What else is happening?

Navigation

User login

Online users

Ehver Green
Locutus
FRESH
jusbytheclown
Guglielmo
Marcie
The Original Yoda
Berd
agathafrye
This is my Face

Support OlyBlog

OlyBlog is run by volunteers who care about Olympia. If you like what we're doing, make a donation:

OlyBlog is powered by:

Who's new

LongRider
non illegitimi ...
acreatureapart
eristalis
Hillguy

What else is happening?

Submitted by epersonae on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 9:13pm.

It's probably rude of me to say this, esp. since I've posted so rarely of late....

But I'm so bored with the port resistance thing. Every freaking post I've seen in my feed reader all week, with one or two exceptions, has been about that.

Is there nothing else interesting going on in Olympia? Nothing?

Anybody?

(Me, I ran my first Eastside Neighborhood Assoc. meeting this week; rode my bike a couple of times, and discovered that the Southern Kitchen in the Governor Hotel is totally lame compared to the one in Tacoma. So help me god, sometimes I miss living in Tacoma.)

epersonae's blog
Login or register to post comments

I'm With You Epersonae!

Submitted by JstPlnOnry on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 9:28pm.

Maybe if so much attention wasn't paid to this whole fiasco people would find a reason to get out and enjoy the day!

My middle daughter works at a local electronics store and said they had a 14 yr. old boy there today to grant his wish. He has cancer. She said there was cake and he was given a $2000.00 shopping spree! He bought a plasma TV and a gaming system and games! I asked her if there was any media coverage of it and she said "no, apparently all the news media was more concerned with the protesters than focusing on something positive going on in Olympia". I found that to be such a sad statement.

I sit here in my youngest daughter's hospital room watching her struggle to find enough energy to move about her room much less go to the Teen Zone at the other end of her hall. She struggles for breath and can't eat. At least I have more important things to focus on myself. I wish others did too.

"Do not mistake for conspiracy and intrigue what can best be explained by stupidity and incompetence." - Unknown

Don't take this the wrong way...

Submitted by Rob Richards on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:03pm.

I find it pretty sad that a boy with cancer's wish is a plasma TV and some video games. I don't know, I guess if it makes him happy that's all that matters.

Onry, I hope you're holding up all right. I'm sorry you had to deal with this on top of the over-emotion of the weekend on this blog. We'll all be thinking of you, I'm sure. It can't be easy what you're dealing with.

What's the right way to take that?

Submitted by DC on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:22pm.

I'm no fan of consumerism, but really. What's this accomplishing here?

maybe, just maybe

Submitted by Rob Richards on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:37pm.

Somebody will stop what they're doing and really think about consumerism and it's affect on our children. (Did you guys know that diet Snapple REALLY does taste just like regular Snapple?)

Unfortunately...

Submitted by DC on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:42pm.

I think it's more likely you're going to take some heat for projecting anti-consumerism on a terminal childs last wishes.

I don't think people are going to get the message you are trying to send here. Even if it is valid.

I think they might just think you are picking on sick kids.

I think Rob was pretty careful to qualify what he said

Submitted by jlw on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 4:18pm.

I think it would be pretty hard to accuse him of picking on sick kids when he said "I guess if it makes him happy that's all that matters." I find the story sad, too, and I don't think it's fair to lay a guilt trip on Rob because it made him sad.

Ok...

Submitted by DC on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 4:37pm.

Well I thought he was saying the choice of a TV and video games by the boy was sad, not the situation as a whole.

I did ask for some clarification on that though.

Believe it or not, I was really just trying to defuse that before someone else took offense.

I guess that's my qualifying comment.

Okay, great

Submitted by jlw on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 4:45pm.

Isn't it great when no one is picking on anyone? Even if we're all sad?

Speaking As A Parent Of A Terminally Ill Child

Submitted by JstPlnOnry on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:45pm.

I assure you that for just a couple of hours today, that boys mind was not on all the things he goes through medically on a daily basis. Sometimes you just need to step away from the daily medical grind and have something to take your mind off things. For us, it's going to Starlight Foundation events like plays and Mariner's games. For this boy, his wish, which most usually is a last wish, was to be a kid and play games instead of suffering through more chemo and it's side effects. Sometimes the wishes are what gets them through their illnesses.

For the families of terminally ill children, spending a couple hours being "normal" gives you a little bit of your sanity back and allows you to forget about the sad things in your life.

Thanks for the well wishes.

"Do not mistake for conspiracy and intrigue what can best be explained by stupidity and incompetence." - Unknown

I know,

Submitted by Rob Richards on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:59pm.

I just had this strange reaction to hearing what his choices were. I'm really not anti-sick children, I promise. I love sick children! No, I mean, I wish they weren't sick. Man, does my foot taste good.

Take Care Onry.

Onry, thanks for the update and

Submitted by Debmonstrative on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 11:55pm.

so sorry to hear about the continuing struggles. Sending good thoughts to you and daughter.

Rob, sorry to hear about your foot.

Sometimes I think about all kids everywhere. I feel for the Iraqi children too. There's no pat answer to the war but to me, peaceful protests show love for all sides, and for the children of all sides.

If I sound like a hippie, maybe being preggers with twins does that. I hope I never lose the empathy though.

When my four year old daughter was waiting for the heart surgery

Submitted by Mike on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 8:52am.

that she didn't survive a couple of decades ago, she cooked up this idea that she wanted makeup after the surgery. Mom and I figured this came from her peer group at daycare, it was a strange decision/request that she made. We sighed and said ok, she got a little makeup bag that we carted across the country for her last trip. She got a lot of pleasure carrying her makeup bag with her everywhere and didn't bug us to play with the makeup too much before the surgery, it was enough for her to have the bag and the plan. I guess I am happy I didn't have to cart a plasma tv in a box around the country.

She wasn't very scared about the surgery, had been through a lot, she generally enjoyed meeting her nurses, lab technicians, doctors. She had her makeup bag with her when we left the morgue.

We watched a movie from Netflix a few months ago - title One Last Thing about a teenage boy with terminal cancer whose last wish was to be loved by a pretty, shallow and famous model. I don't remember too much about the movie. It wasn't great, but the topic hit home, the kid actor was convincing, the model had issues of her own. The kid's mother was conflicted and worried about the child's last wish.

It had the elements of a meaningful movie. Don't remember the details, it just didn't work for me in some way.

This is complicated stuff.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 1953

Thank you

Submitted by epersonae on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 7:40pm.

Thank you for sharing that. Life is full of contradiction & nuance.

Not everything about the protest is bad

Submitted by Guglielmo on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:47pm.

I brought Old School pizzas to both sides of the street today. It was a great healing experience.

Bad Or Not

Submitted by JstPlnOnry on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:48pm.

some of us are just plain tired of hearing about it when there's better things in the world to focus on.

"Do not mistake for conspiracy and intrigue what can best be explained by stupidity and incompetence." - Unknown

Why don't just check the link then.

Submitted by Guglielmo on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:50pm.

The better things are right in front of our faces if we only look. I left that intersection feeling nothing but love today.

I agree

Submitted by Norm on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:51pm.

There better things to focus on. Thanks JPO

JstPinOnry

Submitted by DJW on Sun, 11/11/2007 - 10:53pm.

What a great story. A few years ago I worked with the Make A Wish Foundation and it was one of the best and hardest jobs I ever had. I couldn't believe the pain that these little kids go through just to survive the day. If it makes the kid happy to have a plasma tv and games for a few days or months then so be it. This has nothing to do with commercialism but simple compasion. Thanks again for the story.

Oly Southern Kitchen

Submitted by Sarah on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 6:05am.

I was so disappointed with it.

Oly Rollers

Submitted by Logarithm on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 7:41am.

Did anyone go to the Oly Roller's bout? Did they clobber the Lilac City Roller Girls as much as they did the Lava City Roller Dolls back in June?

Tacoma, kids and other stuff

Submitted by Anonymously Larry on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 7:49am.

Southern Kitchen in Tacoma. Actually, I'm not a big fan of theirs, but I know that across the street lies Jason Lee Middle School, where I attended from 1963 to 1966. Many great memories of Teen Time Dances (we're still diggin' on James Brown), being editor of the newspaper and President of the 9th grade class. WOW.....BMOC! Seriously, just the fun of being a young teen and all the experiences we go through.

Food in Tacoma - Pomodoro in the Proctor District, if you like Bleu Cheese Dressing. They make their own and the secret is "tabasco". I tried to copy it and ended up paying $5 a pint at the restaurant. Bua Thia has long been closed, but I still honor their spicy squid salad. Frisco Freeze for a greasy burger and fries and a taste of Tacoma's history.

Man bites Dog, is my saying. It's a shame that the news staff was focused on the protests and failed to cover the Make a Wish fulfillment. Now, hold on to your hats, folks....I'm going to compliment The Olympian.... I'm sure they would have given coverage, on a slower news day. For all my criticisms of The Olympian, I will compliment them on usually being available for good news in the community. They provided excellent coverage of Rebuilding Together's Rebuilding Day, last year. They took photos and interviewed several people on the house for which I was the ambassador. FYI - the owner was terminially ill and we were providing her wheelchair accessibility to get out of the house easier.

