The Power of Words...

I subscribe to one of those "Word a Day" websites. I know, a little nerdy and strange, right?

I guess one could articulate that I attempt to personify a highly educated academician who breaches linguistic frontiers with each locution, and still it gives me a sense of ostentatious flagrancy that I cannot bring myself to propitiate.

Or...in other words...One could argue that I like to talk like I'm wearin' my big girl panties and I don't give a rat's ass if you like it or not!

You see, to me, although I am somewhat educated, I could not talk like that. For one thing, it wouldn't be as fun because I couldn't use colloquialisms like "rat's ass" or "big girl panties" to express myself, but moreover, I am just not fluent in such verbiage.

People have argued that the "American-English" is a bastardized version of the "British-English" that is spoken today. But I would argue that their "British-English" is just as debased as ours. Being a Literature major in college, I fell in love with the Victorian classics. It was a combination of their proper vernacular along with their etiquette and pomp and circumstance that has been long thrown by the wayside. Back in the day, your words could make or break you within a social circle. You could ruin your reputation (which was worth more than your bank account) with the slightest indiscretion. Back then the pen truly was mightier than the sword!

And as I receive my daily online submissions, it makes me realize that so much of it has been lost. Gone are the days of proper etiquette and respectable discourse and frankly, it is a shame. I am not sure if it is because of an inadequate and lackadaisical educational system here in the USA, which is consequently making us stupider or just pure human laziness!

I worked as a professional nanny for almost a decade of my life, and during that time I worked for a family from South Africa. They speak the more proper "British English" and the differences in everyday words became a bit of a game. We laughed and giggled over the difference of a peach "pit" or peach "stone" or when the mother kindly asked me to grab the "pram" out of the "boot". Needless to say, I looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language and subsequently I got a crash course in the difference between American English and British English! (Oh, and by the way, she was asking me to get the stroller out of the trunk of the car!)

I also learned that within British English there are also distinctions between "high" English and "low" English, and this is closely connected with one's class or social position. But then we also have something similar here in America. Our slang words which have entirely taken over the proper language like "cell phone" instead of "cellular phone" or a "gas" station rather than "petroleum" or "fuel" station, which they were more commonly known as many years back (those are poor examples, but you get my point). And then there is Ebonics...don't even get me started on that!!

All of this leads me to my point (I do have one I promise)...we are all speaking the same language whether you are speaking "proper" British English or American English, high English or low English, Ebonics or just plain slang - and it doesn't really matter. Does it make you a better person to say things like "personify" instead of "act like" or "articulate" instead of "to say"? Are you anymore educated, intelligent, or higher class if you used the latter? Or is it purely a passive and somewhat neglectful attitude toward the pomp and ceremony that was once previously of the highest importance when speaking one's true vernacular?

It all seems a bit preposterous and ignorant to suggest such flawed logic. But then why have I spent an evening composing this blog post? It seems it does matter, to me at least. And everyday that I get one of those words that I have never heard and I read the definition, I put it away in my mental Rolodex never to be exercised, because I am not expected or even welcome to use it and if I did, it would only produce a negative response. Or should I say...I should make an objurgation if someone were to make a kerfuffle, with their top-lofty attitude about my irrefragable vocabulary to adumbrate my superior percipience! Just kidding.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy day!!

Here are some fun words for you:
British=American
biscuit=cookie
pram=stroller
boot=trunk
holiday=vacation
bobby=policeman
shag= (our infamous four lettered "F" word for "to fornicate")
fanny= (our infamous four lettered "C" word for "vagina")
rubbish=garbage
lift=elevator
knickers=panties
Father Christmas=Santa Claus
football=soccer
fag= cigarette
fringe=bangs (hair)
garden=yard
standing in the queue=standing in line
hoover=vacuum
Joe Bloggs=John Doe
accumulator=battery
bonnet=hood (of a car)
Chemist shop=pharmacy
sweeties=candies
Casualty Department=Emergency Room
costume=swimsuit
crisps=potato chips
dinner jacket=tuxedo
driving wheel=steering wheel
dummy=pacifier
Tube=Subway
zebra crossing=crosswalk

Long Time Gone....

