Last night I got to talk to my brother and his family over Skype (webcam/voice chat application). I have had some positive experiences with the application, but this is the 3rd time that a session has ended with repeated dropped calls, and my computer has restarted twice while using it (once last night). I don't know if it's a bad driver, if my 1.33Ghz computer just isn't up for the job, or if there are other issues, but it had me very perplexed. Right now we are hoping that our webcam might allow us to keep in touch with family, being so far from our relatives. But if this continues...I don't know what we'll do. We're due for a new computer, but I don't even know if that would solve the problem.

 

On a lighter note, I had 75% of my taxes finished last night (I have a little left to do, but the worst part is over--the Schedule C and the deductions!). I am looking forward to having that behind me. Shauri and I also had a blast watching Susan Boyle perform on Britain's Got Talent--if you haven't seen her yet, look her up on YouTube. Our favorite version is 7:31 long, and has more of the performance than what was on Yahoo!'s front page yesterday. Every time I watch her, I get get a huge smile. Go ahead, watch it. You'll see why people love her.

 

Last good thing: tonight I start a therapy group for Bipolar Disorder. The curriculum is straightforward--you can find it here on Amazon. Tonight we'll start with talking about the causes of manic depression, triggers and risk factors, the stigma associated with it and the discrimination that can come with it, and what can be done to prevent relapse if a person is doing well. I'm excited to start it. It was suggested by one of my clients; after reading the book Madness, she felt for the first time in her life like someone understood what she was going through. She asked if we could have a group at our clinic for people to get together and support each other through this disorder. My clinical director loved the idea, and a group was born.

Scott,

 

 I have received over a hundred emails on this issue and I am trying to answer them in the order that they came. I am sorry if you have had to wait longer that you thought necessary.

 

I appreciate your perspective on  the recent Supreme Court , which I understand is unpopular to some Iowans.

First, as I continue to review the Supreme Court's lengthy decision, it is clear that Iowa has a long tradition  of ensuring the basic rights and protections of all Iowans.  Iowa has been a leader in extending rights and protections to all Iowans.  I respect that tradition.  I also respect the Supreme Court's determination in the ruling that by barring gay and lesbian couples from marrying, the state of Iowa was depriving many Iowans "of the benefits of the principle of equal protection upon which the rule of law."

 

Second, I understand that Iowans are concerned about the possible impact of this decision on our churches and other religious institutions.  The Supreme Court  faced these concerns head-on when it stated this in its unanimous ruling: "Religious doctrine and views contrary to this principle of law are unaffected, and people can continue to associate with the religion that best reflects their views. A religious denomination can still define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and a marriage ceremony performed by a minister, priest, rabbi, or other person ordained or designated as a leader of the person’s religious faith does not lose its meaning as a sacrament or other religious institution. The sanctity of all religious marriages celebrated in the future will have the same meaning as those celebrated in the past."

Finally, both Republican and Democratic legislative leaders have stated that they do not expect this issue will be addressed during this session. For that reason, in the final days of the legislative session, I intend to concentrate on completing the budget and helping Iowans recover from the deepening national recession.

For all those reasons, I intend to respect the decision of the Iowa Supreme Court and I hope that other Iowans can do the same.

Thank you for taking the time to write to express your opinions. 

 

Senator Tom Courtney

Senate District 44

I have been flirting with weight loss for 4 months now. I thought I was serious about it. I joined a weight loss competition in January, on weightlosswars.com . I have walked over 250 miles. But I have not been able to cross the 290-lb. barrier--I have bounced back and forth between 291 and 296 since starting.

Today, I have finally passed it: 289!

The frustrating thing is that this did not happen through getting more exercise--I am actually getting less right now, because I am recovering from a leg injury that has stopped me from walking to and from work every day (4 miles round trip). I have had to make up for it with short walks, biking, weightlifting, and some dancing and yoga. That may sound like a good substitute, but really I am exercising a lot less than I was a month ago--about half as much.

So how did it finally happen? Cutting sugar, and reducing portion size.

Yup. Horrible. Plain old dieting.

