xveganpixiex's Xanga

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:04:18 GMT

Well, after doing poorly on all of my lab exams for A/P, I finally managed to do well on the last one of the semester. On the heart and vessel practical exam, I got all but one question correct! I studied like crazy to make that happen. If I can do well on tomorrow's A/P lecture final, I should end up with an A in the class instead of a B.

I'm definitely not ready for Tuesday's Psych final. At least my presentation on Antisocial Personality Disorder seemed to go well last week.

Last night my mom and I took Edmund to Rocky Ridge and he LOVED it! He got so excited that he ran through the whole thing. I'm very glad we did that.

The Love Song of Dennis J. Kucinich

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:42:19 GMT

The Love Song of Dennis J. Kucinich

That is quite possibly the sweetest TRUE love story I have ever read. It's like something right out of an old movie...

Monday, December 03, 2007

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:44:56 GMT

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 02:35:06 GMT

Why are the people going to speak on that day? December 15th is the anniversary of the bill of rights, and therefore a fitting day to show some support for a man who will protect our rights! He might not get much attention from the media, but when he does get a moment to speak, he makes the most of it:He voted against the war in Iraq, against funding the war, and against the "Patriot Act". Once he's president, he will repeal the patriot act and bring our troops home RIGHT AWAY!!! He is the man who attempted to have Cheney impeached for starting a war based on lies, and he is going to try for impeachment again, because we don't want a war in Iran too!He wants to make healthcare available to all Americans by switching to a not-for-profit healthcare system, taking care of the people instead of the corporations.He wants to get us out of NAFTA and the WTO, because those agreements are clearly not doing us any good. We need jobs back in the USA, we need to protect our consumers from dangerous products being imported but not adequately regulated, and this is the first step toward making those things happen.Those are just a few of the reasons that Dennis Kucinich is worth supporting. If you need more check out www.dennis4president.com Because he represents the interests of the people and not corporations, he refuses to take corporate donations. That means he needs our help to fund his campaign and bring his message of Strength Through Peace to America. If you haven't already, please go to www.december152007.com and pledge! I know the $100 goal donation may be a lot for some of you, so if you can't spare that much, figure out what you can spare and donate it on December 15 at the official campaign website, www.dennis4president.com Please pass this on to all your friends -- it only takes a minute!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:06:07 GMT

Dearest Santa,
Every year we do the same dance. I drop some not-so-subtle hints and you always seem to figure them out. I am hoping that this year might be a little different. I have never been anything but satisfied with the lovely things you give to me -- the book I wanted but didn't have the money to buy, that cameo necklace that sits perfectly against my skin, the calligraphy pens I wanted so much when I was 12. It isn't that I don't appreciate such gifts, but this year, I don't want anything like that. Instead, I want something much harder to obtain. In fact, Santa, I don't know whether even you can promise this to me, but I want it more than I have ever wanted anything else. I want my son to never fight in a war. It seems so very simple, and yet, the way things have been going in the world, I am terrified that someday I will have to see him in camouflage, boarding a boat or plane and going off to a living hell. Sure, he's only 1 1/2 now, but where will we be in 16 1/2 years? I realize that making sure my little boy will never end up a soldier is no easy task, but I am not asking you to do it alone. I'm already doing everything I can to get the one man who promises to strive for peace elected president of my country. I believe he is the best chance we have to make my wish come true. Look him up, his name is Dennis Kucinich and I am sure you will like him. He wants to give people the gift of peace, so in a way, you're not that different. I'm giving my vote, my time, and what little money I have to help him get the chance to bring the war in Iraq to an end and prevent future wars from beginning at all. I promise I will keep doing everything I can. What I want for Christmas is your help in making my wish come true.
With much love,
Edmund's mommy, Meredith

Friday, November 23, 2007

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:29:31 GMT

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 20:12:56 GMT

The mass media has underestimated him, but you shouldn't.

