Thanks Jim!

Yup. I’m in training this week. It’s interesting, but it’s still training. So today’s word is: drone

(Just kidding, the trainer has a very nice voice, but it’s still what comes to mind when I think of most training.)

Here are some numbers:

Number of American children living in poverty (2009) 14,657,000 / 20.7%
Number of children in the US without health insurance (2008) 8,411,000
Number of children in the US who were food insecure (2007) 13,912,000
Infant mortality (2007) 29,138
Child deaths (2007) 10,850
Number of abortions in the US (2005) 1.2 million

Here are some comparisons:
Infant mortality < number of abortions Child mortality < number of abortions Children without health insurance > number of abortions
Children living in poverty > number of abortions
Children without adequate food > number of abortions

I often wonder about political priorities in light of what is really happening.

Not sure if you read The Bloggess–she’s erratic, but generally hilarious–but she made a lovely post this morning I wanted to point out.

It’s called Coming Out and it’s about mental health and suicide and talking about your problems.

In addition to being an excellent post that should reach a lot of people, it also reminded me I haven’t made any updates about my depression in quite awhile.

Part of the reason is because I’ve been making slow, steady progress towards normalcy. I’m continuing to taper the amount of anti-depressant I’m on, and hope to eventually drop down to a low maintenance dose. And I have the anxiety drug to rely upon to keep me from going off the deep end.

But for the most part I’ve been doing OK. It’s work, but that’s fine with me, because it’s a goal I’m happy to work towards. Do I backslip? Of course I do. But I don’t let me get it down, and I try to be proactive in deal with problems. I also try to be aware of my mood and how I’m reacting. Nothing excuses snapping at Michael, but recognizing what I’ve just done and apologizing is better than nothing.

Are things perfect? No. I still can’t bring myself to write, and I still find myself falling into some of my OCD traps, but that’s OK. It is what it is.

I’ll probably continue to be spare in writing about my depression, mostly because it sometimes feels like I’m just repeating, “woe is me, wah wah wah” but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to every once in awhile remind the world that mental health problems are common, and nothing which we should be made to be ashamed of. They are just a part of everyday life, and nothing that cannot be overcome.

Illegitimi non carborundum

It’s time once again for the Great Book Giveaway!

Last year I had a lot of people who weren’t regular readers wandering by asking for books, so this time, I’m going to do something slightly different.

If you would like any of the books (as many as you want, no limit) you must make a donation to Doctors without Borders of whatever amount you think fair. You can also buy me something off my Amazon Wish List, because I totally won’t turn down free books, but I’d really like you to donate to Doctors without Borders first.

It’s of course the honor system–I have no way of knowing if you donate or not, but I figure, I’m doing something nice for you, the least you can do is make a small donation to a worthy cause.

If you are interested in any books, please make a note in the comments, and send me an e-mail to random@klishis.com listing the books you’d like, what category they fall under (I’ve got multiple boxes to root through), and your mailing address–please make sure to comment in the post, in case my spam filter eats your message–I can get your e-mail from your comment if need be.

First come, first served, and if you come upon this post and it’s long past Jan/Feb 2011–don’t bother to comment or e-mail me. I’ll cross books off the list as they are requested, but at some point any remaining books will most likely be given to the local literacy book sale.

Books are in the following categories: Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Science Fiction, Non-Fiction. Many of these books came from neurondoc and my grandmother, so unlike years past, in most cases I can’t tell you anything about the books. Except that some of the SF books have some MIGHTY horrific covers that I believe I need to scan and save for all eternity. Just because.

Great Book Giveaway 2011: Mystery (all books may not be pictured)

Please see the main post before requesting a book.

Muller & Pronzini , Beyond The Grave
Murder For Christmas Vol 2
Mary Allingham , The Crime At Black Dudley
Mary Allingham , Mr Campion And Others
Mary Allingham , Sweet Danger
Mary Allingham , Pearls Before Swine
Mary Allingham , More Work For The Undertaker
Mary Allingham , Flowers For The Judge
Mary Allingham , Mystery Mile
Mary Allingham , Police At The Funeral
Mary Allingham , Death Of A Ghost
Mary Allingham , Dancers In Mourning
MC Beaton , Death Of A Cad
Rita Mae Bown , Rest In Pieces
Christianna Brand , Green For Danger
Lillian Jackson Braun , The Cat Who Knew A Cardinal
Tony Brill , Date With A Dead Doctor
Mary Higgins Clark , Where Are You Now
Mary Higgins Clark , The Lottery Winner
Mary Higgins Clark , You Belong To Me
Carolyn Coker , The Other David
Carola Dunn , Fall Of A Philanderer
Carola Dunn , Dead In The Water
Earlene Fowler , Fools Puzzle
Laura Francos , St Oswald’s Niche
Joe Gores , 32 Cadillacs
Joe Gores , Gone No Forwarding
Michael Innes , From London Far
Michael Innes , Death By Water
Michael Innes , A Night Of Errors
Michael Innes , The Paper Thunderbolt
Michael Innes , The Secret Vanguard
Alice Kimberly , The Ghost In The Dead Mans Library
Alice Kimberly , The Ghost And Mrs. McClure
Alice Kimberly , The Ghost And The Dead Deb
J A Konrath , Whiskey Sour
Barbara Lee , Death In Still Waters
Sharyn Mccrumb , Sick Of Shadows
Sharyn Mccrumb , Highland Laddi Gone
Nancy Mehl , In The Dead Of Winter
Pery O’Shaughnessy , Case Of Lies
Robin Paige , Death At Rottingdean
Robin Paige , Death At Devils Bridge
Robin Paige , Death At Gallows Green
Robin Paige , Death At Bishops Keep
Robin Paige , Death At Daisy’s Folly
Anne Perry , Defend And Betray
Anne Perry , Cain His Brother
Anne Perry , A Breach Of Promise
Anne Perry , The Twisted Root
Anne Perry , The Sins Of The Wolf
Anne Perry , Funeral In Blue
Anne Perry , The Shifting Tide
Anne Perry , A Sudden Fearful Death
Anne Perry , Slaves Of Obsession
J D Robb , Vengeance In Death
Dorthy L Sayers , Whose Body
Alexander Mccall Smith , The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
Mary Stanton , Defending Angels
Mary Stanton , Angel’s Advocate
Jeri Westerson , Veil Of Lies

(images can be enlarged)

Great Book Giveaway 2011: Fiction (all books may not be pictured)

Please see the main post before requesting a book.

Isabelle Allende , Daughter of Fortune
Amanda Armory , The Best Cat Ever
Maeve Binchy , Nights Of Rain And Stars
Janet Dailey , Greencalder Grass
Janet Dailey , Calder Promise
Lloyd C Douglas , The Big Fisherman
Charles Knickerbocker , Summer Doctor
Rosamunde Pilcher , The End Of Summer
Rosamunde Pilcher , Another View
Robin Pilcher , Starburst
Belva Plain , Looking Back
Belva Plain , Daybreak
Amanda Quick , The Paid Companion
Nicolas Sparks , The Guardian

Jeffrey Archer , As The Crow Flies
Jeffrey Archer , Sons Of Fortune
Jeffrey Archer , Twelve Red Herrings
David Baldacci , Split Second
David Brin , The Postman
Tom Clancy , Patriot Games
Michael Connelly , Angels Flight
Catherine Coulter , Eleventh Hour
Clive Cussler , Cyclops
Clive Cussler , Atlantis Found
John Grisham , The Summons
Thomas Harris , Red Dragon
Herman Wouk , City Boy

Great Book Giveaway 2011: Non-fiction

Please see the main post before requesting a book.

A To Z Guide To Countries Of The World (1993)
Sunset National Garden Book
Our Bodies, Ourselves For The New Centruy
Taylor Branch , Pillar Of Fire
Henry F Bringle , Theodore Roosevelt
Douglas Brinkley , The Unfinished Presidency
Tom Brokaw , The Greatest Generation
John A Cgarraty , 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About American History
Hellena Cronin , The Ant And The Peacock
John Dunn , The Cunning Of Unreason
Al Gore , An Inconvenient Truth
Steven Hawkings , The Theory Of Everything
Nat Hentoff , The War On The Bill Of Rights
R A Herrera , Reasons For Our Rhymes
John R Horner , Dinosaur Lives
Bruce Lansky , 15000+ Baby Names
Edward Lazarus , Closed Chambers
Kenneth R Miller , Finding Darwins God
Kelly Monaghan , The Other Orlando (4th Edition)
James Mosley , Starry Night
James Redfield , The Tenth Insight
James Redfield , The Celetine Prophecy
Charles Rembar , The Law Of The Land
Penelope J Ryan , Practicing Catholic
Ziaudin Sardar , Introducing Chaos
Brian Sykes , The Seven Daugters Of Eve
Trinh Xuan Thuan , Chaos And Harmony

Great Book Giveaway 2011: Fantasy (all books may not be pictured)

Please see the main post before requesting a book.

Lyn Benedict , Sins And Shadows
Jim Butcher , Summer Knight
David B Coe , Seeds Of Betrayal
David B Coe , Shapers Of Darkness
David B Coe , Bonds Of Vengeance
Carole Nelson Douglas , Dancing With Werewolves
Carole Nelson Douglas , Brimstone Kiss
Carole Nelson Douglas , Vampires Sunrise
Jennifer Estep , Spider’s Bite
Brabara Hambly , Dragons Shadow
Laurell K Hamilton , Club Vampyre
Mercedes Lackey , The Shadow Of The Lion
Mercedes Lackey , The Fire Rose
Mercedes Lackey , A Cast Of Corbies
Mercedes Lackey , The Robin & The Kestrel
Mercedes Lackey , Bardic Voices
Mercedes Lackey , Fiddler Fair
Richard A Lupoff , Sword Of The Demon
Anne Mccaffrey , Damia
China Mieville , Perdido Street Station
Vicki Peterson , The Scent Of Shadows
T A Pratt , Dead Reign
Jeanne C Stein , The Becoming
Jeanne C Stein , Blood Drive

Comics:

Fables , Cinderella , Chris Roberson
Jack Of Fables , Jack Of Hearts , Bill Willingham
Jack Of Fables , The (Nearly Great) Escape , Bill Willingham