Gossip

One of the greatest challenges and temptations I must deal with on a daily basis at my workplace is the pervasiveness of gossip. Not only does hearing gossip give me a negative view of others, but it is a constant temptation to participate myself. And while gossip might seem like a relatively minor sin, Paul makes it clear that God categorizes gossip alongside some other very offensive sins.

 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:29-31 ESV)

On one hand, I want to build a sense of honesty and openness with people in my workplace without seeming judgmental or unfriendly; however, at the same time, I know that gossiping is unacceptable in the eyes of God – it ruins relationships, creates dissention and fuels quarrels.

Lately, I’ve been trying to think of practical ways to combat gossip in my own workplace :

1. Pray for those who are gossiping- pray that God would reveal the destruction that comes from their cutting words.
2. Pray for the victims of malicious gossip- pray that God would redeem their dishonor and restore broken relationships.
3. Seek to uplift those who are the subject of gossip in my conversations with others- be looking for evidence of God’s grace in the life of every person.
4. Thank God for his gift of grace in my own life and extend that same grace to others – remember that I am far from perfect and rely on God’s grace every day to sustain me.
5. Reflect on how Jesus treated those who were rejected in society. Make that behavior my standard for loving others- Christ made a point to reach out to those who were the subject of contempt.

I have found that when my focus is actively ministering and serving people in my workplace, gossiping about them becomes not a sin that I must actively avoid; but rather, the gossip is replaced by genuine love and concern—when I view people the same way that Christ did I can better understand why God so adamantly detests gossip and grieves its destructive consequences.

Prayer of Thanks

And everyday I must remind myself of who I was, who I am, and who I am becoming in Christ.

Father, You are holy and sovereign, clothed in perfect wisdom and divine knowledge. You are beautiful beyond imagination and loving beyond comprehension. You are good. And you are just. Your plans and your purposes are good and perfect. You abound in grace and you give good gifts to your children. 

I encourage you to daily claim truth. Proclaim the character of our God and praise Him. Trust in Him and let Him transform you.

Father, thank you for redeeming me. Thank you bringing me out of a life consumed with self and pleasure and sin. Apart from you I am nothing. Apart from you I am miserable, a slave to my own selfish desires for status and money and acceptance. Thank you for Redeeming me! I am your child. I live daily in the freedom of your Truth. Everyday I experience grace beyond measure. Thank you that you have a perfect and good plan for my life. Thank you that I am becoming exactly the person who you have created me to be. 

Live in the truth of Who you are in Christ. Remember where you came from. And Reflect on where God is bringing you. Reflect upon a life transformed by the Lord of all.

I praise God that the truth found through Him and in Him gives me the strength to face every battle and every temptation. When I remember who I am in Christ, it's much harder to succumb to envy or pride or selfishness. An eternal perspective of my place in the kingdom is a reminds me that I have already been given far more mercy and grace that I deserve. And the only appropriate response is praise and thanks.

Redemption

I worship a God who Redeems! He can bring any person out of the deepest pit of despair. He can bring purpose to a life which is filled with self-serving ambitions. Even when I think of someone who is so far from God that it seems impossible that they will ever find Him, I have Hope.

I praise a God of Mercy and Grace. He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast Love.
I praise a God with a plan to Redeem! He takes what is broken and He molds it into something new. Something even more beautiful that I could have  possibly imagined.
I praise a God of Justice. All those terrible things we see and we hear will not go unpunished. Vengeance will be the Lord's. Wrong will be made right. Evil will be punished.

Father, I praise you because you have redeemed me and you redeem me every day. You know my thoughts, my actions, my secret sins; yet, you are filled with grace and mercy. When I come before you, humbly and in faith, I know that you will forgive and that you are making me into a beautiful person.
May you redeem me everyday and make me into a person who loves limitlessly, who gives grace freely, who serves others humbly, and who lives in faith of your promises.

