When You’re Broken by Breaking News — Longreads

This is a great piece and pretty much hits home for me concerning my feelings about this and other recent tragedies in the US. It needs to be discussed, but the media interviewing his hair stylist and whoever else knew him for 5 minutes is not going to help make sense of this. It’s not productive and it’s bled into every area of our lives…television, radio, online, our cell phones, this is just everywhere. Is it any wonder that depression, anxiety, and drug and alcohol abuse are so prevalent these days? How can anyone turn on the TV and stay optimistic?

If reporting becomes excessive, it can do more harm than good.

via When You’re Broken by Breaking News — Longreads

People make mistakes: Cam Newton’s folly & apology

I remember growing up and watching college basketball and NFL games with my parents. During those times, I always hoped to see female reporters or female coaches on TV during Monday Night Football or an NCAA tournament game. I wanted to see a woman holding her own at the tables of talking heads. Hell, I wanted to do it myself…I was all about some stats and research on basketball and football. I loved talking UK basketball with my dad (and I still do).

(Can I just say how excited I am for the upcoming college basketball season?)

In recent years, I’m thrilled to see this hope become reality (though the talking heads have gotten more annoying than interesting). Slower than it should be, granted, but I’m seeing it more and more. It’s about a person’s love of the game, not their age, gender, what have you. And reinforcing that acceptance is something a lot of young men and women need to see.

I also normally try to give people the benefit of the doubt if they don’t exhibit a pattern of asshole behavior, even when it’s something offensive to women. Some would say I’m not much of a feminist, others would say I need to step it up a notch. But for the most part, a single incident, comment, or action that is disrespectful to women isn’t offensive to me personally, but I understand that it is to others and respect that.

However, this is an exception and it really pisses me off.

Cam Newton Says It’s ‘Funny’ Hearing Female Reporter ‘Talk About Routes’

Not really because it happened to a woman and the whole closing ranks thing, but hearing that kind of dismissive comment about someone being respectful and asking a genuine question. It could have been about anyone and still be something inappropriate to say. Try it. Try putting another group in for “female” and see how it sounds:

“It’s funny hearing a gay reporter talk about routes.”
“It’s funny hearing a Hispanic reporter talk about routes.”
“It’s funny hearing a teenager reporter talk about routes.”

It’s messed up and dismissive no matter who he was talking about. And this kind of comment needs to be called out because it needs to stop happening. We need to learn how to respect each other regardless…the Golden Rule we try to stress to our children. Treat others as you would want to be treated.

It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s soul-crushing, upsetting, and discouraging to see and hear this kind of attitude in 2017. But in a society where it is easier to ignore other points of view and double down on rationalizing one’s own feelings as truth, you are not going to change a lot of minds in one moment.

Most of the time, the push for humanity to be better and do better feels like you aren’t making any progress at all.

But we have to start somewhere. Dismissing it will not help move us in the right direction. But for those crying out in anger, take a moment and think; we have to show it’s unacceptable in a constructive way instead of stooping down to that same level in retaliation. Either extreme reaction is not productive in changing hearts and minds. Neither is demanding acceptable behavior when you too have made similar mistakes in the past.

*************************

UPDATE: He did issue what I think is a sincere apology. After seeing the video, I do think he is finally taking this seriously. And I’m thankful for that.

And you know what? People make mistakes. Try as we might, we can’t teach or learn perfection. The real teachable moment is how to learn from your mistakes and try to do better in the future. THIS is how you be a role model for people.

Should Dannon have dropped him so quickly? I’m not sure. I believe in giving people opportunities to fix their mistakes, but in this case, it may not have started hitting home that this was inappropriate if Dannon hadn’t taken that step.

People have a tendency to never forgive and judge harshly over a brief moment of stupidity. However, ignoring this is not a good reaction either. Perhaps ultimately our goal should be to use this situation to open a conversation with friends, family, and most of all, your kids about respecting others the same way they respect you. Don’t focus on the person who said it. Focus on what was said and why it was unacceptable.

Let’s Meet the Meowers of Death

A lot of you are probably thinking, for a site called When Cats Attack, there is a distinct lack of cats around here, neither of the attack variety or otherwise.

And you are correct. Time has gotten away from me and I have not given their introduction the attention it deserves. I had hoped to start a Feline Friday segment with the first one being this introduction, but unfortunately a rant got in the way.

The Meowers of Death began their reign with Felix about 15 1/2 years ago. I grew up around dogs, but I’d wanted a cat for years and that ramped up big time in college. I got my wish with a tiny bundle of tuxedo cat that I named Felix.

From Felix to now, a number of other minions have come (and gone) to join in on the quest to enslave humans (or at least annoy the crap out of me whenever they can). As it stands, and hopefully for many years to come, I have 11 cats.

