Now that I've (re-)learned how to crochet, the crocheting and sewing will probably nag at me all day, every day. Of course all the while I'll be working, and driving; quite unable to pull at the lanky, but soft and welcoming yarn and embroidery floss that ache to be a flourish, or stitch holding together some whim that fluttered across my whimsy-filled, lollygagging mind. And now that I've found the button collection that I thought was lost- Oh wow. I do not have enough time to take care of this. I think that I will be taking some personal days and just setting up my own little (non-union, but very fair trade since I can stop for a sip of tea, to change my itunes, or obliterate an apple any ol'time I'd like) factory. All I can say is that it's a good thing my sewing machine isn't working...because then I'd not only raid every fabric store from here to Kalamazoo- but then I'd spend all my money. Well, then everyone would get hand made gifts for the holidays.
Well, thats what everyone's getting anyway.
One wish that I wish right this moment is more time to paint and craft as I wish. It's not always easy being an artist trapped in a working persons body. Even if my job is magnificent....
I should go before this takes up even more time that I should be playing with buttons and string.
Monday, November 30, 2009
The time for revolution is NOW.
REVOLUTION ON OUR TERMS. =R.O.O.T.s
What the hell am I talking about? I'm not planning some wild, gung-ho sixties inspired bra-burning-fist pumping- march on the mall in Washington, D.C. (for now- stay tuned because you never know with me!). But it'll have a similar, but more subtle impact.
Allow me to start at the beginning.
I am leading a REVOLUTION and I want to take you with me. Actually I am not acting alone- My dear friend Jessica is my partner in this change we can FEEL coming! It's not just us either. There are a lot of people who are doing the same things, or similar. The really good part about it- is that it's easy. Yes, YOU can change the world around you. Between your thoughts, actions and words, YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. It's about choices.
This all started a few months back. Jessica and I started to talk about and share ideas about the things that are really important to us. Things that we think about constantly,(like how to make the world a better place, food, politics,health and wellness). The conclusion that we came to is that we need to revolt.
Both of us realized we wanted better for ourselves and the world we live in- And what it came down to was what CHOICES we made every day. Here's how I CHOOSE a better world.
BOYCOTT- The cultural definition :
The refusal to purchase the products of an individual, corporation, or nation as a way to bring social and political pressure for change.
I boycott companies that are negatively impacting the world around me.
For exapmple : WALMART/BJ's/COSTCO/SAMs Club ETC. I don't approve of their business tactics, the impact they have on the local economies around them, and the fact that no matter how much organic yogurt they buy- it's not going to make me like them as a company, or the idea of them. While I am not going to dedicate an entire page (right now...) to dissecting these large companies, do some research- maybe you'll find yourself boycotting a company. It feels good to know that you are making SOME kind of impact. The only thing that is redeeming is that when Walmart can price organic yogurt at 89 cents and a person who wouldn't normally have access to it can then buy it. (Every cloud has a silver lining)
Buying power- This is ultimately the back bone of the boycott- but it's also what you buy and not what you don't buy that speaks volumes. When you know the origin of a product, and how it came to be you can make better decisions. I choose to buy organic, local and fair trade whenever possible. This is because those are important issues for me.
Organic isn't just a trendy word to throw around that only means more expensive. Though often it is.When you choose to buy an organic food/product, you are choosing nature. The soil for organic crops is richer and more nutrient dense, and it's also going to benefit the environment because organic farming doesn't allow massive amounts of pesticides to leach into the ground water and surrounding rivers, streams and ponds (meaning the life in those bodies of water remains unharmed). Not to mention the amount of chemicals that are not being absorbed into your body. And to back track a bit- Yes, Organic can be more pricey. This is because organic crops aren't subsidized by the governement. The Gov't will pay farmers to grow what the lobbyist in DC pay them off to grow. Organic farmers who don't use the techniques that rape and pillage the land setting it up for a famine undoubtedly do NOT get money. Right now, if you drive through our nations farm land, more often than not you will see acres upon acres of corn. Corn is in EVERYTHING in hundereds of forms from High Fructose Corn Syrup, to Cornstarch. It's being fed to cows (and please note, COWS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO EAT CORN AND GRAINS- they are fed these things so they get fatter faster and then sent off to slaugter in less time......it's a mess of a system that the masses can't seem to unclench their mouth from the teat of...but I digress). Corn is grown to excess....and it's almost always GENETCICALLY MODIFIED So when it's pollen floats to other crops, it too then gets RUINED. It's a terrible system) The Dairy Council and Beef Board also have a big hand in this kind of lobbying. Thats why organic dairy and beef are so expensive. The larger of many reasons I am vegetarian/vegan inclined is because of the politics behind animal products. Agribusiness is a global nightmare. I do not agree with it, so I do not want to be a part of it. I CHOOSE to not contribute to a problem. If you think that these things are awful, just one vegetarian, or organic meal a week can make a change.
