I haven’t blogged in ages. I have been preoccupied with life, I suppose. As the summer winds down, I find myself contemplating the future. It’s the start of new beginnings Steve and I are planning together. As you may know, we separated for some time. During the separation, we remained connected and I learned a lot… a lot about Steve and even more about myself. And, I’m happy to report, our relationship has gotten stronger.

We went house hunting over the weekend. Here are some pictures of the house we’re set on. The last photo will be where I set up my studio. There’s also a big pond that needs to be cleaned up. It’ll be really cool if we get some Koi to swim around in it. There are fruit trees on the property. There are huge apples literally dropping on the ground right now. We’re thinking of actually getting some farm animals. Yeah, you heard me… city girl wants Alpacas and/or goats. The area behind the barn is overgrown and the barn needs to be cleaned up. I still have some convincing to do but it’d be the perfect setting for a barn sale. Steve’s not seeing the pluses in that idea… yet.

Now it’s just all about timing and some number crunching that Steve needs to do. Keep your fingers crossed that this works out.

Isn’t this place perfect? Can’t you see holiday get togethers and barbecues happening here? And stay tuned… my house in Hillsboro will be on the market soon!

Posted in Art Tagged: House Hunting, Real Estate ]]> http://paisleydragonfly.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/it%e2%80%99s-been-far-too-long/feed/ 5 Denise http://paisleydragonfly.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/top-five-health-care-reform-lies/ http://paisleydragonfly.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/top-five-health-care-reform-lies/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:06:23 +0000 Denise http://paisleydragonfly.wordpress.com/?p=1070 ]]>

Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!!

The truth: These accusations—of “death panels” and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: “No ‘death panel’ in health care bill.”⁴ What’s the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans.⁵

Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!!

The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease. Obama’s reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality insurance options.⁶ Included in the exchange is the public health insurance option—a nationwide plan with a broad network of providers—that will operate alongside private insurance companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality up and costs down.⁷

If you’re happy with your coverage and doctors, you can keep them.⁸ But the new public plan will expand choices to millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it, including many who simply can’t afford health care now.

Lie #3:
President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!!

The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is covered—that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop that.

Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.⁹ And outside of that, as noted above, reform will increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed situation. 

Lie #4:
Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens’ Medicare benefits!!!

The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare benefits.¹⁰ Reform includes savings from Medicare that are unrelated to patient care—in fact, the savings comes from cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.¹¹

Lie #5: Obama’s health care plan will bankrupt America!!!

The truth: We need health care reform now in order to prevent bankruptcy—to control spiraling costs that affect individuals, families, small businesses, and the American economy.

Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health care.¹² The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade¹³—and each year, nearly a million people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses.¹⁴
Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama’s reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.¹⁵

Sources:

1. “More ‘Town Halls Gone Wild’: Angry Far Right Protesters Disrupt Events With ‘Incomprehensible’ Yelling,” Think Progress, August 4, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51733&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=2

2. “Fight the smears,” Health Care for America NOW, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51729&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=3

3. “Palin Paints Picture of ‘Obama Death Panel’ Giving Thumbs Down to Trig,” ABC News, August 7, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51728&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=4

4. “No ‘death panel’ in health care bill,” The Associated Press, August 10, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51747&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=5

5. “Stop Distorting the Truth about End of Life Care,” The Huffington Post, July 24, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51730&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=6

6. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 11, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#i1

7. “Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan,” The Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51737&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=7

8. “Obama: ‘If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor,’” The Wall Street Journal, 15, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51736&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=8

9. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#r1

10. “Obama: No reduced Medicare benefits in health care reform,” CNN, July 28, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51748&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=9

11. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#s1

12. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1

13. “Premiums Run Amok,” Center for American Progress, July 24, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51667&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=10

14. “Medical bills prompt more than 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies,” CNN, June 5, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51735&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=11

15. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1

Sources for the Five Lies:

#1: “A euthanasia mandate,” The Washington Times, July 29, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51732&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=12

#2: “It’s Not An Option,” Investor’s Business Daily, July 15, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51743&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=13

#3: “Rationing Health Care,” The Washington Times, April 21, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51742&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=14

#4: “60 Plus Ad Is Chock Full Of Misinformation,” Media Matters for America, August 8, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51734&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=15

#5: “Obama’s ‘Public’ Health Plan Will Bankrupt the Nation,” The National Review, May 13, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51744&id=16778-8982759-VeuK85x&t=16

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charm 030

Originally uploaded by Denise Mares ~ Artful Bliss

Here is a fine silver charm I created last week which I donated for auction. I will be making some more and selling them on etsy.

