What the? Is the anti-choice fodder even falling on little ole me?

I didn't think anyone even looked at my blog.

Some anonymous person left me this little note:

"Hey Karen,

Over at Feministe you wrote:

Where is the resistance?

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2006/02/26/paying-to-overturn-roe/#comment-33795

Um, I think it's in the bottom of a dumpster somewhere."

Am I paranoid or is some cowardly anti-choicer being a disgusting asshole? I hope not. If you really think about what I think they are implying it makes NO sense anyway.

A foray into omnivorous definitions as a "semi-vegan/vegetarian".

I grew up in Illinois and as a child I remember that most people called non-red meat eaters (pork, beef, lamb): vegetarians. I always knew this was misdefined but it made me wonder if there is a name for those of us who do not eat red meat, etc. and there is!

Now that I know I am a "semi-vegetarian" I guess I can suspect that I am also a "semi-vegan" since I don't eat any dairy products.

So, why am I a semi-vegan/vegetarian?

Because I have IBS.

I think it is important to take a minute to talk about it because "An estimated 35 million Americans have the disease. It ranks second only to the common cold as a cause of lost work time and accounts for approximately 3 million physician visits in the United States every year."

Not only is it a very prevalent problem it is also a pretty serious women's issue because (according to talkibs.org) of the 20% of Americans suffering from IBS, 7 out of 10 are women.

I have had pretty severe IBS for almost ten years and I believe that the only way to truly control it is by regulating diet. (This opinion comes from years of unpleasant experience.) However, most doctors don't know enough about the importance of diet regulation for IBS and many people are given bad information or no information at all on how to control thier symptoms after diagnosis. It is extremely important to learn about diet in terms of IBS because it is not a curable disease.

In fact it was only 6 months ago that even I (a ten year sufferer) was able learn about any type of IBS diet after years of frustration and it only happened by chance. Exhausted and desperate I started to search for answers online and I was able to find a fantastic resource helpforibs.com.

I don't want to get all preachy and digress into some sort of heartfelt testimonial but I have been thinking about writing a post about this for a couple of weeks.
If I hadn't found helpforibs.com I would still be miserable and terrified by my condition, continually missing out on new oppurtunities. I know most people don't want to think about it but having IBS can be scary!

Heather Van Vorous (an IBS sufferer herself) is changing the lives of millions of people with her website helpforibs.com by providing tangible information (facts and ongoing research) and diet and health suggestions for those with IBS and other digestive disorders AND creating really fantastic recipes which follow IBS diet suggestions AND by creating an online community of support for those with IBS. I cannot endorse her website enough. If you have IBS (or think you might, she has lots of info on what to talk to your doctor about if you haven't been diagnosed yet too) go there, if you know someone who has IBS send them there. It will change thier lives for the better.

THE DIET BASICS

lots of soluble fiber (very low insoluble fiber)
no dairy or egg yolks
no red meat (beef, pork, etc.)
small portions, frequent meals
20-30% balanced daily fat intake

There is a lot more to it than this when it comes to an IBS safe diet though.

I highly recommend Heather's Book and/or website to get informed and stay informed.

So, there.

*UPDATE: (03/04/2006) I have now updated my foodie definition to semi-vegan pescetarian. No more chicken for me, I just can't eat it anymore. It grosses me out. And it should.

I'm still not grossed out by fish yet though and I don't really have any ethical problems about eating it, especially if its caught wild.

More on South Dakota, wait... I mean on the fight for the right to choose.

When I first saw Molly Saves The Day's "For the women of South Dakota: an abortion manual" this morning I will admit I was a little shocked. Not because I felt it was inappropriate, but because I had to ask myself, "Has it really come to this?"

The truth is, YES.

Don't misunderstand me, I do not believe that women should have to set up illegal abortion clinics, it is every woman's right to have access to safe and affordable abortion and miscarriage procedures under the supervision of medical professionals.

HOWEVER, if subjective and misguided politicians are going to insist on controlling other peoples bodies there is nothing we can do but prepare for the worst and hope that our mobilization is a catalyst for the protection of the right to CHOICE.

It really is time to get started, I am not going to let this administration tell me what I can and cannot do with my body.