December 15th 2007

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 23:05:38 GMT

On December 15th, 2007, thousands will donate $100.00 to Kucinich For President... Pledge to join this historic effort at http://december152007.com!
Our goal is to get 100,000 people to commit to donate $100 each to Dennis Kucinich on December 15, 2007, for a total one-day contribution of $10 Million dollars.

I have already pledged my support, and I hope you will join me!
I will be posting more about Kucinich in the future, but go ahead and look at his campaign website www.dennis4president.com

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:14:13 GMT

"She slides
Down inside your skin
In time
She will make you scream
She's death
In a cool black dress
She rides
In the night of your mind

She rides the night
She rides the night"

I suppose the sort of things I post in blogs make my life sound rather dull. It is, in fact, lacking somewhat in excitement. That is certainly made up for by all the time I spend smiling because of the little boy who makes me so very happy to be his mommy. I do, on occaision, still do things not related to being a mom. True, I have given up dating for now (but if you know a nice, intelligent, vegan/straight edge guy, send him my way!) and I end up wearing sensible shoes just about every day, but I am still a woman underneath my mom-ish exterior. The following is a list of things I do to keep from feeling like I have fallen into the "mom" trap:

1) belly dance almost every day -- I love belly dancing, and so does my 21 year old body. Eventually I'm going to learn some stuff on my friend's pole too, hopefully. I don't care what anyone else thinks about this hobby because it makes me happy.

2) go to concerts -- this one doesn't happen too often because it takes a lot to get someone to go with, someone to watch my son, and actually get enough homework done to be able to go and not spend the whole night thinking about that paper I really should have finished.

3) read books -- sure, I get to read books to my son every day, but in this case I mean grown up books about things like string theory, psychology, poetry, biographies.

4) wear clothing that makes me feel good -- just because I am wearing jeans because they are practical doesn't mean I have granny panties on underneath. Even if no one else sees it, I want my underthings to make me feel good about myself. Thank god for Hanky Panky! Forget diamonds, 4811 and 4911 are a girl's best friend...

I am a mom AND a woman, and neither one gets to completely overshadow the other.

On a slightly related note, I like to keep trying new things. Not long ago, I decided to try something I never thought I would : acting. I got a small part in a film student's short horror film. I had only 3 lines, which was just fine with me, but I was nervous nonetheless. I was surprised by how much fun I had on the day of shooting. In the future I will certainly be open to doing that sort of thing again. I can't wait to see the finished film!

anatomy

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:01:55 GMT

Reading my anatomy textbook inevitably leaves me wondering why people do certain things. For instance, today I was studying for an exam by reading a chapter on bone tissue. Mentioned in that chapter was the use of drugs to treat osteoporosis. Normally, to keep bones healthy and strong, the body remodels them periodically. That means that cells called osteoclasts break down the mineral and organic materials in bone, dissovling the old bone tissue, after which cells called osteoblasts step in to build new bone tissue in it's place. The newer the bone tissue, the stronger the bone. Essentially, normal remodeling of the bones is important to having healthy bones that can withstand activity and perform their functions. Osteoporosis happens when the formation of bone tissue declines and cannot keep up with the removal of old bone tissue. The drugs prescribed to treat osteoporosis inhibit the osteoclasts that are supposed to break down bone tissue. Sure, that might stop bone loss in the short term, but as the existing bone tissue ages without being remodeled (because the osteoclasts cannot do their job), it loses strength and becomes more susceptible to fractures. This approach seems seriously short-sighted to me. If dietary changes to allow greater calcium absorption won't solve the problem alone, then the sensible way to treat osteoporosis WITHOUT inhibiting remodeling would be to stimulate the osteoblasts to increase their activity. Not to mention, the osteoclasts are also supposed to help in the essential regulation of calcium ion concentration in the blood, which must be also jeapordized by osteoporosis drugs. Most of the people who take those drugs probably have no idea what is actually being done to their bodies.