This is the third draft of this post as it seems I can't get it quite right. I realized that I have not posted since mid June. Why, you may be asking yourself? Basically I have not been doing well (physically or mentally) and each attempt at a new post was wrought with dark and negative postulations. That is not only highly unproductive, but also quite boring and somewhat annoying.

There is, however, a reason. Perhaps not a good reason, mind you, but a reason none the less and it is called Rheumatoid Arthritis and the hell that I call my life.

You see, as of late, (since I was released from the hospital at the beginning of June) I have had some serious stomach issues which I thought were due to the salmonella poisoning that I had, but alas, I was wrong (again). I actually don't know what is causing my gastric issues, but in a nut shell, I cannot eat and when I do, I do not eat much, which has resulted in a 40 pound weight loss.

Now that would seem like a good thing, right?

Wrong.

Even though I always welcome a little weight loss, losing that amount of weight in such a short amount of time can be very disconcerting. I know it is mostly contributed to the fact that I seem to be incapable of eating and am basically starving myself. No matter how unintentional it may be, the fact remains that my body had gone into starvation mode. Bad. Very bad.

I have gone to my doctor to discuss my concerns and she thinks that it is the long-term antibiotics I have been taking for my broken hip nightmare that I have been dealing with for over a year. Yes, my friends, I am not exaggerating that fact, it has been over a year since my initial hip pinning surgery and I am no better today than I was then. Actually, one could argue that I am fairing far worse than before my surgery.

Allow me to explain.

Before this nightmare started, Yes, I was in pain, but still able to walk (er, well limp). I was still able to drive (for the most part), and still able to have a social life. Today, however, I cannot drive. I cannot leave my home unless someone drives me. I am on crutches and cannot walk on my leg. I have a hole in my leg where my incision was and because of a post-op infection, it is still the size of a silver dollar nine months after it was created! I guess I should be grateful because it was once the size of a large grapefruit and a male nurse was able to put his fist inside my right thigh. Oh and by the by, as I sit and wait for my wound to heal, so they can go back in and give me a total hip replacement and essentially start from square one, I am missing out on life! Fun stuff.

I guess I should not complain. I mean, I understand that my situation could be much worse. I could be permanently disfigured or have lost a limb. Or even perhaps be dead. I get it! But I can't help but get irritated when thing after thing continues to go wrong. I just can't catch a break. (No pun intended!) Seriously though, sometimes I feel like I am "pissing against the wind" as my grandmother used to say when something was futile.

For the most part, I essentially try and keep a positive attitude and sense of humor, but I fear both are fading faster than a sailor's tattoo! My family especially has noticed the change in my overall attitude and disposition; not quite as saucy and sweet! I apologize and feel guilty and hope that one day soon I will wake from this nightmare and I can go back to MY so called life. Take THAT, Claire Danes!

So alas, as I sit here in my recliner (the only chair in the house that does not make my ass ache) and type this posting for the third time, I hope that you are still reading because there is one truly important point that I wish you to take away from all of this: remember that every day is a gift. It doesn't matter if sometimes it doesn't fit the way in which you would like. It matters none that you may want to return it. All that truly matters is that no matter how shitty your life is, you have to believe that it will one day get better. Maybe tomorrow or maybe six months from now, but you have to believe that it will eventually get better.

I promise to try and keep up with my posting. Also, I will try and change my overall tone and attitude so it doesn't appear that I am using this as a pulpit for my personal bitch-fest. I will attempt this...I promise. Therefore, I leave you now with the wise words of one George Micheal...."I gotta have Faith, Faith, Faith!"

Wishing you all good health, humor, and of course....faith!

Life's a Bitch...and I hope to be too!

Because this blog is titled "Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis," from time to time, I do have to address some issues with this disease. Therefore there are a few topics I wanted to cover today.

First and foremost, I am home from the hospital. Yep folks, you heard me, HOME. I was admitted to the hospital last Thursday because I had uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea. I was severely dehydrated to the point that I was unable to hobble (with the assistance of my crutches) 20 feet from the front room of the house to the car, for my family to take me to the emergency room. I therefore was honored with the presence of the local fire department and paramedics who took me to the hospital via ambulance.

It was so unbelievably fun. Not.

