I don't really set New Year's resolutions because I am usually working on various things throughout the year as the need arises. Still, I learn some things from those, and if some of you are about to make some resolutions, this could help.
I am just going to give a case study of one thing I am working on.
I am diabetic, and one thing that it is important to me to do is to regularly check my blood sugar. I am not great at this, because of various stupid things that come up.
I have misplaced my glaucometer before, but sometimes it is just that it is in my purse or somewhere inconvenient, and I don't get to it. Sometimes I know I have let too much time go by because I grab the meter and this time I am going to do it for sure, and it needs to charge.
More often the issue is that I primarily remember to do it in the morning when I get up, which is a good time to take it, but only taking in the morning is not enough. I tend to run higher in the morning, which is not bad on its own, but if I only check in the morning I don't get an accurate picture of how I am doing.
Because of this, I sometimes decide not to take it in the morning because I need to get a different time of day, but then I forget.
This is how I am getting around that. I have created a paper to cover the time between now and my next doctor's appointment. Measuring twice a day has been my goal, so I am putting two times under each day. This allows me to make sure that I get a variety, not just of different times, but of combinations of different times.
The paper, a pen, and my currently charging meter are all on my desk, where I spend a lot of time. This should help me keep in mind when to measure, and have everything ready to do so. For example, I see that tomorrow I want to measure before breakfast and before lunch. I have that in my head already, and I will see it early tomorrow.
This should work. Even for weekend days, where I don't spend as much time at the computer, I will have seen what Saturday should be while I was working on Friday, and if I then go to fill in the time for Saturday I can check out Sunday, and I expect this to work.
For everything you do or don't do that you find frustrating, there are reasons why it happens. You can be mad at yourself, but that's not nearly as productive as figuring out where the pitfalls are and how to help them.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Moving
I want to stick to some easier things until we get past the holiday season, because I assume that people are busy and distracted.
I helped my brother move into a new place yesterday, and it brought back some memories.
One memory from long ago is that when I first went away to college, I did not bring towels. They seem like an obvious thing to bring, but I had stayed in the dorms before for different programs, and they provided sheets and towels. It totally made sense that for regular dorm residents things might be different than people there for a week for Girls' State or something like that, but my first shower involved just standing there for a while after turning off the water, hoping to drip dry a fair amount before I put on my clothes.
The other memory I have is to always buy a plunger as soon as you move in. I know that one because one of my mission companions got sick not long after we had changed apartments.
It makes total sense. You certainly don't want to pack up the old plunger after the things it has seen, and I don't recommend that at all. Throw the old one out; just remember to get a new one. If you wait until you are reminded, especially in a single bathroom dwelling, that would be an unfortunate thing.
Neither of these were problems for my brother, but one immediate realization was that he needed a shower curtain. If you live in a place with shower doors, you don't think of it, but moving into a place without doors, that shower curtain becomes really necessary. If you can make a mental note when you are looking at places, whether the shower is enclosed by curtains or doors, that can help you be more prepared.
Fortunately we are often near places where these essential items can be obtained easily, but moving is a stressful thing. The things that you can remember and prepare for in advance subtract from that stress instead of adding to it. That's worth something.
I helped my brother move into a new place yesterday, and it brought back some memories.
One memory from long ago is that when I first went away to college, I did not bring towels. They seem like an obvious thing to bring, but I had stayed in the dorms before for different programs, and they provided sheets and towels. It totally made sense that for regular dorm residents things might be different than people there for a week for Girls' State or something like that, but my first shower involved just standing there for a while after turning off the water, hoping to drip dry a fair amount before I put on my clothes.
The other memory I have is to always buy a plunger as soon as you move in. I know that one because one of my mission companions got sick not long after we had changed apartments.
It makes total sense. You certainly don't want to pack up the old plunger after the things it has seen, and I don't recommend that at all. Throw the old one out; just remember to get a new one. If you wait until you are reminded, especially in a single bathroom dwelling, that would be an unfortunate thing.
Neither of these were problems for my brother, but one immediate realization was that he needed a shower curtain. If you live in a place with shower doors, you don't think of it, but moving into a place without doors, that shower curtain becomes really necessary. If you can make a mental note when you are looking at places, whether the shower is enclosed by curtains or doors, that can help you be more prepared.
Fortunately we are often near places where these essential items can be obtained easily, but moving is a stressful thing. The things that you can remember and prepare for in advance subtract from that stress instead of adding to it. That's worth something.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Contacting the government
I have written my first letter, but before I write about that I want to share an inspiring story.
Many of you have witnessed heavy rains this week, and know that for many people near creeks and rivers there has been severe flooding.
One of those areas has been Vernonia, where my friend Jeana lives. She wrote this on Facebook on December 9th:
"I just want to point out that we as a community did the right thing in funding a new school and moving it to higher ground. Had we not done that, our schools would be under water yet again. Thank you to all of the people of Vernonia for voting to get the schools to higher ground. This has mitigated the hazards of this flooding and made it less damaging to the entire community. Yes there are many affected still but they have a safe place to go. "
That was good to read, but it was also interesting going back and finding this article:
http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/02/vernonia_school_district_seeks.html
Note that money was tight then, and it would only have gotten worse in the following months. Still, they pulled together and did it. That tells me there is hope for these coastal communities that need to move their schools. There is hope for communities that have schools that require extensive retrofitting. We can do this.
Back to what I am doing.
The recommendation was to write to local, state, and federal leaders. I started with the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management because they will be the ones working most closely with the Oregon Fuel Depot. Here is what I wrote:
Hello,
Although I live outside of the Portland city limits, I am very concerned about the Oregon Fuel Depot.
