What Identifies You?

DineBoo says: Sorry about the long delay updating this blog everyone! I was trying to move this blog over to my new domain, but I realized I don't want to lose all my posts. If anyone knows how to move posts from Blogger to another blogging software like Wordpress, drop me a line.

Mr. Salt is now an International Kokopelli of Mystery.

He has just returned from his first international trip to Zurich, Switzerland for his job. I was so jealous. But I did get Swiss Chocolate out of it. (Yum!)

Being that this was his first international trip, he had to get a passport. Since he was in a rush he had to get it expedited, so that meant chasing down all the needed paperwork identifying himself.

While most people have a driver's license, a birth certificate, a social security card, and maybe a Selective Service card that identifies them, Mr. Salt has one other important piece of information.

His CIB. Otherwise known as the Certificate of Indian Blood.

On this thin piece of paper, Mr. Salt's CIB indicates his name, his degree of Navajo blood (4/4 or full blooded Navajo), and census number from the Tribal Roll as recorded by the Navajo Nation.

The CIB is very important. Being recorded shows that you are a recognized member of the Navajo Nation. It also allows you access to all the Tribal programs(such as free health care) when you need it.

When Mr. Salt and I have our Zhindians, they will be recorded as 2/4 degree Navajo (or one half Navajo). If I recall correctly, the Navajo Nation, by its laws, records people starting at 1/4 Navajo, but that may have changed.

As of the date on Mr. Salt's CIB(February 1980), there were around 200,000 Navajos on the Tribal Rolls. This number has grown by now.

-DineBoo

P.S. Officially, the document is called the Certificate of Navajo Indian Blood, but those on the Rez(and my husband) call it the CIB. Some even know their CIB Roll Number by heart.

Oh, The (Body) Hair Drama

This post was inspired by Kate Harding's guest blog about facial hair. Check it out here.

As you all know, I have PCOS. While it's major affect on the body is no ovulation, it does cause other symptoms, which include difficulty losing weight, and excess body hair.

Ah, the body hair. As I look at myself right now, it's time for a Veet session.

Prior to my diagnosis, I've always tended to be hairy. Now PCOS just exacerbates it. I've got hair everywhere: Arms, legs, upper lip, chin, and other places I don't care to mention.

Somedays it bothers me, somedays it doesn't. My chin hairs fortunately grow weirdly horizontal instead of down. Which makes them less noticeable. Mr. Salt doesn't mind it too much...except when he calls my chin hairs "billy goat" hairs. Thanks, dear. He also says this in Navajo, though I can't recall the spelling for it.

So now it's time for a Veet session. I use Veet because Nair burns me, and I don't like shaving. I slather two formulas on: The new shower version for my legs, and the pump version that I use for everything else. All this usually entails me sitting in the restroom for about twenty minutes, since Mr. Salt has a sensitive nose and doesn't like the smell. I jump in the shower afterwords.

I usually do this about once or twice a month. I probably should do it every weekend, but like I said, it doesn't bother me that much. But if I do have a major event to go to, I do Veet then. And I do Veet my underarms more often just for hygenie sakes.

Just another day in the life of a womn with PCOS.

-DineBoo

P.S. Great quote of the day from Mr. Salt:

Mr. Salt: I'm just an Indian trying to live in the White Man's World.