I was a little clueless about what to write today. No topic really lit a fire under me like they often do. So, instead of forcing something I decided to dig up a story and do a little freewriting. This was meant to be a serial to post on the website, so if it gets a good response I will continue it. Currently, it has no title so we will just go with the one above: The Heroin Story.

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Silence filled the room. The only real sound was that of dripping water. It was annoying at first. The incessant drip, drip, drip, until you learned to get used to it that is. She had learned to get used to it. She was excellent at blocking out everything but the moment she was in. This moment was the moment she needed to think about. Not the past moments. Not the abortion, the incest, the jail time. No none of that, just this moment right here.

The heroin moment.

The lighter flickered to life as she sparked it with her thumb. It was easy enough to do. She thought briefly for a moment of the first time she had tried to spark a lighter and couldn’t do it. Her friends had laughed at her. It was funny that she couldn’t do something so simple. She learned though and she learned fast.

The spoon ran over the heat and the white powder began to bubble and melt. The emerald twinkle in her eye sparked, as she knew that she would be numb soon. No more thoughts for her. She didn’t need any, but what she didn’t know was that this time would be different.

She injected the heroin into the needle and wrapped the band around her arm to get a good view of the vein. She found it and slid the needle in. She did the countdown in her head.
5…4….3…2…1….Blast off.

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Dear Moms (and Dads),

When I opened this document to write this blog post, I confess that it was going to be something about how dangerous and ignorant I feel Jenny McCarthy is. I went to YouTube and looked for a video of her spewing her ignorance, but I realized, I cannot stand to look at or listen to her and I don’t feel playing her message in one more spot is the right idea. So, instead of that, I have decided to address you specifically.

I am a mother of one child that has Asperger’s Syndrome. When I write this, please know that I am not writing as a beacon for the entire community. I am not asking you to donate money to me or any cause, and I am not profiting from anything that I say here. I am saying it out of love for my child and concern for all parents and children that go through the same things that we do on a daily basis.

Jenny McCarthy paints a picture that is incredibly simplistic. Her child had issues and she didn’t like the diagnosis that was handed to her. Instead of going with that she found another diagnosis and another doctor to confirm it. She changed her son’s diet, “cured” his autism, wrote some books to profit from the venture, and proceeded to knock vaccines in every public media forum she can find.

The result is that there are some parents that are not vaccinating their children. What this means is that diseases and illnesses such as Measles are on the rise. Despite the fact that there has been no proven link between Autism and Vaccines, Ms. McCarthy was so set on “curing” her little boy (who probably does not even have autism) that she has affected the lives of thousands of others by offering non-factual information. Instead of just loving her little boy for who he was, she had to cure him. This leads me to ask…

What is wrong with just loving your child?

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So, Dominick Evans tagged me in a meme that has the tagged individual listing five things about themselves that might not be known. Once you’ve linked to the person that tagged you and list your facts, you tag six more people and hope the train continues.

I confess, originally I wasn’t planning to do this because I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time. Of course, if Dominick can do it and someone as busy as Chris Brogan can do it, then I can find a few minutes to get it done, too. Rather than list friends (I need to network more, since most of my friends don’t blog) I am opting for people that have made a good impression on Twitter or people that inspire me. The list should be interesting.

So let’s get moving with the 5 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Me.

1. I have a serious need and compulsion to prove people wrong. The first Thanksgiving Dominick and I spent together he didn’t eat anything. I swear I don’t know how he lived. I was going to his house to cook so I gave him a list of things to buy for when I arrived. I was staying a week, so he got the Thanksgiving things and some other meals. I told him to buy Turkey…he didn’t eat that. I said Steak, nope didn’t really eat steak either. This went on for a few minutes until I developed the rule that he had to try one bite of whatever I made (I like to think I’m a bang up cook) and if he didn’t like it he didn’t have to eat it. Needless to say, when all was said and done I don’t think he went through the Freshman 15 as much as he did the Ashtyn (taught me how to eat) 20. You can replace the food analogy with just about anything. When someone says they hate something or that I can’t do something, it sets my motor running to either understand (in the first place) or prove them wrong (in the second).

2. I absolutely hate movie remakes. If a movie is made in Black and White and you color it, I won’t watch it unless I absolutely have to for review purposes. If a classic is remade, I will not only not watch it, I will cry if I have to. Usually I will pass the review off on someone else. Things like Miracle on 34th Street that are remade just drive me up the wall. In almost every case, I have made sure to purposely not watch the remake. The whole Psycho thing irked me, too. I wish Hollywood would get a clue. Perfection cannot be remade or colored to make more pretty. Leave well enough alone.