In fact, if you choose to eat one vegan/vegetarian meal a week :
Now I am far from perfect. There are days that I have had dairy b/c I wanted it. Or fish. But currently I am avoiding food that makes me feel like I'm contributing to things I do not beleive in. Thats what the basis of my choices are. What makes me feel good- What makes me happy. What choice has the least harmful impact? And there are things that are completely different from this- If you don't want to be a part of conservative mainstream media, you can opt to watch independent films and listen to local music that hasn't been plundered by big record labels and the like. Or you could just be sick and tired of mean people getting the best of you and others around you. Simple solution- CHOOSE TO BE NICE! It's a lot easier and has helped my sanity more often than not(of course there are days where people do get verbal ass-whoopin's, but it's few and far between since I've taken on my new stance on change).
Here's how to figure out if you want to really make change(and not the Obama kind of change, which sadly is more like, non change as of late):
1) You are angry when you watch the news.
2) Helping yourself and the world around you seems like a pretty awesome deal.
3) You know that things can be, and should be better than they are.
4) You have a really strong desire to take action, but don't know where to start.
5) Inspiring people to live their lives on their terms is something you want to do.
If you answered yes to any of these things, then you are on your way to being part of a revolution. On your own terms. You don't have to be loud, but certainly be proud. Live life with purpose, and put your money where your mouth is.
* Please check out my friend Jessica's blog. She's a phenomenal writer, as well as an extraordinary human being.
http://saynotobarbie.wordpress.com
hippies.
What the hell am I talking about? I'm not planning some wild, gung-ho sixties inspired bra-burning-fist pumping- march on the mall in Washington, D.C. (for now- stay tuned because you never know with me!). But it'll have a similar, but more subtle impact.
Allow me to start at the beginning.
I am leading a REVOLUTION and I want to take you with me. Actually I am not acting alone- My dear friend Jessica is my partner in this change we can FEEL coming! It's not just us either. There are a lot of people who are doing the same things, or similar. The really good part about it- is that it's easy. Yes, YOU can change the world around you. Between your thoughts, actions and words, YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. It's about choices.
This all started a few months back. Jessica and I started to talk about and share ideas about the things that are really important to us. Things that we think about constantly,(like how to make the world a better place, food, politics,health and wellness). The conclusion that we came to is that we need to revolt.
Both of us realized we wanted better for ourselves and the world we live in- And what it came down to was what CHOICES we made every day. Here's how I CHOOSE a better world.
BOYCOTT- The cultural definition :
The refusal to purchase the products of an individual, corporation, or nation as a way to bring social and political pressure for change.
I boycott companies that are negatively impacting the world around me.
For exapmple : WALMART/BJ's/COSTCO/SAMs Club ETC. I don't approve of their business tactics, the impact they have on the local economies around them, and the fact that no matter how much organic yogurt they buy- it's not going to make me like them as a company, or the idea of them. While I am not going to dedicate an entire page (right now...) to dissecting these large companies, do some research- maybe you'll find yourself boycotting a company. It feels good to know that you are making SOME kind of impact. The only thing that is redeeming is that when Walmart can price organic yogurt at 89 cents and a person who wouldn't normally have access to it can then buy it. (Every cloud has a silver lining)
Buying power- This is ultimately the back bone of the boycott- but it's also what you buy and not what you don't buy that speaks volumes. When you know the origin of a product, and how it came to be you can make better decisions. I choose to buy organic, local and fair trade whenever possible. This is because those are important issues for me.
Organic isn't just a trendy word to throw around that only means more expensive. Though often it is.When you choose to buy an organic food/product, you are choosing nature. The soil for organic crops is richer and more nutrient dense, and it's also going to benefit the environment because organic farming doesn't allow massive amounts of pesticides to leach into the ground water and surrounding rivers, streams and ponds (meaning the life in those bodies of water remains unharmed). Not to mention the amount of chemicals that are not being absorbed into your body. And to back track a bit- Yes, Organic can be more pricey. This is because organic crops aren't subsidized by the governement. The Gov't will pay farmers to grow what the lobbyist in DC pay them off to grow. Organic farmers who don't use the techniques that rape and pillage the land setting it up for a famine undoubtedly do NOT get money. Right now, if you drive through our nations farm land, more often than not you will see acres upon acres of corn. Corn is in EVERYTHING in hundereds of forms from High Fructose Corn Syrup, to Cornstarch. It's being fed to cows (and please note, COWS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO EAT CORN AND GRAINS- they are fed these things so they get fatter faster and then sent off to slaugter in less time......it's a mess of a system that the masses can't seem to unclench their mouth from the teat of...but I digress). Corn is grown to excess....and it's almost always GENETCICALLY MODIFIED So when it's pollen floats to other crops, it too then gets RUINED. It's a terrible system) The Dairy Council and Beef Board also have a big hand in this kind of lobbying. Thats why organic dairy and beef are so expensive. The larger of many reasons I am vegetarian/vegan inclined is because of the politics behind animal products. Agribusiness is a global nightmare. I do not agree with it, so I do not want to be a part of it. I CHOOSE to not contribute to a problem. If you think that these things are awful, just one vegetarian, or organic meal a week can make a change.
