Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in rad_woman's LiveJournal:

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Saturday, January 10th, 2009
3:38 pm	Great article with link to options at the very bottom Male Depression: Understanding the Issues Male depression frequently goes undiagnosed. Here are suggestions for coping. From MayoClinic.com   Are you irritable, isolated and withdrawn? Do you find yourself working all the time, drinking too much alcohol, using illicit drugs or seeking thrills from risky activities? If so, perhaps you're being chased by what Winston Churchill called his "black dog"—male depression. Churchill attempted to ward off his black dog of male depression with compulsive overwork and excessive drinking. For male depression, the coping strategies—unhealthy ones—may be reckless driving, risky sex or shutting yourself off from the world. But none of these can keep male depression at bay for long. Even worse: If you have male depression, you're also at an increased risk of suicide. The issues behind male depression Depression affects about 6 million men and 12 million women in America each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. But the big difference in these numbers may not tell the whole story. While it may seem as if men are less affected by depression, that assumption may not be entirely true. Researchers are trying to understand how and why male depression may be different from female depression, and any implications for treatment. Although the issues remain open to debate and uncertainty, they include the possibilities that: Male depression may often go undiagnosed Men and women may experience different depression symptoms Men with depression are more likely to die by suicide than are women with depression Men may need an emphasis on learning healthy coping skills Male depression may go undiagnosed Male depression may not be as widely recognized as female depression, and therefore men with depression may go undiagnosed. These reasons may include: Reluctance to discuss depression symptoms. As a man, you may not be open to talking about your symptoms, especially emotions and feelings, with family or friends, let alone with a health-care professional. This means you may not get properly diagnosed or treated for male depression. Seeing mental illness as a threat to your masculinity. Like some other men, you may have learned to place an emphasis on independence, competitiveness, emotional stoicism and self-control. You may think it's "unmanly" to express feelings and emotions associated with depression and instead try to suppress them. Masking depression symptoms. Depression symptoms in men may be less readily apparent. For instance, you may mask depression symptoms by alcohol or substance abuse. Also, you may focus on physical symptoms of depression, rather than emotional or behavioral problems. And your depression symptoms may not match typical depression symptoms. All of these can make it more difficult to detect male depression and may even lead to a misdiagnosis. Resisting mental health treatment. Even if you are diagnosed with male depression, you may refuse treatment. You may worry about stigma damaging your career or about losing the respect of family and friends. Male depression symptoms Whether it's because of hormones, brain chemicals or coping methods, some evidence suggests that you may experience depression differently from how a woman does. Signs and symptoms more likely to occur with male depression include: Violent or abusive behavior Inappropriate rage Escapist behavior, such as over-involvement in work or sports Risky behavior, such as reckless driving Sexual liaisons Alcohol or substance abuse More frequent thoughts of suicide Having these kinds of symptoms can make it more difficult to link them to depression, making diagnosis and treatment harder.   Male depression and coping skills Like other men, you may feel that your depression symptoms aren't severe. You may believe that you should be able to just get over them or tough them out. You may try to deny depression symptoms, ignore them or blunt them by drinking too much alcohol, taking illicit drugs or working longer hours. But these kinds of attempts at coping with male depression will likely just leave you chronically unhappy and miserable, and possibly at risk of losing your life. It takes effort to practice healthy coping skills rather than automatically turning to alcohol, speeding or frequent sex. Treatment with a doctor or mental health provider can help you learn healthy coping skills. These may include: Goals. Set realistic goals and prioritize tasks. Support. Seek out emotional support from a partner or family or friends. In general, men tend to disregard the value of emotional support in coping with male depression. Activities. Engage in activities you enjoy, such as exercise, movies, ball games or fishing. Decisions. Delay making important decisions, such as changing jobs, until your depression symptoms improve. Many effective treatments are available for depression. So don't try to tough out male depression on your own. The consequences may be devastating. Here are some ways to deal with depression: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/depression/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100226441&imageindex=1 Current Mood: optimistic (Comment on this)
Monday, January 5th, 2009
5:59 pm	2 weeks per year! Heard on the radio this morning that people spend an average of 2 weeks per year looking for stuff (keys, wallet, paperwork etc)...Wow! I thought the answer might be waiting in line or at stoplights or something similar, but this was news to me! Now I won't feel so silly as I rummage around for my keys, my gloves, etc :) Current Mood: surprised (Comment on this)