Father, I desperately want redemption for everyone. I want everyone person to experience the joy of a life saturated in grace and free from fear. I want chains to be broken and strongholds to be destroyed in every life. Open these hearts that they may reach out to you. I pray for their faith because even the smallest faith can move mountains. I pray for humility because pride and self-reliance bar us from receiving your grace. And I pray that You Lord would be glorified in the end.

Perfection: What really is the Appeal?

I've been asking myself this lately...why are we so drawn to perfection? To being perfect?

We want our perfect houses, and perfect lives, and perfect relationships, and perfect bodies, and perfect eating habits....the list goes on.

But really, what is really the appeal of trying to be perfect? Is is so we can lord our accomplishments over others? Does it make us feel better about our imperfections and our insecurities?

I'm totally drawn to wanting to be perfect. And I'm not really sure why.

I mean, hypothetically, even if such "perfection" could be achieved, would I really want it? Who really wants to be friends with a perfect person?

Striving to be that perfect person is such an empty endeavor. It makes me think about Ecclesiastes. Solomon achieved and experienced everything the world had to offer. Yet, it was meaningless.

I want to be authentic, not perfect.

I want to love people and give grace more freely. I want to embrace the imperfections which make me unique and beautiful. I want to make others feel more important than me, rather than making myself feel more important than others. I want to devote my time and energy to helping others, rather than helping myself.

Ahh...life goals.

Prayers

I am not sure of how to write this since I have never blogged before. My name is Haley and I am a friend of the author of this blog, an she is very sick and in need of prayer. I have been taking care of Amber since my daughter Madison got out of school for the Summer and now Amber is in the hospital again. I am on facebook and have asked for prayers on her page, but thought she may won't me to ask her friends on her blog as well. My friend or should I say sister of the heart means the entire world to me and so I really do not know what to do or how to handle things, but I am doing the best I can. All I want is for Amber to get better it doesn't matter what limitations she has I will always be there for her. I was laid off work 2 months ago after working for the company over 5 years, so I have been drawing unemployment from Ga while applying for work online. Things are bad out there in my line of work but as Ber says the Lord has always blessed me so I will get by.

But please pray for Amber no matter what your faith may be God hears us all

HOW TO MAKE A DOUBLE HOOK OR TRIPO

And creativity alive!!

What Your Taste in Chocolate Says About You?

You are sophisticated, modern, and high class.

Your taste is refined, but you are not picky.

You are often the first to try something new.

You are mellow, spiritual, and philosophical.

You are a true humanitarian. You enjoy helping people.

Your heart can be too open at times. You sometimes over-extend yourself.

You love new adventures and activities. You enjoy living a full life, even if it is chaotic.

You feel lost when things are quiet. You rather not think... you prefer to just do!

5 Point Plan To Lean, Strong and Fearless For Life

If you had to run from one end of an airport to another to catch a plane while wearing heels and carrying your bags, could you physically do it? Do you have enough "body dollars" in your "bank" to do it?

Some random facts:

• On average, 1/3 of the people on any given flight cannot fit through the emergency door.
• For mortality/morbidity calculations for safety reasons, the FAA assumes women to be 150 pounds and men to be 170
• Icelandic Airways has actual interviews for people who want an exit-row seat. They want to make sure that they're putting the fittest people there. Who's sitting in your exit row? Chances are it's somebody who needs the extra room, not the fittest person on the plane (who would presumably be the most helpful in an emergency)
• Receptors for neurotransmitters are now believed to be found all over the body, not just in the brain. This makes the mind and body one entity.
• Mice that were physically active actually created baby brain cells - neurogenesis. This has been replicated in human studies (from what little I know it has. Search for neurogenesis and exercise).
• When women/secretaries first got computers, they gained 15 pounds per year. This was due to the lack of walking around to find people, filing, bending over, lifting heavy documents. etc.

The 5 Point Plan

Mind

Women are hard-wired to scan around rooms and be alert at all times (example: even if you've never had a child, your body reacts when you hear a child crying). We ruminate a lot on what others think - when walking into a gym, do you look around to see if you're the fattest one there? If you're the best dressed? Lifting the most? Running the fastest? If you said no, I know you're lying =)

Women's brains secrete less serotonin than men so we go for foods that will raise it - chocolate, starch, fat, salt, and sugar. You have to be aware of this.