So, what is next?

Vegan Lunches for Little Ones?

I should start this post out by saying that I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian but I do not eat DAIRY or RED MEATS because of a health condition which requires very strict eating habits. Not 'being able' to eat dairy or red meat I end up eating a lot of vegan and vegetarian foods and I definetely have a great respect for those who eat that way for ethical reasons. I am always looking for yummy non-dairy recipes and by accident I found a blog called Vegan Lunch Box. This adorably obsessive blog (and I say that with utmost love) showcases the vegan lunches a Mom makes for her child. I wish someone would send me off to school each day with these awesome lunches.

p.s. Does anybody know the health implications of raising a child vegan or vegetarian? I wonder if I would feel like I would be depriving my child in later life to make the choice for themself. hmm.

Too many stories to highlight. But South Dakota Abortion Ban scares me.

My recent enlightenment into active feminism/humanism makes me want to comment on almost all the stories I read on both:

feministe.us
feministing.com

HOWEVER, I think it is more important that everyone support those blogs themselves. Bookmark them, visit them, be enraged.

BUT TO CONTRADICT MYSELF, I feel that this story is far to important not to repeat. What is it that people say about triangulation? If we all get pissed enough...something will happen?

We DO need to keep an eye on these South Dakota politicians.

You can read more at feministe.us as well.

ALSO, while researching to find out if their were already other states like South Dakota I found an old article from the SF Chonicle in 2004: Thirty states ready to ban abortion if Roe overturned

How many waves of 'Feminists' were there again? I think its time to start organizing for another.

I'm not kidding.

Is blogging performance art?

The thought occured to me when I was brushing my teeth two minutes ago.

I guess it is and it isn't. It can be just as much a performance as stereotypical gender or just as little performance as going to the grocery store to buy tomatoes. When the lines blur, the only thing to do, is keep on going.

Why I almost lost my mind, a continuing discussion with myself.

I almost lost my mind because: (not in any particular order)

a)the spectacle of identity became meaningless to me
b)the importance of aesthetics became meaningless to me
c)i moved to san francisco two months ago to go to sfai.

Basically, I think it all started as a subconcious attempt to distract myself from the stress of moving to a new, well populated city and going to a highly competitive school. But, I am learning that while the subconcious always seems to have the best of intentions, it is rarely ever more rational than the concious mind.

-i have to go get my laundry out of the dryer.-

I ended up not losing my mind because:

a)I moved to san francisco two months ago to go to sfai.
b)I finally began to identify with feminism.
c)and I realized that identity and aesthetics are an unavoidable inevitability. (yes, I know that is redundant.)

*note: to Mike, I will really really try to elaborate on all this later.

*note: to All, Mike was a high school teacher of mine who felt that I chronically underexplain myself, I would have to agree with him, but I also put a lot of value on concise statements.


A question to all: the lower case i (in the place of I), yea or nay?

It is very fashionable, i think, but I am just a bad typist.

Soft. Strong. SENSIBLE.

So, I bought some toilet paper with my boyfriend two days ago we decided to just go to Walgreens because its only one block away, instead of Safeway where it is much cheaper. While we browsed through the overpriced toilet paper we discovered 'Charmin Basic'. This different Charmin looked almost exactly the same as the other Charmin but it was almost half the price. What is wrong with this affordable Charmin? I still couldn't tell you. However, it did describe itself as quite simply: "Soft. Strong. SENSIBLE."

Am I strange or does that seem strange, in fact, almost beautiful? I am stealing that slogan for myself, if any self-advertisement should come up in the future.

the evolution of an individual

I have recently been undergoing what feels like a complete transformation of my concept of Identity and in turn my own identity. A passing rumination has turned into a exhausting reshaping of self and my perception of the world and while I know he would hate it I have to give some of the credit to one of the most humble and enthusiastic teachers I have ever had, Dale Carrico. (While there is a slight possibility that my admiration is immature, I have only been a student of his for the last three weeks, I severely doubt it.)

The intense need that I had to reshape myself was solely my own but I am almost certain that if I had not started his class when I did and read the "Cyborg Manifesto" by Donna Harraway when I did, I might have truly lost my mind.

To be continued....