Time for a hot topic. Vaccination.
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/should-pediatricians-refuse-to-treat-unvaccinated-109319552502.html
This article kind of puts me on the side of the anti-vaccers, at least enough that I want to defend the stance slightly. This is the part that forces me to make "that face" at the argument to vaccinate: "In the meantime, you have unvaccinated children sitting in waiting rooms who pose a threat to other patients and the staff." Wait a second, I thought the kid who is at risk is the one who is UNvaccinated, right? Ya'll got your vaccines, you're suppose to be protected - how the hell is the unvaccinated kid a threat to you with your built up immunity? Oh, right - because VACCINES DON'T WORK.

Further, the doctors offices who are refusing to treat patients who are unvaccinated ... shame on you. What happened to do no harm? Sorry, no treatment for your flu because you didn't allow me to shoot you full of a mystery cocktail. At a minimum, you need to see the appointment with these patients (or parents of these children) as an opportunity to state the case you want to stand to vehemently behind.

To be clear, I don't know what I'd do if I had a kid, but I'd certainly be researching things and making aware decisions on vaccines rather than allowing doctors to just stick the living hell out of them w/all kinds of things.

Take for example the flu vaccine. Do I get it? I have some years and others not. Why? Because they aren't always effective and in some ways they scare me. Last year I did not get vaccinated because I could not locate a thimerosal free vaccine. Why are you adding all of this extra crap that doesn't need to be there? If you don't want a pregnant woman to have it - I don't want it. It's MERCURY for goodness sake. Now, if I don't get the vaccine and I get the flu, who do I blame? Me. If I got the vaccine, who do I blame? I dunno, but I want my money back for the vaccine, and it certainly isn't the other person who didn't get the flu vaccine I blame for me getting sick.

Let's look at the HPV vaccine from a few years ago. I was NOT happy that this was being forced on my teenage niece in the state she lived. I do think that some things are money-makers, not health-makers. I do worry about repercussions. I do wonder how much people will swallow, will a time come when we're told we need to all take this shot because our government said so?

I just feel lonely today.  I was suppose to visit my favorite Egg this weekend, but the 4 inches of snow Friday night and the prospect of more snow through the weekend kept me here.  Of course, the roads cleared quickly Saturday morning and nothing else fell, so I am extra disappointed that I didn't go.  I worry that he's pissed at me for being a chicken too as he's had little to say to me.  Of course, he's not the most talkative to begin with, so maybe I'm just embellishing in my mind.

I'm still fighting to find the motivation to work out.  It's not been happening regularly, and I know it needs to both to take more weight off (actually, to prevent regaining weight) and to be in a better mood.

Don't misconstrue this post and think I'm sitting around being sad.  I'm not.  This is just a compilation of things/moments I've had in the past two weeks.  If your parents are still around, I bet you haven't ever given some of this stuff a thought, so take a moment and consider it.

Dumb stuff that sucks after your parent (especially your last remaining parent) dies...
Seeing the "Mother" section on the Valentine's Day cards when you stop to buy one for your honey.
Knowing that Mother's Day is REALLY going to suck this year, but for a different reason than normal.
Your dogs giving you the sniff over after you come home from "Grammy's" house.
Knowing that you'll soon be saying goodbye to your childhood home.
Realizing that someone else will have the telephone number.
Knowing if you find Mr. Right neither of them will be there when the big day comes.
Filling out paperwork for a doctor's office visit and not knowing who/what to write in the "In Case of Emergency" line.
Knowing you need to update your will, but not knowing who you want to burden w/ being an executor.

Today I am going to write about treasure, more specifically, the treasure we've been finding at the house. No we're not finding gold bullion or anything, but it's treasure to me.

A while back I had asked my Mother about a wooden plaque that had hung in the dining room for years. It had a painted gold railroad spike on it and it commemorated my father's time with Conrail. "Meh, that was junk." she said. I said "yeah, but I want it, what did you do with it." At first she thought she gave it to my one Uncle who has a penchant for railroad things. I asked them and they said they knew nothing about it. Thus, Mom said she probably threw it out. I've been bummed about this for a couple of years now. Guess what we found late in the day Sunday in a nook that we thought "let's take a peek here"?

