Tips for surviving the inevitable snow while operating a motor vehicle:
1.) Convince yourself that STOP signs automatically convert into YIELD signs if it’s slippery.
2.) STAY BACK and WATCH YOUR BACK. While driving always remain at least 20 feet behind the car ahead of you. You don’t know them. They could be the OMG-I-Need-to-slam-on-my-breaks-because-the-light-2-miles-ahead-looks-red type of person and you don’t want to rear end the moron. Also, check your rear view mirror constantly. If someone is sliding behind you, you can drive defensively and speed up or swerve to avoid being hit.
3.) No need to pick a lane if you can’t see the lines. Just follow the damn tracks.
4.) OR if there is an obvious “2 lane” road and 2 lines have formed stick to the side that has the easiest ditch to be towed out of should you happen to veer off while playing air drums or reapplying the lip-gloss.
5.) Express road rage as you will but just keep two hands on the wheel, unless of course someone is worthy of a quick flip of the middle finger (aka that A-hole that flies by you going 70 in a 55 while you’re barely pushing 40 and blows snow all up in your grill) It’s a foggy haze of flippin’ snow so they can’t see your obscene gesture anyways. Or just stick your tongue out and yell the F bomb, it’s safer.
6.) Get your tank full. DO NOT however assume it is wise to slide your card and “pay at the pump” if the slot is filled with snow. I know this because mine got stuck in there and poor little Visa was frozen and battered from the 10 minutes I spent trying to retrieve it. Icy wet card + snow caked gloves = a cold mess.
7.) Wiper fluid? Make sure it’s full. Wiper blades? Make sure they work. Headlights? Turn them on. Ice scraper? Have no less than 3 in the car at all times! Keep extra gloves in the glove box, a shovel in the back and a nice stash of old shingles. Use common sense and delete all fear!
8.) Do not be the annoying driver that goes 3 mph and grips the steering wheel like your holding onto a ring of gold during a tornado and is too damn scared to even turn the radio station. Put on your big girl panties or wear a freakin’ diaper I don’t care just RELAX and drive like you’re sane.
9.) Take deep breathes and practice patience while being stuck in traffic. There is nothing that can speed up the people in front of you even if you honk, yell, flash lights, flash boobs, etc (tried them all, they failed). So just sit back and listen to Mozart or do some tongue exercises, make funny faces in the mirror or pick the lint out of your air vents. It is what it is.
10.) Remind yourself that IT’S ONLY SNOW! It’s only snow. White and cold and slippery when wet. It doesn’t shoot bullets. It just falls and sits. It’s what makes children giggle and brings snow angels to life. It makes Winter a wonderland and Christmas time bright so put on some cozy leg warmers and a big ol pair of boots and appreciate it while it’s here.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Dezember
Everybody I know in life pronounces December like it is spelled. De-cem-ber. Everyone that is except my Mom. For as long as I can remember she always replaced the “c” with a “z” and I never quite understood why. She would say it like Dezember, or more like Deh-zem-ber. I’m not sure if people never had the heart to correct her or if they just pretended that she was saying it right. I considered mentioning it on multiple occasions but I guess I preferred the little giggle I got in my heart every time she mispronounced it so I chose that moment of inner humor over correcting her grammar. I figured there would come a day where she would eventually pronounce the word like the rest of the world and I would congratulate her with a big proud smile and say “wow Mom you finally figured out how to say December!” She seemed so happy when she said it the way she did and I always wondered if she thought she was the only person on the planet saying it correctly! I will never know and I can honestly say that I am glad she left this earth without ever being corrected.
I imagine her watching me write this blog from above with that closed mouth smile and shaking her head with her eyes closed, thinking “Oh Melanie...” I wonder if she still says it incorrectly in heaven. Good Lord I would hope someone would have corrected her up there at least!
I miss her more than ever. I now understand what all those other people felt who have lost loved ones and are floating through the holidays with little holes in there hearts like mine. No phone calls asking about what my son Landon needs for Christmas. No talk of celebrating. I will never again taste all her holiday baked goods. I even miss those green wreath cookies that I always had to pick the red hots off of because the were just awful with those damn things on them. I will never see the joy in her eyes when setting up the house for Christmas with all her decorations and lights. Her Santa Claus collections are probably stuffed in a bin somewhere in the basement begging to come alive. I want to bring them to my house and give them life and see them sing and dance and think of my Mom. She would love that.
I will not let the fact that she is gone destroy my joy for the holidays. I will not become a grinch and mope around saying I hate the holidays as some people do. I love them. I love the memories of childhood and Santa Claus and the smell of a burning fireplace and the sweet taste of cocoa on my lips. The lit up tree and colorful presents with bows and tinsel. I will admit, there was a point where I wanted this all to go away, the Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday stuff. I imagined banging on a forward button with the intensity of swooping a large axe down through the stump of a tree and just getting this whole season over with. I have decided to change my mind. I am going to move through this with graciousness and let my wounds breathe as they see fit.
If I want to cry I will cry and if I want to buy I will buy. Yes, I have problem with trying to somehow buy away my feelings sometimes but whatever. Tis the season to overspend anyways right? I’ll take my joy where I can get it! Through the happiness and the pain I will be thankful for all that I have in this life and I will enjoy this holiday month for all it’s worth. I will survive December or Dezember (that’s for you Mom). I just giggled inside.
I imagine her watching me write this blog from above with that closed mouth smile and shaking her head with her eyes closed, thinking “Oh Melanie...” I wonder if she still says it incorrectly in heaven. Good Lord I would hope someone would have corrected her up there at least!
I miss her more than ever. I now understand what all those other people felt who have lost loved ones and are floating through the holidays with little holes in there hearts like mine. No phone calls asking about what my son Landon needs for Christmas. No talk of celebrating. I will never again taste all her holiday baked goods. I even miss those green wreath cookies that I always had to pick the red hots off of because the were just awful with those damn things on them. I will never see the joy in her eyes when setting up the house for Christmas with all her decorations and lights. Her Santa Claus collections are probably stuffed in a bin somewhere in the basement begging to come alive. I want to bring them to my house and give them life and see them sing and dance and think of my Mom. She would love that.
I will not let the fact that she is gone destroy my joy for the holidays. I will not become a grinch and mope around saying I hate the holidays as some people do. I love them. I love the memories of childhood and Santa Claus and the smell of a burning fireplace and the sweet taste of cocoa on my lips. The lit up tree and colorful presents with bows and tinsel. I will admit, there was a point where I wanted this all to go away, the Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday stuff. I imagined banging on a forward button with the intensity of swooping a large axe down through the stump of a tree and just getting this whole season over with. I have decided to change my mind. I am going to move through this with graciousness and let my wounds breathe as they see fit.
If I want to cry I will cry and if I want to buy I will buy. Yes, I have problem with trying to somehow buy away my feelings sometimes but whatever. Tis the season to overspend anyways right? I’ll take my joy where I can get it! Through the happiness and the pain I will be thankful for all that I have in this life and I will enjoy this holiday month for all it’s worth. I will survive December or Dezember (that’s for you Mom). I just giggled inside.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Giving a shout out to THANKFULNESS
Oh lovely day of thanks that visits us just once a year so we can remember all the intricate little details of our lives that are in actuality: blessings....
I have so very much to be thankful for, and although I appreciate my good fortunes every day, I feel in honor of the holiday I should make a list of them for good measure lest I forget what they are on any old random day. Perhaps I can look back on this list on those days that make me want to dig a hole in the earth and crawl inside or on the days where I’m raging with PMS and I can’t seem to find a particular sweater which leads to me bawling in my closet.
Anyhow--on to the thankfulness list~
1.) Vegetables. Yes I said it. Fresh organic vegetables. It is one of the many loves of my life and I smile at the smell of cucumbers. So thank you bountiful earth for all you provide.
2.) My keurig (google it if you’ve never seen one)for without this magical coffee brewer I would never have experienced the joy of a hot cup of coconut mocha or chocolate raspberry truffle. Oh the delight!
3.) Mobility. As in my limbs and their outstanding condition. I have no aches, pains, ailments to speak of. My legs and arms have been very good to me and being able to walk and jump and kick and hula hoop freely....well how can one not be thankful for that every day?!
4.) BOOKS. My worst nightmare would be if someone told me I could never read again. Printed words on pages make me so happy--books are my fuel, my knowledge and my inspiration. I love them.
5.) My job. I am so lucky to be able to go to work 5 days a week and to be surrounded with some pretty cool people. (Especially Jill because she can cry and laugh at the same time like I can and she let’s me tease her relentlessly and still loves me).
6.) Vodka, beer, and other beverages that give me that extra lift I need to let my personality shine. Heehee. Plus they give me some killer dance moves if I take them in large quantities. Hollah!
7.) My feet. For without those size 8 1/2 tootsies I would never be able to enjoy my most favorite hobby of all: shoe shopping.
8.) The faces in my life that make my heart swell. Mainly, my outstanding hubby, my bright eyed kiddo, and the 4 legged doggie Nico with the big chocolate eyes and little apple head. My family is what keeps me ticking and my beloved friends who without them in my life I would never know true deep chested laughter and honest companionship. LOVE conquers all. Give it, receive it, and be happy.
9.) My bed. I have to say it because I truly adore my sleeping quarters. It’s warm, cozy, and always there for me. It’s like a pet that doesn’t speak.
10.) Above all I am thankful for my optimistic mind. It has helped me through one of the toughest years of my life and only gets stronger as time goes on. It’s my own personal cheerleader working 24/7 and for that I am whole heartedly thankful.
Should I go on or is 10 things enough? Because really I could go on all night but at some point it would get ridiculous because I would be thankful for fuzzy socks, intelligent nutrients hairspray, goji berries, heated seats, skinny jeans.... It would be never ending.
So that is it for now.
I have so very much to be thankful for, and although I appreciate my good fortunes every day, I feel in honor of the holiday I should make a list of them for good measure lest I forget what they are on any old random day. Perhaps I can look back on this list on those days that make me want to dig a hole in the earth and crawl inside or on the days where I’m raging with PMS and I can’t seem to find a particular sweater which leads to me bawling in my closet.
Anyhow--on to the thankfulness list~
1.) Vegetables. Yes I said it. Fresh organic vegetables. It is one of the many loves of my life and I smile at the smell of cucumbers. So thank you bountiful earth for all you provide.
2.) My keurig (google it if you’ve never seen one)for without this magical coffee brewer I would never have experienced the joy of a hot cup of coconut mocha or chocolate raspberry truffle. Oh the delight!
3.) Mobility. As in my limbs and their outstanding condition. I have no aches, pains, ailments to speak of. My legs and arms have been very good to me and being able to walk and jump and kick and hula hoop freely....well how can one not be thankful for that every day?!
4.) BOOKS. My worst nightmare would be if someone told me I could never read again. Printed words on pages make me so happy--books are my fuel, my knowledge and my inspiration. I love them.
5.) My job. I am so lucky to be able to go to work 5 days a week and to be surrounded with some pretty cool people. (Especially Jill because she can cry and laugh at the same time like I can and she let’s me tease her relentlessly and still loves me).
6.) Vodka, beer, and other beverages that give me that extra lift I need to let my personality shine. Heehee. Plus they give me some killer dance moves if I take them in large quantities. Hollah!
7.) My feet. For without those size 8 1/2 tootsies I would never be able to enjoy my most favorite hobby of all: shoe shopping.
8.) The faces in my life that make my heart swell. Mainly, my outstanding hubby, my bright eyed kiddo, and the 4 legged doggie Nico with the big chocolate eyes and little apple head. My family is what keeps me ticking and my beloved friends who without them in my life I would never know true deep chested laughter and honest companionship. LOVE conquers all. Give it, receive it, and be happy.
9.) My bed. I have to say it because I truly adore my sleeping quarters. It’s warm, cozy, and always there for me. It’s like a pet that doesn’t speak.
10.) Above all I am thankful for my optimistic mind. It has helped me through one of the toughest years of my life and only gets stronger as time goes on. It’s my own personal cheerleader working 24/7 and for that I am whole heartedly thankful.
Should I go on or is 10 things enough? Because really I could go on all night but at some point it would get ridiculous because I would be thankful for fuzzy socks, intelligent nutrients hairspray, goji berries, heated seats, skinny jeans.... It would be never ending.
So that is it for now.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
You want WHAT for Christmas?!
My little Munch. It’s what I call him you know. It’s short for munchkin. It’s the current trendy title I like to bellow out when I call for him and it’s the sweet little term of endearment I use when I nuzzle his ear and kiss his lil’ cheeks goodnight. I sort of sing it like “LiiiitlleeMuuuuUnchhhh” and he responds with a smile. He is my gem. My star. My only. The light of my life. The peanut butter to my jelly. The axis to my earth. My child. My lovely little blessing with the cutest cheeks on the planet and a grin that could light up a room in 2 seconds flat. My silly little munch. Enough gushing now on to my story...
So he has been obsessed with kid motorcycles for a good year or so now. He dreams of them I’m certain. He watches video clips on youtube of toddlers riding motorcycles and it fascinates him. He watches them race and vroom vroom with their little helmets and riding gloves on and he thinks it’s the epitome of “cool.” He wants one more than he wants to be superman. He has been looking forward to Christmas since July convinced that his good behavior will land him a motorcycle beside the tree on Christmas morning. He doesn’t even talk in the wishing sense that he will get one, he talks in the matter-of-fact I am getting this kid motorcycle type of dialog. He’ll look up and smile stating “I can’t wait to get that kid motorcycle mommy. It’s gonna be awesome.”
