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By Roz Rogoff

About this blog: In January 2002 I started writing my own online "newspaper" titled "The San Ramon Observer." I reported on City Council meetings and other happenings in San Ramon. I tried to be objective in my coverage of meetings and events, and...  (More)

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Off My Meds

Uploaded: Jul 13, 2014

Usually when someone asks, "Are you off your meds?" it means the person has been acting a little strange or hyper or irritable. Well I have been popping off lately. I also gained 15 lbs. over the last three months, which I had been keeping under control for almost a year.

I noticed a mood change in May. My friend's dad was visiting from back east and I met them at the Farmer's Market. I was grouchy and snapping at everything they said. I phoned my friend later to apologize. She said not to worry; friends forgive our occasional bad behavior.

Friends are willing to forgive, but not occasional blog readers. So if I've come off grouchy in my last few blogs, I apologize to anyone I might have irritated. I renewed my medication and started back on it yesterday.

I stopped taking my Escitalopram (Lexapro) at the end of March. According to Web MD, "Escitalopram is used to treat depression and anxiety. It works by helping to restore the balance of a certain natural substance (serotonin) in the brain. . . . This medication may also be used to treat other mental/mood disorders (such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder)."

Maybe I'm using this to justify my outburst at the Cemetery Workshop last month, but I attribute my overly emotional reaction to being off my meds. It was interesting that both Phil and Bill replied to my comment about the potential for 4,000 houses on that property, but did not answer any of the comments from other speakers, even when they knew they were wrong. This only reinforces my belief that there was more to this gripe fest then an informational workshop. If the purpose was Informational, they should have corrected everyone elses misinformation too.

I felt it was necessary for someone to correct the misconceptions and fear being bandied about, but I should not have brought up the potential for 4000 houses on that property. That was the number Phil O'Loane was using in his No on Measure W literature to scare voters into voting against Measure W.

Measure W was a badly written ballot measure that the City Council did not need to put on the ballot the way it was. It should have been two measures, one for the Western boundary which nobody objected to and one for the East into Tassajara Valley, without including the whole General Plan in either package.

Phil snapped back at me that 4000 houses couldn't be built there because the City did not move our Urban Limit Line into Tassajara Valley, as if only our City Council would consider a large housing development in Tassajara Valley. Just because the City was prevented from moving our Urban Limit Line doesn't mean the County can't or won't move theirs. Four of the five Contra Costa County Supervisors could vote to move their Urban Growth Boundary in 2016.

Phil rode onto the City Council on a campaign of preventing 4000 houses, but all he did was swing them over the fence to the County Supervisors. If the cemetery is prevented, the 4000 houses are still a possibly. It isn't likely, but it is still possible.
Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by James, a resident of another community,
on Jul 14, 2014 at 8:20 pm

Because Web MD is a mass media outlet sponsored by the pharmaceutical-medical orthodoxy you can see them claim that an antidepressant like Lexapro "works by helping to restore the balance of a certain natural substance (serotonin) in the brain." But this is pure junk science, a made-up claim (discussed at: Web Link ). No good data supports this theory.


Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 14, 2014 at 11:04 pm

San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

James,

Maybe it works like a placebo, but it does help control my anxiety attacks. So I'll keep taking it.

Roz


Posted by Helen, a resident of Birdland,
on Jul 17, 2014 at 2:59 pm

Did we really need to know this?
If you feel you have irritated someone then why not apologize directly.
I would much rather read about important issues than your personal problems.


Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 17, 2014 at 3:31 pm

San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

Helen,

Nobody made you read it. If you don't need to know it, don't read it.

Roz


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 17, 2014 at 8:01 pm

(Post removed because it was irrelevant)


Posted by Ms. bunny, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 18, 2014 at 7:56 am

You're fine Roz. No need to apologize for ANY point of view you hold. Your intentions have ALWAYS been spoken from the "heart" of this community and that's quite clear historically in your blogging. Never noticed you saying anything improper whatsoever. Again? You're fine.

Have a great weekend and yeah, I'm still "praying" (-like that expression? LOL!) for a CEMETERY in Dougherty Valley because I know full blown well what could still occur...More housing in this already, not so attractive area (wish they'd secede and call it EAST San Ramon!!! It is, that ugly a place in my pov) Believe me, a cemetery would break-up and improve the overall appearance when you reach the hilltop and look down on this, well, housing maze mess (though I avoid that area like "the plague")


Posted by Roz Rogoff, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 18, 2014 at 3:07 pm

Thanks for the support, Ms. Bunny. Those 4000 houses could still rear their ugly heads, and if the County develops it, we will get another Dougherty Valley out there. Everyone who tried to stop Dougherty Valley from being developed only added to the contrivances that made the development worse for San Ramon (and you know what I mean).

Phil O'Loane thinks Dougherty Valley is just fine, but then he lives there. I know he's sincere about keeping Tassajara Valley undeveloped, but he's living in his own fantasy world as far as the future goes.

The State or ABAG or another agency will impose housing requirements on the County and where else can they go? They are already on track to approve 187 houses in Tassajara Parks outside of Danville.

I'm not making this stuff up, and it isn't because I want it, but I'm being realistic about it. Simply objecting to it and hoping it will go away doesn't work.

Roz


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