Bilgistic Blogging

Charitable Tipping

2010-12-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

So I go to pick up some takeout at Tony's in Birch Run and something very curious happened; they asked if I wanted to add a tip to the bill. Now, when we eat at the resturant, we tip very appropriately. Asumming the service was good, a $26 bill will generate a tip of 5 dollars. However, if I am the one bringing the food to the table (dinning room table at our house), getting our drinks (from my fridge), getting our refills (from said fridge), solving all the small problems that occur during dinner (napkin related issues mostly, we ordered chicken wings which were delicious by the way), then I really don't feel like I should tip the guy who handed me the bag. Now I realize that there is a lot more to preparing our dinner then handing me a bag but at some point we should recognize what the $26 is for.
Waiters and waitresses work baisically for free with the hopes their customers tip well. However we didn't use the services of a waiter or waitress and cooks get paid a full wage. I guess the thing that really got me was how the guy who rang me up not only asked me if I wanted to add a tip, he actually staired at me waiting for an answer and appeared deflated when I told him: "No, we're good."
Now I have been using the term "tip" for what the guy who rang me up was asking for but I am not sure that is the correct term. Forgive me but I am at a bit of a loss to find the correct term to use. It is that term you use when you give people money who did not fully earn it. You know, you think of this term when you see the "tips" cup at the drive through at Mcdonald's or at the convience store when you are buying soda. Charity! That's it. I knew I would think of it. It would seem the new business model for companies involves the teenager taking your money at the end of a transaction is also begging for it.
The problem with this is that it gives traditionally good tippers a bad name because they continue to abide by the rules of tipping set up by the service industry themselves: 15% of the bill (without tax) if the service was good. Now, not only has it somehow inflated to 20% despite increases in the price of food, the people requesting a tip is anyone who hands you a bag.
I realize times are tough but they are tough on this side of the counter as well. People are getting takeout to save money on tipping but if you stick them with a gratuity requirement anyway, you will find your cooks needing a type of charity as well: unemployment.

President Black-Guy

2008-11-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

Well, it has happened. We have elected the first black President. This is a historic moment that will affect society from the impoverished to the elite and from the black to the white and all the shades in between and I gotta tell ya, I could not care less. Now I am not going to begrudge anyone from their moment, but please remember, the only thing President-Elect Obama has done so far...is be black. I am not impressed.
Let's remember, the bar is very high for the freshman Senator turned president. He has promised everything from bringing the troops home to breaking the log-jammed economy to free healthcare. With the possibility of the stock market crashing, rampant terrorist attacks on American soil and one of the worst healthcare industries on the planet, the next president needs to be much more then just black. Fortunately I think he is. That is why I voted for him.
It was not the anticipated tax-break, providing those I have pledged my career to with free healthcare or even bringing home the tired heroes from over seas that convinced me to vote for the man named "Hope". Simply...I drank the kool-aid. My track record and comfort zone was screaming at me to vote "Mccain". There was so much risk in voting for the new guy with the ideals. But I remember hearing one of Obama's fellow classmates explain why "they all" elected him President of the Harvard Review. He said they knew he was a liberal, but he just had a way of bringing both sides together. I could not think of more appropriate attribute for the most powerful man in the world.
Of course this one compliment cannot stand alone as justification to elect a president. Actually no single reason alone can justify voting for a candidate for president. So I will save my celebration for when he has earned it. After all, Obama is just as white as he is black.

Could Not Be More Different

2008-07-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

From "johnmccain.com":

“I do not want to keep our troops in Iraq a minute longer than necessary to secure our interests there. Our goal is an Iraq that can stand on its own as a democratic ally and a responsible force for peace in its neighborhood. Our goal is an Iraq that no longer needs American troops. And I believe we can achieve that goal, perhaps sooner than many imagine. But I do not believe that anyone should make promises as a candidate for President that they cannot keep if elected. To promise a withdrawal of our forces from Iraq, regardless of the calamitous consequences to the Iraqi people, our most vital interests, and the future of the Middle East, is the height of irresponsibility. It is a failure of leadership. “

From "barackobama.com":

Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq. He will keep some troops in Iraq to protect our embassy and diplomats; if al Qaeda attempts to build a base within Iraq, he will keep troops in Iraq or elsewhere in the region to carry out targeted strikes on al Qaeda.

This one is a toughy. I would love to have our troops home but not just to fight the battles on our front yards. To pull everyone out without regard to how it affects Iraq is to say that we never should have gone in; which I do not disagree with. I am not interested in being blackmailed into staying in Iraq but I do wonder if the recent decreased violence in Iraq is al Qaeda waiting until the votes are in and if the U.S. is on the way out.

Jim

Let's play "Hide the Tax Hike"

2008-07-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Taken from "Barackobama.com":

Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans:
Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama will ensure that the IRS uses the information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Experts estimate that the Obama proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Simpification: Barack does not want you to be burdoned with paying $150 for that hour with your tax preparer to save you $450. He will just use his "Big Brother" to find out how much you can afford to pay and then give you the option of automatic withdraw from you account or "go suck an egg."

Thank-you Senator Barack-o-Flower

Jim

Flint-Town

2008-02-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

I know I live in Flint. There is no one who lives in Flint who is not aware of the fact that Flint is in the top 3 worst and most miserable places in America. Living in Flint, you actually believe it. It is hare to go into any plaza without being hit up for "spare change". One fond memory I have is getting into my car after shopping for a suit for my graduate presentation. From behind me I hear, "Excuse me sir..." (remember I am half in my car). A nice man came up to me and told me that some guy just called him a "Nigger" (his word not mine) and asked me if I could believe that. Then he asked me for change. I was actually happy that he did that, I was a bit worried that he was going to mug me with my back turned. But as it turned out, he was just asking nicely. You know, after a disturbing preamble (which was probably untrue.
Today I had the opportunity to witness another what has to be a truly Flint experience. I saw a woman pushing a shopping cart that only had her purse in it... over railroad tracks... on the road... into oncoming traffic... as a cop car drove by. Now I noticed this scene. I really hope the cop didn't because he just drove right by. I will never forget that the look on her face as she pushed the cart, as if she was looking for pickles in isle 12. Maybe she wanted to return a lot of groceries she had purchased earlier. Maybe she was in the middle of neighborhood shopping spree. Personally, I think if you go to the local Kroger, you will find a beat up 89' Buick Century parked in the cart corral.