In fact, if you choose to eat one vegan/vegetarian meal a week :
Now I am far from perfect. There are days that I have had dairy b/c I wanted it. Or fish. But currently I am avoiding food that makes me feel like I'm contributing to things I do not beleive in. Thats what the basis of my choices are. What makes me feel good- What makes me happy. What choice has the least harmful impact? And there are things that are completely different from this- If you don't want to be a part of conservative mainstream media, you can opt to watch independent films and listen to local music that hasn't been plundered by big record labels and the like. Or you could just be sick and tired of mean people getting the best of you and others around you. Simple solution- CHOOSE TO BE NICE! It's a lot easier and has helped my sanity more often than not(of course there are days where people do get verbal ass-whoopin's, but it's few and far between since I've taken on my new stance on change).
Here's how to figure out if you want to really make change(and not the Obama kind of change, which sadly is more like, non change as of late):
1) You are angry when you watch the news.
2) Helping yourself and the world around you seems like a pretty awesome deal.
3) You know that things can be, and should be better than they are.
4) You have a really strong desire to take action, but don't know where to start.
5) Inspiring people to live their lives on their terms is something you want to do.
If you answered yes to any of these things, then you are on your way to being part of a revolution. On your own terms. You don't have to be loud, but certainly be proud. Live life with purpose, and put your money where your mouth is.
* Please check out my friend Jessica's blog. She's a phenomenal writer, as well as an extraordinary human being.
http://saynotobarbie.wordpress.com
hippies. Saturday, November 21, 2009
By the way...
In the next few weeks I'm going to be trying to blog with a more direct subject matter. I am trying to do some research so rather than have a random stream of consciousness theme, it'll be more like ways to have a more plant based diet, or the purpose behind buying organic/local foods and what importance they hold.
Get ready.
Get ready.
Much ado about Thanksgiving.
My favorite Thanksgiving memory was from when I was younger. Living in Ohio I believe. Both sets of grandparents were there! Nothing was better than coming downstairs (in the middle of the school week!) in pajamas at 10:30AM to the smell of a turkey in the oven, and pies being made. It was great. Especially when both of my grandmothers would take turns fussing over something or other. Usually me or my brother. We were underfoot no matter how much we wanted to help- but it didn't matter too much. The whole day would go by in blur of a colorful float filled parade and overcast sky coziness; Complimented by the chatter of a football game on (even if nobody was really watching it). When all was said and done, and the table was beautifully set, complete with small dishes of canned black olives (set just far enough from me so I couldn't put them on my fingers) and tiny gherkin pickles- my father would bring out his contribution. A flawlessly carved turkey. And then came the jewel toned cranberry sauce and green bean casserole...
Now I look back at those memories, and no matter how happy they once made me- I get kind of upset now. It's been over 8 years since I've had my mothers Thanksgiving cooking, and eaten a turkey expertly carved by my father. Eight years since I've gotten to wake up to any home cooked smells that would result in an idyllic meal with my nuclear family. Of course it's nice to go to my in-laws, they're wonderful hosts, and serve delicious food. No complaints here-And when you're grown, and not living at home it's totally different from when you were 7 years old. But its painfully not the same. And while I've become a great advocate for welcoming change and new things in your life as a way to grow in truly profound ways- there is still the pain in growth that I suppose is happening these past few years. I'm really working hard to remember that it's important to come out of your comfort zone. However as a result of this growth and leaving my comfort zone, my new growth revealed that I hate Thanksgiving.
Yeah. You read that right. Thanksgiving is rarely a time when people really give thanks. Anyone who has had a Thanksgiving meal with me knows that before I ever touch a morsel of food- I ask that we go around the table to share what everyone is thankful for. It's too important for me to go through the meal and not at least do that.
