't swim after eating. 

A lesson I learned lately?  Here is a lesson I have not learned: Wear my slippers.  My feet feel better when I wear my slippers but I am lazy and forget to wear them.  My very pricey slippers.  From a foreign country.  I don't wear them and then my feet hurt.

Okay, a lesson I have learned?  I can't think of one.  I am hard headed.  I don't learn lessons very easily.  I can think of plenty of things I have not learned.

Oh, here is one!  I went to the dentist today and I have not been in awhile since I don't have dental insurance.  I was given a silver star (not quite a gold star) because I flossed and brushed my teeth very well.  I guess I learned that lesson!

Until tomorrow...


If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

Pinboard - #HAWMC Day 16

Pinboard. Create a pinterest board for your health focus. Pin 3 things. What did you pin? Share the images in a post and explain why you chose them.

Okay, I don't know what  pinterest board is.  I actually had to look it up in Wikipedia:

Pinterest is a pinboard-style social photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies and more.

I have no desire to get involved in another passing phase.  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Youtube, and the list goes on.  It is just like VCRs, 8-track players, and dial phones.  Good things that go by the wayside for new technology.
 
Three things that I would say about my health focus:  

1. Picture a bright sunshine.  A happy sunny day and a bright future!  
2. Picture a plane taking off.  Going on an adventure somewhere.  
3. Picture bottles of medicines.  The pills and medicines that going to make me better and keep me from getting sicker.

Those are the things I want to say about my life and health focus.  Yeah, I might be sick but I still have sunny days with the top down on my convertible. I can still go on adventures. The medicines I take keep me from getting sicker. So life is good!

Until tomorrow...


If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

Writing with Style - #HAWMC Day 15

Writing with Style. What’s your writing style? Do words just flow from your mind to your fingertips? Do you like handwriting first? Do you plan your posts? Title first or last? Where do you write best?

Writing.  Well, I call it typing.  I don't write my posts.  I type them.  Sometimes I plan my posts like when something exciting happened that day or when I am participating in a blog challenge.  Then I think about the subject or topic or event and begin writing.  I usually write what happened and then go back and read it and make edits.  I like to make the story flow if I am telling a story.  If I am answering a blog challenge question, it is much harder for me because the challenge answers don't usually flow off my fingertips. 

I usually come up with the title first.  I try to come up with something funny or quirky.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes I post and then I come up with the best title.  Too late.

I write best when I am not stressed or under the gun to get the post completed.  I am usually on the couch watching TV with my feet up.  Laptop on my lap.  (where else does the laptop go?) 

Until tomorrow...

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

My Dream Day - #HAWMC Day 14

My Dream Day. Describe your ideal day. How would you spend your time? Who would you spend it with? Have you had this day? If not – how could you make it happen?

My dream day would not include a Migraine!  Migraines screw up the whole day! 

My ideal day would include some of the same things from the list from yesterday.  Good food.  Movies.  I would spend it with Brenda.  I would sleep late and not stress about work.  We would hang out in the morning and eat these great croissants someone gave us once.  Then, slowly get ready and go to the movies.  Afterward I would want to go to my favorite burrito place and get a black bean and plantain burrito.  They are the best.  Then home to have some sort of chocolate dessert!  Watch some sort of movie or TV show.  A slow relaxing day.  I have not had a day like this in a long time.  Probably not since before the economic downturn. 

When you find this day, please let me know!  I could use a day like this!

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

10 Things I Couldn’t Live Without - #HAWMC Day 13

10 Things I Couldn’t Live Without. Write a list of the 10 things you need (or love) most.

Yesterday I was not feeling very good.  I had a massive migraine so I went to bed early.  The migraine continued into today despite taking medicine.  Finally I took an Imitrex shot and now hours later I feel much better.  I can finally function.  Although I am a bit hungry.  Oh, and I have a massive bruise where I gave myself the shot!  Hate that. 