For NAME'S SAKE!

2008-01-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

You know, I DO actually know that it may sound silly and maybe even a bit prejudice, but I just cannot do it. I cannot vote for someone who shares the same name as, well let's just say it: pure evil. I just do not want to live in a country where the leader shares the name of utter evil. "Hello President Evil, please feel free to run the country as you will." It is just not right. Plus, he would probably want to make everything "green"!
I mean think about it: BARACK-obama... BROCCO-flower. Do you even KNOW anybody who eats this stuff? It's PURE EVIL!

Jim

Pillar of Society

2007-12-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if this is getting out, but I need to try and broadcast during this troubling and frightful time. As you may or may not know, one of the cornerstones of our society, a pillar that supports not only our world but how we understand it has crumbled. This massive event has shaken not only our vast infrastructure, but it has also shaken the perception of reality that we all depend upon for the basic necessities of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Of course I am talking about how Little Debbie snacks are now 35 cents instead of 25 cents.
Long ago as a youth I remember with fondness skipping happily to the corner store, quarter in hand and smiling in anticipation of the chocolaty goodness (or banana goodness, fudge goodness, oatmeal goodness...I never really decided until I got there) that awaited me upon my arrival. From now on, those happy boys (or 36 year old balding men) skipping to the store will be turned away at the door with a broom the the butt and a "It's another dime Rockefeller!".
In the tradition of the most respected interviewer of our time I will conclude with a "Final thought". Little Debbie cannot be faulted for suddenly raising their price 40%. They can however be faulted for ripping off little kids by obviously keeping their prices so inflated that it has taken decades for inflation to catch up with them.

Herrrrrrrrrrrrrre's EDITING!

2007-11-10T16:44:00.000-08:00

Sick-O-Crap!

2007-11-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

So I just got done watching "Sicko". The thing about it is that I find myself telling my patients/family/friends... whomever, that the reason that they are having such a hard time with their insurance company is fairly simple. There is a guy who works for their insurance company who's pay is directionally proportional to how much money he denies going to you. I met this guy (actually saw him in the movie, and more accurately ONE of these guys) just now. He apparently is a lapsed adjuster now speaking out against his former profession. What a smart, articulate, perceptive and "out of the box thinking" individual he was. He is the absolutely last person you want trying to find a loop-hole in your insurance coverage in order to justify denying payment for your kid's heart surgery. I used to think they saw us as just numbers. Now I know it is even worse. They see us as dollar signs. "Had a case of the coughs before we insured you?...cha ching...No treatment for your Pneumonia, It is a pre-existing condition" (this happened to my wife).
Today I hated my job for 10 minutes. The five minutes it took me to tell a patient we could not continue his therapy because his insurance would not reimburse for problems keeping him from working and the five minutes it took to write it up. I have had to stay after work for 2-3 hours to finish getting paperwork done, treated patients who literally questioned every decision and intervention related to their care and I have worked with therapists who would correct me in front of my patients (unjustly but the damage was done the patent's eyes); but that 10 minutes was the first 10 I actually HATED being a physical therapist. By the way, the patent's tiny little known insurance company is an obscure outfit known as Medicare.

What is it good for?

2007-10-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying (as I am sure many of you have been) the WWII documentary done by Ken Burns. I really just cannot believe, first of all how well it is done, but secondly the tolls and reality of that war.
About 3,000 people died in the 9/11 tragedy, currently just over 3,000 Americans have been killed in the Gulf War part II and about 150 died in part I. We called to have those "rag heads" decapitated when we watched the towers fall repeatedly on tv but lemented when the death toll to acommplish that started to climb over a hundred.
During WWII, that America lost sons. brothers and fathers 3,000 - 10,000 at a time. Approximately 291,557 Americans died in WWII (infoplease.com). Please remember there were a lot fewer Americans then there are now.
Would we stand for those numbers? Can we even fathom those numbers? Let's make the odds even and say what ever needed to happen that would justify the Gulf War in your head was happening except for civilian deaths beyond 9/11 (like WWII and Pearl Harbor). Would this current society accept these numbers in just 3.5 years? Of course they would not. Maybe we are the paper tiger they talk about. We certinately do not have the backbone of our forefathers when it comes to getting it done on a global scale.

Patients rights/reponsibilities

2007-08-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

Being a physical therapist and my wife being a nurse, we chat a lot about patients. She regals me with stories of both triumph and tragedy and I provide the lighter side with quips of "finishing work" and of patients who don't show for treatment. Other then pure personality, I have had three patients worthy of mention. Patients who have confuddled me and challenged me. One turned out triumphantly, one just turned out and one is in progress.
The first, a civil servant of low middle class status, but uber-rich of spirit. Healthy and 40 one day, fatally broken (or should have been) the next. The other driver who crossed the yellow line was very sorry. Three major surgeries on his leg later and he has unrelenting pain with indiscernible cause. "I would just like to get my pain to 5 of 10 (10 being the worst pain imaginable) so I can walk." Best thing I did was guide his exercises and tried to keep his current pain tolerable. At 3/10 pain at worst, he figured he had better things to do then come to therapy. I think he went sailing with his family.
The second has RSD. I say "has" and not "had" because she still has RSD (look it up, it is ugly). I reached into every corner of my tool box, turned it upside down and shook it loose to help this patient. I even got the referring Doc to write scripts for different pain meds. In the end, she could not be helped by physical therapy. Some patients just can't.
The difference between the first two are of type of injury and economic status (there-by insurance). The first has great insurance and the second has state provided insurance. The likeness between the two is the commitment of treatment from their healthcare providers including their therapist. They both come into and left our clinic with good medical treatment.
My current patient however...is a mess. HIPPA keeps me from getting to detailed but suffice it to say that this patient had problems before the car accident and the problems since have lead to 9/10 constant back pain. The patient cannot have prescription pain meds and the state provided insurance, I have a feeling, has not had the patent's best interest in their best interest. I will do my very best to help this patient. I hope the Dr.'s office and the insurance company will do the same.
I have written all of this to tell you this. It is exceptionally important for healthcare workers to be good healthcare workers and to do their best to help the people they treat. It is equally important for patients to be good patients. Insurance companys do not make money by writing checks. Know your rights. Every hospital has a "Patients Rights" document printed somewhere, if you do not see it, ask for it by name. Know what you want from your healthcare provider and ask for it specifically. Write down questions as you have them and make sure they are answered to your satisfaction.
A "good" healthcare worker does a good job treating your problem. A "great" heathcare worker does a good job treating YOU by helping you with your problem.

