Our business is probably ending. It's not our choice, but our landlord's. If we can't find another location within a few days, we're basically done. 13 1/2 years and it all ends when we finally stand up for our rights. Listening to Melissa Harris-Perry's show this morning, I learned about a woman who did the same thing and is now received rape and death threats. And then, her employer fired her. Just for standing up for what she believed in. She did nothing to deserve any of this but to set boundaries.
The details of anyone's story really doesn't matter in the broader scheme of things. What matters is that anyone who has a problem is then viewed as the problem. The lowest common denominator wins. I find that odd. I guess I shouldn't, though, because this sort of thing is rampant. You don't protest anything without consequences. You'd think that the consequences would happen to whatever or whomever you're protesting about, but that's not what happens. I refused to talk to a dentist who was committing insurance fraud against me and my insurance company and wouldn't you know, he wrote me a scathing two page letter telling me what a horrible person I am. All for cancelling my appointment due to his little insurance fraud issue.
With the NRA and the gun-rights advocates appearing to control the discourse on the availability of assault weapons, etc. it's disheartening to see that the majority voice in the country is being discounted and denigrated. The same is true with marriage equality and violence against women. As soon as someone stands up, the threats and consequences begin. And there doesn't seem to be much the average person can do to stop it without incurring legal fees that may result in nothing happening. For many of us, it's just too costly financially to mount any defense.
But if I've learned anything over the last couple of years, you don't give your power away to anyone. No matter what the consequences, you have to remain true to your beliefs. In our case, this means ending a business quickly without the benefit of having any closing sales. Maybe that's a blessing in disguise as it would have been extremely emotional anyway. We don't have time for that now.
But you never know, perhaps something magical will happen. It has before. If not, then this feels like the right time for that new chapter to begin.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
GW Pharma gets a patent on cannabinoids.
GW Pharma was awarded a patent recently on cancer-killing cannabinoids. Nice that the federal government is acknowledging what many of us have known for some time now. Cannabis is an essential part of our pharmacopeia. But when you consider the arrests, trials and convictions of innocent medical cannabis users who are only following their state laws when trying to treat their conditions as well as save their lives, this is a slap in the face.
The focus by US Attorneys in medical cannabis states on raiding and closing down dispensaries, arresting dispensary owners as drug traffickers, seizing bank accounts, disallowing normal business expenses when filing IRS tax returns all speak to a measure of control that is insulting and abusive. So now a pharmaceutical company can make cancer drugs. Can our brothers and sisters in this movement come home now, with their records expunged? We know the truth now, don't we?
What about Cash Hyde? He was receiving the medicine he needed until the state said no. Then, when he died from his cancer, the police treated his family like criminals that day. They apologized, but what they put that family through was shameful. Their precious boy had just died. That didn't matter to any of them. What will the federal government say to that family?
As a patient, I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, any movement toward the truth is appreciated. But in this country where we can have a presidential candidate who believes that 47% of this country are freeloaders and received millions of votes for that idiotic belief, we have no clue what will happen as a result. Will Eric Holder say that they're going to stop harassing all of us now? Will he say it because it's the right thing to do or because of this new patent? Will they stand down for the sake of what's right and true, or so that GW Pharma can generate big profits? I may sound like a conspiracy theorist, but honestly, what else is there? Big Pharma stands to make huge profits from cannabis, but they will screw it up. They'll try to synthesize a plant that needs to be used in it's entirety for the best results. And time will only tell what impact this will have on the medical cannabis community.
Well, if past is prologue as they say, we already know.
Check out this link from Steve Elliot at Toke Signals which has the details: http://tokesignals.com/worth-repeating-its-official-cannabinoids-kill-all-types-of-cancer-2/
The focus by US Attorneys in medical cannabis states on raiding and closing down dispensaries, arresting dispensary owners as drug traffickers, seizing bank accounts, disallowing normal business expenses when filing IRS tax returns all speak to a measure of control that is insulting and abusive. So now a pharmaceutical company can make cancer drugs. Can our brothers and sisters in this movement come home now, with their records expunged? We know the truth now, don't we?
What about Cash Hyde? He was receiving the medicine he needed until the state said no. Then, when he died from his cancer, the police treated his family like criminals that day. They apologized, but what they put that family through was shameful. Their precious boy had just died. That didn't matter to any of them. What will the federal government say to that family?
As a patient, I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, any movement toward the truth is appreciated. But in this country where we can have a presidential candidate who believes that 47% of this country are freeloaders and received millions of votes for that idiotic belief, we have no clue what will happen as a result. Will Eric Holder say that they're going to stop harassing all of us now? Will he say it because it's the right thing to do or because of this new patent? Will they stand down for the sake of what's right and true, or so that GW Pharma can generate big profits? I may sound like a conspiracy theorist, but honestly, what else is there? Big Pharma stands to make huge profits from cannabis, but they will screw it up. They'll try to synthesize a plant that needs to be used in it's entirety for the best results. And time will only tell what impact this will have on the medical cannabis community.