Now, 10 things I can't live without. 

1. My Medicine!  As you can see from today, I am a mess without my medicine.  I can imagine how long this migraine would have continued without taking the shot.
2. My Family.  Brenda, Lucky, Happi and Sunny.  They are the best.
3. Music.  I love music and listening to it calms me down and makes me happy!
4. Books.  Especially when I have insomnia.  
5. Good Food.  I love to eat good food.  Now that I cook, I look forward to food.  I used to not care if I ate or not.  Now I am happy to eat.
6. Internet. Okay, I am connected.  I can't help it.  I have a smartphone, Ipad, laptop.  I am connected 24/7.  I want to get new alerts and updates.  I want to get my People update every day.  I like to get the latest emails.  
7. Chocolate.  I am a chocoholic.  I admit it.  I have given up alcohol, drugs, wearing fur, eating meat, smoking.  I have this one vice!  Chocolate.  Really good chocolate.  High quality chocolate. European chocolate.   I don't think I can ever give this one up. 
8. I am lactose intolerant but I love Ice Cream.  Every now and then I sneak a little bit.  I make sure it is good quality.  I am not eating any cheap ice cream if I can only eat a spoonful.  I only eat the good stuff!
9. Double Stuff Oreo Cookies.  Yes, I am addicted.  They are a vice.  Since I have to be careful how much chocolate I eat, I eat a double stuffed oreo to get satisfy that chocolate urge.  Guess I must be hungry with all this food talk.
10. TV/Movies.  I like to watch TV to unstress.  I admit it.  TV is fun. I like to watch movies too.  We rarely go to the movies, we watch Netflix or OnDemand.   This is my de-stressor.  Right now I am watching a re-run of Law & Order: SUV while writing this.  I have a bunch of favorites but the funniest this week was Mike & Molly.  Cracks me up!

I didn't include my health but to me that is a given.  Without my health, I wouldn't be living!

Until tomorrow...

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

Stream of Consciousness Day - #HAWMC Day 12

Stream of Consciousness Day. Start with the sentence “_______”just write, don’t stop, don’t edit. Post!

Tonight is Crazy!  We are having a horrible thunderstorm complete with lightening.  Now for some of you this is nothing interesting or new.  Where I live we rarely ever get thunderstorms or lightening so this is an unusual experience.  Plus this storm is REALLY big.  The rain is coming down like cats and dogs (where did that saying come from?) and the thunder is REALLY loud.  The thunder is so loud that Happi came running upstairs, cried and went under my legs.  Happi never gets upset from loud noises like fireworks or earthquakes or (usually) thunder.   Little Lucky jumped up and began barking.

I went and got a flashlight because I thought any minute the electricity would go out.  I turned off my computer just in case the electricity surged.  I was ready just in case.  There was even an emergency breakthrough on the TV about possible tornado warnings.  Crazy!

About 10 minutes ago the rain subsided and I only see some lightening in the distance.  I guess we are through the worst of it.  Although they say it will storm all night.  I am glad we emptied some water out of the pond out back.  Now the challenge is getting our water-phobic dogs to go out and pee! 

Until tomorrow...

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.

Theme Song - #HAWMC Day 11

Theme song. Imagine your health focus or blog is getting its own theme song. What would the lyrics be? What type of music would it be played to?

Theme song?  This is crazy.  I think I am skipping this post.  First of all I can't stand theme songs, I find them annoying.  Those stupid songs that get stuck in your head.  I can't write lyrics.  I am not a poet and I can't rap.  So, there you go.  No Theme Song. Sorry!

Tonight I made this great Udon Tofu vegetable soup.  I never cooked with udon noodles or bok choy before.  It turned out really good.  I am actually looking forward to eating it tomorrow night. The recipe called for only greens but I also added broccoli, mushrooms, and red pepper.  Tasty!

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the WEGO Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (#HAWMC) during the month of April, sign up here.