Judge Sonia Sotomayor

She’s a type 1 diabetic.  When I found that out, I cried.

I am the mother of a child with Type 1 diabetes.  I fucking hate diabetes.  I do my best not to dwell on how truly awful it is, and we do (I think) a really good job of just sort of integrating management into daily life without making my son too “other.”

Every once in a while, we’ll see an article about some football player or pop star who is a Type 1 diabetic and we’ll talk about that.  But, a Supreme Court Justice?  That is completely awesome.  Totally, totally awesome.  Just the idea that Type 1 diabetes is in the national news is so wonderful.  Public education is so helpful.  And the example she sets is wonderful.  She was able to excel in the very competetive worlds of ivy league academia and law.  And now she will sit in one of the hottest seats in the nation’s capital.  [Honestly, when I stop to think about what that stress might do to her blood glucose numbers, I worry for her a little bit!]

I hope that she will be frank and open about her diabetes and how she manages it.  I look forward to hearing her experiences and how the media deals with the question of her long-term health.

So far, I like what I’ve heard about her court decisions.  But, to be honest, that’s taking a back seat for me right now.

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Tackle it Tuesday

Yeah for a Tuesday that feels like a Monday but is still only 4 days from the weekend! 

Today’s list is just  bunch of small things.  Nearly all of these will be done in under 5 minutes:

• cancel OBGYN appointment (don’t ask)
• complete online juror survey
• call about insulin pump replacement (well, I left a message for a cust. svc. rep to call me back)
• make LIGHT membership calls
• tidy craft room
• make list of books to get at library
• update Goodreads
• make cleaning spray to bring to work

Ok, the doctor thing:  this is a follow up appointment to my annual.  I was directed to get blood work and a mammogram done and this appointment was made to go over those results.  I have not gone to get the bloodwork done.  I have a whole host of excuses but I suppose the bottom line is that I don’t want to deal with what the results might be.  I’m mainly fearing the results of my A1C and cholesterol.  I keep thinking I’ll work on the issues that affect those numbers and *then* go get the bloodwork done.  Yeah, well.  I am toying with going back off wheat and dairy after my birthday.  I’m curious as to what my test results will be after a month of treating myself well.

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Social (and Sociological) Sunday

We just got back from a loverly BBQ at my friend Forte’s.  There were plenty of friends, kids, good drink and food.  And the weather held—-sun and warm breezes despite the forecast of thunderstorms. It was really very pleasant.

I was rather traditionally feminine today, which felt nice.  I wore a very pretty sundress, pulled my hair back in pretty gold combs, put on make-up.  I even shaved.  I go back and forth over cosmetics and shaving.  On the one hand, it feels like a lot of fucking work and I’m annoyed that they feel “required” to be the right kind of feminine.  On the other hand, freshly shaved legs and glossy lips do feel awfully good.  I do these things very infrequently, and I like that—-it feels like dressing up, like play and it’s freeing to only do them when the mood strikes me.  However, because I do them so infrequently, it’s very noticeable when I do it—people comment, sometimes ask why (which I never really know how to answer).  It’s not altogether uncomfortable for me.  I mean, it’s sort of the point, no?  I am generally good at accepting compliments.  And I suppose I’d be annoyed if I went through all the work on altering my appearance only to have no one bat an eye.  But it does make me wonder how people see me on my “normal me” days—a slob?  unattractive?  unfeminine?  At the end of the day, I obviously don’t care much either way and I’m happy with my public persona and I’ll keep going the way I’ve been going.  I just like to think about these things.

My approach to femininity and appearance are, as always, complicated by being fat.  On my worst days, I don’t bother with the conventional trappings of modern Western femininity because I fear people will see me and think “omg, why does she even bother?”  And on really high self-esteem days, I get all dolled up as part of my fat positivity stick-it-in-your-face personal politics.  I guess most of my days are somewhere in between those two, so I simply don’t bother with too much of the work of striving to traditional standards of womanliness.  My normal daily wardrobe is a long full skirt with a low-cut bright colored top and sandals (or boots and tights in cold months).  My curly, unruly hair is usually down (more like “out”) with little thought to style or accessories and the only jewelry I wear on a regular basis is my wedding ring.  I’m likely to have very chipped polish on my bitten-to-the-quick nails.  I do like to try and match my purse to my outfit, or at least not clash (ie, a brown and gold outfit will make me move everything out of my silver/black/purple purse).  I don’t even own a pair of heels that I would wear out of the bedroom.

I’ve been avoiding the term “femme” through this post.  I think that probably deserves a post of its own.

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Back?

I’ve been hesitant to say it, but I might be done with my winter blahs/seasonal affective disorder/lack-of-sun-induced annual bout of depression (in which I, every year, contemplate meds or just running away from home).

I had a really good past week in which I:  volunteered, made friends and bought fabulous clothes at the Fat Girl Flea Market; hardly smoked; went out on a lovely date; kept my gynecology check-up; spring-cleaned my closet and rearranged the furniture in the living room.  And this was a week in which I was really sick (head cold) and on my moontime (which was also back to my “normal”).  So, yeah, that’s pretty good.

Anyway, in an effort to keep that momentum going, here’s a plan for the week.

Monday

Living room—-finish decluttering entryway bookcase, help kids go through books that don’t fit in this room, brainstorm about wall above couch, sweet and mop floor

LIGHT—-make phone calls and send emails to people who applied for membership, find out about Wed’s teen day (park if weather is good?)

mdc—-advertising for friend thread, check through boards

rtc—-amazon fuck up, sexblogging

order groceries

schooling—-assign work for week, start planning hanging timeline (supply list, location)

dinner:  soup and egg or chicken salad sandwiches

Tuesday

spring clean kitchen cabinets—take stock, clean shelves

check in w/ volunteer stuff

make sugar scrub

timeline

math lessons

dinner:  salad, spaghetti marinara, bread

Wednesday

go out!  everyone should be well by now!  Teen Club?

dinner:  mini-meatloaves, mashed potatoes, green beans

Thursday

start taking out spring/summer clothes for the kids

timeline

dinner:  leftovers

Friday

clean hallway, paint?

budget $, possible Ikea run

dinner:  salad, black bean quesadillas, yellow rice

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