I have not posted much on health care recently, primiarly because it’s all we talk about in my policy class, so I’m tired of it by the time I’m done with the lectures and all the readings. That’s probably a personal failing, since I am getting my Master’s in Public Health, primiarly because public health is something I think is important.

I was reminded of this failing on my part, in an excellent post by S-Train on the state of the health care system in the US. (Please be aware that S-Train uses strong language and doesn’t apologize for it.) There is further discussion in the comments that is even better.

So go read it. Otherwise I’ll be forced to talk about my Health Policy class, which can be summed up in this way: The Clinton Health Plan failed. Discuss.

“What’s that dear? Your mother is going to be spending the week in Canan and wants us to visit for the weekend? You say it will be relaxing? Did you forget that I have a presentation due Monday? Relaxing. Right. Well, I guess I can take the laptop and my books and study and such. And as long as we’re home early Sunday, I suppose I can get everything done.”

Right…

I came across this entry, The Life of a Rabbit, via Real Live Preacher, which put me close to tears (not a good thing at work).

It’s been two weeks since Slate died, and I still feel somewhat foolish for missing her as much as I do. Yes, she’d been a family pet for 18 years, but I was not at home for many of those years, and she only lived with me for about eight months.

I keep thinking about her death. How she died as we were holding her, and I hope that she could feel that, but I’m not sure. It was her eyes that upset me the most. Even before her heart stopped beating, she must have stopped blinking, and her eyes lost their intelligence, and their smooth film. They stared, unseeing, at I don’t know what, and the liquid on them started to solidify. It pained me to look at it.

But I did.

And we kept petting her until we could not longer feel a heartbeat.

I went to get one of the Vet Techs, just to make sure. I felt the need to explain, that we hadn’t come because we thought they could help her or cure her, but because I didn’t want her to die in pain, to suffer.

But I couldn’t speak coherently.

They were very nice, and took her away and put her in a box, and we took her out to my parent’s house, so they could bury her out there.

Then I did my level best not to think about it, to push it all from my mind. But reading that post today brought it all back. Her eyes staring at nothing, her slight body going still.

And I miss her, even as if feel stupid to do so. We have two other cats, but they’re different. Kat usually hates to be held and petted (unless we have just gotten out of the shower, then he’s our best friend.) Kit likes to be petted, but is still a complete spaz, unable to lie still for more than a few moments at a time. But Slate would lie in my lap for hours at a time, whether I was petting her or not. There was something unbelievably relaxing about that.

And now she’s gone and I miss her.

Congratulations to Lithuania!
Lithuania, and several other countires, joined NATO today. Huzzah!

Congratulations Senator Byrd!
Congratulations are also in order for Senator Robert Byrd who, if I heard correctly this morning, yesterday cast his 17,000 vote in the Senate, far surpassing Strom Thurmon’s record.

Although Senator Byrd is not the longest serving member of of Senate, he has by far cast more votes than anyone else.

In other words, he shows up and does the job we sent him to Washington to do.

In the Clash of Religion and History
There was a fascinating interview last night on Fresh Air, with John Dominic Crossan. He is a biblical scholar and discussed the history of crucifixion and the world during the life of Jesus. Absolutely fascinating.

Thanks Ben!
And thanks go out to my cousin Ben, who sent me an e-mail that had me repeatedly laughing out loud. One of his closing lines was this: “send cookies. if you do i will climb a mountain for you. or a rock face, please specify size.”

He’ll be remain in Kyrgyzstan until the end of this year, when his term with the Peace Corps ends. Not sure what he’ll do then, but I have tremendous respect for him, for leaving his family for over two years to go live among strangers. I couldn’t do it.

This came in through my work e-mail, so I thought it would be a good time to post something here about it as well.

CHRISTIAN HELP OFFERS CAREER CLOSET
Christian Help, Inc. reminds students and employees – men and women alike – that they can donate and obtain professional clothing through the agency’s “Career Closet.” The working men’s and women’s closets are free and open to the public during operating hours at 219 Walnut St.

I feel happy. I feel happy.

You are a GRAMMAR GOD!

If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!
How grammatically sound are you?
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(via Lalia)

The Bridge design won the state quarter contest!

This morning on the radio I heard Governor Wise quoted as saying that he was surprised by the number of people who voted for the quarter.

Well of course we voted! Once we saw there was a possibility we’d end up with the awful “quilt” design, we knew something had to be done, and fast.

The Dominion Post article