Michele

It's been really really bad. There have been more than 12 deaths reported, not including the one(s) in La Conchita. Lots of mudslides/rockslides and road closures, sinkholes, roads washed out (near my office). No tornado, thankfully... I left the office after the power went out, the phones went down, and I watched two trees topple; one into some cars (not mine), and one right down into the LA River (which runs behind my office.). I figured I'd best leave while I could, since no-one was looking at homes today anyway. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Anne, it sounds absolutely wonderful and perfect. What a great thing. Sure there were tears - why wouldn't there be? - but it was also a time to remember your father. To share him as you knew him, and to see him as others saw him. And I bet his secretary has never heated a melted cheese sandwich differently. Well done. And hugs. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

And then ditto it a third time! Hot damn, this was the best thing I've seen this year! Tolja you'd kick it's ass!

ROFLMAOPIMP!!!!!!!!!!! That was prefect...touche. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Yes, several of the waves measured that high. And some were caught on video, as well. I've seen it several times on the different news channels. But keep in mind that this wouldn't have been easy to catch on video; those who saw it that high are mostly dead. There was an interesting series on Tsunamis last night on Discovery channel...I am sure they will replay it this week. Keep an eye out for it. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

July, huh? Well, that gives me some lead time...I may be able to get up that way this year. I really want to jump up there, too...the scenery would be amazing. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

But I've been known to drop it....and when I do, friends like you come along and help me balance it and get it lifted again. I still carry that special gift you sent me. And indeed, it reminds me that I am never alone. Sprout, you know I've got nothing but love for you, either. When are you coming back? I believe we have a skydate! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Val, thanks. You are a doll. Squeak, I may be able to do that...I won't know for a while, as my schedule changes on a regular basis, but as soon as I do know, I'll let you know. Kris, hugs back.... Jan, we will meet someday - I want to get back up to the Emerald City someday, and I want to go lavendar harvesting with you. I still have those lavendar bunches and wands you sent me...I love them, even though their scent has long since disapated. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Yes you have - one of the few who've seen it since I graduated AFF...and I haven't used it since except when there's trouble and I've got to get stable or when I'm jumping with you. LOLOL! Hope you're well! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

It's insane. Today was really bad...I didn't even bother to go to the office. Too much water; it's gotten to where there's 2 inches standing on my walkway because the ground is so saturated there's nowhere else for it to go. Really, really bad...and this round won't stop until late Monday or early Tuesday. Yikes! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Maybe because we've had the annual total rainfall we usually get in the last 2 1/2 weeks? And maybe because I'm still sick? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

It's always good to remember kindnesses done, whether by a friend or a stranger. It's that unexpected sweetness which brings a smile to a face, and lights up a dark day. Those simple kindnesses change perspective, re-establish value, and touch hearts. I had the opportunity to dig through some old pm's today. While some of what I read was not kind, by far and away most of the pm's were wonderful. They were from those I know well, those I know, and some I haven't met yet. They were funny, touching, inspirational, cheering, and kind. They helped me then, and they helped me today. When life crowds me, makes me too busy to remember my name; or when depression sets in and I don't want to remember my name...when it gets too hard just being me, or the choice between right and wrong gets clouded somehow...or when my integrity gets challenged, my honesty prodded, my heart gets questioned...those are the times I asked for help from you; and you responded. You respond with such care and love that it fills me with joy to know you exist, even if I never meet you in person. And those times when I didn't have the ability to ask for help, you responded anyway. Somehow you knew what I needed when I couldn't ask for that myself, and you reached out and responded to me anyway. You thought about me and my wellbeing. And you took the time to reach out and grab me, from whatever spinning morass I had found myself in. You, living in Europe, or South America. You, living in Botswana or England, Scotland or Australia, you living in the Middle East or the US; you living where ever you live...you found time to send me a note. And that simple kindness cheered me no end. Sometimes, you asked me for help; sometimes you told me a joke. You sent a funny picture, or a clip from a local paper. Sometimes you sent updates on your children, or your pets. Sometimes you sent a hug or a prayer. Mostly, though, what you really sent was the message that I was being thought of, that I was worth the time to send a note to say hi, how were things, you hadn't seen me post lately. It is not even the content that I value most. It was the thought. It counts. Because for you to take the time and send me a note meant that you were thinking of me. In those times when I couldn't think of me, you reminded me simply of my worth. And that kindness was generous and beautiful. Sometimes I didn't respond. Sometimes I couldn't respond. Sometimes I was too lost in the blackness which floods my heart to see your light. Sometimes I was too ill to send a note back, or I didn't know what to say. But that never meant that you didn't mean the world to me...it meant simply that my world was topsy turvey, and I was trying to find the floor again. And I always saved your note. Your pm's, you see, I saved for a day such as this; for when I felt blue, or upset at circumstances beyond my control - for when my heart hurt from pain remembered, or from friendships fractured beyond repair, or trust violated, smashed like an irreplaceable vase. And I read them again today...and like ice to a burn it cooled me again. I thank you for being in my corner when the world gets too much; for cheering me on when the road gets too rocky; for making me laugh when I am crying over something I have no control with. I thank you for the wishes to my health, for my mind, and for my spirit. But mostly, I thank you for you. Your light, your heart, your spirit shines in your note. And I just wanted to say thanks for shining it on me. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

