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Thursday, June 28, 2012

End of June

Well today one of my girls and I goofed off and took some more recent pics. I hadn't had any done in awhile. I'm actually happy with them for the most part too I think. Also we may be getting eggs from my future son in law's grandparents for Raven to sit on. (I really need to find a nice way to say thank you as they've done so much for us) Hopefully she is still feeling broody. I need to put another nest out for the other hens to lay in so they don't have to fight her for the main one. Will see how this works out. Soon my friends will be home from Washington. I am so anxious for that. I'm sure they will be very busy the next couple of months (and we always are too) but it will be nice to have them so close again. I got some drawing done today and plan on more tomorrow I hope. Anyway this will just be a short blog for now. 

Monday, June 25, 2012

Just when I thought I was done for the day...religious rant

Christian state funded school to debunk evolution using Nessie <        This is what I saw on yahoo news. The article is basically about a state funded christian school (first off why state funded?) that is going to teach the students about Nessie (yes the lochness monster) convince them it is real and then use it to debunk evolution.... Um kay. First off while there has been videos and photos of a possible Nessie creature that doesn't mean there is proof of the existance of said creature. Not that I don't think there is some possibility it would be cool to find. Alligators and Crocs are both hold overs from the time of the dinosaurs...but that does not mean that evolution is not possible. In fact it appears that a lot of the dinosaurs were where our modern day birds came from. I can totally see this. There have been a lot more recent examples of evolution in motion though. The fox is a good one. If you have time you can watch the video if not just look up Silver Fox Experiment. (please excuse the placement of the video it didn't want to go where I wanted it to.) On another note I'd love one of those foxes. There are many levels of belief in evolution but in the end it is all about adaptation. I am thinking this is just one more reason for me to prefer homeschooling. I find it sad that they are doing this.

Also I keep seeing posts lately about people saying God made you perfect and you shouldn't try to improve. I guess this has been a current lesson among the churches? I don't know but I am seeing it a lot and it drives me crazy. No one is perfect. I am sorry but I will always see room for improvement. I will always want to learn and grow and I do try to not just outright bash the religion but as time goes on it really does get a bit harder when the things I am seeing posted are just so .... gads I don't even have the words. There is a lot of self righteousness going on and the sad thing is the people doing it don't have a clue that they are doing it. I usually just keep my thoughts to myself and move on. That is what this blog is for though.... ;) ....anyway until I see something else I need to blog about....                                                

Hawt

 This always comes to mind on these hot days....that and this



Ahem....okay now that that is out of my system. It is 100 out and feels even hotter. I am not a fan of summer. I like spring and fall. We are doing our best to try and keep the animals cool (moving shade around for them and lots of water) Today we got the call telling us that they've reset an appt. for my oldest to figure out why she is having the stomach issues she is having. She has to go to Edmond for this. yay us. The first time they set it they had accidentally set her up with a surgeon but she doesn't need to see a surgeon. So they canceled that. There is apparently quite a waiting list for gastro's. My youngest had her well child check and is 100th percentile in height. She is 40" and 37lbs. She is almost chest height on me. (and just turned 3) ....yes I'm short. We realized in Sept. our son that we lost to Trisomy 18 would be 5. We have to pick up a stepping stone. We make one every year for him. I want to get a sunflower. Speaking of sunflowers I have some seeds for my 3 year old to plant and I would like to try out some plans I saw where you can plant them and then fix the tops together and have like a tunnel for them to play in. I've been kicking out blogs lately but I also realize I need to work on some artwork and jewelry crafting. Been trying to also clean and get ready for homeschooling. Too hot to mess with the shed at all though. :( 