Our stress hormones actually decrease when we're in a food coma. That's why it feels so good.

Mouth

Eat 5 colors a day (and no, eating Skittles doesn't count!) - 5 colors of vegetables. The deeper the color is, the more anti-oxidants it has.

Eat every 3-4 hours (about 500 calories each) with small meals in between (100-200 calories each). If you wait until you're really hungry you're going to overeat because you'll eat fast and not realize you're full. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you're full. Think about that. Most people's meals don't even last that long!

Muscle

Physical activity is non-negotiable. Most of us sit on our asses 8 hours a day, we're not from the hay-lifting generation anymore. It's not a part of our lives.

If you're not lifting weights, start. No excuses.

Breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes all take 15 years to develop. Prevention starts NOW.

Money

As sad as it is, you need money to be fit. Healthy food costs more than junk food. (See previous post.) Sneakers cost money. Gym membership costs money. Get your money in order!

Macrocosm

You can't take care of yourself if your life isn't set. You need to be organized (at least mentally organized, if not physically). You need to go food shopping once a week and not just on demand so you buy junk food. Put all your gym stuff in one area so it's easy to get to. Less clutter, be it mental or physical, is less stress.

My Favorite Poem

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it (anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want

no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

--ee cummings

Thinking On Your Feet

What is thinking on your feet?

• Being able to synthesize thoughts on the fly - getting the thoughts together and communicating them
• Adopting and adapting strategies on the go - how to communicate effectively with different types of people
• Thinking and speaking in a short amount of time without getting flustered about the short time window

Plan to improvise (it's really not an oxymoron!)

Know the basics of speech - these are your tools

• Volume and diction: speaking softly does not command attention
• Breathing: Trailing off at the end of a sentence makes you look weak
• Pitch: This is hard to control without practice, but usually a high-pitched voice makes you sound like you're lying
• Pace: If you relax your pace, your pitch with automatically go down
• Gap fillers: um, like, er, etc. Very distracting! Listen to yourself, catch yourself, and slow down. These words mean that your brain isn't ready for your mouth to start talking yet.

Know your subject matter

• Read broadly and read deeply not just in your area, but anything that would be related in a business context
• For planned meetings, know your stuff cold
• Prepare for the "worst possible question"
• Predict where people will drill down
• Expect to speak where the material is the weakest - it's where people will have the most questions
• Be prepared to extend and elaborate
• Think about the next phase, the next revision
• Make your list longer than you think you will need (if people ask you for the top 3 problems, know the top 5 or 6)

Know your audience

• Know where their knowledge is deep and where it is shallow
• Know what previous positions they've held - their background will shape their questions
• Know their hot button issues - customer service, interface design, etc.
• When working with senior decision makers
• Seek advice from others who know them
• Know their preferred communication style (visuals, numbers, etc.)
• Have somebody who knows them role-play so you can practice

Ok, I'm prepared. Now what?

Structure your thoughts

• Elevator pitch: boil your idea down to be as concise and as precise as possible
• Three as a magic number - say the three most important things about your idea
• Longer pitch
• Sandwich: introduction, meat of the story, conclusion
• Tell the what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them
• Value proposition, supporting arguments, call to action (here's what I need, why, and when I need them by)

Update your knowledge

• Update your subject-matter knowledge
• Where you were shallow
• Where the material was the weakest
• Update notes about participants
• Where did they drill down? (Try to find patterns over time)
• How did they like their information presented?
• Generalize feedback into your personal checklist
• Where was your thinking fuzziest?
• Did you always get stuck on a strategy question or a team leadership question?

The best thing anybody can do is practice. Talk "back" to the TV or radio. Have gentle debates with a family member. Record yourself and listen. Join a Toastmasters.

The Curse Of The Good Girl

Rachel Simmons has written a book called The Curse of the Good Girl that is getting a lot of attention, for good reason. It makes sense! Right now this book is 4th on my reading list, but it may be moved up =) 

I definitely think I fit under this curse. People who know me know that I always put others before myself, and yes, sometimes it comes back to bite me.

Let's take a step back. What is a good girl? Simmons calls a good girl somebody who is always polite, selfless, and modest. The curse is that people will walk over you, and sometimes it's not helpful to yourself or anyone else to be a good girl all the time. You don't have a full range of emotions because you're too busy being polite - so your anger builds up and you explode at improper times, or worse, you never get your anger out.

Good girls also grow up to be diminished in the workplace - they often begin sentences by "I don't know if this is correct, but this is my opinion." Do we want young women growing up to diminish themselves? Of course not!

This all leads back to how you were raised. I'm not sure how I was raised. Yes I know to put on a pot of tea whenever somebody comes into the house, and always serve food and drink on a tray, even if it's one person, but what does that have to do with giving my opinion?

I'm not sure there was enough discussion in my house when I was little to even have something to discuss. I know as I've gotten older, my parents do ask for my point of view because I generally have a complete 180 opinion than they do. And of course, if I ever do share it, they tell me I'm wrong. Is that part of this?


I have no answers unfortunately, just food for thought. If you read the book, let me know what you think.

JUST A THOUGHT

I am usually interested in many things (at once). I find myself doing a little bit of this, and that, and back again to "this". I find myself getting rather excited, to connect a meaningful thought or two until the thoughts evolve into an idea. These days, I am writing ideas in a plain old blue blank journal book. Something about the ink on paper, and the fact that my words cannot be rubbed away or deleted is comforting.

Revisiting ideas and building upon them happens when I pull out the journal and read. To think deeply, and to intentionally concentrate on one big idea is luxury these days.

I recently read a study that suggests that unregulated technology use in children may actually change their brains...that skimming superficially for information rather than digging, understanding, and internalizing information has become the norm.

Any good thing can become too much of a good thing. Technology too, if we aren't careful. And I LOVE being able to use it, but in moderation.

My Love Of Music

My piano is back home in Georgia, but two guitars are leaned up against the wall of my living room. I listen to music, but I haven't played in so long. The strings on my guitars glare at me, and dare me to tune them.

I stopped in the music store, and walked through.

"Feel free to try anything you like out..." the guy running the place said. So I wandered about, and tried a Fender or or two. Wandered out again, and drove home. Looked at my guitars, and tuned one and strummed a bit.

Earlier this year, I stopped at the Blues Benefit for the County Humane Society. And wow...I sat through some good tunes. I was only there for about an hour and a half, but my toes tapped the whole time. I wish I knew someone who'd come with me...but I don't know anyone here yet that likes that sort of thing I do, so I went solo.
Course, when there's live music, I'm rarely lonely!

Women Body Builders

Much of the public include the misconception to all female bodybuilders are muscle bound, steroid popping Amazons, who look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

There are certainly a small handful of women who will fit into this sort and they compete in the elite championships such as the Ms Olympia, however the vast majority of women who are involved in bodybuilding are using it purely on behalf of complementary the body and on behalf of fitness.

Female bodybuilding is an admirable sport on behalf of immature women to strengthen their muscles, burn fat, and feeling of excitement their overall fitness levels so they can compete next to a top level in other sports.

By lifting weights women can essentially lose body fat, as the muscle they are building needs energy, and this is derived from using the energy to is stored in their body fat.

The be an average of female bodybuilder is implausible to build gargantuan muscles exclusive of the aid of special supplements or steroids.

This is due to the piece of information to women include a low level of testosterone in their body and it is testosterone to is required to build the muscle to men can so readily improvement.

Along with improved muscle tone, importance lifting besides aids in the strength of the empathy and the bones. This is particularly foremost for the reason that many women suffer from deterioration of their bones in afterward years.

Specific exercises on behalf of abdominal development will besides help with the strength and support of the back and this can be very beneficial on behalf of women who are taking into consideration having a baby.

Having the status of you can foresee, present are many atypical areas everyplace women can benefit from bodybuilding, and specifically importance training, exclusive of the relate to of looking like an Amazon next to the point of their training.