Well, if past is prologue as they say, we already know.
Check out this link from Steve Elliot at Toke Signals which has the details: http://tokesignals.com/worth-repeating-its-official-cannabinoids-kill-all-types-of-cancer-2/
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Maybe I should just stay home on the weekends.
I'm so glad President Obama signed the expanded version of the Violence Against Women Act into law. It provides needed support for survivors that they wouldn't have otherwise. Of course the Republicans have sent us into sequester so part of the funding will not get to where it needs to go until this is resolved. At least it's in place and that's a blessing.
I feel like we're circling the drain in this country. The pressure is on not to stand up for what's right, whether from the government or from people in our daily lives. It's getting difficult to go anywhere without facing disrespect. I cherish those with whom I interact who make an effort to be honest, respectful and helpful. We left the car dealership this morning without getting my car serviced because the child who checked us in was rude and insulting. We finally gave up and left. Never done that before. We then went to the tire shop to have them look at a slow leak in one of the tires and they couldn't have been nicer! I was glad we stopped there. It made all the difference. Then I paid $12 for a car wash that I only got part of. Now I like that place and I know if I say something, they'll make it right. There won't be an argument or anything. The car dealership could take a lesson from each of them. I had a horrible purchase experience this time after buying two other cars from them that went great. And I mean, both times were really great! I had no qualms about going there again when buying this car. I guess when we agree to a payment, it's not time to shove papers before me that increase the monthly price by $50 per month without specifically going over that in detail. They always did before, so I don't know what their problem was this time. It almost stopped the sale. And when I say I want to be the one to transfer my stuff from the old car to the new car, then that's what's going to happen. Except it didn't. They did it for me and messed up my belongings in the process. I got two years of maintenance for free and I wasn't going to take them up on it, and then I decided to do just that. Note to self: go with my first decision. It's easier that way. Because if I complain, I get dumped on all the more.
Like I said, we're circling the drain. Very few people seem to try anymore. And I don't know what to do to change that. I would rather not have to be so selective when choosing who to do business with. I'm sort of running out of options. I'm going to travel 150 miles to have my car serviced next weekend. I can combine it with a trip to see our son and daughter-in-law. A new elephant was born at the zoo, so maybe we can go see her as well. I don't really mind doing it this way, but really it would be better if I didn't have to.
I see how folks get to the point where they retreat from society, preferring to be as self-sufficient as possible to avoid interacting with everyone else. As tempting as it is, I couldn't do that, but I understand why they do. Eventually all of it gets so old that the chaos which results becomes impossible to deal with. Problem is, the bullies on the block win and the rest of us lose. We can't let that happen.
This is why I'm glad to see that VAWA passed. The war on women in this country and around the world is so disappointing. You'd think after all this time we'd have figured out that the world just works better when we protect each other. But power and control win the day. We can all vote with our dollars, but will it even matter? I don't know the answer for sure, and I'd rather not give in to fear. However, next Saturday I will. And maybe I'll get to see Lily, the new baby elephant in the process. And if I do, it'll be a good day!
I feel like we're circling the drain in this country. The pressure is on not to stand up for what's right, whether from the government or from people in our daily lives. It's getting difficult to go anywhere without facing disrespect. I cherish those with whom I interact who make an effort to be honest, respectful and helpful. We left the car dealership this morning without getting my car serviced because the child who checked us in was rude and insulting. We finally gave up and left. Never done that before. We then went to the tire shop to have them look at a slow leak in one of the tires and they couldn't have been nicer! I was glad we stopped there. It made all the difference. Then I paid $12 for a car wash that I only got part of. Now I like that place and I know if I say something, they'll make it right. There won't be an argument or anything. The car dealership could take a lesson from each of them. I had a horrible purchase experience this time after buying two other cars from them that went great. And I mean, both times were really great! I had no qualms about going there again when buying this car. I guess when we agree to a payment, it's not time to shove papers before me that increase the monthly price by $50 per month without specifically going over that in detail. They always did before, so I don't know what their problem was this time. It almost stopped the sale. And when I say I want to be the one to transfer my stuff from the old car to the new car, then that's what's going to happen. Except it didn't. They did it for me and messed up my belongings in the process. I got two years of maintenance for free and I wasn't going to take them up on it, and then I decided to do just that. Note to self: go with my first decision. It's easier that way. Because if I complain, I get dumped on all the more.