I have been asking my wife for suggestions, and sharing with her my frustrations about not losing weight despite exercising so much. About a week ago she wondered to me about whether cutting out sugar may make a difference. That rang true for me, because I've had a nagging feeling in recent months that I might be close to becoming diabetic. So, I decided to take up the challenge. I have cut out all obvious sugars, like candy, ice cream, sugar and honey on things, etc. But I've also cut out simple carbs as much as possible too, like most pasta, white rice, white flour, breakfast cereal, sweetened yogurt, etc.

The other thing that I've changed is portion size. A client came into my office last Wed. who looked fit and healthy--about 230 lbs. and 6'2". He told me that in 2002 he was over 400 lbs. He had gastric bypass surgery, lost the weight, and has kept it off. He has changed his way of eating, and also works out about 5x per week, including at least twice a week weightlifting.

I was envious, especially when he talked about the social rewards of getting thin, like having people look at you at the checkout line instead of avoiding eye contact with you--he said that he used to have to be really cheerful and outgoing to get anyone to respond to him in public. It sounded painfully familiar.

So I went on the web and looked up the procedure. The most eye-opening parts of the site I found, which was an informational site designed for those considering the procedure, were those that talked about the lifestyle changes that would be required. It said the procedure isn't for you unless you can commit to things like regular doctor visits, exercising regularly, and drastic dietary changes.

I got to thinking--if I had the procedure done, I would be "forced" to make these changes--I would be in a program that would make it hard not to do them. But aren't most of these ones that I could do on my own, if I really decided to?

My client had explained that he had learned to think differently about food, like how big is a standard portion size, and to not think of himself as a "big" guy who needs a big meal. He eats about 6 times a day now, but meals are far smaller.

Although I have struggles with it, the concept has been helpful for me. Like Saturday, I ate a burrito at dinner, and felt like I was entitled to more--"after all," (my thinking goes), "I'm a big guy." It's that kind of thinking that has gotten me into this mess.

So, having "only" eaten one burrito, I still felt entitled to "the rest" of my supper. Our family went to a conference, and my wife brought snacks (Isn't she wonderful?)--fruit roll-ups and cheese sticks for the kids, and an orange and a cheese stick for us--which should have been plenty. But because I still had this idea of deprivation in my head, I accepted a second cheese stick when it was offered. Later, when I thought about it, I realized I didn't really need the second one, and I didn't feel hungry anymore after the first one--I just had this set amount in my head of how much I was supposed to eat before stopping, and I hadn't passed it yet.

I'm expecting that I will experience this psychological hunger a lot, for a long time. These kinds of thinking patterns are not easy to change. But I'll keep working on it, and I have a wonderful wife who is definitely on my side in this. When I talked to her about what I'd realized about the cheese sticks, she asked if I'd like her to not offer me seconds usually, hoping that that would be helpful. I told her it would be very helpful, and thanked her soundly :)

I wrote this letter today and sent it to my state senator and representative:

As an outraged constituent, I am writing because you have the opportunity--again, but this time with greater urgency--to support a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage.

I am saddened and disappointed by yesterday's ruling, but I am even more saddened knowing that this could easily have been prevented if previous legislatures had shown bravery and taken up this issue preemptively, rather than letting it be decided by the courts, our least democratic institution.

You could easily have acted on this issue in the last legislative session, but there was a lack of perceived political expediency. I followed the drama closely, hoping, praying, and urging that you would act to bring a constitutional amendment forward--so that we wouldn't have to wait until 2012 before getting an amendment through. Unfortunately, too many senators and representatives called for us to "wait and see how the courts would decide"--as if it were not your *express responsibility* to protect us from unelected judges twisting our laws by fiat!

We could see the writing on the wall--did anyone really doubt how the state supreme court would rule on this question? But regardless of how they would rule, we all knew that the opponents of traditional marriage are determined and relentless, and that *nothing* short of a constitutional amendment would stop them.

We should have known better. We should have acted when we had the chance. I am disgusted with those who did not support action earlier--but I pray that they will now understand that their reelection hinges on how they act now.

I urge you to understand that this is one of the two or three most important issues facing Iowa now. If you fail to act in the interests of the majority this time, there will be no forgiveness. You will be removed. We will cleanse our government of those who show spite and disdain for the institutions that have made our civilization stable and lasting. Traditional marriage is one of the key foundations that have helped us survive as a civilization, and people who support that view of marriage will not step aside and watch idly as self-serving men and women attempt to destroy those foundations.

Act now before it is too late.