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Sunday Night Open Thread: Back to Reality

After a week in paradise, re-learning how to be still, I'm home.

First, a huge thanks to Big Tent Democrat for his blogging this week. Not only did I not blog, I didn't read the news, see a TV set, check voicemail, text or pick up a phone. [More..]

What I did do: Begin every day at 5:45 a.m. with a three mile mountain hike, followed by hours of aerobic dance and spinning, yoga, pilates, weight training, tai chi, massages, facials, hair and nail treatments, body treatments, walking the labryinth, etc., all in the company of 40 unique and terrific women.

It was my 11th trip to this particular spa, but my first in 12 years. I really wasn't sure that at my age, a week would be long enough to restore the range of motion in my neck and shoulders reduced by years of being hunched over a computer -- or my body alignment, posture, calmness, joy and excitement for the future that past visits brought. It was. Finally, I can say I'm looking forward to this next decade. Instead of regarding it as "old", I'm excited about how healthy I am and looking forward to staying that way. I honestly don't feel any older today than I did when I returned after my last visit.

I also enjoyed the complete detachment from all things media related. There's a lot to be said for "learning to be still."

I'll be back blogging tomorrow, and yes, I'm looking forward to it. Around dinnertime last night, I got the itch to get back online and in touch and started missing my work, my life and blogging.

How was your week? Did I miss anything besides the balloon boy?

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  • Display: Sort:
    Welcome back!! (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:40:30 PM EST
    Glad to hear how revitalizing your week was :)

    My week at a spa begins . . . (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:42:31 PM EST
    NOW . . .

    Great to have you back (none / 0) (#3)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:42:51 PM EST
    thanks BTD (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:46:41 PM EST
    I can't believe how much you did here this week. I so appreciate it. I hope you like the gifts that are on their way to you...you probably aren't much of a "spa" person, but I think you'll like these (and I'll bet you don't already have them!)

    Parent
    Aw (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:47:44 PM EST
    you shouldn't have (as a eagerly await my presents)

    Parent
    Hot Rocks (none / 0) (#6)
    by CoralGables on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 09:03:01 PM EST
    and a loofah?

    Parent
    Welcome back Jeralyn (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by ruffian on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 09:18:00 PM EST
    Thanks for the reminder that it is never too late to revitalize and start treating yourself better, in whatever ways we can.

    ourselves I mean (none / 0) (#9)
    by ruffian on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 09:18:43 PM EST
    though we want to treat yourself better too!!!

    Parent
    Welcome Back, Jeralyn (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by MO Blue on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 10:25:14 PM EST
    Here is a new Obama policy to make your return a happy one:

    WASHINGTON - The Obama administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday.

    Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws.
    ...
    Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

    California is unique among those for the presence of dispensaries - businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services.
    AP

    Good for Obama.

    welcome back jeralyn. (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by cpinva on Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 02:35:24 AM EST
    BTD, ya done good.

    Life at the spa... (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 08:49:29 AM EST
    doesn't sound too still...sounds activity-packed, I'd need a vacation after that kinda vacation.  Glad you had a good time and feel refreshed!

    Speaking of Balloon Boy (none / 0) (#7)
    by john horse on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 09:09:35 PM EST
    re: Did I miss anything besides the balloon boy?

    Jeralyn,
    "Balloon boy"?  Must we resort to calling Rush Limbaugh names?  According to Rush, liberals were being very, very mean to him.  

    But enough of the distractions that the mainstream media focuses on in order to divert us from the real issues affecting our lives.

    Welcome back Jeralyn.

    Balloon boy is now TL material (none / 0) (#17)
    by magster on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:01:16 PM EST
    with federal charges against the parents being filed for perpetrating a hoax.

    Parent
    Welcome home! (none / 0) (#10)
    by andgarden on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 09:43:00 PM EST


    How 'bout dem Phillies, andgarden? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Peter G on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 10:19:17 PM EST
    Leading 11-0 in the top of the 9th.

    Parent
    I'm thinking maybe (none / 0) (#15)
    by andgarden on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 10:43:21 PM EST
    if I had a Phillies hat here in NYC, I'd not wear it for a while.

    Parent
    as reported by (none / 0) (#16)
    by JamesTX on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:00:14 PM EST
    Grits, Federal Judge William Wayne Justice died in Austin, Texas on Tuesday.

    VERY Interesting Reading (none / 0) (#18)
    by FreakyBeaky on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:23:09 PM EST
    The Very Separate World of Conservative Republicans

    Key Findings
    Instead of focusing on these intense ideological divisions, the press and elites continue to look for a racial element that drives these voters' beliefs - but they need to get over it. Conducted on the heels of Joe Wilson's incendiary comments at the president's joint session address, we gave these groups of older, white Republican base voters in Georgia full opportunity to bring race into their discussion - but it did not ever become a central element, and indeed, was almost beside the point.

    First and foremost, these conservative Republican voters believe Obama is deliberately and ruthlessly advancing a `secret agenda' to bankrupt our country and dramatically expand government control over all aspects of our daily lives. They view this effort in sweeping terms, and cast a successful Obama presidency as the destruction of the United States as it was conceived by our founders and developed over the past 200 years. This concern combines with a profound sense of collective identity. They readily identify themselves as a minority in this country - a minority whose values are mocked and attacked by a liberal media and class of elites. They also believe they possess a level of knowledge and understanding when it comes to politics and current events, one gained from a rejection of the mainstream media and an embrace of conservative media and pundits such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, which sets them apart even more.

    After reading the whole report and some of the actual comments it contains, it is still very difficult to believe that (at least some) base Republicans are not motivated by race.  However, it's still a very interesting read and might cause one to reevaluate these folks to some extent.  (Don't worry - you won't suddenly start watching Glenn Beck).