More often than not, I see people in supermarkets getting pissed that they are waiting more than 2 minutes in a line (in reality there are people who wait all day long for half a loaf of stale bread for a family of 5 or 6, and are half starved, suffering from malnutrition...and those are the lucky ones). I hear them with their snide ' Well this is ridiculous' and 'There should be more people on the registers' comments. Such selfish idiots. Waiting in line for two hundred dollars worth of food is NOT a place to complain. I hope that these people can one day gain true perspective and can really be thankful for the OVER abundance that they have. Also, really- I miss my family. I miss the holidays being so easy to participate in. One year my parents the next year Matts. Now I never see my family on the holidays.This time of year really bums me out.
To top it all off, being the only vegetarian/vegan at the meal you are attending makes you look like a high maintenance freak. And it's apparently un-PC to enlighten those around you to the atrocities that accompany their turkey and dairy covered foods.
So I've decided to create new traditions. Out with the old and in with the new! Sitting around and stewing in a pile of my own boo-hoo pity is not my style.
One of my new traditions is going to be to work at a soup kitchen on the morning of Thanksgiving, or hopefully a few times this holiday week, because I simply can not sit at a table to watch people gorge on food and not step aside and do something for the greater good. There are just so many people out there who are hungry, and have very little to be thankful for aside from the air that they breathe, the health that they have and the clothes on their back. If that. So I am making that my new Thanksgiving tradition until I can maybe grow enough to get over my loss of formerly seen-as-perfect-but-was-actually-far- from-it family. Even then it's something to incorporate into my life. And not just because the calender seems to dictate that it's a time of the year where soup kitchens need help.
The other tradition that I want to pick up is volunteer work at the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. This organization is so wonderful- and is a great place to get hands on with some beautiful animals. The love and appreciation that you feel from them really resonates with you for a while. Totally worth the 3 hour trek.
This would also tie in with my sponsoring a turkey and or other beautiful animal that needs it.
By creating these new traditions, I'm hoping to replace the sadness that I have regarding this time of year with true appreciation and a sense of service to the world around me.
So maybe I won't hate Thanksgiving next year.
Maybe.
Now I look back at those memories, and no matter how happy they once made me- I get kind of upset now. It's been over 8 years since I've had my mothers Thanksgiving cooking, and eaten a turkey expertly carved by my father. Eight years since I've gotten to wake up to any home cooked smells that would result in an idyllic meal with my nuclear family. Of course it's nice to go to my in-laws, they're wonderful hosts, and serve delicious food. No complaints here-And when you're grown, and not living at home it's totally different from when you were 7 years old. But its painfully not the same. And while I've become a great advocate for welcoming change and new things in your life as a way to grow in truly profound ways- there is still the pain in growth that I suppose is happening these past few years. I'm really working hard to remember that it's important to come out of your comfort zone. However as a result of this growth and leaving my comfort zone, my new growth revealed that I hate Thanksgiving.
Yeah. You read that right. Thanksgiving is rarely a time when people really give thanks. Anyone who has had a Thanksgiving meal with me knows that before I ever touch a morsel of food- I ask that we go around the table to share what everyone is thankful for. It's too important for me to go through the meal and not at least do that.
More often than not, I see people in supermarkets getting pissed that they are waiting more than 2 minutes in a line (in reality there are people who wait all day long for half a loaf of stale bread for a family of 5 or 6, and are half starved, suffering from malnutrition...and those are the lucky ones). I hear them with their snide ' Well this is ridiculous' and 'There should be more people on the registers' comments. Such selfish idiots. Waiting in line for two hundred dollars worth of food is NOT a place to complain. I hope that these people can one day gain true perspective and can really be thankful for the OVER abundance that they have. Also, really- I miss my family. I miss the holidays being so easy to participate in. One year my parents the next year Matts. Now I never see my family on the holidays.This time of year really bums me out.
To top it all off, being the only vegetarian/vegan at the meal you are attending makes you look like a high maintenance freak. And it's apparently un-PC to enlighten those around you to the atrocities that accompany their turkey and dairy covered foods.
So I've decided to create new traditions. Out with the old and in with the new! Sitting around and stewing in a pile of my own boo-hoo pity is not my style.
One of my new traditions is going to be to work at a soup kitchen on the morning of Thanksgiving, or hopefully a few times this holiday week, because I simply can not sit at a table to watch people gorge on food and not step aside and do something for the greater good. There are just so many people out there who are hungry, and have very little to be thankful for aside from the air that they breathe, the health that they have and the clothes on their back. If that. So I am making that my new Thanksgiving tradition until I can maybe grow enough to get over my loss of formerly seen-as-perfect-but-was-actually-far- from-it family. Even then it's something to incorporate into my life. And not just because the calender seems to dictate that it's a time of the year where soup kitchens need help.
The other tradition that I want to pick up is volunteer work at the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. This organization is so wonderful- and is a great place to get hands on with some beautiful animals. The love and appreciation that you feel from them really resonates with you for a while. Totally worth the 3 hour trek.
