DANCE

Writer's Block: Two words: Charlie Brown

lowiness — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 03:42:38 GMT

Hmm... well there is of course the Macy's Thanksgivings Day Parade, but I haven't watched it in years. It's more of just knowing it's there. BUT for my husband Thanksgiving means Family Man. He LOVES that movie and will watch it about 20 times at least between Thanksgiving and New Years. But he won't watch it UNTIL Thanksgiving because it's a special way for him to kick off the season.

EVERY CHILD DESERVES BATMAN.

lowiness — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 02:26:48 GMT

Originally posted by paintyourlunch at EVERY CHILD DESERVES BATMAN.

Epic painting coming soon - in the meantime OMG read this please!

A friend is looking to donate his vast comic collection to a worthy children's organization.
He doesn't have it in his heart to sell them, and he'd much rather some sick or at risk kids get to read and enjoy them instead of having them collect dust in his storage locker.

Because (and here I quote) EVERY CHILD DESERVES BATMAN.

Anyone know of any charities/efforts he could send it to, or anyone else who would know?
Do feel free to boost this ~~bat~~ signal!* XD

(*Dear god I'm a geek.)

Roamans

lowiness — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:30:53 GMT

Does anyone here order from Roamans? They sent me a $20 gift certificate for a problem I had with them. And now I'd like to sell that $20 certificate for only $10!!! Yes, that's right! You get $20 HALF OFF!

Seriously though... anyone want to buy a $20 Roamans gift certificate for $10? I desperately need my World of Warcraft back and $10 would help. ;) It has a certificate # so it can be used online so you don't even have to wait for me to mail it to you!

Wishlist

lowiness — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:14:37 GMT

Dear Universe,

I would love to have these things on my wishlist. :) Thanks!

My Wishlist!

lowiness — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:00:33 GMT

Win a pettiskirt thanks to @shopadorabelle – www.shopadorabelle.com over at www.modernmagical.com by @HeatherL – Pettiskirts are magical!

Blogging for Bling

lowiness — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:13:54 GMT

I just saw another LJ post about a site called ChunkyBling.com. One of their specialties are interchangable beaded watches which are pretty cool. But their other stuff is awesome too! Other chunky jewelry like Swarovski crystal and pearl rings, and interchangeable charm necklaces. Their stuff is really really awesome and priced quite nicely too. They even have an option to host an online jewelry party with your friends and earn some free stuff. Definitely need to go check them out. Right now. Go go go! You know you want to buy some incredibly cute jewelry! The hottest styles for the season too. In fact, buy some for me too! ;) I sure wouldn't turn down a gift of a Swarovski crystal ring.

lowiness — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:21:48 GMT

This was sent to me in an email. I normally don't read email forwards, but something called to me from this one. Since I know most people are like me though and don't read forwarded emails, I figured I would just post it here. PLEASE read it. It might just change your day!

Happy New Year, my dear friends!! ♥

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally behaviour that was going on. So He called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time.

When the angel returned, he told God, 'Yes, it is bad on Earth;
95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not.

God thought for a moment and said, 'Maybe I had better send down
a second angel to get another opinion.'

So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time.

When the angel returned he went to God and said, 'Yes, it's true.
The Earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good.'

God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% that were good,
because he wanted to encourage them, and give them a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what the e-mail said?

Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.

lowiness — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:01:35 GMT

I've been in love with the HP Touchsmart computer ever since I first saw one. Seriously an awesome computer. And there is now a chance to win one.

http://mckgiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/12/hp-touchsmart-giveaway.html

But please, no one else needs to enter. So just stop, mmmkay? ;)

lowiness — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:49:13 GMT

I'm worried my marriage is ending.

I love Richard. So so much. And he says he loves me. But we're always so stressed and on edge. Seems like we're always angry at each other. And I don't even always know why.

I know some of it of course.

Money.
We're so freakin' broke and it's not looking like it's going to get better. He thinks I need a job. I think we can't afford it. But we also can't afford how things are right now. We can't pay rent. We don't have gas on so we don't even have an over. We've been using an electric skillet and microwave. When we need something made in an oven we have to take it to IL's and MIL makes it for us. I'm so sick of it. But we can't afford to get the gas turned back on. No, not even with LEAP.

