1, Advice I’ve pondered a lot this week…
I recently finished the book, Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Way to Joy, by Mo Gawdat. After showing how almost nothing is truly in our control, he points out that the two things that actually are under our control are our actions… and our attitude. I’ve thought about this A LOT! Think about that for a minute. I mean REALLY think about it. You CANNOT control the weather, what others do, how others treat you, what happens around the world, etc. So why expend (waste) time and energy on those things, when you can invest that time and energy into your own actions and your attitude about what happens in your life. Try it!!! I have found it VERY helpful.
2. Question I was asked several times this week…
Several people asked me this week if I was going to get the new COVID-19 vaccine. That answer is simple… ABSOLUTELY NOT! Is it because I am a heretic… stupid… anti-government… anti-medicine… an anti-vaxxer… reckless… careless… selfish person??? Nope…nope… nope… nope… nope… nope… nope… and nope (I don’t consider myself any of those). It is because…
– For me, I believe the risks associated with the vaccine FAR outweigh any benefit.
– I’ve seen that the most recent strains of COVID are mild, so I am not worried about getting it.
– nbcnews.com reported that these new boosters are formulated to target the XBB.1.5 subvariant, and “that particular strain is no longer as prevalent – accounting only for about 3% of new COVID cases the week ending Sept. 2.”
– While the drug manufacturers claim the vaccine can provide protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death (things that I, personally, am not at risk of, nor am worried about), they do not claim that it protects me from getting the virus or transmitting the virus.
I am very concerned and disappointed that the FDA would approve a vaccine for children as young as 6 months old, and pregnant women, with such little data, and to recommend this to younger and healthier people with very low risk of complications from these new variants. You cannot disagree with me on the facts, but if you disagree on whether this new vaccine is a good idea, the great thing is that you have the choice to get it if you would like to. Anyone getting angry about others not taking this vaccine needs to remember that medical choices are a personal choice and cannot be forced… by getting these shots, you are not protecting others (as it does not prevent the transmission of the virus)… and like all other medical decisions, one must weigh the risks versus benefits (using facts, not emotions), then make a personal decision. I don’t advise people on any drug (that is outside the scope of my practice), I am merely sharing my decision on this new booster, with some information to help explain how I came to that decision.
3. AWESOME and EMPOWERING speech I heard this week…
Tennis superstar, Novak Djokovic gave this speech after a win. I don’t believe it is new, but I just saw it for the first time this week. I shared it with our kids and several friends. It is pretty powerful. Watch it below.
