Soapbox Rant

I will tell you now that some of you will not like reading this rant.  If you are not an Atlanta Braves fan, you will want to stop reading right now.

 

I am a diehard Braves fan.  I love this team with a passion.  Since I can remember, the Braves have always been my team.  I was born in 1972.  The first team that I can remember included players like Dale Murphy, Biff Pocoroba, Rick Camp, Jerry Royster, Phil Niekro, and Cito Gaston.  One of my favorite teams was the team of 1984 that included Dale Murphy, Steve Bedrosian, Rick Camp, Rick Mahler, Craig McMurtry, Bob Horner, Glenn Hubbard, Chris Chambliss, Bruce Benedict, Rafael Ramirez, Claudell Washington, Brad Komminsk, etc.  I could probably name more Braves or former Braves than most people.  I have spent more years defending my Braves - who were continually in last place or close to it - than most people.

 

Now that you know my history, let me get started with my rant.  I am so damn sick and tired of ESPN and every other supposedly sports "professional" putting down my team.  Calling MY team a laughing stock and ninnies.  That is just quoting on article.  Let me tell you something.  I respect the Braves more than any other team because they respect baseball.  PERIOD.

 

I do not respect the Los Angeles Dodgers for several reasons.  One - Puig.  You DO NOT show up your opposing team when you hit a SINGLE.  He showboats no matter what he does.  And when he gets thrown out or strikes out or hit by a pitch, he acts like a 2 year old.  That is not respect.  Two - you DO NOT announce to a stadium full of people before the FOURTH game of a playoff series welcome to the FINAL game of the playoff series.  That puts down the other team and is unprofessional.

 

Those of you who continually put down one of the most consistently winning team in all of baseball have a problem.  You do not know what the hell you are talking about. 

 

Take a look at most other teams in baseball, then take a look at the Braves.  Not stats.  Not win loss records.  Look at the players.  What do you see?  You see clean cut young men.  Do you see long dreadlocks?  NO.  Do you see outrageous jewelry? NO.  Do you see unkempt facial hair down to the lettering on their jerseys?  NO.  You don't see thugs.  You don't see people who look like they could be in a gang.  You see baseball players.  Real baseball players who get absolutely  no respect from any other team or so called professionals in the sport. 

 

Why is the question.  The only thing this team ask for is RESPECT.  Is that too much?  No, it isn't.  Especially when there is a team that deserves it so much. 

 

The Atlanta Braves are the "red headed step-child" of Major League Baseball.  What do I say to that?  I say Major League Baseball better get used to the Braves being a top team.  We're not going anywhere.  What do I say to ESPN?  I say ESPN SUCKS and they are the top unprofessional sports reporters in the industry.  Suck it up buttercups and realize that the Braves are professionals.  The Braves are respectful.  The Braves are one of the best teams around.  This team has earned respect and they demand respect.    Respect is what you should be giving them.

 

OK.  End of rant.  But not the end of me being completely pissed off by the treatment of the Atlanta Braves by the mistreatment of my team.

Tribute To The Flag

I Love This Town

Finding Myself... Day 1 of the Search

September 1, 2013...

 

Today, I start the hunt.

 

I am hunting for me.

 

In the past several years, I feel that I have lost myself.  I have been busy being a wife, mother, daughter, and patient, that I feel that I have lost myself in the shuffle.

 

I love being a wife, mother, and daughter.  I love my family more than I can ever say.  But, I have been a wife for 22 years.  I have been a mother for 21 years and now both of my daughters are adults.  I have been a daughter for 41 years.

 

It is the other thing that I am that bothers me.  A patient.  It was 15 years ago that I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.  I started out just trying to control it with diet and exercise.  That graduated to taking oral medication.  Now, I take oral medication and inject insulin.  Other than diabetes, I also suffer from fibromyalgia, migraines, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and sarcoidosis.

 

Sometimes I feel like I am defined by my health and diseases.  I am more than that.  That is why I need to find myself and redefine myself.

 

Today, I start my journey at 5'2" and 200.6 pounds.  My goal is to be down at least 50 pounds in 6 months.  That is a little less than 10 pounds a month.  That is feasible.  I do not want to set impossible goals and get discouraged when I can not reach my goals.

 

I plan to start out slow.  I have a home gym of sorts that contains kettlebells, wii fit, a recumbent bike, a treadmill, and a free standing punching bag.  I plan to set up a schedule.  With my constant migraines, fibromyalgia, and sarcoidosis, exercise is sometimes just too overwhelming.  But, I have to push myself.  Just not too hard.

 

I can and I will do this.  I need to find myself.  Any positive thoughts and prayers that you can send this way will always be appreciated.  Thank you.

 

 

I'm Back

Sorry everyone... I haven't posted anything in over a week.  I apologize.  I have not been feeling well and could barely sit up.  I'm going to catch up on my posting tonight.  Since my last post, there has been the season finale of Hell's Kitchen.  Another project runway.  And two more people are gone from Master Chef.  Lots of catching up to do.  I will post again tonight.

Guilty (and not so guilty) Pleasures

I have three guilty pleasures in life.  Well, I take that back.  I have two guilty pleasures, and one that I take extreme pride in.

My first guilty pleasure is reality television cooking shows such as Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef, Chopped, etc.  I love cooking and learning about different types of ingredients and different ways to cook things.  However, that is only one of the reasons I watch these shows.  Another reason is I like to see different types of people and personalities and learn about them.