Hey um....Al...

2007-08-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

You think maybe it is possible that the earth is getting warmer and the glaciers are receding because they have been doing so ever since the ice ages and the notion that we as humans, who have inhabited planet earth for about a blink of an eye relatively speaking, could either speed up or stop the process is so completely both human-centric and short sighted that it is barely worth the condescending snort of disappointment by the Creator?

No Dinner-Dinner

2007-07-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

A sextuplet for dinner is really hard to choose.
So many egos, I'd really hate to bruise.
But, without limits of language, time or even border;
below are my dinner guests, in no particular order...
We begin with Jeff Daniels who strums a poignant tale.
Small town wisdom, that can jump, jive and whale.
Darwin looks hungry, he's been working on his book.
Knowing how the meal was made, doesn't diminish the cook.
Some meals however, seconds you would decline.
Thank-you Clive Staples, for remembering the wine.
Reggie's hitting clean-up, his steaks and job done.
He knew being a hero means actually acting as one.
Reagan was a cowboy, he liked his steaks quite rare;
for making us believe, our glasses...in the air.
The final guest was a cop, a father and a brother,
his courage, charm and loyalty was surpassed by no other.
While how he lived I know was worthy of a fable,
what I do not know however, is who sent him to this table.

Paintjam Dan Dunn

2007-07-21T21:45:00.001-07:00

Give it 3-4 minutes. You will smile despite yourself.

Rock, Sea, Table...Ruth

2007-06-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

There are those who talk the talk, there are those who walk the walk...then there was her who followed the path and told us what a ride it is.

Thank-you Ruth

Thank-you

Peak Experience

2007-06-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Abraham Maslow was a brilliant Psychologist way back when. After studying other brilliant people such as Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglass, he discovered what motivates them. He called it the hierarchy of needs.
He explains the hierarchy of needs as a pyramid. The bottom of the pyramid represents the basic needs and thereby motivation of man (chicks too). It is only when the bottom level is accomplished can you move to the higher level. Only when the second level of needs/motivation are accomplished can you move to the next level. And so on, and so on, and so on...
Trouble begins when you start to level jump. Christians would call this: being unequally yolked. It is hard to have balance in your life if you are trying to fulfill your creativity (top of pyramid) when you do not have access to water (bottom of pyramid).
There is another concept that goes along with the hierarchy of needs. It is called the "peak experience". This is the term Maslow gives to the Nervonic sensation of having balance in the pyramid (or at least on the path to balance). It is the feeling where all time has stopped, you are looking at both your past and your future and it is all encompassingly comfortable. It is the feeling that what ever happens from then on, you can be happy because you had and will continue to have that moment.
The first one I experienced was when I was about 10. I was staying with a friend at his grandparents cabin in Hendersonville Michigan on Lake Huron. I woke up just before sunrise when everyone was still sleeping and I walked out to the yard short of the 15 foot grassy cliff that led to the beach. As I stood there, I looked beyond the edge of the little cliff and stared into calm glassy lake I noticed there was no horizon. There was no break between the water in front of me and the sky above me. It was the first moment where I felt apart of something bigger then I could dream. Not dwarfed by it, a living breathing member of it.
It has been too long since I have felt that. Things have been so out of balance in my life. Last night I was fishing with my wife on a friend's pontoon. It is a beast of a monstrosity and it is perfect platform for going after monster walleye and pike which is what we plan to do next week. I kept watching the beautiful Michigan sun set and noticed it was getting more brilliant as the evening went on. And then, there it was again. Even after all these years I recognized it. This time it was when I saw my wife silhouetted against the beautiful radiant colors; fully content enjoying what I so love to do.
It wasn't a peak experience because we were fishing or because of the phenomenal sunset. It was a peak experience because I can now foresee many Nervonic moments to come.

White Men Can't Judge

2007-06-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

OK, I can no longer stay silent in order to hide what some may be considered paranoia. White guys are getting their ass kicked. They are the only segment of society who are not allowed to defend themselves. You want a history lesson, be a white guy and tell someone something was offensive to you and maybe it should be stopped. That person will be happy to sing you a few selected stanza's of the "Everything that is wrong is because of white men" anthem.
Example: White Guy: "You know I really don't appreciate how white men are always portrayed as dumb-asses who cannot even buy bread in commercials". Not-white-guy: "Don't be stupid, that is just how it is."
Not-white-guy tells a joke referring to people of differing cultures in offensive terms and he/she gets HBO special. White guy referrers to people in differing cultures using terms they use to describe themselves and losses his career.
Don't believe me? When you watch TV tonight, count how many commercials involving a man and a woman have a plot where the guy is to dumb to buy the "right" product and has to be convinced by the woman to do what is "obvious" and buy the product. Then count how many involve the guy being the "smart" one.

It feels like walking on tacks

2007-05-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

OK so I have not posted a healthcare tip recently so lemme think of a little sumpin sumpin... One very common ailment we get in the clinic involves these symptoms: Pain in bottom of feet/heel with first standing up in the morning, tenderness at the point of the heel and foot pain at night. First of all you should go to your doctor, if your symptoms are severe you have have something serious such as a heel spur. It might also be a commonly treated problem in the physical therapy clinic called Plantar Fasciitis (pronounced: fas-ee-I-tis).
It is the inflammation of a very strong tissue which runs from your heel to the ball of your foot as well as the surrounding structures. Generally this treated with anti-inflammatory medications, deep tissue massage, manual stretches, strengthening and the following home exercise program which would be helpful for you to try: calf stretches 4-5 times a week and a frozen Coke bottle under the painful foot. The stretches are done for a minute each foot, twice a day. The Coke bottle is 3/4 full of water then frozen. The shape of the bottle is great for reaching the nooks and crannies of your foot and the ice cools the inflammation. Roll your foot with some pressure for no more then 5 minutes each foot then follow with the stretches.
Again you should always tell your doctor about any pain or ailment that seems worrisome or decreases your function.