Unless there is a real Santa Claus I do not foresee this wish being granted (bad mommy, I know). I’m hoping the obsession will fade once he sees all the beautiful new toys that come out for Christmas time. Anyways, the motorcycle thing is all he talks about and it’s his #1 dream. Until a few days ago. He finally announced that he no longer wants a kid motorcycle.
HE WANTS SOMETHING MORE THAN A KID MOTORCYCLE?!?! My heart danced in glee as I realized I didn’t have to see a little boy with a broken heart come Christmas morning when there would be no 2 wheeled danger mobile parked under the tree. I said “Are you sure? I thought you wanted that more than anything in the world.” “Well, I still like motorcycles but I really really really want something else that’s way more special than a motorcycle.” I said, “Well you’ve been really good so I’m sure Santa will bring what you think is special, what do you want?”
“What I really really want more than anything is that I want a little sister.”
A wha-huh?
*Ok so my heart broke a little inside because as he said it he was crawling onto the couch in his little footed pajamas with his baby blankie that he got the day he was born and will never detach from, and he laid down and looked at me with the utmost sincerity in his eyes and an underlying sadness that made my heart tip sideways.
I questioned him on this because he has always said how he likes being an only child and Nico (our lovely chihuahua) is his BFF/brother and he’s happy with our little family. He then informed me that he has changed his mind. He said “but if I’m so good then I’d make a really good big brother and I promise to always take care of her and love her forever and I’ll even put a blankie on her. Then Santa doesn’t have to bring me anything because you can have my gift from your tummy.” Oh heavens.
I don’t know if he’s a mini genius that’s dabbling with the advantages of reverse psychology or if he indeed wants “new life” for Christmas, but either way I have now found myself looking for motorcycles fit for 5 year olds and full on body gear for protection. The little stinker....
So he has been obsessed with kid motorcycles for a good year or so now. He dreams of them I’m certain. He watches video clips on youtube of toddlers riding motorcycles and it fascinates him. He watches them race and vroom vroom with their little helmets and riding gloves on and he thinks it’s the epitome of “cool.” He wants one more than he wants to be superman. He has been looking forward to Christmas since July convinced that his good behavior will land him a motorcycle beside the tree on Christmas morning. He doesn’t even talk in the wishing sense that he will get one, he talks in the matter-of-fact I am getting this kid motorcycle type of dialog. He’ll look up and smile stating “I can’t wait to get that kid motorcycle mommy. It’s gonna be awesome.”
Unless there is a real Santa Claus I do not foresee this wish being granted (bad mommy, I know). I’m hoping the obsession will fade once he sees all the beautiful new toys that come out for Christmas time. Anyways, the motorcycle thing is all he talks about and it’s his #1 dream. Until a few days ago. He finally announced that he no longer wants a kid motorcycle.
HE WANTS SOMETHING MORE THAN A KID MOTORCYCLE?!?! My heart danced in glee as I realized I didn’t have to see a little boy with a broken heart come Christmas morning when there would be no 2 wheeled danger mobile parked under the tree. I said “Are you sure? I thought you wanted that more than anything in the world.” “Well, I still like motorcycles but I really really really want something else that’s way more special than a motorcycle.” I said, “Well you’ve been really good so I’m sure Santa will bring what you think is special, what do you want?”
“What I really really want more than anything is that I want a little sister.”
A wha-huh?
*Ok so my heart broke a little inside because as he said it he was crawling onto the couch in his little footed pajamas with his baby blankie that he got the day he was born and will never detach from, and he laid down and looked at me with the utmost sincerity in his eyes and an underlying sadness that made my heart tip sideways.
I questioned him on this because he has always said how he likes being an only child and Nico (our lovely chihuahua) is his BFF/brother and he’s happy with our little family. He then informed me that he has changed his mind. He said “but if I’m so good then I’d make a really good big brother and I promise to always take care of her and love her forever and I’ll even put a blankie on her. Then Santa doesn’t have to bring me anything because you can have my gift from your tummy.” Oh heavens.
I don’t know if he’s a mini genius that’s dabbling with the advantages of reverse psychology or if he indeed wants “new life” for Christmas, but either way I have now found myself looking for motorcycles fit for 5 year olds and full on body gear for protection. The little stinker....
Monday, November 19, 2012
The sweet tooth strikes again...
It turned out to be winner! So allow me to introduce this delectable little masterpiece I like to call:
Creamy coconut and peanut butter awesomeness
1/2 cup earth balance coconut and peanut spread
6 oz. organic vanilla yogurt
1/4 vanilla almond milk (or regular)
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup whole grain rolled oats
Preheat oven to 350 and spray an 8x8 glass baking dish.
Blend together the egg,yogurt, and milk. Then add the sugars,oats,cocoa,salt, and baking powder. Pour the mixture into the dish.
Melt the coconut and peanut spread for 15 seconds and drop by dollops onto the batter. Swirl around to make it look marbled and fancy.
Bake for 25 minutes until they slightly pull away from the pan. Cool completely before digging in (I know it’s hard!) Then go nuts with them! These would be really good with coconut ice-cream...
Thursday, October 18, 2012
A little boy and his pumpkin head mommy
Being a Mom and a kid’s best friend at the same time can be a bit of a challenge. Hey, I can be both trust me and it works 99% of the time. Today was a little reminder though that I am indeed his “mother” and am supposed to be the mature one. The role model. The example of what one is supposed to act like...
Being that my little munch (I call him that yes) had no school today I was privileged to spend the day at home with him. Fabulous morning it was! Had breakfast, made up silly songs, baked muffins, watched Tom&Jerry, laughed laughed laughed. It was then time to head to Target as we needed more baking items as well as construction supplies to create this pumpkin art thing that he is to complete by Monday for his kindergarten project.
The little mister spotted the front row open parking spot and informed me to “put your hood on Mommy, it’s a bit chilly outside.” (Who’s the adult here?) He even grabbed the shopping cart and said I could be the traffic director and he’d obey my directions. So we did the go fast, go slow, go left, look out for that lady thing as we do and then he saw the Halloween section....
No biggie, we tried on masks, looked at spooky spiders, all that jazz. The little smartie pants even made this comment of which I was so proud: “Oh wow mommy look at all that candy. I bet that makes kids so crazy with all that sugar. That’s not very healthy is it Mommy? They should give out vegetables for trick or treating.” Haha. He never ever asks for candy and I love it. Ok so on to my story...
He then decided to jet off in a full on marathon sprint. Just randomly. Through the aisles up and down all over the store. Literally. I couldn’t find him at times and I sure as hell couldn’t catch him. I’d call out for him constantly. He would sneak a peek down an aisle and whoosh he’d be off dashing away at the speed of light. Giggling and smiling. It was cute at first but then it got tiresome. He was the damn road runner. At one point I saw him like 5 aisles down in the toilet paper aisle and his little head poked out and he said “Meep!Meep!” and I swear his legs spun in circles as he sped off. I was irritated and yet I could not stop laughing. His spirit just makes me happy and that zest he has for life is definitely something to be admired. I tried so hard not to show a smile, I even had to bury my face in my sleeve so he’d believe that I meant business when we caught eyes.
He finally stopped and I tried to act disappointed in him but it was so hard with his silly little face that I couldn’t even speak or I would have smiled and completely blown my obligatory scold. When we got back in the car and I felt like I could be serious I said how unacceptable his behavior was and that he needs to stick by me and listen better. He says “Don’t worry Mommy, you will never lose me cuz I’m a super fast runner and no one can ever catch me and you are the only mommy I’ll ever run back to. I’m just practicing for when I’m a super hero one day. You told me I gotta keep practicing if I wanna be the best at something right Mommy?” And then I laugh again.
Of course he said he was sorry and he wants to make his pumpkin look like his Mommy because I’m his best friend. What can I say? The kid has my heart in the palm of his hand. The pumpkin does kind of look like me besides the pin tattooed nose, not really sure what that’s all about....He even took my lipstick out of my purse and put on some “real lips.” Haha.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
On LIFE after DEATH
On LIFE after DEATH: A book review
Well it has been 7 months since my Mom crossed over from the physical world (or as some people would say “since my Mom died”) and it seems lately that I miss her more than ever. It never ends. This feeling of loss is inescapable. It sits on my shoulder and crawls up my throat. I choke on it. I let it out then push it down. Sometimes I just sit with it and wonder if this hollowed part of me will ever become whole again.
Time. It’s supposed to heal everything right? I believe this to be true, however I didn’t realize this whole healing thing would come in waves where you make some progress and then regress, feel at ease some days and then get attacked with emotion when you’re not looking. It’s all part of TIME. Good days, bad days, blah blah blah. The hole is still there. Some days it feels like it starts to gape open like a raw wound and even gets sprinkled with salt on occasion. So I read some good books, meditate, feel grateful for my life, cherish the memories and ever so slowly the hole starts to stitch itself back up. Then I realize that I am NEVER going to hear my Mom’s voice again and poof, the hole opens again and the process continues....
I’m doing quite well considering the fact that I’m walking around with this hole in my heart and I still manage to function in a positive and enjoyable fashion. Walking, talking, giggling, jumping about as if it’s not really there. I’m still me and appear completely whole on the outside. The insides can feel as fragile as a butterflies wing but you’d never know it by the way it’s covered up with my sturdy skeletal structure and sheet of skin to shield the heart that is ticking away with a big ol’ hole in it. That is a miracle in itself my friends!
It gets easier to walk into my parents house as time goes on. I feel my Mom’s presence so deeply when I’m there that I swear there is an energy that is trailing 2 steps behind me when I walk down the hallway. It feels GOOD. The house is exactly as it was when my Mom was still with us. Her purse still sits on the floor in the dining room where she left it. I think it will probably stay there forever getting walked over and vacuumed around for as long as the house is standing. I wonder if the 1/2 eaten cookie is still inside the pocket. I have grown to like seeing her purse sitting there. It’s comforting...like she’s still around.
The last time I went home my Dad gave me this book he read called “on LIFE after DEATH” by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. I read it in one sitting. It is a phenomenal book and I would suggest it to anyone who has lost a loved one or is simply curious about death. The author has witnessed many deaths as well as interviewed hundreds of people who have died and come back to life...Yes that happens. Death is not an ending. It is merely us coming out of our cocoon into the next beautiful place.
There are so many important and healing words written within the pages of this book and the ones that stuck out the most were the ones that were highlighted (I’m assuming by my Dad) I will share them with you in hopes that you will feel compelled to read the whole book--it’s only 85 pages!
Here they are:
~The opinion which other people have of you is their problem, not yours. This is very important to know. If you have a clear conscience and are doing your work with love, others will spit on you and try to make your life miserable.
~The greatest gift God granted man is free will. Among living beings, free will is given only to man. As such, man has the choice to use this energy in a positive or negative way.
~ If someone doesn’t like a certain truth, he will come up with a thousand arguments against it. However, again, this is his problem. One shouldn’t try to convince other people. When they die, they will know it anyway.
~What church tells little children about guardian angels is based on fact. There is proof that every human being, from his birth until his death, is guided by a spirit entity. Everyone has such a spirit guide, whether you believe it or not. Whether you are Jewish, catholic, or a member of any other religion doesn’t matter, for such love is unconditional. This is why everyone receives this gift as a spirit guide.
~In general the people that are waiting for you on the other side are the ones who loved us the most. You always meet those people first.
~After seeing the light nobody wants to come back. Here, there is understanding without judging and here you experience unconditional love. You will come to know that all your life on earth was nothing but a school that you had to go through in order to pass certain tests and learn special lessons. As soon as you have finished this school and mastered your lessons, you are allowed to go home to graduate! There is one thing everybody has to learn before he can return from where he came, and that is unconditional love. If you have learned and practiced this, you have mastered the greatest lesson of all.
~We are created for a very simple, beautiful, and wonderful life. My greatest wish is that you will start looking at life differently. If you accept life as something you were created for, then you will no longer question whose lives should be extended and whose should not.
~To live well means basically to learn to love.
~Knowledge helps, but knowledge alone is not going to help anybody. If you do not use your head and your heart and your soul, you are not going to help a single human being.
~Nothing comes to you as a negative. I mean nothing. All the trials and tribulations, the greatest losses, things that make you say “If I had know about this I would never have been able to make it through,” are gifts to you.
~Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow. The only thing you lose is something that you don’t need anymore:your physical body.
~Not one of my patients who has had an out-of-body experience was ever again afraid to die. Not one of them in all of our cases.
~You don’t have to do anything except learn to get in touch, in silence, within yourself. Get in touch with your own inner self and learn not to be afraid. One way to not be afraid is to know that death does not exist, that everything in this life has a positive purpose. Get rid of all your negativity and begin to view life as a challenge, a testing ground of your own inner resources and strength.
~I truly believe that every human being consists of a physical, an emotional, an intellectual, and a spiritual quadrant. If we can learn to externalize our unnatural emotions, our hate, our anguish, our unresolved grief, our oceans of unshed tears, then we can get back, get tuned in to what we were meant to be: a human being consisting of four quadrants, all of which work together in total harmony and wholeness.
~Death is but a transition from this life to another existence where there is no more pain and anguish. All the bitterness and disagreements will vanish and the only thing that lives forever is LOVE. So love each other NOW, for we never know how long we will be blessed with the presence of those who gave us LIFE- no matter how imperfect many a parent has been.
*The hole in my heart contracted a little by the time I finished typing this blog. We will see what tomorrow brings... :)
Well it has been 7 months since my Mom crossed over from the physical world (or as some people would say “since my Mom died”) and it seems lately that I miss her more than ever. It never ends. This feeling of loss is inescapable. It sits on my shoulder and crawls up my throat. I choke on it. I let it out then push it down. Sometimes I just sit with it and wonder if this hollowed part of me will ever become whole again.
