No More Coffee?

So I think I have to quit Coffee….at least for a while.   

I’ve been having some prolonged problems with my stomach lately (heartburn, acid reflux, etc) and while I’m hoping I haven’t come down with an…

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….it seems like I might have one.  

I’m not sure how I came down with it, either, but I think a lot of it had to do with stress, the cold I came down with because of the stress, the Advil I was taking, and all the junk food / late night snacks I’ve been eating with my roommate.  Alone, none of those things are bad enough to cause indigestion at my age, but the combination of all of them pushed past my poor stomach’s defenses and got through with its acidic evils, causing my doctor to give me a prescription and send me down to the lab for some blood work. 

I MISS YOU, BABY!

This really sucks because coffee shops are *EVERYWHERE.* 

I feel socially handicapped because of this.  Getting coffee has become the modern-day equivalent of smoking - it's the all-purpose excuse occasion for social activity!

.....and until I get better, I'm gonna be missing out on that.

I’ve gone “Cold-turkey” without my lady caffeine for a good week, hoping that would be enough time, but it doesn’t seem like it; I had a couple  sips this morning after eating some cereal and milk, but still felt it in my stomach like I did when this problem first started. 

I’m hopeful, though.  This is very similar to something I had in the past where it turned out to NOT be an ulcer, and my stomach healed rather quickly.  (at least, that’s how I remember it)   

I’m gonna wait another week and see if my stomach can handle coffee by next Monday.  If not, I’m just going to have to quit altogether. 

Anyone else have this problem?   

Any suggestions / tips?  

America's Responsibility?

We were discussing politics at work the other day (already a bad sign), specifically the recent & numerous crises that have hit Japan, and one of my co-workers voiced the following opinion: 

“America has too many problems of it’s own to be helping Japan right now.  Don’t get me wrong, my heart goes out to them.  But I just think we should try solving our own problems first before we go off spending money helping someone else.”  

When I first heard this, I thought my co-worker was being kind of an ass.  But I thought about it later and I came to the conclusion that, even if the majority of Americans agree with that statement, that’s not really a stance that America can take these days. 

Sure there are probably some other (good?) reasons why America shouldn’t help Japan – but I

First of all, it’s a bad move from a Diplomatic viewpoint.  Considering how other countries went out of their way to help us during the Katrina tragedy, not helping Japan during their time of tragedy would do some serious harm to our foreign trade relations.....!

 

Not to mention cause us to look, as a Nation, like serious dicks. 

Secondly, America’s already set a precedent as being the country that helps other countries out.  We’ve been “THAT nation” since we got involvedin World War I and haven’t stopped being that “helpful neighbor” ever since.  It almost seems like other countries expect us to help when something like this happens. 

Incidentally, this also reminded me of the Arizona Immigration issue.  I heard someone (else) once use this same point to argue why America shouldn’t allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country.  I feel this is a different issue and haven’t quite sorted my thoughts on this one just yet. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK? 

For your Bad movie Consideration....!

- BEHOLD -

HOLLYWOOD COP! 

FYI - you can probably tell without even watching,but this video is kinda NSFW. 

A Psychic's Influence

My brother went to see a Psychic about a month ago.  He went with a friend of his - mostly for moral support (or so he said) - and had his fortune told. 

A few days later, he called to tell me what the Psychic had to say - about me. 

And I had to admit, I couldn't wait to hear what the Psychic said.  

She (the Psychic) seemed to know that our Dad passed away -- albeit ten years ago, and not "recently" as the Psychic indicated -- and that his spirit was still lurking around our house......and that he was worried about me; specifically my "financial problems."  

Not sure if that was the reason my Dad hasn't moved on yet -- the psychic didn't say -- but it was important enough to my brother for him to mention it to me.  

My mom also called me the same day to ask if I needed money.

The next week my mom told me she wants to get our house blessed and asked if I wanted her to wait until my usual trip back for Christmas. 

Now lemme just say that I'm not a big believer in Psychics, ESP or the afterlife; my family's not religious and I personally don't believe in life after death.  Don't get me wrong, I personally think religion's great (when used correctly), I just choose to believe in Science. 

But on the off chance that we're wrong and there *is* an afterlife, it doesn't hurt to take a Psychic's advice every now and then, does it? 

WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?   DO YOU BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE?