The Social Media Pageant

I've tried to make it quite clear here, that although I have not competed recently, I am a pageant girl at heart.

I know there are several reasons that keep women (especially married adult women) from competing in pageants. But now there is a new pageant system that will overcome those excuses.

The Miss WWW America is a new online pageant, that will offer local, state and national level competition, all from the comfort of your armchair! No travel expenses. No swimsuit competition. No glitzy gown to purchase. The pageant's focus is social interaction, which is perfect for this techno-centered generation.

Details about this great new pageant system are being released almost daily through their Facebook and Twitter feeds.  More information is also available on their website.

You can also click on my special referral link to demand your state.

A slow leak

I had to take the car into the tire shop last week. For several months now, the drivers side rear tire has had a slow leak. Every couple of days, I was having to fill'er up  with hot air. Turns out I had a small screw stuck in the middle of the tread.

While I was sitting in the waiting area, staring down the soda pop vending machines, I had time to contemplate the previous day's bible study, Romans 6. 


Basically Paul is reminding us christians that we do not have an excuse to sin, simply because we have the grace of God. We are reminded that in baptism, we experience death and burial with Christ and rise again a new person. We become dead to sin and are now instruments of righteousness to God. We are taught, Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 


So clearly, these are life instructions. Pretty cool how that works. Hang on I have a point here, sin is like that stupid screw in my tire. When I have unrepentant sin in my life, it is allowing the air (my desire for a relationship with Christ) to slowly leak away. Without a personal relationship with my Savior, my life is not going anywhere, just like without air in my tire, my car is not going anywhere. 


You might be thinking at this point, "Judie, your like the nicest, sweetest person I know, there is no way you have a problem with sin." (or something like that) But the truth is I am human and I do struggle with sin, just like you. Gossip anyone? Half-truths, I tell em. I don't need to list all my transgressions here for them to be any less real.

Thankfully, I can take comfort in the knowledge that God's grace allows me to pray, repent and learn from my mistakes. Though we all struggle with sin, God does not condemn us when we are in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

Just like the tire shop patched my tire, God has patched my sinful nature.

Happy Barkday Sheila!

Ice Drama

My group lesson today was great, no one else showed up, so I had a private lesson without the private lesson price. 

Michael (my coach) and I worked on really leaning into my outside edge to clean up my forward crossovers. I will have to keep working at that during my practice ice time. 

I have no idea where this image came from, so if it is yours let me know. 

We worked on backwards crossovers, and lastly we began those dreaded 3-turns. 

3 Turn: A figure skating element, which involves a change in direction and a change in edge. 

Now, I know I am not the only adult skater, who's had trouble with these darn 3-turns. It's just that they are so important to moving on. They are essential to passing my adult pre-bronze moves in the field test. In fact they are a component of the test. Ugh, but I just cannot get them! My brain understands, but my body won't cooperate.

 

But, all this complaining is really just to point out how much FUN I am having.  I am enjoying my time on the ice and I am thrilled with how easily everything has come back to me. Once I master these 3-turns, there is only one element left to learn before I can test, which I'm so excited about. 

Invisible Illness Week

Diabetes is an illness that has no constant external symptoms; does that mean it's invisible?

in·vis·i·ble
~adjective

1. not visible; not perceptible by the eye
2. withdrawn from or out of sight; hidden
3. not perceptible or discernible by the mind
4. concealed from public knowledge

Is diabetes perceptible by the eye?
Yes, to the a keen eye (like that of a fellow PWD.) I often can spot an insulin pump or CGM from across the room and I know I am not the only one. So by that logic, yes diabetes is perceptible by the eye.

Is diabetes out of sight or hidden?
It can be, there are some people who are willing to display their diabetes for all the world to see, but there are others who prefer to keep their diabetes hidden away. I do not think keeping your diabetes completely hidden is ever a good idea and can be dangerous in the event of a hypoglycemic event, so that makes the answer to this question no diabetes is not hidden.

Is diabetes perceptible by the mind?
This one gets tricky. Yes diabetes is perceptible by the mind. How does the mother of a CWD know to check on their child in the middle of the night? Gut instinct AKA her mind.

Is diabetes concealed from public knowledge?
Diabetes is in the public eye now more than ever. It's on the news, in the papers and magazines, sneaking into sitcoms and TV drama's, heck even Oprah's talking about it. So, Yes the public is aware of diabetes.

Let's go to the Fair

The LA County Fair is happening right now! Mr. Harer got free tickets from a friend, so Thursday after work we went. This is what we saw

Baby Cow

Brand new baby goat. It was crying for it's Mama and she was bleating back. So cute!

This poor sheep was dejected because they sheared her wool.

This rude little donkey was never
taught not to stick his tongue out at
women.