Stalks are rising

2007-05-23T20:52:00.001-07:00

Someone please tell me why it is that we all are not driving E85 cars. They run cleaner (decreased toxic emissions), fuel costs about the same and farmer Joe (your neighbor) produces the fuel leading to better local economy and decreased dependence on bombing bearded guys in the Middle East. According to the E85 coalition website, E85 is the choice of the American Lung Association for decreased fuel emission related lung diseases. Now I don't know what all that means but it sounds pretty good.
Did I mention that E85 cars are "flex-fuel" which means they can run on corn OR liquefied T-Rex? If you would like to know more, go to e85refueling.com.

Do not confuse the boss with your friend

2007-05-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

So I was talking to my boss and I was telling her something I have always known to be fairly obvious: Bosses and subordinates cannot truly be friends. Now I know that people will say: That is SO not true! I tell my boss everything, we go out to the bar, we have had dinner at each other's house... This may all be true but let me ask you this: Could you tell your boss that you are thinking about going to work somewhere else long before you make the decision to do so? Now, could you tell your best friend? The answers to these questions are obvious.
The reason you do not tell your boss you are thinking about working somewhere else is because THEY ARE YOUR BOSS and they cannot never not be your boss. Once they know something about an employee that affects the company they have to act in a manner to protect the company. This does not change no matter how many beers you have together.
Two more things: everyone already know this and it is a good thing. People always keep secrets from their boss that their good friends could write books about. They do this to protect their jobs and maybe that is the way it should be. It should be this way because if a company and its employees do not protect themselves, there will be no water cooler or employees to gossip around it.

More Harry then Sally

2007-04-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

1. Men and women can be "just friends"
Marnie Hanel of Tango magazine says, "Sure, men and women can be friends -- as long as the dynamic falls into one of four categories: 1) the friends explore their, ahem, benefits -- and realize that they like each other better with their clothes on; 2) one of the parties is gay; 3) there are significant others involved and romantic -- and sexual -- needs are taken care of at home; 4) you’re just not that into each other -- in that way." (copy and pasted from YAHOO)

First let us define "friends" - someone with whom you feel you can be completely upfront and honest, someone who you can trust unconditionally, someone who feels the same toward you.

Let us take these one at a time shall we (cue crackling knuckles) - 1) If you went there once, you will want to go again at some other time. If you want to go there again, you cannot be honest with her like you would be with a guy friend (example: say buddy, do you have any of that crab shampoo left?) 2) If one party is gay, does it really count as a man/woman friendship? If you have someone as the opposite sex as a "friend", one of the complicating factors is the aspect of talking about wanting to be with people they are not interested in having sex with. That does not exist if the friend is gay (in the aspect of gender and not personal preference) 3) Like having a "friend" as defined above would not interfere with the relationship with the significant other. (Honey, I am going to be late, I got fired today but Jenny here at work said she would take me out and help me forget about it. Love you.) 4) Guys generally do not hang out very much with women they have zero sexual interest in unless they are forced to, and even then...

The Good Fight

2007-03-31T04:05:00.000-07:00

There have been so many times I have been upset about something and wanted to do something about it only to be halted by someone telling me to "Pick your battles". That is not really what they mean. What they mean is: "Don't rock the boat". This advice is not concern for me; it is the lack of interest of a shipmate to grab a paddle and help fight the rapids. Or worse, advice from the calm sea.
I hate not fighting. It is hard to tell though because, at the time, everything is so calm and "peaceful". But I feel like a puss. Maybe I am even turning into the lazy shipmate. And as I grow older, the calm sea. Things are wrong and people should stand up and say: "Things are wrong". What justifies the port-starboard oscillations does not come from the height of the waves, the depth of the water or the size of the ship. It is the heading of the crew.
There are Lighthouses and there are Sirens in life. Both call to the crew but only one leads to safe harbor. A little "left-right left-right" might shake a few loose but even a zig-zag heading toward the light still leads home. And this crew needs to come home.

"It's my birthday; I have to kill today."

2007-03-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

Zodiac: Very good movie. Me and the Mrs say it last night. WOW. This is a beautifully constructed movie. So many things were right about it: dialog, interesting characters, cinematography, acting. The movie is full of actors that you think:"Geez, I know that guy, he played a creepy guy or got killed or something before, but now he is doing really good" which brings a new dimension of "credibility" to the film.
Zodiac is a movie based on the killer in Calf. in the late 60's to late 70's. He was the one who donned that black outfit with the red target sign on it to kill his victims. The movie is also about the cartoonist who wrote the book about titled "Zodiac". The Zodiac liked to make puzzles about his crimes and send them to the San Francisco Chronicle to publish and the cartoonist got caught up in it all.
This movie creeped me out like "Silence of the Lambs", intrigued me like "Dead Man Walking" and at times made me laugh like "Stranger Than Fiction" (enter Robert Downey Jr.) Robert does such a good job creating such a messed up and interesting character. It makes you remember how much you liked him in the past and look forward to seeing him in the future.
This is not an action flick but it must be seen in the theater. The way it is was shot is one of the best supporting characters. It goes from looking like "Grease" (in look only) to the "Paper" to the Rockford Files" to "Silence of the Lambs" to "The Usual Suspects". Do not miss this film. It should be remembered next March for O S C A R.

How to spot a Christian

2007-03-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

They look like everybody else: the white collars, the blue; the freaks, deadbeats, African, African-American, American-American, Jewish (wait...no, that's right)... Christians look like all of them because they ARE all of them. The saints, the pedophiles, murderers, New York firemen... So then how do we know? How do we know who is on our team?
Wait, God said something about knowing them by their works.
Pastors? Nuns? Televangelists? Or was it by their fruit? Or was that the stuff that was sewn in heaven?
I feel like a Christian, but I know better. Or maybe I should know better. I consider myself Protestant (loosely translated into back-sliden Christian). I have always been told that no matter how far you back-slide, it is always only one step back. I think it is a little different then that. It may be one step back, but it is a step onto a balance beam.
Isn't it easier just to walk on the mat? It is soft and forgiving and does not have high expectations like the 4" apparatus above it. I watch people do flips and spins on the balance beam. I used to be on the beam. I did not flip or spin but I did patronize the mat people. Now I am on the mat leaning against the 4" beam. It is a tough act, harder then the balance maybe. But it is better then the icecapades.