Quick rant

One of my big pet peeves and yeah this may be partly to do with my PTSD (post traumatic) is I cannot stand when people throw fits around me. Or when they get pissed off at inanimate objects when they don't work right and wind up doing more damage to said object because they are pissed off than it had to start with. Or break shit in the process of being mad and slamming shit around. Like a bull swinging his balls just to show them off. ....also this does not just pertain to men. < sorry that is what always comes to mind and this just made me giggle with the image....I hate when anyone does that. I get jumpy and it literally is like nails on chalk board. I know I am not the only one I have a friend who has been through the same and hates it for the same reasons. It sets every nerve fiber in your body to electrify because if you have ever been with someone in the past who was so unpredictable that you couldn't tell what would set them off or what they would do to you (and they had everyone else thinking you were the nutty one or so you thought so you knew they could likely get away with most of it)                      That will scar you for life. It sets you in self defense (and protect people around you mode) Even if you are pretty sure the people around you are not mad at you and none of it is intended for you you are still afraid of being caught in the cross fire...which is especially frustrating when you feel at the same time that you are supposed to help so you are caught between helping and staying the fuck out of the way. You don't know if you will get inadvertently hurt without them meaning to or noticing. I forwarn people I am around (if I know them well enough or if they are prone to this type behavior) that I do have a problem with this and it usually doesn't really help. I have enough shit broken around my house and in my life without needing more. This is in general. I found out a long time ago to center myself and approach the situation with a bit of calm is a lot more productive than exploding and winding up with more things to fix than I started out with.  I just wish others could find that as well. Every now and then I will blow out of frustration but I try not to. To anyone if you want someone to help you ...Say something. Don't just assume that the other person all ready knows what you are doing or that they know what you want them to do. My dad also used to do that all the frigging time. I got hurt a lot. 

elections /economy

No chance expected in economy after presidential elections....No change ....to me this is a big DUH. Um did they think that people would believe that magically after the presidential elections things would suddenly change???? The things I'm more worried about are the laws they are changing which is happening more rapidly where women are losing rights. Though I am worried about the economy and I am watching that....which it resembles a slow motion train wreck to me....these types of laws against women and the middle/lower class and some that cover just basic freedoms are quickly resulting in the loss of freedoms and rights have the ability to affect us much more quickly. I don't think anything either presidential elect could do would fix anything economically any time soon...if anything though I think they need to be more worried about what either would do that might cause it to fall at a more rapid rate or into a more unfixable situation. (I may be talking in circles but I have a toddler who is going to the dr. later and keeps stripping out of all her clothes so I am going to have to redress her....plus she is antagonizing the cat so I am having to stop and go stop that. ) Anyway the domino effect is all ready spreading beyond Europe into China and other surrounding countries. I did see an article talking about why the gas prices here were so high compared to elsewhere....which kinda was laughable because while yes they were high they are not really higher than elsewhere. We never hit $4.00 and everyone else did it seems and some are still there. I have some friends coming back to Oklahoma from another state that they've had to stay in because of family obligations and it stayed closer to $5.00 there. Grocery prices though are continuing to rise. The other day I noted while on a shopping trip that chicken and pork were nearly $3.00 lb beef was higher running from $4.00 something a lb for cheaper stuff on up to $8.00 or $9.00 for steaks and such. This also includes hamburger. It is ridiculous. 
I actually saw a global plea earlier this month to conserve water. Basically because we are running out of  clean drinking water and because of the infrastructures degrading. This plea was not from some conservation group either. Electricity is also going up in areas. Texas power demand going up climate change is affecting us as well all over the world Canada one example of many We basically have a lot of different situations that reflect off each other. Anyway I am off for now. Got to dress my youngest again and I am not feeling too well myself today. Rough night. (may vent a bit later) and today it is all ready 95 and rising. I don't handle heat well. Supposed to hit 100 with a higher heat index. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

City Ordinances/self sufficiency

There is a story that came out about a woman in Tulsa who grew plants for medicinal purposes as well as food. The city came in and told her the plants were too tall and in the end cut them all down and trashed them without listening to her. She had over 100 varieties of the medicinal plants and were using them to treat diabetes and such and the food was the only food she had. She was low income. The court found her in the right and yet the city still demolished her gardens. City destroying woman's garden There were complaints from ghost neighbors on it etc and so far she has not been compensated for her loss. This is where you can sign a petition for her at Change.org sign petition They are finding more and more people are going through similar situations at a time when they really should be promoting home gardening and I'd say small farms. Self sufficiency.