If I go back to work and get a full time job paying $10hr, I will probably bring home about $350 a week. But both Kayden and Izzy will need to be in daycare full time since MIL is taking care of FIL (going through round 2 of chemo). That's $260 a week. Okay, so that knocks me down to bringing home $90 a week. But then I'll also need to get clothes to wear for work since I have nothing that would work. And the extra driving on the car. Plus take something for lunch. Right now I get through the day with no lunch. But if I work I'm going to NEED food. So that's 5 extra meals a week.

Oh, and that would bring our income up high enough to where the kids would be kicked off medicaid (and possibly too high for CHP+ too). So now we'd have to pay out of pocket for Ayla's therapy and meds (when she gets on them). What if Izzy or Kayden get sick again and have to go to the doctor? Oh, but my job might have insurance. That would help with medical expenses, but would lower what I would *make* each week. So then I might bring home about $60 a week, if I'm lucky. And if the kids do get sick they won't be able to go to daycare, so either Richard or I would have to take a day off to stay with them. Which lowers our income even more.

And let's not forget the non-financial impact. My mental health. When I think about having to go back to work. Dealing with people I don't know on a daily basis. Well, hello panic attack. I even have a horrible headache now just from thinking about it. But mental health isn't *real* apparently. People need to *get over it*. Yeah, my mental health doesn't matter to Richard. He can deal with work, so I should too.

And that's all if I'm able to find a job paying $10hr. If I find something paying less then, well, we'd be PAYING for me to work. But Richard doesn't look at all those little pieces. He just sees the fact that we have *more month than money* right now. And we do. But sending me back to work isn't going to help that. :( But until I agree to do it anyway, he's angry. Angry angry angry. Always angry.

Ayla.
Ayla is a HUGE problem for us. Most of it comes back to mental health issues and the fact that to Richard they aren't *real* apparently. In his mind Ayla is just being manipulative. He doesn't believe she's bipolar (or anything). He doesn't think medication will help her. He doesn't think therapy will help her. He thinks I'm not strict enough with her. He thinks I'm a pushover. Basically he seems to think she's a horrible kid, and that I'm a horrible mom. If I don't handle things EXACTLY how he thinks they should be handled then I'm doing it wrong. But of course I don't think things need to be handled the same way he thinks because he doesn't believe she has any mental health issues, so he acts like she just a kid who is defiant and manipulative and rude. If that was all she was then I'd probably agree with his ways more, but that's NOT the issue.

Gah. I'm not explaining this very well.

It comes down to an all or nothing attitude. Either I do everything the way he thinks I should with Ayla, or he wants nothing to do with anything regarding her.

For example, I pulled her from school today. She's having troubles in school again. Grades dropped horribly, troubles with some kids, etc. She wasn't doing well at all. I think homeschooling (as best I can) and focusing on getting her stabilized is the best idea. We need to work on therapy. But Richard thinks that teaching her to run away from her problems and letting her get away with crap. So now he's acting like a total shit. Withdrawn, sullen, grumpy. I hate it. :(

I can't please everyone. Heck, I can't seem to please ANYONE. If I do what I think is right for Ayla, it pisses off Richard. If I do what he thinks is right then it hurts Ayla. And Richard is still pissy because Ayla gets worse. And forget taking care of what *I* need. I'm caught in the middle.

Oh, and have I mentioned that Richard and I haven't had sex since before Izzy was born. Yeah. He *says* he still finds me attractive. But he doesn't show it AT ALL. And sure, I know we're scared of another *oops*, but dang it. He agreed to get a V, but he won't call and make an appointment to find out info on it. Makes me think he just wants to keep the excuse of being afraid of getting me pregnant again. Because if he GOT the V he wouldn't have that excuse and he'd have to own up to not getting turned on by me anymore. Ya know?

So yeah, I'm left feeling like my marriage is over. I love him. More than I've ever loved anyone. And *I* will never leave. But I keep expecting the conversation to come at any point. I keep expecting the words "I want a divorce" to come out of his mouth. And I don't know how I'll handle it. I wish we could go to marriage counseling. But we can't afford it, and he doesn't believe in therapy. So yeah. Instead I'll just cry myself into a fitful sleep alone every night.

meme

lowiness — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:03:03 GMT

01. Anyone who looks at this entry has to post this meme and their current wallpaper on their livejournal.

02. Explain in five sentences why you're using that wallpaper!
1.) How am I supposed to explain it in 5 sentences? 2.) Why 5? 3.) Okay, I guess I'll try. 4.) She's from Seto No Hanayome. 5.) I love the picture.

