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9:50 p.m. - 2004-02-06
What's in a Name
"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself." -- Dumbledore: J K Rowlings' Harry Potter series

Naming something also defines what it is and what it is not - at least to you. "Reframing" is a buzz word in psychology these days. In its best sense, it is used in counselling with people who found themselves in circumstances where they had no choice in the matter to begin with or even if they chose the original event - did not choose the ensuing sequence of events, like going out camping then being attacked by a bear. Often self harming behaviour arises if a person feels they are responsible for hurtful outcomes. Sometimes self harming behaviour occurs, because the damage done to an individual's emotions and psyche are so severe that they freeze all feeling for fear of being overwhelmed, or fear that the only part of them that proves their right to exist, is the pain they feel. They will seek pain to reaffirm that they exist and have permission, through that suffering, to be alive. "Reframing" in those cases helps the person view their experiences from the "bigger picture", so they can get a sense of their "responsibility" for the abuse or trauma they experienced. It provides a way of letting go of the trauma, so that it can be replaced by more positive beliefs about oneself and hopefully better choices.

Now where was I going with that, dear diary. Reframing can also be called lying - something a very astute patient pointed out one day. Changing the way a behaviour or decision is reported so that accountability or responsibility can be avoided. For example, the term "best practices" or "best information". The latest announcement is that childhood vaccines may be a factor in the increasing incidences of Attention Deficit Disorder and autism - some speculate schizophrenia and other central nervous system disorders as well, brain damage. Some parents have been challenging the wisdom of universal vaccinations for decades, often being labelled as "bad Parents" as a result and of being threatened with apprehension of their children if they don't allow the inocculations. Data and numbers thrown at them that just confirm the truth of lies, damned lies, and statistics. Add to that the latest revelations on such things as Hormone Replacement Therapy, the use of Paxil with children, thalidomide, silicon implants, even high carb diets. Some people caused themselves or someone they loved long term, unfixable physical damage or even death by listening to "expert" advice and following it. The cult of the expert - one of the banes of our time. If an "expert" says so, we tend to follow their advice slavishly. But the term "expert" is applied to someone because the group of thinkers they belong to all think the same and believe that that person believes it more than everyone else. There is nothing wrong with seeking out expert opinions, but there is also a responsibility to think and act for one's self too. Find the balance Grasshopper.

After suffering a migraine yesterday as a herald of the event,a chinook just blew in to town overnight and it was 7 C/ 50 F today. Reports of Calgarians wandering around in t-shirts on the news tonight. It is supposed to last until the end of next week. So I checked the weather forecasts for Ottawa hoping it would be comparable there - not. Big storm warnings, freezing rain and drifting snow. Temperatures will be at about -9 C/ 19 F. Life is just not fair sometimes. Oh well, I'm going to be cooped up in a classroom all day while I'm there, so I guess that means I won't mind so much not wandering about the city. I'll just tuck myself up into bed right after classes with hot chocolate and some good books and puzzles to ease the pain in the evenings, I think.

Got some interesting e-mails and snail mail today - confirmations of questions that made me smile. Work related mostly. I tried using an online ordering service for a Canadian bookseller today, because I had some gift certificates. The merchandise I really wanted had been listed last week, but wasn't available this week. An e-mail from their help desk gave me a UPC code, but that didn't work either. Their "shopping bags" don't allow for independent keying, you have to click on an item on screen - something that wasn't possible in this case. I called a local outlet and a very nice young woman explained how to get around the problem. I asked her why the company had made the process so user unfriendly. She responded, with surprising honesty, that the chain wants customers in their physical stores. They spend more that way. [Calling things by their real names.] Understood. But what about homebound customers like seniors, at home moms with small tots, desk jockeys etc. They'll just take their on-line business to an outlet that offers more selection and makes it easier for them to order. Right? Sometimes one's greed creates its own punishment.

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