Is Inequality Ever the Right Thing?

"The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal"
~Aristotle~

I've been reading with slight interest about the firing of Paula Deen for racial slurs she made many years ago.  Full disclosure - I'm not a fan.  I'm sure she's a lovely woman and a fantastic cook but I've never gotten the warm fuzzies from her.  In fact, I've always felt that there's much about her that's phony and unreal.

Having said that, I have to say that I think she's been treated unfairly by her employers.  Was she wrong in using racial slurs?  Oh hell yes!  Do I believe she is being targeted by those employers as a way to make themselves look good?  Again, oh hell yes!  She is absolutely being held up as an example.  It does give me pause when I think about the treatment of Paula and I have to wonder - is she the only person who uses - or has used - racial slurs in those corporations from which she was fired?  My guess would be a resounding "NO!"

I totally get that celebrities have a completely different scale when it comes to what is and isn't acceptable.  Many of our celebrities are role models for our children.  I get that.  What I don't get is why it's not okay for some celebrities to have made a mistake, an error in judgment or even voiced an ignorant opinion years ago but it's perfectly fine for the Lindsey Lohans of the world to consistently and continually make a mockery of our judicial system and use the revolving doors at rehab centers.

I watched Paula Deen on the Ancestry.com sponsored tv-show "Who Do You Think You Are?" when her ancestry was traced.  She had not traced her roots before the tv show but "knew" her ancestors never kept slaves because it was a horrible practice.  And when the truth came out that her ancestors DID in fact own slaves, she was horrified and embarrassed.  Really?  C'mon, Paula - your roots are all in Georgia.  Your ancestors were plantation owners.  Who do you think worked those plantations?

Calling anyone a derogatory name is never acceptable in my opinion.  When that 'derogatory name' becomes a slur - not just racial but ethnic, religious, moral or based on a lifestyle, it's reprehensible. What's worse is when those slurs reflect the true nature of the person using them.

Is Paula Deen a bigot?  I have no idea.  I don't know the woman personally so that's not for me to say.  I will say this, though: if what she has said in defense of herself is true, then she's clearly an idiot.  No slur intended.

I'm Not As Old As I Am

The time for action is now. It's never too late to do something.

~Carl Sandburg~

Just about a week ago, I started a weight loss program of sorts.  I think there were several factors that motivated me to begin but I have to say that the biggest one was a recent weekend trip to Snow Shoe Ski Resort in West Virginia.

Like any good ski resort, it's in the mountains.  As my husband and our friends were walking seemingly without effort up and down the village, I was lagging behind, huffing and puffing.  I hated being so out of shape and started to think about a cruise that we're taking this fall.  I didn't want to be out of breath and lacking energy and not able to have fun.

Something happened to me on that weekend get-away.  I came home with a sense of self-confidence and a feeling of joy I'd never felt before.  I don't know what caused  it or why it happened but I'm glad it did.  I've heard people talk about feeling joy but I just thought they were happy.  It's absolutely not the same thing.  I've been happy but this feeling of joy was a strange concept to me.  I think my passion for life itself went off the chart.

Anyway, a few days later, I got a catalogue in the mail that was full of beach wear.  I had never heard of the company and had no clue why I was on their mailing list but I thumbed through it anyway.  I slowly skipped past the bikinis but paused at the cover ups and sun dresses.  I was picturing myself wearing some of them but knew I wouldn't even try them on at my current weight.  I thought about all of that for a couple of days and then made the conscious choice to go for it.

I think one of my biggest drawbacks in the recent past has been my age.  Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice would whisper to me that I was a bit long in the tooth to be trying to look like I was 18 again.  Two things dawned on me - thanks to my new-found confidence and joy.

First, I'm not trying to be 18 again.  I don't want the body of a model and I don't care to turn heads and get wolf whistles as I walk down the street.  I'm married to the love of my life and he pretty much worships the ground I walk on (finally - a story for another day).

Second, I'm not my age.  By that, I mean my age doesn't define me.  I've always said that I never want to get old - I just want to live a long time.  Well, it's in MY power to make that happen - the 'getting old' part anyway.  God will decide when it's my time to stop getting older.  But I can and I will make every effort to keep myself healthy so that I CAN never get old.  I'm absolutely not ready to wrap a shawl around me and sit in a rocking chair for the rest of my life.

I've talked about losing weight many times - and I've even made half-hearted attempts to do so - but I never followed through.  This time, it feels different.  Also, in the past, I've kept my attempts to myself in case I failed.  Isn't that sort of like giving yourself permission to fail?  This time I've gone public.  I've told people, I've posted about it on facebook and now I'm blogging about it.  I do not want to fail and I will make it as difficult for myself as I can to ensure that doesn't happen.

I don't want this blog to turn into my personal weight-loss journal but I probably will blog about my progress from time to time.  Be patient with me.  I'm excited. :D