This would also tie in with my sponsoring a turkey and or other beautiful animal that needs it.
By creating these new traditions, I'm hoping to replace the sadness that I have regarding this time of year with true appreciation and a sense of service to the world around me.
So maybe I won't hate Thanksgiving next year.
Maybe.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Meteor Showers and Tim Hortons.
I like Meteor showers.
I do NOT like Tim Hortons.
* Note: Friends from the Western, Central parts of NY and Canada DO NOT get upset about this. I was brought up with Dunkin Donuts. It's just so much better. And really really really- they're BOTH atrocious for your health. I'm basing this soley on the Tim-Bits/Munchkins.*
Last night (early this morning really...) was the Leonids Meteor Shower. I had never actually seen a meteor shower- though I have been lucky enough to see a few random shooting stars.
Generally when there are astral events like this at home, and there is too much smog and light pollution, so viewing is not optimal. This time though the stars aligned (bad pun intended) and I was in a less lit up area. My friend Melissa and her friend Joe drove to Chestnut Ridge right outside of Buffalo. While it was VERY cold, and our Tim Hortons hot beverages soon turned icy- we had a blast. Oh, and I absolutely I love my North Face parka. It kept every part of me that it covered warm and toasty!! The rest of me however was frozen. We were there for about 3 hours. At one point the three of us started to sing bad 80's sitcom theme songs. Our rendition of 'The Nanny' theme song garnered applause from the other star gazers. Not bad considering I actually SOUND like Fran Drescher when I sing.
Not much else ensued. I got SOME sleep, and had a productive day. And as always I'm having a good time. Though my cozy couch, dog and Matt wouldn't be too bad right now.
I do NOT like Tim Hortons.
* Note: Friends from the Western, Central parts of NY and Canada DO NOT get upset about this. I was brought up with Dunkin Donuts. It's just so much better. And really really really- they're BOTH atrocious for your health. I'm basing this soley on the Tim-Bits/Munchkins.*
Last night (early this morning really...) was the Leonids Meteor Shower. I had never actually seen a meteor shower- though I have been lucky enough to see a few random shooting stars.
Generally when there are astral events like this at home, and there is too much smog and light pollution, so viewing is not optimal. This time though the stars aligned (bad pun intended) and I was in a less lit up area. My friend Melissa and her friend Joe drove to Chestnut Ridge right outside of Buffalo. While it was VERY cold, and our Tim Hortons hot beverages soon turned icy- we had a blast. Oh, and I absolutely I love my North Face parka. It kept every part of me that it covered warm and toasty!! The rest of me however was frozen. We were there for about 3 hours. At one point the three of us started to sing bad 80's sitcom theme songs. Our rendition of 'The Nanny' theme song garnered applause from the other star gazers. Not bad considering I actually SOUND like Fran Drescher when I sing.
Not much else ensued. I got SOME sleep, and had a productive day. And as always I'm having a good time. Though my cozy couch, dog and Matt wouldn't be too bad right now.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Angels, Chemtrails and the Holiday Inn...A travelers story.
Today began like any other day. A frenzied mad dash to get out of my house at a respectable time to make it to Buffalo (on the entire other side of the state from the little city of Glen Cove I'd like to add).
These trips always fulfill some deep desire to be a wandering vagabond- But as I have an interesting grasp of time management, I always seem to be rushing even when leaving for local appointments- and even if I had allotted a decent amount of time to prepare, travel and get to said appointments!
Between the bank, the post office, and the gas station-and hopefully on the road; I had a morning that was destined for frustration, and a possible need to "find my center"- or in layman terms- scream "SERENITY NOW!!!" ala' Frank Costanza.
But that didn't happen.
Somehow I was able to get a move on and out of the house by 9- which for me is fan-friggn'-tastic. My first stop was what I refer to is fodder for amusement. I needed to put air in my tires. Of course a woman who comes from a line of strong independent minded ladies would never willingly admit to this- but I wish Matt was there to help me.
Now, I was paying attention for 99% of my drivers ed class. The part about changing a tire? Check. How to merge? Check. What to do in case of an accident? Check. But that filling up tires thing (which is SO easy by the way) always had me nervous. Maybe because an incorrectly filled tire can lead to a blow out, which can result in disaster. No pressure there right? (no pun intended either). Of course I knew there was the air station at the end of the lot you popped change into and then you had a stream of air for like, 3 minutes. I'm not that clueless...I digress. Well, this morning Matt couldn't indulge me.. So I went off to find that the wild adventure that is tire filling isn't as difficult as I once thought.
