Functional Dysfunction by Kaliana Dietrich

I was fortunate to come across this very insightful Canadian blogger, k.g. Sambrano. Sambrano offers a view from the North devoid of US biases. Take a few minutes to read this common sense approach. https://acrossthewall.ca/2017/10/25/take-a-knee-what-does-trumps-presidency-really-stand-for/#more-848

Our personal perspective sheds light on differing aspects of tales, leading to messages unique to our current socioeconomic and cultural experiences. Much as viewers of Grant Woods’ “American Gothic” come away with different definitions of the American experience based on upbringing and life situation, consumers of literature find differing themes based on societal and geographical influences. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is required literature in many modern U.S. public high schools. The tale’s strong patriarchal stance is foreign, even offensive, to most of those reared in Western societies where women are encouraged to question the status quo and are afforded educations equal to their male counterparts. The role of women is carefully outlined by early societal nurturings and ingrained in citizens. In the 1950’s, “Leave it to Beaver” land, U.S. children were taught that caring for hearth and home was “women’s work,” while male heads of household were expected to “bring ho

The wind blows gusts beckoning me to the sea; much as, a soprano aria seeps into the psyches of her audiences, hypnotizing their wills to achieve her own ends. The waves pirouette along the shore, sculpting once singular granules into the majestic lyrics composed by Neptune himself. Haunting curves and swirls possess the secrets of lifetimes, lives deep within the ocean lullabies punctuated by the sea's pearlescent gems. Sparkling glints provide evidence of the majestic world deep within the aquatic mists. A world so mysterious that few humans will ever venture to the bottom of its dark realms. Fewer still will return to share the healing wonders encountered in this Pandora's Box of intrigue. This is the land untouched by the evils of humankind. It is a land that welcomes the purest of hearts to sit in peace upon its floor, becoming one with The Creator. The ocean offers an eternal embrace, one given freely without the need for request. Its hold provides solace to the tatter

Note: This post is not an exercise in self pity or seeking sympathy. It is an individual glimpse into what over 50 million people in the US live with to some extent on a daily basis. Just because someone does not look ill does not mean they are not battling excruciating levels of pains. Those receiving treatment for chronic pain disorders are not crazy or drug abusers. Instead of stigmatizing these patients and harassing doctors for isolated cases of misuse I dare regulators and the uneducated to spend a day in our shoes. It is time to provide greater support to the victims and their families. I sprawl on my rumpled bed, sheets twisted around the fluffy comforter, that provides little soothing in the darkest night. The firm pillows and the down feathers support my spine as my words spill out to the shadows. The firm u-shaped collar wraps around the burning ache of my neck, absorbing all of the ideas trapped in my heavy head. The long body bolster provides a silent and unresponsi

Yesterday we celebrated what advertisers tout as the most romantic of all days, St. Valentine's Day. In fact as soon as the Christmas inventory is removed from store shelves, Cupid lands with his hearts and flowers. A month or more of commercials defining love by expressions of material goods can easily set the unsuspecting up for disappointment. To one lady the receipt of a dozen red blooms might be a delight. To another this might be the source of much sneezing and discomfort. To another partner chocolates may delight, but to the dieter this may be seen as an act of sabotage instead of love. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but another may prefer her partner not to financially tax their tight budget with such frivolity. Although February 14th is behind us, there are still 364 days to celebrate your love, if you are fluent in the languages of love. Relationship expert, Gary Chapman, theorizes that there are 5 universal languages of love (1995). We tend to express affect

The great director, producer, and screenwriter, Francis Ford Coppola, once said "I don't think there is an artist of any value that doesn't doubt what they're doing." When we watch an Oscar winning performance we don't consider how many takes or do overs were required to give us that perfect film.  When we see a model gracing the cover of Vogue, we don't realize how many shots and how much air brushing it took to get that immaculate cover. We hold ourselves to impossible standards. Standards that even the professionals cannot reach. Whenever I see a sparkling, clean home on television I secretly wish mine was like that. I find myself assuming every other American woman has somehow mastered the art of meticulously cleaning, decorating, and bringing home the bacon too. I beat myself up because there are just not enough hours in the day to reach let alone maintain a film ready house. Even though I know if the cameras panned out 9 times out of 10 it is not