I was really sick this last week. I have never in my life experienced that level of illness. I really truly knew something was seriously wrong. I was in critical condition from Thursday until Saturday evening when they downgraded me. The official diagnosis (as I will not inflict the gory details upon you of what really transpired during my stay) was C-Dif, Septic Shock, and Salmonella Poisoning. I guess one could say that I was near death when I arrived at the ER. You know how people always over exaggerate when they talk about being sick..."I was so sick, I thought I was going to die!" Well, I really DID think I was going to die, at least I did as I drifted in a out of consciousness. The whole experience is one that I wish to never repeat.

There are some funny anecdotes that I could tell you though, but those are for another time. They are not the point of this post. I am getting there...do not fear.

I also wanted to impart some personal history about me. Growing up I had two best friends in grade school. I lost one of my best friends when I was 14 years old. She was killed in an accidental shooting and it changed and altered my life so many ways. I struggled with her loss for several years. When I was 18 my other best friend was in a horrific car accident and was almost killed but escaped death only to become a paraplegic. For 10 years she lived from the confines of a wheelchair but she went on to go to college and get a degree in teaching. She was never able to use that degree however. She died less than 10 years later due to complications of the injuries she sustained in the accident.

How does this all connect?? Hang on, I am still getting there.

Once I returned home I was on Facebook, checking all the messages and emails I had from my wonderful friends and family, who were all concerned, and I came across a post from one of the Bloggers out there who I follow (The Single Gal's Guide to Rheumatoid Arthritis). She had posted a comment about a death of a fellow blogger called RA Superbitch.

Superbitch wrote an edgy and what I would consider REAL account of what happens to people when they have RA. She talked about the awful nasty things people say to you, when they think they are being helpful but they are actually being hurtful. She wrote about the difficulties of coming to terms with being in your thirties and highly educated only to find yourself becoming a disabled citizen, and all that entails. She bitches about the nasty and frustrating daily shit that we, those who are inflicted with this devil disease, have to deal with on a daily basis, all the while "keeping a stiff upper lip" and with a smile on our faces, no matter how much we want to crawl under the covers and shut out the entire world.

RA Superbitch was my alter-ego and soul-mate because I swear, she was me. I learned through her blog that I am not alone with many of the negative thoughts and feelings that we are not supposed to have or feel. She verbalized my anger, my frustrations, and a little of my sense of humor. She was amazingly brave and brazen. I respected her and I wished I could have had her courage to be so honest.

And now she is gone. All because of this Goddamned disease.

I do not know the specifics of how she died exactly, but if you read her blog, you would know that she had been recently having many (too many to count really) complications with her rheumatoid arthritis. She was really struggling and it looks like she lost her battle. She was married and had a small son. She used to be a professor at a local college. She used to be surrounded by friends and family and she had a wonderful life. And it is all gone because of RA.

So what is the point?

The point I am trying to make is this: all of this made me think, a dangerous activity I know, but this is what I came up with:

What if it had been me?

What if I were that blogger people were talking about who had lost her battle with RA and left this world WAY before her time?

What if I was the one who was being buried this week?

I know this seems morbid, but there are just too many similarities here for me not to notice the coincidence. It is kind of scary to think that I may have been the one who had died due to complications.

What this all boils down to is this: life is precious. We never know when we are going to leave this world. We have no control of how long or short our lives will be. We are simply along for the ride, and when it's over, it's over. I know that must seem so cliche but it is the truth. I lost my two childhood friends, RA Superbitch died at the early age of 39, basically, we never will know when it is our time, except when the chariot has arrived and our soul is leaving us. And it seems so unfair.

Things like this really make me start to question my beliefs. My belief in God, my belief in heaven and hell. Everything comes into question. But the biggest question is why? What is the point? Why do some people die WAY before their time? How is that fair? I can honestly tell you that I do not have the answers. These are questions I have grappled with for years now, and I still don't know the answers.

All I have is my faith.

I have faith that there IS a God, and that He isn't actually a sadistic prick that I sometimes think he can be. I have faith that I will one day get answers to all my questions and it will satisfy me. I have faith that when I meet my Maker that I will be able to be worthy of Him and his blessings. It is hard though.

