A Lot More Crying

So I realized recently that I've been crying a lot more.  It's totally out of nowhere, nothing in particular to explain the change (aside from perhaps lack of sleep and a never ending mental barrage of competing priorities).  For now I'm doing my best to keep up damage control in the usual ways, like limiting the number of people who see it, acting like I have allergies, or pretending that I've just read the most hysterically funny thing in my life and laughed so hard I cried (I usually further this third tactic by peeing, just a little, to really drive that one home).

I was thinking about that this morning on my way to work, when a story came on the radio about the sequester and across-the-board budget cuts.  Here's the thing, and call me selfish, but if UCSF, Stanford, and Berkeley get all of their research funding cut (they estimated that UCSF gets something like $30 mill a year from the government just for research) then who is going to figure out all of these weird biological tics - and more importantly, how folks like me can get over these horrible issues.

I'm not totally diluted, I know that diarrhea for young children in Sub-Saharan Africa is a much larger issue than my overactive tear ducts.  In fact one would argue that almost any global issue would rank higher. But hang in there with me and think bigger picture.  What about all of those medical breakthroughs that have happened in the last few years that would now be in jeopardy?  Think of UCSFs discoveries around blood cancer, Stanford's research in sports medicine, and Berkeley's involvement in superfund site research and mitigation.  We have all of this capacity to identify what is wrong with our lives/communities, what we are cutting off now is any chance to do something about it.

Sure, opponents might argue that this will prioritize only the most useful types of research, but I would beg the question: when your daughter suffers permanent personality alterations due to repeated head trauma from Soccer in college - are you really going to be grateful that that funding went to Parkinson's or Alzheimer's? Shouldn't we try to advance as many issues as possible? Doesn't everyone have the right to health?

We have an incredible power to be reactionary in our desire for societal betterment (only when it effects me is it an issue).  I would challenge us all to look to the broader goal.  Imagine the society we would want the most.  Think BIG.  Then lets come back and talk about how to get there.  I'm pretty sure we won't find cutting funding for key research on the list of "to dos".

Ok, so not super witty this time either.  Would a light hearted joke clear the air?

Knock Knock?
Who's there?
Boehnaner.
Boehnaner who?

Knock Knock?
Who's there?
Boehnaner.
Boehnaner who?

Knock Knock?
Who's there?
Boehnaner.
Boehnaner who?

Knock Knock?
Who's there?
Obamange
Obamange who?
Obamange you glad I didn't say Boehnaner....

Ahhh, there's my try at political humor.  I'll plan to leave that alone in the future (as well as the puppy worship formerly mentioned).