Saturday, December 20th, 2008
9:20 am	Merry Christmas! Acceptance, gratitude, peace. Keep healthy and stay balanced in 2009. Explore, discover and enjoy! Current Mood: silly (Comment on this)
Sunday, November 16th, 2008
9:50 am	Become the Coffee Bean To ponder before reading about the food: The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten negative set of past experiences; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners.  Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied. Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently:  The carrot - went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg - its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans - were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you like the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Are you the egg that starts with a malleable heart and a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff? Does your shell look the same, but on the inside are you bitter with a hardened heart? Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at theirworst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? Do you want to be like a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? Current Mood: hungry (Comment on this)
Thursday, November 13th, 2008
8:18 am	This bumper sticker made me laugh today! Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor...get the picture? Current Mood: cheerful (Comment on this)
Saturday, November 1st, 2008
6:23 pm	Parenting does change you (from MSN) 1) The way you view the world changes When you bring someone into this world, things like global warming, war and women in beer ads have a whole new meaning. You start actually looking at the impact these things have, and what the world will become after you’re dead and gone. Leaving a better place for your kids and grandkids becomes more than just talk. 2) You’ll feel like a failure There will be times when no matter how hard you try, your kids will not be happy. You feel you’re telling them “no” too much, being too strict or maybe making the wrong choices or at least the best choices you know how based on how you were raised, or what circumstances are like. You may have too few resources, and be barely hanging on as you struggle to pay the bills, keep your home up, and yet seem to constantly harp on them to clean their room, or dash their dreams of lowering their brother down the staircase on a rope. While they may complain they don’t have a Wii or that “so and so’s” mom let’s them see PG-13 movies, you need to stick to what you believe in and what you feel is best for your kids. 3) You have no time This seems obvious, but you can’t believe just how little time you have. You start to measure things out in minutes and seconds. “If he watches Curious George for 20 more seconds, I can go to the bathroom,” or “If his nap lasts another 10 minutes, maybe I can get in a shower today.” 4) Not going to the bathroom by yourself When your kids are babies, the bathroom is the only place you can get your head together. It’s also one of the only places you can actually read. I read ESPN’s Bill Simmons’ entire book over the course of the week in the bathroom when my youngest was a baby. And then he turned two. If he’s not forcing his way in he’s banging on the door screaming “lemme in!” or sliding all his books underneath. There is no peace with toddlers. 5) Parenthood will turn you soft This one hits the guys especially hard. You’ll find yourself tearing up at any dumb movie that has anything to do with parenthood, and if you have a daughter, don’t be surprised to find yourself playing “My Little Pony” before heading off to work. The icing on the cake is hawking Girl Scout cookies or dealing with school fund raising popcorn sales in front of your local grocery store annually. 6) They will embarrass you This is a big shock, and you’re never ready for it. In your mind, they are perfect little angels; in reality, they’re little people trying to figure out their way in the world. Unfortunately, they say what they want—when they want. It can be something that’s funny like announcing to their pre-school class that Daddy farts all the time, or it can be humiliating like a temper tantrum in a grocery store or having them tell your parents to “get me a toy next time” after opening a gift containing pajamas. Sometimes babies, toddlers and teens behave in ways that make no sense, they may cry for hours for no apparent reason, or seem sullen and unapproachable. You understand that you’ll embarrass them when they get to a certain age, but you’re never ready to be the one that’s humiliated. 7) Worrying This is the one that stings from the day your child is born until the day you die. From the start you worry that they’ll stop breathing in their crib, then you obsess about getting the damn car seat in correctly. They get a little older and you worry about them falling down the stairs or choking on a Polly Pocket. As the years go on you lose sleep about dating, not fitting in, or getting into a situation that they can’t handle. Then there are the worries that never go away: providing enough, paying for college or not teaching them the right things. The list goes on and on and on, and it takes a major toll on you. But you worry because you love. 8) You won’t be the parent you think We all had visions of the kind of parents we would be to our kids. Now, as battle tested Moms and Dads, we’ve heard the prospective parents spouting off advice. Those hollow words of wisdom come even though they’ve never gotten up at three a.m. to do a load of laundry with more vomit on it than a frat house floor. Nor have they tried to cook dinner with a screaming baby in their arms, a toddler doing cartwheels off the couch, and the phone ringing.  