Saturday, January 23, 2010

Moving...Traveling...Again???




Posted by C.Worring

How do we decide when and where to move to? Or, when is the right time to move?  People are inclined to always tell the real reason to why they are moving.  The obvious ones, "we need a bigger place", or " we need to save money". Or I have to relocate because of a job.

But what is the reason really?

Let me tell you a story about a very special person in my life.

This person moved to different countries and cities for over 10 years of his adult life and made it work!

He lived in Central America, Europe and Asia...I mean all over,  Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Austria ...Turkey and my favorite country, so far, Thailand! He went as a student and he experienced life as he never thought he would!  He learned the language, studied there, worked, lived with the people, learned their respective cultures and developed lasting relationships!

I had friends in High School and College..even Graduate School that did the same, ... all said it was the best experience they have ever had!

I asked him, why travel and move so much? What is so interesting about it?  He said it is the sites of course,...but it is really all about the people!  Knowing and understanding people from all over!  ..."you have to live in the country and live with the people for months and get to know them..."

So this basically concludes the fact that one of the reasons we move, is for comfort and curiosity ...just like the song from the 1980's TV series Cheers, ..."Sometimes you want to go...where everybody knows your name..."We all want to be where we belong and we are welcome!  So, we instinctively choose places where we know, people will accept us.  I am proud to say, there are great people out there!!!

It really does come back to roots!  Family, and good friends.  Traveling all over the world....you do meet the same breed!  Travelers!!  I was a traveler for many years...from backpacking in Australia to hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, riding a camel in Egypt, rafting in Costa Rica, climbing the Great Wall of China..stuck in a snow storm,...in Minnesota....and much more....  But I did not stay for more than two weeks.  Yes, I met people along the way, but I met the travelers not the locals!

But what my real passion with traveling is really understanding and knowing the people from all these places!  I am so proud to say that I have friends that are still in touch from all over!  I can't say they are the locals because they are not.  These people are the ones I met on the bus, hotel, trail, etc..ok, ok the bars too...  Deep inside I hoped I would have stayed in Thailand for 3 months!  I realized that being in these cities all over the world, that you do not learn anything different.  It's pretty much the same when reading about it from "Lonely Planet"--except you have photos to prove you were there..

So doesn't this just tell you that people move from one place to another because they want to meet new people?  In the past only the elitist traveled..we all know that, that is not true!  All walks of life travel and there is always a way, as long as you prioritize!  So...moving and traveling whether you move from Nob Hill to North Beach or from Hong Kong to Denver...let's ask ourselves the reason?  I'll stick to "It's all about meeting new people and extending your network!"  It's fun! It's exciting!  It's an ongoing learning experience!

Here's a common expression.....location, location, location!  Yeah...but come on...good location attracts "good" people!  So here...to be honest, my next move will have cool people..and guess what,  I bet you the location will be awesome!!!

Calling all job seekers out there.....

Posted by C.Worring

I am sitting here looking at new jobs posted and I ask myself....there are just way too many?  How do you know as a job seeker which one to apply to first?  Do I really just keep posting my resume to every job opening that I know I qualify ?

To tell you the truth, I am a bit bored by all the job descriptions! They all look like one just copied and pasted the other.  Lately, I am more interested in the posted positions that lists...for  instance, FUN, or use the word..CREATIVITY!

I am a product of the corporate world...I need more substance now...more thinking outside the box..

Do these jobs exist??  Sure they do!  I just found out that start-up companies search for people ready to think outside the box!  Companies now seek the creative mind in most of their employees...
I truly believe that as a job seeker, you have to be in tune with what's new in technology, the newest trend...and especially what is going on with the world!

Ladies and gentlemen..hear me out....with this tough economy...yes there is a way!

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Animals of Haiti...let us not forget them

Posted by C.Worring

One of my closest friends in Miami, FL sent me a link from the Humane society regarding the animals hurt and are alone in Haiti....

This letter was sent ...


