"Mean people suck" I find this bumper sticker a bit hypocritical. I do get the point they are trying to make. 

Has our society become meaner, colder? Are we quicker to turn on each other? 

A couple of years ago, while at work, I was watching the protests regarding immigration reform in SW Detroit. My mom and sister were at the protest, along with many other folks I know. As I watched the news coverage, the lady sitting next to me said "Look at all those people, they make me so mad. I wish I had a machine gun". I was shocked. I told her that my family was in that protest. Really a machine gun! She apologized. But I still remember that story and the feeling of hatred she had for the protesters. 

In the summer of 2010, we were visiting Mt Rushmore. My family and I were listening to the ranger talk about past presidents. She was asking the audience where certain presidents were from. She started with older ones to more current. When she got to President Obama, the ranger asked "Where is he from?" Some of those in the crowd began saying "we don't know yet", "maybe Kenya" and "who knows". I was again shocked. Really! What was the point. The kids there were having fun guessing where the presidents  were born. It was very disappointing.

I know you probably have seen these same types of things happening. Why?

At a memorial for a young man who took his own life, someone yells out "he is better off dead"! How sad for the family. To feel that kind of hatred. I truly am at a loss when I hear these things. I don't understand why. How someone could say such hateful things.

Our society has gotten very cold. For an audience to applaud the death penalty, shows a deep sense of callousness. To yell out "let him die" when discussing a cancer patient or boo a soldier sharing something very heart wrenching and personal, I don't understand.  

All of these are tied together. They feed off each other. We start losing any sense of caring for others. We start saying things we shouldn't. 

Regardless of your position or view point. Bullying, name calling and rudeness are unnecessary. I too have gotten caught up in passionate discussions and said some things I shouldn't have. Never our of sheer hatred. I truly am perplexed at the anger some people have and where they direct it. Scary! 

We have become very selfish. Give me what is mine! We forget to love and respect our fellow man.

ok so I have arthritis,  nothing new. I was told this in Sept 2009. But I was hoping today wouldn't show much progression and the doc would say it is the meniscus tear causing the pain. No such luck. Not only is it the arthritis but my knee is bowing in. That is not the technical term but that is what I say. So a brace for me when I work out, go for walks and  at work.  If the brace works to re align the knee, that makes me a good candidate for some other treatments. One is the injections of lubricant for the knee, the other two are surgeries. One surgery to clean out the knee othroscopically. The other is a very invasive intense surgery called knee realignment. Not really interested in that one. Not yet anyway.

Why am I telling you all this? Do I just love to talk about my medical conditions? not really, if that was the case there would of been numerous other blogs. 

I am telling you this because I am trying to be healthier. This will not deter me. The doc didn't put me on any restrictions. So I came home and worked out. Bad knee, bad foot(luckily those two are on different legs) and all. I know that the best thing for me and my knee is health. I need to keep moving and get more weight off. This will make things better in the long run. No medical doctor can do this for me. 

So as I was working out, I kept thinking about all the things I am fighting against. It motivates me. I am fighting arthritis, diabetes(which is devastating the latin community), osteoporosis, muscle loss, high blood pressure and just being able to stay mobile into the older years. 

There are ways to work out and not injure the bad knee. I have done physical therapy and I know this. I will do more physical therapy. Especially since I will be working out with the brace on. That should be fun, not!! 

I wish I could say I do strength training to get stronger. I hope I get stronger and maybe I will. But mostly I do strength training to fight muscle loss and the slowing of metabolism. It is very important for women to lift weights. I do low to mid weights with lots of repetitions. That gives me some strength training and cardio.  

Anyone reading this, no matter your age or shape. Start working out. Do it today. Go for a walk, go up and down the stairs a few times. If you don't have any ailments, then good for you. Strengthen your body to fight them. If you are younger, good you can start now and maybe make it easier on your body. I wish I would have gotten the weight off sooner. But I have no regrets really. It is what it is. 

If you have any ailments, I am sorry. I know how tough that can be. But don't give up. Eat Healthy and see what physical activities you can do and do them well and often!!!!

Good Health to all. 

extradition, trial, justice

Big words, heavy words....

Juan Cruz is being extradited to stand trial for the murder of Rose Marie Woolwine. A murder which took place in 1989 and was covered in a Dateline story.

Rose Marie Woolwine, Rosie, was my sister. The twin sister of Ruby Ann Woolwine. The daughter Rebecca Lugo. The sister of Jimmy, Chucky(RIP), Donald, Felice, Maria, Juan and Angel. The mother of Sarah, Theresa and Joey. They were so little when she was taken from us.

Every time we get a step closer to justice, I feel the need to take a step back to remember who Rosie was. When Rosie passed away, I moved to Ann Arbor. Shortly after I began attending community college. One of the first classes I took was a speech class and one assignment was a eulogy. I wrote a eulogy for Rosie. It was beautiful, profound and sad. I cried when reciting it in class. The whole class cried with me. That eulogy was shortly after that lost, I have no idea where it went. I have other papers and speeches from then. I wish it would turn up. I pray that it would.

But who was Rosie. Is there any way to let those of you who never knew her to understand who she was? I doubt it.

Rosie was passionate, stubborn and a little conceited. She loved life and her family. As a child we called her nosie rosie. She would be the first one to the kitchen when mom went grocery shopping to see what goodies were there. Her and Ruby were so close, they would fight something fierce with eachother, but if you tried to intervene.... Let's just say it would be bad for you. The twins as they were called, would be fiercely loyal to eachother, I guess all twins are. They were so tough in high school, that when I went a few years later, I never had to fight. I just stood tough and held to their reputation. I think others also knew that if they touched me there would be hell to pay later. Remember we grew up in Detroit, tough streets. But Rosie and Ruby could hold their own.

They got into lots of trouble, had lots of friends and enjoyed life together. They were both so pretty, I always felt so plain. Ruby is and has always been so my gorgeous older sister. But Rosie was different, she carried herself with such confidence that when she walked in the room, you knew she was there. Her smile was something else. Her passion for life was immeasurable. When I picture her now, I see a beautiful smile and eyes that light up the room.

Not only does my heartbreak for losing Rosie. My heart breaks for Ruby. I want the twins back. I know that will never happen. I know if Ruby is reading this she is crying with me.

I feel Rosie's presence sometimes. I know she is at peace and that these steps for justice are a good thing.

May God Bless you and your family. Please pray for ours.