*Wait, 11? If you have questions or concerns, I now refer you to the disclaimer and FAQs at the bottom of this post.

All set? Then let’s get to the introductions. I ordered them by the date they arrived. Only a few were mostly/full grown (Quixote, Sidonia, Kal-el, Oreo)…the rest came in as kittens. All are still playful for their ages and in reasonably good health (with a few minor issues for the oldest 2).

Felix, 16 years old this December. Catnip junkie. Will still occasionally play “chase the kitty” with me after all these year. I don’t like to admit to favorites, but he was my first cat ever. Only cat I know who loves lengthy tummy rubs and will ask for them. Also loves head smooches. Bagheera absolutely adores him, but he mostly just tolerates it.

Tiger, 15 1/2 years old. Hung out with Felix when they were kittens, now they’re OK being near each other but that was about it. Loves drinking out of the sink faucet. Crotchety all his life but really dislikes the cats that joined us already full-grown (Oreo and Kal). Loves to chew the string in half on wand toys so the gets the toy all to himself.

Quixote, 11-ish. Loves to snuggle but only or so long. You may not pet him down past the middle of his back…he gets pretty ill if you try (think he has a fused vertebrae at the base of his tail). Gets bursts of energy where he decides to aggravate Tiger for some inexplicable reason.

Winry, 11. She hates everyone except her human momma and just a dislike for the human dad. She doesn’t like being held or picked up, and you must be sitting and the planets in alignment before she’ll allow you to pet her.

Scamper, 9 1/2. She loves Cat TV, dislikes most of the other cats and growls at thunder. Wants pets and attention, usually when she’s out of crunchies. Is the only cat who tolerates the cat stroller and the outdoor harness.

Bagheera, 9 1/2. Our #1 heavyweight in his class cat but also our biggest scaredy-cat. Very tall and muscular cat as well. Loves Felix, food (obviously), and will hiss if you look at him the wrong way, almost 10 years after he was rescued as a kitten and spoiled rotten since.

Sidonia, 10. Quietest, sweetest, smallest cat in the house. We’re convinced her head is full of marshmallow fluff. Hunts little puffy balls, loves the laser toy, and can cop an attitude with the bigger cats in a heartbeat.

Maggie (Magellan), 9 1/2. King a**hole of this house. What he lacks for in his stubby tail he more than makes up for with attitude. He demands to be held in his sling like a baby, none of the other cats like him much nor he them. Dreams of being an only cat.

Kal-el, 10 1/2. #2 heavyweight and scaredy-cat. When he meows, he sounds like what I would imagine a pterodactyl sounded like. Again, loves food, loves Cat TV, and is pretty klutzy with his 2/3 tail.

Oreo, 13 (?). Probably the hardest transition I had. Stayed in the back half of the house the first 2 years he was here. Now he fights for the primo spot to cuddle on the couch or bed. Very playful, Tiger’s mortal enemy, and Bagheera can torment the daylights out of him some days. Maggie will love on him when they are fighting for bed space, but only because he knows I will kick him off if he acts like a jerk.

Reepicheep, 7 1/2. He’s the terror that meows in the night. Still looks kitten sized but is a decent 12 pounds. Aggravates every other cat, us, a piece of paper on the floor…he never slows down if he can help it. I have to stop playing with him before he will. Loves Cat TV, just about any toy you put in front of him, and drinking from the tub faucet.

*FAQs and those with concerns – this is recommended reading for you.

• Yes, 11.
• Yes, they are all current on vaccinations, spayed/neutered, pampered and frequently visit their vet whether they want to or not.
• Yes, we are financially able to care for all of them. They are spoiled rotten and eat better food than I do sometimes.
• No, I do not need to see a therapist for this. I already see one, and trust me, we have talked about this extensively. She is not concerned. I trust her judgment above people on the internet.
• Yes, they are all indoors. I have a 2500+ square foot house and no kids (nor any plans to have kids). And we have a huge screened in porch. They have plenty of room.
• No, my house does not resemble something from Animal Hoarders. I’ve seen worse houses with people who have only a few kids.
• No, I cannot tell you what to do if your cat is sick and you want to avoid the vet. Take your pet to the vet. 
• No, there are no vacancies. No, I cannot foster. No, I cannot find a home for your cat. I will gladly redirect you to people who can, but I personally cannot help.
• Many, MANY cat toys.
• They range in age from almost 16 years (Felix) to 7 years (Reepicheep).
• I am on a first-name basis with most of the staff at my vet’s office. They are pretty much a second family to me.
• 4 have come and gone over the years – Betsy, Pepper, Izumi, and Miya. I will have their own pages in the future.
• I spent too many years being insecure about who I am, and I refuse to do so from here on out. These cats have been there for me longer than anyone except my family, so while you are welcome to form your own opinion/judgment concerning how I choose to live my life, then don’t let the door hit your behind on the way out, mmm’kay?
• No, this is not me:


I’d get way too hot wearing that coat all the time. Plus, I hate pink.

