I recently finished reading MacKenzie Phillips High On Arrival. I always have enjoyed reading memoirs and autobiographies. Oh, don't worry, I took a pass on James Frey's A Million Little Pieces, if for no other reason because it was on Oprah's book list. If a book is on that list, it's the kiss of death for me. The first book on her list I purchased Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible. I don't have the letters "PHD" after my name, but I'm not unintelligent. I just could not read and comprehend that book. I read the first page over and over and could not for the life of me figure out the point.
Back to High On Arrival, Anastasia asked me why I would even consider reading such a depressing book. I don't look at it that way. This book is about someone who, seemingly grew up in a life of privilege with much success and lots of money, it's also about someone who even with that, had a life filled with very serious issues. A very troubled life. It makes my life seem like a cake walk in comparison.
When I first saw MacKenzie Phillips on the talk shows I was skeptical of her story about her father having sex with her and then her eventually having a consensual (if you can consider someone so under the influence of drugs consenting) relationship for a time with her father, John Phillips of the Mamas & The Papas. After having read the book, I'm not so skeptical.
Some of MacKenzie Phillips' recollections of her parents drug fueled days make it hard not to understand her drug abuse. Having seemingly limitless quantities of cocaine and heroin in your household certainly must give you a different view of drugs in general. While to some it may make them want to avoid it, to others I'm sure it's a way of glorifying it and saying it's acceptable. It's too bad social services wasn't involved while she was young. She does report that social services was involved with her younger step siblings.
This was definitely a book that I had trouble putting down. I read through it quickly, turning page after page wondering what things she had to deal with and how on earth she managed to get to where she is today...a recovering addict at age 50.
Did you read High On Arrival? What did you think?
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
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If I Could Blog Back Time Thursday - Moving To Monthly
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Update...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Randomness
Aren't you lucky? You get randomness twice this week...again!
Anastasia had a 3 hour interview on Thursday. Yes! Three hours! She had some testing and the rest was a meeting with Human Resources and a meeting with the hiring manager and her bff. Anastasia was very nervous about having her bff in the interview. I can't blame her, I think I'd be nervous in that situation too. Anyway, she is supposed to hear in a few days. Please say a prayer, cross your fingers (and anything else) that she gets a job from this.
In other news, Anastasia did something that few job seekers do, she contacted a former supervisor to ask to use her as a reference. When the supervisor responded, she let Anastasia know that they also had openings there. So for now, it seems opportunities abound. I guess it's what they say, feast or famine, right?
Friday I will be burning up the phone lines. None of these Special Education whose-its ever answer their phone or return calls and there is a Girls Bowling Team meeting on Monday that transportation needs to be arranged for. Our daughter's counselor was trying to facilitate this, but got nowhere. I made calls today and got voicemails. In addition, I got a call yesterday from the bus company saying our daughter's pick-up time in the morning is changing from 7:40am to 7:05am. Hello! School doesn't start until 9am! That means that she will be on the bus for just short of 2 hours! We are trying to get some stability with her illness and this is not the way to do it. Are they freakin' nuts? Ok, I realize this is the time of the year that seems to be a boon for behavioral schools. Admissions are up just because this is usually a bad time of year for these kids, but if you are adding additional kids to the route, why does our daughter have to suffer? Why can't the new kid who is just starting get the sucky pick-up time? They are going to have to adjust to this new school anyway, why do you have to disrupt our daughter? I'm honkin' mad! I called our daughter's counselor at school and she is in complete agreement that changing our daughter's schedule will be detrimental.
I'm brilliant! Remember last year's post Random Thoughts From Hell...I Would Like To Thank? It was partly about the Fall High School Awards night. It was Thursday night and I got out of it! I rock! I told our son he was accompanying our daughter. I told each they were to supervise the other. I also told them if they killed each other there would be no dinner. I am so awesome! I had 2 hours of sheer bliss. (Apparently they cut down on the program. Last year it was much longer.) No kids for 2 hours on school night!
The ex is supposedly picking up our son Friday after school. I'll believe it when I see it. If he actually shows up that means it will be a girls only weekend. I'd really like to have a date night with Anastasia. Anyone want to babysit our 16 year old daughter? Pretty please?
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Anastasia had a 3 hour interview on Thursday. Yes! Three hours! She had some testing and the rest was a meeting with Human Resources and a meeting with the hiring manager and her bff. Anastasia was very nervous about having her bff in the interview. I can't blame her, I think I'd be nervous in that situation too. Anyway, she is supposed to hear in a few days. Please say a prayer, cross your fingers (and anything else) that she gets a job from this.
In other news, Anastasia did something that few job seekers do, she contacted a former supervisor to ask to use her as a reference. When the supervisor responded, she let Anastasia know that they also had openings there. So for now, it seems opportunities abound. I guess it's what they say, feast or famine, right?
