An Interesting Obituary From The London Times

I recently received this from a friend and I thought it was thought provoking even though it is presented in a humorous essay. I hope you enjoy it too.

An Obituary printed in the London Times:

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

Common Sense will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
knowing when to come in out of the rain
why the early bird gets the worm
life isn't always fair
maybe it was my fault

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

Common Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student, but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; by his wife, Discretion; by his daughter, Responsibility; and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers:
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral - few realized he was gone.

Sorry, But I'm Off On A Rant!

It's Christmas and I hate to sound grumpy but I discovered something recently that frankly, stunned me. Call me naive, but when people volunteer to participate in a swap, don't you expect that the participants are going to keep their promise and do it?


I participated in Foxglove, Fabric, and Folly's Very Vintage Christmas Swap as my very first swap this year. Heidi did a great job of matching people up and making all the necessary contacts. She's a very organized lady and has a beautiful blog filled with fun things - like her Very Vintage Halloween Swap and Very Vintage Valentine's Swap. Anyway, I had a GREAT swap experience! I was blessed to have had a wonderful swap partner who sent me the most fabulous box of goodies, as posted on December 16.


So here's my gripe. Why, oh why, would anyone go to the host blog and request to participate in a swap if they are not positive they are going to do it???? I just don't get it. Swaps are entirely voluntary. I was disappointed for a friend who participated in the swap and who kept her promise by sending a lovely package to her partner. Not only did she not receive a gift in return, but she has not heard a word of thanks or even a "got it, liked it, hated it, or whatever"! I am just awestruck that anyone, short of a total emergency, would do that. As I was getting ready to finish this post I stopped in to see Heidi's post today and she has actually posted about this very same topic, and quite well I might add. As hostess of the swap she has heard from what sounds like quite a few ladies who have sent their packages off and received nothing in return. Amazingly, she - THE HOSTESS, is one of them! Can you imagine?


Everyone understands when something happens to unavoidably prevent someone from keeping a commitment like a swap. We all know that when push comes to shove, our own family commitments take precedents. But we also know that a situation preventing a follow through does not happen that often. We know in advance of signing up for a swap what our financial and time situation is going to be like for the holiday weeks. As Heidi said in her post today, all one has to do in a circumstance which truly prevents a follow through is to contact the host or the swap partner. I actually had a very urgent situation with my father happening during the entire month of November. Making a 600 mile trip twice in two weeks, having two infusions, and getting sick myself seriously cut into my Christmas prep time. I did have to alter my original plan for the gifts I wanted to send my swap partner, but I did the best I could and got a relatively decent package off to her the first week in December. I definitely got the better end of that bargain - Mary sent me wonderful, thoughtful gifts. I just cannot imagine simply standing up a partner short of a total emergency.

In the stressful world we live in I realize a swap is pretty low priority. Gotta keep things in perspective. We all love blogging or we wouldn't do it. But it's not, nor should it be, our top priority. I'm pretty much done with my rant now...

But think about this one more thing when signing up for a swap...

We do not ALL have loving families to spend Christmas with and trees with gifts underneath. Imagine that YOUR swap gift is your partners ONLY gift.

Off On A Rant

Some of you know that I have a blood disease which significantly reduces my ability to fight infection and causes some other less than desirable health issues. Well, I don't like to focus on it or make a big deal about it. One, because everybody has something to deal with and I am more fortunate than so many others; two, because what is just is - there's nothing I can do about it but trust God to continue taking care of each issue as it comes up, just like He always has; and three, I am so incredibly blessed and grateful that there is a treatment for my disease and it keeps me plugging along. I receive infusions every three weeks and will for the rest of my life in order to maintain some level of control over this disease. No complaining here. And I think I really do well physically and I push myself to do more than my doctors and family and friends think I ought to be doing. But you know, life is short. I don't intend to sit back and be a professional sick person! I try really hard not to allow my illness to affect everything and everyone in my life. Many people are forced to be sedentary in life because they suffer with health issues that prevent them from being more active. My heart breaks for them. As long as I can do it, I'm livin', girls! And I really do have HUGE respect and gratitude for my health providers. Really, I do. Now having said all that...


How can it be possible for an entire medical office, including the nurse and doctor to be so completely inefficient????? I realize I'm not their only patient, but COME ON PEOPLE! We are presumably talking about people with a significant amount of education and experience in dealing with things such as A BLOOD TEST! I have to have my labs done the last day before an infusion so they can see my cell trough levels, or my counts at their lowest. The nurse called last week to say he had ordered the labs. Then my internist calls and says they want me to have some too and how great, they now have a phlebotomist right in the office so I can bring the specialist's orders too and they will do it all together so as not to risk more veins just before an infusion. Which reminds me, anyone have a vein I can borrow? Finding a decent vein for infusion seems the bane of my existence! Ok, the joint offices say...no problems. Not so fast. This morning I went to the hematology office where I almost always see my specialist. But, of course, they have no idea what I'm talking about. The lady at the desk actually asked me three times if I was SURE I was a patient there! Ya, I think I am. For three years now. So next I called the doctor's second office in another city, thinking maybe he left the order there and the worst that could happen is that I would have to drive out there to get it - whaaaaaaaaaaaaat, she says? However, the good news is they remembered I am their patient. So, I'm thinking, hmmm...maybe he ordered the labs to be done at the chemo clinic tomorrow at the hospital...you guessed it. Kind and efficient as they are at the chemo clinic, no luck in finding the mysterious lab orders. So now I wait. The doctor will not be in until 1:00 today, then the nurse will have to talk to him and then call me back, then they will have to fax the order to the internist. Hopefully it will be before the phlebotomist leaves at 4:00. If it somehow doesn't happen today, I have an appointment with the specialist in a couple of weeks. I really, really hope he goes off on me about how I have to take my health more seriously and expresses just how very important it was for me to have these labs done at the right time!

I know. Not nice.

I really do know that I should be more understanding and just chill about this mix up. I know there are people dealing with situations of far greater significance. But COME ON PEOPLE! I'm sitting for ten to twelve hours AFTER three or four nurses have tried about 8 times to find a vein in a chemo clinic every three weeks for the rest of my life and a combination of two professional offices can't fax an order or put a paper in a drawer to be picked up? COME ON PEOPLE!

WHY, OH WHY, DON'T WE SIMPLETONS RULE THE WORLD?????

*POST NOTE*
I finally did get my lab work done today after missing the phlebotomist at the internist's office and having to go to another lab. God knew I had had just about all I could take and the tech actually got it on the first try! God even provided me with a pretty funny scene between a patient and an ER doctor to watch while I waited! Oh well, tomorrow is another day, plus I get a brand new fill up of the "medicide" as my son calls it! God and life is great! Have a fantastic week, everyone, and thank you for being so thoughtful to send such lovely notes and especially for your prayers.
Kathy