CupCate.com

Resolute

 So, it's New Year's Eve. 

December 31st. 

The turn of the decade. 

The end of an era.

To be honest, I care more about the fact that the Doctor as we know him is dying and I'll never get to see a fresh episode of David Tennant running around in Converse and a long trench coat than I do about it being 2010, but maybe that's just me. 

This time of year annoys me only slightly less than Valentine's Day. For example. on V Day, people suddenly decide that they need to be romantic. Oh, maybe I should be nice to my wife. Oh, maybe I shouldn't be such a raging asshole to my husband and actually have sex with him or something. 

Just as people wait until February 14th to be romantic, why do people wait until December 31st to do some self reflection?

Maybe if everyone were a little romantic and a little more self aware those other 364 days of the year, perhaps I would like the general public more, and hate the majority of the people on Earth a little less.

But, bad attitude aside, I suppose I'm just grateful that everyone is being all reflective and truly thinking about what this next year will bring, and what 2009 meant to them.

I'm not going to link back to all my significant posts in 2009, because if you really cared about my year, you'd head over to my archives. Or, if you're a true stalker, you will have read all of them already and when I say, "Hey remember that time I was in Florida and-" you'll finish my sentence and send me the link to one of the Facebook photos I posted in July. 

(God I'm feeling cynical this morning. Maybe I should have opted for coffee over tea...)

How do I feel about 2009? I feel tired. My brain is scrambled and I'm trying to use this time I have back in my family home, in my native country - as obese and deep-fried as it is - to do some reflecting and to try to get all my ducks in a row.

Your Ideas SUCK But I Have No Other Suggestions

On Facebook today, Bitch Magazine asked their fans and readers to help give them suggestions for what should be included in their Feminist Moments of the Decade round up. 

Some people gave genuinely good examples. There was something about Mad Men. Then something about accepting trans-gendered people, something else about Le Tigre. 

And then someone had the GALL to suggest Lady GaGa as she has "radically transformed conventional attitudes toward female pop stardom". 

In the same breath, this person also suggested Sonia Sotomayor, the first hispanic justice and only the third female justice in the Supreme Court of the United States. 

There were some other intelligent suggestions and "seconding" of nominations of people like Lady GaGa...

And then someone was so enraged by people's STOOPID suggestions that she couldn't help but chime in and let everyone know what a dumbass pretend feminist they were:

"Lady Gaga? Seriously? I guess overhyped pop garbage is what a feminist publication should be focusing on. 

And Sotomayor? Really? What gay rights cases has she actually weighed in on? How has she actually proven her pro-choice cred? 

Come on guys, there are MUCH better people to focus on from the past year."

Yeah, IDIOTS. There MUCH better people to focus on, OK? 

I just love people who patronize you and tell you you're stupid and need to think harder, and then act as if they are so high and mighty and an expert on the subject that they shouldn't waste any of their precious brain power on a task that is clearly meant for peons like you and me. 

You know, because they don't actually have any better ideas. 

I happen to think that both Lady GaGa and Sotomayor are excellent choices for the round-up. 

I'm just hoping Jessica Valenti's amazingly brave and ground breaking white feminist wedding and Sarah Palin blazing that rouge, feminist trail for women in politics end up on the list, too. 

Fingers crossed! 

The Good Christmas

 This morning Jonathan Ross tweeted asking everybody what their favorite Christmas toy was when they were younger. 

I started thinking about the presents of Christmases passed, and while I couldn't remember a specific toy that made me the most happy other than

- the stuffed bear I got when I was six months old that I still have today. (Boo-Boo, if you're reading this, happy 24th birthday in advance.)

- the Native American Barbie I got in 3rd grade that I think I was so excited about I nearly cried.

But the Christmas I do think about was when I was 12.

It was one of  the last Christmases that my parents were together, and while some of the details are fuzzy and I'm sure I'm confusing one Christmas with another, I do remember how fantastic it was. 

Santa brought me a giant cosmetic case filled with soaps and lotions and special creams. It also had my first shaver in it, which I was pretty excited about. I mean, hello, if this didn't make me a lady I don't know what would. 

I also got Trisha Yearwood's album "Songbook", a pair of black corduroy overalls and a plaid shirt to wear over it (hello mid-'90s), too. 

If I recall, we had a very, very good day. There was the special cheese dip my mom makes, leftover Lumpia that my dad made on Christmas Eve...

I think this is also the year my Dad became obsessed with putting together this 3D puzzle I got from one of my Aunts, but as I wasn't much of a puzzle person, my dad had a really good time with it. 

Whenever I remember that Christmas, it makes me really happy. I was completely ignorant that my family would change dramatically in the years to come. For the time being, we all seemed to be happy and content. There were loads of presents and it's by far one of my best memories from Christmases growing up...

Before making sure we squeezed in as much time as possible with my Mom before my Dad was (late) picking us up. Feeling incredibly guilty and anxiety-ridden that my Mom was by herself on Christmas day, not matter how much she says she "didn't mind, really,". 

But, now, as I've mentioned before, things have changed.

 Maybe it's the mince pies, maybe it's being with Iain, but regardless of the whys or the hows, I think Christmas and I can be friends again.

Communist England & Their Communist Healthcare

 In the last 7 days Iain and I both needed to go to the doctor to get antibiotics for sinus/chest infections. (Yay for cold and flu season.)

On two separate Monday mornings, we both called the doctor's office the moment they opened.

We had to call a couple times as the line was busy, but we both got through within 5 minutes. We both received same-day appointments - mine was at 9:40 after calling at 8am, Iain's appointment was for 10:30 after calling at 8:30am.

And as far as our wait at the doctors went - we both had our appointment, were written our prescription, went to and from the pharmacist and had the medicine in our systems within an hour of our appointment time. 

Yes, if I needed an operation or something more involved than a prescription for Amoxicillin it would take longer, and there would be a waiting list. But this is why we also have PRIVATE health insurance that we pay for through Iain's work.

The NHS is a base system. It's entry level. If you want quicker better faster stronger medical care, you can pay for it. However, if you can't afford it, then you stay on the NHS. EVERYONE can be on the NHS.

It's not perfect but it means that people like me who are self employed can follow their dreams without panicking about what happens if they break a leg or get seriously ill.

I'm unsure what people who live outside of the UK think the NHS is like, or what my experiance is like when I go to the doctor. 

Do they expect we wait outside in the cold, in long lines, just praying and waiting that perhaps we'll see a nurse or a doctor, like communist Russia? Or like waiting for food during WWII?

You call. You get an appointment. You get your medicine. 

Of course it's not always that easy for everyone. Of course if it's something more serious it can get much more complicated. 

However, no matter how much more complicated things can get or how much longer you have to wait for an appointment in some areas - you still have the option, where as places like America where the unemployed and the poor or even the young who are just starting out on their own don't have that option. 

They should have that option. Everyone should have that option. There's nothing COMMUNIST about that. If anything, it's HUMANE. 

Image via x-ray delta one

Court Me

 

 
 

These Brian Atwood "Court Shoes" from Colette are simply amazing. I do love me some pom-poms.