The Long Long Winding Road or Day 26

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

I can’t wait for this whole posting every day thing to be done.  It is taxing.  It amazes me how little I have to say when I sit down with the pressure to write everyday.  Bare with me these last few days…

I had my first meeting with my doctoral advisers.  WOW is all I can say.  I have a long road a head of me.  I have a lot of classes to take as I have come to my doctorate in education via a MA in English.  So I have more work than others.  I am very excited to get started but am weary as I look down the line to see all that it entails.  I am hoping I am up to the task as hubby is so very supportive and wants nothing but success for me. 

I struggle with how to juggle this new far more demanding course of study, work and more children.  I have decided not to go back to work full-time at least not right away–I will teach part-time for one more year after this and then re-evaluate.  I am one of those people who wants to do it all and I don’t often think about the logistics and the hard and fast realities that are involved.  I am trying very hard to do that with this endeavor.  My future earning potential is far more important to my family than it is presently.  I will enjoy not having the pressures of a full-time job while having the benefits of getting out of the house and working. 

I am able to carry over about 21 hours from my MA and maybe a few more.  That means I only need 69 more hours or 23 classes.  The road is certainly long.  Thanks for keeping me company. 

Thankful Post Six or Day 24

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

I am ready to be done with chronicling what I am thankful for…as it is a lot of work to look deep into your life and really talk about what you are thankful for.  I am done with the posts that lament on a person or two and am not moving on to bullet points.  I will think of some grand way to finish this week of thanks–maybe.  But for today it is a list. 

 I am thankful for…

Health–and the ability to do strenuous exercise (riding centuries and such).
Courage– I have overcome many things and have only been able to do that with courage.
Determination–without it I woudn’t be pursuing my doctorate or even be completing my Masters. 
Love–receiving it and giving it. 
Intellectual ability–this is something I had to work to develop and maintain.
Music–there is something that happens in music that brings people together and transcends race, religion, and social class.
Coffee–I know it is trivial but I am happy that I can afford to have good coffee at home. 
Opportunity–and the strength to answer the knock when it come (all we are given is the chance we have to make the most of it). 
Strength–see above.
Money–we are lucky to have enough to live a comfortable life and to give to others in need.  I wish I had more to give away. 

There is so much much more I could be thankful for.  I am also thankful for my husbands family…I didn’t write about them in my family post and should have, as I am thankful to have them…

Thankful Post Five or Day 23

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

I am thankful for my health and that of my families.  I am thankful that I have access to healthcare and that my healtcare company as paid for what we have needed–with gaining preapproval of course.  I am thankful that my belly is full and that I don’t know what it is like to go to bed hungry and not know where my next meal is coming from. 

I am in the middle of watching Michael Moore’s Sicko.  I think I want to live in France. Anyway…wanted to post before I forgot.  Will comeback later tonight (but probably tomorrow) to edit and add more to this post. 

Wishing you all health and happiness…

Okay I am back…I have read a few otherposts today about Michael Moore’s movie and the health crisis in America.  The whole health-care crisis saddens me.  I feel very strongly that people who need services should receive them.  Who are these corporate money-hungry bastards to tell us what we can get medically and not–when their bonuses are tied to how much money they save the company (i.e.–how many people they deny service/claims).  Do we really believe that they are making the best choices if they have to choose between saying yes to a multi-thousand dollar claim and getting a multi-thousand dollar bonus?  If you do…I am sorry for you and I am sorry for our system that keeps rewarding these gatekeepers. 

I also admit that Michael Moore only presented one side of many of the stories…as I am sure was his MO and also the fact that I am sure he couldn’t get cooperation from the other side on many occasions.  There is more to all of this than what we see on the surface.  But he did make a few great points in this move.  Our government isn’t afraid of us.  They are not at all worried about what we think nor do they really even care what we think.  They care what the lobbyists think.  The government is run by the lobbyists and not by the people it was meant to serve.  This is a problem as the health-care industry has 4 times as many lobbyists as we have members of congress.  That is a pretty big ratio and you can bet that each member of congress is being wined and dined by those 4 lobbyists. 

