Walking on a tightrope isn't the ultimate balancing act
As I was driving home today something dawned on me. Whatever time I have left, be it days, weeks, months, years or as I hope, decades; is going to be a balancing act. I will have to balance what I want versus what I need, in order to stay alive. To prolong my life. This is true for all of humanity, but for those of us whose health is frail for whatever reason, it becomes much more of an issue for us.
I could live a life where I do every single thing I can, make every decision I make, with the sole purpose of living longer. I could stop eating every single thing that I derive pleasure from. In fact, I could opt to get the feeding tube that was in my stomach during the year I was hospitalized reinserted, and go back on the bland crap they poured into it three times daily. It wouldn't be pleasurable, it would certainly ensure I would lose more weight more rapidly, but it wouldn't be really "living".
Then again I could go back to hitting the McDonald's drive-thru regularly, drink lots of V-8 juice, and make all of those other dietary choices that are not going to help me deal with my health issues. In fact these choices would make my situation worse. It won't help me live longer, but it will make the reduced time remaining much more pleasurable.
Or I can find a middle ground. Somewhere that I get to enjoy the things I like, in moderation, and still make progress toward improving my health. I drive by McDonald's regularly and the temptation to pull in is strong. However when I consider making that choice, I'm strongly motivated to not do it because I do not want to spend more time in a hospital bed. So I pass the place by. If and when I decide I really, really want a burger and fries, I'll have one. It probably won't be McDonald's, but I may stop there again. Some day. Until then I'll try my best to balance out these two driving, conflicting agendas with an eye toward living a fulfilling, longer life.
* * *
By now, most of us know the name Bob Filner, the soon to be former mayor of San Diego. He finally tendered his resignation as part of a deal his lawyer made with the city council and Gloria Allred.
Then there is a man named Richard Nanula. He's 53 years old and this past June resigned his positions as Chairman of the Miramax film company and as a principal at a private equity firm. Why did he resign? Clearly it is connected with allegations that images posted online were of him having sex with a porn star.
People clamored for Filner to resign. He engaged in sexual harassment, was a sexual predator and his non-apology exit speech would seem to indicate he may well be a sociopath. At least that is the opinion of one mental health professional who offered an analysis of the speech afterward.
A little over a year ago, a former employee of the private equity firm sued the company and Nanula for sexual harassment. Her lawsuit indicated that she is claiming he groped her. Sound familiar?
What attracted me to this story wasn't the story itself but the comments posted below it on the L.A. Times website. Some tried to liken Nanula to President Obama, as both had an African-American father and a Caucasian mother. Others used the story to try to label those who supported Bill Clinton when his sexual escapades became an issue as hypocritical if they try to take anyone else to task for doing the same thing.
Now we don't know if Filner did like Nanula and pay for sex, but it wouldn't surprise me. Is the difference that one was a public servant and the other the employee of privately held firms? Do we hold our elected officials to a different standard?
In my mind the city of San Diego is no different than any other employer. There is a state law mandating employers must provide those who supervise others with sexual harassment awareness training. San Diego failed to do this. While it was Filner's actions that caused the problem, and it is highly doubtful he would have acted differently after a two hour on-line training session; the fact is the city exposed itself to liability by failing to comply with the law.
Undoubtedly, some other equity firm or someone else who is more worried about making money than the character of their employees will give Nanula another seven-figure job in short order. Then again, should employers be concerned with whether or not their employees are promiscuous and/or patronize prostitutes? It is a good question.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I'm very sad that Linda Ronstadt's bout with Parkinson's Disease has left her unable to sing. A great talent, silenced far too soon.
Are the skirts women wear in public going to get any shorter? A few of the women I saw out walking today were pushing their hemlines well above the mid-thigh region.
There was a protest happening outside the Federal Building in Westwood today, but I couldn't see who was protesting what. Anyone know?
Will the TV reality show "Deadliest Catch" be forced to change its name because logging surpassed fishing as the deadliest occupation in the U.S. in 2011 (latest year for which complete data is available)?
Did ESPN sideline reporter Samantha Ponder and her new husband, Minnesota Vikings QB Christian Ponder really have Arby's as their wedding meal and spend the rest of the evening at a "dirty sweater" party being held by the team's offensive line?? (yes, they did)
Is it fair to blame Ben Affleck for being cast as "Batman"? I blame Warner Brothers.
Sleep-texting is a new phenomenon? Wow. It must suck to be waking up in the middle of the night, texting and then not remembering it the next day.
* * *
This Date In History:
On this date in 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted.