Just after 6 p.m. yesterday, I arrived here in Haiti from across the border -- despite a flat tire, overheated engine, and two aftershocks -- and am seeing firsthand the total devastation left behind in the wake of last week’s earthquake.
Tent cities everywhere are teeming with tens of thousands of people now homeless. Mountains of rubble are all that remain of homes and buildings. And people are terrified of being crushed during the tremors that still rock the country.
And amid all this human suffering, there’s something else: Animals are suffering, too. Will you please support our efforts to help with a special gift right now?
The entire nation is overwhelmed by a lack of basic necessities -- adequate food, water, shelter, and medicine. Thankfully, it appears humanitarian aid is reaching the people affected by this disaster.
But the conditions for animals are still deteriorating. In our short time here, I’ve seen cattle wandering through fields and stray dogs by the roads. With food and water in short supply, it is only a matter of time before these animals -- especially the injured -- come under threat of dehydration, starvation, and disease.
Our team of responders from The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International and Veterinary Care & Humane Services, Caribbean Project is now in Port-au-Prince, providing emergency care and treatment to the animal survivors and assessing conditions to help stabilize the situation for them.
We are working around the clock to mobilize more teams of responders, to obtain and ship food and supplies, and to coordinate with authorities and other organizations in Haiti. We are doing everything we can to provide immediate support to the animals who survived this disaster, as well as develop ongoing institutional support for Haiti’s animals and their human care-givers in the future.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rebecca Berg, DVM
HSUS/HSI/HSVMA Volunteer Disaster Responder





Thursday, January 21, 2010

It's that time again...SAD..Seasonal Affective Disorder


Posted by C.Worring

It is that time of the year in San Francisco...rain, rain everywhere.  I am proud to say that it is one of the best cities to live in that is why I am here.

As we all know, when we get rain in San Francisco, we get plenty of it.  Living things all react to the changing seasons with changes in mood, metabolism and behavior and we as humans react the same.  Most people find that they eat and sleep slightly more in the winter and dislike the dark mornings and short days.  This is referred to as "winter blues".  For some the symptoms are rather severe that it starts to disrupt their lives and cause distress.  This is the definition of SAD-Seasonal Affective Disorder

Symptoms tend to start in the fall and can last until the beginning of spring.  So, September to April.
The symptoms below illustrate that you may be experiencing -SAD...so read on...
  • Sleep problems - oversleeping but not refreshed, cannot get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon
  • Overeating - carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain
  • Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety - normal tasks become frustratingly difficult
  • Family / social problems - avoiding company, irritability, loss of libido, loss of feeling
  • Lethargy - too tired to cope, everything an effort
  • Physical symptoms - often joint pain or stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
  • Behavioral problems - especially in young people










The problem stems from the lack of bright light in winter. Researchers have proved that bright light makes a difference to the brain chemistry but why some people suffer and others don't is not clear...



What treatment is there?


As the cause is lack of bright light, the treatment is to be in bright light everyday.  Going to a brightly lit climate, whether that's skiing or somewhere hot, will relieve symptoms but if that is not possible you can use bright light.  My mother, a practicing Psychiatrist, suggests  that the preferred level of light is about as bright as a spring morning on a clear day and for most people sitting in front of a light like this for around 30 minutes a day can be sufficient to alleviate symptoms.  Studies did show that  you don't have to stare at the light, so you can watch TV or read or similar, just make sure the light reaches your eyes somewhat.  I suggest having a nice bright screen saver of some bright tropical island scene would suffice.


Let's encourage people we know and love that there is a way out of this disorder...I suggest seeking a physician to make sure you really are suffering from SAD.
Like in anything, treatment is available, it's just knowing when to start seeking it....

Pain=Pain Medication--this is what we call pain management?

Posted by C.Worring


What is pain management?   Pain = Pain medication?  I know that there is such a thing as pain management...but what is it really?


Today there are many options being used as pain management techniques.
From my experience, having gone through surgery in the past,  I discovered some very interesting things about pain management treatment.
I noticed that many of the most commonly used techniques like heat, ice, ultrasound, TENS (electronic muscle stimulation), massage, medications, were only providing patients temporary pain relief. I absolutely hate it when they did the electronic muscle stimulation for my back due to an injury.  It felt so strange ...like insects crawling beneath my skin...ahhh.

Talking to friends, family and acquaintances, all had the same complaint-- "As soon as they tried to return to their active lifestyles it wasn't long before the painful symptoms came roaring back.
And, most of those who tried to 'just deal with it' or push through the pain ended up with a long list of increasing injuries."

After constantly researching the how's and why's about the most commonly used pain management techniques I finally uncovered the answer as to why they weren't more effective.

When a patient goes to the doctor's office or therapy clinic the doctor or physical therapist will attempt to treat the area of the body that is in pain.
For example, a patient with shoulder pain will be treated at the shoulder. A patient with knee pain will have their knee treated.
But, I realized that in almost every case the area of pain is only a symptom and not the actual cause of the pain.
For example, you can have lower back pain as a symptom but the actual cause of your lower back pain may not actually be your lower back.  Anyone agree? A personal trainer pointed it out to me once...that having a weak stomach muscle will increase the chances of back pain. He specifically told me that strength training is the answer.


