sitting in the lunch area today i overheard people chatting about politics...
i guess that's not an unusual thing for most work places--but in a laboratory, the conversation generally revolves around the latest thing in science and how it applies to the research we are currently doing. talk of other things such as religion and politics are generally restricted to those issues that directly apply to science.
what, you might ask, would be the cause of such a long, lengthy discussion?? well, of course it's the right to die case that has inflamed the nation in the last few weeks. i suppose you could make a case that since our lab is medically minded that this is a natural thing for us to discuss, but honestly it has outlasted the normal 20 min conversation that most other topics stay confined to. no, i have definitely heard this case talked about for close to a month now...and by more than just a couple people in the lab...
now, i'm not here to tell people what they should believe. of course i have my opinions on the matter. (if you're interested in discussing, feel free to ask). at the forefront of my thinking is that this is a tragedy that has placed doctors, family members, and court officials in a very tough position. no matter what someone's standpoint on this issue might be, you must admit that it is a tough decision to make--especially if you're as emotionally involved as the parents/husband are.
onto other things....
it is a disgusting, rainy day here in st. louis...the kind of day that makes me want to take off work, run home, curl up on the couch and read a book. of course i would also have to be covered in a warm, wooly blanket. (i seem to suffer from "always cold" syndrome.) tonight i need to get back on the work-out wagon. i have slacked a bit in the last few weeks.
my hopeful routine is as follows:
mon - 45 min cardio
tues - 30 min cardio + weights (triceps, chest)
wed - 30 min cardio + weights (back, biceps)
thurs - 30 min cardio + weights (leg burnout)
fri - 45 min cardio
sat/sun - 1-2 hrs weekend activity (biking, hiking)
i would love to keep that routine, although it sounds a bit daunting. here and now i'm pledging to finally lose that 40 lbs i've been saying i will. i have lost 4 of it...now to knock the rest...
my other goal of late is to kick the spending habit i've gotten myself into...yes, we all know the dangers of credit, so i'm trying to pull out before it consumes my life completely. this past weekend i shredded all but a couple of my cards. i plan to get rid of them ASAP, but still need them for emergency reasons since i don't have the kind of savings cushion i would want for myself...
anyone with fitness (health and spending) tidbits, please post!! :)
cheers!!
2 comments:
I'll weigh in on this debate. I've been debating this little jewel with a friend of mine as of late. He does not agree with me on the subject and vehemently says that Terri should be kept alive for as long as possible even if there less than the smallest possibility that she is in some way “alive”. I’m off the opposite persuasion.
First off, I ask. Who here wants to live in a vegetative state? I bet most of the people who are protesting this act probably don’t. As a matter of fact, several of the people interviewed on TV had stated as much. I therefore submit the question, “Why do you, hypocritically, feel that Terri should be kept alive if you would prefer to die?”
So, you ask, “why do I want Terri to die?” While my opinion on this matter differs from that of most of my conservative brethren, I say let her die because she’s earned it. She lived her life on this world and I feel that there are far better things waiting for her in a completely different realm. Far better things than what she will experience now in a shell of a body that can no longer function. Let her soul move on to what awaits her.
Finally, let the media and the imperial federal government move on. These decisions take place all the time across our country. To be, or not to be; that is the question that countless legal guardians have had to decide. Why should the federal government wield its almighty sword to help decide? Florida decided the matter. According to the law, it’s over.
In two months will we still care? Her body will either be taking the celestial dirt nap as it supposed to, or, she will still be, for lack of a better word, “living”. Once the proverbial smoke has cleared we will all return to our normal routines. The media will find something else to latch on to and beat to death. The federal government might actually do it’s job (ok, I know that’s a stretch) and govern. In the end, Terri will be a footnote in the government grandstanding playbook.
My final thoughts … Have you seen your paycheck recently? Is this the government you want making a life or death decision for you? Or, would you rather this decision be made by someone close to you? If you prefer the latter, then I advise a living will be drawn immediately, a medical proxy appointed, and make sure your family knows your wishes. Otherwise, the same government that now attempts on a daily basis to dictate how you live your life, will be dictating whether your live or die.
...and bringing it to a religious point...
...i believe her spirit was gone a long time ago...at peace with God.
my conservative, preacher father agrees...and that's good enough for me.
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