Dc Dollars(at play)

As anyone who lives or works in the DC area must know..the week of Jan.20 is crazy. Every four years, the party faithful besiege the South Lawn to witness their man take the oath of office. And this year, you can bet that it will be much more insane as the Democrats hasn't had a chance to party hardy since 1996. (Bill Clinton) The throngs of loyal Obama-ites that will spend any amount of money for this most momentous occasion is great. I didn't believe it till I saw it, but the instant it became clear who the next president would be hotel prices went berserk. According to the paper, a stay at a Motel 8 will cost you $600 that night.A guy on Craigslist rented his house out for $5,000 that week, and most others are in the $1,500+ range. I am slightly envious that we don't live closer to DC and can't do the same. Although I neither wish to attend or watch it on tv, that's a business proposition that is pretty sweet. Supposedly one can ask their CongressPerson for tickets, although they won't be giving them out till Nov.17. Yes, I'm a cold hard calculating Republican who has no scruples about what I'd do with those tickets, if I managed to get some.(but you didn't read it on this blog)

Marylanders are in kind of a bind right now-Frank Kratovil and Andy Harris are still duking it out for a Congressional seat and it won't be known who has it till they count all those absentee ballots. (not cool, I want my good or bad news right now)

Anyway, the point is, Inaugural Week is not about the poor and underprivileged at all, it is nothing but a massive show of money. (on both sides of the aisle) It's like the biggest waste ever, George Washington wouldn't be doing something like this. Not that I think they shouldn't celebrate but they do it in overkill. My word, we're going to be paying for enough fillet mignon dinners for the next four years as it is. We treat our presidents like kings.

Choices & Craigslist

Well, I did it, I sold something on Craigslist. It is a whole other game from Ebay, because you have to go out and MEET the person somewhere. You don't know if they're a mass murderer or what. I wish I knew karate, or something.(if I'm going to be doing this on a regular basis)MD is one of those "May (not) Issue" concealed weapon permit states, vs VA(one of those "Shall Issue to every Joe Blow under the Sun" states). Fortuantly, the person didn't do any of that, but it was a very anxious half hour. A gun,(in the vehicle) would give me so much more presence of mind.(I'm a
5"2 petite gal, do you blame me? it wouldn't take much to do me in) Met in a very public place(to attempt to be as safe as possible).

The recent news RE immunosuppressive free transplantees is extremely interesting to me. For many people with diabetes, this could be BIG. (if they could get it to work with the pancreas/islets)Knock off the nasty drugs, and wouldn't a transplant do more good then harm? Obviously, so people have transplants and have nothing but problems(from acne to Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome)but most people do pretty well. Why they can't predict any of this is frustrating. This is the 21st century, The Golden Age of DNA Research- and the secret of the cell lies just as locked as its ever been. Why they can't they run a test and tell you what kind of drug you need(based on how your DNA is) instead of trying them all out.

Personally, I have no problems with people getting pancreas + islets transplants. More power to them, they know what they're getting into(and what they're trying to leave behind) They've lived a life of diabetes, and are exhausted by it(body and soul)The chance to start clean is either necessary(for survival)or very much longed for. They're not "failures" or "weak." Alot of people with diabetes seem to have this idea that a transplant is a copout,(some of those people could really use a transplant themselves, have horrible hypo unawareness) but man, these people are just trying to make it. If I were in that situation(kidney failure, retinopathy, severe hypo unawareness with no CGMS, other complications) you'd better believe I'd want a transplant. There is a limit to my macho-ness(see below!)
KF=need for immuno drugs anyway,retinopathy= going blind(high probability + I do not handle blindness well), and hypo unaware=gambling with your life on a regular basis.
Right now I am blessed to be in (relatively) good health but the day may come that I go down that road myself, and its not as scary to me as the never ending list of things that diabetes can do to one.

Some Snowy Day Humor

posted on Craigslist:
(1/17/08)

Snow removal for as low as $25

another posting:(a short time later)

Come on over you can have all the snow you want for free, don't even have to pay me the $25.

(I'll wait for the snowplows,thanks)

recent keyword activity:

-antismoling(word of the day)
I think they meant anti smoking...
because that's where they ended up!
Kinda cool word though, if it ever made it into existence. What would it mean, being against using smoke to drive out moles in the ground?