On this date in 1215, Pope Innocent III declares the Magna Carta invalid.
On this date in 1349, more than 6,000 Jews are massacred in Mainz after they are blamed for causing the bubonic plague.
On this date in 1456, the Gutenberg Bible is completed.
On this date in 1814, the British invade Washington, D.C. and set the White House ablaze.
On this date in 1875, Captain Matthew Webb becomes the first person to swim the English Channel.
On this date in 1891, Thomas Edison patents the motion picture camera.
On this date in 1909, workers begin pouring concrete to construct the Panama Canal.
On this date in 1912, Alaska becomes a U.S. territory.
On this date in 1932, Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly across the U.S., nonstop.
On this date in 1949, the treaty establishing NATO goes into effect.
On this date in 1950, Edith Sampson becomes the first black delegate to the United Nations.
On this date in 1954, the American Communist Party is officially outlawed.
On this date in 1981, Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering John Lennon.
On this date in 1989, Pete Rose is banned from baseball for gambling.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
James Calhoun
Duke Kahanamoku
Fred Rose
Carlo Gambino
Dennis James
Rene Levesque
Yasser Arafat
Kenny Guinn
Mason Williams (love his song "Classical Gas") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMuCiAe6vA
Ronee Blakely
Anne Archer
Vincent Kennedy McMahon
Joe Regalbuto
Charles Rocket
Mike Huckabee
Stephen Fry
Steve Guttenberg
Cal Ripken Jr.
Marlee Matlin
Reggie Miller
Tim Salmon
James Toney
Dave Chappelle
Beth Reisgraf
Rupert Grint
Movie quotes for today come from "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment":
Lt. Mauser: You're not playing with a full deck, are you?
Sergeant Proctor: Oh, I don't play cards.
#2
[Cmdt. Lassard's water in his fishbowl is boiling on the hibachi]
Cmdt. Eric Lassard: This fish is boiling.
Japanese chef: Oh you want stir fry?
#3
Lt. Mauser: Any day now, Mahoney, and your little ass is mine.
Mahoney: You wanted to see me, sir?
Lt. Mauser: Mahoney, didn't your mother teach you how to knock?
Mahoney: It depends. Sir? I hope this isn't going to be too personal? I heard what you said about my little butt and I don't know how to break this to you, sir, but I'm straight.
#4
Chief Hurst: Mauser, you're the most incredible ass-kisser I have ever seen.
Lt. Mauser: Thank you very much, sir. I do my best.
I could live a life where I do every single thing I can, make every decision I make, with the sole purpose of living longer. I could stop eating every single thing that I derive pleasure from. In fact, I could opt to get the feeding tube that was in my stomach during the year I was hospitalized reinserted, and go back on the bland crap they poured into it three times daily. It wouldn't be pleasurable, it would certainly ensure I would lose more weight more rapidly, but it wouldn't be really "living".
Then again I could go back to hitting the McDonald's drive-thru regularly, drink lots of V-8 juice, and make all of those other dietary choices that are not going to help me deal with my health issues. In fact these choices would make my situation worse. It won't help me live longer, but it will make the reduced time remaining much more pleasurable.
Or I can find a middle ground. Somewhere that I get to enjoy the things I like, in moderation, and still make progress toward improving my health. I drive by McDonald's regularly and the temptation to pull in is strong. However when I consider making that choice, I'm strongly motivated to not do it because I do not want to spend more time in a hospital bed. So I pass the place by. If and when I decide I really, really want a burger and fries, I'll have one. It probably won't be McDonald's, but I may stop there again. Some day. Until then I'll try my best to balance out these two driving, conflicting agendas with an eye toward living a fulfilling, longer life.
* * *
By now, most of us know the name Bob Filner, the soon to be former mayor of San Diego. He finally tendered his resignation as part of a deal his lawyer made with the city council and Gloria Allred.
Then there is a man named Richard Nanula. He's 53 years old and this past June resigned his positions as Chairman of the Miramax film company and as a principal at a private equity firm. Why did he resign? Clearly it is connected with allegations that images posted online were of him having sex with a porn star.
People clamored for Filner to resign. He engaged in sexual harassment, was a sexual predator and his non-apology exit speech would seem to indicate he may well be a sociopath. At least that is the opinion of one mental health professional who offered an analysis of the speech afterward.
A little over a year ago, a former employee of the private equity firm sued the company and Nanula for sexual harassment. Her lawsuit indicated that she is claiming he groped her. Sound familiar?