My teacher this morning was, quite possibly an angel. One second the space by the air pump was empty. I was replacing my gas cap and getting in my car to pull over and I looked up and all of a sudden there was a white, older car with what I thought was nobody there. Initially I was frustrated because this was going to set me back 5 minuites- and then a domino affect of other hinderances would have me getting to Buffalo at 3 am! Not ideal...
So before I could even exhale in frustration, there was this sweet faced old man. He had been putting air in his tires on the other side of the car which is why I didn't see him. I stood patiently waiting, looking for change (which I did not have). When he looked up and smiled it was an opportunity that I used to ask for change of a dollar, which he didn't have. "But I'll give you fifty cents, and a quick lesson on tire pressure!" he shouted over the whirring of the air pump. I didn't want to take advantage, but my offer to give him a dollar in exchange for the fifty cents was rebutted. The lesson I decided to take though.
He swiftly knelt down next to my tire, White and gray hair shining almost as brightly as his satin Yankees 09' World Series Jacket, and showed me how to check the pressure using the gauge- EASY as pie I might add. And then he helped me put air in the rest of my tires. This was such a lovely and unexpected treat.
And as I was putting my last air stopper thingy on the tire(is that a technical term do you think?)- I looked up and he was already pulling away. I took a picture of him as he was pulling away in my side view mirror.
After that really nice moment, the post office and rest of the day went by with a sense of peace and light.
Except for the Chemtrails that I can't stop noticing EVERYWHERE. Once I learned what many people think these are, I've become highly disturbed by them. Now, I'm not actively a conspiracy theorist- But I am not at ease with the idea in my head that these are something that could be harmful. Below are some pictures from today.
Ok- Not to make people mad with fear- it's just what a whole lot of uber paranoid folks are saying. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. Annnnnnnd maybe I'm a nobel peace prize winning circus freak. Who knows. There is so much to be worried about- This just annoys me. Anyone have philosphies on them? Something to quell my undulating paranoia would be rad.
Oh, and the part about the Holiday Inn. Well, lets just say that Orbitz does a FANTASTIC job of making mediocre hotels look like the Four Seasons. My first room was so far from the front desk that I was contemplating calling a cab, AND it had no bolt on the door- and as a bonus: a weird homeless looking/smelling guy (on a blackberry?!) screaming in the hallway. Not so comfy with that. As a chickadee who spends a lot of time travelling on her lonesome, ANYTHING that makes me uncomfortable is rectified immediately. I refuse to not speak up about room safety. I settled on a room on the far side of the building, but no hobos screaming on their mobile (moh-bye-eel) AND a handy dandy bolt lock AND a chain lock. Fancy digs.
What a day. Lucky for me the job I do is more than worth the adventures and mania that keep me so entertained.
These trips always fulfill some deep desire to be a wandering vagabond- But as I have an interesting grasp of time management, I always seem to be rushing even when leaving for local appointments- and even if I had allotted a decent amount of time to prepare, travel and get to said appointments!
Between the bank, the post office, and the gas station-and hopefully on the road; I had a morning that was destined for frustration, and a possible need to "find my center"- or in layman terms- scream "SERENITY NOW!!!" ala' Frank Costanza.
But that didn't happen.
Somehow I was able to get a move on and out of the house by 9- which for me is fan-friggn'-tastic. My first stop was what I refer to is fodder for amusement. I needed to put air in my tires. Of course a woman who comes from a line of strong independent minded ladies would never willingly admit to this- but I wish Matt was there to help me.
Now, I was paying attention for 99% of my drivers ed class. The part about changing a tire? Check. How to merge? Check. What to do in case of an accident? Check. But that filling up tires thing (which is SO easy by the way) always had me nervous. Maybe because an incorrectly filled tire can lead to a blow out, which can result in disaster. No pressure there right? (no pun intended either). Of course I knew there was the air station at the end of the lot you popped change into and then you had a stream of air for like, 3 minutes. I'm not that clueless...I digress. Well, this morning Matt couldn't indulge me.. So I went off to find that the wild adventure that is tire filling isn't as difficult as I once thought.
My teacher this morning was, quite possibly an angel. One second the space by the air pump was empty. I was replacing my gas cap and getting in my car to pull over and I looked up and all of a sudden there was a white, older car with what I thought was nobody there. Initially I was frustrated because this was going to set me back 5 minuites- and then a domino affect of other hinderances would have me getting to Buffalo at 3 am! Not ideal...
So before I could even exhale in frustration, there was this sweet faced old man. He had been putting air in his tires on the other side of the car which is why I didn't see him. I stood patiently waiting, looking for change (which I did not have). When he looked up and smiled it was an opportunity that I used to ask for change of a dollar, which he didn't have. "But I'll give you fifty cents, and a quick lesson on tire pressure!" he shouted over the whirring of the air pump. I didn't want to take advantage, but my offer to give him a dollar in exchange for the fifty cents was rebutted. The lesson I decided to take though.