Time. It’s supposed to heal everything right? I believe this to be true, however I didn’t realize this whole healing thing would come in waves where you make some progress and then regress, feel at ease some days and then get attacked with emotion when you’re not looking. It’s all part of TIME. Good days, bad days, blah blah blah. The hole is still there. Some days it feels like it starts to gape open like a raw wound and even gets sprinkled with salt on occasion. So I read some good books, meditate, feel grateful for my life, cherish the memories and ever so slowly the hole starts to stitch itself back up. Then I realize that I am NEVER going to hear my Mom’s voice again and poof, the hole opens again and the process continues....
I’m doing quite well considering the fact that I’m walking around with this hole in my heart and I still manage to function in a positive and enjoyable fashion. Walking, talking, giggling, jumping about as if it’s not really there. I’m still me and appear completely whole on the outside. The insides can feel as fragile as a butterflies wing but you’d never know it by the way it’s covered up with my sturdy skeletal structure and sheet of skin to shield the heart that is ticking away with a big ol’ hole in it. That is a miracle in itself my friends!
It gets easier to walk into my parents house as time goes on. I feel my Mom’s presence so deeply when I’m there that I swear there is an energy that is trailing 2 steps behind me when I walk down the hallway. It feels GOOD. The house is exactly as it was when my Mom was still with us. Her purse still sits on the floor in the dining room where she left it. I think it will probably stay there forever getting walked over and vacuumed around for as long as the house is standing. I wonder if the 1/2 eaten cookie is still inside the pocket. I have grown to like seeing her purse sitting there. It’s comforting...like she’s still around.
The last time I went home my Dad gave me this book he read called “on LIFE after DEATH” by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. I read it in one sitting. It is a phenomenal book and I would suggest it to anyone who has lost a loved one or is simply curious about death. The author has witnessed many deaths as well as interviewed hundreds of people who have died and come back to life...Yes that happens. Death is not an ending. It is merely us coming out of our cocoon into the next beautiful place.
There are so many important and healing words written within the pages of this book and the ones that stuck out the most were the ones that were highlighted (I’m assuming by my Dad) I will share them with you in hopes that you will feel compelled to read the whole book--it’s only 85 pages!
Here they are:
~The opinion which other people have of you is their problem, not yours. This is very important to know. If you have a clear conscience and are doing your work with love, others will spit on you and try to make your life miserable.
~The greatest gift God granted man is free will. Among living beings, free will is given only to man. As such, man has the choice to use this energy in a positive or negative way.
~ If someone doesn’t like a certain truth, he will come up with a thousand arguments against it. However, again, this is his problem. One shouldn’t try to convince other people. When they die, they will know it anyway.
~What church tells little children about guardian angels is based on fact. There is proof that every human being, from his birth until his death, is guided by a spirit entity. Everyone has such a spirit guide, whether you believe it or not. Whether you are Jewish, catholic, or a member of any other religion doesn’t matter, for such love is unconditional. This is why everyone receives this gift as a spirit guide.
~In general the people that are waiting for you on the other side are the ones who loved us the most. You always meet those people first.
~After seeing the light nobody wants to come back. Here, there is understanding without judging and here you experience unconditional love. You will come to know that all your life on earth was nothing but a school that you had to go through in order to pass certain tests and learn special lessons. As soon as you have finished this school and mastered your lessons, you are allowed to go home to graduate! There is one thing everybody has to learn before he can return from where he came, and that is unconditional love. If you have learned and practiced this, you have mastered the greatest lesson of all.
~We are created for a very simple, beautiful, and wonderful life. My greatest wish is that you will start looking at life differently. If you accept life as something you were created for, then you will no longer question whose lives should be extended and whose should not.
~To live well means basically to learn to love.
~Knowledge helps, but knowledge alone is not going to help anybody. If you do not use your head and your heart and your soul, you are not going to help a single human being.
~Nothing comes to you as a negative. I mean nothing. All the trials and tribulations, the greatest losses, things that make you say “If I had know about this I would never have been able to make it through,” are gifts to you.
~Death is simply a shedding of the physical body like the butterfly shedding its cocoon. It is a transition to a higher state of consciousness where you continue to perceive, to understand, to laugh, and to be able to grow. The only thing you lose is something that you don’t need anymore:your physical body.
~Not one of my patients who has had an out-of-body experience was ever again afraid to die. Not one of them in all of our cases.
~You don’t have to do anything except learn to get in touch, in silence, within yourself. Get in touch with your own inner self and learn not to be afraid. One way to not be afraid is to know that death does not exist, that everything in this life has a positive purpose. Get rid of all your negativity and begin to view life as a challenge, a testing ground of your own inner resources and strength.
~I truly believe that every human being consists of a physical, an emotional, an intellectual, and a spiritual quadrant. If we can learn to externalize our unnatural emotions, our hate, our anguish, our unresolved grief, our oceans of unshed tears, then we can get back, get tuned in to what we were meant to be: a human being consisting of four quadrants, all of which work together in total harmony and wholeness.
~Death is but a transition from this life to another existence where there is no more pain and anguish. All the bitterness and disagreements will vanish and the only thing that lives forever is LOVE. So love each other NOW, for we never know how long we will be blessed with the presence of those who gave us LIFE- no matter how imperfect many a parent has been.
*The hole in my heart contracted a little by the time I finished typing this blog. We will see what tomorrow brings... :)
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Every day is a good day~
Today and every day, I will never dwell on my minor aches and pains and petty disappointments. I will not think of the day as horrible or of people as unkind. Ever. I will not feel sorry for myself or wallow about things that won’t matter a day from now and I will NOT under any circumstances ever classify my moments on earth as a “bad day” so long as I am greeted with the warm faces of my family when I get home and retire to a cozy bed at night.
Why?
Because somewhere in this world it is 100% guaranteed that there is another person who is worse off than me. There is no doubt that someone is carrying a heavier load, grieving a greater loss or crying one more tear than me. Somebody has more cracks in their heart and more scars in their mind than me. Someone is always having a harder day in this big old world and nothing can ever compare to any difficulty I may think I am going through...
Someone this very second is being told they have a terminal disease and they haven’t even reached their 10th birthday. The world stopped for a second and a heart broke.
This very moment someone is opening their eyes in a hospital bed and when the doctor asks them if they know their name, they can only respond with a lingering blank stare, an answer that will never come, and a loved one that is sitting beside them who felt like every drop of hope just dripped out of their soul.
Somewhere in this world there is a child screaming from hunger and a mother who is powerless to change it.
Homes are lost. Every day. Jobs are lost every day. Trust is lost every day. Loved ones are lost. Every single day.
Right now there is an expectant mother who’s hearing the words “I’m sorry. We can’t find a heartbeat” and she refuses to believe it. And then she knows it’s true. And slowly her heart crumbles.
Someone just got the knock on their door, the letter in the mail, or the call on the phone and they know a loved one has died. Unexpectedly. They are in that state of electrifying shock that makes you feel like a lightning bolt is stretching from your spine to your fingertips.
Right now someone in this world stepped on a nail while barefoot. Somewhere out there someone just had their hand get closed in a car door. Someone is stuck in a burning building. Someone has a gun to their head.
Someone is seeing something that will scar them for the rest of their lives...
Over 24 people were killed today by a drunk driver. Their families struggle to understand.
Women across the globe were raped today. In some countries this is "normal" everyday behavior.
Right now a mother is wondering whether her child will die of an overdose. She hasn’t slept in days.
Someone right now is taking a breath and not knowing whether the inhale will indeed turn into an exhale. They know they are dying and it is beyond their control. It slowly breaks the hearts of many and is never something you think would happen to you.
There is nothing worth complaining about, dwelling on, or regretting about a day that you can reach the end of and know that a fresh one will greet you in the morning. It’s all about those 24 hour increments. You survive that way. One day at a time. One breath at a time.
To savor each day is the only gift we can give to ourselves and it’s free. Enjoying the little moments that can make our heart dance if just for a second can be worth whatever price you put on it. The good things in life will always outweigh the bad so as long as you choose to focus on them. What you deem to be of value and what price you put on your happiness is up to YOU. If you can acknowledge the blessings in whatever it is that exists in the here and now and see the joy in what you have left in this life then you are doing just fine. You have a another day to feel grateful for and another tomorrow to anticipate and that is all you need for life to be worthwhile.
Why?
Because somewhere in this world it is 100% guaranteed that there is another person who is worse off than me. There is no doubt that someone is carrying a heavier load, grieving a greater loss or crying one more tear than me. Somebody has more cracks in their heart and more scars in their mind than me. Someone is always having a harder day in this big old world and nothing can ever compare to any difficulty I may think I am going through...
Someone this very second is being told they have a terminal disease and they haven’t even reached their 10th birthday. The world stopped for a second and a heart broke.
This very moment someone is opening their eyes in a hospital bed and when the doctor asks them if they know their name, they can only respond with a lingering blank stare, an answer that will never come, and a loved one that is sitting beside them who felt like every drop of hope just dripped out of their soul.
Somewhere in this world there is a child screaming from hunger and a mother who is powerless to change it.
Homes are lost. Every day. Jobs are lost every day. Trust is lost every day. Loved ones are lost. Every single day.
Right now there is an expectant mother who’s hearing the words “I’m sorry. We can’t find a heartbeat” and she refuses to believe it. And then she knows it’s true. And slowly her heart crumbles.
Someone just got the knock on their door, the letter in the mail, or the call on the phone and they know a loved one has died. Unexpectedly. They are in that state of electrifying shock that makes you feel like a lightning bolt is stretching from your spine to your fingertips.
Right now someone in this world stepped on a nail while barefoot. Somewhere out there someone just had their hand get closed in a car door. Someone is stuck in a burning building. Someone has a gun to their head.
Someone is seeing something that will scar them for the rest of their lives...
Over 24 people were killed today by a drunk driver. Their families struggle to understand.
Women across the globe were raped today. In some countries this is "normal" everyday behavior.
Right now a mother is wondering whether her child will die of an overdose. She hasn’t slept in days.
Someone right now is taking a breath and not knowing whether the inhale will indeed turn into an exhale. They know they are dying and it is beyond their control. It slowly breaks the hearts of many and is never something you think would happen to you.
There is nothing worth complaining about, dwelling on, or regretting about a day that you can reach the end of and know that a fresh one will greet you in the morning. It’s all about those 24 hour increments. You survive that way. One day at a time. One breath at a time.
To savor each day is the only gift we can give to ourselves and it’s free. Enjoying the little moments that can make our heart dance if just for a second can be worth whatever price you put on it. The good things in life will always outweigh the bad so as long as you choose to focus on them. What you deem to be of value and what price you put on your happiness is up to YOU. If you can acknowledge the blessings in whatever it is that exists in the here and now and see the joy in what you have left in this life then you are doing just fine. You have a another day to feel grateful for and another tomorrow to anticipate and that is all you need for life to be worthwhile.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Life-Change-Acceptance-Forgiveness: Piecing it all together
LIFE. It’s all about learning how to love people unconditionally while they are here and release them valiantly when it is their time to go. To be able to love with all your might and let go with every ounce of grace you can goes hand in hand. We are not meant to be on this planet forever. We are not meant to hold hands with other physical beings forever, see the same eyes forever, exchange the same words and relish in the same thoughts forever.
Every day we must anticipate CHANGE.
Change. It can feel like a slap in the face sometimes yet is the one constant in life along with death and taxes. We have to roll with it or risk being run over by pushing against it. It comes in waves, sometimes storms. It can go against the grain, and yet we need to be able to catch onto the wings of change and somehow keep afloat. Compromise with multiple angles and adhere if we want to survive. Stay sane. Allow our minds to grow forward, up, and out into a bubble of optimism.
Breathe in with serenity and breathe out with ACCEPTANCE.
Acceptance. It is never about what we think it’s about. We think we need to learn how to understand other people and their mindsets, their opinions, their faults, their struggles and it has nothing to do with that. Acceptance is within YOU. Once you have that grandiose understanding of who you are, what you’re about and take a fine tooth comb through your own emotions until you can grasp that intricate little piece of YOU that you’ve been struggling to understand. Only then will you understand that acceptance of others comes naturally once you have reached the root of what YOU are all about.
It is about loving yourself unconditionally and understanding the art of FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness. It has nothing to do with apologies and forgetting the wrong that has been done to you. It has to do with loving yourself enough to do RIGHT to your soul. It is the greatest gift you can give yourself. You have to love yourself enough to let go of anger. Respect yourself enough to know your own worth. You don’t deserve the doubt, the regret, the wonder of trying to figure out everyone's baggage. Their wrong doing is not your burden to bear. Love and let go. Realize the reward of an honorable conscience and a well rounded heart. And so continues the journey of LIFE.
Every day we must anticipate CHANGE.
Change. It can feel like a slap in the face sometimes yet is the one constant in life along with death and taxes. We have to roll with it or risk being run over by pushing against it. It comes in waves, sometimes storms. It can go against the grain, and yet we need to be able to catch onto the wings of change and somehow keep afloat. Compromise with multiple angles and adhere if we want to survive. Stay sane. Allow our minds to grow forward, up, and out into a bubble of optimism.
Breathe in with serenity and breathe out with ACCEPTANCE.
Acceptance. It is never about what we think it’s about. We think we need to learn how to understand other people and their mindsets, their opinions, their faults, their struggles and it has nothing to do with that. Acceptance is within YOU. Once you have that grandiose understanding of who you are, what you’re about and take a fine tooth comb through your own emotions until you can grasp that intricate little piece of YOU that you’ve been struggling to understand. Only then will you understand that acceptance of others comes naturally once you have reached the root of what YOU are all about.