JFC, Avast and Piriform. This is terrifying.

Unbelievable. First Equifax, a company to help protect your credit through monitoring, is hacked and has opened a Pandora’s Box of unsecured data practices throughout their company. Now Avast, who owns Piriform, finds that malware was added to the August updated release of CCleaner. CCleaner is a VERY popular computer junk file removal tool. Like, billions of downloads popular. Per Piriform, 2 billion downloads were promoted as of November 2016.

Here’s a great detailed breakdown of what happened, what is affected, etc.

If you use currently use CCleaner version 5.33.6162 or CCleaner Cloud version 1.07.3191, on 32-bit Windows systems, be sure to update to the latest version. Updating to the latest version will remove the found malware according to Piriform. In fact, I would update regardless…just note the free version may require a manual update.

How do I figure out what versions I have?

1. Open up CCleaner. The version should show at the top of the window.
2. Windows 8.1 – Look under PC Devices -> PC Info. This will show you whether you use 64-bit or 32-bit Windows.
3. Windows 10 – Click the Start Menu and then the Settings button (above the restart button). Select the System tile and click the last section listed “About.”

You just can’t trust anyone these days to be as careful as they should.

It’s been my experience that the longer software is around, the more vulnerable it becomes to hackers. This could be because of multiple acquisitions, more historical data to have to lock down, software developers becoming complacent, etc.

It’s always good practice to:

• Constantly review what software you use on your computer.
• Frequently check to see if there is something better. Google is your friend and company/brand loyalty isn’t as important as stable, secure software.
• I would even recommend holding off on the latest updates (unless it’s an emergency update like this one) as that seems to be where the most issues pop up.

Hard to be loyal to a company or brand when they pull stunts like this. While some situations are kind of understandable, the fact that this was THEIR supposedly secure software someone managed to attach the malware to (presumably by hacking into their files), is deeply concerning. I will be looking for a new junk file removal tool and antivirus after this.

Oh goody, something else to label as addictive and dangerous. Because we were running low on things to clutch our pearls about.

Lots of profanity, so be warned. Not all of my posts will have it, not making excuses for it, don’t need to be lectured on how it’s not necessary, and if it really twists your panties in a knot, then you might want to just stick to my Facebook page. I love all ya’ll no matter what, and I’m trying to be considerate, but this is one place I refuse to filter myself unless absolutely necessary.

Man, oh, man, I was all set to do a fun, “Feline Friday” post where I introduce the Meowers of Death. But then I saw someone link to this article and now my blood is boiling. So gotta shift gears and get this out of my head.

Gabapentin, or ‘Johnnys,’ prescription drug being abused, report says

Whatever these people are taking, it’s not Gabapentin. I take Gabapentin for fibromyalgia. I don’t experience any kind of side effects other than joint pain decreasing to tolerable levels and my brain fog going away (both of which I had long before taking it). It’s like those were symptoms of fibromyalgia and I was prescribed to take it to RELIEVE those symptoms or something, right?

It works SO well and so under the radar that sometimes I forget to fill my prescription and think “oh it’s not doing anything, I can go without a few days.” And boy, is that a mistake. No, I do not end up having withdrawals. I end up having to wear a TENS unit all day for 2-3 days turned up to the max, carry my massager room to room in the house with me, keep a constant rotation of ibuprofin, can barely think straight, and feel like my head is full of cotton until I get back on my routine of taking it. I take the smallest dose (300mg) 3 times a day.

I think the majority of medications these days have a “may cause drowsiness” warning on them, so let’s just classify all medications as addictive and scheduled drugs. Say bye-bye to those over the counter sleep medications. You know, because they cause sedation; nevermind that is the intended use for them. Benadryl? Nope, gotta go. This one makes me feel “high” and sleepier than a lot of other things, so it’s definitely in this category. Just about any daily allergy med has to be tossed in there, along with cold medicines, and anti-nausea medications like phenergan. Melatonin will become a dirty word. Even herbal supplements won’t be safe. You’ll have to sell chamomile tea on the black market because you can’t get it anywhere else.

And those sleep medications you’re given when nothing else will work? Ambien, Belsomra, Lunestra, and so on? Well, kiss those goodbye honey, and be prepared to go on a rampage because you don’t get any sleep for a few weeks. But hey, at least they’ll have another check they can make on their “winning the drug war” chart and something else the politicians can parade out for a sound byte or favorable press release.