He swiftly knelt down next to my tire, White and gray hair shining almost as brightly as his satin Yankees 09' World Series Jacket, and showed me how to check the pressure using the gauge- EASY as pie I might add. And then he helped me put air in the rest of my tires. This was such a lovely and unexpected treat.
And as I was putting my last air stopper thingy on the tire(is that a technical term do you think?)- I looked up and he was already pulling away. I took a picture of him as he was pulling away in my side view mirror.
After that really nice moment, the post office and rest of the day went by with a sense of peace and light.
Except for the Chemtrails that I can't stop noticing EVERYWHERE. Once I learned what many people think these are, I've become highly disturbed by them. Now, I'm not actively a conspiracy theorist- But I am not at ease with the idea in my head that these are something that could be harmful. Below are some pictures from today.
Ok- Not to make people mad with fear- it's just what a whole lot of uber paranoid folks are saying. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. Annnnnnnd maybe I'm a nobel peace prize winning circus freak. Who knows. There is so much to be worried about- This just annoys me. Anyone have philosphies on them? Something to quell my undulating paranoia would be rad.
Oh, and the part about the Holiday Inn. Well, lets just say that Orbitz does a FANTASTIC job of making mediocre hotels look like the Four Seasons. My first room was so far from the front desk that I was contemplating calling a cab, AND it had no bolt on the door- and as a bonus: a weird homeless looking/smelling guy (on a blackberry?!) screaming in the hallway. Not so comfy with that. As a chickadee who spends a lot of time travelling on her lonesome, ANYTHING that makes me uncomfortable is rectified immediately. I refuse to not speak up about room safety. I settled on a room on the far side of the building, but no hobos screaming on their mobile (moh-bye-eel) AND a handy dandy bolt lock AND a chain lock. Fancy digs.
What a day. Lucky for me the job I do is more than worth the adventures and mania that keep me so entertained.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Better late than never.
Edible, adj.: Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm. ~Ambrose Bierce
I love food. Reading about it, sharing information about it, eating it. Eating....I LOVE eating. Comfort foods,bursting with flavor, some tasty, warm, fatty, sweet thing. Eating is fun. And I'm good at it. I had never been a picky eater, this was evident by my borderline Rubenesque physique, and penchant for large portions, and more often than not, second helpings. Be it pizza or pot roast, potatoes or lasagna...I wanted more. Savory, sweet, candied, roasted broiled, grilled- I had no objections. And even now there is a part of me that wants to eat with wild abandon. No second thoughts about the origin or global impact of what I'm consuming...Ah, ignorance- like a good porterhouse steak with a side of creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and a generous glass of Shiraz- is bliss.
Backing up a bit...
At a particularly young age, when I was about 8, I came to the daunting realization that I was fat. Not gross morbidly obese fat. Not even get teased at school fat. But the kind of fat that made me feel like I had to be extra funny, or extra nice always so nobody would call me fat. And luckily all of that came easily for me. Nobdy ever really did. I always had friends, and people to sit with at lunch. And in reality I was just a kind of chubby kid- not quite fat enough to get teased, or run through the mill of unjustified cruelty. I was just very well aware of my chubbiness. Not because of anything my parents would say- or other kids. I just knew. So that was the end of second helpings(while people were watching...If I was lucky I'd squeeze in a 3rd if no eyes were on me), swimming without a t-shirt, and the start of chub-rub, feeling self conscious when I was in pictures and looked bigger than the other kids(even though I was always one of the shortest), and my seemingly never ending battle with food. But as we all know that when one door closes another one opens.
Early on it was guilt, and media driven desire to be a blond gorgeous amazonian woman that would shape my dietary choices. Atkins diet? Did it. Pfft...20 lbs shed in a month and a half? Nice. One handful of jelly beans, and a slice of pizza helped me quickly add on what I had lost with an additional 15 for good measure. South Beach? Oh great...I need to make food even more fussy? Then came Sugar Busters, Eat Right for your Blood type, Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss.....Yeah, madness. And after each attempt I started to feel like I'd just have to deal with the extra weight. But I was hoping it'd stop...and with time I learned in my own way a REALLY easy diet. It's called pulling my head out of my ass and eating normal sized portions(with a hearty thank you to Weight Watchers for helping me learn that portion control is actually quite important). Also, exercise...but that's a whole other topic.
So what is it that now drives my never ending power struggle with food?