Most certified sports these days include importance lifting as part of their training routine and this besides applies to female sports.

A female bodybuilder will include a top level of fitness and a let down level of bodyfat than the be an average of women.

Who This Girl Really Is

•  I am not a complex person, far from it. 
•  I do not need to be rich "Sure everyone has to have money to survive"
•  I am not a greedy person, but one willing to give and help others. 
•  I am one that is happiest when everyone around me is happy.
•  I never ask for anything of others, but out of respect will accept a gift within reason.
•  I truly have love and compassion for everyone.
•  I love to make people laugh, laughter is contagious and good for the soul.
•  I am always smiling even when there is a frown beneath the surface,
•  I smile to make others feel at ease and if for only for one second know someone cares.
•  I am passionate about helping those who cannot help themselves. 
•  I still want to volunteer in Kenya with some colleagues to try and pay it forward.
•  I consider myself blessed and want to use my training in helping others
•  I would gladly give up a years salary to help in a third world country.
•  I know seeing me now with my mani and pedi I do not look as though I could ruff it, but this is where    my Country Girl Survivors Training  comes into play. I have been taught to live off the land.
• I know that sometimes I feel as though I do not do enough to help those in need. Helping others is far more than volunteering at a soup kitchen or handing out blankets to the homeless on the coldest of Baltimore nights. 
• I want to make a difference in the lives of others.
• I know there are some that judge the homeless, but in America the average family is three pay checks from becoming homeless think about that. Some are Vets that served our country well, but cannot function in the real world because they came back from war scarred for life if not physically then mentally. 
• I never tell of my volunteer work because I do not want to sound boastful, and believe me I am no saint for I have hardly touched the surface in the needs of others. 
• I have in the past, but with work I had no time, but I would love to start working on a crisis hotline again. It could be a teen needing to get out of a situation with her mother boyfriend, to someone 50 year old not feeling that life is worth living. I do want to help in some small way if only to save a suicidal person for at least one more night. 
•  I have shut down my own heartaches by spending time volunteering with a stranger and trying to help them find the will to live again. This has made me sane in the process.
• I at one time and have again shut myself off from dating, commitment, for how can I be good for someone when I constantly live in the past. I am talked to about a future filled with love and commitment, but my days are still to this day filled with the memories of a dead man. 
• I am a true romantic, I believe in the power of love, yet have never found someone to truly love me for my interior, but lust for my exterior.
• I feel the only way I will truly love again is find someone that can see past my exterior and take a long hard look into my very soul. Someone that will be willing to love me and only me for as long as we both shall live. Someone that loves my heritage, where I come from, my funny little Southern drawl and everything that makes up this (broke the mold Southern girl)
• I always feel that I put out there far more than I ever receive in return from a guy. 
• I feel a guy wants his cake and eat it too. 
• I feel that if someone truly loved me they would care about how I feel about things and not think all of the above a total waste of time. I hear these people need to get off there asses and work, but where is the work these days? Especially for a Vet in his 60's that just need a leg up. Where is someones compassion?  As for younger people if you look into there home life growing up most of the people were battered, abused, raped, made to prostitute themselves at the age of twelve by one or both parents. The people that brought them into the world and was suppose to protect them at all cost, is putting there kids out on the street to supply money for there drug habits. Not every thing or everyone in this world is full of love and light, but rather hate and darkness.  
• I was within a short time without my mama and the man that I loved with all my heart (my Soul Mate) so I put everything in my studies, work and volunteer work and shut out the world. Yes, I made mistakes along the way, but I will never regret anything. I have not dated that much, but I do know someday I will find someone who can put up with me and love me for who I am. I am in no hurry except I want to have children and I am pushing thirty. I want my children to be conceived in love and have parents that truly love one another to raise them. 
• I believe in the power of love and all that true love can bring into ones life. 
• I believe in miracles.
• I believe in God.
• I believe in you.
• I pray
• I pray for everyone.
• I feel I am a good person, although I know that good deeds alone will not get you into the kingdom of heaven. 
• I was once so trusting and I have been hurt along the way, but I pray for those who spitefully use me. 
• I pray for those who judge me. 
• I shall continue to pray for everyone that there minds and hearts shall become open. 
• I pray that God will give me the courage to open my heart again and love romantically.
• I pray for everyone reading this blog and may God bless and keep you.        
• 
          