We are also a country that does not care about its citizens.  Not just the government but its other citizens.  Those who have think they should keep and those who don’t have–well often enough they just give up.  Most other western industrialized nations believe that those who have have a social responsibility to help out those who don’t.  Not handing out money–but paying more in taxes, etc.  We are the only western industrialized country that does not offer universal health-care.  Why do we ignore each other?  Why do we think that some of us are more deserving than others?  I am not talking about a redistribution of wealth but just a health-care system where everyone can go to the doctor and get the care that they need (not elective surgery–the government doesn’t need to pay for boob jobs, tummy tucks, and face lifts). 

How has the nation that was founded for the people gotten so far away from what the people need and deserve? 

It has been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. The want of money is so quite as truly.–Samuel Butler

Isn’t it time that we loved each other?

Thankful Day Four or Day 22

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

Happy Thanksgiving.  I am officially stuffed.  I went spinning this morning–it was a hell of a ride–so I don’t feel too guilty for eating turkey and the wonderful Pumpkin Carmel Swirl Cheesecake Minnow and I made yesterday…

I know I have said this before, but it is hard to talk about all things I am thankful for…as there are so many things beyond what I might be able to blog about these 7 days of thanks I am having.  I really am thankful for so much in my life.  I really have very little to not be thankful for (if anything really)

Today I would like to dedicate this Thankful post to my friends.  I am so very lucky to have the friends that I have–both new and old friends.  My closest friends are with me since before high school or since my freshman year in high school (so nearly 20 years and some much longer).  I ddn’t go to college out of high school, so I don’t have college friends.  When I went to college I was well in my 20’s and lived off campus–Hello older than everyone.  I have a great friend that I made while we were roommates in Santa Barbara.  She is awesome, but lives too too far away and I miss her. 

My oldest friend has been my friend since 1st grade–Hey Steckler I so miss you.  We aren’t as close as we could be as life just gets in the way.  She lives out of town and well you all know how crazy and busy life gets with marriage, kids, school, work, etc., etc., etc.  I have been lucky in life to have great friends.  I am always amazed when I think about my friends that I actually have friends.  I am not really a social person and never really have been.  I like having friends and I like getting together with friends, but I don’t like socializing.  I don’t like small talk.  I like having friends, but I have always been of the mindset that if I have a few close friends, I really have all the friends I need. 

My friends have been with me through so much.  My oldest friends were with me through the dark time that was high school and after.  Without them I am not sure I would have survived.  My oldest friends deserve some sort of friendship purple heart because I could be a selfish bitch and many times I was.  But they stayed with me.  They stuck it out and too them I will for ever be grateful.  I don’t know sometimes what I have done to deserve such awesome friends, but I have learned the questioning this isn’t productive and I should spend that time loving my and appreciating my friends and I don’t know that I do enough of that. 

Friendship is important and I have often neglected my friends.  Not on purpose, but as I stated a minute ago life sometimes gets in the way.  But I want you all to know that I appreciate you and love you and would not be who I am today without you.   

Dr. CS–you give me such strength and inspiration.  You have always been there for me and I love you so much for that.  You mean more to me than I know how to express.  I am so lucky to have you as part of my life.  I miss you tremendously and think of you often.  Knowing you and being your friend has made me a better person.  Thank you.  I am so thankful to have you. 

Mrs. KS (formerly KC)–what can I say besides I love you.  We spent so much of our time living within each other lives that sometimes I don’t remember if it was you or me that something happened too.  You have a light and a spirit that lightens my world and draws people to you.  You helped me discover so often who I was and you forgave me when that discovery hurt you.  I regret many things–but mostly I regret ever hurting you.  I know it was long ago and is all water under the bridge.  Your forgiveness has taught me much and is the greatest gift I could ever ask for. I love you.  Thank you for being my friend. 

To my new fellow Ethiopian Mamas…Your friendship is so very precious.  We share an experience that others cannot understand.  You are very special ladies and I am so lucky to have you in my life.  I look forward to watching our little ones grown into men together. 

To my blogging friends–as odd as this sounds you all give me an outlet.  A place to talk and be heard.  A place to share in experiences and to foster growth in myself.  I cannot wait to meet many of you–the time will certainly come.  Thank you for listening.  Sometimes that is all we need is someone to listen. 

So, take some time out this week and thank those friends who have helped you through your life and to become who you are today.  Too often we forget to thank those who are so much a part of who we are.  While you are at it thank yourself for being a friend.