Money and Relationships

Just a quick thought to get something in the blog today.
There's a dichotomy between saving money by buying things online or at a mega store or maintaining the local sports community by buying things at your local running store or bike shop. Discussions of this often come up.  
No one is right or wrong, it's all just opinions and values. I have a hard time spending money to maintain relationships with local store owners.
I'm cheap.
I buy my Perpetuem and incidental items at Landis Cyclery, two miles from my house. They sponsor a local tri-club, a bike club, and local races. They contribute a lot to the local cycling and triathlon community.
But a bike is a big ticket item.
I got a good deal on a bike at TriSports, 90 miles away. I'm not going to spend hundreds more on an equivalent bike, or get a lesser bike, to maintain my relationship with Landis.
What do you think?



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Big Local Diabetes Events Weekend

There a couple of important events in the local diabetes community this weekend.
First, dine at any Phoenix area Souper Salad location Friday, July 23rd from 5 to 9 PM. Souper Salad will donate 10% of the night’s sales, plus tips and donations, to the American Diabetes Association. My wife, Sue, and I will be eating at the Souper Salad at 1649 S. Stapley in Mesa, just off 60. The 2011 Team Diabetes committee will be hosting there.
Then on Saturday, Jenny Crandell, 2010-11 Triabetes Captain will be hosting a Dawn Phenom at Life Time Fitness in Gilbert. A Dawn Phenom is an occasional gathering of people with diabetes sponsored by, among others, InsulInDependence. As they describe it:

The Dawn Phenom is perhaps the easiest way for people to stay inspired, and fit, with the help of the local diabetes community. Whether you are Type 1, Type 2, or a supporter of someone with diabetes, meet us monthly for exercising, socializing, and fun.

Here are the details as Jenny explains them:

Hey everyone!

Part of my "duties" as a triabetes team captain is to put on monthly get togethers where people can come and get some exercise and socialize. Whether you are diabetic or not, you are welcome to join us for our first Arizona Dawn Phenom event! Usually we'll meet and go for a walk/jog/run, but because AZ is so hot I got a REALLY cool deal for us!  Seriously, a free day pass to come swim, work out, hang out, and have refreshments?? What could be better? PLEASE COME!! Your whole family is welcome, and we'd love it if you'd invite a friend. If you know someone who is diabetic PLEASE invite them to come along. This will be a blast!

Just visit the link to register online. Remember, it is FREE! (If you need to you can register on the day of the event, but it would really help us out to know how many people are coming, so please try to register online first).

The link is https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/insulindependence/event.jsp?event=219

Phoenix Dawn Phenom

07/24/2010 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT

Lifetime Fitness

381 E Warner Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85296

Admission: Free

The Dawn Phenom is perhaps the easiest way for people to stay inspired, and fit, with the help of the local diabetes community. Whether you are Type 1, Type 2, or a supporter of someone with diabetes, meet us monthly in the Phoenix area for exercising, socializing, and fun.

Click here to register online

On Saturday, July 23, 2010 Insulindependence will be hosting Phoenix's FIRST monthly Dawn Phenom event at Lifetime Fitness in Gilbert, AZ! This is open to all people with diabetes and their family/friends. Join us for socializing, swimming, a cycle class, or a run on the treadmill - there are many options to choose from, and all ability levels are welcome!

You can get your exercise and avoid the heat. Join us after your workout for coffee, fruit, and socializing with friends.

Directions:

Please click HERE for directions.

Please be sure to let us know you are coming by registering for the event HERE.

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More Poetry

The publication of the new No Sugar Added Poetry book from the Diabetes Hands Foundation has sent me back to the poetry and writing groups on TuDiabetes, and reading more diabetic poetry has, of course, inspired me to write some more. So here are a couple of things I've written in the past week:

The Big D

Once a certain death
Diabetes is now
something a person can live with.

Once a certain death
of a boy I read about
reminded me
Diabetes isn't something a person can ignore
and live with.

Once a certain death
standing in the darkness by the bed
as I came sweating and trembling to awareness
reminded me my death
is something I live with.

Haiku-betes
Haiku-betes is one of the groups in the TuDiabetes social network. It is dedicated to diabetes-related Haiku.

Woke up wondering
What is my blood sugar now?
And so go the days

I'm not sure if what follows, a set of three paragraphs, qualifies as Haiku or not.Whatever it is, I submit it for your amusement.

Car radio plays
Song by Bernie and Elton
might be about me

And all this science
Just my job five days a week
I don't understand

I'm a rocket man
Not the man they think I am
Burnin' out his fuse

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No Sugar Added Poetry

A new poetry book is out, published by Tu Diabetes and the Diabetes Hands Foundation. It is a collection of poems about diabetes by members of Tu Diabetes who are living with diabetes.
Whether you're a person with diabetes or someone with no interest in diabetes at all, you will find beautiful, painful, transcending perspectives on humanity and chronic illness in these poems.
I wrote two of the poems, but I would want to give copies of this book to my loved ones even if I didn't have any of my own writing in the book. The book is only $15, and it goes to continue the efforts of the Diabetes Hands Foundation, supporting communication and creative projects in the diabetes community.

http://www.tudiabetes.org/profile/NoSugarAddedPoetry

Here's what other people are saying:

"In reading No-Sugar Added Poetry, we bring different perspectives, but we can all gain the same enlightenment – an appreciation of the challenge of diabetes and the enormity of the triumph in living well with it."

- Jeff Hitchcock
President/Editor
Children With Diabetes

"I cried, I ached, I loved, I cherished, and most importantly: I learned. Thank you TuDiabetes."

- Tom Karlya
Diabetes Dad

"This book is proof that something truly beautiful can be born from adversity."

- Kerri Sparling
Six Until Me

Be a Diabetic

A few days ago in a comment about another person with type 1 diabetes I wrote that he should "buck up, be a diabetic, and test his blood sugar."
The second I typed that, it started to make me wonder what I meant, and I've been thinking about it for a while. It definitely had some connotations similar to old, chauvinistic terms like "Be a man."
That's kind of what I meant. Like "being a man," being a diabetic implies that you have certain responsibilities, to yourself and to the people around you.
If you have it, you have it. However, really owning your diabetes implies a certain level of self-reliance, self-control, and self-respect.
I didn't decide to be diabetic, but now that it's here, I can take pride in how I handle it. (Sometimes.) I've met a lot of people who make me proud to be a diabetic.
So wear the scarlet letter, own the big D, make it yours, take care of it. Test when you need to test. Shoot up or change your infusion set when you need to.
There's no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed about diabetes, type 1 or type 2. It's a disease.
If you do feel ashamed or embarrassed, fine, feel that way, but feel that way while you're taking care of yourself, not while you're avoiding doing a blood test. You don't need to be obnoxious about it, but you need to do what you need to do for your health.
We're in this for the long run.