Happy First Anniversary, Emergency Contraception!

One year ago today, the FDA approved over-the-counter access to emergency contraception (EC) for women 18 and older. The FDA’s decision was a major victory for women’s health and the effort to prevent unintended pregnancy.

In recognition of the one-year anniversary, Planned Parenthood has created a short Internet video, “Stop Something,” to raise awareness about the availability of emergency contraception.

To learn more, visit www.plannedparenthood.org

Friendship pt. II

Thanks to the three very special ladies who responded to my first post. In typical Cora fashion, I have not yet responded. Why? Has nothing to do with the ladies or their wonderful words. No, I simply retreated back into my shell, shy that such great people consider themselves my friends.

And a little embarrassed because I realized that I was hoping way deep down that they would tell me in detailed, step-by-step instructions, how to be a good friend. Thanks to their thoughtful, honest answers, I have realized that no such instructions exist and I was just being lazy.

So, where does that leave us? Well, if you have any insights you'd like to share, please do so. Here's what I've realized - I have a very limited view of what friendship should look like. My dear friend, Heather, is someone I consider to be a master friend. She has friends from high school (middle school even?), college, grad school and all the years in between and since. She sends care packages, holds parties, meets up for drinks and e-mails often. She's a super friend - everything I had grown up thinking was how you be a friend. And, I went to Smith College, where they practically guarantee that with the price of admission, you will make numerous life long friends. Well, I have one friend from college and she didn't even go to Smith.

Not to point the metaphoric finger at my parents, but my parents didn't have many friends when I was growing up, so I feel I didn't have a good example of how to make and retain friends. But I don't think it's their fault. I think I've just tried repeatedly to force myself and others into the same friendship mold. Obviously, well, only newly obvious to me, is that this mold doesn't fit and I need to let go (we all know how well I do that).

So, to ask one of my favorite questions, where do we go from here? Well, I'm obviously still struggling with the being open and intimate on a one-on-one basis. Suprisingly to me, I feel more comfortable, posting my feelings here on the blog, rather than sending an individual e-mail. I'll work on that. During the mean time, I hope you'll keep reading. Thanks.

The Full Range of Choice

This morning, I was visiting a favorite blog of mine, Ruby Soho Adventures, and read this post about a woman who just gave birth to her 17th (living) child. Here was the comment I left:

I must agree, the thought of 17 children baffles me, just as my grandmother's own 11 children baffled me.

But, I have a question for you - if memory serves, you are pro-choice. Is it not this woman's choice to have 17 children? As crazy as it sounds to us, doesn't she have the right to have as many children as she wants, just as you and I have the right to have an abortion?

Now, I struggle with this. Personally, I think 17 new Americans causes a great impact on the environment. And why can't they adopt? Why can't they be foster parents?

But can we condemn them for their choice when we demand the freedom to practice ours?

So, what's your opinion on the matter?

Friendship

So. I realized that I haven't written anything very personal lately. And I realized that I've been avoiding doing so, telling myself that 'gosh, nothing much is going on in my life, I've just got nothing to say.' The truth is, I have a lot to say, I just keep stumbling over the words. I worry too much about expressing myself properly and clearly. I worry too much period.

There has been a lot going on in my life - there always is. There is something big looming, but I'll be a tease and just say that I don't want to talk about it yet but, fingers crossed, I can do so soon. And no, I am not with child - I'll nip that train of thought right in the bud (how's that for a mixed metaphor).

The big topic on my mind tonight is friends. And since I can't summarize my thoughts well on friends, I'll just tip the brimming cup over (alas, more metaphors). I wish I had more, friends that is, not cups. I don't feel I'm a very good friend (and no, I'm honestly not looking for sympathy and cries of 'but Cora, you're a fantastic friend!'). I'm jealous of the good friends of my good friends - I want them all to myself, even though I realize that would make them not be the friend I love - I still irrationally want their undivided attention. I don't feel I ever learned how to be a good friend - never had good friend role models, but learned to be excellent at developing co-dependent relationships. It hurts to open up and be vulnerable. And I'm afraid if I do open up, I'll sound like one of those people who tell you their whole messy life story when you've simply asked how their day is going. I worry about making new friends and being disloyal to my existing friends. I feel I just don't know how this friendship thing works.

I did buy a book - my solution to any problem, read a book! But seriously, it's SARK's new book, Fabulous Friendship Festival: Loving Wildly, Learning Deeply, Living Fully with Our Friends. I haven't read it yet. So, until then, I have a question for you, dear reader - how do you define a friend? What makes some friends better friends than other friends? And, if we are friends, how would you describe our friendship and what is one thing you would change about it?

That's quite a lot to ask I know, and I'm resisting taking it back and saying, 'oh, don't worry about it, you don't have to answer them.' Well, you don't have to answer those questions but I sure would appreciate it. Thanks.

Video about punishments for illegal abortions

This video is mentioned in the article I posted below in the post titled "Can't Have it Both Ways." I guess the owner reposted it to YouTube.

Praying

Mantis, that is.

Yesterday, as Jason and I walked out the door to go to work, we noticed two Praying Manti hanging out on our door frame. One was green, like the one pictured above, and the other a light brown. I'm presuming the green one was the female and the brown the male. When I got back home at lunch, only the green one remained...hmm...

Jason and I were both surprised to learn that we had Praying Manti in this part of the country. I guess I always assumed, based on their looks and their prediliction for biting their mates' heads off, that they lived in jungles - somewhere dank and steamy and full of other creepy creatures, like giant cockroaches.

And there you are, the random Walla Walla fact of the week.