Another one bites the dust

On Friday, I will be another year closer to meeting my maker, or becoming a desperate person. I'm not quite sure which. I believe the fog of sobriety to be clouding my judgement. In hindsight, I should have given up fried food for Lent.

This past year has taught me many things:
1. heterosexual relationships do not have to be locations of oppression. This was a long lesson for this feminazi.
2. Racism is alive and ill. It is also very important to me, not to maintain, but to created discussions about it. Ignoring it won't make it go away. Also, discussions about racism and white privilege need to be careful not to essentialize or otherize. this defeats the purpose.
3. Diabetes and high blood pressure are serious risk factors for me and I need to make extreme life changes to address these risks. My dad has pre-diabetes and high blood pressure. Health risks are scary and dismissible when they are outside of the immediate family, but when they cross that line they get really freaky. I will be expending a lot of energy to reduce my risks.
4. School is hard. There are so many commitments tied to school. If you are planning to advance beyond your bachelor's degree you need to volunteer, head committees, and engage in extracurricular activities. Then you need to attend to work and your social life where no one may understand all the pressure you face. It kinda sucks, but is well worth it anyway.
5. IUDs are super terrific happy fun time. I have had mine for two academic quarters and have not had any adverse side effects. Penny and I are very happy and plan to be for a long, long time. Yay no babies!!!
6. I need to make time and funds available for therapy. There are things in my life that I have a hard time dealing with that I need to get over, because they are essentially part of life. Germs, living with people, stress, etc... Having a therapist might facilitate attaining the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

I think that is all I have got for this year's life lessons. If you want to help celebrate the accomplishments of my wisdom, come to the Summit Public House on March 21, AKA Transnational Shannon Day! Be there at drinking time and come equipped with the means to buy me a drink.


Cheers!