Friday I will be burning up the phone lines. None of these Special Education whose-its ever answer their phone or return calls and there is a Girls Bowling Team meeting on Monday that transportation needs to be arranged for. Our daughter's counselor was trying to facilitate this, but got nowhere. I made calls today and got voicemails. In addition, I got a call yesterday from the bus company saying our daughter's pick-up time in the morning is changing from 7:40am to 7:05am. Hello! School doesn't start until 9am! That means that she will be on the bus for just short of 2 hours! We are trying to get some stability with her illness and this is not the way to do it. Are they freakin' nuts? Ok, I realize this is the time of the year that seems to be a boon for behavioral schools. Admissions are up just because this is usually a bad time of year for these kids, but if you are adding additional kids to the route, why does our daughter have to suffer? Why can't the new kid who is just starting get the sucky pick-up time? They are going to have to adjust to this new school anyway, why do you have to disrupt our daughter? I'm honkin' mad! I called our daughter's counselor at school and she is in complete agreement that changing our daughter's schedule will be detrimental.
I'm brilliant! Remember last year's post Random Thoughts From Hell...I Would Like To Thank? It was partly about the Fall High School Awards night. It was Thursday night and I got out of it! I rock! I told our son he was accompanying our daughter. I told each they were to supervise the other. I also told them if they killed each other there would be no dinner. I am so awesome! I had 2 hours of sheer bliss. (Apparently they cut down on the program. Last year it was much longer.) No kids for 2 hours on school night!
The ex is supposedly picking up our son Friday after school. I'll believe it when I see it. If he actually shows up that means it will be a girls only weekend. I'd really like to have a date night with Anastasia. Anyone want to babysit our 16 year old daughter? Pretty please?
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
October Top Commenter Winners!
Ok, it's the 5th of November and no one noticed I forgot to announce the winners?
Wow! Auntie E left everyone in the dust this month...again.
Here are the results:
©2008-2009
Wow! Auntie E left everyone in the dust this month...again.
Here are the results:
1st Place - Auntie E @ At Home With Auntie E 1000 Entrecard Credits.Congratulations to the winners! Entrecard Credits will be in your accounts shortly.
2nd Place - Stacey @ All Stace, All The Time 750 Entrecard Credits.
3rd Place - Lin @ Duck and Wheel With String 500 Entrecard Credits.
Just a reminder to everyone that my Top Commenter Contest will be running in November, so now is your chance to stake out your spot at the counter or grab a booth.
Lola's Diner©2008-2009
Healthcare Bill questions...
Have you seen the recent articles regarding "A little-noticed measure would put Christian Science healing sessions on the same footing as clinical medicine."? There was an article in Sunday's Chicago Tribune and an article today, Healthcare Provision Seeks To Embrace Prayer Treatments - Los Angeles Times.
Officials of the Christian Science Church are basically seeking to add on to the Healthcare Bill to allow for payment for prayer treatments.
To some of you this may seem shocking, but there is already a provision of the IRS code that allows for a deduction for prayers treatments as itemized medical expenses. "Some federal medical insurance programs, including those for military families, also reimburse for prayer treatment."
On the one hand this looks like a special interest group adding pork to the Healthcare Bill. On the other, as evidenced by the IRS code, the Christian Science Church appears to have more friends on Capitol Hill than any other organized religion, even though they claim to have less than 2,000 congregants in 60 countries.
Some of the arguments against this center around separation of church and state. (However, with that single provision of the IRS code, it doesn't appear to be a weighty argument.)
One could counter with, why should the Christian Science Church be the only church allowed payment for prayer treatments. Certainly other churches/religions pray for health and healing.
What do you think of the Christian Science Church's asking that payment for prayer treatments be included in the Healthcare Bill?
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Officials of the Christian Science Church are basically seeking to add on to the Healthcare Bill to allow for payment for prayer treatments.
To some of you this may seem shocking, but there is already a provision of the IRS code that allows for a deduction for prayers treatments as itemized medical expenses. "Some federal medical insurance programs, including those for military families, also reimburse for prayer treatment."
On the one hand this looks like a special interest group adding pork to the Healthcare Bill. On the other, as evidenced by the IRS code, the Christian Science Church appears to have more friends on Capitol Hill than any other organized religion, even though they claim to have less than 2,000 congregants in 60 countries.
Some of the arguments against this center around separation of church and state. (However, with that single provision of the IRS code, it doesn't appear to be a weighty argument.)
One could counter with, why should the Christian Science Church be the only church allowed payment for prayer treatments. Certainly other churches/religions pray for health and healing.
What do you think of the Christian Science Church's asking that payment for prayer treatments be included in the Healthcare Bill?
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Finally! Someone else sees it!
I complain all the time about how our daughter refuses to do chores and everyone reminds me that this is a normal teenage thing. However, I don't go into detail about what she does when she refuses. She either shuts down (ignores me, refuses to respond, doesn't move) or she give me the evil, psycho stare and shuts down. That could be normal teenage stuff too, to a certain extent. But not for hours.
Tuesday our daughter's therapist got to experience it first hand during her session. The therapist has been giving her a weekly assignment which basically requires that our daughter do her chores in a timely manner for a week and if she does, she will not only earn her allowance and extra rewards at home, she will also earn a gift from the therapist. The therapist even went out and bought the little gifts already, a variety of card games, as she knows our daughter loves card games. That was more than a month ago. Our daughter has failed to accomplish her assignment even once.
