There is an apartment right in the part of town that I want to live in that is currently vacant. 1-1 with hardwood floors, walking distance of school, no weight restrictions on dogs. I first saw the ad a week or so ago and drove by the place. Today I saw it again and called. The owner Rick is nice and seems very flexible. I wasn't planning on moving until May. I don't have money for deposits. I am going to go by today and look at it anyway. At least I'll have an idea of what it is like so I can check back later to see if they have any vacancies. I could really use a winning $1,000 lottery ticket right now. It would be more than enough to get me through. I could get into the apartment and have my new bike serviced.

I haven't told you about her yet!

I was having bike trouble. I tried to asses the damages on the old bike I had, but it is fucked. After a disappointing attempt at a ride I threw it into the bed of my truck so that I could DRIVE it home and left it there. While resting the dry rot on the tires gave way and one blew. I was so over it.
I called Ellie and told her about it. She offered me her old but perfectly good bike, Chloe (Ellie, if I have misspelled it please let me know). She is a yellow 1975 Schwinn. She is so pretty! I need to get her serviced so that I can RIDE. .:sigh:.

Both situations are similarly frustrating.

All of these things added up don't even equal the price of that dress I want!

Some things I am much closer to affording that I would also like to own, compliments of Target:

I don’t know how I look in plum, and I don’t care! I like this anyway.

Who doesn’t need a mid-length trench?

Now we all know I wear cardigans. I’ll stick with black.

I’m sorry - I can’t do leggings again.

Yes, I could wear this to work, or out even, as long as it had a bigger, better belt.

I love this, I think it’s sexy (I think I’m a prude), and I bet I’d get a second look if I added a pair of peek-a-boo toe heels to this outfit.

As for shoes, I am staying in my comfort zone with either one of these.

Raise Your Hand if You HAVEN'T Heard of Female Genital Mutilation.

Is there anyone out there raising their hand?

I first learned about female genital mutilation when I was a kid - about 12 - from 60 Minutes.

So since we all know about it, here are some links, starting with Wikipedia:
Different forms of Female Genital Mutilation

In 1998, the BBC wrote about how many untrained people were in charge of performing the operation.

NPR tell us about how an Atlanta Female Circumcision Case Stirs Concern

The BBC, again, reminds us the 'female circumcision' put women at risk for birth related problems, including obstruction and mortality.

And here's the WHO's PoV.

Maternal Mortality is determined as a pregnancy related death when pregnant or within 42 days of termination of the pregnancy.
An estimated 529,000 women die annually from maternal causes. For each woman who dies approximately 20 suffer injury, infection or disibilty.

So that is... 10 million women affected each year?

Most often women die because of post partum hemorrage, but along with that, sepsis, abortion related complications, obstructed labor (the same kind that causes Obstetric Fitsula), and even hypertansive disorders related with pregnancy.

Death could be prevented if obstetric care and equipment were available so that a C-section could be preferomed, or a hemorrage stopped.

Women at a higher risk have stunted height from malnutrition in childhood, are Anemic, or have undergone female genital mutilation. The same factors affect the survival rate of the child, resulting in an estimated 8 million infant deaths each year.


www.safemotherhood.org, "Maternal Mortality"

According to Reproline, Every Minute:

380 women become pregnant
190 women face unplanned or unwanted pregnancy
110 women experience a pregnancy related complication
40 women will have an unsafe abortion
1 woman will die from a pregnancy-related complication.

According to www.UNFPA.org, a woman living in sun-saharan Africa has a 1 in 16 chance of dying in childbirth or pregnancy. A woman in a developed nation's chance of mortality is only 1 in 2,800. Of those previously mentioned 529,000 deaths annually, 95% of those were in Africa and Asia.

UNFPA.org's suggestions for progress in reducing maternal mortality:

Meeting the existing demand for family planning services would reduce maternal deaths and injuries by 20 per cent or more.

According to reproductive health benchmark set by the ICPD+ 5, by 2005, at least 40 per cent of births should be assisted by skilled birth attendants where maternal mortality is very high, and 80 per cent globally.

Targets for the percentage of assisted births have been set at 50 and 85 per cent, respectively, by 2010, and 60 and 90 per cent by 2015.

Evidence shows that maternal mortality can be reduced without first achieving high levels of economic development. In fact, maternal mortality itself constrains economic development, because of its severe impact on the lives of young children, the family and society in general.

Can I please get rich now?

Because I really want everything here, here, and here. The dress I want most is nearly $500. Oh, my heart aches for new, over-priced, and oh-so-fashionable clothes. My cardigan and flats are getting old. And maybe I don't have my own place for all that table setting stuff, but when I do, whatever will I serve on if I don't have a fondant serving platter?

After receiving a really touching e-mail from a reader, I sent my mom an e-mail with both yesterday's post and a copy of the email I'd received. I felt like she should read it.

My dad had beanten me to the chase. He and my mom are still very close, and he reads up on me occasionally. Daily? I'm not sure. Here is the e-mail I got from her, because it made me cry:

"Actually, yesterday your father found this and sent it to me. Apparently he knows more about this blog stuff than I do. Anyway, I read it and cried - right at my desk - right in front of everyone. Then I showed it to Mack last night and he sat in the big chair and cried more than I did.

I think I'll print this out and put it in the drawer where I keep "forever" things. That way any time I want to feel really good, I'll know right where to go.

Money or no money, I don't think I would change a thing about the last 22 years - would you?

I love you and thanks for making my day, week, and month."