Happy Blogiversary to Me!

It's my 1-year blogiversary! How do I celebrate?

I was going to write a sappy post about how much I love you guys, which you know I do right, but instead this little factoid has been brought to my attention, and I must write a rant instead.

So I don't know how many of you have heard the story about Wasilla's rape victims having to pay for their own rape kits under Palin's watch, but it gets worse. Apparently, this didn't just happen in Wasilla (although that was the only city in Alaska where it was happening).

I am so appalled by this. Would homeowners ever be charged for the police to come and investigate a burglary? Would murder victims' families ever have to pay for an investigation? Of course, it's a crime against mainly women where the victim has to pay a price. Let alone, the other problems she may have - disease, pregnancy - not to mention, the emotional trauma. Really? We're going to foot her with a bill that can cost up to $1200, too? Why are we adding yet another deterrent to keep women from reporting the crime in the first place?

I'm trying to understand why it took this long for someone to do anything about it. (That someone, btw? Joe Biden. He made it a condition of states' ability to get federal funding for the Violence Against Women Act that they do not charge rape victims for the kits.) Besides the gender imbalance, why did it take a federal law to change some states' (and Wasilla's) behavior.

The only other thing I can think of is that involves the third parties of hospitals and the labs. Even with that, why did no one think to have it covered under Medicare?

This whole thing makes me almost (but not quite) speechless.

I know, it takes me out of my Palin-free zone to talk about it, but I couldn't not talk about this at least a little bit. It's why I blog.

And now we get to the sappy part.

The difference that blogging has made in my life has been immeasurable. I have a community now. I have people I can turn to for almost anything. I learn from reading your posts and comments to mine. I feel the virtual hugs you send my way. I have a voice.

Thank you for being there for me for this past year. Thank you for allowing me into your lives. I hope that this year, I get to meet some of you in person. I hope none of you quit blogging yourselves. I hope you know, you have someone here for you. (Um, I mean me, of course!)

Kori gave me this award a while back.



Thank you, Kori.

I give this to all of you because all of you are a perfect blend of friendship. I'm not sure how many of you noticed my new tag line: "We knew we were natural resources long before anyone decided to tap us." It's written about uncommon women, but it's true of all of my bloggy friends - gender aside.

I hope this blogiversary is the first of many to come.