What gives kids pleasure. I meet with my Little Brother at the Tumwater Boys and Girls Club once a week. He usually want's to play a video or go to the computer lab. When we are side by side on computers, sometimes he chooses a game, sometimes he'll download music, sometimes he'll do something in graphic arts. Consumer driven? Possibly. Product of the time and place in space? Definitely! Here I am on my computer.

Let's pick up the pieces where we left off. We have a great community.

Jason Lee!

Submitted by epersonae on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 7:45pm.

I lived in the old apartment complex a block away from the jr. high school -- best place I lived in Tacoma. A great neighborhood to walk in, on the edge of lots of interesting stuff. Was never that big on Frisco Freeze, though.

With chemo you are

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 8:31am.

With chemo you are physically ill practically every day. You're nauseous, you're tired, you hurt, it doesn't go away. And that's just when it's going easy for you.

It's the same old story - Everywhere I go, I get slandered, Libeled, I hear words I never heard in the bible

Good wishes

Submitted by Sarah on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 8:33am.

Please tell your sweetheart we wish her the best. I cannot imagine what this is like for her, and you also.

Thanks -Actually she's been

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 11:09am.

Thanks -

Actually she's been done with chemo for a couple months (though it takes a while for all the remnants to go through the body's system.) She's midway through Radiation which makes her sunburned and fatigued. When that's done that's it other than five-years of Tamoxifen while we "wait and see".

It's the same old story - Everywhere I go, I get slandered, Libeled, I hear words I never heard in the bible

I really didn't mean

Submitted by Rob Richards on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 10:30am.

to offend anybody with my comments. Maybe not the time and place for my social critique.

I've been an only child since the age of four when my brother David passed away from a brain tumor. As the tumor grew his body shut down, it was a slow process and being only three and four years old while his health was declining, I had no way to really understand what was happening. I knew that my brother was vomiting a lot and that it was sad. We had a very special relationship, he was just over a year older than me and before I could talk, he would always be able to tell my mom what I wanted or was crying about. She remembers it being almost weird that he knew me so well. Eventually he couldn't hold any food down, and we went to the hospital. They tried to feed him intravenously and his body wouldn't take it. His body shut down and that was pretty much the end. This was in '81 I think.

Thank You Again!

Submitted by JstPlnOnry on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 10:44am.

for the words of encouragment. My family and I really appreciate it!

Rob, it's OK to question what you don't know or understand! I do it all the time. I don't take your point as an insult. I only hope to open your mind to what life may be like for a child with a terminal illness and the family who cares for that child!

"Do not mistake for conspiracy and intrigue what can best be explained by stupidity and incompetence." - Unknown

Our Wars (Public and Private)

Submitted by olyrickm on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 12:30pm.

I would like to add there is more war than the war in Iraq, and I don't mean literal wars in other countries. There are wars in families, and wars within oneself. There are wars waged in trying to stay healthy, trying to kick addiction, trying to get past those hair trigger reactions that come from pain and misunderstanding experienced while growing up. I did not participate in any of the protests against the war even though I am vehemently opposed to the war in Iraq. Instead I attempt to protest all the rest of the wars we humans struggle with in our daily lives. I work as an Independent Social Worker for the Office of Public Defense, helping parents do what is essential to get their children back from CPS. Prior that that I worked for 12 years providing evaluations for involuntary commitment to psychiatric hospitals, for the crisis outreach team in Thurston/Mason counties. I have protested the war against the mentally ill who have repeatedly had services cut year after year since I first began working as a mental health professional in 1990. Before that I protested the war ravages of addiction working in an inpatient adolescent drug/alcohol facility. But I write now to speak of the war in families, the war in my family in particular. 33 years ago my family splintered apart as the result of adultery and the subsequent blind rage and vengence. My siblings and I were forced to pick sides. Family stopped talking to family. On my mothers side all of her siblings, my aunts and uncles ceased to recognize our existence. It was not a war involving guns or IED's or fighter jets. Yet there were casulties. We took to taking sniper fire against anyone who opposed our thoughts feelings and behaviors. I am the oldest of 5 children. We range in age from 50 to 38. Years have passed without communication, a sort of cold war, each side trying to out wait the other. 2 sisters have refused to speak to my father because he is the one who left my mother! I am estranged from my mother because I chose to have an ongoing relationship with my father. It's crazy making to try and figure where it all went wrong exactly. Time passes. It's hard to remember who said what to who and why the hell everyone is angry. The sniping continues with occasional outbursts of unmitigated rage. I moved across the country 24 years ago to get away from the open warfare, yet it continues to show up through phone lines, emails and empty mailboxes on birthdays and holidays. 4 days ago my brother called. A neice I have never met is in the hospital in critical condition with MRSA. She is 11 years old. For the first time in 12 years my father spoke with his daughter yesterday. For the first time in 12 years I spoke with my sister. She did not know who I was when I called. War takes its toll. Sometimes war can open the door to finally get the healing done. Sometimes war can open our eyes to what is really important. I wish it were different. We all fight wars of some sort every day. I wish we could stop fighting. It has been said that paranoia is the inability to recognize allies, hence everyone becomes a potential enemy. War within ourselves and our families and friends beget more wars, each larger than the next while paranoia makes us suspect neighbors and strangers alike. I am doubling my efforts to end the wars in my life, seeking ways to engage in real healing. I do not want to fly back home to meet a dead neice for the first time. I remember reading a long time ago that tears are the fluid the dead swim in to the next world and if there are not enough tears shed they become ghosts and haunt us. I take this story literally and symbolically, to recognize I have not shed enough tears for all the large and small deaths in my life and I have been haunted by the ghosts of perpetual conflict. I strive to seek peace in all my days.

