Category Archives: Life

What is a true friend?

19 Tuesday Nov 2013

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No healthcare issues, no wedding BS, just a simple blog post today about friendship.

After wondering why the people she thought she could count on the most were not there when she needed them, a friend asked me that question.  I could only offer my feelings about this subject and I told her;

A true friend is always there for you, ups, downs, and in between.  They don’t sit beside you just because they have nothing better to do.  They comfort you when you struggle;  they applaud you when you succeed;  they do not judge or criticize; they do not belittle you for their own personal gain; they laugh with you, not at you; when you cry, they cry.  They appreciate that life sometimes hands us all a little bit too much and at these times, we need a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a heart to have compassion.

True colors of a human being always show through in the toughest of times.  Keep in mind that true friendship is a two-way street.  What you get you have to give back.  Do not expect to be catered to, or recognized simply because.  I am blessed to have a few friends that I can call “true”, that no matter what they have my back and I never need to wonder if they’ll be there for me, and I for them.   Find that person or persons in your own life and hold on tight.  You’ll know who they are, and chances are you’ll be very surprised who they’re not….

Keep smiling, keep shining, knowing you can always count on me

Copyright 2013

dorindaduclos.com

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President Clinton Speaks Out About Obama Promise

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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On Tuesday, former President Bill Clinton spoke out about the issue plaguing the American people regarding the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA) aka Obamacare.  In an interview with the site Ozy.com, Clinton is quoted as saying “So I personally believe, even if it takes a change to the law, the president should honor the commitment the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got,”

Now before all you Clinton fans go running off waving your flags, let’s look at it this way.  Did President Clinton do this for the good of the American people or the good of Hillary‘s probable bid for the presidency in 2016? Some analysts contribute Obama‘s win to Clinton, siting his ability to bring people in. But let’s face it, when it comes down to it, who gets the knife in the back?  Fact; whomever takes over the White House in three years will inherit the past president’s messes.  Every incoming president gets saddled with the previous administrations short comings.  There’s no way around it.  However, in this matter, Obama needs to correct this mess to save his own presidency.  Bill’s just wondering what it would be like to be first lady.

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Healthcare insurers have been rapidly sending out cancellation notices.  To rectify this, they would have to backtrack, back in the files they backed out, and reset policy holders.  Can you imagine what a mess this could create?  Providing this option takes place before the end of the year, the only thing the insurers would have to do is unflag those files currently awaiting cancellation as of 12/31/13.  A simple fix.  But Obama has to make the call now.  Waiting any longer will  set an even worse scenario for the healthcare of this country.

Healthcare.gov presently has this notation at the top of the site.  If you’re an insomniac, this won’t work for you:

The Health Insurance Marketplace online application isn’t available from approximately 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. EST daily while we make improvements. Additional down times may be possible as we work to make things better. The rest of the site and the Marketplace call center remain available during these hours.

While the president’s press secretary says the White House is looking for ways to offer relief to some, the only real relief is to cancel the plan until a time where it can be implemented, carried through properly AND be affordable for everyone.

Copyright 2013

dorindaduclos.com

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Giving Thanks, Giving Back

12 Tuesday Nov 2013

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It’s that time of the year.  A time where we give thanks for all we have.  A time to gather with family & friends, around tables abundant with food.  So tell me, why is it only around this time of year, that we share with others the things we are thankful for?

As I see my friends on Facebook, posting about what they’re grateful for, from having their kids spend time with them, to finishing a list they started last month to whatever else happens to pop up that day, I have to ask them….Have you ever really sat down to consider what you’re truly thankful for, outside of the material things you have in life?  Aren’t there more important things than just the new car, the house, etc.  Yes, of course we are grateful for a roof over our heads, food on the table, a stable life, healthy children.  These are things to be grateful for EVERY day, not just during the month of November.

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We live in a very materialistic world.  What about those who have no materialistic property?  What do they have to be thankful for?  Have you ever stopped on the street and offered a homeless person your lunch, your gloves because it was cold?  Most of us walk by.  I had the privilege of knowing a man who wouldn’t think twice about buying someone a hotdog, even if it meant he went without, to make sure they ate, to give someone his gloves because they had nothing and shivered from the cold.  His family would joke that they had to keep buying him gloves.  That  man was my uncle, Gino.  Sadly, he left us ten years ago this past October.  He is who & what I am thankful for.  For showing me it isn’t all about what I have but what I am able to give so that others can also have.