3. I’m in School to Become a Sex Therapist. This may or may not be known (I don’t remember if I put it in my bio). The interesting thing that people won’t know is that I don’t agree with half of what I read in my Psych textbooks. Not only that, but I fear for the Psychological community if half the people I go to school with get degrees. If I go by everything that I learn in school, everything (I mean everything) is your parent’s fault. You don’t even need therapy. Just blame them and you should feel better. Well, blame them and then move on. Problem solved. Boy, you’d think that we would progress some over the years. Apparently in this area we aren’t. I have a feeling I’m going to be really successful in this area, or labeled a quack and end up going belly up within a year. I can’t wait to find out which.

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Dear Sarah Palin,

As I write this I want you to understand that I am not in my mother’s basement writing it. I am in my pajamas, but they are really awesome pajamas and have nothing to do with the fact that I am the “blogger” you claim that I am. In fact, I am a blogger that manages to help support a family or two on my blogging. In my spare time, I offer money to help kids with Muscular Dystrophy (that’s a disability, in case you haven’t heard of it…) have a nice holiday season (their parents are drowning in medical bills and can’t always offer presents).

You seem to keep repeating that the reason that the Republicans lost and the reason that no one likes you is because of the media. The news media, journalists, and bloggers all had it out for you. We spun things. I’m here to tell you that we didn’t need to spin anything. You were sensational enough on your own. McCain was not voted in because he ran a dirty campaign and because you’re a full fledged idiot.

Every time you open your mouth someone else begins to not like you. It doesn’t matter if you’re advocating for all disabled people because of your son, Trig (though all disabilities are different so it’s wrong to try and champion yourself based on the fact that you had a baby with a problem) or you’re making funny jokes to try and get more people to like you. The biggest joke will always be you. Shame on you for being as unintelligent and uneducated in the ways of politics and trying to become anyone in power. I am just glad that the American public wasn’t as stupid as I thought they were going to be.

There are rumors that you want to run for President in 2012. From what I have heard 100% of Democrats support this move. The reason for this is because we know that if you do, you will lose, and we will end up with Obama again or someone else if you choose to run later. The only good thing about you running would likely be the return of Tina Fey on SNL. Even then, it would hardly be worth the painstaking process of listening to you sound like an idiot every single day of your campaign.

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There are so many things that I could write about today that I cannot pick which one. So rather than spread myself too thin I am just going to go out on a limb and make a collective list of things that are annoying me right this second.

Please note that these are in no particular order.

Thomas Beattie: If you want to get pregnant that’s awesome, go for it. If you want to be transgendered, I’m all for that, too. However, do not say you are something you are not so that you can do something you want to do that is not legal and then try to change history for profit at the expense of your children.

Thomas chose to keep his vagina knowing full well that she was going to use it to have children some day. Some interviews has her claiming that she transitioned so that she could marry her wife legally. That doesn’t make her a man and it doesn’t make her transgendered. In fact, had she told an ethical doctor her reason for wanting to become a man, they would have never allowed the transition in the first place.

However, some doctor did and now the entire community of people fighting for equal rights are being lumped with the “pregnant man.” People don’t understand it, so they don’t tolerate it. If she wanted to have a baby so bad, she should have done it quietly like everyone else. I’ve had kids. I didn’t sell images to Getty or go on Oprah. The Beatties keep saying what they are doing is a natural and normal thing. If that’s the case they need to just shut up and do it like every other normal, everyday person that does it everyday without any form of profit or a nationally recognized book deal.

The only thing that makes Thomas’ vagina special is that it’s attached to someone with a beard. Why this is even news, I am not sure.

Twitter User that Thank Every Follower: If you have some friends or some people that are just plain awesome on your twitter than by all means give them a shout out. Tell me to add them because I will. I love meeting new people and am more than happy to add a worthwhile twitter user. However, I hate when a person gets 150 new twitter followers a day and feels the need to thank every single fucking one of them. We get you’re thankful that they followed you. You thanking them does not make you appear cool and considering you’re thanking every other person that added you, it’s hardly a declaration of your interest to get to know them. If you want to show your interest, try talking to them people. An @ in a conversation goes a long way. An @ in a “thanks for the follow,” “New Followers:,” or “Cool Peeps,” not so much.

People that Enter Contests on Blogs with Stupid Comments: We run contests and giveaways all the time on our other blogs (LI Reviews & LI Kids). We get plenty of comments on every contest/giveaway we have, and that’s great! I always say, the more the merrier. However, we often get comments that are left with the undeniable feeling that they were written just to pull at heart strings enough to allow the person to win. For example, someone mentioning their disabled spouse loving the item we’re giving away. First, why would you need to tell me your spouse is disabled? Plenty of people say their spouse will love various items, so why add in something about them being disabled? I don’t go to other blogs to enter contests and say, “I’d really love to win this for my disabled lover and autistic son. If you could let me win for wheelie and socially awkward teenagers around the world that would be hot.”

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In order to get myself back in the writing mood I started going through my old writing folders. I rarely write short stories, but while free writing one day I came up with this. If it is finished it looks like it would work out for a short story. Otherwise, it might make a decent scene in a book with the right polishing.