The Vision - Chapters Four and Five

Chapter Four

Melinda woke up again and the officer was gone. Rich, however was by her side. "I found the scene exactly where you said." He states. There’s a crease between his eyebrows which means he was deeply confused. "But everything about that place screams dump site. Not kidnapping site. And that blood - well it could be from her pumps - or it could be much worse."
Melinda was suddenly jogged awake. "Why can I see you now? Of all times?"
"Because you need my help. And you work in a cemetery, what did you expect?" Rich replied with a chuckle.
Even Melinda smiled at the thought. "So what does that mean?"

"Well, if I’m right it could mean a variety of things. She was in with the wrong crowd, it was an accident, or even…" By the look on Rich’s face she knew something was wrong.
"What?" She said patiently. Her fingers tightened around the blanket.
"It was intended murder. But something spooked him." Rich stated soundly.
"How do you know it’s a ‘him’?" Melinda asked.
"Cindy was what? - 115 pounds at least. So most likely a male carried her to the van. There were tire treads. But they fade as it squeals out of the alley." Rich explained.

Melinda felt tears threaten her eyes. "It was my fault. I heard her screaming."
"When?"
"I left the bar at three-thirty, so uh, a little after then." Melinda reached for a tissue. "I heard her begging."
"Then it was defiantly an armed male who owns a van. Weapon might’ve been a knife or gun. But whatever it was, be assured he most likely didn’t use it. There was no gun residue or shell casings. No evidence whatsoever that he hurt her in the alley."
"What about the blood?" Melinda asked.
Rich hesitated. "Some of it was Cindy’s. Some of it was the perp’s. She fought back."
Melinda silently thought of Cindy all alone in that alley. She thought of where she found the keys. "Something doesn’t add up." She muttered. She swung out of the bed, and Rich smiled.
"Ready to do some police work?" He asked.

"There." Melinda felt a cold breeze and she clutched her jacket tighter. "That’s where I found the keys."
"That’s odd, since no one saw a struggle, and the bouncer said he was out for a smoke at the time." Rich noted.
Melinda circled the spot where she’d found the keys. Her vision was sharper, her senses alert. She nodded to herself. "It’s as though she looked up as she scrambled for her keys. And she was startled, so she dropped them." Melinda broke off.

"She knew the kidnapper." Melinda states firmly.
"If so, this is deeper than I thought." Rich said grimly. "Everyone’s a suspect."

*********************************************************************************

Chapter Five

Melinda and Rich start closing in on suspects...

*******************************************************************************

On the ride back to her house Melinda pondered what they had discovered. A male, who was armed, someone Cindy knew…Cindy knew a lot of men. She thought of the incident where someone had rifted through her stuff in the car.
"Rich." She said his name softly.
"Yes?" Rich eyed her troubled face. "Why’d you suddenly pale?"
"Someone looked through my car. Screwed around with my things… on Tuesday." Melinda explained.
"And on Friday Cindy was kidnapped." Rich nods. "This has to be connected."
"Were they looking for something of hers?" Melinda was baffled. "Why not search her car, why mine?"
"I have no idea." Rich shakes his head. "But I have a bad feeling."

Rich watched Melinda drift off to sleep. He pondered what she’d told him. Someone riffling through Melinda’s things, and then Cindy’s kidnapping within a week of the incident. It was a strong lead. But where did it lead to? Rich sighed heavily.
He missed the good old days when cops were out on the field, getting their hands dirty. When cops sure, had a donut once in a while, but these ‘officers’ were a disgrace. Filing paperwork seemed to be all they were good at. And though he didn’t like saying this, crime was much more widespread now. He shook his head again, and took Melinda’s pen and paper.