Like I said, we're circling the drain. Very few people seem to try anymore. And I don't know what to do to change that. I would rather not have to be so selective when choosing who to do business with. I'm sort of running out of options. I'm going to travel 150 miles to have my car serviced next weekend. I can combine it with a trip to see our son and daughter-in-law. A new elephant was born at the zoo, so maybe we can go see her as well. I don't really mind doing it this way, but really it would be better if I didn't have to.
I see how folks get to the point where they retreat from society, preferring to be as self-sufficient as possible to avoid interacting with everyone else. As tempting as it is, I couldn't do that, but I understand why they do. Eventually all of it gets so old that the chaos which results becomes impossible to deal with. Problem is, the bullies on the block win and the rest of us lose. We can't let that happen.
This is why I'm glad to see that VAWA passed. The war on women in this country and around the world is so disappointing. You'd think after all this time we'd have figured out that the world just works better when we protect each other. But power and control win the day. We can all vote with our dollars, but will it even matter? I don't know the answer for sure, and I'd rather not give in to fear. However, next Saturday I will. And maybe I'll get to see Lily, the new baby elephant in the process. And if I do, it'll be a good day!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Reflections on the struggle..
VAWA passed this week. I would like to think that our collective voices standing up for women's rights helped. I felt better doing so, and I know others did as well. But that's only one of the myriad issues that women face today. I thought that at some point, as a country, we would have moved past thinking stupid things such as single moms are the reason for gun violence. Because if a man was there, well, gun violence would surely stop. But if that were the case, we probably wouldn't need VAWA. You know what that stands for..Violence Against Women Act. And it's typically violence against women that's perpetuated by men. And yes, we still need that law.
But violence isn't the only means of oppression. Women are oppressed in the workplace, at home, among friends (yes, some women are no help at all), as consumers...you get the idea. And these days, we're getting a ton of oppression from some members in our Congress. Frankly, I'm tired of all of it.
You see, I'm not just starting my life as an adult. Last October, I turned 55. When I turned 50, I began re-evaluating everything - my relationships with my husband, sons, friends, doctors, dentists, people I do business with, and most importantly, the relationship I have with myself. I concluded that I allow too much to happen that I'm not okay with. Even though I might speak up, I don't make it clear that I'm serious. I lack follow-through.
In fairness, although it would really be so very awesome, I simply cannot control the behavior of others. It's on them to do that and many won't. The end result is I allow myself to fall prey to manipulative people who have no problem doing whatever they want to do and who could care less what I think about it. Fast forward 5 years later to today..things have to change.
There will be those who will blame my attitude change to menopause. I say I'm just out of the fugue state I was in and have come into the light. Listening to the debate about VAWA illustrated that we're no closer to equality in this country than we were when the Equal Rights Amendment was passed. The me generation has pretty much just screwed everything up. I mean, it seemed like a good thing at the time, but focus on the self created too many people who can only do that. Empathy is lost when that happens because it's hard to see the plight of others when you're only focused on yourself. In the case of women, we're supposed to only be focused on our husbands and children. Anything else is extra and only acceptable when we've tended to everyone else's needs before ours.
The notion of women having it all came up recently and some of the comments were appalling. Women who embraced that idea and manifested it in their lives were ridiculed for doing so. He Who Shall Remain Nameless on his radio show called Sandra Fluke a slut for standing up for reproductive rights. After all, she recently passed the bar and will become one of those feminist attorneys who want to have it all, which includes the government paying for her birth control. What an idiot. Or as Senator Franken said (before he was a senator) a big fat idiot.
It feels as if the world is conspiring against all of us who just want to embrace equality and justice. Imagine anyone in Congress saying that LGBT and Native American women should be left out of VAWA! Hard to believe that this could happen, yet there were a handful of women who did just that when they voted against passage of this bill. We won...they lost. And in 2014, maybe they will lose their seats as well. They deserve that.
Women are continually put between a rock and a hard place in life. For our government to participate in that is shameful. It's bad enough it happens in our personal life. Even if you don't experience physical violence from your spouse, odds are the relationship is still fraught with difficulties. Each person comes into the marriage with whatever childhood baggage they have which affects communication and in turn trust. It's no wonder the divorce rate is so high anymore when you consider the me generation approach and the emotional baggage. If you add to that the income disparity women face, it's hard to feel like we have any real choices out there that men have. It's a given for them, really. Women have to create that and we do so at great risk because all too often it backfires. I co-own a business that's primarily male dominated. Women are there only to serve men, not to succeed in the same way a man can. And Lord help me when I know more than they do. It's a recipe for disaster. Some of them immediately become condescending and dismissive. Others just get insulting and ask to speak to my husband. Of course they hear the same stuff from him, but it doesn't matter. It appears to make them dig their heels in and get even more condescending. If I call them out on it, they only get worse.