Pride goeth after the fall

2007-03-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

I just got back from a wrestling tournament my 8 year old nephew was in. Just so you know, he is really good. He had beaten three guys straight and was tied with about 10 seconds to go in his fourth match. He and his opponent had each other in a head-lock which Chase (the nephew) used to take the other kid down. It was a great take move worth 2 points except one thing, it was and illegal move. His opponent was awarded one point as a penalty. He lost.
One caveat, the ref called it wrong, he should have stopped the match during the lock-up instead of letting it go until my nephew ended up with a penalty. Standing in the middle of the mat, he realized, he got screwed.
He shook the hand of his opponent and opposing coaches hands as he should and walked off with his first loss in a two fall tournament. It did not take much encouragement from his dad and family to get him to realize he did great.
I was proud when he got third out of 21, I was proud when he qualified for state competition but those paled in comparison to his fifth match; on the same mat, with the same ref: Chase and the other kid where on their feet near our-of-bounds and fell across the line with Chase underneath the other kid. They felt Chase should have stated down. The ref started them both up. Chase won ...by one point. The other kid came un-glued. Stomping around the mat, flailing his arms yelling "No, No. No." It was quite a scene. He shook Chases' hand like he was trying to dislocated his shoulder and slapped my brother's hand like he was trying to hurt him.
Chase lost like a gentleman in the exact same situation. I am convinced it was the influence of his uncle.

Father Daughter and Holy Ghost

2007-02-20T19:54:00.000-08:00

What if Joseph and Mary had a little girl?

Blessings Blessings Blessings

2007-02-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

Physical therapy school was hard, I mean really hard. It is a long exhaustive struggle with almost impossibly difficult information and development of difficult practical skills. I have school loans equal to a 3 bedroom 2 bath house on half a half acre. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to say "no" to my family in the past 7 or so years when they asked if I could participate in their lives. My wife has put off and sacrificed so much in the past 2 or 3 years I cannot begin to explain.
We just bought a bed. I am not used to that. We have a bed, but we bought a new one. Why? Because the one we have keeps us from sleeping very well. We up-graded a full size to a queen size bed, bought new sheet sets and new pillows as gifts to each other. This is what is normal for people to do. Like I said, I am not used to being able to do that. Right now my wife is playing with our way to playful cat after a full day of make-up Valentines Day quality time together. The last deposit in our bank account reflects my largest paycheck ever. My wife's new SUV has had zero late payments since we bought it this past summer. My driver's license reflects my actual current address. I can do this because, all of our bills are current. Let me assure you: Life is good.

A House Divided

2007-02-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

I think science and God are like an old married couple who never really got along. Maybe they got together and had a kid so they needed to stay married but neither one are happy about it. Lord knows their kids take sides. Half of their offspring are on Dad's side, you know, "The Lord". The other half favor Mom: Barbara McClintock, Jane Goodall and Marie Curie. You know, "Science".
Both make sense but in different ways. Mom makes sense when you are figuring out what career to choose, how to balance a checkbook or how bridges keep cars dry. But then there is dear old Dad. Dad is whom we look to when those bridges fail and our loved ones are dieing in the back of an ambulance. Then Mom whispers that the water was cold so their blood was shunted to their vital organs. We listen to Mom, yet talk to Dad. We ask Dad to be with them because we know, growing up, that our dad can do anything. I mean Dad told us to ask him for stuff, and we get it. It is like magic.
So why would we even need Mom? It because Mom knows how to talk to us. Mom makes sense. But Mom fails us. Then we turn to Dad. Maybe they are still together because they know we would never make it without either of them. However I think the crux of their strife is that their individual credibility depends on discrediting the other.
So what are we to do? To whom do we adhere to? Who do we choose?

How Dare They!

2007-02-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

So there we are, my wife and I, enjoying another nice meal at Damon's. I gotta tell ya, they have about the best prime rib and long island ice tea combination. Also, the service is always wonderful at Damon's. So you gotta wonder why it is I am not going back. Well it is like this, they charged us double. Is that bad? Should I be upset? I mean it was all you could eat prime rib. Maybe next time I should just ask for a doggy bag FIRST and fill it up as the portions hit the table.
This is what happened. You know that insanely convenient debit card you have in your pocket, well people are abusing the privilege. See, they charge for the food and put a "hold" on an extra amount equal to the cost of your dinner. GENIUS!
I guess apparently people have been getting prime rib and long island ice teas, paying for them with a debit card and then closing the account before the bust boy clears the table. So to combat this, they access more money in your account then they have been authorized to do so. Is that legal? I hope not because Half.com did it to us too for the "Idiots Guide To Sunken Ships" we ordered from a nice girl in Tennessee.
This kinda thing happened before when we checked into a hotel and they required an extra 200% of the bill on hold just because we were using a debit card. That was not so bad because they told us about it upfront and it was our decision to pay it. We did not find out about Damon's or Half.com until we looked at our statement online.
So be warned and be wary because apparently if you use a debit card you mine as well give them your pin number as well because once they are in, they're in.

Raleigh and Running Water

2007-02-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

So I am doing dishes yesterday and the sink is filling with water. I am easily distracted so I start playing with my cat. I kick the hair scrunchy (my wife's, be nice) across the linoleum floor and watch him chase it. Then he began paying attention to the water running into the sink and becomes trans-fixed like a little kid during his first Fourth-of-July celebration. I pick the cat up and bring him over to the basin that is filling up with water and hold him basically over the sink as he stares at the running water. I am finding this entertaining because this is the same stuff he gets hit in the head with a stream of, when he gets on the table or scratches my wife's grandmother's sewing bench. I think to myself, "If you only knew what this stuff was, you would be so scared right now."
Did you catch it? Did you notice the biblical reference? My favorite bible verse as a kid was always: Heb 11:1 "Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, the proof of things unseen." To which I would always translate as, "If so many people believe...". It is February in Michigan right now and if that thinking was outside my window, it would be a STEAMING pile of poo. But soon it would be crunchy and then it does not track so much.
"The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge." That is the biblical reference my cat's curiosity reminded me of. Maybe it does not mean: "Smart people get it." as I had always thought. Maybe it means, "You know and can recognize Him." And maybe that is where it begins. Faith is not "group think" or what you do. Maybe faith is the filter between what you hear and how you act.

Letters from Iwo Jima

2007-01-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

My wife and I just got home from watching "Letters from Iwo Jima". Damn, what a good movie. We saw "Flags of our Fathers" this past summer and I seriously cannot tell you which one I liked better. Both are absolutely phenomenal. Clint held nothing back when it comes to both honesty in history and cinematographic expertise. "Flags" (if you will) has such a compelling story line but "Letters" has such a good ending. Honestly, the whole thing makes me want to go to Owosso and hug my grandfather (who was an amphibious tractor driver in the South Pacific in WWII).
I guess that brings me to my thought, more of an interesting awareness of my self. "Letters" is told completely from the Japanese perspective with a Japanese protagonist and all the trimmings. His story was compelling and I found myself wanting to see him survive and go home to his family...except for when there was Americans shooting in his direction. "There he is..."; I would think. "One in his head will do it, two if you have them." Yeah, I know. But to be honest I cannot say that I feel bad about feeling that way. It was war and they wanted American troops dead; American dads, brothers and sons. My grandfather has seen things so terrible that he cannot speak of to this day; and they wanted him dead.
Maybe it is self-preservation, maybe it is patriotism and maybe it is should be under a bridge. I have a relatively new relative in a cousin-in-law or something, he married my first cousin. You guessed it, he is Japanese. Well in addition to my cousin loving him, my whole family loves him. This includes my veteran grandfather. He is a great guy and I look forward to hanging out with him at family gatherings.
At the end of the day, I will have lots of days hanging out with my fairly new relative and not so many left with my grandpa. I think I will go to Owosso after all and tell grandpa that I love him and perhaps not mention the WWII movies at all.

Chivalry is Sexist

2007-01-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

Alright, fine, we got it... men and women are equal. A man or woman may perform tasks or do jobs differently but equally as effective on the whole. There are no longer "guy kinda jobs" where women have no place. Women have not only kept up, but have thrived from the heaviest lifting jobs to the highest corner office gigs. Congratulations all you "Y" chromosome carriers, this Bud's for you!
But of course this all does not happen in a vacuum. With any change, the bad comes with the good. For one thing... Chivalry. Chivalrous conduct: marked by honor, generosity, and courtesy b : marked by gracious courtesy and high-minded consideration especially to women (webster.com). When was the last time you saw a women being chivalrous to a man? Now I do not want to hear about holding doors open at the mall for the person behind you who happened to be a guy. I mean, when have you ever seen a woman give up something of her's to a guy BECAUSE he was a guy? (except to make fun of him) "Here sir take my seat, I will stand. My mother brought me up right." "Let me put my jacket over that puddle for you sir. I wouldn't what you to mess those nice shoes." Chivalry assumes dependence on another person's generosity. If you were fired, got sick, parents died in a car accident then sure, ANYONE would need help. But to be chivalrous to women assumes a need on their part simply because they are women. That is not what women have been fighting so hard for all these years. You cannot have it both ways.
Chivalry may be dead. If it is, women killed it.

God translator

2007-01-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

God, I miss him. Don't ask; "Who?" because I just told you who... Remember when we were all young? Remember when church was God and your Dad was God and all was right in the world? Yeah, what ever happened to that? I am starting to believe that all is not right with the world and that is why people reach toward the heavens for answers; or are the listening to the heavens? There in-lies the rub. Did God create us in His image or is the reverse also true? Does it matter?
If you believe in God I am sure that it does matter. If you do not believe in God then Happy Winter Solstice to ya! And then there is the rest of us. I remember a line from one of my favorite movies "The Usual Suspects": "I don't believe in God; but I am afraid of him." Well I don't believe in the God worshiped in the churches of my youth and being 35 years old I am quite sure dear-old-dad ain't omniscient, omnipresent, and well ... perfect. So why do I still pray? Habit? Or is there something out there? As a physical therapist I have seen things I cannot explain. I have seen people with chronic debilitating back pain find final relief from pressure point electrical stimulation and I have seen patients become weaker with a wave of a hand over their back by the right person and stronger again with the reverse wave. I am always impressed when people say they know exactly what something is BECAUSE there is no evidence of what it is; see also Ghosts and hauntings. An increase in magnetic fields is common when ghost are present huh? And you know this because you tested this with and without ghosts in the room? Then again how would you know a ghost was in the room in order to test the magnetic fields? Psychic friends network?
So something is out there. It is also possible what is out there is really in here (pointing at my chest). Does that mean that it is not out there? I guess in the end I believe. I believe that I believe. C.S. Lewis explained this concept to non-believers saying that even a scientist goes home and kisses his wife. Love is not in a lab or on a scale but it exists as much as Argon, bridges and Hardee's. So what the hell? I guess in the end I may be having trouble finding the right "God translator" but that does not mean that we are not getting by with nods and hand gestures.

TMI

2007-01-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

So there I am buying a belt at a department store and before he tells me what the price is with the tax, the nice boy behind the counter asks me for my phone number. Now the belt I was buying did not match my shoes so I knew he was not hitting on me. So I asked him; "Why do you need my phone number?" "It is just to track our customer base"; he returned. So I told him that I don't give out my phone number because I hate telemarketer calls. To which he assures me that my information would not be used for marketing purposes. So I informed him that was was what the last person told me and now I get messages on my answering service about "Exciting Sale Opportunities". "If you are already getting messages then what does it matter?" he asks. "Exactly"; I retorted. Then he tells me that he has to enter a phone number in order to get to the screen that allows him to ring me up. So then I said; "Are you telling me that it is physically impossible to come in here and buy a belt without giving you a phone number?" Click, Click, Click and he was ringing me up.
Kramer had it right on Seinfeld when he questioned why you have to give your address to buy batteries at Radio Shaq. I mean how many of us have key chains heavy laden with in store sale cards? Remember the good old days when stores tried to put out a good product at a competitive price in order to earn your patronage? Now they force you to give up personal information for them to sell (no matter what you hear otherwise) for the privilege of saving a dollar off four dollars worth of shredded store-brand cheese. So in addition to department stores and grocery stores making money of the sale of your personal information, the telephone company makes money off their call filtering services so that after answering your phone, you do no have to hear that familiar: silence...click... "Hello, is this Mr. So-and-So?" (add the foreign accent of your choice).
I usually delete all forwarded emails, but my friend who knows this sent me a great one. Next time you get a telemarketer call tell them: "That sounds great, but hold on a second..." Then go mow the lawn. If you are not interested and say "no", they still know that is a live phone line and still call. If you wast their time, they take you off their list. Hate junk mail? Try using the pre-approved envelopes they send you to send them back some of your other junk mail on their dime! (four dimes actually) Thank-you Beth!

