DOMESTIC DISPUTES



Domestic Abuse Affects Everyone

 

A scene within my novel, For Every Action, involves an arraignment for an assault case. The judge decides the case is a civil matter between the two parties and, at the request of the defendant's lawyer, he dismisses the case. The situation does not represent a domestic dispute, but the judge interprets it as such, just another complaint to be handled in civil court.

An arraignment, in the law of the United States,

is the bringing of a person who has been formally

accused of a crime before the court to answer

the accusations against the person.

After the accused is identified and the indictment

is read, the defendant is called upon to answer

the charge by pleading not guilty, guilty,

or nolo contendere (no contest).

Before pleading, the defendant may file a

formal document, known as a motion,

asking the court to dismiss the case.

A judge can dismiss the charges if, for example,

he or she determines that the conduct charged

does not constitute a crime.

In 1968, domestic disputes were considered a family matter.

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By the 1980's, such charges were taken more seriously.

For further information on domestic abuse:
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Domestic+dispute

If you want to help someone who suffers from domestic abuse or violence, access this site: 
http://www.thehotline.org/

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS

My profile mentions I often enjoy iced tea lemonade on the lanai, though at times its just old-fashioned lemonade or fruit juices. Last time I mixed a batch, I decided the preparation might make an interesting blog post. At least, the tart lemons, lime, and blood oranges would present a colorful picture story.

Prior to the squeezing process, I set the individual fruit on the table for about an hour for it to reach room temperature, then roll each lemon and lime across the table to “loosen” the juice inside. Of course, I use a manual hand-squeezer. If you have one of those electric juicers (lucky you) then you can probably skip this step.

Oranges are usually soft enough already and I don’t roll them, just slice them in half and squeeze. The first time I cut open a blood orange and saw the deep red color of its pulp, I almost dropped it!

In my hometown cookbook, I found an old recipe from 1951 that suggests combining 3 ¼ cups of cold water with ½ cup of lemon juice, then sugar to taste. Everyone has their own preferences and a nice variation on regular sugar is honey, or even ginger ale for a fizzy drink.

Whatever method you use to make your lemonade, just remember: If life gives you lemons, smile because you can use that pent-up energy to create something of value. I convert my stress (usually computer related) into character conflict that drives the next scene of my novel.

When life gives you lemons, what is your strategy for relieving tension?

HEART OF THE MATTER

Scene #1: The autopsy report states the victim has multiple stab wounds, and photographs reveal several jagged cuts below the woman's abdomen. The location of the bloodless wounds suggests a crime of passion. A reporter asks the coroner,"Why did the killer wait until after the victim died to target certain areas?" "He went for the heart right after he hit the jugular, does that count?"  The reporter shakes his head. "It’s not the same, the heart is symbolic of love."

The heart is also a symbol of Valentine’s Day. My thoughts immediately go to the heart of the murder while someone who recently endured a medical exam might picture a stethoscope monitoring an anxious heart beat.

Valentine’s Day hearts conjure up memories of love. One heart with two wedding rings brings a smile to a couple wed on Valentine’s Day. A cross-stitch of red hearts reminds a daughter of a mother’s gift; a royal flush to the Ace of Hearts has a Vegas winner beaming. Others get all fuzzy over a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a grinning cupid, or a pair of cooing love birds. Hearts on Fire can only mean young love, and boys naturally love heart-shaped balloons.

A heart surrounding a globe brings a tear to the eyes of grandparents whose families live far away. The mantle holds a framed purple heart of a loved one lost in battle. Flowers and an arrow-pierced heart represent a lifetime spent with a childhood sweetheart, the memories bittersweet. The Sacred Heart means salvation for many, and bright lockets remind one of a young girl’s special day.

Happy Valentine’s Day, and wishes for a wonderful day: Especially for You and Your Loved Ones!

What special memories do you have of this holiday?

U.S. ARMY NURSE CORPS

The United States Army Nurse Corps was established by law in 1901. With no draft for nurses, this law directed the U.S. Surgeon General to maintain a reserve list of nurses qualified to serve in times of national emergency.

In 1940, the U.S. Army had less than one thousand regular army nurses on active duty. With the threat of global war, nurses on the reserve list were called up to serve a one-year tour of duty. They worked in evacuation hospitals, in places such as Sicily, where they handled an average of 100 new casualties a day.

AND IF I PERISH by Evelyn M. Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee portrays the work of frontline army nurses during World War II. This book influenced my choice of background for protagonist Pepper Bibeau in the novel For Every Action.

Unlike the frontline nurses of WWII, however, Pepper is portrayed as a former army nurse who had served during the Vietnam Conflict. Pepper’s experiences are an amalgam of all nurses who served in times of war, and are meant to honor the nurses who served in U.S. wars from World War II through Desert Storm and beyond.