We ran into a semi similar situation. Definitely not as bad as hers but I've been finding more like them. Ours was a gripe about our chickens. Which we could understand the rooster and we got rid of him willingly. Had been thinking about it anyway because he was too rough on our hens. (they are still growing feathers back and I had to buy chicken saddles to protect them when we had him) I was told one such complaint was from a city council member (if I understood right) and to me...shouldn't said council member have known they were allowed in town since they had only recently in the last year or two made the changes that allowed them?  I had to have them go double check and they found that they are in fact allowed. (I don't blame the code person by the way. Don't shoot the messenger they are just doing their job) We did move their run to fit within the rules of the ordinance. We did have a pool up and had to take it down because of lack of fencing and when we inquired about fencing were told it has to be 40 I think feet back from the road and if you live on a corner lot as we do you can't fence in the front yard. I'll have to pull out the paper we have to make sure I am stating that right but there are parts they told us that were not in the copy of the paper they gave us when I asked for one. Now that is where this next story comes in. We asked about building a wood pallet fence that would basically be the equivilant of a privacy fence. They looked a bit unsure about that one. There was a man whose story I found when looking up wood pallet fences (and how to build them) His dog had gotten out and was told to put a fence up to remedy the problem. He did by putting up a pallet fence. His story The neighbors complained before he was even finished saying it looked tacky. (There is a photo on the page and you can see on the half he has in front of the house that it really doesn't) He hadn't sanded or painted it yet. He was a low income person and didn't have the money for a more expensive fence and was trying to fix the problem using the only means he had and as well he pointed out that the wood is the same as you might find in a lumber yard. It is treated etc. (I have to attest some pallets do have some really good wood on them if you get the right ones) and it is free AND it is recycling. I think this nation needs to really look at their way of thinking of disposability and consumerism. We just toss shit out and replace it too quickly. We don't recycle in most places. I really had my eyes opened in Germany when you could see where the American bases and housing editions were by the shear amount of trash that was laying around the bins. The Germans had recycling bins set up and their actual trash that was hauled away was placed into a can the size of a kitchen trash can. They also had days set up where you set out your furniture or what not that was in decent shape and people would make a day of going around and picking up what they needed. (I think the beginning of freecycle and craigslist or their version of it) People here still kind of look down on that though it is gaining acceptance it is still seen as a bit low. What is wrong with building a pallet fence? What is wrong with having a garden and providing for yourself? What is wrong with self sufficiency? We need to rethink our way of life and I think they need to work on the acceptability of things like that. Of course if we were self sufficient we wouldn't be as dependent on the government for as much.... what a shame that would be wouldn't it? I am continuing to keep an eye on stories like these. I will also continue to be working on our own garden and self sufficiency as much as I can within the limits and wishing for land that was not in town. Town is not a self sufficient friendly place. Would love to have a community of friends who could all put in time with gardening and such. That would be awesome. 