Most excellently put

Submitted by Guglielmo on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 12:38pm.

Thank you. It is possible to put our ghosts to rest. At least I like to tell myself that.

Believe it is possible to dispense with the ghosts.

Submitted by Debmonstrative on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 3:22pm.

I believe that. Many of mine have been going away lately, with some work/reaching out on my part....I have some rather shocking ghosts, such as being on the receiving end of multiple criminal violence, some to do with multiple pregnancy losses, etc. But I don't wish to go into that here. I've seen other people's stories on this blog for the first time today. It stuns me what you all have gone through in your lives.

BTW I'm a big fan of support groups...I've experienced just as much, if not more, healing in those than I even did with treatment for multiple PTSD, which I'd also recommend.

Be of good cheer and keep the faith and 'scuse me if I'm throwing out too many pat phrases.

All Freakin' Night

Submitted by geoduck42 on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 11:57am.

My cousin and I attended most of All Freakin' Night at the Capital Theater. Lots of enthusiasm, a couple of good movies and a couple of bad movies. Except for that lunatic Rock character, we were probably older than anyone there by ten years...

He was really something,

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 1:27pm.

He was really something, wasn't he? And I couldn't tell if that guy with the mike in the balcony who described himself as "kind of drunk, kind of Jewy" was planned or not.

I wonder what people who brought or allowed their kids to go thought of them showing that "How to Touch a [rhymes with "city"] short?

It's the same old story - Everywhere I go, I get slandered, Libeled, I hear words I never heard in the bible

All Freakin' Night questions

Submitted by Logarithm on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 9:51am.

"kind of drunk, kind of Jewy"

Definitely not planned. He was pretty drunk and was probably egged on by the rest of the balcony hecklers.

"How to Touch a [rhymes with "city"] short

Well, there was top-frontal nudity in almost every film (progressively more as the evening went on), and they're all rated R...but I did wonder the same thing. However, my end review is that it was hilarious. I wonder where they found it!

Oh yeah, Tammy and I were

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 9:58am.

Oh yeah, Tammy and I were cracking up (I love having a girlfriend that doesn't get hung up about things like that.)

You expect some obligatory shots in these movies, but usually it's not a sustained five minute piece with lots of oil and blood rubbing.

Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake

"Poke it with a stick!"

Submitted by Logarithm on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 10:47am.

Yeah. Hopefully it was so over-the-top that no one will complain.

Rule #3: STOP! Always ask

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 10:51am.

Rule #3: STOP! Always ask permission first!

I loved it.

Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake

I was thinking about this last night

Submitted by Logarithm on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 11:52am.

What was the third rule...?

Uh Oh, you're a bad person

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 11:54am.

Uh Oh, you're a bad person (said jokingly, of course.)

You can remember to poke it with a stick but not to get permission in the first place LOL

Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake

No, no ,no

Submitted by Logarithm on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 12:01pm.

I knew: "Ask permission" and "poke it with a stick", but not the third....er...in order, it was probably the first.

"Permission" was #3...I

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 12:04pm.

"Permission" was #3...I guess both of us have forgotten #1. Darn, I was kinda in the mood too...

Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake

OlyBlog.net

OlyBlog is devoted to citizen journalism, including hyperlocal news and discussion specifically about Olympia, Washington. If you care about this community and are tired of corporate media, then this is the place for you.

If you'd like to contribute, please register for an account. Here is a list of local news beats that need to be covered. You can post your news as a personal blog entry, and it will be reviewed (and possibly edited) for promotion to the front page. Once you've established a record of responsible blogging, you can become an autonomous user. You can also send news via email. All members of OlyBlog agree to abide by our comment and fair use policies. If you are frustrated about something said in a comment thread, go here.

Now playing at: