Stupidity

I just read the new line-up for this season's Dancing With The Stars. Ohhh Veee...it might be a train wreck from day one for a few of the contestants...and I'm a bit ashamed to say that I can't wait to watch. Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple (?))- somehow I doubt he can program his two left-feet to be graceful but I hope he can prove me wrong. Steve-O (Jackass star)- not sure he'll be able to take this seriously...especially as it might hurt his career as a professional ass. Ty Murray- "King of the cowboys", professional rodeo star...not sure how strong inner-thigh muscles and an iron grip will relate to dancing but he might be able to buck the stereotype. Favorites of mine will be Belinda Carlisle (Go-Go's lead singer), Jewel, and Lawrence Taylor (former New York Giant's player)...not because I think that they'll win but because I think they'll give it their all.

And then to continue my initial theme of stupidity...On Saturday, I went to a Celiac's presentation/ informational that Mike had signed me up for. It was offered by a local health care provider at her business/apartment and was a small class of 5. She wanted it to be a more practical guide to living with Celiac's disease and had made three dishes for us to eat...a deep dish pizza, bread and magic cookie bars. Soon into the group I had a few concerns. Many of her statements were such broad generalizations that I had difficulty shifting through fact and opinions (i.e. "if you are allergic to latex, you have Celiac's", wheat allergies are responsible for ADHD and Alzheimer's, etc.). While these over-generalized statements may in part be true, I found them more based on opinion than research and horribly irresponsible from a medical professional. The 'class' was about 2 hours and immediately after leaving I began to feel ill. I went home and got into bed. After taking some Advil and sleeping, I finally began researching an ingredient that the presenter had used in her cookie bars and bragged on their usefulness in her wheat-free cooking- "Kellogg's Corn Flake Crumbs." Now here comes the stupidity...my own. I had asked the presenter if the product contained 'malt' (malt is widely known to often come from a wheat source and should be avoided by Celiac's) (and knowing most commercial cereals contain this ingredient)...she read the ingredients and it in fact did contain malt. But she stressed her own 'extreme' sensitivity to wheat and that the product had never bothered her. So I ate a bar!!! How stupid can I be!!!UGGGGGG. So when I checked on Kellogg's website, they clearly state their malt comes from barley (in the wheat family). As it's Tuesday, I hope to be back to normal by the end of the week as this 'poison' works its way out of my body and then I'll begin to heal. So not only am I mad at my own poor judgement but also of the reckless, self-absorbed behavior of the presenter. I did call her and ask her to check on the other participants at the group...after which she then re-states that the product has never bothered her and I must be 'especially sensitive' (what a crock!...I'm just allergic to wheat, you moron), emotional and therefore needed her other 'medical' services (Ha!...right after I get my lobotomy). Lesson...trust your instincts. -R