I struggle on a daily basis, especially on my bad days when I am in so much pain, that I want is for it all to just be over. I struggle with the question: what did I ever do to deserve this?? Why are there bad people out there who get by scot free with no death, disease, or destruction in their lives and someone like me, who has led a fairly good, honest life has to deal with so much? WHY???

All I know is I believe. I may have no proof that there is a God or not. But I talk to him all the same. I still ask him for courage and strength. I still ask him for guidance and enlightenment. I am not sure if he hears me, but I still talk. I still ask. I still believe.

I guess when the bad things in life happen, that is really all we can do. So here's to you RA Superbitch! You leave a significant void in this world, and I will try my damnedest to help fill it. I will, in your memory, carry on with your brashness and honesty to help educate the world about the daily dealings of being a rheumatoid arthritis sufferer. Thanks RA Superbitch; I am honored to call myself as such. I did, after all, learn from the biggest bitch of them all!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy day!

The power of Nemo...

I woke up this morning with a song in my head. Well, not actually a song, per say, but rather a little jingle, a ditty from a children's movie.

You see, recently I have found myself trying to lift my own spirits. I have been really bummed. Needless to say, the realization that it will be one year in a little over a month since I had my first surgery and I am no where near healed or finished with this whole nightmare, well, it makes me sad.

or Pull out my hair.

Basically...it makes me want to cry.

BUT...I find myself in this state of defeat, I remember the Disney classic, "Finding Nemo." LOVE THAT MOVIE!! Who doesn't? Anyone who does not appreciate all the wonderful lessons and humor from this great animation is crazy. It is pure goodness.

There is one scene in particular that I remind myself of when I get down.



Leave it to a little blue ocean fish with short-term memory loss and the best advice on the block (or the anemone that is)! Dory's advice is when life gets you down, to "just keep swimming!" Simple advice, I know. And not to be taken literally, unless of course you are in a pool or bobbing out in the ocean. But this simple message telling you that when things suck in your life (which mine really do) you have to just keep going no matter how SUCK they continue to be...eventually it will get better.

So next time you find yourself down or feeling a little defeated, just remember what Dory has to say about that...

"Hey Mr Grump Gills
You know what you gotta do when life gets you down?
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming swimming swimming
What do we do we swim, swim, swim"

Thanks Dory, I needed that!

Wishing you all good health and humor!

BTW...Click here if you are interested in purchasing "Finding Nemo." It is truly one of Disney's best films.

BOOK REVIEW!!

Okay so I decided to try something a bit different. I know this has nothing to do with me living with Rheumatoid Arthritis but BECAUSE I have this nasty disease, I have more time to "lay around reading all day" as somebody once said. Ahem, that somebody shall remain nameless. *Sheepish grin*

So, without much further ado, I will give you my first, of what I hope to be many, book review. Now, some may be wondering what qualifications I have to give such suggestions? Well, the answer would be simply this: none. Nada. I have no professional qualifications. I have no fancy degree. I have no legitimate critical skills to make such suggestions. I do, however, have weird, and what some may consider eclectic, taste in literature. I was an English Literature major in college (only 16 credits shy of my Bachelor's degree at Gonzaga University). And I have had a love of reading since, umm well, since I could read!! So there you have it. You can either choose to read on (if you deem me so qualified) or quit now (and NEVER know what you are missing). Your choice. I will sit here and wait while you decide.

Doop die do.



*Nails tapping*



Hmmm-hmmm-hmmmm.




What? Oh, okay, then let's begin! (Good choice!)

I was watching the telly the other day and saw a movie trailer for an upcoming film called "One Day" featuring Anne Hathaway (Disney's Darling) and Jim Sturgess (the yummy lad who plays Jude in "Across the Universe," one of my favorite films). Immediately upon watching the trailer, I was hooked. So off to Amazon.com to order the book, and two painful days later (thanks to my Amazon Prime membership, I get free two-day shipping), I was nestled with my novel, ready to begin the twenty year journey of a boy and a girl, who could never get their timing, quite right.

"One Day" (written by David Nicholls, a British author of both novels and screenplays) begins in Scotland July 15, 1988 with protagonists, Emma and Dexter. Two classmates from Edinburgh College on the day of their commencement, anxiously (and a tad neurotically) awaiting the beginning of their lives, who meet for the first time and share one life changing night. A night that will begin their journey, together and apart, of life and all its ups and downs that so many of us have experienced. This one day of a chance meeting changes their path creating one of the most exquisite loves stories of our time.