Stay tuned!

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I often feature some of my favorite artists and their work. Today is a little different. I want to tell you about Ron & Joanna. I have met neither of them in person. I am acquainted with Joanna’s art through her blog, her Etsy and ArtFire shops, and her online workshops. She is a gifted and generous artist – her online workshop if full of secret techniques – and I admire and respect her a great deal.

Recently, she mentioned that her husband, Ron, needed some medical treatment. Unfortunately, he had lost his job and they are without insurance. After jumping through hoops, Joanna got him in for an MRI which indicated the worst news ever: Ron has a brain tumor and without surgery, he has a month to live. My heart breaks for them. I cannot imagine the emotional roller coaster ride they’ve been on. Their story goes beyond the current situation… they have battled health and life issues in the past and survived.

A fund has been set up to help Ron and Joanna. And my dear friend, Kecia, wrote a very candid and touching blog post about how the kindness of others helped during  a very difficult journey of her own. I know times are tough for everyone but if you even have a couple extra dollars, please consider chipping in to help Ron and Joanna.

I’ve been absent from my blog… seems like forever since I last posted anything! I hope I still have a couple readers out there.

Here are some pictures of a charm I created for a round robin swap I’m involved in. I just loved this image but it was long and skinny. I wound up cutting it in two pieces and using the face for the front and the other piece for the back.

I need some sunshine… that’s all there is to it. I want to go outside and feel the rays warming my body and soothing my mood. Winter is always difficult for me but this year, I’ve found it to be unusually draining. Maybe partly due to the weather… maybe partly to all the changes I’ve set in motion in my life. All I know is I am longing for escape from the wet and dreary.

There have been some glimpses here and there that the grey is waning. And I have celebrated some wonderful successes in my personal life. I have been prioritizing, learning to be more assertive, valuing myself, and dealing with anger. I have also been working through some trauma from my past. This work is probably better suited for a more pleasant time of year but that’s just not how everything has progressed.

So I find myself being more gentle with myself. Permitting myself to veg when I need to. Enjoying the small things in life. Spending lots of cuddle time with my dogs. I am ready to turn the page on the past and begin a new chapter. What that will bring I do not know. I face the prospect with a little fear but a lot of excited anticipation. In some ways things remain the same… in other ways, my whole world could be in for a change. Wish me luck.

I hope this personal revelation isn’t off-putting to you. I hope as spring unfolds, you too find lots to look forward to.

I haven’t been very active in blogland lately. I have been so busy. I won’t go into all the details but life can be overwhelming at times. I try to pare down when needed and unfortunately, one of the things that gets bumped on my priority list is writing. Besides that, I haven’t been feeling very creative lately… I think it’s called Oregon Winter-Funk Syndrome. But days are getting longer, my daffodils are on the verge of blooming, and the sound of birds singing announces that spring is finally here. I am so glad!

I received my order and these are now
available for your purchase!

I am adding something special to my etsy store, artful bliss, and I wanted to give you a sneak peek…

I love to use hands in my artwork and I had a lot of fun taking these pictures. The last picture is an example of a pendant I made for a round robin I’m participating in. I have also used these hands in assemblage and other mixed media work. I hope these will inspire you to create many beautiful and creative masterpieces.

I will be listing the first set of hands tonight. I should receive more sets of hands later this week and will add them as demand dictates.

Stuff has been flying in my Etsy store, artful bliss, so I had to restock the shelves! Here’s a peek at the latest buys: