My son is in Kindergarten.  And, if you ask me much about the fact that it took almost $125 to get his school supplies and that didn’t count clothes, socks, underwear and shoes, you will get an ear full on the sad state of education in Alabama.  However, over the years, I’ve watched fund raiser after fund raiser just flop. 

I didn’t join the PTO yet, and I may not.  I kind of like my volunteering thus far in a way that suits me and the person who needs my help without pushing myself onto just any and everyone else. 

Moreover, when I say our first fund raiser coming our way, I was a little apprehensive.  But, it is one that I’ve been a part of before as a buyer.  I’ve purchased from folks in the neighborhood over the years and the products involved in this particular fund raiser are not bad at all.  Naturally some of the items, particularly the chocolates, appear to be way over priced.  But, the other items, which include calendars, wrapping paper, decorate-your-own-plate, coffee mugs,etc just happens to be one of my favorites.

You see, at Christmas, I wrap all of our gifts in different kinds of paper.  However, Santa Clause has paper that is not like any of the other paper under the tree.  For all those purposes, I use just plain wrapping paper that I can buy cheap at Wal-mart or Target or where ever. 

But, when it comes to buying paper to wrap gifts for special friends, bosses, teachers, etc, I like to have at least one roll of this really good stuff.  Yes, it costs a bit more but it is really thick and it folks nicely to make pretty corners and it simply has an "expensive" feel to it.

So, as I make my shameless plug here and ask you to check it out, go see the website and if you choose to order, please put in our information that way my son gets credit for it and the teachers and the administrators don’t think I am a totally useless parent. 

And, to admit the truth, I really am interested in making sure I don’t look like a totally useless parent…..truth hurts sometimes but heck, I’m an honest gal. 

I know this has nothing to do with Mom is Teaching but I’m just throwing this in here, this isn’t my real thoughts for the day.

The website address is Innisbrook and our code is 106338.  When you get to the site, here are the directions:

1.  click shop

2.  enter that code 106338

3.  hit go

4.  select a school which is the only choice and it is "Lupton Junior H.S. - Nauvoo Al

5.  Click Continue

6.  Enter "Seller Number 1" and at this point, I’m having a hard time finding out what  my son’s Seller number is, but as soon as I have it, I’ll come back and make a big announcement.

And, as it is, you can’t do much more until I find that information.   You can still show around and find something you might like to have and I’ll get back to you asap with that number.

This is by no means a beg or plea, just something I’m throwing out here as something you might be interested in because I was totally truthful about the wrapping paper and I’m being totally honest when I tell you I would never pay that kind of money for chocolate…lol.   I’ll get back to you.

I suffer from anxiety. I didn’t do this too bad until I reached college. I was the teacher’s kid. I got special treatment. People knew I was a "good kid" who made "good grades" because my father was well-known in the teaching community. Thus, I was given many a privilege just by my name alone. When I entered college, reality slapped me cold in the face. I had no clue that the world was so cruel. And, anxieties set in that to this day I haven’t over-come. Medication helps. Medication helps a lot. Medication helps A WHOLE LOT. Get me. I simply don’t back down on these issues. I’m passionate. Period.

I suffer from depression. I suspect my family situation lent itself to my depressive behavior, I didn’t have a very happy childhood. I suspect genetics lends itself everyday to my depressive behaviors. My mom is depressed and has been most of my life. My father was more of a manic person. Happy as a lark one day, a terribly unhappy sap the next. I am a clone of my father. It isn’t bi-polar, it is simply, depression. My maternal grandfather, my paternal grandmother and grandfather all suffer/suffered from depression. All of my mother’s siblings and one of my father’s siblings suffer/suffered from depression. People, it is in my genes. Just like cancer. Just like diabetes. Just like thyroid disorders. I could go on forever.

My father died when I was 19. I entered a state of depression that would have likely took down most folks. I say that because I’m telling you, my childhood was rough. Let’s just leave it at that. If someone out there wants to challenge me on this, a private email will do, I can settle it. No, I was not homeless or abandoned. It was a plethora of minor offenses that led to depression with me.

Anyway, my father died when I was 19. I’ve already mentioned that my father was important to me. I lived with my father from age 13 to 19. He and my mother divorced when I was 4. He taught me everything I know. I can’t think of anything I learned between the ages of 4 and 13 that was good. I see you rolling your eyes. Just listen.