03. Don't change your wallpaper before doing this! The point is to see what you had on!

I didn't change it. I promise.

Free Rosetta Stone!

lowiness — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:49:25 GMT

Rosetta Stone is the fastest way to learn a language and has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while — and you can WIN the *all new* version 3 Rosetta Stone Homeschool LATIN program… FOR FREE! This is the first year you can get Latin in the brand new Version III update.

This is a $259 program (and believe me it’s worth every penny!)
This is a computer based curriculum and Rosetta Stone will also include a headset with microphone, and a supplementary “Audio Companion” CD so you can practice lessons in the car, on the go, or where-ever! Students participate in life-like conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone incorporates listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and writing along with speaking and pronunciation lessons. For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program to allow parents to easily enroll up to ten students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, grade completed work (the program grades the work automatically as the students progress- I love that!), and you can view and print reports for transcripts. Homeschooling a lot of kids at your house? This program is designed to enroll and track up to ten students (five users on two computers) and will work for nearly all ages — from beginning readers up to college students.

To win this most excellent Latin program copy these paragraphs and post them in (or as) your next blog post, and/OR link to the contest from your facebook page and/OR email the information to your homeschool support group – Then go to the original page http://Jeneralities.com and leave a comment saying that you’ve posted about, or have linked to, the contest. Please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post. And good luck!

lowiness — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:28:07 GMT

Consumer Reports about Maternity Care

You're so brave!

lowiness — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:44:51 GMT

When hearing the news that I had my last baby at home and am planning to have this one at home as well, the first response from most people is, "You're so brave."

This has to be one of the most irritating things that people say to homebirthers. The implication is that birth is dangerous and that we are willing to take on a tremendous risk to do it anywhere but a hospital. It negates the research and planning that we've done to come to this decision. It makes the choice about balls, not brains. After all, homebirth is "dangerous." Hospital birth is "safe." Therefor, it must be bravado alone that would lead a woman to choosing such an option. Right?

In 2003, over 20% of women had their labors induced, with a rate closer to 40% in many hospitals, while that rate should not exceed 10% (and has remained at 10% in most industrialized nations). Inductions are approximately 5 times more likely among planned hospital births than planned homebirths. An 1999 American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology "Green Journal" review of 7000 inductions found that 3 out of 4 of the inductions were not medically necessary. Inductions are performed unnecessarily for estimated size of the baby (too large or too small), going past the estimated due date, amniotic fluid levels that are low but not critically low (correctable in nearly all cases by rehydration of the mother), rupture of membranes without immediate start of labor, the mother being dilated/effaced but not in active labor, or scheduling reasons on the part of the mother or care provider. Approximately 40-50% of inductions fail (depending on the induction method used and the mother's Bishop score), and most failed inductions end in cesarean section. Inductions increase labor pain and length, and create, among other problems, an increased risk of fetal distress, uterine rupture, and cesarean section.

But homebirth is "dangerous." Hospital birth is "safe."

Over 30% of women in the US have cesarean sections, while overwhelming research has led the World Health Organization to set an ideal standard rate of cesarean sections at 10-12%, with 15% being the rate where more harm is being done instead of good. Cesareans are performed at a similar rate across all risk groups, low to high. The cesarean rate for planned births at home or in an independent birthing center is approximately 4%. Cesarean sections increase the likelihood of maternal death by as much as 4 times, and have other immediate and long-term heath risks for mothers that include, but are not limited to, infection, bowel or bladder perforation, hysterectomy, future infertility, and increased risk of uterine rupture for future pregnancies. Risks for the baby include respiratory distress, fetal injury, prematurity (if result of schedule section or failed induction), and breastfeeding difficulties. Four of the greatest causes for the increase in cesarean section are overuse of interventions during labor, concern for malpractice/liability on the part of care providers, failed labor inductions, and "failure to progress" (labor not progressing fast enough or regularly enough for care providers).

But homebirth is "dangerous" and hospital birth is "safe."