ROFL... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I sure could, now couldn't I? LOLOL! Lemme know - this would be a blast. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Tee hee, that would be a blast. But I can't be first - you have two already. Let me know and let's get this done! It would be really nice to finally arch like I did in AFF..... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Yep, that's what some people say. Yeppers, you really are. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I wanna be an Anvil Sistah....can we do that sometime this year out in So Ca (or if I get out that way?)....? Do you have Anvil Sistah numbers? Can I be number 1? Huh? Can I? Pullllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeee? (I'm actually semi-serious....) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Ev, just heard that more than 200 cars have been stranded up in the San Bernardino mountains...is that where you went? Are you all right? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I have them occasionally. LOLOL! And maybe we should make a batch for Kurt, too! Ev, yes, let's get together for dinner - me, you and Rosa. 'Twould be fun, don'tcha think? Rosa, I can't make Vegas (this time). I have to make up work time that I lost these last two weeks. Tons of files sitting on my desk right now; so many in fact that I am heading in there shortly to attack them. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

How sweet are you? Tell ya what...once I'm back on my feet, we should get together and bake Frenchy a batch together. LOLOL! Well, maybe not, but we really need to get together for dinner soon, in any event. Have fun today, and be safe...I've heard avalanches are happening, but I didn't catch where (except somewhere here in CA). Lots of mudslides and rocks in the road, so be really cautious driving. BTW, here is a link to the storm coming tonight... The storm heading in Gonna get nasty here soon.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Actually, I know several cases where the man had either killed several wives (one) or his entire family (two). In the first case, there was a history of brain disease; he had killed his first wife, adjudged insane, put into a facility, was medicated, released, went off medications, and killed his new wife. He's not in prison, he's back in the institution (which was sued for negligence in letting him out in the first place). In the second, the man is now in the process of having his sanity determined...I do not know if he'd had a history of psychiatric problems, but he is in the process. Those are two I know of. I'm sure there are more, and I just don't know of them. I see your points. I don't agree with them in toto. I do agree that she will always pose a danger; either to herself or to society. I understand that because she will always pose such a danger, that she will likely never be released to walk the streets. Given her history, she will likely never be assessed capable of taking care of herself, remain on meds, and be able to interact in a "normal" basis in society. I have not advocated her release into the general public. I have strongly advocated a psychiatric facility and treatment. Further, I think, since the McNaughton rule has been around about 100 years, that if we were to see an influx of people using it successfully and returning to the streets to kill again and again, it probably would have happened before now. I am NOT discounting your position. But the standards for NGRS are so very high that they cannot be reached with any frequency. There are many states which say "Guilty But Insane," which to me is a far more reasonable sentence. Texas, however, only has Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity, not Guilty but Insane. IIRC, when one is guilty but insane, they are remanded to a criminal psychiatric institution...not allowed to "walk free." This is the optimum situation for Andrea Yates in my opinion. The fear responses I speak of are the ones where people, not being able to see/touch/feel an illness, take steps to protect themselves from a perceived (and often imagined) threat. We have great medical schools. People cut up bodies and actually study the organic, physical make-up of the human structure. And that is invaluable in learning about illnesses, treatment, and prevention. But when it comes to a brain disease that hasn't any real physical component, and yet can literally change a person, it's a scary thing. It's not easily