I’m confused. The American Cancer Society tells me to get a mammorgram upon turning 40. That self-exams are an important monthly ritual for any female wanting to detect any abnormality. Now a government task force says it’s ok to wait until age 50 to get regular check-ups and forget the self-exam. And get checked every other year, instead of the yearly exam.

Healthy women will start skipping the mammogram with a clear conscience. Some doctors are coming out in full opposition to these new guidelines.

I’m totally confused. Haven’t the number of breast cancer-related deaths significantly decreased, while the number of diagnoses (thanks often to early detection) gone up?

Some women are cheering because they hate the uncomfortable nature of the test. Well guess what? I hate getting my teeth cleaned and my “other” annual appointment, but skipping the check-up could potentiall be worse, right?
So what’s better– false positives, extra (sometimes worthless) tests and worries?

Or possibly missing something…and then letting it fester or grow? What would you want for your mother? Wife? Sister? Aunt? Grandmother?

Meet Pete… he’s our 8-month-old puppy.

He’s an outdoor enthusiast and major lover of nature – including the lake, the leaves and trees.

How could this sweet animal be bad for the environment? In fact he’s so bad that he’s being compared to a Hummer…the epitome of “big time polluter.”

(see the Seattle Times article)

Why? Because we’re ALL bad. Yes, that’s right.

Every breath you take and every drive you make…

Every piece of garbage you create

Environmentalists are watching you.

That’s what it feels like sometimes! I mean, really: we rescued this animal. He’s a lovely yet slightly goofy-looking mixed breed who loves all dogs, people and kids…and running, walking, biking, camping…so, what exactly is so bad about that? He’s well fed and cared for. Should this be weighing heavily on my guilty conscience?

I don’t think so. I’ve also read that having kids is bad for the environment. So is flying home to Wisconsin and California to see family. Should my husband and I think twice about having a family? Should we shun our out-of-state relatives for the earth’s sake? What about Pete? Back to the pound he shall go?

Of course not. It’s about taking steps if and where you can. I can’t stand the guilt-inducing looks from the holier than though environmentalists almost as much as I cringe at the incredulous and literal conservatives who hear statements like “dogs have big eco-footprints” and then disregard everything from said report, statement, study, etc…

Bottom line? In my book, just try to conserve when and where you can. No guilt necessary. Even “No Impact Man” realized major inconsistencies during his experimental year of trying to live life without waste.

And realize it’s ok to love and hug trees, dogs and kids. Maybe even at the same time.

Will you be getting the seasonal flu shot this year? How about the swine flu vaccine? Both? Neither? Why or why not?

Kids fall into the high risk group for the swine flu vaccine, yet many parents have trust issues with the drug, the government or the media hype surrounding the vaccine. What about you?

Do I want to see Levi Johnston in Playgirl?

The answer: no.

Why would I want to see him naked? Why would I want to read or see anything about this kid? Not just because he’s a faux-celeb, but because I seriously could care less about his nakedness. I am not curious. I would not be turned on. I do not care.

Men I work with (safer than using actual names) were so desperately curious about my take on Bristol’s-baby-daddy’s birthday suit…and whether I had any interest in said birthday suit.

Then this (invaluable, amazing, mind-blowing) conversation morphed into their potential interest in other Palin clan members’ birthday suits.

You see where this is going.

And you can see why I didn’t want this fascinating debate to go to waste (thank goodness for blogs!)

The men were in full agreement: naked (female adult) Palins: good.

I think there is good naked and bad naked.

There are good people who probably are bad naked…and vice versa.

There can be good naked that turns bad (think Seinfeld– cute naked lady brushing hair, cooking and playing cards).

Do men have a bad naked meter? Do men just think all naked, especially when it comes to women, is good?

If so, is that a bad thing?

I just got back after taking time off for my wedding and honeymoon. I don’t know how many times I’ve said that in the last few days either to explain my delayed response to an email or voicemail … or in an attempt to garner a little sympathy or leniency, but it can be hard coming back and trying to play catch-up. I took a few weeks to not only enjoy and relish my wedding, the surrounding events, family, friends and of course, my husband, but also to relax and have fun in Indonesia. We spent time in Bali and the Gili Islands (which are part of Lombok) and had the most amazing time. Our honeymoon (or “bulan madu” as they say in Bali) exceeded all expectations.

