blog on blogging

There are a few significant pros to blogging. For me it acts as a source in which I am free to journal on thoughts and ideas of any topic. Whether people read it it or not it gives me a place in which express my opinion and feelings. It can serve as a big outlet and an extra opportunity to write. Blogging gives me the ability to have a public voice and have my ideas read by other people that may be interested in the subjects that I address. Blogger gives me a connection to other online communities that share similar or differentiating thoughts and interests. Having a blog for school introduced me to a new dimension of making my voice heard. It's exciting to get an unexpected comment from a new person and see what they think about what I wrote.
The biggest con for blogging is having material available that accessible to the public. It gives me a sense of vulnerability that I am not very comfortable with. There is pressure on the writing and ideas that I present to be accurate. I don't want to sound misinformed on any issues that could be more controversial. It is hard for me to blog on demand. I feel stress expressing my opinions on specific topics and I have to be in the mood to write.

Technology

I wouldn't say that technology has transformed my life specifically in any way, but I certainly use many aspects of it in my daily life. I created a My Space page a very long time ago and wasn't motivated or intrigued by it enough to keep it up. I don't even remember the login or password. So I'm not a part of any online community. I use the internet almost everyday to check my e-mail. Usually they only relate to school, family, or bills. Now that I have to blog for school I certainly feel a sense of public voice, whether it is read or not, even though it makes me uncomfortably vulnerable. Sometimes I hope that someone will look over it, but overall it serves as a personal journal in which I express my ideas. I do not pay any bills other than online. I would say that this is the biggest way that I utilize computer technology, next to having a computer simply for essay writing.
At work I apply ultrasound treatments to many patients. This product of technology helps decrease inflammation and allows access to tissues via heat and sound waves. No it's not an ultrasound like they use to see babies in utero. ( everyone always asks where the picture is at). It is a simple but highly effective option for treatment for various indications.
Baby toys have certainly progressed over the years. My daughter has very high tech toys available for her age. Now technology is used to create books that sing and read themselves. Computer systems for toddlers that are extremely interactive that entertain while they teach. Basically technology has brought about more ways for children to independently learn while they are encouraged to physically interact with mentally stimulating toys.
These are the most predominant ways that technology is present in my life. The internet and computer are my means of paying bills and writing. The cool baby toys give me new ways in which to teach and interact with my daughter. Ultrasound machines at work allow me to provide pain relief and healing for my patients. Very important, but not necessary for the most part.

Winning the Lottery

If I won the lottery, the first thing I would do is buy a house for me and my daughter. To have a space of our own that is strictly ours would be a dream come true. I would be able to quit my job and continue with school and have the rest of my time to spend with the love of my life, my daughter. We're girls of course and girls love to shop, so we would defenitely have a big mother/ daughter shopping event. Winning the lottery would give me the time with my daughter that I always wished I could have. It would allow me to focus more of my attention and energy on being a better parent, because that it extremely important to me.
The second thing I would devote my winnings to would be my mom, dad and brothers.
My mom has Addisons disease. It is an autoimmune disease. Her adrenal glands are compromised and her health lies within the balance of stress and activity. She is a cardiac nurse at St Josephs Hospital and gives 150% to work each shift. As much as she loves her job I would give her enough money to quit. Then she would have the energy to participate and enjoy other aspects of life. She would not be run down from stressful days at work that make her disease worse and exacerbate physical pain. I would give my parents a vacation fund so that they could take as many trips to Monterey, CA as the please. This would make them very happy!
I would give my little brother enough money to get a place of his own and continue on his path to fame as a hip/hop artist. Money to help him support his only daughter and his dream.
I would buy my older brother the motorcycle of his choice and top DJ equipment to further his career. I would also pay for his tuition to attend MMI.
So ya, that's what I would spend my money on if I won the lottery. Hopefully it will be enough!!

2nd Lesson

I was privileged to have my second Feldenkrais lesson yesterday. After a grueling day of work it was refreshing to settle down into self-care activity and learning. This lesson focused on opposition of movement. We started with three different pilates excercises that were to be repeated again at the end in order to compare and contrast any changes we might experience. Revisiting the five lines was a much more vivid experience then the first time I attempted to connect them. This time my spine line was green and I found it very difficult to draw my arm and leg lines from distal to proximal. They just seemed to black out. It was much easier for me to visualize them extending from the center with energy flowing outwards. We only did the movements with the right side, so my left side seemed to sit in frustration for a little while until the connection was neurologically made as I began to revisit this second lesson in thought. The teacher focused on helping us learn how to move skeletally. Very different then the approach that is used for pilates or yoga. She said, "the bones move us, the muscles move the bones, and the brain is the computer that gives the commands. The biggest change that I noticed from last lesson was my ability to separate what I initially visualize a movement to be and how I actually carry it out. I wasn't stuck in the idea of restriction of certain movements. I was able to explore more possibilities for my own capacity of movement. We worked with moving our arm, leg, and neck in flexion both lying down and standing. It was amazing to see how it facilitated extension and affected my posture when resting my attention. I felt very relaxed and balanced. I always feel more thoracic mobility and awareness of breath. Can't wait for the next opportunity to learn more!!!

Vaccination

When I was about six months pregnant I was reading a magazine at work that had an article about the link between mercury and autism. It had never really crossed my mind that there was any danger in vaccinations. I simply knew that they were to given to help build immunities at certain times and ages. Many in a series that need to be given before children turn a specific age. I'm not the type to run out and vaccinate myself with a flu shot every year, but what about my baby? What were the risks behind vaccinating her as an infant. Vaccinations are a very controversial issue. Most parents follow the guidelines and most of the population is vaccinated. I have asked certain people about their thoughts on this issue and many say that it is doing a favor for the children that will be around your child and that it is a courtesy that should be reciprocated. I researched some of the conflicting issues surrounding vaccines. There have been instances in which vaccines such as the DpT presented with devastating effects or even death. In the 1980's vaccines were mixed with mercury and thimersol. Today they are still mixed with elements that can be extremely dangerous. Affects including increased respiratory distress for up to a week, screaming syndrome in which the child screams with a shrill shrieking due to immediate neurological damage, and also a link to SIDS. The government denies all claims linking vaccines to autism and death, but I had a first hand experience with a family affected by the Pertussis vaccine. I became very skeptical and scared about the idea of vaccinating my daughter, but I'm ok. My brothers are fine. So the benefits outweigh the risk right? That's what I was beginning to believe until one day I started to work with a client that was given a shot from a "hot " batch in the 1980's and has severe brain damage and has already had three eye surgery's. She will never be independent and able to function on her own. All of her symptoms presented immediately following her Pertussis vaccination. She was one of eleven baby's from the same clinic that were damaged and received a settlement from the government. I know this is decades later, but still an infant is given the same amount of vaccine that would be administered to a child that is four or five year old. There are studies that show that in Asia vaccinations are administered after two years of age. Instead of pumping babies full of vaccine and its potentially harmful base, they wait until they are old enough to intake the substances with better ability to process them through their systems. There still is no proof that some vaccines are even effective for protection after five to seven years. So why should I subject my daughter to the possibility of life changing damages inflicted by a simple vaccination. I have a doctor that fully supports my decision to wait and vaccinate her when she is older. Only the ones that will be absolutely neccessary. She is already past the age where some infections like whooping cough would be fatal. She is not in daycare and not exposed to many other children, so this makes it easier to uphold my decision. Many people scorn me for choosing to wait, but vacccines can and have been shown to be dangerous. I will use my own discretion over recommended guidlines to ensure my baby's safety and health as she grows. I encourage any new parent to get the facts before deciding to vaccinate or not vaccinate their child. There is a significant link between mercury and Autism. There is a risk for devastating adverse effects. Think about it, Hep B was introduced and encouraged to be administered when I was about 14 years old. Now it is recommended in a series of three within the first year. Hep B is not particular to infants in any way. My parents grew up without it, as did generations before. Unecessary I'd say. Just one of about ten to twelve vaccines that could be pumped into your child within the first year. The chances of injury could be one out of thousands, but I won't risk that possibly being my child. Vaccines are actually mandated in a few states and I hope that America never fully succumbs to that. It is an important topic that should not be ignored. The opinions are endless but there are stories that are real. They will leave you cringing at the idea of a baby throwing their head back immediately following injection and shrieking for hours. Death by SIDS within four hours and up to five days later due to respiratory distress and adverse reactions. Autism settling upon a once bouncing and bright six month old infant following their last injection of the DpT series. We do have a natural process in which we build immunities as a child. Since my daughter is bright and healthy, I choose to allow her to build immunities on her own and spare the risks of vaccines. There are doctors who support holistic health.

music appreciation

Growing up as a classical dancer, I was continuously exposed to many different composers and pieces of classical music. There was a live accompanist that played for each class. Each rehearsal echoed over and over the music whether classical or contemporary, the piece which I was to excute and interpret movement. Since I heard music for at least three hours everyday, I did not listen to anything outside of class and rehearsal time. Not even the radio on the drive to and from the studio. Needless to say at sixteen years old I was quite the music virgin when it came to rap/hip-hop, rock, punk, or any other type of music that was "in " at that time. Once I quit dancing I started to associate with many people of varying music preferences. I finally started to listen and appreciate other forms of music. I began to be exposed to artists like Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer of Tool and A Perfect Circle, as well as Trent Resner of NIN, and Dave Matthews Band. I found with each phase I experienced in my life I began to understand how different types of music related to different areas of my life and how they offered emotional support and inspiration in many ways. As relationships with people came and went so changed my exposure and taste for varying types of music. I was a big fan of Radiohead, Sublime, and Dave Matthews Band for a long time, and still to this day love to reminisce with my favorite songs from that point in my life. One friend of mine had a boyfriend that was a DJ. I had a up close and personal demonstration of how to mix vinyl on turntables. I was ecstatic. I had to learn how to DJ as I was drawn more and more towards the electronica/techno genre. I appreciated it for the skill and creativity that went into finding vinyl that expressed me as a person and organizing it into a clean and energetic set. Intimidating considering consistency was key, but with much practice I began to find my niche for spinning trance and break beats. I practiced just about everyday for three years as I evolved and developed my taste further for drum n bass, and jungle. Practice does make perfect. Alot of practice!! I found myself surrounded by many other Dj's that encouraged me to continue and were influential in helping me create my own style.
For me those are days are far gone. But my appreciation for music continues to grow.
My younger brother ( AKA GM) is a hip hop artist. He has been working on releasing his first mix tape and will have his first performance this Thursday night at the Brickhouse in Arvada. He is represented by 88 productions, which is led by his best friend from high school D'Andre the Nu Mixtape Messiah. Togther they have created amazing tracks. It is going to be an amazing performance. Before I listened to my brothers renditions of hip-hop, I was never much impressed by what I had heard on the radio. I liked a few of the "clubthumpers" but otherwise would prefer to listen to alternative music instead. I felt like when I listened to rap on the radio I was hearing the beat, missing the words. I just didn't seem to have the ear to catch anymore than the obvious words at the end of each rhyme. Not much of a listening experience for me. After hearing my brother's tracks, I became completely enthralled with his portrayal of that type of music. I was able to relate and understand the message he was conveying through each song. His pace and tone was the perfect speed for me to catch the words and excitedly sing along. Just from listening to his tracks it has opened me up to another dimension of what hip-hop can portray. Not just violence, veangence, money, weed, or gettin "bitches" at the club. There is hip-hop out there that expessses raw feelings and can be just as moving as other music I was listening to. I'm certainly a slacker when it comes to organizing my Ipod, but typically when I'm in the mood to listen to music I know exactly what I want to hear at that moment. Providing stress relief as well as mood enhancement, I have come to appreciate most types of music except country. My horizons have much expanded since my sweet sixteen( or maybe not so sweet), but having many people close to me involved in creating their own label and working their booty's off to get there has definitely furthered my appreciation and respect for many artists that before I would not haved payed much mind to.

Tone and voice

I read an essay that was written by a natural childbirth instructor. She brings up her own ambitions to follow in the traditions which she teaches to others for her own childbearing experience. She believes in natural birth without interference of doctors and medications, but an awe inspiring at home experience. Not to say that there is no unbearable pain involved, but that women are created with mental strength and physiological effects that allow women to cope with labor pains. She writes with an assertiveness that insists that women are not educated enough about the idea that childbirth is natural and that women are fully equipped to bring forth life in a completely natural way. There is alot of fear involved with the process of labor and some women are overtaken by it without proper education and understanding of how women's bodies are created to conceive without the help of outside forces. The author brings a tone of empowerment throughout the essay demanding respect for the women who have experienced childbirth or are presently pregnant. Her main points state that childbirth is not to be feared but to allow the body to enter the natural state of labor and trust innate instincts of mother and baby to rhythmically find their way through the process of childbirth. She states that women should have the freedom to choose when and where their comfort zone is for this process to take place. She expresses her beliefs on how natural childbirth brings connection to many generations of women who feel strongly about this issue. In the end the writer tells of her success in adhering to her belief in creating the experience that she so desired, and the determination that enabled her to beat the odds and give birth in the way she had planned. Strength and empowerment in voice as well as relatable thoughts and ideas are conveyed. http://thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=15236&themelist=birth&yval=0&start=0