Category Archives: Daily life

Perspective

Posted on by mariannedecher

I need to stay away from Facebook and the news. It’s the only way I can cope with the insanity. Let me say right off the bat, I am not against all Republicans. If we had Jeb Bush, Rubio, Romney, McCain – ANY sane person who isn’t a loose cannon as President, I could live with that. Not a clueless, narcissistic, reality show host who needs constant drama and constant attention.

The phrase that has really come to bother me is “people in other countries are jealous of what we have in the US and wish to do us harm”. How pompous. Delusions of grandeur. What made the US the gold standard of how to be? How ethnocentric. Just on infant mortality alone – we stink, and have for quite awhile, so that cannot be politicized.

When we march into another country unprovoked (Iraq), kill their leader, destabilize the region and let them descend into chaos and then BAN them all from coming to the US – pompous! Arrogant! Delusions of grandeur!

But Trump doesn’t ban Saudi Arabia, that actually did do us harm (15 of the 19, 9/11 terrorists were Saudi)? Russia took over Crimea and SHOT DOWN a passenger plane, killing all 298 on board, and Donald is in bed with Vladimir? This makes NO sense – unless it is all about self-enrichment. Follow the money, folks. Follow the money!!

When your minions have to apologize, clarify or brush off your comments on a daily basis – you may be the wrong person for the job. When your admin detains a young Iranian boy at an airport because he might be a threat but you Tweet every f*ing thing that comes to your mind on an **unsecured** phone, you may be the wrong person for the job. Go back to real estate, Donny. The US is NOT a giant Mar a Lago for rich, white people. You are provoking the very people you want to “protect” us from. Why? You need the war machine to be in full gear to enrich yourself and the top brass. More money. More power. Your insecurity is so visible on a daily basis that any would-be attacker only has to praise you to get you in their pocket, and insult you to keep you busy and distracted. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump tweeted while America disintegrated.

Grateful

Posted on by mariannedecher

As hard as it is to go through intense pain, I always think it is harder on those having to watch and who can do nothing to alleviate it. Super kudos to Pete for once again playing nurse, chauffeur, appointment scheduler, meds fetcher etc.

I am SO grateful that, what felt like a herniated disc was “just” a super bad muscle spasm following an injury. You wouldn’t believe how many of those low back muscles are involved in something as simple as putting on your shoes or blowing your nose. I am SO grateful that Pete was in town and I didn’t have to do this alone. And grateful that our trip of a lifetime, starting next Friday, is still a go.

Intermittent, intense pain – such as labor – is one thing. When it just doesn’t let up – ouchies!! I am mostly back to normal – alleluia. Lesson learned that when the inner voice says, “don’t help that person lift that super heavy object” that I should heed it!!!

 I learned that hindsight is always super clear. And I learned, again, that there is no such thing as a separate body part or region. When one area is really hurt, all of it is affected.

I Want to be a Jellyfish

Posted on by mariannedecher

jellyfish-wallpapers-1

The short version of my story this week is that I improperly lifted a very heavy weight (to help out a fellow volunteer at the gig on Sunday for the Children’s Cancer Society). It hit me full force on Tuesday to where Pete had to put on my socks and shoes for me because of my pain and inability to move. Flashback to surgery days.

I want to be a jellyfish. No spine, no brain, no pain.

The longer version of my story is that I have been through a lot of spinal trauma in my life. My spine has hypermobility, and misalignment, and torsion issues. I’m not an easy case for my physical therapist but he does work miracles.

I just want to be a jellyfish and float all day.

I am lying in bed and studying music theory, with cheapo drugstore glasses with which I can hardly see. My Rx glasses have been repaired so many times that the glue needs its own glue.

I want to be a jellyfish and float pain free. I hear that they are masters at music theory. 😉

jellyfish

 

 

FUN volunteering

Posted on by mariannedecher

Who knew that a large piece of nylon fabric (i.e. – a former military parachute) could be SO much fun for kids and adults alike?? I volunteered at the You Who concert at the Crystal Ballroom today, to benefit the Children’s Cancer Association. Here is a description of the event:

What:  It’s time for another You Who Concert! This is a really fun variety show specifically for kids in the Portland area. Proceeds from this event go directly to CCA’s MyMusicRx Program. This event is always a ton of fun!

Indeed it was. A ton of fun and a super workout lifting and lowering the parachute for 2 hours. 🙂 There was also face painting, a crafts area, balloon hats, some super cool monster tricycles and music. I was in my element. Hooray for the Music Program at the Children’s Hospitals in town.

Watch the whole video below. It is SO good!!

Democracy is an Active Sport

Posted on by mariannedecher

I am SO SO SO proud of my daughter and her friends for being active in the democratic process. You all give me HOPE.

We are not against people with this march. We are FOR putting the powers-that-be on notice that they are being watched (they DO work FOR US, after all) and that rights shall not be taken away. America has always been great and has always been a melting pot. There shall not be a registry and there shall not be a wall. My mother and her half sister were separated by the wall in Germany for many years. Build bridges, not walls. And power to the People!! (Love you gals SO much ❤ )

womens-march

 

Life After Facebook

Posted on by mariannedecher

It is SO nice, here in Portland, to get out of the house without snow, ice, freezing rain, slush, flooding, temps in the teens and the Apocalyptic Horsemen greeting us anymore as they had on a daily basis. Horsemen can be a little temperamental, I tell ya!

Life without Facebook is delightful. I am focused on my school work and instruments (which means, I have probably found more instruments 🙂 I am still on FB Messenger and I quickly scan notifications, but the rest of Facebook is merrily scrolling by without me.

And now for the must-have item!! Not only is the Heartland Carbon Fiber Harp super light, but it can be sterilized between patient rooms in the hospital. My goal is to be a Certified Clinical Musician through the Harp for Healing program. This harp is crazy expensive though. It will work out somehow.

Self-Amusement

Posted on by mariannedecher

1) Drive down the middle of the road, through slush, to get to the hammer dulcimer teacher’s house. Have a fun lesson.

2) Eat at Veggie Grill – YUM.

3) Go to JoAnn’s Fabrics. Buy 4 small felt squares and 2 pounds of polyfill. Those are going to be some mighty stuffed teddy bears!

4) Come home and resurrect clawhammer banjo playing and remember how much I LOVE it! See below.

5) Put on heart monitor. Open app on phone. Run up and down stairs like a maniac. Bounce on mini trampoline like a maniac. Heart rate feels like it’s way up there but it’s not. My resting heart rate is 47-52. Burn 77 calories in 10 minutes. Go back to the (incredibly rare, almost never watch) mindless TV. Stellar day. The snow and ice that turned into slush is now, with the rain, turning into flooding.