I guess we’ll be going back to the 1800s or end up using only castor oil and apple cider vinegar to treat every ailment. Next thing you know we’ll be back to drilling holes in the heads of people to get those evil spirits out. Better brush up on those old wives’ tales, because you’ll be lucky if you have the option of aspirin if this keeps on.

The only difference will be the click-bait painted on the side,
“You’ll be shocked at this simple cure to all ailments!”

I don’t know what the answer is. I do know it’s frustrating to struggle for 5 years with something no doctor can seem to diagnose or treat that was destroying my life…then, when a doctor finally finds something to try that gives you your life back, all of a sudden someone comes through with this kind of study to cause a panic and completely shit on your parade that finally had a few cool floats added to it.

I hate taking medication. I fought taking the stuff I have to take now for years because I didn’t want to just throw pills at the problem if there were other ways to fix it. But it reached a point that I needed to live my life or just spend the rest of it on the couch in pain. And I’m not just using medication to manage FADI. I also utilize counseling/therapy, meditation, and massage therapy to minimize the need for medications and maybe one day drop a few of them.

Now, if all this fear over Gabapentin goes the way I think it will, I will have 2 different medications I have to jump through hoops for that keep me working and being able to live a normal life every single day, NEITHER of which is an opioid.

Why should I feel like a criminal where I think I need to ration my fucking medication so I don’t raise any weird flags when I refill it, even if it is ON time and I’ve just finished my monthly (yes, monthly) doctor’s visit I have to make in order to be able to get the prescription refilled for 30 days? When I am using it at one of the lowest doses possible for it’s INTENDED purpose?

Adderall is the other medication I’m referring to here. Again, low dose, twice a day. Has been life-changing for me. But I am more nervous to tell people I am taking Adderall than I am admitting that I have 11 CATS. Why?

Because of articles like this. Because our politicians and media wants to blame a drug instead of the people who abuse it. Because this kind of attitude causes those in a society who loves to stereotype and label people based on one aspect of their lives to add another judgmental feather to their lecture hat and decide that you must be one of those addicts simply because you take a medication that “may” be or has a high risk of dependency at a certain dosage or depending on the person taking it.

Because that’s exactly what this kind of shit ends up doing. Putting an addict sign on someone who’s not a fucking addict, but the world automatically assumes is one because they take a certain kind of medication.

There is nothing wrong with having a doctor closely monitor your medications and how you are using them. There is nothing wrong with basic regulations to try to limit abuse of medications. And most importantly, I’m NOT saying there isn’t a problem with prescription drug abuse. But patting ourselves on the back by making it almost impossible for anyone to get certain medications (including the people who actually use them properly) is not going to win any drug war or solve drug addiction.

Those addicts are just going to shift to something else, and we are already seeing that happen.

An EMT’s view from the front lines of America’s heroin crisis

Seven Days of Heroin: What an epidemic looks like

‘This is unprecedented’: 174 heroin overdoses in 6 days in Cincinnati

Guess what the drug of choice is for people who can’t get their prescription
pill fix? HEROIN. Granted, it is increasingly being mixed with Fentanyl, which is an opioid, but heroin was still what got the ball rolling. So your war on opioids has cured how many addicts exactly and/or kept them from misusing drugs? I bet that number is lower than the media and politicians want us to believe.

Because addicts will get their fix wherever they can because no one is getting to the core issue: these people do drugs to feel good and to detach from reality. Life is either unbearable or too hard or whatever and they can’t handle it without a crutch to help them survive. If you take away their crutch, they are going to find another one because they can’t handle life without it. All you’ve done is just make it harder on the people who needed it in the first place.

Pretty much the American way of solving our problems these days.

Like everything else in this country, people seem to think there is an easy fix for this complex problem. You can’t force people to stop doing something just by making it illegal. It’s obvious that is not working. You have to educate doctors on trying different methods to treat patients. Require patients to try different pain management techniques before medication (that of course need to be covered by insurance). Maybe require anyone who is on a classified addictive drug long term to attend therapy in order to continue using it. Focus more on figuring out WHY these people are addicted to something and help them solve those issues instead of just trying to convince yourself that making just about every drug illegal or difficult to obtain will cure this addiction problem.

The saddest part about prescription drug addiction is that I guarantee most of the people who wind up taking them to begin with did because they didn’t have any other options and it was unmanageable on it’s own. When you have healthcare where a prescription for Vicodin is cheaper than any other type of pain management or therapy and is the only thing covered by insurance, then I wonder what most are going to end up choosing?

Don’t be like Equifax…have some common sense at least

Equifax reportedly used ‘admin’ as password in Argentina

This is sad and hilarious at the same time. According to reports, Equifax used “admin” as the username and password for a employee web portal in Argentina. I mean, at least they didn’t use “1234”?