The ACOG and AMA have both come out against homebirthing, calling it a dangerous trend and referring to it as a "fashionable, trendy, [...] the latest cause célèbre," and they paint a horrible picture of complications arising in low-risk pregnancies with no warning that cannot be handled anywhere but the hospital. Despite that, the most thorough study ever done on homebirth safety, Kenneth C Johnson and Betty-Anne Daviss's Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America, BMJ 2005;330:1416 (18 June), found that the outcomes of planned homebirths for low risk mothers were the same as the outcomes of planned hospital births for low risk mothers, with a significantly lower incident of interventions in the homebirth group. The Lewis Mehl Study of home and hospital births, which matched couples in each group for age, parity, education, race, and pregnancy/birth risk factors, found the hospital group had 9 times the rate of episiotomies and tearing, 3 times the cesarean rate, 6 times the fetal distress, 2 times the use of oxytocin for induction/augmentation, 9 times the use of analgesia/anesthesia, 5 times the rate of maternal blood pressure increase, 3 times the rate of maternal hemorrhage, 4 times the rate of infection, 20 times the rate of forceps use, and 30 times teh rate of birth injuries (including skull fractures and nerve damage). Breastfeeding success rates are higher and postpartum depression rates are lower for planned homebirths.

But homebirth is "dangerous" and hospital birth is "safe."

The United States spends more per pregnancy/birth than any other country, the vast majority of women in the US give birth in hospitals, and yet the US's maternal death rate is the worst among 28 industrialized nations and the neonatal mortality rate is the second worst. The Netherlands, where 36% of babies are born at home, has lower maternal and neonatal mortality rates than the US. Denmark, where all women have access to the option for a safe and legal home birth, has one of the lowest maternal and neonatal mortality rates.

But homebirth is "dangerous," hospital birth is "safe," and Brutus is an honorable man.

I didn't choose a homebirth because I am brave. Bravery has little to do with it. If anything, I believe women who choose to give birth in US hospitals are the brave ones, because knowing what I know about our technocratic obstetrical system, I can't imagine voluntarily choosing an obstetrician and a hospital for anything but absolute medical necessity. My decision to homebirth wasn't made in a void, but based upon years of research. I wonder how much research the average woman puts into her hospital birth? Considering how many times I've heard someone say "I'm glad I was in the hospital because..." and then given as her reason a non-emergent situation (such as fetal size or nuchal cord), I'd say not that much.

Call me stubborn, because I wasn't willing to accept out of hand the culturally held belief that hospitals are safer. Call me an idealist, because I believe that birth can be a positive, safe, and empowering experience for child and mother. Call me a nonconformist, because I choose to birth at home in defiance of a powerful technocratic system. Call me outspoken, because I can't keep my mouth shut when I hear about yet another iatrogenic birth calamity. Call me a "birth nazi," because I believe it's the right and responsibility of every woman to educate herself about birth and take ownership of her birth experience.

But brave? Don't call me brave. "Brave" has nothing to do with it.

ETA: Please feel free to repost (you can credit it either to raving_liberal or Morgan A. M. McFarland), or link to the unlocked post in her LJ.

Any and all comments are screened.

lowiness — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:14:29 GMT

Here's the full bill:

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1173

To protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 19, 2007

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. CLINTON, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. BAUCUS, and Ms. CANTWELL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A BILL

To protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Freedom of Choice Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) The United States was founded on core principles, such as liberty, personal privacy, and equality, which ensure that individuals are free to make their most intimate decisions without governmental interference and discrimination.

(2) One of the most private and difficult decisions an individual makes is whether to begin, prevent, continue, or terminate a pregnancy. Those reproductive health decisions are best made by women, in consultation with their loved ones and health care providers.

(3) In 1965, in Griswold v. Connecticut (381 U.S. 479), and in 1973, in Roe v. Wade (410 U.S. 113) and Doe v. Bolton (410 U.S. 179), the Supreme Court recognized that the right to privacy protected by the Constitution encompasses the right of every woman to weigh the personal, moral, and religious considerations involved in deciding whether to begin, prevent, continue, or terminate a pregnancy.

(4) The Roe v. Wade decision carefully balances the rights of women to make important reproductive decisions with the State's interest in potential life. Under Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the right to privacy protects a woman's decision to choose to terminate her pregnancy prior to fetal viability, with the State permitted to ban abortion after fetal viability except when necessary to protect a woman's life or health.

(5) These decisions have protected the health and lives of women in the United States. Prior to the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, an estimated 1,200,000 women each year were forced to resort to illegal abortions, despite the risk of unsanitary conditions, incompetent treatment, infection, hemorrhage, disfiguration, and death. Before Roe, it is estimated that thousands of women died annually in the United States as a result of illegal abortions.