My second guilty pleasure is reality design shows such as Project Runway.  For as long as I can remember, I have always liked to try to be innovative and creative.  I have a sewing machine and a separate embroidery machine.  I love to design t-shirts, hand bags, baby clothes, and stuff like that.  Nothing on the scale of what is designed on Project Runway, but it gives me ideas.  And, again, I like to see different types of personalities - especially the creative ones - interact.

My third not so guilty pleasure is ATLANTA BRAVES BASEBALL...  I can write a whole blog about just this subject.  Not just the recent teams or the winning teams, but about the teams of the late 70's and throughout the 80's.  I have always been a fan.

Back to my first guilty pleasure - cooking shows.  Let me dissect the two that are really going on right now.  Master Chef and Hell's Kitchen.  The following opinions are my opinion and I respect the fact that everyone has their own opinions and their own favorites. 

• Hell's Kitchen - On tonight's episode (spoiler alert if you haven't seen it) Mary was named as one of the finalist and Cyndi was sent home.  I agree with both of these moves.  When the season started Mary was probably my least favorite.  I did not think she was strong enough or assertive enough to be a head chef.  She has grown and matured and I have found myself strongly rooting for her.  
• That leaves Jon and Ja'nel.  To be continued until next week.  We don't know who will join Mary in the final until then.  For me, it is a toss up.  Jon has been my favorite since week one, but he has seemed to plateau.  He did an awful job of running the pass when it was his turn.  With Ja'nel, I haven't liked her at all since week 1.  Her attitude has turned me off.  To be a leader, you still have to be part of a team, and she doesn't seem to want to work WITH people.  So, I believe it is a toss up on who will go against Mary, but I truly hope that Jon does.
• Master Chef - Wow.  I don't know where to go with this one.  At the start of the season, my one favorite chef was Krissi because she seemed so real.  And as a mom, I can relate for her wanting to win in order to provide a better life for her son.  However, you can win with grace and you can lose with grace, and she hasn't done either.  She has turned into a bully and bullies should never be rewarded.  I'm also not a fan of Natasha.  She just thinks she is this absolutely gorgeous creature who can also cook.  I do not think that either description applies to her.  Right now, I would place money on either Jordan, Eddie, or Bri to win it.  I think it would be terrific if Bri, the vegetarian, won it.  I always like pulling for the underdog.

Onto my thoughts on Project Runway.  Season 12 premiered tonight.  I haven't really had a chance to form opinions on the contestants.  No one really struck me as being a front runner in the first challenge.  In fact, there were several that I would not have minded at all if they had went home tonight.  I have, however, already formed an opinion of three that I do not like.

• Timothy Westbrook.  I understand wanting to be a designer that respects the environment.  However, there is a moment when you can take it too far.  Not allowing your model to wear makeup.  Not allowing her to have her hair done because the hairdresser uses electronics to style.  Not allowing her to have any product in her hair.  Sending her down the runway barefoot while you (yes, this is a male) is standing on the runway in 6 inch, gold glittery heels.  AND - and one of the judges pointed this out - using a lighter to burn parachute material to give it a certain look knowing that that fire and smoke send chemicals into the air.  Which is something you are standing there claiming to care about.  No, this designer, I do not like.
• Miranda Levy.  This girl is good, but she needs to obey the rules.  This was an unconventional materials challenge and she just thumbed her nose at the judges - and Tim - by doing it her way and not listening.  I think she should have been disqualified and sent home.  It was not fair to the other designers.
• Sandro Masmanidi - When your model is ashamed to walk down the runway because the outfit you have put her in is shorter than her vagina, you really have no place on this show.  The taste level is just not there.

I will reserve the right to name a favorite, for now.  I have not seen anything that has made me want to endorse any one competitor.  The season is still very young.

One last thing before I go .....  GO BRAVES !!!!!  I'm sure I will be blogging more and more about this team.  Win or lose, they are my favorite.  I don't jump on bandwagons, I support a team that I have always believed in.

Diabetic Neuropathy

I am sitting here listening to a soft, melodic tone.  I am exhausted.  Last night was one of the worst nights I have had in a VERY long time.

For me, the worst part of all of my health problems is the neuropathy.  When your muscles and joints ache, Tylenol or ibuprophen will usually do the trick.  When you are dealing with neuropathy, it is a whole new ball game.

I've had people ask me "what, exactly, is diabetic neuropathy and what does it feel like?"  Well, to answer the second part of that first.... it feels like a million fire ants crawling and stinging all over my legs, feet, and hands.  That is where I feel it most.  It is a burning, searing pain.  At times, it feels like electrical impulses shooting throughout my body.  As for what it is.... it took me a while to understand that. 

One of the major complications of having diabetes is neuropathy.  Doctors seem to think that it comes from having abnormally high blood sugars for an extended period of time.  As a result of the high blood sugar levels, the nerves in the body are damaged.  The damaged nerves can be painful.  In some people, the pain is very minimal.  In some cases it can be severe.  In my case, most days it is very severe.  On a pain scale of 1 to 10, like they ask you in hospitals and doctor's offices, mine was a 25 last night.  And this is coming from a woman, who at 19, had a baby the all natural way.  Of course, my neuropathy is compounded with my fibromyalgia - which is deep muscle and joint pain.  So, I am pretty much screwed.

My pain is usually worse at night.  When I lay down and try to relax and go to sleep, it becomes pretty intense.  In the past month, it seems to have gotten even worse.  In that time, I have probably had two decent nights sleep.  That is not a good thing.

I do not like to bitch and moan about my health problems.  I like to try to live with it and have a life.  However, every now and then, I just have to talk about it.  It is the only thing that keeps me sane at times.