Trust me, if this is what I deal with on a daily basis with men I'm not related to, it should be no surprise when our husbands do it, or now when Congress does it. Of course, the woman who was gang raped and beaten to death on the bus in India a while back will never have the chance to stand up for her rights. My situation is nothing compared to what she faced, went through, and died from. But when we can't even get it right in our personal relationships, how can we get it right for everyone?
I don't know what my future holds. Weird to say that at 55. I'm not settling anymore for being useful, and letting others define for me what that's supposed to be. Not if I have to fight for things that should be a given. If this fight for VAWA has taught me anything, it's that women cannot sit still; they cannot stay quiet. We must rise as though our very lives depend on it...because they do.
But violence isn't the only means of oppression. Women are oppressed in the workplace, at home, among friends (yes, some women are no help at all), as consumers...you get the idea. And these days, we're getting a ton of oppression from some members in our Congress. Frankly, I'm tired of all of it.
You see, I'm not just starting my life as an adult. Last October, I turned 55. When I turned 50, I began re-evaluating everything - my relationships with my husband, sons, friends, doctors, dentists, people I do business with, and most importantly, the relationship I have with myself. I concluded that I allow too much to happen that I'm not okay with. Even though I might speak up, I don't make it clear that I'm serious. I lack follow-through.
In fairness, although it would really be so very awesome, I simply cannot control the behavior of others. It's on them to do that and many won't. The end result is I allow myself to fall prey to manipulative people who have no problem doing whatever they want to do and who could care less what I think about it. Fast forward 5 years later to today..things have to change.
There will be those who will blame my attitude change to menopause. I say I'm just out of the fugue state I was in and have come into the light. Listening to the debate about VAWA illustrated that we're no closer to equality in this country than we were when the Equal Rights Amendment was passed. The me generation has pretty much just screwed everything up. I mean, it seemed like a good thing at the time, but focus on the self created too many people who can only do that. Empathy is lost when that happens because it's hard to see the plight of others when you're only focused on yourself. In the case of women, we're supposed to only be focused on our husbands and children. Anything else is extra and only acceptable when we've tended to everyone else's needs before ours.
The notion of women having it all came up recently and some of the comments were appalling. Women who embraced that idea and manifested it in their lives were ridiculed for doing so. He Who Shall Remain Nameless on his radio show called Sandra Fluke a slut for standing up for reproductive rights. After all, she recently passed the bar and will become one of those feminist attorneys who want to have it all, which includes the government paying for her birth control. What an idiot. Or as Senator Franken said (before he was a senator) a big fat idiot.
It feels as if the world is conspiring against all of us who just want to embrace equality and justice. Imagine anyone in Congress saying that LGBT and Native American women should be left out of VAWA! Hard to believe that this could happen, yet there were a handful of women who did just that when they voted against passage of this bill. We won...they lost. And in 2014, maybe they will lose their seats as well. They deserve that.
Women are continually put between a rock and a hard place in life. For our government to participate in that is shameful. It's bad enough it happens in our personal life. Even if you don't experience physical violence from your spouse, odds are the relationship is still fraught with difficulties. Each person comes into the marriage with whatever childhood baggage they have which affects communication and in turn trust. It's no wonder the divorce rate is so high anymore when you consider the me generation approach and the emotional baggage. If you add to that the income disparity women face, it's hard to feel like we have any real choices out there that men have. It's a given for them, really. Women have to create that and we do so at great risk because all too often it backfires. I co-own a business that's primarily male dominated. Women are there only to serve men, not to succeed in the same way a man can. And Lord help me when I know more than they do. It's a recipe for disaster. Some of them immediately become condescending and dismissive. Others just get insulting and ask to speak to my husband. Of course they hear the same stuff from him, but it doesn't matter. It appears to make them dig their heels in and get even more condescending. If I call them out on it, they only get worse.
Trust me, if this is what I deal with on a daily basis with men I'm not related to, it should be no surprise when our husbands do it, or now when Congress does it. Of course, the woman who was gang raped and beaten to death on the bus in India a while back will never have the chance to stand up for her rights. My situation is nothing compared to what she faced, went through, and died from. But when we can't even get it right in our personal relationships, how can we get it right for everyone?
I don't know what my future holds. Weird to say that at 55. I'm not settling anymore for being useful, and letting others define for me what that's supposed to be. Not if I have to fight for things that should be a given. If this fight for VAWA has taught me anything, it's that women cannot sit still; they cannot stay quiet. We must rise as though our very lives depend on it...because they do.
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