It is about loving yourself unconditionally and understanding the art of FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness. It has nothing to do with apologies and forgetting the wrong that has been done to you. It has to do with loving yourself enough to do RIGHT to your soul. It is the greatest gift you can give yourself. You have to love yourself enough to let go of anger. Respect yourself enough to know your own worth. You don’t deserve the doubt, the regret, the wonder of trying to figure out everyone's baggage. Their wrong doing is not your burden to bear. Love and let go. Realize the reward of an honorable conscience and a well rounded heart. And so continues the journey of LIFE.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Can't get enough of these yummy balls :)
~Nutritious and delicious Energy balls~
1 cup dry oats (I use a mix of steel cut and old fashioned oats)
1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
2/3 cups organic coconut flakes
1 1/2 tbsp. Navita’s Naturals chia seeds
2 tbsp. Navita’s Naturals Raw Maca powder
1/2 cup roughly chopped 80% cacao chocolate (I use Ghiradelli)
1 cup peanut butter (I use MaraNatha organic)
1/3 cup organic honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Method: Stir all of the ingredients together until blended. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour to firm up. Roll into golf ball size bites and store in the fridge. Enjoy!!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Just a lil' blog about equality, hypocrites, and nasty chicken sandwiches
If you’ve peeked at the news at all lately you’d know that the CEO of Chick-fil-A restaurants has willingly put his foot in his mouth when admitting his distaste for same sex marriage and stating that he’s for the biblical form of family unions. Obviously, since this is a country divided by politics, women and men are on the edge of their seats just waiting for the next controversial remark to slide off of a citizen’s tongue in order to let chaos ensue and protests run rampage in an effort to fight for their rights and beliefs. CEO, Dan Cathy holds his ground. He’s a christian after all and well, they just don’t believe in the actions of same sex love, according to him.
Free speech or not, it’s probably not wise to state that you and your company are against same sex unions unless you intend to spark some major protests and risk a quick boycott on your business. On the other hand, those who support his position are lined up at the door ready to proudly purchase their fat ridden sandwiches and milk shakes as a way to condone his right to free speech and agree with his statements. Things are never really about what they’re about, there’s always underlining issues and emotions that make people do the things they do, in this case it’s whether or not to purchase a chicken sandwich based on a remark by the CEO.
Some people support the fact that Dan Cathy had the balls to stand up for what he believes to be right and some people want to cut off his balls for saying it, either way people are all fired up...which leads me to question: Should this guy get a bad rap for stating what (unfortunately) other people in the world are (still) thinking? Well yes I suppose. If you’re going to say something you have to be willing to take the multitude of backlash that comes along with it, you open yourself up to the barrage of opinions and supposedly “unholy” like relationships that (like it or not) exist in the world today. The good, the bad, and the ugly will trail after every word you speak, especially if you announce it to where the world will hear it.
It is 2012 people, times have changed things. This isn’t just about whether or not someone condones your sexual choices. It is about equality. It is about rights. It is about humanity, civil decency, and respect to our fellow citizens. This is how people fight for their liberty in 2012. You make a comment about being anti-gay and it will not get brushed off people’s shoulders. It’s not always about what the bible says to be right or wrong, if you’re going to bring out the good ol’ Leviticus 18:22 verse that states “thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination,” then you better also follow everything else that the bible says you are not to do unless you'd like to risk looking like a hypocrite.
For example, Leviticus 19:27 states, “Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of they beard.” (Hmm...Dan Cathy has a shaved head and no facial hair. Is he disobeying God’s command?) Leviticus 19:28 states “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.”(Hmm...Dan Cathy has his own motorcycle gang called Moo Cow bikers and has been quoted saying: “I think we all need more friends with tattoos, ponytails and earrings!”) I could go all day with this but you get my point here!
I am not anti bible and I am not anti-God. I believe that whether you are straight, gay, tranny, bi-tri, purple, spotted, unicorned, what the hell ever, sleep with whomever and buy what you want and marry who you choose to, as long as you do not hurt anyone else by doing it that is OK by me. WE are equal. But hey, since I’m on a bible verse role here, let’s whip out a few more shall we? Make your brain like a sponge and absorb them please:
Corinthians 3:16
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."
Genesis 1:29
And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food."
Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
Proverbs 15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.
By the way, this is the first blog that I have ever quoted bible verses! I don’t obsess over all of it’s hidden meanings and rules, but I only stated these things because:
Every Christian in support of Dan Cathy who is against gay marriage needs to know that they are appearing to be a hypocrite if they stand in line for their Chik-Fil A sandwich in an effort to back his statements. Why you ask? Well for starters, God intended for us to live, eat, and survive off of the earth, hence his “seed.” He did not state anything in the Bible about consuming monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is one of the main ingredients in the sandwich. So if you point your finger at the gays and say they’re living in sin, well so are you my friend. Fix your diet. You should be treating your body like a temple and honoring your physical and moral self. Eating chemically laced foods is in violation of God’s will. You should not be poisoning your body. Your gift of life is being invaded by toxins with every bite from Chik-Fil- A. Yes it is. Here are the ingredients in their sandwich:
• monosodium glutamate (twice!)
• soybean oil
• sodium aluminum phosphate
• dimethylpolysiloxane (an anti-foaming chemical) <---that’s a filler in breast implants!
• high fructose corn syrup <----GAH! Don't even get me started on this one!
• ammonium sulfate
• soy lecithin
• sodium benzoate
• polysorbate 80
• yellow 5
• blue 1
• potassium sorbate
• TBHQ
The longer list can be found below:
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Menu-Detail/ChickfilA-Chicken-Sandwich#?details=ingredients
If you claim to follow the teachings of Christ and yet practice gluttony and willingly eat things that are toxic you are living a lie and will go to hell. Right? If you claim to be a Christian but do not practice good nutrition, all the prayer in the world will not save you from disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. You are abusing your temple and God helps those who help themselves. Clean your body and clean your mind. Fast food is toxic to your temple and you are disrespecting God when you disrespect your body.
Seriously though, doesn’t this whole battle of gay rights vs. chicken sandwiches seem a bit ridiculous? If you’re that worked up over his comments just stop eating his unhealthy sandwiches. You’ll outlive the guy and his asinine thoughts won’t matter anyway! Let the supporters of his restaurant clog their arteries and get fat. Wake up!! Quit being programmed like a robot to eat this junk just because a commercial glamorizes it by having a gorgeous set of red lips tease you into eating it. You are smarter than that!
I think I’ll go eat some fruit and fuel my temple now. In closure: Eat to live, don’t live to eat. Love yourself and you will learn to love all others. Don’t get your panties in a bunch over all this chaos --stupid people say stupid shit all the time, we just don’t hear about it. Acceptance of same sex relationships is just around the corner and if you stop eating drug laced Chick-fil A sandwiches you may still be alive to see it.
Free speech or not, it’s probably not wise to state that you and your company are against same sex unions unless you intend to spark some major protests and risk a quick boycott on your business. On the other hand, those who support his position are lined up at the door ready to proudly purchase their fat ridden sandwiches and milk shakes as a way to condone his right to free speech and agree with his statements. Things are never really about what they’re about, there’s always underlining issues and emotions that make people do the things they do, in this case it’s whether or not to purchase a chicken sandwich based on a remark by the CEO.
Some people support the fact that Dan Cathy had the balls to stand up for what he believes to be right and some people want to cut off his balls for saying it, either way people are all fired up...which leads me to question: Should this guy get a bad rap for stating what (unfortunately) other people in the world are (still) thinking? Well yes I suppose. If you’re going to say something you have to be willing to take the multitude of backlash that comes along with it, you open yourself up to the barrage of opinions and supposedly “unholy” like relationships that (like it or not) exist in the world today. The good, the bad, and the ugly will trail after every word you speak, especially if you announce it to where the world will hear it.
It is 2012 people, times have changed things. This isn’t just about whether or not someone condones your sexual choices. It is about equality. It is about rights. It is about humanity, civil decency, and respect to our fellow citizens. This is how people fight for their liberty in 2012. You make a comment about being anti-gay and it will not get brushed off people’s shoulders. It’s not always about what the bible says to be right or wrong, if you’re going to bring out the good ol’ Leviticus 18:22 verse that states “thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination,” then you better also follow everything else that the bible says you are not to do unless you'd like to risk looking like a hypocrite.
For example, Leviticus 19:27 states, “Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of they beard.” (Hmm...Dan Cathy has a shaved head and no facial hair. Is he disobeying God’s command?) Leviticus 19:28 states “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.”(Hmm...Dan Cathy has his own motorcycle gang called Moo Cow bikers and has been quoted saying: “I think we all need more friends with tattoos, ponytails and earrings!”) I could go all day with this but you get my point here!
I am not anti bible and I am not anti-God. I believe that whether you are straight, gay, tranny, bi-tri, purple, spotted, unicorned, what the hell ever, sleep with whomever and buy what you want and marry who you choose to, as long as you do not hurt anyone else by doing it that is OK by me. WE are equal. But hey, since I’m on a bible verse role here, let’s whip out a few more shall we? Make your brain like a sponge and absorb them please:
Corinthians 3:16
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."
Genesis 1:29
And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food."
Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
Proverbs 15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.
By the way, this is the first blog that I have ever quoted bible verses! I don’t obsess over all of it’s hidden meanings and rules, but I only stated these things because:
Every Christian in support of Dan Cathy who is against gay marriage needs to know that they are appearing to be a hypocrite if they stand in line for their Chik-Fil A sandwich in an effort to back his statements. Why you ask? Well for starters, God intended for us to live, eat, and survive off of the earth, hence his “seed.” He did not state anything in the Bible about consuming monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is one of the main ingredients in the sandwich. So if you point your finger at the gays and say they’re living in sin, well so are you my friend. Fix your diet. You should be treating your body like a temple and honoring your physical and moral self. Eating chemically laced foods is in violation of God’s will. You should not be poisoning your body. Your gift of life is being invaded by toxins with every bite from Chik-Fil- A. Yes it is. Here are the ingredients in their sandwich:
• monosodium glutamate (twice!)
• soybean oil
• sodium aluminum phosphate
• dimethylpolysiloxane (an anti-foaming chemical) <---that’s a filler in breast implants!
• high fructose corn syrup <----GAH! Don't even get me started on this one!
• ammonium sulfate
• soy lecithin
• sodium benzoate
• polysorbate 80
• yellow 5
• blue 1
• potassium sorbate
• TBHQ
The longer list can be found below:
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Menu-Detail/ChickfilA-Chicken-Sandwich#?details=ingredients
If you claim to follow the teachings of Christ and yet practice gluttony and willingly eat things that are toxic you are living a lie and will go to hell. Right? If you claim to be a Christian but do not practice good nutrition, all the prayer in the world will not save you from disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. You are abusing your temple and God helps those who help themselves. Clean your body and clean your mind. Fast food is toxic to your temple and you are disrespecting God when you disrespect your body.
Seriously though, doesn’t this whole battle of gay rights vs. chicken sandwiches seem a bit ridiculous? If you’re that worked up over his comments just stop eating his unhealthy sandwiches. You’ll outlive the guy and his asinine thoughts won’t matter anyway! Let the supporters of his restaurant clog their arteries and get fat. Wake up!! Quit being programmed like a robot to eat this junk just because a commercial glamorizes it by having a gorgeous set of red lips tease you into eating it. You are smarter than that!
I think I’ll go eat some fruit and fuel my temple now. In closure: Eat to live, don’t live to eat. Love yourself and you will learn to love all others. Don’t get your panties in a bunch over all this chaos --stupid people say stupid shit all the time, we just don’t hear about it. Acceptance of same sex relationships is just around the corner and if you stop eating drug laced Chick-fil A sandwiches you may still be alive to see it.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Lookey what I made ~~~
I did it! I created something yummy and somewhat good for you using things I had in the cupboard plus a creative imagination...and hot damn the thing actually turned out! For once I actually wrote down and measured the things I added so that I can no longer say “Oh I just threw some stuff together” when someone asks me for the recipe. So here it is, I think I’ll call it .....
“GOOEY COOKIE PIE”
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 15 oz. can butter beans
1 cup organic oats
1/2 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
3 tbsp. coconut oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. celtic sea salt
1 1/2 cups coconut palm sugar (I use nativa’s naturals)1 cup ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips
Mix it all together (except the chocolate chips) and blend up well in a food processor. Stir in the chocolate chips. Use coconut oil to grease a glass pie baking dish and pour in the batter. Cook at 350 for 35 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes before devouring.
Mmmmm...... I think this may be gone by morning. Love it.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
A little random chant about life :)
The quality and enjoyment of your life has NOTHING to do with where you live but HOW you choose to live.
It has nothing to do with how many people you know, but how well you actually know yourself.
It has nothing to do with how much money you have, but whether you earned it in an honorable fashion.
It has nothing to do with how big your home is, but how big your heart is.
It has nothing to do with how much you know about the details of others peoples lives, but how much you truly care to discover about your own.
It has nothing to do with how expensive the car is that you drive, but how worthy the driver is of the car.
It has nothing to do with where you came from but where you plan to take yourself, how you plan to get there, and the amount of integrity you dedicate to following the path you set.
It has nothing to do with who thinks what about you, but how much time you care to dedicate to the opinion of others.
It has nothing to do with circumstance and everything to do with creating your own destiny.
It has nothing to do with “could have been” or “should have done”, but everything to do with “Today I will” and “Now I can.”
It has nothing to do with the past, everything to do with the present. It has nothing to do with what was, but what CAN BE.