Politics. It's a farther reaching and integral issue. Where my food comes from is more important to me than how many or how few calories it has. I want to know it's Fair Trade. Local if I can help it. Organic is important, and they're much kinder to the planet as well as our bodies. Eating things that aren't processed, and degraded is really the key. Foods from a lab are not for me. Genetically Modified foods are destroying our food supply and making us more susceptible to a famine. Agribusiness is really damaging and it's the epitome of greed and one of the largest contributors to global warming.
I think that every step that has led me to this new way of thinking about food has been a healthy one. And I can thank everyone from the many chiropractors I've worked for, to Michael Pollan (or Jason Schneiderman for reccommending his books to me) to helping open my eyes to these things. At one point it became an obsession. I had to know more about the evils of the conventional foods we don't often hear enough about. Like the EVIL VILE PUTRID SCUM that is Monsanto . About the terrible things that large companies do to get money at the cost of peoples health and well being. I digress.
Being political about what I eat isn't the same as being obsessed with calories. It's a healthier way to choose whats on my plate. And screw the labels that go along with it. Be it omnivore, or level 9 vegan, I just want my food to be healthy because you are what you eat- but I want to keep my planet healthy so it can give me food. I'm such a selfish bitch.
I love food. Reading about it, sharing information about it, eating it. Eating....I LOVE eating. Comfort foods,bursting with flavor, some tasty, warm, fatty, sweet thing. Eating is fun. And I'm good at it. I had never been a picky eater, this was evident by my borderline Rubenesque physique, and penchant for large portions, and more often than not, second helpings. Be it pizza or pot roast, potatoes or lasagna...I wanted more. Savory, sweet, candied, roasted broiled, grilled- I had no objections. And even now there is a part of me that wants to eat with wild abandon. No second thoughts about the origin or global impact of what I'm consuming...Ah, ignorance- like a good porterhouse steak with a side of creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and a generous glass of Shiraz- is bliss.
Backing up a bit...
At a particularly young age, when I was about 8, I came to the daunting realization that I was fat. Not gross morbidly obese fat. Not even get teased at school fat. But the kind of fat that made me feel like I had to be extra funny, or extra nice always so nobody would call me fat. And luckily all of that came easily for me. Nobdy ever really did. I always had friends, and people to sit with at lunch. And in reality I was just a kind of chubby kid- not quite fat enough to get teased, or run through the mill of unjustified cruelty. I was just very well aware of my chubbiness. Not because of anything my parents would say- or other kids. I just knew. So that was the end of second helpings(while people were watching...If I was lucky I'd squeeze in a 3rd if no eyes were on me), swimming without a t-shirt, and the start of chub-rub, feeling self conscious when I was in pictures and looked bigger than the other kids(even though I was always one of the shortest), and my seemingly never ending battle with food. But as we all know that when one door closes another one opens.
Early on it was guilt, and media driven desire to be a blond gorgeous amazonian woman that would shape my dietary choices. Atkins diet? Did it. Pfft...20 lbs shed in a month and a half? Nice. One handful of jelly beans, and a slice of pizza helped me quickly add on what I had lost with an additional 15 for good measure. South Beach? Oh great...I need to make food even more fussy? Then came Sugar Busters, Eat Right for your Blood type, Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss.....Yeah, madness. And after each attempt I started to feel like I'd just have to deal with the extra weight. But I was hoping it'd stop...and with time I learned in my own way a REALLY easy diet. It's called pulling my head out of my ass and eating normal sized portions(with a hearty thank you to Weight Watchers for helping me learn that portion control is actually quite important). Also, exercise...but that's a whole other topic.
So what is it that now drives my never ending power struggle with food?
Politics. It's a farther reaching and integral issue. Where my food comes from is more important to me than how many or how few calories it has. I want to know it's Fair Trade. Local if I can help it. Organic is important, and they're much kinder to the planet as well as our bodies. Eating things that aren't processed, and degraded is really the key. Foods from a lab are not for me. Genetically Modified foods are destroying our food supply and making us more susceptible to a famine. Agribusiness is really damaging and it's the epitome of greed and one of the largest contributors to global warming.
I think that every step that has led me to this new way of thinking about food has been a healthy one. And I can thank everyone from the many chiropractors I've worked for, to Michael Pollan (or Jason Schneiderman for reccommending his books to me) to helping open my eyes to these things. At one point it became an obsession. I had to know more about the evils of the conventional foods we don't often hear enough about. Like the EVIL VILE PUTRID SCUM that is Monsanto . About the terrible things that large companies do to get money at the cost of peoples health and well being. I digress.
Being political about what I eat isn't the same as being obsessed with calories. It's a healthier way to choose whats on my plate. And screw the labels that go along with it. Be it omnivore, or level 9 vegan, I just want my food to be healthy because you are what you eat- but I want to keep my planet healthy so it can give me food. I'm such a selfish bitch.
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