Category Archives: Health

Ask Me Anything

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NaBloPoMo 2020 – Today’s Lesson

Ozan Varol’s Inner Circle is still going strong.  I visit every day to see what people are doing.  Jeff has recently picked up ukulele playing.  Prior to this week I would have spelled ukulele totally wrong.  Ozan will host an Ask Me Anything (AMA) call next week, and solicited questions in advance.  I submitted three.  I never ask questions that I’m unwilling to answer myself, so here goes:

What are you working/playing on now?

Working on:  Mindful, Humble, and Learning Leadership.  Every day feels so intense right now, every encounter important.  I know I’m messing up, but I don’t always notice right away.  So I’m working on awareness, prevention, and accountability.

Playing on:  Piano.  I love our baby grand, and wish daily to commune with it.  Gotta wait for the kids to be up, and when the hubs is not on a call.  I’ll get good at this one song, maybe two, and keep going from there.

What really stands out to you about this year?

Disparity.  Clarity.  Reality.  Humanity.  Never before has it been more clear to me who we are, how we relate, and how everything is interconnected.  Core values, minimum requirements, and default priorities emerge, sometimes in harsh light.  We are called now to be deeply honest, and better.

What unexpected lesson are you really grateful to have learned in 2020?

I have a long way yet to go in truly living out my ideals.  Once again, I see that diligent study and cognitive understanding do not necessarily translate into limbic motivation or competent ability.  But I’m already stronger in my self-compassion practice, understanding that most skills require training to hone, and competence derives from cumulative experience.  So I’m okay.

Hope Ozan finds these questions as fun as I did.

Funny Helps

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NaBloPomo 2020 – Today’s Lesson

“Your quarantine nickname = how you feel right now + the last thing you ate.”

Hello, my name is Tired Toast.  Please meet my Facebook friends Anxious Carrot, Determined Wasabi Pea, Vexed Guacamole, Chilly Gingersnap, Perky Wontons, Grumpy Curry, Happy Nachos, and Bored Dried Cherries.  Welcome to the quarantine buffet, where we commune and relax.  Bring what ya’ got, just who you are, no matter your condition.  We don’t care how you smell.  You have a seat at the table here.  But ya gotta play nice; no food fights.

One of my leaders acknowledged this week that whereas we used to refill on weekends, these days our tanks never get all the way full before the next week starts.  I take my analogies seriously, so I contemplated this one.  It depends on the weekend, I think.  If I can avoid overscheduling and the sun shines, I can get mostly back to F.  But no doubt, I head into weekends ‘way more empty now than I used to.

Small funnies help.  They’re the perfect combination of low effort, instant connection, and mood boost.

What made you smile and laugh out loud today?

I recommend The Big Bang Theory—any episode of the twelve seasons (it’s syndicated).  I’ve seen every one multiple times, and I still love every minute.  Friends with nerds—what could be better??  When I’m old and demented, park me in a recliner with a tub of ice cream and BBT on loop, and I’ll die happy.  If you’re looking for funny to share, check out Nathan Pyle and his fun-speaking blue beings. 

Formidable forces ride toward us.  We’ll all need our humorous wits about us now.

https://www.facebook.com/nathanwpyle2/photos/a.163399730411365/3431835476901091/

Men’s Health and Misogyny

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NaBloPoMo 2020 – Today’s Lesson

“Today is International Men’s Day!  How should we celebrate?”

I saw this posted on a progressive women’s Facebook group today.  In that context, I inferred the question to be sarcastic.  Most comments responded in kind.  My knee jerk reaction aligned—why celebrate the patriarchy?  Burn it down, women say.

Why do some of us feel such instant, visceral disdain at the idea of celebrating men for a day?  Could it be centuries of oppression and institutional misogyny, physically, politically, and otherwise?  Though we may know individual men who are kind, generous, and non-abusive, maybe we still feel the stifling weight of cultural male dominance on our consciousness every. damn. day.

I explored the International Men’s Day (IMD) website.  The group aims to promote men’s health, listing five statistical health challenges for men, including shorter life expectancy and higher suicide rate.  Their objectives include highlighting discrimination against men and improving gender relations/promoting gender equality.  I find multiple articles supporting the former, and none for the latter.  But maybe it doesn’t matter.  I can wholeheartedly endorse evidence-based initiatives that promote cancer screening and mental health support for men.  I also uphold and justify my right to guard against insidious misogyny that promotes men’s health and advancement at the expense of the same for women. 

Men feel discriminated against.  Huh.  Is the argument that women suffer discrimination through financial and status deficit, while men pay with their very lives?  If that’s the premise I’m not sure I buy it, but it’s worth exploring.

So, I have work to do.  What a fantastic opportunity to confront my own assumptions, biases, and narratives.  I can celebrate men and advocate for their equality… As long as they celebrate women and  advocate for ours.