The worst part of this is that this was NOT related to the big data breach they had in the U.S. This is just something that was found when they started examining Equifax digital security.

Per the article:

According to cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs — perhaps best known for his role in revealing the 2013 Target data breach that resulted in the theft of around 40 million credit card numbers — the Argentinian site was secured so poorly that anyone could theoretically impersonate an employee by simply reading their username and password off the site, or even add themselves as a new “employee” to the database.

I know this may not seem interesting or is something to worry about, but you absolutely should be worried. Experts and others are recommending that anyone with a credit history assume they were affected by the hack.

Here’s how to check to see if you were affected by the breach and what to do.

In a world where every app and website wants your information, it is easy to get complacent. But it can have far reaching implications for your credit, privacy, and create more opportunities for someone to get a hold of your online data.

Examples: Marketing groups can collect your data from companies that share/sell it (which is usually mentioned in the user agreement that we all ignore), particularly if that company is a client of theirs and uses their data warehousing or marketing systems. The company may switch marketing groups. What happens to the data that was collected in the previous agreement? It should be deleted, but as with Equifax, it’s dangerous to assume companies keep your data secure.

You want me to trust you with my social security number? Really?

I work in email marketing. I KNOW how much information is collected and how it is used, legally and in line with user agreements. And many of the companies have great data migration and retention policies. But mistakes happen, and the more companies that have this data, the more at risk you are. Even though it is beneficial from a marketing perspective, it is EXTREMELY disconcerting see how much marketing and data companies know about me just from looking at what sites I’ve visited, what I’ve bought, what emails I’ve clicked on, etc. Does receiving more targeted marketing for what you want, like ads and emails, outweigh the risks of more companies having access to your information and online activity? That is a question you have to answer for yourself.

Some basic tips on protecting yourself:

Not, not like that. Protecting your information online.

• Use complex passwords and change them frequently.
• If you can’t keep up with all your passwords, use a password manager like Dashlane. But be aware that even those are risky if someone gets access to your computer and manages to hack your master password.
• Be vigilant about what information you save on websites and apps, keep your personal information and devices secure offline and online, and if they are asking for sensitive information like a SS number, find out why they need it.
• Read through those user agreements. Know if the company/website is sharing your data, who they are sharing it with, and how it is secured.
• Know what to do if you suspect your data or identity was stolen.
• Before you type your card details into a website, ensure that the site is secure. Look for a small padlock symbol in the address bar (or elsewhere in your browser window) and a web address beginning with https:// (the s stands for ‘secure‘). You also need to check that the website is trustworthy.
• If you are using a wireless router at home, please lock it down with a difficult password so that only your household is using it. Do not enter in sensitive information on a public Wi-Fi hotspot…they are unsecured.

No sleep fuels the drama llama

This was me yesterday when B was trying to explain weighing different kinds of averages based on what someone wants to see (average of averages vs. just an average of the total). Hell, this is me when he tries to explain ANY mathematical or statistical concept. But when I’m not sleeping well and am stressed out (which is the norm lately), it’s a million times worse.

I have learned that 1) I’m more of a visual person when it comes to this kind of stuff, 2) I get really over dramatic when I don’t sleep for 30+ hours, and 3) he is WAY up on a different level than me when it comes to math and statistics.

I get it today, finally, after a decent night’s sleep. I’m thankful he’s willing to help and have patience that I may pull a stupid card and act all dramatic about it if I’m stressed 😆

When I am stressed and haven’t slept, this is always the recipe for the day.

Adventures of FADI Queen: The Conclusion

Kind of disappeared for a few days. Struggled quite a bit last week with some medicine changes. I’ve been up since 8am Monday and my nerves are razor thin at this point.

This is my life now, minus the beard.

Anyway, I’d like to get more into some tips and suggestions I’ve picked up along the way that I think would help anyone struggling with mental health, ongoing health issues, therapy, or any or all of FADI. So I’ve got to wrap this origin story up.

Picking up from July-ish 2016

I was done, ya’ll. My regular doctor and the specialist had basically given up on me and just threw expensive prescriptions at me with allergic reactions and horrible side effects. I had been dealing with ongoing issues for almost 4 years and was no closer to knowing what the hell was wrong with me or how I could manage it.

And here I thought we were going to Disney World.

I was struggling in a big way, stuck in a negative thought pattern I couldn’t break. Depressed, anxious, hurting, and upset, thinking that everyone else probably thinks I was just faking it. I started thinking it’s all in my head. I told myself, They can’t find anything and on the outside I look perfectly fine. So maybe I am just being lazy. Or a hypochondriac. I’m just weak because I can’t just stuff it down and act like everything is fine. Those doubting thoughts drag you deeper down in the cycle, and if you let them, they will drown any hope of those symptoms ever being manageable.