It usually goes something like this: “I’d never let my kids watch TV before they turn three,” or “I would never raise my voice at my child,” or “My toddler won’t ever eat sweets.” Uh huh, and I said I’d never own a minivan. You have this great picture of the kind of parent you want to be, and how picturesque your family will become. You try to live up to that vision, but you also have to survive. So, snickering at a prospective parent spouting off advice is not only allowed, but encouraged. 9) Sickness Let’s start with pin worms. They are small parasitic worms that live in the human intestinal track. The worms crawl out of the child’s anus at night and lay their eggs in the diaper, pajamas and other areas around the bed or crib. The eggs are then passed to others and ingested unknowingly. The worst part? You have to go in there and grab them while your kid is asleep. It’s a damn horror show. It’s also not something I had any idea about before having kids. Sick kids take a toll on the entire house. Even the typical cold has taken on a whole new meaning, especially with toddlers. It can require being up in the middle of the night for days in a row, missing work and acting as one giant Kleenex. The numerous slug trails across your shirt are always a nice touch. 10) The feeling of unconditional love You assume that you’re going to love your kids, but what you end up feeling for them is unlike anything else you’ll ever know. Just a simple smile from your offspring can erase a really crappy day at the office. This is the reason why people rave about having kids while they look exhausted and have a fresh batch of spit-up running down their back. Current Mood: nostalgic (Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
9:40 pm	Fitness...this is a good reminder "So, you don't have an hour a day to exercise? Do you have 24 hours a day to be dead?" Exercising should come before your chores, errands, and other daily pressures.  If you don't have your health, you won't be able to work productively or truly enjoy time with friends and family. Take care of yourself and you'll be able to take care of everything else. Exercise benefits, according to the American College of Sports Medicine:  Decreased anxiety and depression Enhanced feelings of well being Improved Sleep Enhanced performance of work and sports activities Improved immune function Increased quality of life Decreased morbidity and mortality     Current Mood: high (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 16th, 2008
8:27 pm	Good point "We should strive to flourish, to find meaning in our lives," says Corey Keyes, Ph.D., a professor of sociology at Emory University. "In Sardinia and Okinawa, where people live the longest, hard work is important, but not more so than spending time with family, nurturing spirituality, and doing for others." Family Nurturing Spiritual Life Doing for Others Working Hard I will add fitness/wellness/physical activity to the list, although in Sardinia and Okinawa, many of the folks may get their physical activity and high endorphins through working hard :) I wish my life  had led me down a path where I could study such things, instead I must apply such insights and share them with others. Current Mood: peaceful (Comment on this)
Monday, October 13th, 2008
9:25 pm	I knew this guy had the "right stuff" :) Paul Krugman won a Nobel prize today! Current Mood: jubilant (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
7:53 pm	worthing taking a few minutes to read Humility The Most Beautiful Word in the English Language By Bruna Martinuzzi Many years ago, one of my university professors mentioned that "windowsill" was voted the most beautiful word in the English language. Being an armchair linguist, this factoid naturally stayed with me. Words have enormous power. They can make us erupt into laughter or bring tears to our eyes. They can influence, inspire, manipulate and shock. They can build and destroy. Some words have different effects on different people. One such word is humility. It is one of those words that are seldom in neutral gear. Some, like me, love the word and all it stands for. Some almost fear it and interpret it synonymously with lack of self-confidence or timidity. The dictionary defines humility as modesty, lacking pretence, not believing that you are superior to others. An ancillary definition includes: "Having a lowly opinion of oneself, meekness". The word "humility" first struck me in the context of leadership when Jim Collins mentioned it in his seminal work Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't. In this book, Collins examined companies that went from good to great by sustaining 15-year cumulative stock returns at or below the general stock market, and after a transition point, cumulative returns at least three times the market over the next 15 years. Among the many characteristics that distinguished these companies from others is that they all had a Level 5 leader. Level 5 leaders direct their ego away from themselves to the larger goal of leading their company to greatness. These leaders are a complex, paradoxical mix of intense professional will and extreme personal humility. They will create superb results but shun public adulation, and are never boastful. They are