I don’t mean to sound melodramatic, but in the midst of feeling like I’m still floating, a part of me is a little blue. Coming back from any time off or vacation can be an adjustment, but it’s more than that. We planned the wedding and related events for over a year. There were more than a half a dozen showers and parties leading up to Labor Day weekend and half of them involved traveling to California, Wisconsin, Canada and even Baker Lake (I guess that’s more like a mini-trip).

It’s not the center of attention that I’ll miss, but just the reason for celebration, to bring people together. I had the most hilarious and memorable weekends with some of my favorite women in 2009 — all because I was getting married. That seems funny to me! Why don’t we plan those trips every year?

But it’s been fun recalling and retelling what happened on our wedding day and realizing that even when things go wrong, they can be perfectly imperfect. Any and every thought of that day makes me smile (so… I’m semi-blue?).

We were married on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend (9/5) and had to make the call at 2:30p on whether or not we would have the 5p ceremony outside or inside. We checked the weather forecast on our iPhones all day and watched the sky…it turned gray then a few rays of hopeful sunshine would peak out, then back to gray, crazy winds, a little drizzle…. and back to not-so-gray. We decided to go for it. We had wanted to enjoy an outdoor ceremony, but knew we needed a back-up in Bellingham (or Custer to be exact). All our vendors were so optimistic! They kept saying that rain had been in the forecast for other recent weddings and they hadn’t seen even a sprinkle. “It’ll be fine!” they said.

Everyone’s seated. The bridesmaids walk down the aisle. Flower girl gets laughs.
I walk out of the woods with my dad…(down the aisle) my heart pounding. We’re both a little choked up.
And it starts to rain.
By the time Josh and I are saying our vows, it’s pouring.
This isn’t Bellingham (or Custer) rain. This is Midwest rain. Huge, hard, fast rain drops.
And the crazy thing was everyone in the audience stayed seated and stayed smiling, listening! We cut the ceremony short after vows, ring ceremony and the kiss (our co-officiants recited what was missed later as part of our post-dinner toasts)….and we all sprinted to the airplane hanger for cover (and the reception…and much dancing and fun).
And it didn’t rain a drop after that.

Glenn Beck is getting a key to the city of Mount Vernon on September 26th, 2009. Beck spent much of his childhood in Mount Vernon and teen years in the Bellingham area.

Mayor Bud Norris announced Tuesday that Sept 26th will be proclaimed “Glenn Beck Day.”

Beck has been under fire recently (that’s putting it mildly) for comments he made during his TV show on FOX. He called President Obama a racist.

Norris says he’s a local boy who’s gone on to see incredible success, ratings, fortune and celebrity. No matter his politics or your stance, Norris says, Beck deserves recognition.

Those who attend Beck’s presentation at McIntyre Hall will likely hear tidbits about growing up in Skagit County and helping his dad at City Bakery.

KGMI has heard its share of supportive and critical comments about Beck’s radio program that now airs weekdays from noon to 2pm. His ratings of both is radio and TV shows are high—and growing. This despite numerous businesses pulling their advertising dollars from his show.

What’s appropriate? Should we welcome home a controversial talk show host with open arms? Is he saying this stuff just for ratings? I work with a few people who know Glenn Beck personally and have incredible things to say about him. Yet I have to admit there are times I find his positions cringe-worthy.

What do you think? Will you attend?

I’m so sick of birthers. I feel embarrassed for them. And no, this is not as big of a partisan issue as some are making it out to be. There are respectful and even those who usually push-the-envelope/fringe conservatives who disagree completely with birthers and say that this is a shameless conspiracy theory that needs to be stopped.

I read a column last week that compared the idea that Barack Obama wasn’t born in the US to those left-wing nuts who think 9/11 was planned by the Bush Administration. This comparison works and here’s why. The lack of proof of both these ideas is significant. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that al-Qaeda was behind the 9/11 attacks in New York. Guess what?! Obama’s team has released his birth certificate multiple times, too. There’s even record of his birth announcement in the Honolulu Register. McCain, Clinton (when she was his opponent), multiple judges, investigative journalists (both liberal and conservative-leaning), and non-partisan government officials agree: his birth certificate is legit. This is a non-issue.