This little lamb was my favorite baby animal in the nursery barn.
It was just so sweet cuddled up with it's mama. 

Such pretty horns.

Naughty little bunny

Le Grande Wheel

Budweiser Dalmatian

Dinnertime

Totally Bolus Worthy
Gingerbread Cake :)

How does your Garden Grow?

with silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row.

I've been reading Little Men. I don't know how I missed reading this Louisa May Alcott gem, when I was younger. So, in the second chapter, it is Sunday and Prof. Bhaer (Jo marries Prof. Bhaer and turns Plumfield into a school for boys, in Little Women remember?) is telling the boys an allegory. 

"Once upon a time, there was a great gardener who had the largest garden ever seen. He had many gardeners to help tend his garden, some did their duty and earned the rich wages he gave them; but others neglected their parts and let them run to waste, which displeased him very much. But, he was very patient, and for thousands and thousands of years he worked and waited for his great harvest..... One day, this great gardener gave a dozen or so of little plots to one of his servants and told him to do his best and see what he could raise. Now this servant was not rich, nor wise, nor very good, but he wanted to help because the gardener had been very kind to him in many ways. So he gladly took the little plots and fell to work. They were all sorts of shapes and sizes, and some had very good soil, some rather stony, and all of them needed much care for in the rich soil the weeds grew fast, and in the poor soil there were many stones."

The boys quickly discover Prof. Bhaer is the gardner and they are the plots. Thus begins a discussion about what "crops" each of them should sow, that they might get a good harvest from their efforts. The boys, being well education in spiritual "crops" begin to list: patience, perseverance, steadiness, good temper, wisdom, and generosity. 

Galations 6:8 - [...] A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Which got me thinking; am I tending my spiritual garden well? What crops should I be sowing? 

Dog Blog Day!

Sheila's Summer Photoshoot

Picnic Puppy

The catwalk

Peeping Tom?

A Diabetes Meme

I've been a bad blogger again, it has been forever and a day since my last post. I have excuses, but I will spare you all the drama.


Kerri posted this Meme on her blog today and it inspired me to join in. Ya'll know how much I love meme's and this one is right up my alley!


What type of diabetes do you have: Type 1 

When were you diagnosed:  October 29th 1985 (this year will be my Silver Anniversary with the D) 

What's your current blood sugar:  Ugh let me go test since the sensor transmitter is LOST. Yikes 208! but I have 4u IOB (translation for my non-d peeps: 4 units of "insulin on board", still active in my system.) and I am about 1hr 15 min post-prandial. 

What kind of meter do you use:  Pink One Touch Mini, it has to be pink!

How many times a day do you test your blood sugar:  8-10 on a normal day. 

What's a "high" number for you:  Anything over 150 mg/dl, although technically my pump it set to treat anything over 120, because someone's endo is CRAZY. 

What's do you consider "low":  Anything under 60 mg/dl.  

What's your favorite low blood sugar reaction treater:  Depends, but there are 3 usual suspects; Naked Orange juice, Hi-Chews and ShotBloks. I have glucose tabs, but I try to avoid actually eating them.

Describe your dream endo:  Dr. Scott Lee. Truly, my endo is great. Best I've ever had.  and my CDE isn't bad either. 

Dr. Lee

What's your biggest diabetes achievement:  Living with it 25 years, complication free. 

What's your biggest diabetes-related fear:  Kidney failure. 

Who's on your support team: Gerry, Bunny, Scott & Joe (if you don't know them, don't ask), and Grandparent's Lansdell. 

Do you think there will be a cure in your lifetime: I keep hoping. There is some promising research out there and I am 100% certain there will be an artificial pancreas in the near future. I know it's not a cure, but it's so close. 

What is a "cure" to you:  A cure means I would not have diabetes any longer. My body would produce it's own insulin and regulate it's own blood sugars.

The most annoying thing people say to you about your diabetes is:  There is a lot that people say to me that annoys me. Mostly I hate having to explain myself to people who aren't really interested. 

What is the most common misconception about diabetes:  That it's curable and since I still have it, I must be lazy.  

If you could say one thing to your pancreas, what would it be:  What kind of question is this? What makes you think I'd talk to that lazy organ? I am giving her the cold shoulder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'd like to add a few additional questions to this meme, so here they are;


Do you name your diabetes management devices? No, but maybe I should because then I could call them by name when there are lost, like the darn transmitter is. 

Favorite Diet Soda? Diet Code Red Mt. Dew 

Diagnosis Blood Sugar? over 1000 mg/dl


and lastly Diabetic Crush? I am not sure I have a diabetic crush, at least not in the traditional sense of having a crush. Charlie Kimball is cute though :)