Qana, Lebanon

"Over fifty people, more than half of them children were killed today in the Lebanese town of Qana.

I don't understand, how does bombing a country into oblivion change people's opinions? How does killing civilians stop terrorists from killing your civilians?

It would appear that Israel, by carrying out such actions, is leaving itself little room to accuse or condemn terrorists for the same kind of unjustified behaviour. The civilians of Israel and Lebanon are not the villians here, the men in power, whether elected or not, are the bad guys.

Perhaps it is time to change how we settle disputes. Maybe instead of guns and rockets, we should actually sit down and talk to each other. Not those men in power but the women and children of the world. Perhaps they should decide how disputes are settled. Maybe then we would have peace", I whisper.

Are you listening?

Friday's Woman

"I am a pagan, an environmentalist, an anti-globalizationist (is that a word?), a peace advocate and a feminist, not in any particular order. Through my readings on pagan matters I have discovered a woman who is also all of the above whom I have come to admire very much.

This week's Friday's Woman is Starhawk. As well as being all of the above she is also a writer, best know for her book The Spiral Dance. I am currently reading her Webs of Power, on the antiglobalization movement. Her personal website has all kinds of links to the various groups she is active in as well as links to various articles she has written. Lots of good reading", I whisper.

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Migraines

"I hate headaches. They ruin my day. Tuesday I had one off and on all day. I had a hair appointment so didn't have to do much, just sit there and let Kelly fuss over me. So Tuesday wasn't too bad. Went to bed and kept waking up with a BAD headache. Finally, when I couldn't bear it anymore I got up thinking it must be close to 5:30 am when my partner gets up for work. No, it was only 2:34 am. Took one of my migraine medications as this was definitely no plain headache. Then went and curled up in my chair. I can't lay down with a migraine, it makes it worse. So there I sat in the dark wanting my head to just explode and get it over with. My cats, Sam and Molly, came and curled up with me. The medication did nothing.

I sat or paced until 5:30 when my partner got up for work. He made me a cup of strong coffee. I use coffee medicinally. It really does help with migraines on occassion. Nope, nothing this time. Still that endless throbbing, nausea and a strong wish for death to come and take me! My neck muscles were killing me so I took a muscle relaxant, 3 extra strength Tylenol and a Gravol and at 9:30 headed for bed. I was able to sleep on and off and didn't get up until 5:30 pm. By now the migraine was just a dull afterthought. I felt like I had been run over by a truck and just sat for the rest of the evening until I crawled back into bed, not getting up until 9:30 today. Migraine is gone and I feel sooo much better.

The interesting thing about migraines to me is how different they can be between people. Four generations of us have them. My grandmother, her daughter who was my aunt, me and now my daughter. Sarah and mine are different. She can lay down, it makes mine worse. Noise doesn't bother me, it bothers her. Light bothers both of us. Advil liguid for migraines works for her, I am allergic to aspirin based medications and most migriane medication is really hit and miss with me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. What is common to both of us is that a migraine is completely incapaciating for us. We can't do anything when we have one. One of Sarah's co-workers gets migraines, because she can work with them and Sarah can't, Sarah was penalized for calling in sick the second to last time she had one. She was cut three days work. This last time, this week she was "let go". I quess we are all suppose to be the same. And those who don't conform to people's expectations of illness are somehow not doing what they are suppose to do. Doesn't make much sense to me. Illness affects each of us differently," I whisper.

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Abortion

"Wow, I am not quite sure how it happened but my advocacy of birth control has been taken by some to mean:

a) that I favour racism and eugenics
b) that I favour abortion as a solution when a women's career, education or relationship is jeopardised by her pregnancy
c) that I am a vegetarian
and last but by no means least
d) that I think the children of the third world should be allowed to die.

Wow, I thought that I was saying that the prevention of pregnancy was a good thing. That women should have the right to decided if and when they get pregnant.

Yes, I admit that I was also saying that if a women finds herself pregnant and is unable to take proper care of the child while she is pregnant and after the child is born, then an abortion should be a viable option. I do not think such a decision is easy to make, in fact it is probably the hardest one any woman can be forced to make. But it is a preferable option to bringing another unwanted and uncared for child into the world.