It has nothing to do with the possessions in your life, but the people in your life. It has nothing to do with those you chose to forget and everything to do those worth remembering.
It has nothing to do with worry, regret, and grudges for they should drop away as easy as the sunset. It has EVERYTHING to do with gratitude, forgiveness, and LOVE.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Mother's Day: It's not just for the living
Yup. I’m the crazy girl who went and bought a Mother’s Day card even though her Mom is passed away. I didn’t do it because I forgot that she died, so I guess I could be even crazier. I did it because I wanted to. I felt better after doing it so it can only be a good thing.
All month long it felt like I was bombarded with “deals” catering towards MOM and what I am to buy that special mother in my life. I got hundreds of emails from local spas, beauty shops, Godiva chocolates and they’re over priced decadent red boxes, from jewelry stores to bakeries, all the damn coupons for Kohls, Herbergers, Macys, and every other store on the face of the planet all boasting MOM MOM MOM. BUY BUY BUY. STAB STAB STAB.
You can’t turn your head down an aisle in Target without seeing signs or balloons screaming Mother’s Day at you and damn it... I want a Mom that I can see not just feel, but whatever presence I get will have to do because her feet no longer make prints on this earth, even though they float through my house daily (this I know) and she tip toes all over my dreams at night (yes it is possible to have full conversations with the dead in a subconscious state of mind). I want to pick up a phone and call her. I want her voice. I want her back in the physical world and that is not going to happen. It sucks and that’s it. Happy Mother’s Day isn’t as happy as I would like this year.
So this card aisle in Target has been beckoning me to invade it for weeks now and purchase a card for my Mom in celebration of Mother’s Day. Quite frankly I was tired of the whole mind debate over whether buying a card would then depict me as clinically insane or whether one may see it as mental/grieving therapy shit. I opted for the latter and perused the Mother’s day card section today. It took a very very long time (well maybe 20 minutes or so) to find a card that was somewhat appropriate for the departed mother. It was not easy! They really need a “trying to get over the loss of a mother during mother’s day” card section. There is none. Yes there is a need (hence ME). I could literally feel my Mom’s spirit peek behind my shoulder as I browsed. I could feel her softly giggle/sigh about it, doing that rolling of her eyes thing (but not really rolling them because she never wanted to be rude so she would sort of close them and roll them under her lids discretely and then open her eyes again). Then she’d say “Oh Melanie...” I know she’s getting a kick out of this which in part is why I did it.
I finally found a card that made me laugh. A photo of little girl purchasing a pair of designer shoes for 50% off and saying “Thanks Mom you taught me well!” This is true. Past, present, future, whatever. I can always thank my Mom for passing down her love to shop! I picked it up and bought it. Now I’m going to write it out. Yes I am. I am going to write this card to my Mom because I KNOW she will see it because she’s still around. I want her to know she will always be a part of my life and will never be forgotten. She will always be worthy of thanks and always be deserving of a Mother’s Day card even if her hands can’t hold it. I will lay it open on my night stand until this weekend passes and hope her eyes can see it. I know they will.
So I’m not fit for the loony bin just yet. I’m simply trying to let her know that I will always be a proud and thankful daughter who will take the time to cherish her memory. I will always have a place in my heart that will feel her love because dead or alive you never stop needing and appreciating your Mother and your Mother never really leaves you either. She just switches forms. That's it.
All month long it felt like I was bombarded with “deals” catering towards MOM and what I am to buy that special mother in my life. I got hundreds of emails from local spas, beauty shops, Godiva chocolates and they’re over priced decadent red boxes, from jewelry stores to bakeries, all the damn coupons for Kohls, Herbergers, Macys, and every other store on the face of the planet all boasting MOM MOM MOM. BUY BUY BUY. STAB STAB STAB.
You can’t turn your head down an aisle in Target without seeing signs or balloons screaming Mother’s Day at you and damn it... I want a Mom that I can see not just feel, but whatever presence I get will have to do because her feet no longer make prints on this earth, even though they float through my house daily (this I know) and she tip toes all over my dreams at night (yes it is possible to have full conversations with the dead in a subconscious state of mind). I want to pick up a phone and call her. I want her voice. I want her back in the physical world and that is not going to happen. It sucks and that’s it. Happy Mother’s Day isn’t as happy as I would like this year.
So this card aisle in Target has been beckoning me to invade it for weeks now and purchase a card for my Mom in celebration of Mother’s Day. Quite frankly I was tired of the whole mind debate over whether buying a card would then depict me as clinically insane or whether one may see it as mental/grieving therapy shit. I opted for the latter and perused the Mother’s day card section today. It took a very very long time (well maybe 20 minutes or so) to find a card that was somewhat appropriate for the departed mother. It was not easy! They really need a “trying to get over the loss of a mother during mother’s day” card section. There is none. Yes there is a need (hence ME). I could literally feel my Mom’s spirit peek behind my shoulder as I browsed. I could feel her softly giggle/sigh about it, doing that rolling of her eyes thing (but not really rolling them because she never wanted to be rude so she would sort of close them and roll them under her lids discretely and then open her eyes again). Then she’d say “Oh Melanie...” I know she’s getting a kick out of this which in part is why I did it.
I finally found a card that made me laugh. A photo of little girl purchasing a pair of designer shoes for 50% off and saying “Thanks Mom you taught me well!” This is true. Past, present, future, whatever. I can always thank my Mom for passing down her love to shop! I picked it up and bought it. Now I’m going to write it out. Yes I am. I am going to write this card to my Mom because I KNOW she will see it because she’s still around. I want her to know she will always be a part of my life and will never be forgotten. She will always be worthy of thanks and always be deserving of a Mother’s Day card even if her hands can’t hold it. I will lay it open on my night stand until this weekend passes and hope her eyes can see it. I know they will.
So I’m not fit for the loony bin just yet. I’m simply trying to let her know that I will always be a proud and thankful daughter who will take the time to cherish her memory. I will always have a place in my heart that will feel her love because dead or alive you never stop needing and appreciating your Mother and your Mother never really leaves you either. She just switches forms. That's it.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
The real life Barbie Doll. I can't believe this!
I honestly thought someone had made a really large Barbie doll and was taking photos of it so I never really clicked on the articles that followed until today. Then I became obsessed. How can this be? How can she look so much like a freakin’ Barbie doll? This is crazy! Even if she had a ton of surgeries, how does one actually accomplish this? Did she go to the plastic surgeon with all the calculations of hip, breast, and waist measurements to be translated from barbie to human form and say “create this?” I look at the photos and I’m not going to lie...my jaw dropped. I could not believe this was an actual human being!
Her skin looks like porcelain. Every part of her body looks airbrushed. Her breasts are exactly like a Barbie dolls. Were her ribs removed? Are her eyeballs made of painted glass? How can she see then? Her eyes are designed just like Barbie’s. This shit is crazy to me. Were her nipples removed like Barbie’s? I don’t even want to think about her vagina. Did she get her hips extended? Do they make hip implants? How does her waist get so tiny? Does she eat at all?! She seems to be obsessed with fulfilling her dream of becoming a Barbie doll. If you google her name over 10,000 pictures will pop up so she definitely has her vanity intact. I still cannot believe this is a real person!
People obviously have their opinions and question her mental stability as well as call her names like freaky and insane, but I have to say (besides the fact that she may be risking her health to accomplish this look), the girl doesn’t lack in determination. How many people would spend that much money to accomplish this? Her recovery time from surgery as well as the risks along this journey did not stop her. She wanted to be a Barbie doll and she IS the closest living form of the doll I have ever seen. There is no denying that every photo of her gets a double take and a WOW. I have never seen anything like it. I will say it one last time and then I am done obsessing: I can’t believe this is a real person!
I wonder what she looks like when she smiles though? I bet she’ll get the teeth done next, or rather one big connected piece of white porcelain.... I wonder if she’ll get her feet permanently arched like Barbies. Does she have a pink car? Would she make her boyfriend turn into Ken Doll ? Ugh. It never ends!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Earth Day! The easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint...
Earth Day is every day. We should be trying to reduce our carbon footprint and do our part to preserve the resources on our planet every day. The choices we make greatly contribute to the well being of this world OR help to destroy our environment every day.
Most people are unaware of the irreversible damage the factory farming industry has on our environment. On my journey to no longer partake in the unethical treatment of animals by becoming a vegetarian I am also choosing to help preserve the planet’s resources. Here are a few facts that you may find shocking:
Livestock farming is responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. A staggering 18-20% of these emissions come from the farming of animals. The world’s entire transportation system including planes, trains, and automobiles is responsible for 13%.
The #1 source of methane gas is agriculture. Methane is 23 times more powerful than greenhouse gas and animal agriculture produces more than 100 million tons of methane a year.
The release of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane are making our climate change and raising animals is the largest source of these emissions!
Over 30% of our land mass is used for grazing animals and almost half of our water supply goes to factory farming. Growing crops for these animals to be fattened and then killed requires nearly half of our water supply and 80% of our agricultural land. This puts a huge strain on our water supply!
One pound of potatoes takes 99.6% less water to produce than a pound of beef. It sickens me how much water is wasted to raise an animal only to kill it. Why wouldn’t we just eat the crops directly?! Wasting our resources to satisfy our palate just doesn’t seem right.
If you gave up eating beef you would save over 300,000 gallons of water a year which is way more than you would save if you didn’t shower for an entire year. Crazy but true.
Animals eat way more food than the meat that they can produce and doing this requires way more land than crops. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce a single pound of meat and they eat over 70% of all the grain we produce. They are like backwards food factories as well. It is such a waste to go through all that when we could use our land to grow vegetables that WE can eat directly and skip the whole over feeding and murdering process of the animal! Duh.
Oh and even if they are grass fed which many see as the healthier choice of meat, this takes even MORE land per unit of meat. Animal farming is a waste of land plain and simple. There are over one billion head of cattle on this planet weighing twice as much as the human population!
If the entire world ate like the meat obsessed U.S. people do our petroleum resources would be depleted in less than 11 years. If we switched to a mostly vegetarian country we could cut our oil imports by about 60%.
The demand for meat is so ridiculously out of control (it has tripled since 1960) that land is in great demand leading to the destruction of beautiful rainforests and wilderness. Over 70% of amazon rainforests is now used for grazing animals. The burning of these forests exudes millions of toxins and carbon dioxide into our air and is destroying our atmosphere! Not to mention the thousands of creatures that are becoming extinct due to the loss of their environment.
There is so much livestock in this country that they produce over 250,000 pounds of waste per SECOND. No shit. That’s 20 times as much a humans. This waste gets washed into our rivers and lakes because there are no sewage systems. This waste is filled with nitrates,bacteria, ammonia,etc. and kills plant and animal life continuously. The meat industry is responsible for three times as much harmful waste as all the other industries in the U.S. combined. WOW.
By choosing to no longer eat animals you will effectively reduce your carbon footprint, even more than if you drove a hybrid according to a recent study done at Chicago University.
Every conversation about about global warming should be based around switching to a vegetarian diet because there is nothing more harmful to our environment than eating animals.
Save lives. Save the planet. Choose to eat for a healthier world and keep our earth happy!
Most people are unaware of the irreversible damage the factory farming industry has on our environment. On my journey to no longer partake in the unethical treatment of animals by becoming a vegetarian I am also choosing to help preserve the planet’s resources. Here are a few facts that you may find shocking:
Livestock farming is responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. A staggering 18-20% of these emissions come from the farming of animals. The world’s entire transportation system including planes, trains, and automobiles is responsible for 13%.
The #1 source of methane gas is agriculture. Methane is 23 times more powerful than greenhouse gas and animal agriculture produces more than 100 million tons of methane a year.
The release of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane are making our climate change and raising animals is the largest source of these emissions!
Over 30% of our land mass is used for grazing animals and almost half of our water supply goes to factory farming. Growing crops for these animals to be fattened and then killed requires nearly half of our water supply and 80% of our agricultural land. This puts a huge strain on our water supply!
One pound of potatoes takes 99.6% less water to produce than a pound of beef. It sickens me how much water is wasted to raise an animal only to kill it. Why wouldn’t we just eat the crops directly?! Wasting our resources to satisfy our palate just doesn’t seem right.
If you gave up eating beef you would save over 300,000 gallons of water a year which is way more than you would save if you didn’t shower for an entire year. Crazy but true.
Animals eat way more food than the meat that they can produce and doing this requires way more land than crops. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce a single pound of meat and they eat over 70% of all the grain we produce. They are like backwards food factories as well. It is such a waste to go through all that when we could use our land to grow vegetables that WE can eat directly and skip the whole over feeding and murdering process of the animal! Duh.
Oh and even if they are grass fed which many see as the healthier choice of meat, this takes even MORE land per unit of meat. Animal farming is a waste of land plain and simple. There are over one billion head of cattle on this planet weighing twice as much as the human population!
If the entire world ate like the meat obsessed U.S. people do our petroleum resources would be depleted in less than 11 years. If we switched to a mostly vegetarian country we could cut our oil imports by about 60%.
The demand for meat is so ridiculously out of control (it has tripled since 1960) that land is in great demand leading to the destruction of beautiful rainforests and wilderness. Over 70% of amazon rainforests is now used for grazing animals. The burning of these forests exudes millions of toxins and carbon dioxide into our air and is destroying our atmosphere! Not to mention the thousands of creatures that are becoming extinct due to the loss of their environment.
