Same Song, Second Verse...

(...a little bit louder, and a whole lot worse!)

Hi Everyone.

Two posts in one day! Oh, the shock of it all!!! :)

Well, I'm absolutely heartsick and astounded by the complete and total lack of intervention and support for Terri Schiavo. You know, there's a huge part of me that agrees with what appears to be the masses. The government shouldn't intervene in matters of private family choices and decisions...when there is concrete proof that those wishes were indeed expressed, and in a manner free of duress and illness and strain. In this case, there's absolutely nothing to substantiate that animal's claim that his beautiful wife would not have wanted to be kept alive artificially. In all actuality (and assuming that the reports of abuse and neglect are all true), it certainly gives the appearance of the polar opposite. I mean, if we went to court over a "supposed" oral promise I made to you ("Jen promised me she'd give me her new MP3 player and she didn't."), wouldn't there need to at least be something in writing to prove your allegations? In my professional field (Federal Human Resources), we advise our managers until we're blue in the face to document, document, document, document every single instance of any misconduct or performance problem. Why, you ask? Because the agency simply wouldn't be able to substantiate "due process" should a disciplinary action be appealed in the absence of significant written proof of counseling, behavioral warnings, etc. So let me understand this...I can't fire a slug who spends his day downloading animal porn photos without mountains of photographic evidence, but this nation will allow a selfish, heartless man to starve his innocent, invalid wife without ANY written documentation? Someone please help me understand that, because I just do not. Of course, there are always two sides to every story, and I am certain that there is a huge component to this case that we just do not know. All we can do is surmise, based on our own internal morals and the information provided to us by the mass media, what is and isn't correct and factual. The evidence that Mr. Schiavo is a menacing monster is overwhelming. It would take me ages to hyperlink it all here...you can go to your favorite search engine and find it for yourself relatively easily. It all points to him as a cruel, selfish, heartless man. But let's say for a second that he's not. (I mean, he IS...even if he didn't abuse Terri, deny her access to medical care and her family and fresh air and Christmas decorations and music and her priest, call her a "fucking bitch," melt down her wedding ring, use all of the monies she was awarded for medical care on his own selfish life and attorneys, put her animals to sleep, the list goes on and on...HE SHACKED UP WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER WOMAN WHILE HE WAS STILL LEGALLY AND MORALLY BOUND TO TERRI IN MARRIAGE!!!) (sorry...where was I?) (oh yeah)...let's say for a moment that he truly is telling us the truth. She truly did tell him that she would never desire to be kept alive in this kind of manner. Why, then...

1. ...wouldn't he have spent every single waking second of the last 15 years working to ensure his wife's wishes were carried out? And before you spew any bullshit at me that "that's exactly what he's doing," why the fuck hasn't he been doing this for the entire duration of his wife's invalidity? Seems like he waited until, oh, 5 or 6 years in to the game before any allegations of "her not wanting to live this way" were ever introduced. He claims to have attended nursing school to care for her. Why? I mean, if she was wanting to die, wouldn't he have spent every waking second of his existence lobbying Congress and enlisting the help of every single individual he could find in order to change laws and make his wife's final wish a reality? What did he do with the last 15 years? Whored around with at least two women (Ms. Centonze and at least one other woman...one who had to be legally compelled to testify on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Schindler, as she feared for her own safety because of that bastard's abuse). Where are the books he could have written? Did he travel and tour, speaking out and trying to rally support and understanding? What about that website that he could-have-but-never-created? You know, the one intending to drum up understanding and support? Oh yeah...he was too busy moving on with his life to do that.

2. ...wouldn't he have taken every step possible to ensure that his wife's existence was as comfortable, clean, healthy, and safe as possible? Remember, we're assuming here that (1) she truly wouldn't want to be kept alive in this fashion and (2) Mr. Schiavo was having legal difficulty getting the authority to terminate her life. These things considered, wouldn't it have been proper for him to at least make her mandated existence the best it possibly could be? By all accounts, he denied her access to Communion, her priest, her parents, her friends, music, medicine to treat infections, dental care...you name it. Why wouldn't he have tried to at LEAST make her existence as comfortable and happy as possible?

I could go on and on here. And the more I type, the more unhappy this is making me. I'll shut up now, but end this topic by simply saying that if the State of Florida is allowed to starve and dehydrate Terri to death, it will be crime. Against human life and against decency and against love.

So, so, so sad.

Anyway...

My focus groups went wonderfully today. Initially, I'd invited 12 participants to come to each of the four groups, with a fifth group (Union personnel and stewards) to come at a later date. In order of appearance, my groups consisted of 2, 12, 9, and 5 wonderful employees, all of whom contributed and gave us valuable ideas and feedback. And I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be! One of my colleagues later told me that she thought I was "amazing at this" - that I was a good listener and that I recognized people well and helped draw the silent types out...and that she could tell that everyone felt welcomed and needed. That was a compliment of the highest order, let me tell you! Anyway, I'm glad they're over. Now, the data analysis begins.....(lovely, nothing turns me on more than mathematical computations and statistical analyses *excusemeIamvomitingrightnow*)

Well, it's 6:04 in the p.m. and I suppose I'd better mosey on outta here and make some chow for my hungry family!

Chow! :)