During this little sort through session we also found my veil from first communion, a thick lock of my toddler hair (shockingly light color on the ends), my baptismal outfit, and a book from when I was a baby that my sister had filled in my first smile and other details in.

I had told her not to toss my old Cabbage Patch dolls and Barbies that were in the attic that I'd eventually get them out of there. Sure enough she listened, but in there we also found a pillow I made in 7th grade Home Ec class.

...and the photos! We've found more photos here and there, including some that have all three, my Dad, my Mom, and I in them - a very rare find.

She was also a woman who saved the cards that people sent her. As a result, I have a large stack of cards that I sent to her for Christmases, Mother's days, birthdays, Easters, Valentine's days, etc back in my possession.

The best part is probably the laughs you find along the way when uncovering things with your sibling.

Like I said - treasure. I'm grateful that while my Mother had been clearing things out for years, I am more thankful that she left hidden treasure for us to find.

I got to have a couple of those coconut joys today when I headed in.  They are pretty darn good, I'll give her that.  I headed home with a Durango full, mostly full of garbage and recyclables as to avoid having an obvious pile drawing attention.  I am just as guilty as my Mother for keeping old cool whip or ricotta cheese containers and using them for leftovers instead of my tupperware, but the woman put me to shaaaame on her stockpile of such containers.

The weather made an attempt to be ugly earlier - a bit of sleet on my way home and threats of some snow.  Nothing out there just yet, but I wonder what I'll wake to in the morning.  I would whine about having a 5 day work week in front of me, but the last time I did that, well, it resulted in two shortened work weeks that have me still half exhausted.  Be careful what you wish for, right?

Now, it's time to get back into my routine.  I can't bear the thought of the elliptical, but I am going to force myself onto the treadmill.  It's a step.

This right here is ridiculous.
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/parents-under-investigation-for-neglect-after-108180228512.html

Dear Nanny State,
Take the money you are wasting to harassing parents who are clearly NOT neglecting or abusing their children and put it towards eliminating the criminal elements that you are SOOOO concerned about these children running afoul of. Children should be able to play in their neighborhoods and walk a couple of blocks to the park/school/a friend's house without your involvement or intercession. How dare you terrify the children with all of those police cars and questioning like their parents were criminals.

While we're on the topic: School bus drivers should not have to see a parent waiting for the child before they allow them off of the bus. It is not your job to decide if the 12 year old is responsible enough to have a key to leave themselves into the house for an hour before their parents return from work. Work - you know, that place where people have to go as to not be on FOOD STAMPS, WELFARE, and other bullshit government programs milking off of those of us who DO work.

Happy 83rd birthday to my Mom! Your favorite, coconut joys, arrived at the house yesterday. I'm afraid my sister will share them with people however, rather than stashing them away on top of the fridge like you would have.

Now on to my normal commentaries...
Man "falls" overboard from Oasis and is rescued by a Disney ship. HE DIDN'T FALL. Not unless he's like 7 foot tall would he be top heavy enough to topple those railings. Or, maybe he was acting a fool climbing between balconies or hanging out over. Either way, dear news media, you sound stupid.

This is going to be like removing a duct tape band aid.  I'm going to do it quickly and it's probably going to seem quite painful, because I need to just put it out there.

My Mother passed away on the 7th.  As you can imagine, the past few days have been busy, with a lot less sleep than normal, and in a bit of a haze.  We are sad, we will miss her, but I also know how much of a blessing it is that I can say both of my parents went unexpectedly.

She was 82, so really is there such thing as unexpected or surprise?  Yes.  Mom had COPD, a progressive lung problem that put her into periods of sickness that made her so weak and so not herself.  She was feeling quite well recently:  visiting with her sisters and cooking for them, going to church, and even calling to give me a little shit on the phone (that's how we REALLY know she was feeling well).  She was at home:  she wouldn't even consider moving to something smaller or more accommodating for her lung issues (no stairs/bathroom on main floor) and while she had had a couple of visits to the hospital due to the aforementioned COPD in recent years, she wasn't there recently.  She passed in her own bed.  It appears maybe she got up in the morning and returned to bed not feeling great - which happened sometimes with her lungs - and she passed there in her bed.  Amen.

We had her viewing at Stevens Mortuary.  I am overwhelmed with the number of friends from work and even from high school that stopped, the number of cousins who expressed their adoration for my Mom and the special things she did for them, and how smoothly things went - even the weather didn't get too much in the way.  After the service at her parish (Our lady of Fatima) we took her to the cemetery where she will be joining my Father.  There are so many people we've lost that I'm sure were there to welcome her.

There are many difficult things ahead.  Some big like selling my childhood home, some that seem silly like knowing someone else will someday have her (our) telephone number.  My sister and I will get through them slowly as we need to leaning on one another.  I am also blessed to have my Favorite Egg to lean on right now.  In the mean time, thank you everyone who has expressed their love - for all that you've already done and for the things you will do to help us moving forward.

Back to work after a month of vacations, short work weeks, spending time with family and my honey is nothing shy of the pits.  If only you could truly plan (and somehow follow through with) winning the lottery.  A nice situation where I only need to work 2 or 3 days a week, yeah, that would be good.

I neglected to report that I did get to introduce my favorite Egg to the Laws this past weekend.  They're important people with whom I have quite the history and it was probably more important to me than getting him to meet Aunts and Uncles.

The weather has taken a nose dive again.  I know it's winter and bound to happen but it is a reminder that planning for the next get together with my Egg might be a challenge.  All I can tell myself is 2 more months and we'll be getting to nicer weather on a more regular basis.  I can make 2 months, right?

I'm behind on posting my "wrap up the year" post, but I've been busy and focused on company, so do forgive.  2014 has been a heck of a year.  I've been happier this past year than I've been in a long time.  Maybe I've just had enough good things happen in my world to heal some old wounds.

Let's see, where to start with the items of note in my world?  In 2014...
- I've continued working with the church youth group and they've truly moved me.  To be missed by teenagers!  They're fantastic young adults and I enjoy my time with them.
- Much like last year, I only had one 'first date' - but it's become something so much more.  It has transformed a long time friend, someone I've known for a long time to be a good guy, into my guy.  This is good, this is very good.
- Worthy of its own bullet but closely tied to the previous one - I've met parents that seem to truly like me.  It doesn't feel like walking on egg shells, they seem to just care if their son is happy and that I'm making an attempt to make/keep him happy and not about their own agenda.  THIS is distinctly different from others in the past.  It seems so foreign and odd, but I could definitely get use to it.
- I was fortunate enough to travel on Allure, Vision, and Quantum of the seas.  The first being the newest ship in the fleet prior to Quantum being delivered and our make up cruise for the fire sailing last year.  The second being the place where friendships changed for the better.  The last being a brand new ship, on which I was on like her 5th sailing.  I also crossed the 200 point mark with Crown and Anchor on my last night onboard!
- My dear friend Beff also found a guy who is treating her well and shows true potential.  It's twice as amazing to be blessed with love at the same time one of your best friends finds the same.
- Vixen turned 15 and looks on point to make it to 16!
- The mortgage?  She'd done.  While it's only been a couple of months, this has allowed me to start putting more away for rainy days.
- I took off 20 lbs this year (it's only one size, but it's a good thing).  There was a lot of hard work behind this, but again, I had some amazing motivation to do so.  I feel a lot better, that's for sure.
- I finished that 5k that I wanted to do before I turned 40.

What do I need to change in my world for 2015?
- I need to find a way to grow my skills again.  Someday I'll need to change jobs and what I've been doing will not help ensure my success there.
- I need to keep working on the weight and diet but moreso to make a permanent change, so I don't allow myself to fluctuate drastically upwards again.
- I need to eliminate irrational fears.  The sins of the (people of the) past do not apply to those in my present and I refuse to allow them to ruin any more of my days than they already did.  This is an evolution and a process, one that can never be contained by one time frame.
- I guess I'm going to need to come to terms with hitting a milestone birthday.  I know I won't be thrilled about it, but at this point I suspect I'll take it better than I did 30.