(6) In countries in which abortion remains illegal, the risk of maternal mortality is high. According to the World Health Organization, of the approximately 600,000 pregnancy-related deaths occurring annually around the world, 80,000 are associated with unsafe abortions.

(7) The Roe v. Wade decision also expanded the opportunities for women to participate equally in society. In 1992, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (505 U.S. 833), the Supreme Court observed that, `[t]he ability of women to participate equally in the economic and social life of the Nation has been facilitated by their ability to control their reproductive lives.'.

(8) Even though the Roe v. Wade decision has stood for more than 34 years, there are increasing threats to reproductive health and freedom emerging from all branches and levels of government. In 2006, South Dakota became the first State in more than 15 years to enact a ban on abortion in nearly all circumstances. Supporters of this ban have admitted it is an attempt to directly challenge Roe in the courts. Other States are considering similar bans.

(9) Further threatening Roe, the Supreme Court recently upheld the first-ever Federal ban on an abortion procedure, which has no exception to protect a woman's health. The majority decision in Gonzales v. Carhart (05-380, slip op. April 18, 2007) and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America fails to protect a woman's health, a core tenet of Roe v. Wade. Dissenting in that case, Justice Ginsburg called the majority's opinion `alarming', and stated that, `[f]or the first time since Roe, the Court blesses a prohibition with no exception safeguarding a woman's health'. Further, she said, the Federal ban `and the Court's defense of it cannot be understood as anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this Court'.

(10) Legal and practical barriers to the full range of reproductive services endanger women's health and lives. Incremental restrictions on the right to choose imposed by Congress and State legislatures have made access to reproductive care extremely difficult, if not impossible, for many women across the country. Currently, 87 percent of the counties in the United States have no abortion provider.

(11) While abortion should remain safe and legal, women should also have more meaningful access to family planning services that prevent unintended pregnancies, thereby reducing the need for abortion.

(12) To guarantee the protections of Roe v. Wade, Federal legislation is necessary.

(13) Although Congress may not create constitutional rights without amending the Constitution, Congress may, where authorized by its enumerated powers and not prohibited by the Constitution, enact legislation to create and secure statutory rights in areas of legitimate national concern.

(14) Congress has the affirmative power under section 8 of article I of the Constitution and section 5 of the 14th amendment to the Constitution to enact legislation to facilitate interstate commerce and to prevent State interference with interstate commerce, liberty, or equal protection of the laws.

(15) Federal protection of a woman's right to choose to prevent or terminate a pregnancy falls within this affirmative power of Congress, in part, because--

(A) many women cross State lines to obtain abortions and many more would be forced to do so absent a constitutional right or Federal protection;

(B) reproductive health clinics are commercial actors that regularly purchase medicine, medical equipment, and other necessary supplies from out-of-State suppliers; and

(C) reproductive health clinics employ doctors, nurses, and other personnel who travel across State lines in order to provide reproductive health services to patients.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) GOVERNMENT- The term `government' includes a branch, department, agency, instrumentality, or official (or other individual acting under color of law) of the United States, a State, or a subdivision of a State.

(2) STATE- The term `State' means each of the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each territory or possession of the United States.

(3) VIABILITY- The term `viability' means that stage of pregnancy when, in the best medical judgment of the attending physician based on the particular medical facts of the case before the physician, there is a reasonable likelihood of the sustained survival of the fetus outside of the woman.

SEC. 4. INTERFERENCE WITH REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROHIBITED.

(a) Statement of Policy- It is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.

(b) Prohibition of Interference- A government may not--

(1) deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose--

(A) to bear a child;

(B) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability; or

(C) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman; or

(2) discriminate against the exercise of the rights set forth in paragraph (1) in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information.

(c) Civil Action- An individual aggrieved by a violation of this section may obtain appropriate relief (including relief against a government) in a civil action.

SEC. 5. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act, or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which the provision is held to be unconstitutional, shall not be affected thereby.

SEC. 6. RETROACTIVE EFFECT.

This Act applies to every Federal, State, and local statute, ordinance, regulation, administrative order, decision, policy, practice, or other action enacted, adopted, or implemented before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This bill is, in effect, making Roe Vs. wade into a law instead of just precedence (which was bad enough). Under this no state would be able to enact stricter laws (outlawing abortion, for example), but is vague enough to allow the possibility of more lenient regulations.

Bottom line is ABORTION IS MURDER AND MUST BE STOPPED. Period.

Now... to refer everyone back to my main information:

"I am also pro-life no matter what. I will not debate abortion. I will not apologize for my beliefs regarding abortion. I will not change my mind. Let's just not even talk about it if you don't agree with me. Okay?"

So y'all can just stop sending me the hate mail... m'kay? It's all going to be deleted and ignored.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIGHT FOCA campaign

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is a radical piece of legislation that creates a "fundamental right" to abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. No governmental body at any level - federal, state, or local - would be able to "deny or interfere with" this rght, or to "discriminate" against its exercise "in the regulation or provision of benefits, services, or information." For the first time, abortion would become an entitlement the government must fund and promote.

FOCA goes far beyond the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade abortion decision of 1973. FOCA would impose an extreme abortion regimen in our country. Despite its misleading name, it would deprive the American people of the freedom they now have to set at least some limits on the abortion industry. FOCA would eliminate a broad range of laws currently allowed under Roe v. Wade: informed consent laws, parental involvement laws, laws promoting maternal health, abortion clinic regulations, government programs and facilities that support childbirth and other health care without susidizing abortion, conscience protection laws, laws prohibiting a particular abortion procedure (e.g. partial birth abortion), laws requiring that abortions only be performed by a licensed physician, and so forth.

Pro-abortion groups have been trying to pass FOCA since 1989 -- and now we have a Congress more disposed than any in recent years to pass the bill. FOCA embodies the public policy goals of pro-abortion groups. FIGHT FOCA CAMPAIGN send the message to Congress that the radical policies of FOCA are out of step with the most basic values of the American people and should not become a part of our nation's laws in any way.

Following is an example of what you can send to your senators and house representative. ACT NOW, there is no time for delay.
.................................................. ..
Dear _______________,

At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress would overturn many existing widely-supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion.

Please oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion.

Respectfully,

.................................................. ..

Please take the time to look up your contact info for your own senators and house rep. This is TOO important an issue to igonore. In my heart I fully believe the majority of Americans are not in favor of killing innocent life. We must make our voices LOUDER. We cannot remain the silent majority any longer.

Holiday meme borrowed from brokenangelmom

lowiness — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:26:54 GMT

HOLIDAY MEME Instructions!

Step One

- Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

- If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

- Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ, or link to this post (it'll be public) so that the holiday joy will spread.

Step Two

- Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:

- If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.

You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.

There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

Comments will be screened

My list (lowiness@gmail.com):

For my Phoenix friends to move here
Chillpad
More clothes that fit me. Like this velvetty shirt (since it's not maternity a size 5X would probably be best), or this scarf cardigan (size 4x)
Cute boots for Kayden (size 9)
Black Converse brand high tops for Ayla (women's size 8)
Pants for Richard (size 48x30. He only has 1 pair of work pants and 1 pair of jeans)
Prepaid WoW card
Warm blankets
MP3 player for Richard so I can stop feeling guilty LOL (I accidentally threw away his first, and then accidentally washed his second)
An explanation from the Holiday Helper organizers as to why we've apparently been basically overlooked. :(

lowiness — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:07:41 GMT

What Your Height Says About You

You are a sensitive, emotional, and even shy person.

You are a romantic in the truest sense. You see people as you wish they were.

You tend to be a very perceptive person. You are good at getting to the heart of the matter.

You tend to be quite pensive and reflective. You think everything out carefully.

You are about as tall as the average German woman.

What Does Your Height Say About You?

lowiness — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:30:38 GMT

Even though I'm still not pleased with the outcome of the election, I did LOL (literally) when I saw this

I hope everyone voted (or is going)

lowiness — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:15:18 GMT

Richard voted this morning. Another vote for McCain. I really really really hope he wins, but I'm realistic enough to know he probably won't. I'm so incredibly scared about the direction this country is going to take though if Obama does win. :( :( :(

Because I'm greedy ;)

lowiness — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:38:48 GMT

Wishlist #1 for me
Wishlist #2 for me (and yes, I know there are some of the same items on each list. The 2nd one I use at another site where I don't want them to know what size I wear.
Wishlist for Kayden
Wishlist for Ayla
Wishlist for Newest Lil' One

lowiness — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:04:56 GMT

A Fat Rant.

lowiness — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 01:10:51 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUTJQIBI1oA

This is SO true. Everyone should watch and take it to heart.