So today when doing my usual morning read of news feeds in Google Reader I came across an article that hit true to home for me.  The article was about a writer in Detroit, MI who has been working with government to have a law passed forcing facilities with employee only bathrooms to open those bathrooms to the public.  Why is she doing this?  Because, like me, she suffers from Crohn’s Disease.  The author of this article, Laura Berman, writes how when she first heard of this legislation she joked about it; like most do because they don’t realize just how hard it is for those of us with this disease.  It’s a short read and well worth your time.  The original article is located here; but I have included it behind the cut.

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I know I’m behind on this, but I just read all about Michael Vick and his dogfighting scandal.  I have to admit that “dogfighting” didn’t trigger any emotions in me, nor did I really understand what it entailed, exactly.  After reading a detailed report of things found on his proprety such as a “rape stick” that holds dogs in place for mating and a “breakstick” to open a dog’s mouth in a fight, I’m sick to my stomach.

What is wrong with humanity that anyone would purchase a piece of property and start a business called Bad Newz Kennels to rape, torture, and kill domesticated animals?  This man was already on his way to super stardom and with the NFL.  I applaud Nike, Reebok, and Donruss for halting and severing all ties with this disgusting human.  If he can’t treat animals with kindness, imagine how he treats humans?

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Kate’s boss, sympathetic to the numerous hard changes occurring in my life, suggest I read her copy of “Who Moved My Cheese” by Spenser Johnson, M.D.  The book is about four individuals who live in a maze and are constantly after yummy cheese.  Their lives, how they appreciate their cheese and how they cope with the eventual loss of said cheese.  The maze is a metaphor for our own world while the cheese symbolizes happiness.  For some who read this book they take away advice on how to handle changes in personal relationships while others will see it as a way to enhance their career.

While it was not a change of life event like many of the commentators of the book have praised it to be, I did take a lot away from it and feel that this book may over time indeed assist me with my anal retentiveness and inability to recognize change in the wind.  Once change happens and I am given word of it I can usually adapt and respond to it quickly; but I always seem to be the last one to notice a situation going bad.

I do have to thank my current work situation however as I’ve had so much change for the worse that I have gotten better at seeing it coming.  This book however makes me wonder why when noticing things getting worse I didn’t react to them?  I spent a bit of time reflecting on this and realized which parts of my personality correspond to the characters in this book.  Once I established who I was and why I react the way I do I was able to think about changing and spent most of the night dreaming about that change.  While it was only dreams it gave me renewed excitement in relation to my job search.

The book is short, a quick read (I did it in one night) and I really suggest it to everybody.  The story itself may seem childish and you may grumble while reading some of it but in the end it wraps up very nicely and leaves you with a good deal to reflect on.

Who Moved My Cheese by Spenser Johnson, M.D.

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