He began a list of what they knew and didn’t know. What they thought was on there too.
Facts: It was a male. No woman could have carried Cindy that far. They had a van, one in need of an oil change. They needed a hospital. Running out of time. Cindy is rich. Blood on dress was both hers and someone else's. Someone broke into Melinda’s car days before.
Thoughts: Plausible that it was someone she knew. Could be kidnapping gone. Blood might be the kidnapper’s. Were inquiring about Cindy’s schedule in Melinda’s car.

Don’t Know: If Cindy’s alive. Motive or suspect. Why the break in?
Rich continued writing until Melinda woke up again. She didn’t notice him hunched over her desk. She grabbed some clothes - black sweats and a sweatshirt before heading to the bathroom. He waited for her, patiently. When she came back, she smiled at him.
"Figured anything out?" She asks.
"I wrote some things down." Rich said.
Melinda scanned the paper. She nodded. "That looks about right."
"I take it Cindy knew a lot of men." Rich added.
Melinda shot him a dirty look. "Maybe she did. But there’s only two people I think could do this.
"Marcus. Her ex-boyfriend. She broke up with him after he crashed her first car. He lost his job. He blamed her, and vowed for revenge. Or," At this point Melinda hesitated. "Or it was Charlie."
"Who’s Charlie?" Rich asked.

Melinda looked off into the distance. Her eyes seemed to be staring at something right before him. "She was our best friend who died in a boating accident. Cindy was driving the boat. We were drunk. And then… well Charlie fell overboard. And she drowned."
"But she’s dead." Rich pointed out.
"So are you." Melinda shot back.
"No, I mean, she’s dead. The police won’t buy it. She’d need an accomplice. You’re mine. When I do human like things I take your energy." Rich explains. "A willing accomplice is hard to find. It’d have to be the both of them."

"So what now?" Melinda asked, lost.
"Did Marcus own any land that was cut off, or seemingly deserted and in the middle of nowhere?" Rich questioned.
"Yes." Melinda replied. "The cabin in Mill Woods."
Rich nodded. "That’s good. Have an address?"
Melinda recited it to him and grabbed her car keys. She immediately thought back to all those nights spent in the woods, by the lake, on the bluff. It’d been a great summer. They’d swam, made s’mores, and told ghost stories. Now her life had become one.

Ticks and Lyme Disease (LD)

The danger of tick bites

While most tick bites are harmless, several species can cause life-threatening diseases. Two of these well-known diseases are Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. Ticks can also transmit tularemia (a plague-like disease in rodents that can be transmitted to man), relapsing fever, and ehrlichiosis (an abrupt illness consisting of fever, rash, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss).

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease (LD) is a multistage, multisystem bacterial infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, a spiral shaped bacterium that is most commonly transmitted by a tick bite. The disease takes its name from Lyme, Connecticut, where the illness was first identified in the United States in 1975.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease continues to be a rapidly emerging infectious disease, and is the leading cause of all insect-borne illness in the U.S. According to the CDC, LD cases more than doubled during the surveillance period of 1992 to 2006. In 2008, there were nearly 23,000 confirmed cases and nearly 7,000 probable cases of LD. 

What types of ticks transmit LD?

• Ixodes scapularis (northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central U.S., black-legged deer tick)
• Ixodes pacificus (Pacific coastal U.S., Western black-legged tick)

Ticks prefer to live in wooded areas, low-growing grasslands, and yards. Depending on the location, anywhere from less than 1 percent to more than 50 percent of the ticks are infected with spirochetes.

Although Lyme disease is a year-round problem, April through October is considered tick season. Cases of Lyme disease have been reported in nearly all states in the U.S. and in large areas in Europe and Asia.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

The list of possible symptoms is long, and symptoms can affect every part of the body. The following are the most common symptoms of Lyme disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

The primary symptom is a red rash that:

• Can appear several days after infection, or not at all.
• Can last up to several weeks.
• Can be very small or very large (up to 12 inches across), and may resemble a "bulls-eye."
• Can mimic such skin problems as hives, eczema, sunburn, poison ivy, and flea bites.
• Can itch or feel hot, or may not be felt at all.
• Can disappear and return several weeks later.

