Inflammatory Breast Cancer - IBC - The Silent Killer
Please take the time to watch this special report on Inflammatory Breast Cancer. It affects ages 16 on up. There is no cure but early detection can prolong your life or the life of your daughter, your wife, your mother, your sister, your friend. Please take the time to inform yourself.
Coffee Creek Endangers Inmates By Turning Off Heat To Save Money
I am so amazingly concerned about what has happened here. During the worst winter storm in nearly 40 years Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF) in Wilsonville, OR chooses to turn off the heat instead of paying the higher fuel rates. Endangering the health and safety of 1500 inmates. ONE OF WHICH IS MY DAUGHTER.
I understand all too well this is not a resort. It is a a prison. But…Tiffany was not sentenced to death. This decision that CCCF made was so amazingly irresponsible. I feel helpless. There is nothing I can do to help her.
Cold spell means cold showers at women’s prison
by Steve Mayes, The Oregonian
Saturday December 20, 2008, 2:18 PM
Inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility learned Saturday morning that they weren’t immune from the crummy weather.
The prison is one of 180 large NW Natural customers who were given a choice: shift to the back-up fuel systems or pay higher rates during the current cold spell.
The prison, some universities and big manufacturing firms among others have “interruptible service contracts,” said NW Natural spokesman Cory Beck. Those customers pay lower rates because they agree to shift to an alternate fuel sources or pay higher rates under certain conditions, such as long periods of cold weather, Beck said.
The company notified customers a few days ago that it was imposing the requirement. It will be in effect until at least Monday, Beck said.
Until then, almost 1,500 Coffee Creek inmates won’t get hot showers or more than one hot meal a day, said Department of Corrections spokeswoman Jennifer Black. The Wilsonville prison started using it’s propane-fueled back-up system Saturday morning.
Can you “Google” that?
This is clearly a sign of the times….below is a conversation I just had with my 5 year old grandson Keelen.
We have been having some pretty bad winter weather and school has been canceled….argh!!! So all this week I have had an assistant. I am at my desk and deeply involved in some research I am doing for my Ms Sparky blog when the following conversation ensues.
Keelen: Grandma do spiders have hearts?
(I am deep in thought and he actually has to ask me twice to get my attention)
Keelen: (a little louder than before) Grandma do spiders have hearts?
Me: (It takes me a minute to snap out of my totally focused alter reality) Um. Um. Yeah. I think so. I’m sure they do.
Keelen: (evidently not totally convinced with my wishy washy answer, he responds) Can you “google” that?
When I was a kid the response to most of my questions were “Because I said so.” or “Just because.” Clearly those days are gone.
I guess before I try to BS my way through another one of those “Are you smarter than a 5th Grader questions” I will just say…”Let’s “google” that!”
FYI- Yes, spiders do have hearts…but they are very different from a human heart.
Go Elf Yourself!!
You have got to do this. This is sooooo fun! Merry Christmas from Debbie, Tiffany & Keelen!
How I Got Hooked On Meth
It was a nice quiet Thanksgiving. Keelen went to Boise with his Dad, Step-mom and brother to visit his other Grandparents. Cal and I decided to keep it VERY VERY low key and went out for dinner. On Black Friday we went to America’s Largest Christmas Bazaar at the Portland Expo Center. We have been going since 1993 and this is one of our few Christmas traditions. Actually, it’s the Barbara Stories Rum Cake booth that starts calling to me in July!! This is the best rum cake in the world and they give away free samples!!
I decided to go visit Tiffany at the prison on Saturday. It was a nice visit, just her and I chatting and playing cards. Although it’s always nice to take Keelen to visit his mom, he totally monopolizes her time and there are just some conversations you can’t have with a 5 year old around.
Tiffany started to tell me about the recent drug bust in one of the units. They found drugs, needles, cigarettes and all kinds of contraband. Before every visit, I go through metal detectors and at times get “wanded”and patted down. I don’t understand how that stuff gets in there. Seriously…how do you smuggle in a pack of cigarettes? And why would you risk it? I started questioning (interrogating) Tiffany about the drug use. She has never failed a drug test in prison. Thank God for that. If she does….I swear she better hope they don’t let her out. I’ve already told her I am soooo done with this drug crap!
Then out of the blue she asked me “Do you know how I started taking Meth?” I was a bit shocked at the matter of fact way she asked the question.