That specific concern comes from watching the Oregon Frontline Unprepared special, but I have been more aware since The New Yorker article. While I have always been interested in personal preparedness, the article reminded me that it is not enough. No one individual can fix the infrastructure, which will be necessary for the recovery of the area.
The Oregon Fuel Depot is a unique part of that equation. Not only would the loss of the fuel source in itself be devastating, but the environmental contamination of the water supply, and the ground, in addition to the fire risk, makes securing of the site well before an earthquake absolutely vital.
My understanding is that your office will be considering this issue. I hope that this will be resolved with the urgency it requires. Its importance cannot be underestimated.
Thank you for your efforts.
Gina Harris
Aloha, Oregon
It will not be exactly the same letter for everyone I write to. As their responsibilities are different, the letters will be different, but having the bare bones of what I want to say makes the customization easier. For some I may focus more on other DOGAMI recommendations.
Now I am going to put some actual leader information.
Federal - I think the Department of Energy (Ernest Moniz) is most pertinent, but you could make a case for Homeland Security (Jeh Johnson).
https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet
I already know that my next three are Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley, and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, but these are easy to find.
https://www.opencongress.org/people/zipcodelookup
Locally, Jeff Barker may represent some of you, but when we get to the state legislature the districts are a lot smaller. This is a good starting place:
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/
If you have mayors and city councilors to write to, that is a good step. Unincorporated Aloha does not, and I am not going to write to Washington County specifically about the Oregon Fuel Depot, though I might write to them about other DOGAMI recommendations. Also, it can totally make sense to write to Metro.
http://www.co.washington.or.us/
http://www.oregonmetro.gov/
Government of the people, by the people, and for the people only has the meaning we give it.
Many of you have witnessed heavy rains this week, and know that for many people near creeks and rivers there has been severe flooding.
One of those areas has been Vernonia, where my friend Jeana lives. She wrote this on Facebook on December 9th:
"I just want to point out that we as a community did the right thing in funding a new school and moving it to higher ground. Had we not done that, our schools would be under water yet again. Thank you to all of the people of Vernonia for voting to get the schools to higher ground. This has mitigated the hazards of this flooding and made it less damaging to the entire community. Yes there are many affected still but they have a safe place to go. "
That was good to read, but it was also interesting going back and finding this article:
http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2008/02/vernonia_school_district_seeks.html
Note that money was tight then, and it would only have gotten worse in the following months. Still, they pulled together and did it. That tells me there is hope for these coastal communities that need to move their schools. There is hope for communities that have schools that require extensive retrofitting. We can do this.
Back to what I am doing.
The recommendation was to write to local, state, and federal leaders. I started with the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management because they will be the ones working most closely with the Oregon Fuel Depot. Here is what I wrote:
Hello,
Although I live outside of the Portland city limits, I am very concerned about the Oregon Fuel Depot.
That specific concern comes from watching the Oregon Frontline Unprepared special, but I have been more aware since The New Yorker article. While I have always been interested in personal preparedness, the article reminded me that it is not enough. No one individual can fix the infrastructure, which will be necessary for the recovery of the area.
The Oregon Fuel Depot is a unique part of that equation. Not only would the loss of the fuel source in itself be devastating, but the environmental contamination of the water supply, and the ground, in addition to the fire risk, makes securing of the site well before an earthquake absolutely vital.
My understanding is that your office will be considering this issue. I hope that this will be resolved with the urgency it requires. Its importance cannot be underestimated.
Thank you for your efforts.
Gina Harris
Aloha, Oregon
It will not be exactly the same letter for everyone I write to. As their responsibilities are different, the letters will be different, but having the bare bones of what I want to say makes the customization easier. For some I may focus more on other DOGAMI recommendations.
Now I am going to put some actual leader information.
Federal - I think the Department of Energy (Ernest Moniz) is most pertinent, but you could make a case for Homeland Security (Jeh Johnson).
https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet
I already know that my next three are Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley, and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, but these are easy to find.
https://www.opencongress.org/people/zipcodelookup
Locally, Jeff Barker may represent some of you, but when we get to the state legislature the districts are a lot smaller. This is a good starting place:
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/
If you have mayors and city councilors to write to, that is a good step. Unincorporated Aloha does not, and I am not going to write to Washington County specifically about the Oregon Fuel Depot, though I might write to them about other DOGAMI recommendations. Also, it can totally make sense to write to Metro.
http://www.co.washington.or.us/
http://www.oregonmetro.gov/
Government of the people, by the people, and for the people only has the meaning we give it.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Write to your...
I don't have time for a normal blog post today, but I did recently receive an answer to an inquiry and I am putting it up here for discussion next week:
"Thank you for reaching out. I suggest that you read the Oregonian article on 2013 DOGAMI energy sector earthquake risk report (see second link) http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/09/oregons_energy_hub_on_the_will.html
And a recent follow up article in the Portland Tribune
http://portlandtribune.com/sl/276634-152697-quake-could-threaten-90-percent-of-oregons-fuel-supply
These are the four basic recommendations contained in the DOGAMI report.
1) Seismic Vulnerability Assessment
2) Mitigation Program
3) Oversight body to oversee progress in Fuel Depot
4) Improve Awareness in general public
What can citizens do? I would recommend that you read and share the DOGAMI report, Portland Tribune article and recent OPB unprepared special www.opb.org/news/series/unprepared/. You can:
Recommend elected officials (local, state, federal) to follow up on the 4 dogami recommendations.
Contact Portland Bureau of Management, as they are developing plans to address the fuel depot
Learn about personal risks and act accordingly:
e.g., Ask local emergency managers what to do if you live in CEI area and/or Hire expert from private sector"
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