described as modest. An example of such a leader who epitomized humility is David Packard, the co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, who, in Jim Collins' words, defined himself as a HP man first and a CEO second. He was a man of the people, practicing management by walking around. Shunning all manner of publicity, Packard is quoted as saying: "You shouldn't gloat about anything you've done; you ought to keep going and find something better to do." Another great leader is Patrick Daniel, CEO of North American energy and pipeline company Enbridge, who espouses two leadership attributes: determination to create results and humility, shifting the focus away from himself and continually recognizing the contributions of others. "I have learned through the lives of great leaders," he said, "that greatness comes from humility and being at times, self-effacing." Clearly these leaders, and many others like them, don't espouse the meaning of humility as "meek". On the contrary, it is a source of their strength. But the notion of being self-effacing is one that we struggle with in our competitive culture, prescribing that we take every opportunity to toot our own horn, and that we don't dare leave the house without our dynamic elevator speech all rehearsed. We often confuse humility with timidity. Humility is not clothing ourselves in an attitude of self-abasement or self-denigration. Humility is all about maintaining our pride about who we are, about our achievements, about our worth - but without arrogance - it is the antithesis of hubris, that excessive, arrogant pride which often leads to the derailment of some corporate heroes, as it does with the downfall of the tragic hero in Greek drama. It's about a quiet confidence without the need for a meretricious selling of our wares. It's about being content to let others discover the layers of our talents without having to boast about them. It's a lack of arrogance, not a lack of aggressiveness in the pursuit of achievement. An interesting dichotomy is that, often, the higher people rise, the more they have accomplished, the higher the humility index. Those who achieve the most brag the least, and the more secure they are in themselves, the more humble they are. "True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes". (Edward Frederick Halifax). We have all come across people like that and feel admiration for them. There is also an understated humility of every day people we work with who have the ability to get the job done without drawing attention to themselves. Witness the employee who is working at his computer into the late hours, purely motivated by a keen sense of duty, the executive assistant who stays after 5:30pm on a Friday night in an empty office to await a courier, or the manager who quietly cancels an important personal event to fly out of town to attend to the company's business. This is akin to the philanthropist who gives an anonymous donation. Humility is also a meta-virtue. It crosses into an array of principles. For example, we can safely declare that there cannot be authenticity without humility. Why? Because, there is always a time in a leader's journey when one will be in a situation of not having all the answers. Admitting this and seeking others' input requires some humility. Another mark of a leader who practices humility is his or her treatment of others. Such leaders treat everyone with respect regardless of position. Years ago, I came across this reference: the sign of a gentleman is how he treats those who can be of absolutely no use to him. Something interesting happens, too, when we approach situations from a perspective of humility: it opens us up to possibilities, as we choose open-mindedness and curiosity over protecting our point of view. We spend more time in that wonderful space of the beginner's mind, willing to learn from what others have to offer. We move away from pushing into allowing, from insecure to secure, from seeking approval to seeking enlightenment. We forget about being perfect and we enjoy being in the moment. Here are a few suggestions on practicing humility: There are times when swallowing one's pride is particularly difficult and any intentions of humility fly out the window, as we get engaged in a contest of perfection, each side seeking to look good. If you find yourself in such no-win situations, consider developing some strategies to ensure that the circumstances don't lead you to lose your grace. Try this sometimes: just stop talking and allow the other person to be in the limelight. There is something very liberating in this strategy.   Here are three magical words that will produce more peace of mind than a week at an expensive retreat: "You are right."   Catch yourself if you benignly slip into over preaching or coaching without permission - is zeal to impose your point of view overtaking discretion? Is your correction of others reflective of your own needs?   Seek others' input on how you are showing up in your leadership path. Ask: "How am I doing?" It takes humility to ask such a question. And even more humility to consider the answer.   Encourage the practice of humility in your company through your own example: every time you share credit for successes with others, you reinforce the ethos for your constituents. Consider mentoring or coaching emerging leaders on this key attribute of leadership. There are many benefits to practicing humility, to being in a state of non-pretence: it improves relationships across all levels, it reduces anxiety, it encourages more openness and paradoxically, it enhances one's self-confidence. It opens a window to a higher self. For me, it replaces "windowsill" as the most beautiful word in the English language. Copyright © 2006-2007 by Bruna Martinuzzi. All Rights Reser Current Mood: contemplative (Comment on this)