Honestly…it had never occurred to me to ask her. I am not a “shades of grey” person. There’s black and white, right and wrong, good and bad….taking drugs is bad. End of conversation.
I could tell she was intent on telling this story and I could feel that “judgmental defensive mother” rising to the surface. What could possibly be a good excuse for taking Meth?
I quietly sat and watched her eyes as I listened to her tell her story. It was very short and to the point.
“I was a 19 year old single mom, working nights and trying to stay awake during the day as well. Keelen was a 1 year old. One night at work I was complaining about being so tired. A co-worker said “Here take this. It will keep you awake”. He handed me a pill. I didn’t know what it was, but I was desperate and I took it. That’s how it all started and it only got worse from there.”
That’s it? One little pill? No big drug dealing “gang banger”. No messed up “meth head”? One little pill? The decision made at that moment in time changed her life forever.
It is sad she felt so overwhelmed and alone. I was on the road working and wasn’t there to help her. I would be going to Iraq soon. Again, I wouldn’t be there to help her. Would she have even let me help her. I don’t know. She is very independent and stubborn. Hmmmm I wonder where she gets that?
I was very impressed with her ability to verbalize this moment. She wasn’t giving me an excuse or trying to justify anything. She was just stating a fact about a moment in time that altered her life dramatically. I just hugged her and thanked her for trusting me enough to tell me.
On the inside my heart was breaking and my “critical self” was savagely beating me up. I should have done this, I should have done that……the list of “woulda, shoulda, coulda” is endless.
One thing is certain, my little girl has grown into quite the amazing woman.
I Am Thankful My Daughter Is In Prison
Tiffany And Ethan At The Prison
When I tell people my daughter Tiffany is in prison, I normally get an “Oh….I’m so sorry”. I just respond, “Don’t be sorry. It’s OK….I’m thankful Tiff’s in prison.” That usually earns me an odd look.
But it’s true.
I am very thankful for those weekly 100 mile round trips to the prison to sit in a visiting room crowded with inmates, some who have committed truly unthinkable crimes.
I am very thankful for those phone calls from Tiffany that always seem to come when I am busy doing something else or just don’t feel like talking.
I am very thankful for those insane conversations about how bad things are in prison or how weird her “cellee” is.
I am very thankful she was pregnant when she was arrested.
I am very thankful she is in prison so I can now raise my other grandson Keelen.
I am very thankful she got 70 months.
I can hear it now. “Girl…you have lost your freakin’ mind! How can you be thankful for that?”
Well….every week I get see my daughter. I get to hug her and give her a kiss and I get to watch Keelen play games and read stories with his mom.
I get talk to Tiffany almost every night on the phone and Keelen gets to tell his mom about his day.
I get to watch Tiffany grow from a “wannabe” street thug into the amazing woman that I always knew she was with no interest in a life of crime.
I got to watch Tiffany give birth to a healthy baby boy, my second grandchild Ethan and in a selfless act of love give him to an amazing deserving adoptive couple that will raise him to know both his moms.
I know that Keelen is safe and well cared for and gets to have a relationship with both his mom and dad.
It is going to take the full 70 months for Tiffany to break this destructive cycle of drugs and unhealthy men.
Plus the brains behind this crime got 136 months. And if the person he assaulted had died, Tiffany could be doing life!! So…WOO HOO only 70 months!!
There are many many parents with children that were traveling down the same path as Tiffany. And they now have to visit their children in the cemetery. So, yes…I am very thankful Tiffany is in prison.
What are you thankful for?
Happy Thanksgiving
Debbie
Don’t Be A Victim!
(This post was originally posted on Ms Sparky on May 31, 2008. I moved it to Blue Behind Bars when I separated my personal blog from my political blog.)
If you read my “I Got Mugged In Istanbul” blog you remember that my bank accounts were seriously compromised because I used a public computer in Istanbul to check my account status after being mugged.
Here is an excerpt from an article I just read on this very subject entitled: “7 Surefire Ways To Become and ID Theft Victim” by Sheyna Steiner (to read this article click the link above)
For maximum risk, commit the computing equivalent of licking a handrail in a New York City subway station and do some online banking on a public computer — like the one at the library or a public cafe. Bonus points are added if your Social Security number is your user ID for any transactions.
Evidently, I did the equivalent of licking a handrail in a New York City subway station. That analogy just makes me want to gag!!!!
