Aging, Commentary on the news, Health, Politics, Retirement

One Last Physical

December 14, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

As 65 nears there is one more physical left under the old, private insurance model. COBRA, which allows extension of private medical insurance for up to 18-24 months after loss of employment or retirement, if you can afford it, has kept the Health Partners plan in place until February 14th, when this baby boomer adds another droplet to the silver tsunami.

So, one last time under the private health care insurance model that has bankrupted and made more ill hundreds of thousands in this the wealthiest of all possible countries.

Tom Davis has seen me now for four years or so since Charlie Peterson took off for Colorado, Steamboat Springs. Tom collects native american pottery and hopes some day to become a docent at the MIA. He’s a good doc, a geriatrician in the mix.

Each year. Downtown to the Medical Arts Building. Park in the ramp, find the skyway. Take the elevator. Yes, nothing to eat or drink other than clear liquids since midnight. The blood pressure cuff, measuring my major health problem. Once by the nurse. Then again by Tom. Maybe yet again.

The ritual questions. Any difficulty swallowing? Any changes? And on. Probing with words while the eyes watch, looking for signs, fleeting symptoms. Diagnostics at work, the differential tree now second nature, honed by so many patients.

Disrobing. The paper gown. So cute. Poking, coughing. A reflex tested. Prostate checked. Prescriptions refilled. Blood work drawn. Urine sample.

After visit summary in hand, back out through the lobby. Others wait. For the blood pressure cuff. The ritual questions. The disrobing.

Next year though it will be socialized medicine and a local HMO taking care of the visit. Medicare is not the problem, it’s the solution.

The ritual question for solving the problem: for whom will you vote?

Commentary on Religion, Faith and Spirituality, Holidays, Humanities, Myth and Story, Travel

The Dark Time

December 13, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

Samain in Lima, Peru. We came back through Lima from a point on the far side of the city just as evening fell. Even there, Samain’s pale memory, Halloween, saw children in Mickey Mouse costumes, princess costumes, carrying plastic pumpkins, many of them walking toward a large shopping mall in one area, a Halloween party rocking the joint.

These Latin cultures have a certain affinity with Samain as a festival when the veil between the worlds thins and the dead can cross, come back to visit family or to haunt them. Cemeteries had fresh flowers at grave markers, grass had been cut, masses said, loved ones remembered. In the White City, the vast and prominent cemetery in Guyaquil, Ecuador, the mausoleums and the multiple, tall columbariums, the markers climbing the hill in the back all speak to an engagement with death, a sort of living and ongoing engagement with death, so very different from the sterile, hospital based, don’t look culture we’ve created here.

Next week, a week from Wednesday, comes the Winter Solstice and Samain will be at an end. In sorting material about the Winter Solstice, about Yule, about Saturnalia and even Deepavali and Hanukkah the emphasis is mainly on Sol Invictus, as the Romans called him, the Unconquerable Sun. An emphasis on the long march of daylight that begins on the longest night.

Another, equal concept celebrates the Winter Solstice as the longest night of the year, the culmination of a steady progress by darkness to push back the realm of light. Both have their mirror in the human mind. The light of reason shines itself on the questions we have about the way things are. How things work. Why this happens and that does not. Yes.

But. A child lives in the warm dark for nine months before coming to the light. Ideas often lie hidden, tucked away somewhere in the darkness of the mind, back there fermenting, gathering weight. Dreams sometimes pick those ideas up and play with them. Too, our life is not all rational, not all light, perhaps not even very much so.

Most of life comes from the irrational, the emotional, the intuitive and to worship the light can be a denial of these important elements in our everyday life.

The Great Wheel shows us the way. We need the fallow time, the restfulness of winter and the cold, just as we need the sunny time, the growing season, the time of thinking. These needs are not occasional but persistent, coming into our lives again and again and again just as the earth wheels through the sky, repositioning the sun’s light. Blessed be.

Great Work, Politics, Sierra Club, US History, World History

Not With A Bang, But A Fever

December 13, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

Durban. On the somewhat binding, sort of advanced, might be effective at some point result of this latest climate summit.

On this point a very interesting column by a philosopher wondering how to make his discipline matter. On climate science he suggested analyzing the thought and logic of so-called climate skeptics. Given the weight and quantity of high quality data documenting climate change, climate skepticism is not skepticism, rather it’s the height of credulity. That is, true skeptics, given the science, would doubt the doubters who somehow swallow, accept as credulous, the patent propaganda of those whose self-interest (as they short-sightedly see it) turns them against facts.

“The last-minute successful agreement at Durban puts pressure on what has been the world’s biggest obstacle to a climate agreement – the US Republican party.

For ten years or more, they have walked out of hearings on renewable energy or climate policy with “We won’t act on climate because China won’t!” – a petulant mirror image of the parental favorite: “Would you jump off a bridge, just cause your friend does?””

But now – China will.