7:29 am	Crisp weather!! Yup! It feels like home :) No wonder there are so many northern WI transplants up here! High: 59° Manitowoc, WI Low: 44° High: 50° Anchorage, AK Low: 40° High: 91°  San Antonio, TX Low: 64° Current Mood: bouncy (Comment on this)
Sunday, September 21st, 2008
2:08 pm	I was on the telephone and preparing to go for a jog outside, when I noticed a gigantic moose and her calf lope right along the front of our home, directly on the path I was going to run on, yikes, will I ever get used to these giant, fast moving creatures?? On a super note, I am taking over the role of Nurse Manager for Endocrinology Services on Monday and have been released from the hardship of ER/Trauma shifts! I am having a good weekend, and all is well with all my loved ones right now...much to be grateful for :) Current Mood: surprised (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
2:38 pm	okay, it's official Despite having had LASIX eye surgey, I had to break down today and get a pair of those funky little "cheater" reading glasses...I need them to read the fine print on the life saving potentially lethal meds I have to give in the ER! On a positive note, I ran 4 miles today and sucked in the cool autumn air and it was awesome!! Take that middle age! Current Mood: nerdy (Comment on this)
Monday, September 15th, 2008
5:01 am	Have a great day and find something to be grateful for! As we navigate this new day: "Within each of us is a hidden store of energy. Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life. Within each of us is a hidden store of courage, courage to give us the strength to face any challenge. Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost." ---Roger Dawson "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting." "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." ---Ralph Waldo Emerson Make time for wellness in your day! You will not regret it! (Comment on this)
Friday, September 12th, 2008
6:40 pm	Gentle accountability for spewer of intimidation Long story short: Local right wing talk show radio host broadcast the names and home phone numbers of anti-Palin demonstrators here in Anchorage, causing the members to get threatening phone calls and becoming fearful to have the demonstration. The commentator called the organizers " baby killing socialistic maggots," and encouraged his listeners to call them at their home in order to intimidate them into not having their protest. He was shouting his message over the airwaves, and I woke up this morning to hearing it again. Although his behavior caused an outcry here in AK, his station manager (the GM) was reported to have supported him and what he did. This wasn't just some rant for ratings, the dude crossed the line when he gave out personal phone numbers and then encouraged threatening behavior. I believe in freedom of speech, for both the right wing ranter, and for those who oppose or support our government, but we should be able to do so without fear. I felt I could not sit by without responding in some way. It really makes me angry when extremists feel so comfortable attacking not just the views of others, but their right to express them. Even if I totally disagree with the views of someone, I should not threaten them or incite threatening behavior in others. It is a fine line between saying inflammatory things and having people cross the line and act in an intimidating manner. Hitler was aware of the power of words, and used propaganda to effectively stifle and exterminate not just the Jews, but also union organizers, and anyone expressing opposition to the Nazi government. To sit by and do nothing is the worst thing one can do, but it is also wrong to stoop to the same level of name calling, and boorish behavior. Instead I made numerous phone calls and learned that this same talk show host had been fired by a different radio station, and that his previous GM shared my same concern regarding his behavior. Ultimately, I was able to speak with the CEO of the radio station who said I was doing the right thing, and that he was going to write an editorial regarding the need for protection of the right to speak freely in our culture and will air it next week. (He is living the american dream, is a self made person, and is originally from WI, and of German decent too. He and his family moved here years ago to get away from the cold lol) He was impressed that I had the courage to follow through on my concerns, and said he was surrounded by "professionals" with Masters degrees in Journalism who encouraged this type of programming because it captures certain segments of society for ratings, but that indeed, the line was crossed, and that media is powerful and it does have an obligation to encourage dialogue over the issues. That he too is a parent, and that he really respects the military and our family members, and recognizes that just because we are in the military it doesn't mean we are all in one party or another. I feel good about how things unfolded, and was glad that I kept things civil while still insisting on accountability. Extremists have had the airwaves too long, and it is time that they understand that although they have the freedom to speak their views, they will do so with some fall out and reaction from others, and we will no longer just sit idly by politely not responding to all the bullsh*&...but it doesn't have to be threatening. It is also great to know that although the intimidating spewers are louder, they are not the majority here in AK or the US, but we must speak up. Here is the dialogue Donna, I tried calling 3 times, immediately receiving your message. Left it ring at least 20 times no voice mail, or recording, please see my personal cell phone below and contact me as soon as you can.   