There is so much livestock in this country that they produce over 250,000 pounds of waste per SECOND. No shit. That’s 20 times as much a humans. This waste gets washed into our rivers and lakes because there are no sewage systems. This waste is filled with nitrates,bacteria, ammonia,etc. and kills plant and animal life continuously. The meat industry is responsible for three times as much harmful waste as all the other industries in the U.S. combined. WOW.
By choosing to no longer eat animals you will effectively reduce your carbon footprint, even more than if you drove a hybrid according to a recent study done at Chicago University.
Every conversation about about global warming should be based around switching to a vegetarian diet because there is nothing more harmful to our environment than eating animals.
Save lives. Save the planet. Choose to eat for a healthier world and keep our earth happy!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
"So how do you get your protein?"
When stating that I no longer choose to eat animals, an obligatory response from the carnivores of the world is to look at me and inquire with a puzzled look “So how do you get your protein?” This has become almost comical for a variety of reasons. Here is just the short list:
1.) Have you ever heard of anyone suffering from a protein deficiency? Ever. Of course not. The question gets posed regarding protein as if this is some dire emergency situation--OMG how am I going to get my protein?! ((GASP)) If I don’t eat steak and chicken and turkey will I be protein deficient?!?! This makes me giggle.
2.) Anyone in their right mind would know that the dairy and meat industries in this country have done a fine job through use of manipulative advertising and backwards food pyramids to warp the minds of every being on the planet into believing that without eggs, milk, and animal products we will somehow have an inadequate amount of protein in our diets. This is one of the most well orchestrated deceptions told to the American public. I am educated so I know this is inaccurate and it’s just another means to make more money through the use of false information.
3.) I always want to respond by saying a statement like “Why do you care?!” Or “How do you get your anti-inflammatories?” <----which would sound as dumb to them as the protein question does to me.
Why are meat eaters so fricking obsessed with protein anyway? And why do people think that meat is the only thing that has protein in it?! Nuts, beans, tofu, vegetables, and a variety of other things contain protein and a healthier form of it at that. I shouldn’t have to give some quizzical prick a run down on all my protein rich vegetables and nuts I consume only for them to murmur a “Hmm” response. I don’t have to justify my diet to you although I would love to educate the uninformed carnivores out there and state a few facts such as:
1.) The Western diet contains an almost excessive amount of protein. Too much protein can be harmful and stress out your kidneys and disable your organs from ridding toxins from your body. Perhaps that is why vegetarians have a 60% less chance of heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Not to mention a 50% reduction in the rate of cancer. Also, other countries consume almost 50% less protein than us Americans and are about 70% healthier. They also get the majority of their protein from plants. Think about it.
2.) It has been proven ten times over that we do NOT need that much protein to maintain a healthy diet averaging around .36 grams per pound of body weight. I am not a heavy weight lifter that bases my diet around massive protein consumption so my day does not revolve around how much protein I’m consuming. I don’t think about it because I don’t need to and besides I get more than enough protein in my belly by 8 a.m. every morning by a fabulous vanilla whey protein shake and some organic peanut butter.
3.) The way I get my protein through plants is actually healthier as well because meat has to be cooked prior to consumption. Any idiot knows that up to 50% of protein is lost through this process leaving little to be absorbed during the digestion. My spinach and veggies eaten raw are easily absorbed amino acids and turn into direct energy while maintaining ALL of their beautiful protein. My digestion is easier and my poop is cleaner. Just sayin’
4.) A person would actually have to “try” to become protein deficient on a vegetarian diet. Eating fruits and vegetables and getting enough calories makes it impossible to not get enough protein. Unless you are surviving on beer, sugar, white bread, and processed foods it would be almost impossible to not get adequate protein on a vegetarian diet. People that live in poor countries and have bloated bellies are likely deficient in protein but that is because they are starved in general and lacking most every vital nutrient.
5.) Most people have been lead to think that all nine essential amino acids must be taken into the body through the same food and that since no one fruit or vegetable contains all nine amino acids that the vegetarian diet somehow contains “incomplete” protein consumption. Bullshit. This myth was dismissed in the 70’s and there has never been any proof behind the original theory.
6.) If you look good, feel good, and have adequate energy and a quick recovery time from illness you are likely getting enough protein. Also protein from vegetables doesn’t come with fat, cholesterol, and carcinogens. It’s clean. It’s better for the planet and better for your health.
So all you people who think the only way to get protein is through eating dead animal flesh, think again. Go educate yourself and munch on a bowl of raw broccoli while you do it. That vegetable has twice as much protein as your medium-well slab of steak thank you very much.
1.) Have you ever heard of anyone suffering from a protein deficiency? Ever. Of course not. The question gets posed regarding protein as if this is some dire emergency situation--OMG how am I going to get my protein?! ((GASP)) If I don’t eat steak and chicken and turkey will I be protein deficient?!?! This makes me giggle.
2.) Anyone in their right mind would know that the dairy and meat industries in this country have done a fine job through use of manipulative advertising and backwards food pyramids to warp the minds of every being on the planet into believing that without eggs, milk, and animal products we will somehow have an inadequate amount of protein in our diets. This is one of the most well orchestrated deceptions told to the American public. I am educated so I know this is inaccurate and it’s just another means to make more money through the use of false information.
3.) I always want to respond by saying a statement like “Why do you care?!” Or “How do you get your anti-inflammatories?” <----which would sound as dumb to them as the protein question does to me.
Why are meat eaters so fricking obsessed with protein anyway? And why do people think that meat is the only thing that has protein in it?! Nuts, beans, tofu, vegetables, and a variety of other things contain protein and a healthier form of it at that. I shouldn’t have to give some quizzical prick a run down on all my protein rich vegetables and nuts I consume only for them to murmur a “Hmm” response. I don’t have to justify my diet to you although I would love to educate the uninformed carnivores out there and state a few facts such as:
1.) The Western diet contains an almost excessive amount of protein. Too much protein can be harmful and stress out your kidneys and disable your organs from ridding toxins from your body. Perhaps that is why vegetarians have a 60% less chance of heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Not to mention a 50% reduction in the rate of cancer. Also, other countries consume almost 50% less protein than us Americans and are about 70% healthier. They also get the majority of their protein from plants. Think about it.
2.) It has been proven ten times over that we do NOT need that much protein to maintain a healthy diet averaging around .36 grams per pound of body weight. I am not a heavy weight lifter that bases my diet around massive protein consumption so my day does not revolve around how much protein I’m consuming. I don’t think about it because I don’t need to and besides I get more than enough protein in my belly by 8 a.m. every morning by a fabulous vanilla whey protein shake and some organic peanut butter.
3.) The way I get my protein through plants is actually healthier as well because meat has to be cooked prior to consumption. Any idiot knows that up to 50% of protein is lost through this process leaving little to be absorbed during the digestion. My spinach and veggies eaten raw are easily absorbed amino acids and turn into direct energy while maintaining ALL of their beautiful protein. My digestion is easier and my poop is cleaner. Just sayin’
4.) A person would actually have to “try” to become protein deficient on a vegetarian diet. Eating fruits and vegetables and getting enough calories makes it impossible to not get enough protein. Unless you are surviving on beer, sugar, white bread, and processed foods it would be almost impossible to not get adequate protein on a vegetarian diet. People that live in poor countries and have bloated bellies are likely deficient in protein but that is because they are starved in general and lacking most every vital nutrient.
5.) Most people have been lead to think that all nine essential amino acids must be taken into the body through the same food and that since no one fruit or vegetable contains all nine amino acids that the vegetarian diet somehow contains “incomplete” protein consumption. Bullshit. This myth was dismissed in the 70’s and there has never been any proof behind the original theory.
6.) If you look good, feel good, and have adequate energy and a quick recovery time from illness you are likely getting enough protein. Also protein from vegetables doesn’t come with fat, cholesterol, and carcinogens. It’s clean. It’s better for the planet and better for your health.
So all you people who think the only way to get protein is through eating dead animal flesh, think again. Go educate yourself and munch on a bowl of raw broccoli while you do it. That vegetable has twice as much protein as your medium-well slab of steak thank you very much.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Shopping has pissed me off.
Obviously it’s no secret that I love to shop. Most stores feel like second homes to me and I could seriously browse all day oohing and aahing over the latest handbags, necklaces, and jeans. But today? Well today just pissed me off.
FIRST of all (and this is my main pet peeve of the day) ladies: You need to STOP dragging your men to shop with you! I’ve said it before but SERIOUSLY, having some dude hang on to the end of the clothing rack that I’m trying to rifle through while looking like a half open eyed luring weird-o is uncomfortable for everyone. Stop it.
So all I wanted to do was find a few cute outfits for Vegas. Party tops. Skinny jeans. New earrings. Something bright and fun. Club stuff. This would normally be an easy task but literally nothing worked today. Nothing. All of the tops I tried on were either too baggy at the hips, too low in the neck (on a positive note I did realize that the only tops that look decent on me are “V” necks) or too expensive. Hello? I’m not going to pay $100 for a piece of cloth, especially if it’s mostly cotton. That’s BS. Also, my main reason why none of the shirts were a hit for me can be summed up in 2 words: NO BOOBS.
*ugh it just pisses me off that I’m a member of the itty bitty titty committee. I’m over it!
Ok so then I was in this dressing room trying on jeans. I was even trying on jeans that cost entirely too much money but after 2 hours I was getting aggravated so I was willing to splurge for something hot enough. First off, the lighting accentuated every f’ing pore on my face and I realized that I now have eyebrow wrinkles (I actually thought it was a piece of hair in my face and kept trying to wipe it off until I realized this was actually a permanent line on my face) I couldn’t get passed the fact that I am aging. My mood went sour.
Even worse was the fact that my stretch marks are no longer just marks, they are like a never ending maze, a map to never never land leading around in every direction to where I had to use the 3-way mirror just to inspect what in the hell has happened here. I no longer cared about not finding the perfect bikini for Vegas for there will be no bikini wearing. Oh no. All my time will be spent at the bar drinking away my “stress marks.” That’s exactly what they are doing to me.
Oh and the jeans didn’t fit either because all of the jeans today were either too tall in the waist or the butt didn’t look right or the length was off. I blame the mirror for turning my mood to shit so this may have effected my overall opinion of every item of clothes that I tried on after that...
So. Eight different stores, 15 pairs of jeans, 12 tops, and I found nothing. Without finding any clothes I couldn’t move on to accessories. The only thing I came home with was underwear for my husband. Men’s underwear is expensive by the way!
I have less than 10 days to figure out this clothing dilemma. I probably shouldn’t be inhaling jelly beans like they’re popcorn right now or bitching via blog.
I should be shopping online...
FIRST of all (and this is my main pet peeve of the day) ladies: You need to STOP dragging your men to shop with you! I’ve said it before but SERIOUSLY, having some dude hang on to the end of the clothing rack that I’m trying to rifle through while looking like a half open eyed luring weird-o is uncomfortable for everyone. Stop it.
So all I wanted to do was find a few cute outfits for Vegas. Party tops. Skinny jeans. New earrings. Something bright and fun. Club stuff. This would normally be an easy task but literally nothing worked today. Nothing. All of the tops I tried on were either too baggy at the hips, too low in the neck (on a positive note I did realize that the only tops that look decent on me are “V” necks) or too expensive. Hello? I’m not going to pay $100 for a piece of cloth, especially if it’s mostly cotton. That’s BS. Also, my main reason why none of the shirts were a hit for me can be summed up in 2 words: NO BOOBS.
*ugh it just pisses me off that I’m a member of the itty bitty titty committee. I’m over it!
Ok so then I was in this dressing room trying on jeans. I was even trying on jeans that cost entirely too much money but after 2 hours I was getting aggravated so I was willing to splurge for something hot enough. First off, the lighting accentuated every f’ing pore on my face and I realized that I now have eyebrow wrinkles (I actually thought it was a piece of hair in my face and kept trying to wipe it off until I realized this was actually a permanent line on my face) I couldn’t get passed the fact that I am aging. My mood went sour.
Even worse was the fact that my stretch marks are no longer just marks, they are like a never ending maze, a map to never never land leading around in every direction to where I had to use the 3-way mirror just to inspect what in the hell has happened here. I no longer cared about not finding the perfect bikini for Vegas for there will be no bikini wearing. Oh no. All my time will be spent at the bar drinking away my “stress marks.” That’s exactly what they are doing to me.
Oh and the jeans didn’t fit either because all of the jeans today were either too tall in the waist or the butt didn’t look right or the length was off. I blame the mirror for turning my mood to shit so this may have effected my overall opinion of every item of clothes that I tried on after that...
So. Eight different stores, 15 pairs of jeans, 12 tops, and I found nothing. Without finding any clothes I couldn’t move on to accessories. The only thing I came home with was underwear for my husband. Men’s underwear is expensive by the way!
I have less than 10 days to figure out this clothing dilemma. I probably shouldn’t be inhaling jelly beans like they’re popcorn right now or bitching via blog.
I should be shopping online...
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Trying to break the sugar fix~~~~
SUGAR. It is my #1 crutch besides my shoe fetish. I was born with a sweet tooth and CRAVE it every day of my life. Chocolate, pastries, ice cream, whip cream, you name it. I want it.
In an attempt to kick this sugar frenzy I have read a book called “THE CRAVING CURE” This book promised to break the hold on sweets and cure the sugar addiction I have. I have now finished the book and am enjoying my 2nd bowl of ice cream as I type this... I’m pissed and I want my money back, but I think I realized what the problem is NOT.
There were some strong suggestions in this book and I tried them all. I have done the breathing exercises and the meditations. I have read every page and I get where the author is coming from, but I don’t have all the problems that this book suggests. I am not fat by any means and am not attempting to “diet” or “lose weight” here. I just want to minimize the sugar intake in my life for health purposes because I know the horrific damage that sugar can do to the body and let’s face it sugar is the devil. Refined sugar is extremely acidic to a lethal degree. Yes sugar is a drug. It alters your mind, your physiology, and your health in general. It is a low grade poison. In know this. I still crave it. Crazy as it sounds.