Several days or weeks after a bite from an infected tick, a patient usually experiences flu-like symptoms such as the following:

• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Aches and pains in muscles and joints
• Low-grade fever and chills
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite
• Swollen glands

After several months, arthritis-like symptoms may develop, including painful and swollen joints.

Other possible symptoms may include the following:

• Neurological symptoms
• Heart problems
• Skin disorders
• Eye problems
• Hepatitis
• Severe fatigue
• Limb weakness
• Poor motor coordination

Some people may develop post-Lyme disease syndrome (PLDS), a condition also known as chronic Lyme disease, characterized by persistent musculoskeletal and peripheral nerve pain, fatigue, and memory impairment.

How is Lyme disease diagnosed?

Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose because symptoms are not consistent and may imitate other conditions. The primary symptom is a rash, but it may not be present in up to 20 percent of cases.

Diagnosis for Lyme disease is a clinical one and must be made by a doctor experienced in recognizing LD. Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and a history of a tick bite. Testing is generally done to eliminate other conditions and may be supported through blood and laboratory tests, although these tests are not absolutely reliable for diagnosing LD.

Research is underway to develop and improve methods for diagnosing LD.

The symptoms of Lyme disease may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

What is the treatment for Lyme disease?

Specific treatment for Lyme disease will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• Extent of the symptoms
• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the condition
• Your opinion or preference

Lyme disease in the earliest stage is usually treated with antibiotics for three weeks.

Treatment will also be considered based on these and other factors:

• If you are bitten by a tick that tests positive for spirochetes.
• If you are bitten by a tick and have any of the symptoms.
• If you are bitten by a tick and are pregnant.
• If you are bitten by a tick and live in an endemic, high-risk area.

Relapse and incomplete treatment responses occur. Complications of untreated early-stage disease include: joint disease, neurologic disease, carditis, and frequent hospitalizations to manage the disease. Some of these complications result in chronic, debilitating conditions.

How can LD be prevented?

Humans do not develop immunity to LD and reinfection is possible. In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved a new vaccine against Lyme disease called LYMErix. The vaccine was not 100 percent effective, however, and the FDA still recommended using other preventive measures. In 2002, the manufacturer of LYMErix announced that the vaccine would no longer be available commercially.

Some general guidelines for preventing LD include the following:

• Dress appropriately by wearing:
  • Light-colored clothing.
  • Long-sleeved shirts.
  • Socks and closed-toe shoes.
  • Long pants with legs tucked into socks.
• Frequently check for ticks on:
  • All parts of the body that bend: behind the knees, between fingers and toes, and underarms.
  • Other areas where ticks are commonly found: belly button, in and behind the ears, neck, hairline, and top of the head.
  • Areas of pressure points, including:
    • Where underwear elastic touches the skin.
    • Where bands from pants or skirts touch the skin.
    • Anywhere else where clothing presses on the skin.
• Visually check all other areas of the body, and run fingers gently over skin.
• Shower after all outdoor activities are over for the day.
• Consider using repellents:
  • Products that contain DEET are tick repellents, but do not kill the tick and are not 100 percent effective in discouraging a tick from feeding on you.
  • Products that contain permethrin are known to kill ticks; however, they should not be sprayed on the skin but on clothing.
• Check pets and children for ticks.

What should you do if you find a tick?

• Do not touch the tick with your bare hand.
• Use a pair of tweezers to remove the tick. Grab the tick firmly by its mouth or head as close to your skin as possible.
• Pull up slowly and steadily without twisting until it lets go. Do not squeeze the tick, and do not use petroleum jelly, solvents, knives, or a lit match to kill the tick.
• Save the tick and place it in a plastic container or bag so it can be tested for disease, if necessary.
• Thoroughly wash the bite area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic lotion or cream.
• Call your doctor to find out about follow-up care and testing of the tick for spirochetes (organisms that may be carried by the tick).