At that point (June – July 2016) I had told B I was done and I would just have to live with being miserable. But soon I heard about a new clinic, Hope Family Health, that opened in my hometown. One day, tight as a guitar string with anxiety and a lot more understanding about Britney’s 2007 meltdown, I thought I’ve got to give it one more chance. But I did not have a lot of faith in it.

I mean, I totally get it now. I’m not going to shave my head and try to beat people with an umbrella, but I can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. I love the short hair, but bald would be SO much easier.

NP J walks in the day of the appointment. I was just twisted into knots thinking he was just going to check out during my tale of woe and then simply say I can’t help you. We spent an hour going through the timeline, with him asking follow-up questions and my paperwork. One of the first things he said (paraphrasing), “I’m going to help you figure this out. It’s obvious something is wrong. I may not be able to figure it out myself, but I will help you find someone who can.” Those words followed by “I don’t think it’s all in your head” turned me into a blubbering mess followed by a flood of relief.

Take note, doctors, families, friends of people who are struggling with these issues. PLEASE do not tell them to “get over it,” “stop being anxious,” “just ignore it and push through it all,” you just need willpower,” and so on. If you truly want to be there for someone in that situation, simply saying “I believe you” and meaning it is the BEST thing you can say. That validation is what they need, to know you believe them and support them no matter what. What NP J said above? Worth more than anything else he could have said.

We know you are trying to help (most of the time), but seriously, this will not
help us suddenly see the cure for anxiety, depression, etc.

That was August of 2016. We had a number of follow-ups with symptom checks, bloodwork, Vitamin B shots, even a genetic swab test for enzyme compatibility. He would come into every appointment having researched something to try (and still does even now). He TALKS with me and really listens, not at me or ignoring what I’m saying.

I have a LOT to say about the fact that a nurse practitioner working in a clinic in a low-income rural area is amazing at his job, takes time to research, try new medications, check in with me, and make more of an effort than my regular doctor who I’ve been to since I was a kid or a so-called specialist. But I’ve got to wrap this up.

For the first time, I actually feel like I’m on a team trying to solve this very complex jigsaw puzzle that we don’t have a box to know what it will be. Instead of being ignored or feeling just broken. 

Trying to figure out what came first, anxiety/depression or the physical symptoms, is a difficult process. I check in every 3 to 6 months with him (sooner if I need it). If a medication is not working, we change things up or do more tests. But overall, I am so much better than I was a year ago, and I’m grateful to Mr. J and that I gave it one more shot.

So FADI Queen, despite her struggles and health, decides to push forward to continue solving this puzzle. If she uses her superpowers…her Edna ‘E’ Mode-like attitude, dark humor, and sarcasm, she might actually make it through this mess.

Westmoreland City Council – Work Study 9/7 Notes

I appreciate those who came to the work study last night. And I am thankful that so many chose to speak. Everyone spoke very well and it’s definitely not something that is easy to do.

I would like to post my notes from last night’s work study. The work studies are more often than not 4 hour long meetings every first Thursday of the month, and this one was certainly no exception. The video from the meeting is posted for all to view.

This is a long post as I tried to include as much information as possible. All of this is public information from a public meeting that can be requested at City Hall. No personal opinions regarding city business items are included per the Tennessee Open Meetings Law. I cannot comment about my personal views on any particular item in social media; I can only provide what was reported on and discussed, and I can provide additional resources or follow-up information as needed.

Sewer Plant Repairs – Special Called Meeting

• Tank #1 is down and is in the process of emergency repairs. Our processing capacity is cut significantly when one tank is down (we only have 2 storage tanks; the third is an extra tank for further filtering).
• The state provided a priority list we must complete on problems at our current plant. Even if it were at full capacity, our current plant cannot keep up with the demand on the system, nor can it meet the new state requirements for the
  treated water that is fed back into a low-flow stream.
• One of those priorities is to drain and clean our tanks. As we are likely 4 years out from a new sewer plant being operational (per our city engineer), we MUST keep our current plant in optimal working condition so that it last until we shift to the new one.
• We had 3 bids for the repairs and tank cleaning at the sewer plant. We voted on the bid of 188K from W&O Construction. Our assistant supervisor and sewer operator both recommended we clean all 3 tanks now (one at a time) to avoid additional equipment fees if they need to be cleaned in the future.
• The mayor will appear at an upcoming state water funding board hearing to explain the need for these repairs. The state must be notified of any expenses for water/sewer that are not included in the day to day operations (per the state
  mandate).