This is an informative and well written article with some humor thrown in. You may be amazed at how often you put yourself at risk. Can you answer yes to any of the following questions:
1. Do you use a wireless network in your house?
2. Do you mail out checks for bills from your mailbox?
3. Do you carry your Social Security card in your wallet or purse?
4. Do you ever give personal information via email?
If you answered yes to any of these question, do yourself a huge favor and read the article. I thought I was totally educated on protecting myself from identity theft and I learned a lot.
For every defense we take to protect ourselves, identity thieves are counter attacking. It’s a freakin’ war!!!
Ms Sparky
I Got Mugged In Istanbul-Part 1
(This post was originally posted on Ms Sparky on May 20, 2008. I moved it to Blue Behind Bars when I separated my personal blog from my political blog.)
When Cal and I were working in Baghdad we took the opportunity to take our R&R’s in places we had always wanted to visit. We spent our first R&R in Cairo, Egypt riding camels and exploring the pyramids at Giza. We had decided we were going to spend our next R&R in Phuket, Thailand. When Phuket was hit by a devastating tsunami in December 2004, we decided to go to Istanbul, Turkey instead.
Istanbul (aka Constantinople) is a very old and beautiful city. There are an abundance of attractions such as The Topkapi Palace, The Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque, The Grande Bazaar, The Spice Market and The Orient Express to name only a few. The museum at Topkapi Palace was my favorite. It is the home of the Spoonmaker Diamond (aka The Kasikci Diamond). A single 86 carat stone surrounded by 49 individual stones (see photo) That would look soooo good on my finger!!
Unfortunately, Istanbul is also the pickpocket capital of the world. Read more
I Got Mugged In Istanbul-Part 2
(This post was originally posted on Ms Sparky on May 21, 2008. I moved it to Blue Behind Bars when I separated my personal blog from my political blog.)
Continued from “I Got Mugged In Istanbul-Part 1-See Below
Fortunately, Cal had enough taxi fare to get us back to our hotel where there was an internet cafe. I needed to contact Wells Fargo Bank so I logged into my Wells Fargo account. I checked my accounts and and after several tries was able to contact Wells Fargo via the “International Number” and cancel my cards. It would appear I had acted quickly enough and had averted any potential damage to my accounts. So I thought.
I then contacted the US Consulate. I was so afraid I was going to be stuck in Istanbul for weeks without a passport. But, do to the large number of US Citizens needing replacement passports, the US Consulate in Istanbul is one of the few in the world that can make you a temporary passport “while you wait”.
I didn’t sleep well that night. I just replayed the mugging over and over in my head. What could I have done differently? How could I have prevented this? Why was I targeted? Who knows, but being the victim of anything is just not OK with me.
The next morning we headed out bright and early to the US Consulate across town. There was a shop owner right across the street that took passport photos….how convenient. Read more
If You Have That Kind Of Extra Money….Send It To Me!!!
(This post was originally posted on Ms Sparky on May 17, 2008. I moved it to Blue Behind Bars when I separated my personal blog from my political blog.)
Since Tiffany has been down (prison lingo for incarcerated) now for about 2 1/2 years we thought it was time to get a copy of her credit reports and see what the damage was. I figured she’s not that old….how bad could it be? And because your FICO score is tied to just about everything…employment, insurance, apartment rental, I thought it’s best to get it squared away now.
I have an account at FreeCreditReport.com (love it) so I signed her up as well. Oh My God!!!! Not only was there Identity Theft (on her), bogus accounts (not hers), there was nearly $6000 worth of traffic tickets.
$6000 WORTH OF TRAFFIC TICKETS!!!! What the hell. What a damn waste of money. For someone who has never had a traffic ticket (me) it’s like throwing your money out the window. The thought of turning my “run to the store” into a $250 or more trip, all to gain 5 or 10 minutes is incomprehensible. It’s makes that gallon of milk real expensive.
Granted, $1800 worth of those tickets is due to identity theft and we have hired an attorney to take care of that. But the rest are legit. They are hers.
I just don’t understand wasting that kind of money of traffic fines.
If you have that kind of extra money….send it to me. I can make better use of it than the State.
Do you know what your FICO score is? If you haven’t looked at your credit report lately, you may be amazed at what’s on there.
I will be blogging more about fixing Tiffany’s credit reports. I am getting to be quite the credit report pro. Feel free to ask me questions.
Ms Sparky
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