The therapist decided to change things up a bit this week and suggested the assignment be that our daughter didn't need to do any chores this week. Also as part of the assignment I would not grocery shop, no one would cook meals or do laundry. It would be a full-out household strike. This was obviously to make our daughter realize how important everyone's contribution to the household is. The therapist asked for our daughter's input. She failed to respond and would not make eye contact, stared at her shoes and just sat there. The therapist said that we would sit and wait for her response. So 10 minutes went by, 20, 30, more than 40 minutes went by. No response, no change. Five minutes before the session was to end the therapist again asked our daughter for her response to the 'assignment'. No response. I suggested I leave the room to see if she would respond, and I did. The therapist walked our daughter out at the end of the session and told me that our daughter just sat there and refused to respond.
So...wasted therapy sesssion? In terms of our daughter, probably. I on the other hand was glad that finally someone else got to see what we at home experience every day. Usually when I tell her therapist or school or a friend that she behaves like this, no one believes that our sweet child would behave this way. In a way, I guess you could say I feel vindicated. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the end of it. Our daughter is complaining about a situation at school and I'm willing to bet that the school is going to witness this behavior very soon. For some reason, perhaps it's the time of year...I don't know, but our daughter doesn't seem to be doing very well. The medication increase she had last month does not seem to be helping at all.
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Tuesday our daughter's therapist got to experience it first hand during her session. The therapist has been giving her a weekly assignment which basically requires that our daughter do her chores in a timely manner for a week and if she does, she will not only earn her allowance and extra rewards at home, she will also earn a gift from the therapist. The therapist even went out and bought the little gifts already, a variety of card games, as she knows our daughter loves card games. That was more than a month ago. Our daughter has failed to accomplish her assignment even once.
The therapist decided to change things up a bit this week and suggested the assignment be that our daughter didn't need to do any chores this week. Also as part of the assignment I would not grocery shop, no one would cook meals or do laundry. It would be a full-out household strike. This was obviously to make our daughter realize how important everyone's contribution to the household is. The therapist asked for our daughter's input. She failed to respond and would not make eye contact, stared at her shoes and just sat there. The therapist said that we would sit and wait for her response. So 10 minutes went by, 20, 30, more than 40 minutes went by. No response, no change. Five minutes before the session was to end the therapist again asked our daughter for her response to the 'assignment'. No response. I suggested I leave the room to see if she would respond, and I did. The therapist walked our daughter out at the end of the session and told me that our daughter just sat there and refused to respond.
So...wasted therapy sesssion? In terms of our daughter, probably. I on the other hand was glad that finally someone else got to see what we at home experience every day. Usually when I tell her therapist or school or a friend that she behaves like this, no one believes that our sweet child would behave this way. In a way, I guess you could say I feel vindicated. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the end of it. Our daughter is complaining about a situation at school and I'm willing to bet that the school is going to witness this behavior very soon. For some reason, perhaps it's the time of year...I don't know, but our daughter doesn't seem to be doing very well. The medication increase she had last month does not seem to be helping at all.
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Random Tuesday Thoughts
Anastasia was up early this morning because she got a phone call. It was freakin' cold in the house. (We are very militant about not turning the heat on until we absolutely have to.) So Anastasia remarks how sometimes it's warmer outside, than inside, probably because the drapes are drawn and the sun is out, the house is holding in the cool air. So she opens the front door, opens the screen door, then quickly closes and says "not so much". I guess you had to be there, but it was funny.Anastasia has an interview for 2 positions on Thursday. A friend of hers works at the place and she just found out will be sitting in on the interview process. Anastasia is excited about the interview, but now nervous because her bff will be in the interview. Please cross your fingers, say a prayer, send some positive energy her way. Her getting one of these jobs will give her health insurance she really needs and will provide a steady income we are currently lacking.
Halloween candy...I give up. Our son filled 1/2 a king size pillow case trick or treating. He's polished off more than 1/2 of it. Just thinking about it makes me sick.
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Halloween
First off, I gotta say, I suuuuuuck! Anastasia gave me her fancy shmancy 35mm digital camera that I got her a few years ago for Christmas to use to take photos at her mom's house. I didn't know that you had to pop the flash part up or the photos would be blurry. So that means that all the cool photos I took over there were crap. If Anastasia's sister emails us her photos, I will post them.
I did take a photo of our kids when we got home. Anastasia took the kids costume shopping earlier in the week. Before that all of our son's costume ideas involved him being in a suit. Scary axe murderer in a suit, scary clown in a suit. He finally settled upon a Scary bloody jester...in a suit. (Did you catch the theme?) I'm not really sure what our daughter's mask is. Anyway, they both had fun.
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
I did take a photo of our kids when we got home. Anastasia took the kids costume shopping earlier in the week. Before that all of our son's costume ideas involved him being in a suit. Scary axe murderer in a suit, scary clown in a suit. He finally settled upon a Scary bloody jester...in a suit. (Did you catch the theme?) I'm not really sure what our daughter's mask is. Anyway, they both had fun.
Lola's Diner©2008-2009
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