scheme aaaaaa

2006-12-30T20:12:00.000-08:00

Stephen Hawking is an amazing man. This guy is Einstein smart (smarter actually) locked in a body that without modern technology, can barely communicate with the world around him. The easy point to make would be the irony. The less obvious (and I think more interesting) observation involves the concept of applied identity. Most people have a single applied identity: Bob the teacher, Kris the deaf girl or Dani who killed herself. Dr. Hawking is a good example of someone who has a duel applied identity (there is a better term but I just can't think of it). He is maybe the smartest man...ever AND he is handicapped (with ALS). It is hard to shake either image.
There is another concept going on here known as body schema. This is how we see ourselves. This is brought out when people who have had a recent body altering event draw a picture of themselves. Often people who have had a leg amputated will continue to draw a picture of themselves with two legs for some time.
I was thinking about these concepts on the drive home from my best friend's house after he explained a couple of things to me: 1. the theoretical proclivities and structure of the church he is helping create and 2. how he is slowly sitting down into a wheelchair and how he suffers daily excruciating pain due to his CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease). It is kinda like Muscular Dystrophy without the press. He was telling me about the concept of Shcema (there is just really no way I spelled that correctly). In the first century, Rabbi's who were given shcema (recognition by two other Rabbi's to interpret Torah) could apply God's word to a (then) modern world. He believes that Jesus' directions of how to live are consistent through time but also delivered through cultural terms and concepts. The concept of culture shock is exponential if applied over 2000 years and translated through 2 or 3 dead languages. Shcema is the ability to translate God's directions for life in a culturally understandable and modernly relevant way. The church he is creating is designed to bring differing faiths and lifestyles together to figure it out. It is a leap from current thinking and practice.
I have told my best friend that I am having a hard time accepting his disease. I know him as a physically active person and talented drummer. It is hard for me maybe to accept his schema; but I think I am beginning to accept his concept of shcema.

Christmas Cover

2006-12-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

Well the wife and I have just survived walking the annual Christmas party gauntlet. After two office parties and three family Christmas parties, we are ready to relax with each other looking at lights and listening to carols. Please don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed hanging out with both my and her office friends and I especially enjoyed being with and catching up with family. We had both the old conversations of:"Boy, you sure have grown!" as well as the new of: "Merry Christ... I mean Happy Hanuk... ahhhh, Happy Holidays!". One of the best things that happened has to be that we got the kid's gifts right for once. Nothing like watching a kid you are related to actually tear into your gift and then enjoy it throughout the morning; very satisfying. For the adults however, we got all the same thing: $25 gift cards. Oh there was an attempt at getting them to the right place, but yeah they got gift cards. Wanna guess what the most common thing we got as a gift this year? Don't think to hard, you probably bought a bunch of them this year too.
So, for the most part, the adult gift exchange consisted of handing each other $25 gift cards. It really just felt like a cover charge to get into the party. I mean we bought 12 cards this year and got several back. Basically it was a wash. Don't tell my wife this though. She spent several hours and you can do the math on the dollars all just to get about the same thing back. This is why only kids should get gifts. Now I am not saying that men get off the hook of getting you ladies those much coveted dishwashers or vacuums (you know they are coming ladies) but as for family Christmas parties silly rabbit, gifts are for kids. That or possibly a gift ACKNOWLEDGEMENT exchange. "Thanks for upgrade on that drill set back in June Bob, it worked out great."

Pets

2006-12-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to us, my wife and I got a kitten. Rollie is a now 12 week old demestic short haired cat. He is gray and light gray stripped. The poor little shit was deceptively sick when we got him from the Humane Society. He had: fleas, tapeworm, fungal infection and an upper respiratory infection. Well lots of drugs shot down its throat and he is acting like a kitten. Rollie is either all over the place investigating with his claws or fast asleep on my jacket on the chair in the corner. I have found that once people find out about our cat, they are no longer interested in us, they first ask about the cat. "How is your baby?" they ask. Now that Rollie is feeling better I ususally tell them the same thing, "We don't have one."
I am ususally perplexed by this question because it is well known that we have no children. Come to think about it, we HAVE been getting asked this question quite a bit more since we got the cat. Maybe the cat is our baby and not our pet. Maybe I have been treating my own as an animal! Oh my God, we have been feeding Rollie by just leaving food out in a dish on the floor. We must be terrible parents. Wait a minute, I just thought about something, we have been leaving Rollie home alone for hours at a time and he is only 3 months old! I have not even mentioned how we make him poop in a tray of litter! What kind of monsters are we? We have been treating our baby like, like, like... an ANIMAL!
We have spent about $450 on the cat since we have gotten him and we are looking at another $130 next week for the follow up vet visit. I would do it again if given the option but I get to bitch about it, I mean you get a cat from the Humane Society with the understanding that the basic health needs have been taken care of. The most common thing I hear is, "What if it was your child?" The answer is that I should go to jail for the above confessions.
The cat is our pet and we are keeping him if he costs us another $600 next month because he is fun, and playful and I like playing with him. But he is our pet. We own the animal in the same way we own the computer I am typing on, my car and our single plant. You own your pet in the same manner no matter how much you want to call it, "My baby!" Don't believe me? If you can show me a receipt for your pet, this means you have "adopted it." Show me a receipt for your baby and I will show you an obsesive compulsive black market accountant.

