All three blogs have been retired by b5media in their redesign and new direction. Instead, they now have portals and the Blisstree.com portal is for life and health issues. Although I don’t write those three blogs any more, I was asked if I’d stay and write in their general health section. I agreed because although I enjoyed writing those blogs, I was limited to issues regarding pain, pregnancy, and cancer. This gives me an opportunity to write about other interesting health issues too.

What I will miss is the regulars who read my blogs and I hope that they’ll follow me here. My blogs weren’t the only ones retired and some remained, so this new format really gives you the chance to see what else is available to you. I have a confession to make. I rarely looked around the other channels because they were a matter of “out of sight, out of mind.” But since Blisstree launched, I’ve been clicking on other blogs and thinking, “hey, this is really interesting.” So, maybe you will now too.

In the meantime, don’t forget that I have my Montreal on the Cheap blog (a part of the new Cities on the Cheap network). I also own and write Seniors Support and my own site, Marijke: Nurse Turned Writer. You’re all more than welcome to come over and have a visit.

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Image: Marijke Vroomen-Durning

Post from: Blisstree

Help My Hurt, Womb Within & Cancer Comm.

I’ll be writing here at BlissTree on topics under the parenting and crafts section and still will include posts about “parenting one’s parents,” which involves Alzheimer’s.  Since most of us are involved in other parenting and grandparenting activities, as well.  So you’ll find a variety of slants to the parenting field.

Let us know what you’d like to read about.

Post from: Blisstree

Alzheimer’s Notes Now Part Of BlissTree

October is unofficially “10th Step Month.” And there are a number of places in the Tenth Step in the 12 and 12 that feel appropriate to the last days’ events. Here’s one;

From page 92 – “Finally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong, and then we approach true tolerance and see what real love for our fellows actually means. It will become more and more evident as we go forward that it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people who, like us, are suffering from the pains of growing up.”

The Science and Health Channel manager, Dr. Hsien Hsien Lei, has addressed one of these folks with this post. Hsien quotes one Mike Rundle, an “important” member of the 9rules Community (not a network), who has disparagingly referenced a b5media Blog written by a Stay At Home Mom. This has angered a number of good folks at b5media – understandably so. But, I would remind them “it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people who, like us, are suffering from the pains of growing up.”

I was about to say something else in this space about not fearing the prospect of saying something to somebody’s face but I think I’d rather point out another principle contained in the Tenth Step. From page 91; “Our first objective will be the development of self-restraint. This carries a top priority rating. When we speak or act hastily or rashly, the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot. One unkind tirade or one willful snap judgement can ruin our relation with another person for a whole day, or maybe a whole year. Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.”

When I give consideration to the somewhat mindless spewage of the negativity embraced by those who apparently have nothing better to do with their life, I stumble upon one more principle mentioned in our Tenth Step on page 88;

“A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by this means, are necessities for us. More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism. For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to admit and accept what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.”

Sage advice for those who are young, immature and have some kind of need to take others’ inventories rather than their own.

Lastly, because I could start to ramble with this, I’ll reference one of our Daily Reflections for October 15th. It relates to self-examination and is titled “My Checklist, Not Yours.”

Repeating the words from page 67 in the 12 and 12, we hear this;

“Gossip barbed with our anger, a polite form of murder by character assassination, has its satisfactions for us, too. Here we are not trying to help those we criticize; we are trying to proclaim our own righteousness.”

Congratulations to Jeremy and all those who worked hard to put together the funding of b5media with Venture Capital! I can’t make it to the “drinking” celebration, but it is a wonderful happening and here’s to the best future for all at b5media! Way To Go!

Post from: Blisstree

An Application Of Recovery Principles