Two years after his death and I was failing at a major university. My father’s one and only goal was to see that I got my Bachelor’s Degree in something. I chose teaching. He didn’t approve necessarily. I got my degree and I couldn’t care less about it. I still don’t except for the fact that it led to a Masters that I just got last year. So, even still, I give my father credit for that.

So, two years and I’m failing at the very of event of living. I sought help. I got it. I didn’t however get a good doctor. The one I got said, "I believe you are depressed, wrote me a prescription for Prozac and waived her magic wand." It was years later before I hunted a doctor that knew something about my problem. Family doctors simply weren’t getting it. They were writing and re-writing a script that a neurologist years before had started because she had no explanation for my body’s behavior…except depression.

This would get real long if I went into "my body’s behavior" so just trust me again on this one.

When I was 34 I met my present husband. Having tried out three others that didn’t fit me, I found a man who is 100% meant to be my husband. The depression started to fade. I continued my medication. I got pregnant and decided that it was best that I not take the anti-depressants. My doctor convinced me otherwise. I am quoting Kristen over at Motherhood Uncensored here but basically this is exactly what my OB said to me:

But the truth of the matter is, if we don’t take care of ourselves, then we won’t be around to take care of our kids.

Yes, I purposefully sought out a female OB. She got it. She understood. She put me on a different medication. Which family doctors continued to write without asking any questions after we moved a state away when I was 38 weeks pregnant.

We moved home and I found a psychiatrist who KNOWS HIS STUFF. It took a while. He didn’t automatically find the write medications and the right doses immediately. I would say it took close to 7 or 8 months. No, really it did. Now, I exist on a small dose of 2 different medications. One specifically to treat depression; one specifically for anxiety. And they work. Both are long term drugs. Neither are of the "let me go get a pill for before I go crazy" variety. I have those. I rarely need them. I rarely need them because………..I TAKE MY MEDICATION THAT WORKS ON THE IMBALANCE. Simple.

People who don’t know…simply don’t know. I don’t mean to sound like I’m preaching, I’m simply trying to help you understand. Notice I didn’t say I was trying to MAKE you understand, I can’t make you. I simply want you to try.

I will hang on tight to the following statement and I’ll tell you again that it is a direct quote from Kristen AND an OB in Gainesville Florida…..

But the truth of the matter is, if we don’t take care of ourselves, then we won’t be around to take care of our kids.

How does that old saying go…….walk a mile in my shoes

Passion - Part One

I’m not passionate about a lot of things. I mean, I’m pretty much a "whatever" kind of gal. Nothing really phases me and I don’t get my mind dead set in one way or another about anything….anything except………….

DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, ANTI-ANXIETY DRUGS

Ok, this is where I draw the line. I don’t have a sense of you could be right about this unless you agree with me. Here are my guidelines. I’ll try to keep it brief. I may need to include my reasoning, but I will do my best to be brief.

1. CHEMICAL IMBALANCES ARE REAL. Period. End.of.Sentence. If you don’t believe in chemical imbalances then you don’t believe in diabetes or thyroid disorders and many others. Those are just 2 that afflict me. I would no more stop taking my medication for depression/anxiety than I would for my diabetes and thyroid problem. Period. End.of.Sentence.

2. MEDICATION CAN RESTORE THAT IMBALANCE. It has been researched, argued and proven time and time again that most cases of depression and anxiety (which are chemical imbalances, remember number one above) can be restored through the use of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication. Don’t.Argue.With.Research.

3. THERAPY CAN BE BENEFICIAL. I am not against therapy. The therapy needs to occur with the proper medication and chemical imbalances can NOT be treated with therapy alone.

4. PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH ALTERS HORMONE LEVELS. If you don’t believe this, ask any woman who has ever carried a child. Period.End.of.Sentence. This is being talked about in great detail on the internet these days and if you don’t believe me, just go here, here, here, here, here, here,here, and HERE!

5. LIFE ALTERING EVENTS SUCH AS BIRTH, DEATH, MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, ETC CAN CAUSE A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE. I refuse to back down on this one even though it is probably very much fifth on my list priority-wise.

I was a depressed child. No one knew anything about depression and anxiety way back then. Hey, I’m just 39???

I got wordy. I will save the rest for another post. Just remember and come back for more… please? Although I am passionate about this matter and I will not waiver, I prefer you give me an opportunity to explain myself before you write me off as CRAZY! Yea, I said CRAZY.

Share this post :

Share this post :

Today I’m having fun alternating between catching some sunshine with the kids and creating candles for my little online store that’s opening soon. I hope that you all get some time to do something that you enjoy that brings you peace.

Focusing on finances alone won’t bring peace but when you can balance that with your passions and spirituality things tend to come together. I wanted to send some peaceful healthy vibes out before I left but you can still catch me at Parenting Under the Stars, Globally Green Living, Candle Making at Craft Gossip and Suite101.

I imagine that’s been going on for a while. A doctor put me on an antidepressant that she said would help when I was going back to college. I’m already laid back but the meds made me zombified. When it came time to do one of my flash projects, it looked like a bad acid trip.

I did get off of it and managed to get my diploma but I think she was getting kick backs from the pharmaceutical company since it was a new drug at the time. Many antidepressants help people and I don’t mean to discourage anyone from going on them but this one wasn’t for me. Oh yeah, also no sex drive. Some of the side effects can be depressing on their own.

If I was deeply depressed I do think the trade off would be worth it but at the time it just seemed inconvenient. It got me thinking about how many people have medications suggested to them that are not necessary or appropriate by their doctors.

Everyone reacts differently to meds so what might not work for one may work for another. It does seem that if the doctors were being paid more prescribing certain medications it would be bound to make them more biased.

Do you think drug companies influencing doctors and patients is a problem? If so, do you have any suggestions, experiences or solutions to share?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (or S.A.D.) is a chemical imbalance causing depression that usually occurs in the winter months. The imbalance is due to lack of natural sunlight and the short days of winter sunlight that affect the hypothalamus of the brain.

It is estimated that half a million people suffer from S.A.D. during the winter months and many more have systems that are border-line depression caused by the lack of sunlight during this season. The milder cases of depression are called subsyndromal S.A.D. or the “winter blues�.

The symptoms of S.A.D. usually occur starting between September and November and continuing through March or April.

S.A.D. symptoms include (but are not limited to) :

• Mood swings- From depression to hypomania in some cases are an indication of S.A.D.

• Loss of Sex Drive- A noticeable decrease in the libido and physical contact.

• Attacks of Anxiety- Tension and a lower tolerance to the minor mishaps of daily living.

• Social Issues- A desire to avoid social contact and problems when doing so.

• Depression- Feelings of inadequacy, low self esteem, unexplained guilt, sadness, loss, and hopelessness.

• Overeating- Cravings for food (usually sweet) that tend to lead to weight gain.

• Lethargy- Feelings that one cannot carry out daily tasks because of tiredness and an inability to get the energy to function normally.

• Sleeping Disorders- Either sleeping too much or the inability to get a normal night’s sleep. Some people report early morning wakefulness.

S.A.D sufferers usually have weakened immune systems and tend to fall victim to more infections that do most people.

There is hope for those who suffer from S.A.D. Light therapy and anti-depressants have been effective in many cases, and the S.A.D sufferer can once again be a happy, productive member of society.

For more help or information see:

• The Seasonal Affective Disorder Association

• Depresssion & SAD at About.com

However, it is during these active and sometimes chaotic times that we can find ourselves losing our tempers with family members (or close friends). It is often when you are asked a simple question such as “when will supper be ready?� or “have you seen my blue math book?� that the kettle finally reaches its’ boiling point.

Some of us can’t help but to let go with a barrage of yelling about everything that our busy day has entailed from the time that we woke up to the present state that they now find ourselves in. But who is this barrage directed at?

Surely one single person has not caused us to be so stressed that they need to hear it (and hear it in spades). There has not been a child or a husband or any family member or friend that has caused this build-up of emotion to finally release it in their general direction. So why then do we direct the fruits of a rotten or stressful day in the direction of a loved one that has not caused all of this tension?

Truth be known, it is usually a matter of convenience. The person who we sometimes explode on is usually in the wrong place at the wrong time. This unfortunate scenario is known as redirection of anger. We even find ourselves yelling at a family pet when we’ve had one of “those days�

Next time before you blow up at someone who doesn’t deserve the full force of your wrath due to daily stresses, stop, step back and look at the situation. To use two clichés back to back, will you let spilled milk be the straw that breaks the camel’s back? Let’s hope not. Keep your head and let the little things go.

Life is too short to try to please everyone. Sometimes it’s best to say no if you’re feeling overburdened. If it’s a friend, they will probably understand and if they don’t you might want to consider whether to continue the friendship if it seems to be based on what they can get out of you.

2. Have a Sense of Humor

The ability to laugh at life and its strange turns is invaluable. When you take things too seriously and dwell on what horrible experiences you had it can lead to high stress, ulcers and other health problems. While you won’t look back at all hard times fondly, they often do build character.

3. Exercise

Pick an exercise you can live with and work it into your schedule. Many people join fancy gyms in the New Year but it’s not everyone’s thing. Maybe you would rather walk, play tennis, dance, jog, swim or canoe. Pick something you will enjoy so that you can stick with it. Exercise releases endorphins so is a natural and effective antidepressant for many people.

4. Have a Plan and Take Action

Use a daily planner and include what can be realistically accomplished in one day. If you add too many things to your schedule, it encourages procrastination because you may not be able to finish the tasks. This can then cause you to be stressed and overwhelmed.

While planning is important, action is more important. Even when you make mistakes, you learn and can fine tune your plan by persisting and making it better. If you don’t even try, you lose the opportunity to practice, learn and grow.

5. Think Positive

This might take practice and include methods such as thought stopping. You can do this by canceling out negative thoughts and replacing them with positive thoughts. There are various methods but two of the most popular are simply saying stop to yourself or snapping an elastic band on your wrist to interrupt the negative thought.

6. Avoid Drugs and Alcohol

Using substances to cope with stress is a crutch that temporarily masks pain but makes you feel worse in the end.

7. Eat right

What you put into your body makes an enormous difference in how you feel physically and mentally. Your body can’t function well for long running on coffee and donuts so will eventually crash and burn.

8. Have Patience

Having patience helps avoid a heap of trouble and stress. It enables you think before you speak and slow down and enjoy the time that you have with loved ones. Sometimes patience gives you the opportunity to make new friends in unexpected places. When you’re in a long shopping line for example rather than grumble at the person ahead of you, you could strike up a conversation with a stranger or acknowledge to the cashier how busy he or she is. You could also take that time as an opportunity to catch up on some reading.

9. Rest and Relaxation

Try to make sure you get enough rest. Having a nighttime ritual helps rest come easier so if you read, have a bath and go to bed at the same time every night it becomes a relaxing routine.

Taking breaks throughout your day helps decrease stress as well and often you can think better if you step away from a task for 15 or 20 minutes. You could use this time for visualization, walking or just enjoying nature.

10. Prioritize

Consider whether it’s really that important to press the point of a silly argument and let the little things go. Put what’s important to you first and concentrate on those things such as your family, friends and love. What does it matter how successful you seem in the eyes of acquaintances if you have no time for your family.

The bottom line seems to be good genes because several people who lived to be 100 admitted to leading what some would consider unhealthy lifestyles. Most of them had parents and grandparents who lived long lives so it does seem to be passed down in the genes.

Cholesterol

It was discovered that 60% of the centurions had high HDL cholesterol levels (the good fat). Their HDLs were also larger so could fight the bad fat more effectively.

• To learn more about research and experiments with genes that may help you live longer, watch the segment on aging at Nova Science Now.

Secrets Before You Die

What were not studied were the attitudes of people who lived longer than average. It did come out with a few of them though because one couple mentioned that they didn’t feel old and they seemed fairly active.

When you focus on helping others and enjoying the present, you don’t have time to worry about aging or dying. In Dr. John Izzo’s book Five Secrets Before You Die one of the secrets is to live the moment.

“I came to believe that through this secret, live the moment, they were telling me to judge my life less and enjoy it more.� said Dr.Izzo. It was an excellent book and he interviewed over 200 wise elders so that they could help share their secrets in his book.

While the Nova investigation was interesting, I find it ironic that the people who did live to be 100 didn’t seem to obsess about what they ate or drank, yet they managed to live long lives.