You are very important to me. My cell XXXX XXXXXXXXX President/CEO Mr. XXXXX (CEO), Would you please note the e-mail exchange cut and pasted below? Do you think this is the right thing to do? I appreciate your consideration regarding this very important issue. Sincerely, Donna Radcliff (Here is the e-mail exchange with the GM.  I included the radio commentator in the initial e-mail, but I think the GM did not allow him to e-mail me back. After the e-mail exchange between myself and the GM, (who was reported to support the talk show host), I found the phone number and e-mail to the CEO of the entire broadcasting organization and cut and pasted the whole exchange in an e-mail for his review). Gentlemen,   I am taking time out of my very busy day to e-mail you with my very deep concern regarding the recent comments made by Mr. XXXX on your radio station about people who have different views than our current administration as being "baby killing, socialistic maggots," and that the names and phone numbers of anti-Palin demonstrators were broadcast on your radio program urging listeners to call the numbers and to "tell 'em what you think of their views."  As an active duty service member stationed here in AK, and as a parent, I am very upset by the lack of support for freedom of speech. Once people become afraid to voice their opinions because of being threatened, we are no longer a democracy. As members of the media, I think you have an obligation to report issues and encourage discussion about the issues. Your actions appear to be fear based, and only hurt our nation. I wear this uniform to protect our freedom of speech, and I believe the noble thing to do would be to publicly apologize on your radio station. If citizens become afraid to speak freely, and are threatened when they differ from their established government, it would be no different than Nazi Germany or Islamic nations who are governed by terrorists.   Sincerely,   Donna Radcliff Donna, Thank you for comments, and you can be assured that Mr.XXXX has been punished, and has had a strike against his record. I cannot disclose the punishment. Thank you again for taking time to voice your thoughts and opinions to me. My door is open any time. XXXXXX - GM Name of the radio station Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld Mr. XXXXX,   Thank you for your response, but please know that I am not seeking a punishment against Mr. XXXX. It has been reported that you and the radio station support his actions and comments, and if this is true, why has he been punished? What is more concerning is that without some sort of public acknowledgement of his poor decision making, citizens will think this type of behavior is okay...including our young people. If (Name of the station) does not support what happened, the station has an obligation to make that known (and again, I don't think Mr. XXXXX is a villain, rather, I think his comments are fear based and he displayed poor judgment).   Thank you for your consideration, Donna Radcliff To: donnaradcliff@hotmail.com Subject: Re: feedback Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:11:29 +0000 I do not support his actions of giving out numbers. He is entitled to his opinion, but should have shown better judgement. And he supposedly did apoligize today. First Name Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld     From: Donna Radcliff <donnaradcliff@hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:19:32 +0000 Subject: RE: feedback   I agree that we are all entitled to our opinions, thank you for your response. (do you think it might be newsworthy to let the public know that he should have shown better judgment, and that the station did not support the broadcasting of phone numbers? It might save you the hassle of dealing with more e-mails, phone calls and inquiry). Good luck and God bless you. Donna Donna, That's what I told channel 2, they used what they wanted. Thanks again. Have a blessed day! First Name   Current Mood: impressed (Comment on this)
Friday, September 5th, 2008
7:05 am	ER fun This morning I am home to be here for the household goods delivery. The military normally gives us 2 days to receive our household goods and to get things a bit settled and unpacked. The ER prematurely put me on the schedule for 12 hour shifts even though I am not yet inprocessed, and then yesterday (which was my day off because I work this Saturday) when I found out my household goods were going to be delivered today, I called my boss to let him know that I needed to be here to receive and sign for them. He was very friendly and said no problem, just let me know if you need anything else. So since I am already on the schedule and they are so short staffed, I am taking only 1 day to be here as they unload all of our stuff and then will get up tomorrow morning at 0430 to get to my shift by 0545 (start time). I have a wicked head cold from being exposed to all those pediatric germs in the ER, and I was relieved to know that I could at least sleep in today until maybe 0700 or so, but I was rattled from my sleep at 0600 today from the staff at the ER wondering where I was because I was on the schedule and did not show up for work. Inwardly, I was steaming, outwardly I said, didn't the boss convey that I have household goods coming in today? He didn't update the schedule? The staff member who called said no he had not told anyone, and that the schedule still has me working 12 hours today. Then she asked if I was going to be off for the usual 2 days of household goods time, and I said no, since I was already scheduled for Saturday, and they are so short staffed, I would be in as planned tomorrow. Geesh! This confirms that the place is poorly managed, and I am going to have to really keep my mouth shut, and my eyes open until I achieve some credibility, and then there will need to be some significant change in that department. On a humorous note, all 3 pets are snoozing on the blow up mattress in the living room lol Current Mood: pissed off (Comment on this)