In terms of sheer global impact, there is nothing else within human control that matters more than reducing carbon emissions. We insist on running our present in a way that commits our grandchildren to a difficult, if not downright dangerous, world.

Because this is global politics and because the big emitters, China #1 and US #2, have internal political problems on this issue, as does India, and because the world is in the midst of a very unsettled global economic mess, the odds of something substantive happening seems faraway, distant.

It may be that this is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but a fever. But, maybe not.*

“So does the outcome in Durban truly represent a “remarkable new phase,” as U.N. Climate Chief Christina Figueres put it? Does the Durban Platform really “set a new course for the global fight against climate change” (the phrase from an Associated Press wire story that many media outlets have picked up)? Maybe, but it will require a whole lot of work by the likes of the United States and China to keep the world on that course. At the very least, perhaps one could say, in that regard, that in the Durban Platform two of the world’s biggest emitters have agreed to stop squabbling and have shaken hands.”

Family

Overseas Ellises

December 13, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

Brother Mark has settled in to Ha’il. So much so that he visited, by their invitation, a group of cyberjournalists who run an online newspaper where he participated in an interview, drank tea, then left after shaking everyone’s hand, apparently a cultural expectation. He says he has three photos and a youtube clip as a result of the visit, though I’ve not found them yet.

Sister Mary sent these cute clips of elephants in the air-conditioned nation.

They’re part of a fund-raiser to support elephants in Southeast Asia.

Aging, Commentary on the news, Health, Politics, Retirement, US History

Grocers and Beware of Abstract Ideas

December 10, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

Kate and I went to the grocery store together. OF alert! As I do most of the grocery shopping, I often notice older couples on what appears to be their big outing of the week. Buying food. And here we were, wandering the aisles of Festival Foods, a Kowalski burb grocery name.

It was nice to have her along and she prefers to drive the cart. Read: she always drives the cart. Just like I do the car. Gender insensitive on both our parts, I know. Still.

We loaded up for the week, going over budget some, probably because there were two sets of eyes to be sucked in by the clever marketers behind grocery stores. Low margin business along the walls: veggies, fruit, meat, dairy, bread. Higher margin grocery items in the center aisles: soda, cereal, coffee, baking goods, oils and mustards and mayo and pickles. Highest margin items on the endcaps of aisles and the impulse purchases parked conveniently by the checkout lanes.

Message here. Just shop the outside walls.

Still reading Scorpions, about the Roosevelt star Supremes: Felix Frankfurter, Hugo Black, Robert Jackson and William O. Douglas. The big news to me so far is the astonishing reversal of roles evident from this court to the current one. Let me give you two examples, but first one thought to undermine them all

As the book reminded me, there is no place in the constitution that empowers the Supreme Court to decide cases in the way that it does. Go back to Marbury vs. Madison, a hoary lesson from US History at one level of education or another. Marshall created judicial review.

Example #1: Judicial restraint. Felix Frankfurter was an early, liberal, advocate of judicial restraint. He specifically wanted the reigning conservative notion of liberty of contract, a legal idea that kept unions down and decided all cases in the interest of individual property rights, struck down and its source, a judicial interpretation of the 14th amendment stoppered. In order to advance progressive ideas, Frankfurter said, justices should restrain themselves from intervening in matters decided by Congress and state legislatures. Guess who’s in favor of judicial restraint now?

Example #2: Originalism. Hugo Black, a former radical member of the senate, known for his populist agenda, contended that justices should not make up ideas that were not in a plain reading of the Constitution. This was aimed at the conservative invention of liberty of contract, also Frankfurter’s target.

Both Frankfurter and Black continued to expand their Constitutional philosophies as their terms extended. Now, it is the Scalia’s and the John Roberts of the current court who advocate judicial restraint and originalism. Beware of an abstract idea, it may not produce the result you expect.

Said he, an abstract thinker. Me. Beware.

Commentary on Religion, Faith and Spirituality, Holidays, Humanities, Weather +Climate

Hello, Darkness

December 10, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

The holidays. We’ve got no decorations up. No Christmas or other holiday music plays here. We did all of our shopping online.

When I was at Best Buy a week or so ago while hunting for a device to download pictures to Kate’s i-pad (no joy on that front even now), Christmas music played and, as I said here after that, I responded, singing along, even getting the little uptick in the heart that comes with the commercial or family holiday all Americans celebrate at this time of year.

I do miss some of the over doing, present wrapping–ok, I don’t miss present wrapping, decorating the tree–well, I don’t miss getting the tree, putting up the tree or the occasional nasty surprise like the one my friend Mark discovered when he watered and watered this year’s tree only to discover the pan had cracked and water had leaked out under the tree skirt, nor do I miss taking down the tree, cleaning up the fallen needles, Christmas music–responding in the store meant something to me, but only because I’d spent 40 days away from the US and this is one strong cultural tradition, over saturation spoils the effect, church services–well, I bailed on those a long, long time ago.