IDB and Parks

• Industrial Development Board – Working through the process for the USDA grant for the fire wall construction at the Expo Center. The USDA is currently reviewing the contract documents. There will be a pre-construction meeting very soon
  and the contractor will be given the go ahead to proceed at that time.
• Land for new WWTP – The deed has been signed by the IDB granting the City a portion of the Expo Property for the new sewer plant. This can now move into the design phase.
• Anyone interested in volunteering to serve on the IDB can contact City Hall, city council members, or the President of the IDB, Andy Leath.
• Parks – The council discussed revisiting the parks improvement list that was created earlier this year. There is a Parks & Recreation committee that would prioritize these items, but there are not enough volunteers to complete the committee. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact any council member or City Hall.

Fire Department

• Currently working on a grant that would provide funding for a swift water rescue boat. Due to recent issues with flooding in the area, this is needed because the county cannot always respond in a timely manner.
• They will also receive a portion of a safety grant that was applied for by the city, and have also been selected for a forestry grant.

Police Department

• Working through a large number of cases the past few months. Sargent Langston and Officer Flatt are assisting with investigations due to their skill sets and certifications.
• No applications for the 1 full-time police officer position that is currently
  open.
• Officer Parker is assisting (thanks to his technical expertise) with improving communications with the new county dispatch.
• Working on another grant application for highway safety.

Public Works/WWTP

• Sewer Collection – two pumps were down at two different pumping stations. One is a discharge pump that will need to be repaired/replaced due to damage from an unidentified item in the intake flow. The other is a vacuum pump that has
  already been replaced, but another one should be purchased so that we always have a backup (due to the age of the collection system and having to run the pumps at near max capacity). We do have a budgeted line item for pump repairs and
  replacements as this is a common problem with the aging system. Recent increases in rain also tax the system due to stormwater runoff in the collection system.
• WWTP – Solar lights on tanks at WWTP are installed. New LED lights are being installed on the property. The center of Tank #1 was cleaned while emergency repairs were being made, but repair company could not clean outside of tank as we did not have anywhere to dispose of the residue. The company who is awarded the WWTP repairs bid will be able to dispose of everything after cleaning the tanks.

City Hall

• TAX FREEZE SIGN-UPS – Sumner County officials will be in Westmoreland Friday – SEPTEMBER 15TH, 8am – 4pm, at 5300 Austin Peay Highway (where city meetings are held), to help residents sign up for the tax freeze program. Residents must be over the age of 65, be a homeowner, and meet the income requirements. This is different than the tax relief program, in which you have to re-certify yearly. More information can be found at the link above.
• Levelized Billing for City Utilities – A citizen suggested looking into levelized billing for city utilities, similar to the program that Tri-County uses, and I requested that we look further into it. This can be implemented with no additional cost or significant extra time needed as our current local government program can do this. It would be based on a rolling 12-month average. One concern is that potential problems may be harder to spot if citizens are looking at an averaged total, but the usage amount and original cost will be on the bill as well so it is something that could still be tracked.

  This would be an optional program that would provide a more consistent monthly bill. This will be voted on at the September 21st meeting…please contact your city council members with questions or comments.

• Bill reminders – would require a third party to manage and the cost of that service would be significant. Mailed or emailed reminders would not be possible with our system, and both would have to go through the 3rd party. However, the due date does not change month to month. It is the 16th for the billed amount and the 23rd at noon is the cut-off time (billed amount + late fee). There are bank draft and online payment options as well as a limited extension program. We do accept vouchers from Mid-Cumberland.
• FAQ City Utilities Document – A suggestion was also made to create a frequently asked questions document for the public city utilities. Our City Recorder is working on this document. It will be made available at city hall and on the city website once it is completed.

Codes/Ordinances/Safety/Animal Control 

• 11 new constructions are in progress in the city.
• Conducted a safety review of parks and repairs have been made.
• The city will need to start planning for new playground equipment at parks, especially Thomas Carter Park (behind the library). A parks grant may be able to assist with costs.
• Animal Control – There have been a few stray animal calls that have been completed and he fortunately was able to find the owners. Any stray animal reports in Westmoreland City Limits can be made at (615) 644-2223 M-F 8am-5pm. If it is a potentially vicious animal, PLEASE contact county dispatch at (615) 644-2222.
• Further Housing Developments – This needs to be closely monitored as we are almost at capacity regarding our sewer system.
• City Hall Damaged Windows Quotes – Requesting quotes for replacing windows at city hall that are damaged and leaking. These will be voted on at the September 21st meeting.

Miscellaneous

• New Water Supply Options – Council members have met with Portland and Castalian Springs to discuss combined efforts to obtain our own water supply. The other 3 municipalities all purchase their water from other areas. They are the only ones in this area that do not have their own water supply.