What attracted me to this story wasn't the story itself but the comments posted below it on the L.A. Times website. Some tried to liken Nanula to President Obama, as both had an African-American father and a Caucasian mother. Others used the story to try to label those who supported Bill Clinton when his sexual escapades became an issue as hypocritical if they try to take anyone else to task for doing the same thing.
Now we don't know if Filner did like Nanula and pay for sex, but it wouldn't surprise me. Is the difference that one was a public servant and the other the employee of privately held firms? Do we hold our elected officials to a different standard?
In my mind the city of San Diego is no different than any other employer. There is a state law mandating employers must provide those who supervise others with sexual harassment awareness training. San Diego failed to do this. While it was Filner's actions that caused the problem, and it is highly doubtful he would have acted differently after a two hour on-line training session; the fact is the city exposed itself to liability by failing to comply with the law.
Undoubtedly, some other equity firm or someone else who is more worried about making money than the character of their employees will give Nanula another seven-figure job in short order. Then again, should employers be concerned with whether or not their employees are promiscuous and/or patronize prostitutes? It is a good question.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I'm very sad that Linda Ronstadt's bout with Parkinson's Disease has left her unable to sing. A great talent, silenced far too soon.
Are the skirts women wear in public going to get any shorter? A few of the women I saw out walking today were pushing their hemlines well above the mid-thigh region.
There was a protest happening outside the Federal Building in Westwood today, but I couldn't see who was protesting what. Anyone know?
Will the TV reality show "Deadliest Catch" be forced to change its name because logging surpassed fishing as the deadliest occupation in the U.S. in 2011 (latest year for which complete data is available)?
Did ESPN sideline reporter Samantha Ponder and her new husband, Minnesota Vikings QB Christian Ponder really have Arby's as their wedding meal and spend the rest of the evening at a "dirty sweater" party being held by the team's offensive line?? (yes, they did)
Is it fair to blame Ben Affleck for being cast as "Batman"? I blame Warner Brothers.
Sleep-texting is a new phenomenon? Wow. It must suck to be waking up in the middle of the night, texting and then not remembering it the next day.
* * *
This Date In History:
On this date in 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted.
On this date in 1215, Pope Innocent III declares the Magna Carta invalid.
On this date in 1349, more than 6,000 Jews are massacred in Mainz after they are blamed for causing the bubonic plague.
On this date in 1456, the Gutenberg Bible is completed.
On this date in 1814, the British invade Washington, D.C. and set the White House ablaze.
On this date in 1875, Captain Matthew Webb becomes the first person to swim the English Channel.
On this date in 1891, Thomas Edison patents the motion picture camera.
On this date in 1909, workers begin pouring concrete to construct the Panama Canal.
On this date in 1912, Alaska becomes a U.S. territory.
On this date in 1932, Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly across the U.S., nonstop.
On this date in 1949, the treaty establishing NATO goes into effect.
On this date in 1950, Edith Sampson becomes the first black delegate to the United Nations.
On this date in 1954, the American Communist Party is officially outlawed.
On this date in 1981, Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering John Lennon.
On this date in 1989, Pete Rose is banned from baseball for gambling.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
James Calhoun
Duke Kahanamoku
Fred Rose
Carlo Gambino
Dennis James
Rene Levesque
Yasser Arafat
Kenny Guinn
Mason Williams (love his song "Classical Gas") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMuCiAe6vA
Ronee Blakely
Anne Archer
Vincent Kennedy McMahon
Joe Regalbuto
Charles Rocket
Mike Huckabee
Stephen Fry
Steve Guttenberg
Cal Ripken Jr.
Marlee Matlin
Reggie Miller
Tim Salmon
James Toney
Dave Chappelle
Beth Reisgraf
Rupert Grint
Movie quotes for today come from "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment":
Lt. Mauser: You're not playing with a full deck, are you?
Sergeant Proctor: Oh, I don't play cards.
#2
[Cmdt. Lassard's water in his fishbowl is boiling on the hibachi]
Cmdt. Eric Lassard: This fish is boiling.
Japanese chef: Oh you want stir fry?
#3
Lt. Mauser: Any day now, Mahoney, and your little ass is mine.
Mahoney: You wanted to see me, sir?
Lt. Mauser: Mahoney, didn't your mother teach you how to knock?
Mahoney: It depends. Sir? I hope this isn't going to be too personal? I heard what you said about my little butt and I don't know how to break this to you, sir, but I'm straight.
#4
Chief Hurst: Mauser, you're the most incredible ass-kisser I have ever seen.
Lt. Mauser: Thank you very much, sir. I do my best.
posted by me at 7:50 PM
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