Chicks

2006-12-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

The other day I walked by one of my co-workers as she was parusing an E-card site to send her fiance' a romantic card. Every guy reading this knows what I am about to write about. They know because they have all received frilly, fru-fru, gold leaf scripted novellas of their significant other's passionate epic tale where he has been unwittingly cast as the protagonist. Why do women do this? They do this because women think they have the market cornered on romance. Women are absolutely convinced that: flowers, pink, ribbon, poems, Barry White and kissy teddy bears equals romance. This is fine in the receiving department, but the problem begins when women confuse the receiving department with the shipping department.
Guys HATE girlly fru-fru romantic stuff (no, YOUR guy too). Girls think guys like girly fru-fru romantic stuff because guys often give it to girls. This is because guys understand being romantic better then women. Calm down, I will explain. Guys HATE fru-fru girly romantic stuff but their significant others LOVE it so guys bite the bullet and present it as best they can in order to make the girl in their life happy. Now THAT is romantic.
Women get what they like for romance and insist that either their significant other like it or they are not romantic. This is tough for the auto mechanic who ventured into Victoria Seceret for that terrible smelling purfume that his girl loves so much. If women really want to be romantic, they should follow their guy's lead and get them a gift that helps their guy enjoy their annoying hobby. Bothered by his time on the links? Get him quallity golf balls. Does he watch too much football? Try getting him a framed jersey of his favorite team.
It is all about making your significant other feel accepted and celebrated by you as the unique and whole package they (and you) are. And by the way . . . yes YOUR guy too!

Old Farts

2006-12-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Let's GO grandma! Nothin' quite like being in a hurry and ending up on a two-lane double solid line road behind granny blue-dew with two of her wheels on the white line and the other two in park. Is there a car coming the other way behind that rise in the road? Maybe I should try it... Hell I could get in a wreck, spend 3 days in the hospital and still get there before Grandma even turns her blinker off let alone gets out from in front of me!
Nonetheless, old people are here to stay (none of them for very long individually of course, but the general concept of old people...). One of the first times I actually interacted with some of the "compass on the dashboard" crowd was when I first started back to school. I rented a room from a nice couple. Turned out pretty well. I got a really pretty nice room with cable and fridge; I had use of the kitchen and washer/dryer and even an entry that was separate from theirs (commonly known as the "backdoor"). In addition, I got a sample of whatever good the Mrs. was baking. I got some of the cinnamon rolls, stew and to be honest, way to many of the cookies she has made. The funny thing about it was that they had owned a very popular motorcycle business for several years. Why would two people who owned a successful business need to rent out a room (two actually) to strangers? The answer is simple and can be summed up in one word: meds. They could not afford to pay the four to five hundred dollars a month for their meds every month. Coincidently, this was also the case for the landlords of the apartment I moved into later.
How much do you pay for your meds? Me personally I pay $10-$25 co-pays on each of my drugs. You might be thinking; "Well sure..." this being you, "You have good insurance you pay for yourself and they have Medicare that we the taxpayers pay for." You would be correct (and quite eloquent to boot). What is also true, is that physical therapy pays more then Social Security. And old farts pay full price for drugs.
Many things are true about old people: Drive like turtles, smell like mothballs and give bad gifts. The other thing that is true is that they need their meds. Meds, in additions to other things, is what allows us all to get old (and for some of us out of infancy). The thing about it is, our grandparents are ourselves and we are the people who will take care of us when we are not young anymore. If nothing else, we should get the world in the habit of taking care of the old because we will reap the benefits of our own efforts. And hey, maybe grandma blue-dew will get a prescription for uppers and finally find the accelerator!

fish

2006-11-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

First you have to understand my proclivities on the fish and chips meal. I live in the birthplace of the Coney Island restaurant. This is both a cherished point of pride for all who reside in the Flint Michigan area as well as governor for quality of dinning establishment in said area. This is not to say that good food cannot be had in Genesee county. It is just usually served on chipped plates and eaten off Formica covered booth tables.
I have found that the fish and chips meal is a good litmus test of how the food is in a restaurant and I usually order it in a new place.
We all know what makes good and bad fish and chips. Good: Tasty plentiful fries (chips) served next to planks (usually) of hot, thick, flaky, flavorful (with being too fishy) whitefish that are covered with that magical balance of crispy/creamy delicious coating that makes your mouth swoon and your belly full. Bad: cold Van Decamps and crinkle cut Orieda, ORDER UP! If a restaurant cannot get fish and chips right, how can they possibly be trusted with chicken, pork or most importantly, steak.
There are a precious few restaurants in the Genesse county area who get it right. While I have not been to every fish and chips place in the flint area, here is a list of the best that I have been to:

1. Bubba O'Malley's (get the beer battered onion rings instead of the chips)
2. Whitey's (Good fish, little disappointed considering all the hoopla)
3. West Side Deli (side note, top notch burger/shake combo, ask for double chocolate and P-butter)
4. Up North Grill (Hill and Torrey Rd., old Shap's)
5. Khio's (Grand Blanc)

None of the above places make you upset you ordered the fish and chips. Please also note that fish and chips is not a healthy meal and should never be made to resemble one. If it is done correctly, it is a meal where the only thing not deep fried is the plate. Well feel free to respond with your opinions, I wanna hear your belly's talk... well you know what I mean.

swaddling

2006-11-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

Don't you hate it when every last idiot thinks that everyone is just on pins and needles waiting to hear what they have to say. I mean every last talking head and babbling Brooke has a blog in order to let the planet know every last notion that scatters through the pinball machine of a head they have. There really is something to the sentiment of "better to say nothing and have people think you are a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt".
With that, welcome to my new blog! I am a licensed physical therapist in the state of Michigan and usually I think (and there by blog) about medical stuff. I also enjoy photography, driving vacations and the beautiful art that is the balance between what is God and what is man. At Harvard, there is a class that compares and contrasts the beliefs of Sigmund Freud and Clive Staples Lewis. This is a beautiful thing.
So for my first post, I will begin with what I know best, physical rehabilitation. Believe every thing you have heard about the importance of "core strength". It is what keeps you: in the game, upright and walking, functionally mobile and is key for good shoulder health. "Wait a minute" you might be thinking, "core strength is in the belly and back right?" Well, you are right. It is a bit like saying the branches of a tree depend on the strength of its trunk, if the branches have to be properly positioned in order to move correctly. Poor core strength equals poor posture and the reverse is also true. If you use your arms without good posture, you are using little muscles to do big muscle work. Have any knots in your shoulder muscles? You probably have poor core strength.