Either way, here it is, as I said it was free writing, so no major editing was done. I’m just posting this to remind myself that I actually do write things occasionally and to get into the groove to begin working on future works.

Hope you like it!

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Tap….tap….tap. The sound of a shoe pressing to the hardwood floor could be heard. Tap…tap…tap. He moved slowly, as if his steps were calculated. He seemed to know where he was going even before he had reached his destination.

“I know you’re in here. You can’t run from me. In fact, you’re only making this harder on yourself.”

There was no answer but that was okay in his mind. It wasn’t like he expected an answer. The thunder rolled and the lightening struck, which caused a light to cascade through the window centered above the hallway. As this occurred his eyes moved from left to right.

More than one door stood beside him. He could choose the left or the right. It would not matter much which was chosen though he highly doubted what he sought would be behind door number two. The reason he didn’t think the left door was occupied was because there was a deterrent waiting in that room. The deterrent, in this case, was a dead person. Of course, he saw it more like a work of art.

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And I cried.

I didn’t cry just because he won. I didn’t cry because McCain lost. I cried during his acceptance speech because I believe him. I believe that Barack Obama will find a way to make this country work together. I believe that he will usher in some much needed truth and prosperity for the people into government. I believe in him.

Obama and I had a rocky road. I was a Clinton supporter. I didn’t know if I could trust him. I made a million excuses why I would not vote for him. Once Obama sealed the nomination and chose Biden, I made more excuses why I would not vote in general. At one point, when I was still feeling out my decision to vote…or not…I started to listen to what he was saying. Then McCain picked Sarah Palin as a running mate and all bets were off. I said I would vote for Obama out of fear of a world with an ignorant female in power.

I don’t think I really heard what he was saying until recently though. I knew I would vote for him, but it was as a lesser of two evils. I can admit when I am wrong.

I am wrong.

Today I firmly believe that President Elect Obama will lift this country from despair and make it whole again. This is a man that is so different from every man that has been in the White House recently and by that I am not referring to the color of his skin.

This is a man that has shown great integrity, coolness under pressure, and the ability to make and break goals as the need arises. This is a man that is as good a father as he is a politician. He shows that those jobs are both important, and that you don’t have to do one better than the other. This is a man that shows obvious love for his wife. It was nice to see Michelle mouth the words “I Love You” to her husband during his shining moment last night. This is a man that can change things.

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My son is on the autistic spectrum so you would think that organizations like Autism United would speak to me in some way. All this one really does is give me a headache. Based on the fact that I don’t agree with a lot of the methods out there for “curing” autism, we just do what works for him and don’t venture out much into any of these groups. However, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, Autism United and their messages of fierce vigilance keep showing up in my Spam box.

This is how I first became aware of this organization. I received some Spam about Jenny McCarthy and Amanda Peet. I wasn’t impressed with my first impression, so this second email did even less to convince me to jump on the bandwagon. This time their hatred and bullying is directed at Dennis Leary.

For those that don’t know Leary, he is a comedian. He is the self-professed white trash, asshole that likes to say things that no one else would even dream of saying. What does this mean to me? It means that I wouldn’t look to him for advice about autism because he is a comedian. Likewise, I would not go to a proctologist to determine what is wrong with my muffler.

So what did he say to get AU’s feathers so ruffled? Nothing completely untrue or unfunny if you ask me and that’s coming from a parent with a child that has AS. The “organization” has posted the “autism” chapter on their website…for educational purposes. Something I also like to call “a way to get more attention.” They also demand that an apology be made (they got it) and that a portion of the book’s proceeds go to their organization if the chapter is not retracted. I swear they are like the autism mafia.

So what did he even say? He said a lot of things. I read the majority of the chapter. Leary claims that you need to read the whole book before you judge the one chapter. Mark Anthony Ramirez, the spokesman for AU (someone I had never heard of until that Spam mail arrived) claims Leary is just saying that to sell more books. Of course, if they are trying to commandeer part of his fortune I don’t see why that would bother them.

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I am awful when it comes to managing my time. I admit it. I have a million things I need to do every day and sometimes I just don’t know where to begin. The helpful inside voice I have reminds me to take things one at a time, but that can be difficult. So, throwing caution to the wind I am beginning to think that I need to begin following a schedule.

I hate schedules. I don’t know if it’s the writer in me or what, but I have always hated schedules. At one point, I refused to follow one because I don’t feel it’s possible to write just because it’s time to write. Creativity doesn’t really work that way. At least, I don’t find that it does.

Now I don’t really have much of a choice. I have numerous blogs (including this one) that need to be updated more regularly than they are. I am helping my brother start a blog and a friend to write a book about caring for her husband who has cancer. I have a school schedule that’s met on bare minimum only, people to take care of (an autistic son we homeschool and Dominick who is in a wheelchair), and a creative writing career that is waning because I don’t have time to write as much as I would like. So, something has to be done.

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