This book says perhaps I don’t “love” myself and suggests I take out a piece of paper and interview myself writing down my good qualities. Honey, I could write a book on my good attributes so I hardly had time for that. I am my own best friend and I luuuurve myself to pieces. I just don’t love myself when I am on my 9th Godiva chocolate in a 5 minute time span. Next chapter...
Identifying emotional eating. Hmm....aren’t we always feeling some sort of emotion? It says if we eat when we’re happy and eat when we’re sad than we are an emotional eater. WTH? I’m happy 95% of the time. I am happy with every bite I take of any food because I’m a happy person! Unless I eat during my sleep, I will be feeling some sort of an emotion. When I’m happy I do not eat more or less, and when I’m pissed I usually drink it away with booze and laugh my misery away. So I don’t have that problem.
Getting in touch with your inner self. No this does not mean masturbating. This is about thinking and deciding where your desire to eat sweets come from. What are you feeling when you reach for something sweet? Which voice dominates your thoughts? Does this stress you out? Do you try to talk yourself out of it? Why? How do you feel after you eat it? I’m to write all this down every time I want to eat anything sugary. I am to then dig within and find my inner wisdom to make the correct decision. Um. If I carried a notebook around with me and went through this questionnaire every time a co-worker brought me a croissant they’d look at me like I was nuts. Besides, I am in touch with myself in more ways than one and I still want the mocha flavored blended frappe with whip cream to which I will inhale through a straw until I’m blue in the face.
There were 16 different breathing exercises in one chapter. Very relaxing. I felt great after them. I still craved sugar the next day. I can’t be meditating all throughout the damn day people.
Then came this whole diet section of the book. It began with a 2 week mega-nutrition cleanse. Liquids only. You could only have fresh raw vegetable juices. Where does one even find dandelion root? Should I really be drinking garlic and cilantro in the morning? Major bowel explosions were expected to happen. Um. I have a life here. A job. I do actually leave my house. I do not want to spend unpredictable hours on the toilet thank you. I do not want to purchase a $1200 juicer either. The next part of this diet involved eating meat and I’m a vegetarian. Besides I do not want to change any other part of my very healthy diet in order to kick this sugar craze. I just wish to no longer love donuts and candy like a 4 yr. old kid.
I am not angry. I do not have daddy issues (anymore). I am not insecure or depressed. I'm not stressed. I'm mentally stable. I don’t eat chocolate to fill a void or because I’m a piggy. The reason I crave the crap is because I was born that way and I LIKE THE WAY SUGAR TASTES IN MY MOUTH.
That being said, I am calling a hypnotist tomorrow because I think that’s the only way I can be fixed!
Stay tuned....
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
~Sliver~ : A blog for the little boy who stole my heart
Five years ago today I allowed a delicate sliver of my heart to slip away from me. I released it and let it carry on outside my body and dwell beside the heart of a precious little baby boy named Landon Anthony Schmidt.
I could feel this tiny sliver of my heart continue to beat outside my body even though I knew this surreal emotion could potentially change everything I deemed to be true about the structure of my mind and soul. I was unaware that a miracle could be so strong that it could literally pull a piece of your heart out of your body, form it into a string of love and wrap it around the heart of another human being like an unbreakable knot of strength. It happened without even trying. A sliver of my heart no longer belonged to me, it would be taken forever by this new born soul and create a beat of it’s own. I could feel that sliver beam with anticipation and dance with wonderment for the unknown.
Giving away a sliver of my heart made me aware that I was no longer responsible just for me. Nothing is this world would ever be about ME again because nothing in the world mattered but HIM.
This sliver of my heart was to be permanently detached for all eternity from it’s home. Everywhere that little boy went, that piece of my heart tagged along. It cried when he cried, it laughed when he laughed. It almost burst the first time he walked and it nearly broke the first time he got a fever. That sliver of my heart sometimes felt like it had attached itself to an emotional roller coaster that heaved along the ups and downs without choice or control. But it protected the heart that was HIS. It felt like a sliver of armor at times. A blanket of love that draped itself around the tip of his heart like a shall. It would never leave him.
This sliver has now been with him for 5 years, although it is no longer just a sliver. It feels like he owns every fiber of my heart. Every ounce of love that my soul is capable of is inevitably consumed in the rhythmic breaths of his life. More and more of my heart has been given away with every passing moment. With every hug, every kiss, every “I love soooooo much mommy”, more and more slices of my heart slip into his. He has promised that he’ll let me kiss the back of his neck 100 times in a row FOREVER if I want to. He promises me that he’ll let me rock him back and forth FOREVER and hold him like a baby for as long as I can lift him. He says I can tuck him in until he’s 20 and he says he’ll always give me the last bite of his ice cream sandwich FOREVER because “he knows how you like the last bite when it’s all melty.” My heart swells up like a helium balloon and floats right outside of my chest and into his. Every day. I want to pause time, rewind moments, and just SNUGGLE for 5 years or so....
A sliver of my heart slipped into the palm of his hand that very moment he wrapped his little warm fingers around my pinky in that hospital bed and it will stay there whether he’s 5 or 50. He has me wrapped around his existence like a string and I wouldn’t want to be tied to anything else in the world but the beating heart of my brown eyed little boy.
I could feel this tiny sliver of my heart continue to beat outside my body even though I knew this surreal emotion could potentially change everything I deemed to be true about the structure of my mind and soul. I was unaware that a miracle could be so strong that it could literally pull a piece of your heart out of your body, form it into a string of love and wrap it around the heart of another human being like an unbreakable knot of strength. It happened without even trying. A sliver of my heart no longer belonged to me, it would be taken forever by this new born soul and create a beat of it’s own. I could feel that sliver beam with anticipation and dance with wonderment for the unknown.
Giving away a sliver of my heart made me aware that I was no longer responsible just for me. Nothing is this world would ever be about ME again because nothing in the world mattered but HIM.
This sliver of my heart was to be permanently detached for all eternity from it’s home. Everywhere that little boy went, that piece of my heart tagged along. It cried when he cried, it laughed when he laughed. It almost burst the first time he walked and it nearly broke the first time he got a fever. That sliver of my heart sometimes felt like it had attached itself to an emotional roller coaster that heaved along the ups and downs without choice or control. But it protected the heart that was HIS. It felt like a sliver of armor at times. A blanket of love that draped itself around the tip of his heart like a shall. It would never leave him.
This sliver has now been with him for 5 years, although it is no longer just a sliver. It feels like he owns every fiber of my heart. Every ounce of love that my soul is capable of is inevitably consumed in the rhythmic breaths of his life. More and more of my heart has been given away with every passing moment. With every hug, every kiss, every “I love soooooo much mommy”, more and more slices of my heart slip into his. He has promised that he’ll let me kiss the back of his neck 100 times in a row FOREVER if I want to. He promises me that he’ll let me rock him back and forth FOREVER and hold him like a baby for as long as I can lift him. He says I can tuck him in until he’s 20 and he says he’ll always give me the last bite of his ice cream sandwich FOREVER because “he knows how you like the last bite when it’s all melty.” My heart swells up like a helium balloon and floats right outside of my chest and into his. Every day. I want to pause time, rewind moments, and just SNUGGLE for 5 years or so....
A sliver of my heart slipped into the palm of his hand that very moment he wrapped his little warm fingers around my pinky in that hospital bed and it will stay there whether he’s 5 or 50. He has me wrapped around his existence like a string and I wouldn’t want to be tied to anything else in the world but the beating heart of my brown eyed little boy.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Why I HATE Walmart
Reasons why I HATE Walmart
*Warning: This is a quick-type rant blog. The F word is used so many times that I’ll just say F=Fuck and FN=Fucking and FD=Fucked. I will probably bang this out in 3 minutes flat because I’m lightning speed irritated with this ghetto magnet today.
First of all I NEVER shop here and only entered the store because my kid wanted a specific Batman cake for his b-day and this is the only bakery that made it. I had to walk through Walmart’s doors TWICE today because they FD up the order....Lord have mercy on me. They literally forgot to make it as a Batman cake as it was solid white frosting with no design and they also forgot to write his name on it. I’m FN serious.
Here’s my list of reason’s why I HATE(<-----yes I recognize that this is a strong word, which is why I’m choosing to use it in this instance) Walmart.
1.) It’s like a big dirty smelly cement box that collects all the big dirty smelly people in a 50 mile radius.
2.) You can never find anything because it’s too FN big.
3.) It STINKS. This is worth repeating: IT FN STINKS. Like a big old fart. And by the way, on trip #2 today the guy in line ahead of me did actually fart and I gagged. UGH. I can’t believe it....I almost cried.
4.) All the shit looks old and garage-sale-ish. The clothes are wrinkled, the clearance aisles are a wreck, and don’t even get me started on the meat case at the deli. Gross!
5.) The place makes Good Will look like a palace.
6.) All the processed foods, pink jello molds, blue cookies and other shit full of crappy ingredients is contributing to the obesity in America. Look around Walmart and it’s all beer guts and flabby tits down to the knees wheeling around carts full of coke and twinkies. Sad but true.
7.) I feel like I’m at an old folks home when I go there. Random people bellied up against the end of aisles and lingering around with confused looks on their faces. I feel like there should be a “call nurse” button on the end of the aisles instead of a “price check.”
8.) Is There EVER a check out lane that isn’t a mile long?!? NO. Even when you think you picked the shortest line, you didn’t. Between the illiterate cashiers and the women toting 50+ coupons (1/2 of which are not valid, and then you get to drop your jaw over the endless arguing “but it said 50 cents off, what do you mean it was only the crescent roll variety? Can you override it?”)Gah! I never reach the cashier without an angry sweat building upon my brow, that is if I don’t drop my shit, leave the store and curse myself for ever walking through the doors.....
9.) Can I get some help? With anything? You see the employees in blue shirts, they’re FN everywhere, but do you think one of them ever asks if they can help you find something? NO. Why? Because they don’t even know where the F they are or why the F they’re still employed. And who the F cares? I get my pay check anyways.
10.) Walmart epitomizes the definition of corporate greed. Nstarzone.com states: How high of a price are we willing to pay for Wal-Mart's "low-price" model? This outfit operates with an avarice, arrogance, and ambition that would make Enron blush. It hits a town or city neighborhood like a retailing neutron bomb, sucking out the economic vitality and all of the local character. And Wal-Mart's stores now have more kill- power than ever, with its SuperCenters averaging 200,000 square feet - - the size of more than four football fields under one roof! These things land splat on top of any community's sense of itself and devour local business. By slashing its retail prices way below cost when it enters a community, Wal-Mart can crush our groceries, pharmacies, hardware stores, and other retailers, then raise its prices once it has mono- poly control over the market. But, say apologists for these Big-Box megastores, at least they're creating jobs. Wrong. By crushing local businesses, this giant eliminates three decent jobs for every two Wal-Mart jobs that it "creates" and a store full of part-time, poorly paid employees hardly builds the family wealth necessary to sustain a community's middle-class living standard.
Shitty corporations like this I cannot and will not support and the next time my kid wants a b-day cake I will bake it myself or travel 50,000 miles to find the one he wants rather than walk through the stinky polluted greedy airwaves of Walmart. I hate that FN place.
Aaaaaand breeeeaaaathe. F that felt good.
*Warning: This is a quick-type rant blog. The F word is used so many times that I’ll just say F=Fuck and FN=Fucking and FD=Fucked. I will probably bang this out in 3 minutes flat because I’m lightning speed irritated with this ghetto magnet today.
First of all I NEVER shop here and only entered the store because my kid wanted a specific Batman cake for his b-day and this is the only bakery that made it. I had to walk through Walmart’s doors TWICE today because they FD up the order....Lord have mercy on me. They literally forgot to make it as a Batman cake as it was solid white frosting with no design and they also forgot to write his name on it. I’m FN serious.
Here’s my list of reason’s why I HATE(<-----yes I recognize that this is a strong word, which is why I’m choosing to use it in this instance) Walmart.
1.) It’s like a big dirty smelly cement box that collects all the big dirty smelly people in a 50 mile radius.
2.) You can never find anything because it’s too FN big.
3.) It STINKS. This is worth repeating: IT FN STINKS. Like a big old fart. And by the way, on trip #2 today the guy in line ahead of me did actually fart and I gagged. UGH. I can’t believe it....I almost cried.
4.) All the shit looks old and garage-sale-ish. The clothes are wrinkled, the clearance aisles are a wreck, and don’t even get me started on the meat case at the deli. Gross!
5.) The place makes Good Will look like a palace.
6.) All the processed foods, pink jello molds, blue cookies and other shit full of crappy ingredients is contributing to the obesity in America. Look around Walmart and it’s all beer guts and flabby tits down to the knees wheeling around carts full of coke and twinkies. Sad but true.
7.) I feel like I’m at an old folks home when I go there. Random people bellied up against the end of aisles and lingering around with confused looks on their faces. I feel like there should be a “call nurse” button on the end of the aisles instead of a “price check.”
8.) Is There EVER a check out lane that isn’t a mile long?!? NO. Even when you think you picked the shortest line, you didn’t. Between the illiterate cashiers and the women toting 50+ coupons (1/2 of which are not valid, and then you get to drop your jaw over the endless arguing “but it said 50 cents off, what do you mean it was only the crescent roll variety? Can you override it?”)Gah! I never reach the cashier without an angry sweat building upon my brow, that is if I don’t drop my shit, leave the store and curse myself for ever walking through the doors.....