understood, nor easily explained, by and to the average person...matter of fact, most people who study brain disease don't understand fully how everything works, and how everything comes together and affects things. And we are fearful of that which we don't understand. It's normal...but in this case, it's also really sad. Our system of justice is predicated upon an understanding of right and wrong. With rare exception, we don't prosecute minors until they are of an age to comprehend what is acceptable societal behavior and not acceptable societal behavior. It is right to not steal; and yet a 6 year old has not developed fully enough to be able to always control that impulse behavior which makes them reach out and steal the candy from the shelf at the super market. But we don't prosecute them on a regular level. Yet, the intent was there - "I want the candy" and the action is there "I'll take the candy." Thus you have a complete crime - intent + action. I haven't seen a DA file on a kid stealing a candy bar, not because it wasn't a crime, but because of his age, his brain development, and his understanding of right and wrong. What in the world does that have to do with Andrea Yates? I say that while there was a complete crime in the most pure sense - intent + action - one must also assess was she able to make decisions from a moral standpoint at the time of the crime? Can you honestly say, reading her (semi-accurate) profile linked earlier in this thread, that she was of sound mind? That she knew right from wrong? Her brain chemistry was completely whacked. Her thoughts were not normal, usual, nor even comprehensible to the average person. They did not follow a normal pattern. She heard things that did not exist. And this was because of brain chemistry, not because she wanted to think thoughts like that. If one literally can't think straight, we cannot hold them to the same standard we would hold someone who did think straight but had a "black heart." As Wendy said, we would never ask someone with Cerebral Palsy to compete in the Olympics. It just wouldn't happen. Likewise, I say we can't expect Andrea Yates to think straight, because the chemicals used in that process are either non-existent, too high, or don't have the chemical they need to function correctly. I get so frustrated with people sometimes because they don't recognize that people with brain diseases like hers really don't think the same way we do. They can't follow the same logic, the same languaging, the regular patterns of life. They can't understand the esoteric aspects of life, either. They can't comprehend right and wrong in the societally accepted manner. They can't follow the same rules. And it's not because they don't want to; it's because they can't. To me, that ability - the choice aspect - is the fundamental difference between Andrea Yates and those like her, and serial killers. They have a choice. She didn't. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Oh, yummy. Chocolate Chip cookies are so good when you're sick. And I'm sick. Maybe I'll bake some if I don't go to work tomorrow. Or some cornbread and chili... Be careful and safe. Skiing and snowboarding are dangerous! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Have a great time...but beware that the snow level came down to 3500 feet today...you may have a hard time getting there )road closures and stuff). And there's another storm waiting to slam us tomorrow afternoon/evening...don't get snowbound! Have a great time though! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I hate it, but most especially when I've been teaching for 3 hours. I literally had difficulty talking during the last hour of class today...stumbled over words I use frequently, and tangled concepts I teach regularly. LOL! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Zenister, great questions. I don't have the answer. I do know that incarcerating someone who is organically mentally illneeds treatment isn't correct, on whatever level they're imprisoned. I don't know the rest of the answer, though. Crwslut: There was/is a case where a husband killed his wife and several of his children...Fresno? Somewhere midCalifornia. He is currently being assessed for mental illness...I don't know the outcome yet, but from what I understand, the trial was set and delayed because of the testing. So yes, we might be having the same conversation (sans Post Partum Pschosis, as that isn't male applicable.) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~