Now, to the unrelated comments on the relationship between humans and animals. I do NOT believe that humans are superior to animals, nor do I believe that animals were placed upon the earth to be in service to mankind. I believe that all living and non living things are part of an incredible interwoven web that depends upon each other for the survival of all. I believe that we all play a role in the dance of life and death and that none is more important than the other. Well, except that is for the humble ant. If all of humankind were to be extinguished only SIX microscopic species that dwell inside humans would die off. However if all ants were to be killed ALL life on this planet would die. Makes you question man's superiority doesn't it?" I whisper.

Are you listening?

Note: Yes, I know I first mentioned animals. However, I was saying ALL life was "sacred", I was not discussing the relationship between humans and animals. That I will leave for a future disussion!

New Brunswick SPCA Pet Expo

"Today I visited the First Annual New Brunswick SPCA Pet Expo. There were interesting vendors of pet products and various booths with information on the SPCA, Greyhound adoption, and Breed Specific Legislation. I thoroughly enjoyed petting the greyhounds, I am thinking of adopting one when our current dog is no longer with us. Talking to the SPCA workers and the people manning the booth for the Dog Legislation Council of Canada was very interesting. I am so NOT in favour of Breed Specific legislation. We have a part boxer/ part pit bull who lives up to her name of Honey. She is the gentlest, sweetest of dogs. She loves people and is no threat to anyone. And yet we were recently turned down when we attempted to get house insurance with one company, solely because of her breed. In a pamphlet I received today there was this "Experts know that dog breeds are identical to human races. When we assume negative things about all members of a race, we call that racism. Breed Specific Lefislation is the canine version of racism. It is discrimination based on ignorance." I couldn't have said it better myself," I whisper.

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Friday's Woman

"This week saw a protest in Fredericton that I found very upsetting. A group called Show the Truth Canada had posters all along three of the main streets showing graphic pictures of aborted fetuses. The purposes was "to shock as many people as possible", one of the organizers stated. How would anti-abortionists feel if those in favour of abortion lined the streets with pictures of starving or molested or dead children in an attempt to "shock" people into supporting them? After all, many people have children and then don't care for them, doing all the above stated things to them. I am a firm believer in a woman's right to choose how she prevents or handles a pregnancy. I do not believe it is anyone else's business. No one has the right to tell another person what to do with their own body. So this week's Canadian website is actually two, The Canadian Federation for Sexual Health and Planned Parenthood Fredericton

This week's Friday's Woman is Margaret Sanger, who opened the first birth control clinic in the United States and was instrumental in getting birth control education and devices available to women around the world. In 1927 Sanger helped organize the first World Population Conference in Geneva. In 1942 the Planned Parenthood Federation came into being through her efforts. It is sad that in the 21st century women are still having to fight for basic reproductory rights and suffer through attempts to make them feel guilty if abortion is the only option open to them that they can in good conscience choose," I whisper.

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Dangerous Times

"My Iranian friend Farideh has left for a week in Vancouver with her children and then she and her youngest son are going to Iran for a month. I admit I feel a great deal of concern over her trip. With the current situation in the middle east and Iran's assertion that they will support Lebanon and Syria if it is attacked, I wonder where this situation will end and how many innocent people on both sides will be hurt. I hope that my friend will have a great visit and come back to Canada with only happy memories. I am not sure though, that that is what will happen." I whisper.

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I'm Back!

"Well, I had a great holiday and have been home a week and haven't stopped since I got home. My partner had the house all painted when I got back and boy does it look good. But then I had to put everything back. Have it all back in place now and don't plan on anymore changes for a while! Spent yesterday doing ironing, the man can wash clothes but doesn't iron so three weeks worth were waiting for me. Got it all done, I think that means I have caught up on everything that needed doing. Now it's back to a familar routine which will include blogging. It's funny how easy it is to step out of your normal routine and how quickly you step back. I must admit I was really hoping that it wouldn't be so easy to get back to "normal", that something would force a change. Guess that isn't going to happen", I whisper.

Are you listening?