Both Sides of the Fence
A Tosa resident since 1991, Christine walks the dog, cooks but avoids housework, writes and reads, and enjoys the company of friends and strangers. Her job takes her around the state, learning about people's health. A Quaker (no, they don't wear blue hats or sell oatmeal or motor oil), she has been known to stand on both sides of the political and philosophic fence at the same time, which is very uncomfortable when you think about it. She writes about pretty much whatever stops in to visit her busy mind at the moment. One reader described her as "incredibly opinionated but not judgmental." That sounds like a good thing to strive for!
Our bodies, other people's bodies. And birthdays!
Strolling down the street, my daughter was stopped by an abortion protester. “Are you going to the clinic today?” he demanded as he launched his accusatory diatribe.
“Um, actually, I’m going to the art museum,” she answered. “He looked more offended than if I had answered yes to his original question.”
What good could come from election recall
The other day was job performance review day for me. Those always come with a bit of trepidation, especially during these times of fewer jobs. No matter how well you think or know you are doing, you also know you’re replaceable.
You have observed that some employers (surely not yours, but other people’s) behave badly during such times. Part of it’s their stress, and part of it’s just that they can.
Why did the chicken cross 60th Street?
The invisible wall at 60th Street that separates Wauwatosa from, well, That Other Place, has been breached again, raising concerns about the city’s security.
Only this time, it’s a chicken, whose Milwaukee owner or owners were really too “irresponsible” for the privilege of chicken-owning. Probably they were single mothers, too, and we all know that alone is grounds for declaring chicken neglect.
Shifting gears on Mother's Day
The housekeeper at work, a woman about my age, told me about the Mother’s Day feast she was planning for all the young mothers in her family.
"I got me linen and candles and new recipes: 17 ladies coming!" she said. "Those girls, they need someone to look after them." Not all of her guests were the young mothers, of course, but the grandmothers, aunts, and other women who make up the caring village parenting needs. The good fairies who bless and watch over children, no matter whose they are.
Choices, food, and fat
Sometimes, you just can't avoid cognitive dissonance.
At the Wisconsin Public Health Association meeting in The Dells, we perused the sports bar menu and laughed at our choices. Should we get the deep fried pickles, the deep fried cheese curds, the cheese-n-fat soaked nachos (not the name on the menu), or the sliders with deep fried onion rings and french fries?
Voting and the perpetuation of error
When a friend mentioned she'd voted early in the election to recall Scott Walker, I decided to follow in her footsteps. So Friday I climbed the stairs to the Wauwatosa City Clerk's office, got my ballot and envelope, and completed the line to connect the arrow pointing to my choices.
Which I'm pretty sure were not the choices of the other woman dropping off her absentee ballot while I was there.