Nicholls delicately vacillates between romance and friendship, allowing Emma and Dexter to struggle to find not only themselves, but each other, through the course of twenty years. Each chapter is one day (July 15) of each consecutive year. They are but a mere glance at where Emma and Dexter have landed whether it be working as a waitress at a cheeky Mexican Restaurant or traveling from one country to the next not knowing what direction to take your life. "One Day" tackles the questions of life such as: what do you do when you fall in love with your best friend or what chances are you willing to take for security, career, love, and friendship.

Nicholls is a grand master at the art of storytelling. His chapters are fluid and rich allowing the reader to take the journey with his characters. You love them and hate them, much like Emma and Dexter's relationship, yet find yourself rooting for them to come together in the end. Quite frankly, I couldn't stop reading.

I feel that I should leave it at that, and not give too much away. It is one of those novels that though you think you know what is going to happen, but find yourself surprised and a little shocked as the events unfold year after year. I literally could not put it down nearing the end (actually I stayed up until 2:30 in the am to finish it). It was that good.

If you are looking for a short but excellently written novel that you can loose yourself in, than this is the book for you! I think both men and women alike can appreciate this book because it deals with the emotional and physical challenges of life that we all face. I cannot recommend this book enough.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here to buy it from amazon.com. I should tell you that there are two versions available on amazon. One is what they are calling a "movie tie-in edition." I have no idea what the difference is, but I read the original publication (if you want to purchase the one I read). You can decide the difference.

Just DO IT!! BUY IT!!

If you do, I would love to hear your opinions on whether you enjoyed it, whether you agree or disagree with my assessment of the book. All that good stuff. After all, it makes the experience that much better if you can share it with others, right?

Thank you for allowing me to give you a reading suggestion. I hope to do this more often and perhaps include films and music as well. I will always warn you with the title of the post if it will be a review (in case you are not interested in my opinions...I have been told a time or two to keep them to myself).

Again, wishing you all good health and happy reading!

One more thing...I am anxiously awaiting the movie to come out, however with most films that derive from books, they tend to butcher them and I walk away unfulfilled and dissatisfied. I have already noticed a few changes they have made just from the trailer. Oh well, I will still watch it. It opens at a theater near you on August 19, 2011! :)

What Goes Around Comes Around...

Today on Facebook, I saw a comment from one of my younger friends entitled:

"I hate all F&#@ing cops!"

Obviously this caught my attention.

You see this friend of mine is quite young. She just turned 21 as a matter of fact and therefore, I was curious as to why she was so upset with the police force. As I read further, I found out the reason she was so upset was because she was pulled over by a police officer for failing to signal with her blinker as she was making a turn. Apparently she doesn't have insurance (which is a big no-no here in Washington). So her ticket was written for $740!! Five hundred and fifty for the failure to have proof of insurance and another hundred and ninety for failing to signal.

All I can say is that she must have argued with the police officer over this ticket because that does seem a bit excessive for failure to use a blinker. I mean, I have done that myself. It can happen. But not having insurance when it is required by law?? That is a totally different story.

You see, I can remember when I was younger and was on my own for the first time, struggling to make ends meet, robbing Peter to pay Paul. I get it. I know what it is like. But I can honestly say that I have never, NEVER gone without auto insurance. There are a few bills that you ALWAYS have to pay on time and your insurance is one of them. Or you DON'T DRIVE!! End of story. Your rent and car payment are the other two biggies that you must pay every month because you need a roof over your head and you need a car to get from A to B. (I know you don't need a car, but I grew up in rural Montana and there was no public transit system to rely on)

It is very irresponsible for anyone to drive an automobile that is uninsured. There is a reason this is a law. And there are consequences when you break the law. End of story.

So I told my father this story and he started to laugh at me. He said I sure must be getting old, because it is funny how my attitude has changed over the years. Maybe that is true. Maybe I am more of a stickler now days and now that I am more mature. But is there really anything wrong with that? At first I was offended by his comment, but the more I think about it, the more I am okay with my reaction. I guess I am just thinking of all the people and or property that she could potentially ruin if she were to crash her car being uninsured. Does she make that much money at her job that she could afford to pay for damages?? I bet not.

