Adventures with Dr. Lady Cutie Troublemaker

While driving, I had a flash of inspiration. What if card-carrying members of the two APAs (and maybe even all the other opponents of Reparative Therapy) started a letter-writing campaign. My dad and I know plenty of members of both organizations. There is definite illegailty here. I was shocked at the response my Dad received from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health licenses mental health facilities that treat mental illnesses.  The group/program in question is not a mental health facility and we have no relationship, nor do we have first-hand knowledge of the group/program you reference.  The Tennessee Department of Mental Health is in compliance of all laws related to mental health issues and mental health facilities. However, the program/group in question is currently being investigated by the Tennessee Dept. of Childrens Services, which is the proper channel.

Whuh?! LIA/R is treating homosexuality as if it is a pathological mental illness, even though all of the major mental health associations say it isn’t. So all I have to do if I want to skirt the laws of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health is to say, "I’m not a mental health facility." Wow… so that’s easy. Good grief.

After driving, I read about this on EJ’s blog. It’s very good news. I think I’m going to continue to think through my idea of earlier this evening. See, I keep my online life and my work life separate… and for good reason. But just because I learned about this online doesn’t mean it isn’t highly relevant to my professional life. Enlisting the support of other APA member in Memphis may be just the ticket. I’m still considering it. 

My Dad’s resonse to the message he received from the TDMH was classic Abby’s Dad. I know you fans out there won’t be disappointed:

I appreciate your response, though I don’t agree with it.  Love in Action IS a mental health facility.  They claim to be treating an "addiction,"  They "hold" children based on their parent’s wishes.  If you read their application – it is written like a "mental health" application.  Their facility IS a treatment facility, hiding as a ministry.  If they were "treating" any of the more usual "addictions," you’d require a license.  Maybe it’s too delicate to want to take them on, but don’t kid yourself – it is a treatment facility skirting your laws.

This latest Blade article makes me wonder if maybe they read dad’s letter.

When it comes down to it, I probably wouldn’t be putting up this fight if it were only serving adults who signed up willigly. I’d heard in a Psych seminar at the beginning of this year that a place like this existed, and I thought LAME, but I didn’t get all activist about it, but this? Completely ridiculous, and it seems illegal.

After reading this nerdy tip describing how to save a todo list on your digital camera, I added my own little tip (we call ’em "lifehacks" in nerdland):

You know what I did? I can’t ever remember how to use the timer feature on my digital camera, so I printed out the instructions for that single function in REALLY big font on my computer screen, took a picture, then locked the picture so it doesn’t delete when I clear all the pix from my camera. That way, whenever I have my camera, I have the instructions I need.

(Of course, the picture sucks because I had to take it with my cameraphone, but you get the idea.) 

Also, in the spirit of friendly, nerdy helpfulness, I offer you this article on How to Photograph Fireworks.  

Exhibit A: Stereotypes of the World Dolls

Exhibit B: You had me at "Crazy Cat Lady."

OK, this can’t really exist, can it? 

OK, this is a bit juvenile, but I am so sick of Tom Cruise’s narcissism and insane behavior that there’s no WAY I’m going to see that movie. I did it. I signed the petition saying I’m not going. Yeah, it’ll make tons of money. Who cares? I won’t be going. I can’t take another minute of this man. I’ve wasted too much time on his already. Hopefully, you won’t see anymore posts about him here on my blog. I’m going to try to be strong!

TOM… I SURRENDER!

I, for one, welcome our new celibate ex-gay overlords.

So we’re at the zoo this weekend, and Aaron says, "I, for one, welcome our new prairie dog overlords." 

Which brings us to this, or more specifically this.

I just love the Simpsons. The original version is from Episode 96, "Deep Space Homer" from Season 5 of the series:

"The spacecraft has apparently been taken over – "conqured" if you will – by a master race of giant space ants. It’s difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain: there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I for one welcome our new insect overlords. I’d like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality I could be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves." – Kent Brockman

And then this guy made it MUCH more boring: Link 1 and Link 2.

"Memetic phylogeny" – What will they think of next?!