  A committee is being formed with 2 representatives from Portland, Castalian Springs, Hartsville, and Westmoreland. Hartsville has their own water source but it is limited capacity. Our representatives are Tony Bentle and Fredia Carter. The US Corps of Engineers still will not allow new connections to the Cumberland River, so other supply options/sources are also going to be considered as this has been a reason for delay for a number of years.

  A water supply option report was completed by the city engineer and summarizes our water system, costs, number of customers, etc. It provides detailed information regarding other supply options and the costs associated with those. This is available, as all city documents are, for citizens to request at City Hall.

• A job description for the Public Works supervisor has been updated and changes were discussed. This position will soon be advertised.
• The Westmoreland Fall Cleanup Day is scheduled for September 23rd from 8AM-12PM at the Public Works Building on Epperson Springs Road (behind the VFW Hall). Large items such as furniture, mattresses, appliances, etc will be accepted. No paint, hazardous chemicals, oil, or batteries will be accepted. Elderly or disabled may call 615-644-3382 to arrange for pickup. Must be a resident in the city limits of Westmoreland.

 

 

 

Why having a soft heart sucks sometimes

*Warning – obviously there is a lot of past tense in this story, and for anyone like me who gets blubbery with sad endings, you might want to skip this one. And no, this is not for one of the Meowers of Death, FYI. I wouldn’t be able to write if it was.*

I’ve lived in my current house about 11 years. I live on a corner lot next to some fields, so most of my neighbors are across the street. We haven’t been super chatty with each other. But I’ve gotten to know two sets of neighbors well as they’ve been here longer than I have. It’s good to get to know at least a few of your neighbors.

One constant though, even with neighbors coming and going, was Katie. I panicked the first time I saw her because she looked almost exactly like my recent rescue, Winry. I eventually realized she belonged to one of my neighbors across the street and that her name was Katie And she was pretty much the best neighborhood cat ever. She ruled our little section of yards and fields like a queen.

She was a little shy at first, but warmed up to me throughout the years and would come visit for a little bit of petting here and there (mostly I think she needed a break from the kids lol). She became a fixture of the neighborhood and once I got to know her owners a little better, we joked that we were sharing custody of her. I liked having her around and she always looked well taken care of.

I noticed the last few years she had started to lose some weight and was getting a little slower. I started setting out some food and water for her when she did come over as she always looked tired but determined to make the trip. The last few months, she stopped wanting to eat as much. I noticed her panting and drinking a lot of water. After some time thinking about it, I mentioned it to my neighbors so they wouldn’t think she was just eating well over here. They had noticed it as well, and had planned to take her to the vet as it looked like she didn’t have a lot of time left.

Yesterday she had to stop in the middle of the road and rest. I knew it wasn’t a good sign and managed to coax her off the road before she got hit. She then walked a bit and had to stop and rest in my driveway. I petted her some and talked to her before carrying her back to their yard. They said they were going to take her in on Tuesday unless she got worse (per a call with a vet). I was fine until I started walking back to  my house. Then the waterworks started. Because I knew.

Today they found her passed away, peacefully in a shady spot in their yard, right where she wanted to be (she apparently did not like being inside). My neighbor came to tell me and we shared a few tears and a hug over it. Katie had lived to be 15, which is amazing for a mostly outdoor cat (the average is 5-7).

I tell this story because I know when I go out later, it’s going to feel like there is something missing. I have felt so silly crying over a cat that’s not even mine. But like my neighbor said, in a way she was kind of my cat as well. She adopted me and my property over the years and became part of our routine. She was one of the reasons I decided to talk to my neighbors, and I’m glad I did because they are awesome people.

So I felt like I needed to say some words for her. Because even with my own herd, I managed to carve out a little piece of my heart for her and her stubbornness. I hated to see her decline, but I’m grateful she passed away in a place she loved to be.

These are the times when it really sucks to have a soft heart, especially for animals. Because you know you will likely outlive them, no matter how well you take care of them. But you can’t help but get attached.

People who say cats aren’t affectionate must not really be around many. Because most of mine at least want a kiss or to be petted every single day. They are there through thick and thin, good days and bad days, whether you are crying your eyes out and looking a mess or made up and looking great.

They can be annoying when you are trying to work or bring groceries in (Katie always wanted attention when I had groceries) and you just want them to go away so you can focus on what you are doing. But don’t ignore them. It’s not going to matter in the grand scheme of things if you take 5 minutes to play with your pet or just give it a hug. Stop and take a few minutes to be grateful that you have the unconditional love of an animal. Cherish the time you do have with them. Because before you know it, they won’t be there to be underfoot when you want them to be.