Living with MCL

Lately (and as I previously posted), I seem to be stuck in a rut, having very little interest in doing many of the things I used to enjoy doing. Eating, drinking wine and even golfing just don’t seem to generate the same enthusiasm they once did.

Part of the reason is my concern for Edie. Her treatments seem to be taking a toll on her taste buds and appetite, leaving her less enthusiastic about eating and drinking wine. (it’s no fun drinking wine by yourself.)

Then there’s the uncertaintly I face, as treatment time appears to be approaching ever so rapidly for me, as well as the fact my golf game sucks!

But mostly, I’m just tired.

I’m tired of the polarization of America. I’m tired of the influence pedaling by special interests, looking out only for what is best for themselves, rather than what is best for the country.

I’m tired of being identified as living in a red or blue state, and labeled either Republican (conservative) or Democrat (liberal).

I’m an American, short and sweet, and I care about the United States, and those living in the United States, above everything and everyone else.

I’m tired of the proponents of the war in Iraq, who have never spent a day in harms way, sending thousands of young Americans to fight and die in a foreign land, and accusing opponents of the war, who have put their lives on the line, in Iraq, Viet Nam and other war arenas, as being unpatriotic and supporting terrorism.

I’m tired of living in a culture of fear, perpetuated by proponents of the war, in order to justify the continuation of a failed policy, and who by doing so, have already handed the terrorists a victory.

I’m tired of the fact that so many in this country, have so little concern for their fellow man, they think health care should be treated as a commodity distributed according to the abililty to pay, as opposed to a social service distributed according to medical need.

I’m tired of opponents of universal health care coverage, citing only extreme examples from Canada and the UK, as representative of the ills of such policies, yet at the same time neglecting to mention all the similar and even worse problems existing within the US health care system.

It’s just the same arguments over and over and over again. Sometimes they dress them up in different clothing, but the message is always the same. It’s a message of special interests, and I’m tired of it, and I don’t need to worry about it anymore.

If most Americans approve of wasting billions of dollars, sending its youth to fight and die in a foreign country, while neglecting real problems and dangers existing at home, then I am fine with that.

If most Americans are content with the knowledge they are only one lost job away from not being able to afford health care, or one serious illness away from facing bankruptcy, then I can live with that also.

And if most Americans are satisfied with a government controlled by special interests conveying the arrogant belief, the US is the moral authority for the world, that we are right, and everyone one else in the world is wrong, then so be it.

Who should I worry about it, when I don’t need to?

I’m going for a bike ride!

In an attempt to combat the general feeling of malaise I have been experiencing over the last several days, I decided to splurge , and treat myself to a new pair of DMT Flash cycling shoes.

These are some really nice shoes, with carbon soles (for stiffness), and the softest, seamless leather uppers, making these the most comfortable shoes you can imagine. I just couldn’t resist.

Even at $220 (normal retail $350), which is twice what I would normally spend on shoes, and is more than a lot people would spend on an entire bike, they are still a bargain.

And besides, I’m worth it.

I even went and purchased another set of pedals, just in case I decide to treat myself to a new bike as well.

Over just the past week, I have had no less then 6 new people register/subscribe, to receive updates, for my blog postings.

And I have just received notification of another registration, literally as I am writing this post.

It just seems odd, so many registrations would occur in such a short time frame, especially when all but one (with a domain name of 16girlshogtied.info), and maybe one other, appear legitimate.

Is my blog really getting that popular, just at the time I am in a rut, and have so little to say? Or have a group of internet spammers found me, and are plotting some nefarious attack on my blog?

I have noticed a greater influx of spam comments lately, but not from any registered users. So….

Fortunately my spam filter plugins, Akismet and Spam Karma 2 have been doing their job, unlike my Subscribe to Comments plugin, which doesn’t seem to work properly.

I’ll keep you posted!

And I can’t seem to come up with anything to post about.

Ideas keep popping into my head, but before I can get them down in writing, they disappear.

I can easily rationalize the reasons for this, like worrying about Edie, and the possibility I may need treatment soon. It could even be the weather (although that seems to be improving finally), but none of that makes it any easier to deal with.

Even playing golf, eating and drinking fine wine, doesn’t impart the same pleasures they once did.

The only thing that can still get me going is riding my bike, which I attribute to the fact when I’m on my bike, I’m exerting so much energy, and I am so focused, that for the time I’m on the bike, I forget about everything else. The only problem is, I can only go so hard and for so long, and eventually have to return to reality.

So here I am, back in reality, with nothing to say.

Hopefully that will change soon!