This holiday season, and all year round, when you have that something extra you picked up from the grocery store because it was on sale, take it over to your local food bank.  They don’t just need help during the holidays, they need it all year long. If you’re not sure where your local food pantry/bank is located, you can call your municipal building, church or synagogue for further information.

Copyright 2013

dorindaduclos.com

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Original photo via takingtheworldonwithasmile.com

Veterans Day – We salute you

11 Monday Nov 2013

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Today we celebrate Veterans Day.  A day to honor those men and women who have fought in war, fought for our freedoms, so that we may live as a free nation.  Originally named Armistice Day, Congress changed the name in June 1954.  In 1971, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday in October, but was later moved back to November 11 beginning in 1978.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as “the Great War.” Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars.1

Veteran’s Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day.  Memorial Day is the day we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, who laid down their lives so that American’s could be free, free to choose, free to vote, free to live life.

We are and should ever remain “One Nation Under God, Indivisible,  With Liberty and Justice for All.”

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The next time you see a veteran, shake his or her hand, put your hand over your heart, just say Thank You.  You don’t have to support the war, but we do have to support our fellow Americans.

Thank you, to all the men and women of our military.  My heart goes out to you and your families.  I stand proud of my country because of you.

1. Source: http://www.history.com/topics/history-of-veterans-day

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dorindaduclos.com

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Awww Nuts!

08 Friday Nov 2013

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No, I’m not referring to all the squirrels gathering for the Winter, or the facts that America is going nuts over this healthcare crap.  However, this is a serious issue and one I can definitely relate to.  Nut allergies.  I, myself, am allergic to peanuts & pine nuts.

A recent meeting with the Wayne Board of Ed had parents asking for stricter rules where the consumption of nuts is at issue, mainly, lunch hour.  Currently, at one of the elementary schools in town (we have 9), children with nut allergies must sit at a separate table with only one of their friends permitted to sit with them.  This will create more of a stigma for the child then allowing them to sit at a table where many friends are enjoying each others company.  In today’s society, any child who is considered “different” is open to harassment & bullying.  Children of elementary school age, who may not realize the risks to other children, can not be expected to understand “Johnny can’t have peanut butter”.  Education within the schools is crucial but not effective in younger children.

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While researching other districts in the area to see if they have a policy regarding food allergies, specifically nuts, I came across the letter that was sent out to Hawthorne parents whose children attend Roosevelt Elementary.    They laid out the following guidelines:

  • If the classroom has a daily snack time, please send your child in with a nut-free snack.  It is fine to send these products for lunch, which is eaten in the cafeteria.
  • We will not be doing any classroom projects that involve peanut butter (like bird feeders) or peanut shells (art projects).  Please do not send any of these projects into the classroom with you child.
  • During holiday parties, please do not enclose candy or other treats with holiday cards.
  • We have reviewed with the students the importance of washing their hands thoroughly after eating a peanut/tree nut product for lunch.  This is to protect anyone with a food allergy who might be exposed to traces of food which could be transferred from hands to objects such as chairs/table/recess balls and could cause a severe allergic, life-threatening reaction.
  • Similarly, if your child ate peanut butter for breakfast, we would greatly appreciate your making sure that his/her hands are washed with soap and water before leaving for school and that no traces of peanut butter are on their clothing.
  • Children are not allowed to share food at school, please stress the importance of this with your child as well.

Do you have enough time in the morning to make sure your child washes their hands with soap and water after eating peanut butter for breakfast?  What about brushing their teeth?  If you’re like most families today, you’re rushing out the door just to get the kids to school!  And why is it ok to have nuts at lunch time but not at snack time?  if a child is going to share with a friend, and they will even if you tell them not to, it really makes no difference on the time of day.

It’s not really a big deal to implement a “No Nut Zone” in a school building. It could save a child’s life.

Copyright 2013

dorindaduclos.com

All Rights Reserved

Original Photo via www.stoneoakinfo.com