Going backwards

I have a couple of things for today and I will do them in separate blogs. The first is an article I saw in the Shawnee News star. This seems to coincide with an article that ran in the Countywide that got a lot of negative replies but all in all I see a lot in the news that shows signs of us backsliding. 
Southern Babtists debate gays civil rights This is the article's content: NEW ORLEANS —
A day after electing their first African-American president, Southern Baptists are considering a resolution opposing the idea that gay rights are civil rights.
The resolution up for a vote Wednesday affirms Southern Baptists' beliefs that marriage is "the exclusive union of one man and one woman" and that "all sexual behavior outside of marriage is sinful."
It acknowledges that gays and lesbians sometimes experience "unique struggles" but declares that they lack the "distinguishing features of classes entitled to special protections."
"It is regrettable that homosexual rights activists and those who are promoting the recognition of 'same-sex marriage' have misappropriated the rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement," the resolution states
The article I saw in the Countywide I apparently missed and I tried to go back and find it but haven't yet but I am still looking. The idea I got from the content of the disgruntled letters though is that it was about a couple that one woman had breast cancer and the other was worried about the lack of rights she had because they were not married. The writers were complaining about everything from saying she would have just as many rights as someone who wasn't (I have to disagree there....having been through some experiences myself I can vouch that unless you are married or related by blood they do give you shit) Plus if the woman with cancer were to die her mate would be up against family when figuring out what to do with her estate. Even heterosexual couples that are together for long enough can be considered in some states as common law and yet they don't extend anything similar to lesbian or gay couples. Now we have the Southern Babtist church who just elected their first black official (step forward) and are now proclaiming they don't believe in the civil rights of BLGT. (Two steps back) ....so in other words led by someone whose ancestors had to fight their asses off is wanting to deny some of those same rights to others. 
On top of all of this I see the Catholic churches taking over hospitals (They recently took over our local one) and are denying procedures such as sterilizations, hysterectomies (which I am likely going to need eventually though I am putting it off due to too much other stuff going on and I've all ready had the tubal thankfully ....if I'd have waited much longer I'd have been denied that as well) and of course abortions which our hospital didn't do anyway...To me they almost seem to be trying to pull one over with that part of it. I hear a lot of if you don't like it go to another hospital....well I live in the Bible belt and there aren't a lot of non religious affiliated hospitals AND the ones that did all of this before are being taken over by the Catholic churches (a church with a lot of money to do this) They've been sticking their fingers in the political pots lately as well as other churches. 
Then they all proclaim this country is founded on Christian beliefs...erm actually no and guess what ...they weren't here first either. Though I've noticed more and more (thankfully) the tribes that were here first are starting to rise in strength and get more involved in politics and are being recognized. 
Anyway so now I'm also seeing a LOT of what appears to be Women's rights backsliding. I've even been hearing that they want to do away with our right to vote again...erm yeah I don't see that one happening but I've also seen weirder things. They recently had two representatives speaking out for the people they represent and were shushed due to the use of the word Vagina for the entire rest of the session. It's a medical term....you really don't want to piss the women off ...you will get that term and a whole list of a kazillion other ways to say it...oh wait you all ready have. :) 
It sickens me that like I said in my own local paper the public reamed them for even publishing an article on a lesbian couple. Saying it had no place in a small town like this and they were losing readers due to it and had fallen victim to the liberals...WTF are we really that backwards??!!!!! 
This is what I see when I see the Christians saying they are being persecuted...who is doing all the persecuting? I do have Christian friends that are not like that and I hate using it as a blanket term ...when I say this please understand I am talking about the ones that are saying we have to act under THEIR religion. That no one else has any rights. By the way another thing I see is that they are the only ones with morals...try again. Morals are not exclusive to Christians only. It seems as well that they only start quoting the bible to fit whatever point of view they personally want to get across. It gets skewed easily and twisted and I've seen that more and more. This is why I quit walking that path a long time ago. I didn't want to be part of the ones who look down their nose at everyone else while at the same time wanting recognition for doing service for others. There are some who genuinely want to do those services for the right reasons but there are all too many who only do it with hope of conversion or for the recognition. They will tell you they don't but they use it for advertisement of their church. (What is that be humble? Oh yeah we forgot that part) Anyways my rant for the day ...or one of them. I hate to feel that way but I see it constantly and it so irritates me. I think that is why I perceive that portion of the Christians no matter what church they hail from ..as fakes. Acceptance is low in that community.... just because someone is different doesn't mean you need to change them to fit your image of what is right or deny them the same rights you have. 

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Cloudy day


 abstract I did recently I don't normally do abstracts but I kinda had fun with this. It is entitled Emergence.