Thursday, September 4th, 2008
8:32 am	Our own stuff Beautiful rainy day today! Makes one want to stay indoors and study or read or tool around on the computer (I'll probably do a little of each since today is my day off, that and get the house ready for tomorrow). If the rain lets up, I will go for a jog or bike ride later this afternoon. Even though my work environment is going to be pretty hard at first, I want to keep my head up and recognize the crisp beauty here and remind myself of the sweltering heat and congestion we endured in TX...I don't want to take anything for granted. Household goods are coming this Friday! It will be great to have all of our own furniture, dishes, wall hangings etc. We'll try to "right size" since the house in San Antonio was so much bigger, too big really, we never even used most of the space and ended up buying used furniture just to fill in the space (that house had 4 bedrooms/3 baths/3 living areas, this house has 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms/1.5 living areas-the downstairs is a huge open concept with room for both a bedroom and living room like set up). So we will put a few things on Craigslist, and de-clutter and organize during the next several weeks! Our Landlords have also agreed to have our fireplace painted and I am contemplating brick red since our furniture is mostly brown and green, and our accent pillows and throw rugs etc all have that deep red color. I also need to go through all my books and weed out the ones that are non reference because there is an awesome huge very funky bookstore here called "The Wave," complete with cafe and both new and used books! Much like a high end Half Price Books, and they have the same policies about turning in books for cash, only they are privately owned. I am excited about visiting the store often, and may even join one of their book clubs. Current Mood: grateful (Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008
8:04 pm	True story  WE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY HUMAN EXPERIENCE. (love this line) Just Stay   A nurse took the tired, anxious young man to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man.  She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. He was heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young man standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The young man wrapped his fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that he could sit beside the bed. All through the night he sat there in the poorly lighted ward. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The young man released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. "Who was that man?" he asked.  "I never saw him before in my life." "Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?" "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed." The next time someone needs you...be there for them. Stay. **************   (Comment on this)
Monday, September 1st, 2008
10:01 pm	back to work tomorrow Well, tomorrow it is time to go back to work. I will be in the ER :p I will also have tons of "homework," and will have to humble myself when 28 year old RNs who are certified ER nurses orient me. I will do my homework about one hour each night after working my 12 hour shift. I still do not know if I will be working 3rd shift or not, most likely I will. On a positive note, I have an awesome new bike, and went for an 18 mile bike ride this weekend! Except for a hair raising episode of being in the midst of an irritated mama moose and her calves, it was absolutely glorious! Our stuff should be here in the next week or so, and Christian's Aveo is now here! It will be nice to have all of our stuff, and also to have some structure.I also learned that a ticket from Seattle to Anchorage is around 400 bucks, maybe a little more, but not too high, so it will be easy to visit Cam and Sara or have them come visit here.  I like Alaska quite a bit, it is very beautiful with really nice weather :) I need to remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said, "you must do the things you think you cannot do,"  and  "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility. " In the grand scheme of things, we are all pretty damn lucky/blessed. Current Mood: thoughtful (Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
8:03 pm	All of these count! Balance work/school/fitness/spiritual life/relaxation/creative endeavors.  What is fun is discovering what works for you or what you enjoy in each category! If you are feeling out of sorts, it is most likely because you have not been cultivating one of these important realms. I go back to work on Monday, but once I find out what my hours will be, I plan on cultivating each of these areas equally! :) Current Mood: optimistic (Comment on this)