I really wanted to post something to her Facebook and give my opinion, but I thought how she may react and decided against it. What's worse, is her friends were sympathizing with her and recanting their "horror" stories of the "idiot" cops they came into contact with. The nerve of those police officers doing their job!!

I guess I would maybe give her a little more sympathy except, and I am not exaggerating here, this is her third post about how she was pulled over by a police officer for one infraction or another but (because she is really cute and bats her eyes) she gets off with a warning! So maybe I think she kinda had it coming. Is that harsh? Am I just being a hater to all those pretty young things out there that can bat their eye lashes or show some skin to get away with murder? Maybe. But I am a true believer in Karma. So what goes around comes around. Maybe she will learn a valuable lesson here and maybe realize that she has no business being behind a wheel of a car if it has no insurance.

But I am sure that is asking too much!

Wishing you all good health and humor. Oh, and DON'T DRIVE UNINSURED!! Just sayin'!

I to am a Stupid People

Today I found myself making an erroneous attempt at humor. I say erroneous because it went horribly wrong.

I posted this on Facebook to one of my friends who works at a Veterinary Clinic:
"Sorry about the cat bite...that bites!! Tell Dr. Carter I said that...you know how he loves those puns!! Their so punny!! :)"

Okay. Do you see my mistake?

It is a common error and one that has become one of my biggest pet peeves over the years, which makes it ironic that I would do it myself. I mean, usually, I get physically disgusted when people do this. Okay, maybe not physically (I mean it's not like I throw up or anything) but seriously, this really really bothers me.

Still haven't guessed it yet?

Well it is the common grammatical error with the words "their, there, and they're." I know for some this may seem trivial but to me, it is annoying. It is fundamental grammar; something that should have been taught and memorized when you learned to spell. There are other examples that irritate me just as much: your and you're; effect and affect; to, two, and too; it's and its; where, were, and we're (there are more, but you get my point).

But why does this bother me?

Me of all people! Me, the girl who cannot spell. The answer is simple really. It is just a stupid pet peeve that really has no basis. And on top of it, I STILL have to look up the difference between words like "empathize and sympathize" and "then and than" and sometimes I STILL use the wrong one. I know I am not perfect nor do I know everything in the world, but it for some strange reason makes me shudder when people screw up these little words.

It reminds me of one of my favorite books called " Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by: Lynn Truss, a British journalist who was sick and tired of people getting it wrong. But she is way worse than me. Truss is what I would call a grammar bully (a term which I did not pen). I have a friend, whom I love dearly, but she can be a bit like this as well. Let me clarify, that I do not think she is a grammar bully, but rather a word connoisseur and pretty much knows her stuff. You see, I would not correct someone unless I knew we had that kind of relationship that it would be a welcomed critique rather than taken with ill intentions. People like my friend and Truss are such sticklers for proper grammar that they cannot help themselves and immediately correct a person, regardless of whether they welcome the critique or not. They do not see this as demeaning or uppity, they are just simply correcting a wrong, and after all, wouldn't you want to know if you were wrong?

See the problem with this for many, and I have been one of them in the past, is that it feels like they are saying, "Hey Dumbass! Are you stupid or what?" I know they are not saying this and it's only my imagination fueling this ridiculous reaction, but all the same, that is how it comes across for many. So, I have decided, as a rule of thumb, to not correct people...unless I know for sure it will not be misunderstood. Like my friend who is the stickler, I could tell her if she made a mistake and she would not mind the correction. She WOULD, however, debate me on the issue because it would be difficult for her to believe that she is wrong and I am right!! :)

So the question therein lies, what would you do? If you saw a grammatical error such as the "there, their, and they're" debacle, would you correct them? Or would you just let it go and secretly keep a mental note of the mistake? And on the flip side, if someone does correct you if you were to make such a grammatical faux pas, would you be offended or would you welcome the correction?

Food for thought.

All I have to say is that I am not afraid to correct myself, which I did (on Facebook) and I drew attention to the fact that I too am wrong sometimes and we all make mistakes, so we need to just GET OVER IT!! Right?

Hmmmm. I suppose that is easier said than done!

Wishing you all good health and humor!