Just because you can keep asking the same question doesn’t mean that your argument has any validity. I realize conspiracy theories can be kind of fun and intriguing– but this one has the potential to really hurt the conservative party. Imagine if moderates starting lumping the 9/11-fringe thinkers to the Democratic Party. There’s no way they would have won as many seats in the House of Congress in 2006 or had one of their own make it to the White House.

For once, I actually agree with Ann Coulter. Birthers, give it a rest!

Is the weather really that intense? That life-altering? It sure seems so. I logged onto Facebook: “I’m sooooo hot,” “This is ridiculous,” and “I hate this weather!”I go to the grocery store: more complaining. I go home: my fiancé suggests we sleep in the basement. What?! I realize it’s abnormally hot, but can we talk about something else? Take a cold shower. Buy a fan. Suck on ice cubes. Yes, it’s hot, but we suffer too many gray, rainy, cold days to spend this much time complaining about “normal” summer temps!

How do you handle unsolicited advice? I’ve found myself getting advice and tidbits of “wisdom” that I didn’t ask for and in some cases, would rather not hear (these are usually related to my personal life, not professional). In most cases, I take it with a smile (even though I’m usually a bit taken aback) and try to muster up a, “Hmmm…that’s an interesting idea,” or “Thanks, but I think we’re happy with the direction we’re going in.”

Do you find yourself in this position? How do you respond?

Here’s the basic formula:  _____ (fill-in-the-blank: friend, co-worker, relative) asks about our upcoming wedding, honeymoon, house projects, my personal work-out regime (ANYTHING), I then answer …and I get bombarded with advice or even horror stories related to whatever I’ve just told them about.

Is that the best way people can relate in conversation?

For example: At our wedding reception, we’re not having a DJ. We’re putting together playlists on our ipod, which we’ve observed recently at 2 other weddings that worked well. Why would fill-in-the-blank person then say “Well I really think DJ’s are really superior and they’re not that expensive…It’s not too late to look into that as an option.”  And there have been times where this suggestion-session doesn’t end there. It becomes their mission to talk me into whatever they think is the “right” answer.

Maybe this is a silly example (I really don’t want to throw any friends under the bus by being too specific here), but I think it shows the lack of tact people can display. Are they assuming that we haven’t weighed our options?  We have! I probably over-think many decisions in my life, so I guess I can’t help but feel puzzled and even a little put-off by overbearing suggestions.

Is it wild that I have so many distinct MJ memories and thoughts running through my head? I don’t think I’m alone.

I remember as a 4 year-old dancing around my living room to the record Thriller as my mom did her aerobics. I’d sing into a mixing beater, put on dress up clothes and try to moonwalk (unsuccessfully).  I remember looking at the record insert, trying to read and sing the lyrics (”you’re a vegetable?” what does that mean, mom?) and checking out the silly sketched cartoons of Paul McCartney and Michael in the midst of a tug-of-war with the arms of a stretched out woman (The Girl is Mine).

My cousins and I all had that “one” sparkley glove, which we carefully studied– which hand does it go on? who’s sparkles were the best? Then there was my older, more obsessed cousin who told me about her experience seeing Michael in concert. She got choked up when she talked about it, and she said she  bawled though the entire show. I was too young to understand the meaning of her sobs and thought at the time, “maybe she was scared by the lights and special effects?”

In college, my girlfriends and I loved to buy songs for the jukebox at our favorite watering hole in Madison, The Flamingo (RIP).  We went through song phases and became obsessed with certain ballads, dance songs, whatever… and these “favorites” were usually way past popular.  It was in 1998 that “Man in the Mirror” (released in 10 years earlier)  made our favorite list…and we belted, danced (somewhat robotically to match Michael’s staccato lyrics and style), swayed and laughed to this tune. Funny. It’s the only ”favorite” I remember so clearly.  

About 4 years ago, I went to DC to visit some friends and we ended one of our late evenings out at a club. I remember our energy was starting to wane….then PYT came on, and the whole place erupted.  People who weren’t dancing ran to the floor. It was like a movie: a group dance/sing-along. Everytime I hear PYT, I first think of my mom’s leg-warmed gams doing Jane Fonda side-kicks…and now dancing with longtime friends and perfect strangers to Michael giving us all that he got.

He was a man with a strange if not dangerous and dark personal life, yet there’s no disputing he was truly a king in his own right.

As I mourn the passing of MJ, I keep listening to his music and watching his old videos. I guess I can’t stop getting enough.