|
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
|
Musings of a Senior Scribe
The Truth and
The Goal
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! It's that time of year. Relatives are in town for the
holidays, students are home from college, and friends are getting
together for vacations. New recipes, games, music, and drinks are the
party favorites.
I spoke with law enforcement officials from the Darke County Sheriff's
Office and the Greenville Police Department. Ohio has no Public
Intoxication Law - as such. You may walk down the street legally
"drunk." You may not walk in the street, road, or through someone
else's yard. You may not be staggering. If you are stopped by an
officer, just tell him/her you've been drinking - they patrol our
streets and roads every hour of every day. They know the "foot
traffic." Getting loud, cussing out the officer, and rude gestures get
you the tickets - usually Disorderly Conduct and some sort of alcohol
charge. It's a "probable cause" thing. Darke County Courts report the
DUI Bonds are $2,000.00 for citizens in Greenville, $3,000.00 for
citizens out of Greenville, and $4,000.000 for anyone out of state.
The "fly in the ointment", if you will, is this - alcohol, drugs, etc.
act as a "stimulus" - they cause your body to operate in an unnatural
state - under distress you might say. Among breathing (lungs separate
oxygen from carbon dioxide and exhale carbon dioxide), heart pumps
blood, kidneys filter poisons from the alcohol on top of the normal
cigarette smoke-car pollutants, etc.,the liver filters these same
toxins and regulates parts of digestion,and other bodily functions.
While you are sitting or standing you feel "in control." When you
decide to walk, the body compensates ..heart rate rises, breathing
increases, the body gets rid of the "excess load" through sweat and
increased urination. Dehydration starts. Add winter clothing to this.
The body can not cool down quickly enough. (This is what allows people
to jog in the dead of winter with only shorts and a tee shirt.). The
body will protect critical areas - brain, heart, and lungs - the
T-Zone. This causes the dizziness you did not notice earlier. In this
unnatural state, the body shuts down or, you lose consciousness. If
this happens on the sidewalk you will probably be ok. If this happens
in the middle of the road and someone else did not choose to walk, well
you can figure the rest.
Saturday, 11/24, found me feeling "out of sorts" and restless. I've
been working on a "goal." I just do not seem to be making the
progress I had hoped. Maybe I set the bar too high. Maybe I ought to
lower my expectations. Maybe I ought to just scrap the whole thing,
period. I went to McDonald's. Maybe I'll just "drown my sorrows" in a
Big Mac. I drove in and the Drive-Thru line was backed up all the way
to the Handicapped Parking spots. I looked around - no way to drive
between the line and the parked cars. Great - I'm here for God knows
how long. With the van idling in park, there was nothing to do but
wait. The line inched forward and I finally saw the curious noise I had
been hearing. Take a look at the picture. Do you see it? I sat and
laughed like the proverbial "hyena." I am a believer in answers
to our problems and questions being around us, if we just look.
The wind chill temperature that day was 21 degrees. The wind was 9 mph.
You could say this guy had a "goal." That was the day of the
Michigan/Ohio Football game. (Ohio squeaked out another victory over
Michigan.).Maybe he was after "game munchies"...it was noon. Whatever
his reason - he kept to his "goal." Therefore, I'll keep to mine.
If he could brave the winds - I'll brave mine regarding my goal.
Whoever you are, Sir; I hope you rooted for Ohio!!
Lastly, regarding "A Recovering American Soldier" - thanks to letter
bombs, terrorist attacks, etc., letters addressed this way will not be
delivered to Walter Reed Hospital. I spoke with our American Legion -
Ohio St.,Greenville. Their van will be going down to the Dayton VA,
Christmas Day. If you have a donation, feel free to drop it off at the
American Legion any day between Noon and Midnight. People use this
transportation for Dr. appointments, etc. all year so, Christmas is not
the only time to donate to our service people.
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Be good to the furry and
feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next time! Ever
Toodles!! MONA
|
|
|
|
|