The Actual Causes Of Chronic Pain
The actual causes of chronic pain often are created by muscle imbalances that result in a host of painful symptoms. For example, you can have lower back pain as a symptom but the actual cause of your lower back pain isn't necessarily your lower back. From my research I discovered that it can be due to muscle imbalances that cause your thigh muscles and hip flexors to overcompensate and because your hip flexors attach to each vertebrae in your lumbar spine you can get lower back pain.

I am not a doctor nor a physical therapist, but I believe in exercise...forget the pain pills!

Interesting isn't it? We all know that a tylenol, aspirin...etc is much easier--let's get real, all is good but temporary! Like any drug, it's long term effects are just horrible!

I believe that it's like this for many other types of chronic pain and injuries.
It is therefore, vital to get a thorough assessment to determine the actual causes of your pain so you can begin a pain management treatment program designed to address your causes so you can eliminate or at least greatly reduce it.
A properly designed exercise program is (at least in my opinion) the best defense against chronic pain and injuries.
Exercise is an excellent pain management technique that can eliminate injuries, strengthen muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones, maintain joint health, enhance flexibility and so much more.

So let's go on folks....let's keep up with our daily workouts!



Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Aid to Peguyville.....

Posted by C.Worring

UN delivers food to Peguyville, Haiti....

http://www.miamiherald.com/video/index.html?media_id=9477046

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Friends of the Children of Haiti...

Posted by C.Worring

http://www.fotcoh.org/

Friends of the Children of Haiti is one of the few non-profit organizations that have made an impact in the past, and is still doing it's best to help the people of Haiti.


All things considered, it makes no sense that the Friends of The Children of Haiti managed to build a medical clinic in Haiti.
The Haitian government frowns on foreign ownership of property and makes development of land there next to impossible. Yet in 1999, after several years of red-tape wrangling, FOTCOH purchased 16 rocky, wooded acres in Cyvadier, a ramshackle town far-flung and desperate for medical care.
To boost the local economy, FOTCOH employed local laborers to clear the dense overgrowth with machetes and pulverize the ragged rock with sledgehammers. Haitians crafted concrete blocks by hand, stacking them into a three-story structure while other workers constructed a cement-and-stone wall around the property with discarded rock.
Inside the 6,000-square-foot building, the main floor consists of 11 rooms, including exam and surgical areas, plus a pharmacy. The second story offers a kitchen and dining room, plus two bathrooms, four open sleeping rooms and access to a deck overlooking the sea. The top floor includes an open sleeping area, a bathroom and access to the roof which supports solar panels and a windmill that collect power.
ClinicIn Spring 2000, the Haitians splashed the exterior with paint of gleaming white, the finishing touch to a project that has given the entire community a sense of achievement and enhanced self-worth.
FOTCOH now hopes to staff the clinic year-round, to provide continuous medical care to rural Haitians.


Let's all continue to provide for the poor and help the sick, the elderly, and the children...let's continue to join hands!!!

Climate change...

Posted by C.Worring


Climate change can be the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events.  From my understanding, it may be limited to a specific region or may occur all over the planet.  It can be caused by recurring or cyclical climate patterns, such as El NiƱo. 

The term, "Global Warming" is commonly used. It is qualified as an anthropogenic climate change.  From my understanding, in the context of environmental policy, climate change can also mean changes in the modern climate?

Has anyone heard of the "Global Skeptics" ...under "Skeptical Science"?

Scientific skepticism is healthy. Scientists should always challenge themselves to expand their knowledge and improve their understanding. Yet this isn't what happens in global warming skepticism. Skeptics vigorously criticise any evidence that supports man-made global warming and yet eagerly, even blindly embrace any argument, op-ed piece, blog or study that refutes global warming....


Below is an example of a skeptic argument...


The Skeptic argument...
"Over the past few hundred years, there has been a steady increase in the number of sunspots, at
the time when the Earth has been getting warmer.  The data suggests solar activity is influencing
the global climate causing the world to get warmer." (BBC)


What the science says...

"In recent decades while global temperature has been rising, the sun has shown a slight cooling trend.  Sun and climate have been going in opposite directions during the last 35 years of global warming."



SOOOOOOOOOOOO..........let's all think about it...???????






Not only do I find it amusing...it does make sense doesn't it?