Feeling a bit better today. Feeling like I've taken hold of my self again even if only for a little while and am just rolling with the flow of life. Take each day as it comes and see what it brings kind of outlook. 
I got some drawing in yesterday and have been in sleep mode it seems I guess making up for going without sleep for about a week. 
I'm also in organizational mode which sort of clashes with the sleep one. 
Anyway for lack of anything better atm here are a list of things that pick me up.
Music: I have playlists for that though I've noticed project playlist decided to change themselves up and turn into a copy of grooveshark....which don't get me wrong I love grooveshark but playlist didn't bog down my computer when trying to draw and I could have a playlist embedded here ....and I can't now. I don't like it. Plus it crashes constantly now. I am checking out Iheartradio atm and so far it works for when I draw. Usually something like Skrillex, Ellie Goulding, dance, etc work for me though sometimes alternative and rock do as well. Music definitely can influence my art and my mood. 
Drawing: Works a lot of the time though if you have a lot going on around you it is harder to get done and therefor may just add to the anxiety level/frustration. That and if the music (which seems to be a requirement for me) won't work right or your drawing tablet (if doing digital) is not cooperating ...or you are just having a case of artists block. I think another reason I am feeling organizational right now is I kind of like the whole zen flow of a room etc and it just isn't happening in any room in this house right now. Then when I try to clean (organize)  or rearrange that just stresses every one else out and they all get irritable and grouchy. Which in turn makes me the same way. I want to work on my crafts though which is harder to do with a 3 year old who is just as interested in what you are doing (which would be fine if I could get her interested in doing something herself beside me but with tiny beads and such...doesn't work) also there is that organizational problem and right now the way things are set up is not conductive to any kind of productivity. Mainly set up to keep toddlers out of it. (exceptionally smart ones that can figure that shit out) So it is kind of a pain to get to and etc. 
 Writing: Doing that now. I'd like to actually write stories and I even have a blog set up for that and it has been running through my mind more and more.... I guess I need to try it. I have written before I don't know why I'm suffering the equivalent of stage fright with it now. That and I have like 3 ideas going and all very different settings from one another. Guess I just need to pick one and find the time. 
Singing: I do karaoke (playstation) with one of my girls (the other two older ones don't sing as much and the youngest is well...too young) I really enjoy it and have surprised myself with my own voice a few times but it definitely has to be a song I know....I'm sure that is true for most people. 
Those goofy wall posts on facebook or Jenna Marbles videos: I completely adore Jenna and her awesomeness....nuff said.
Dance: This one I have had one and off times with. I totally love it but haven't been able to get as in to it for awhile. That is something through the years I've always loved. More recent years it has been belly dance which I may start back up in the fall. I love being physical which you would think the opposite considering my health problems but with the RA it helps the pain some if you choose the right outlets. Like going for walks. What I miss sort of is being able to go for one of those with some music and tune everything else out. That or walks in the woods. One of these days I hope to make a goldfish pond. 
Talking to my friends: Right now they all have so much going on themselves that while I do this I prefer to keep it more light than not. We usually vent to each other some but just so much going on.... 
I'd much rather be laughing and enjoying life. Sometimes it likes to throw me curves that makes that a bit harder and it may knock me down for a bit but I will always pull myself back up. It may take me longer but I will. 
Though if I do find my instincts are serving me right ....I guess I will just have to wait and see if things change and how. 

Monday, June 18, 2012

Surface



If you look at the surface of your life sometimes things seem fine. Barely a ripple but go deeper and there is an undercurrent that says things are not as they seem. That is what I am going through right now. There are things I am trying to ignore and I know I really shouldn't but I do so because I am hoping I am wrong. Things that just enough have shown through to make me have doubts and I try to pretend everything is okay. Especially when you have been through it before. ....Then there are my own thoughts, dreams, and feelings I try to ignore because I don't feel entitled to even have them. 

Sometimes you wish you could see a few years into the future ...just  a glimpse to see whether or not your life is on the track you think it is. Then sometimes you don't want to know.


Saturday, June 16, 2012

another plague story

stray cat transmits plague to man I had to pass this one along as I'd just found the previous story yesterday and then here I find this one today. Something to kind of watch in the news front I guess. 
I am also watching this one..Euros fate

Friday, June 15, 2012

Worse than zombies?

I am going to write this one quickly and make it short as my youngest wants to go play and my last blog was rather lengthy....this one I found while looking for a link for one of the others I'd written. I am always fascinated by dark things and I don't know why but something I was fascinated with but never want a close up look at was the black plague....aka Bubonic plague. I think this interest comes from my interest also in medical things and the dark ages. (I blame my Mom for that as she is the one got me interested in medical phenomena) anyway....Bubonic plague is passed usually via fleas carried on wild rats and mice and in the past it was usually in unsanitary conditions. Apparently this particular plague is coming back a bit. They don't seem to think it will be of the size it was in the past (up to 60 percent of the European population)by any means but it is happening in more affluent neighborhoods. My own theory is people are seeing a rise in the number of pests due to climate change and in places they really weren't an issue in before as they encroach farther into the human population in search of food, water, and shelter. When they do they are carrying with them disease such as the aforementioned plague and  others such as rabies , etc. Here is the yahoo link on this topic plague. I may post more on this later :) Oh here is another link...unrelated yet sort of related http://www.giantmicrobes.com/

Health eating, food stamps, and other stuff

tomato from this years crop
(Rewriting this one) This is the news story on the food stamps: food stamps Short version of this is they really want to put restrictions on the food stamps where you can't buy things such as pop and junk food. I can in a way see where they are coming from on this as we do live in a very unhealthy society and they feel like these are luxury items. On that part I do agree....However this is where I have a problem with this. Why specifically target just the food stamp users? Why not do something to change the country as a whole as far as nutritional food if that is the problem. The cost of said junk food tends to be lower than the healthy foods and actually buys more. Granted the nutritional value does not go as far but if you are trying to feed a hungry family and stretch things as far as you can then you are going to try to buy things that go farther. I have been pretty low in my own life. (Try living on $500 dollars or so a month at the time myself and 3 kids....yeah that includes house payment and utilities it was a very depressing time for me lots of spaghetti with tomato sauce and I HATE that stuff plus whatever veggies were in the sale cart the store had set off to the side.  It sucked. Anyway also for example my kids are each allotted now so much a week for snacks beyond the things we keep normally. They are allotted an amount to buy their lunch meat, fruits, whatever they want to eat with it. This is partially to try to teach them more about budgeting and grocery shopping. Today when we went to the store my son quickly discovered that a bottle of sunny d was more than two bottles of pop. This does not make it easier to help them make healthier choices but I imagine that is how it is for a lot of people. Plus these are comfort items. Meat is now outrageous. Hamburger used to be the low budget go to item in the meat section...now as someone else put it...it is as expensive as a nice roast. What used to be as low as 89cents a lb soon went up and up til now the cheap hamburger (like the 75/25 stuff) is now around $2.00 a lb and that is on sale in the tubes. The hamburger we are having tonight (again not even the most costly stuff) is around $2.69 a lb. Chuck steak used to be a favorite of mine though I am not much of a beef person I still like to sear some steaks or grill them on occasion. They have gone up to a price where it just isn't economical to do. Water melons that are the size of those cheap little basketballs you find (not actual basketball size but the smaller toddler size ones) were $5.00 ...now compare that to  Little Debbie snack cakes that can be as low as 50 cents a box on sale and usually we see them for like 75 cents to a dollar.....which one will go farther? Especially when you are trying to feed a bunch of hungry kids? I can see the problem with this. The watermelon would be healthier as would any fruit or veggie and nutrient wise would go a lot farther but a lot of times people are looking to fill tummies or comfort. Again this doesn't make it right but I think the prices enable this behavior.  I was just talking  in comments to someone about this and they bring up a good point. Healthier food is not more expensive if made from scratch...  This depends on your grocery stores I think. The cost of flour and such as well. I think they could start doing nutrition classes for food stamps and while it wouldn't help everyone it might help some if it were not these short little classes that WIC has. Those can be helpful but maybe expand on those. As well as working with time constraints. Finding the time to fix healthier meals on a tight schedule  between work and school. I think there can be an addiction problem in a way as well. (I.E. caffeine in pop even in diet pop, sugar, etc can all be addictive) It is relearning a life style which can be a bit trying. It isn't just the people on food stamps either that really need to learn this though at this time they are the ones being targeted. Also I think if they are going to look at that they need to look more at the people who sell their food stamps (yes they do this still even now that it is on a card) for cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. I know of people who do this. If you can sell them for that and get by you likely don't need them. As of recently my husband went to another store that I hadn't been to in awhile and found that the veggies and such there are cheaper than what we've been getting at our usual stores. So I hope to go there soon and check out what they have. I am trying to move farther away from foods with a lot of preservatives (less canned if possible more frozen or fresh) and he is kinda slowly warming up to this. He isn't a fan of veggies really any way except for a certain few. I also want to grow more of our own stuff and I have some mint plants I need to replant in our yard so that they will spread out more. My tomatoes are doing really well this year and I am constantly learning with this. I got my first decent sized zuchinni off the plant (for some reason it vastly outgrew the other zuchinni plants.) and it looks like we will have pumpkins. These came off some pumpkins we'd bought for Halloween and let the seeds do their own thing under the a/c. Pumpkin seeds grow super easy it seems. I now have some sunflowers I want to plant for my youngest. Something to add is that you can also buy seed packets with food stamps. I don't think a lot of people know this but I think with a bit of education I think they'd find the program might work better. Oh another thing you have to watch out for especially in the smaller local store here is expiration dates. I bought some chicken livers and normally I think to look and didn't this time and they had expired around the first of the month. I buy them on occasion and fix them with feta and cherry tomatoes and onions (and send over half of it over to my Mom) to help with iron levels. Mine get low really easily. The kids actually like them too. Something else that is a problem where I live is the water. We are still getting notices (always after the fact) of how the water contains bacteria and they are working to fix this matter....then the next month we get the same letter. People are suffering some pretty nasty stomach viruses around here as of late and I wonder if it is a coincidence. We had one a couple of weeks or so ago and then a couple of members of the family had it AGAIN not even a week ago. These always seem to coincide with these notices. I have a screwy immune system. I keep trying to drink tea or such which of course requires use of the water...which always seems to end badly for me. Therefor it is almost safer to drink my pop (which since I drink diet pop probably is just as bad) I really would like to buy one of the huge water containers they sell at the grocery store (or two) and get the pumps for them and then just take them when they are empty to the little ice shop for refills (if they aren't using city water which they may be...) Anyway back on the original topic the government as well as wanting to tighten the reins on food stamps are also wanting the industries to do away with super sized drinks and now this New york banning foods They want to ban buttered popcorn and milk based drinks. 
So anyway they (the government etc) wants to promote healthier eating and to decrease obesity and disease associated with the junk food diets of America...Why don't they start with education? You put it out there enough it actually does stick with people. Just don't make them numb to it but you go putting out advertisements pushing things like bacon sundaes (while I am intrigued by this and STILL trying to wrap my brain about it) then yeah people push the limits of the bad food ideas to see what else they can come with. It is like a delicious sin sorta thing. Can be okay in moderation but as Americans we do nothing in moderation anymore. People want instant gratification. We stay on a rush rush rush mode in our day to day living. That is the biggest part of our problem...I'd say that is more of the problem than nutrition education by far. It is our lifestyles as a whole.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Footing

I am trying to find my footing again right now. I think I am just kind of worn out physically and mentally and need a refresh. I did some drawing today which usually helps but I guess just need a breather.
I had a dream recently that was kind of interesting and stuck with me. Basically the whole dream was telling me to write down my dreams. I haven't done it yet but I've been trying harder to remember them. One of my more recent ones was really cool. Something about reprogramming and it was basically watching like all the nerve endings etc reprogram which sounds ...weird but looked really cool. Like what you might see in a computer graphics music video type thing. Wish there was a better way to describe it. Anyway.... 
I need to find my motivation and ambition again. I guess I am off to go attempt again to draw or play a game for a few. 

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Economic woes

As of recent I've been watching the news stories come in faster and faster about the economic problems spreading across the Eurozone. I've never been on to read business news or pay attention to stock markets etc but I am right now. There is a domino effect happening and it is starting to become more rapid in its pace. I will be watching it still though at this point in time the stories and news sources are posting so rapid fire it is hard to keep up.
At this time I am wishing I lived out on a small acreage away from city limits and that is just out of grasp for me right now. Someplace I could fence as I wish....here we can't even fence the front part of our house or side yard because we live on a corner even though the house is far enough away from the road....I find those rules strange when you have young kids and you want to make your yard safe for them to play in. I could raise a decent sized garden. I could have more livestock that could actually give back and my chickens could be free range reducing on feed that we buy. Etc etc. 
I honestly think I'd feel more at peace. I think it would be a much better learning environment for the kids as well. 
 




I have times when I want to vent certain things that I can't blog. Which sucks so there really isn't many ways to vent them. I guess sometimes I am not sure why life is the way it is. 

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Looking through a window

I've noticed as of late I've gone from being a very outdoorsy type person to finding myself sucked into the in internet easily. I can find so many more ways to express myself on here than I ever could in the physical world and I've noticed what I say looks better in print than it sounds with me saying it LOL :) At least to me anyway. I do have things I enjoy doing offline such as every other weekend I play karaoke with my kids (usually my 2nd oldest but also the other two older kids if they want to sing and we sometimes will give my youngest a little play microphone so she can play along in her own way. It is a fun....what would that be ...hobby maybe? I also have been wanting to pick up my painting and beading but the only time it is safe to do so is after the youngest is in bed and at that point all I want is peace and quiet or to sit quietly on the couch and watch a movie and now my oldest stays up and hangs with us so that time period isn't really free anyway. I need to find a space during the day in which to work though or figure something out. Especially if I plan on doing more with this. Outside things I like to do are gardening and I am trying to become more involved in that. This year I've gotten more produce from my little garden. I want more plants that I don't have to replace yearly though. Like berry bushes and fruit trees. I've found out my mint plants are supposed to last and they make my garden smell wonderful. I do find that with any hobby you do learn things about yourself. With me I've learned through karaoke ...something that originally was for the kids as a Christmas gift for all of them that I actually LOVE to sing. I am not nearly so bad at it as I had thought I would be. I underestimate myself all too often. I have also figured out that I do really well with throaty songs LOL I am also as I type this being made to listen to myself in playback on one I just did and....it isn't half bad LOL Mainly if I actually know the song and can get into it. :P Anyway then with gardening I've learned it really is okay to try new things and learn from the ground up so to speak. I'm starting to learn to let go and have fun again. I would like to also get back into my belly dance some but right now I don't feel I'm doing too badly. I think my biggest thing though is doubting myself. I usually surprise myself and find that I am far more capable than I believe I am but it takes getting past that hard part of pushing myself to try it.  It is like getting stage fright I guess.
I guess the whole point is to try new things without fear of failure


Friday, June 1, 2012

Viral

After following the "zombie" stories (I'm sorry I have a morbid fascination with this) I am a collector of sorts of weird information and weird news. Anyway in the latest story I read they mentioned not entirely substantiated stories of mystery illnesses and people in hazmat suits in FL. I decided to see what I could find and found this...
Bio chem warehouse A man who was reported to have been doing research for the military.....makings of a good horror movie, no?
I believe I all ready posted on the man who eviscerated himself.




Anyways what I was originally going to post about was the virus we just got over ourselves. (The timing made for some really awesome bad jokes around here to keep us going)  Apparently there is a stomach virus going around including the usual problems and then extending to leaving you so weak you cannot walk really (apparently unless you are a kid in which case you get to get over it quickly so that you can then annoy your parents to no end while they are still trying to decide if breathing is too much effort) It also leaves you with high fever, pain, skin can't stand to be touched even by air, and the most massive headache of all time. (That part takes forever to go away) and then in my case when my lupus kicked in with its auto immune response I started itching all over like crazy. I had to take a benedryl for that but ours lasted about 24 hours for the worst part maybe the kids maybe 8 or a little longer. I'm so jealous of their immune systems though my youngest has had a couple of mystery illnesses. One which swelled her lymph node under her throat up HUGE and scared us half to death with high fevers both times. Looked to me like mumps honestly. She thankfully (knock on wood) has done okay since then with the occasional cold or virus. I am most fearful of the viruses. We also have to worry about trying to not get the grandparents all sick. 
In any case we are feeling better now and I am off to challenge one of my girls to a karaoke duel.... we do that like every other weekend.