So, maybe I’m not too sad about our ascetic approach to the holidays. Besides, the holiday that now means the most to me, the Winter Solstice, comes along now, too, and I do celebrate that one with candles, meditation and writing.

There is, though, a powerful need for reflection, for love, for warmth in all its manifestations. Sergio, our guide on a tour in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the Americas, explained that winters there, where the nights are long long long, often results in depression.

Another argument for a Ge-centric faith, one that acknowledges the darkness, relishes its nurturing power, rejoices at the return of the light and doesn’t have to get overly metaphysical about it.

These brave festivals of the light like Deepavli, Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule and even New Years all respond to the same fundamental astronomical fact, the lengthening of night and the ancient fear that the sun may not return. In that sense they’re all good, but why not acknowledge, first, the fundamental reason for the season, axial tilt?

Aging, Humanities, Politics

An Old Draft Horse, Trained To The Plow

December 8, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

My first Latin day since before the cruise. Today and probably next week, too, I’ll be getting myself back in the spirit and form of translating Ovid, refreshing vocabulary, looking at translations past and checking on the translations Greg and I have not gone through yet, refreshing my memory about what I did in those translations, that sort of thing.

Getting back to my novel has become another force in my life right now. I intend to start carving out time this week and next, getting a regular schedule going again.

The urge to act, have agency, as I wrote here before, is still strong, young Jedi. When the Republican debates occur, when the Rick Perrys and the Michele Bachmanns and the Nude Gingrichs start to yap, my blood begins to boil. When Obama starts echoing the arguments of the Occupy crowd, a certain part of me, instinctive almost, wants to take up the message, too, remind this country that class discrimination comes before and reinforces every other form of discrimination.

At the Christmas Tea the other night I talked with Scott Searles, the minister at Shepherd of the Hills. He’s got some work going in Hopkins, 65% rental! Three buildings there, one with East Indians, one with Somalis and the other with Latinos. The city has an interest in greater stability, more home ownership. Made this ol’ affordable housing activist lean into his bit.

But, when he asked me if I wanted to come advise, I said no. I felt guilty. That’s the draft horse in me, trained to the plow. If I can contribute, I should contribute. Still, my current work load with home, the MIA, the Sierra Club and the novel is full. I need to be honest about that.

It did give me an idea though. There was no internet, no e-mail, no cell phones when I worked for the Presbytery, but there are all three now. In a minute, in casual conversation Scott had two new resources: MICAH (Metropolitan Interfaith Coalition for Affordable Housing) and Common Bond, the Catholic housing arm.

A resource website for congregations and other activists, one that would list current organizations active in certain key areas: affordable housing, health care, economic justice, environmental advocacy, say, could be used by many and it’s something I could put together and maintain. That way, I could get my expertise out there and make it available to others without getting involved in round after round of meetings and phone calls.

Worth pondering.

Art and Culture, Cooking, Health, Travel

Empanadas

December 7, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

Empanadas. Kate and I came to enjoy this Latin perogi, or pasty, so we decided to make some ourselves. This former baker did the dough while Kate made the filling and baked. Cooking together is fun and I think we’ll do more of it as Kate eases in to full time retirement, possibly as early as March of next year.

By making more than we need we can then freeze some and have meals later from one morning’s work.

Whoa. Ratcheted myself up about that presentation. This happened because I agreed to do it before we left on our cruise, knowing I’d have barely a week to put it together when we got back. It began looming as we hit Tierra del Fuego and turned north, the turn that in almost all my trips means heading home.

That meant I came home ready to cram, which I did. After years of deadlines in college, papers and tests alike, I adopted an I’d rather get it done ahead of time attitude, so I prefer a relaxed pace, finishing something like a week before a due date. I didn’t have that luxury this time.

The church did send me a nice e-mail a moment ago, so I feel good about that.

Since getting back from the cruise, I’ve begun a short burst training regimen. That entails working at maximum effort for 45 seconds to a minute, I run on the treadmill at about 6.5 mph at 5% elevation right now, then getting off and doing resistance work or stretching, getting back on 4 minutes later, going full tilt boogie again, then off, until 4-5 minutes of maximum intensity have accumulated.

It’s fast and crams a lot of work into a short of period of time, plus, according to the literature I’ve read is much better than traditional workouts lasting much longer. Even so, I also do a 50 minute low intensity treadmill workout on the off days. I do the short burst three times a week.

Now, if I can figure out how to cut my calories in half.

GeekWorld, Travel

How to Win A Nobel Prize

December 6, 2011 Charles Leave a comment

Samain Moon of the Winter Solstice

Perhaps my favorite photograph out of the way too many we took, maybe a couple thousand, digital allows profligacy, is this one. I took it at the command center for the 4 meter telescope at Cerro Tololo, the one which Brain Schmidt used, with two others, to prove the universe is not only expanding, but accelerating, an achievement for which the three together won a 2011 Nobel Prize. Polite, too.