9.) Can I get some help? With anything? You see the employees in blue shirts, they’re FN everywhere, but do you think one of them ever asks if they can help you find something? NO. Why? Because they don’t even know where the F they are or why the F they’re still employed. And who the F cares? I get my pay check anyways.
10.) Walmart epitomizes the definition of corporate greed. Nstarzone.com states: How high of a price are we willing to pay for Wal-Mart's "low-price" model? This outfit operates with an avarice, arrogance, and ambition that would make Enron blush. It hits a town or city neighborhood like a retailing neutron bomb, sucking out the economic vitality and all of the local character. And Wal-Mart's stores now have more kill- power than ever, with its SuperCenters averaging 200,000 square feet - - the size of more than four football fields under one roof! These things land splat on top of any community's sense of itself and devour local business. By slashing its retail prices way below cost when it enters a community, Wal-Mart can crush our groceries, pharmacies, hardware stores, and other retailers, then raise its prices once it has mono- poly control over the market. But, say apologists for these Big-Box megastores, at least they're creating jobs. Wrong. By crushing local businesses, this giant eliminates three decent jobs for every two Wal-Mart jobs that it "creates" and a store full of part-time, poorly paid employees hardly builds the family wealth necessary to sustain a community's middle-class living standard.
Shitty corporations like this I cannot and will not support and the next time my kid wants a b-day cake I will bake it myself or travel 50,000 miles to find the one he wants rather than walk through the stinky polluted greedy airwaves of Walmart. I hate that FN place.
Aaaaaand breeeeaaaathe. F that felt good.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
My vagina is pretty enough thank-you :)
Spa week has turned the bikini-wax world a little cray-cray in my opinion. Cindy Barshop of Completely Bare Spa in NYC has completely lost her mind trying to “out-do” the world of bikini waxes with her new foxy/carnivale bikini ...
First came the vajazzling which was ridiculous enough, but now we are adding frilly feathers? We are left looking like a cockatoo is peeking out of our drawers. Ladies, at what point have our vaginas become an art project? Grab the feathers and glue and let’s make of a mess of our nether regions- YAY! I think not.
Bright pink boas don’t even look good around the shoulders, so how in the hell are we going to dress up our vagina’s with them and think this look is “HOT.”
The video on you tube (http://www.spaweekblog.com/2012/01/23/the-video-fur-feather-bikini-glam-by-completely-bare/) of this supposed “new feature” of dolling up your crotch is absurd to me. It leaves the woman looking like she did the dirty with tickle me Elmo only the twat isn’t giggling. And why on earth would a guy want to go down south only to discover that you have dressed up your pussy to look like a peacock? I have never met a guy who gets hard by looking at teal and purple feathers. When clothing is removed you are expected to look NAKED, I highly doubt some dude wants to rub his junk up against an array of delicately placed feathers.
The woman’s body is a piece of art all on it’s own without having to add fox fur and glue to the mix. Leave the feathers and boas for Mardi Gra honey and leave your va-jay-jay alone. It’s pretty enough.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Celebrate Jan. 21st and go get your hug on!
Did you know that January 21st is National Hug Day? I know-- neither did I! Well since it IS a recognized day since 1986 I believe, I’m going to embrace the concept and blog about it.
HUGS--whether they involve a big warm bear like embrace or a 1/2 arm around shoulder endearing type of pat, we must recognize that as human beings we need this so called “affection” in our life. Be tender, appreciate the meaningful people that compliment your world and go give them a hug! In honor of this day I have derived a list of why hugs are a necessity in life and a positive way to improve our health and well-being. Here goes~
-Full body hugs stimulate the nervous system~ Full body hugs have been shown to increase nervous system stimulation. This has even been used as a form of physical therapy.
-Hugs have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce stress.
-Hugging someone can speak volumes when there are no words. Human contact is the closest way to reach out to someone’s heart without having to speak.
-Each time we hug, we release oxytocin. This is the bonding and caring hormone that also releases itself while the uterus contracts during labor and allows the milk to flow through the breast.
-Everyone knows that without physical contact, infants fail to thrive. There was a story I read a while back where a set of twins were born and one of them had very poor health and their system was failing. A nurse decided to place the newborns into the same crib (against hospital rules) and see if this bond would improve things. Almost instantly the ill babies heart-rate stabilized and she began to breathe on her own without oxygen. Believe in the power of human contact!
-Hugging eases tension, feels good, does not upset the environment, and they’re free!
And now a few great quotes on HUGS-
“I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o' war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins.” ~ Shel Silverstein
“Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you.” ~Jacques Prévert
“I love hugging. I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug ten people at a time.” ~Drew Barrymore
“A kiss without a hug is like a flower without the fragrance.” ~Proverb
“Every time I think of you, it is like getting a hug from the inside out.” ~Author Unknown
Now that I’m all warm and fuzzy inside with all this hug talk I’m kind of in the mood to hug somebodies lights out. I think I’ll go on a hugging spree and grasp everyone and everything I can get my arms around and first on that list is ME.
Be kind. Be grateful. Be affectionate. Now go hug off.
HUGS--whether they involve a big warm bear like embrace or a 1/2 arm around shoulder endearing type of pat, we must recognize that as human beings we need this so called “affection” in our life. Be tender, appreciate the meaningful people that compliment your world and go give them a hug! In honor of this day I have derived a list of why hugs are a necessity in life and a positive way to improve our health and well-being. Here goes~
-Full body hugs stimulate the nervous system~ Full body hugs have been shown to increase nervous system stimulation. This has even been used as a form of physical therapy.
-Hugs have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce stress.
-Hugging someone can speak volumes when there are no words. Human contact is the closest way to reach out to someone’s heart without having to speak.
-Each time we hug, we release oxytocin. This is the bonding and caring hormone that also releases itself while the uterus contracts during labor and allows the milk to flow through the breast.
-Everyone knows that without physical contact, infants fail to thrive. There was a story I read a while back where a set of twins were born and one of them had very poor health and their system was failing. A nurse decided to place the newborns into the same crib (against hospital rules) and see if this bond would improve things. Almost instantly the ill babies heart-rate stabilized and she began to breathe on her own without oxygen. Believe in the power of human contact!
-Hugging eases tension, feels good, does not upset the environment, and they’re free!
And now a few great quotes on HUGS-
“I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o' war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins.” ~ Shel Silverstein
“Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you.” ~Jacques Prévert
“I love hugging. I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug ten people at a time.” ~Drew Barrymore
“A kiss without a hug is like a flower without the fragrance.” ~Proverb
“Every time I think of you, it is like getting a hug from the inside out.” ~Author Unknown
Now that I’m all warm and fuzzy inside with all this hug talk I’m kind of in the mood to hug somebodies lights out. I think I’ll go on a hugging spree and grasp everyone and everything I can get my arms around and first on that list is ME.
Be kind. Be grateful. Be affectionate. Now go hug off.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
10 Commandments for Reducing Stress
I came across this piece awhile ago and I think it has some great points! I had to add my little tid-bits after each one of course...
"Ten Commandments for Reducing Stress" (anonymous)
1.Thou shalt not be perfect or even try to be.
Trying to be perfect is an instant stress inducer. Perfection, while seemingly echoes “strength” I have recently realized that the need to be “perfect” is actually a sign of weakness in that you are not secure enough to own the fact that you are meant to be flawed. Trying too hard to get it right or not fail can also have harmful repercussions. It’s so much easier to do the best you can, whether or not it’s worthy of being called perfect. Accept your faults and let yourself shine true.
2. Thou shalt not try to be all things to all people.
Hello? Being someone’s everything is so 1982. If you need someone else to be your everything, than I suggest you start working on yourself a bit more. It is a necessary prerequisite to make it on your own before making it with someone else. Don't make yourself be the brick wall and on- call therapist to everybody you know. It gets tiring. People need to learn how to become their own rock and be less reliant on others.
3. Thou shalt sometimes leave things undone that ought to be done.
This is tough because I love to finish things I start, but then again I think it’s ok to not feel like you have to “do everything” that appears to seem important. Things can wait. Nobody is going to die if you leave the coffee table a little dusty for a few days or if you don’t wipe that muddy spot off the carpet that you’ve been staring at for 2 weeks. It’s ok to let some things slide in the name of laziness :)
4. Thou shalt not spread thyself too thinly.
Very good point here. Most stress develops when people over commit or tend to utter the word “yes” when they really wish to say “no.” We only have 2 arms and 2 legs (if we’re blessed that is- and appreciate it if you do), and therefore can only do so much at once. We also have only one heart and if it beats too fast or starts to knot up, well that’s just bad for the mind and soul so I’d rather slow down, schedule “me” time, and make my heart happy.
5. Thou shalt learn to say "No",
No I do not want to do the laundry. No I do not want to pay the bills. No I do not want to go to work. Haha---ok so more like: No I do not need to buy another pair of boots. No I do not really want another piece of cake. No I will not stay angry because I believe in forgiveness.
6. Thou shalt schedule time for thyself and for your supportive network.
Me me me me me- I love spending time with moi and you should too! Shopping, cooking, reading, dancing, sex, those activities are just as fun solo, trust me. Supportive network aka "girlfriends" will always have a place in my calendar. Women rule.
7. Thou shalt switch off and do nothing regularly.
As if anyone could possibly have difficulty with this. Turn the TV to bravo and gimme some food and I’m set. Let the mind numbing begin....
8. Thou shalt be boring, untidy, inelegant, and unattractive, at times.
Um, isn’t that what Sunday mornings are for? You’re lucky to get me out of the PJs. I’m never boring though, that just isn’t possible. I’m a goofy, inelegant disaster, but still fun no less. I have a kid to entertain.
9. Thou shalt not even feel guilt.
Easy peasy! I threw guilt out the window the day I graduated from catholic school. I shall never grace the floor of a confessional with my 4” pumps ever again thankyouverymuch. I live the good life and don’t try to be something I’m not. I’m ok with my minor slip ups and know that all is forgiven in my world.
10. Especially, thou shalt not be thine own worst enemy but be thine own best friend.
I honestly agree with this! I have been my own best friend since I was old enough to sing in the mirror and use the potty. Embrace the person that you are and nourish the person you wish to become. Be on your side. Trust your instincts. Love yourself on the inside out and you will never know loneliness.
"Ten Commandments for Reducing Stress" (anonymous)
1.Thou shalt not be perfect or even try to be.
Trying to be perfect is an instant stress inducer. Perfection, while seemingly echoes “strength” I have recently realized that the need to be “perfect” is actually a sign of weakness in that you are not secure enough to own the fact that you are meant to be flawed. Trying too hard to get it right or not fail can also have harmful repercussions. It’s so much easier to do the best you can, whether or not it’s worthy of being called perfect. Accept your faults and let yourself shine true.
2. Thou shalt not try to be all things to all people.
Hello? Being someone’s everything is so 1982. If you need someone else to be your everything, than I suggest you start working on yourself a bit more. It is a necessary prerequisite to make it on your own before making it with someone else. Don't make yourself be the brick wall and on- call therapist to everybody you know. It gets tiring. People need to learn how to become their own rock and be less reliant on others.
3. Thou shalt sometimes leave things undone that ought to be done.
This is tough because I love to finish things I start, but then again I think it’s ok to not feel like you have to “do everything” that appears to seem important. Things can wait. Nobody is going to die if you leave the coffee table a little dusty for a few days or if you don’t wipe that muddy spot off the carpet that you’ve been staring at for 2 weeks. It’s ok to let some things slide in the name of laziness :)
4. Thou shalt not spread thyself too thinly.
Very good point here. Most stress develops when people over commit or tend to utter the word “yes” when they really wish to say “no.” We only have 2 arms and 2 legs (if we’re blessed that is- and appreciate it if you do), and therefore can only do so much at once. We also have only one heart and if it beats too fast or starts to knot up, well that’s just bad for the mind and soul so I’d rather slow down, schedule “me” time, and make my heart happy.
5. Thou shalt learn to say "No",
No I do not want to do the laundry. No I do not want to pay the bills. No I do not want to go to work. Haha---ok so more like: No I do not need to buy another pair of boots. No I do not really want another piece of cake. No I will not stay angry because I believe in forgiveness.
6. Thou shalt schedule time for thyself and for your supportive network.
Me me me me me- I love spending time with moi and you should too! Shopping, cooking, reading, dancing, sex, those activities are just as fun solo, trust me. Supportive network aka "girlfriends" will always have a place in my calendar. Women rule.
7. Thou shalt switch off and do nothing regularly.
As if anyone could possibly have difficulty with this. Turn the TV to bravo and gimme some food and I’m set. Let the mind numbing begin....
8. Thou shalt be boring, untidy, inelegant, and unattractive, at times.
Um, isn’t that what Sunday mornings are for? You’re lucky to get me out of the PJs. I’m never boring though, that just isn’t possible. I’m a goofy, inelegant disaster, but still fun no less. I have a kid to entertain.
9. Thou shalt not even feel guilt.
Easy peasy! I threw guilt out the window the day I graduated from catholic school. I shall never grace the floor of a confessional with my 4” pumps ever again thankyouverymuch. I live the good life and don’t try to be something I’m not. I’m ok with my minor slip ups and know that all is forgiven in my world.
10. Especially, thou shalt not be thine own worst enemy but be thine own best friend.
I honestly agree with this! I have been my own best friend since I was old enough to sing in the mirror and use the potty. Embrace the person that you are and nourish the person you wish to become. Be on your side. Trust your instincts. Love yourself on the inside out and you will never know loneliness.
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