tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35852547082615714132024-02-18T22:44:31.023-08:00TwentySomething's Guide to Maintaining My SanityVanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-69795350425406080742016-05-13T13:46:00.003-07:002016-05-13T13:46:56.811-07:00Celebrating May: Mental Health Awareness Month (Actually maintaining my sanity)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you weren’t aware (as I wasn’t until this
morning), May is mental health awareness month. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I actually laughed out loud this morning when I saw
the awareness banner across my internet home page. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I laughed, because this morning I popped a pill in
my mouth to kick off my first-ever prescribed regimen focused on alleviating
the symptoms of anxiety and depression. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I laughed because I had no issue taking Valium as
needed for the panic attacks that have been ever more frequent these past few
months, but the moment the doctor suggested I start taking something on a daily
basis to help prevent these attacks I… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">panicked</i>.
(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An everyday pill?! That means there’s
something actually, really wrong with me!</i>)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I laughed because when I left the doctor’s office
last night, prescription in hand, I cried because I felt like I lost a battle
with myself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Almost 10 years ago, on a perfectly normal Monday morning,
I woke up in my bed next to my best friend at the time who had slept over the
night before. I was a freshman in college, and I had a typical day of classes
ahead that didn’t start ‘til noon. Nothing particularly stressful was going on—
no tests or papers due, but I jolted out of a deep sleep—heart racing. I was
dizzy and couldn’t catch my breath—everything just felt generally horrible, and
I had no explanation for it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My logical brain knew nothing was wrong, but I could
not calm myself. I slipped out of bed, trying not to wake or alarm anyone,
poured myself a glass of red wine (an old, dusty bottle I found in a cabinet),
and sat in the shower—simultaneously nursing the terrible wine while shielding
it from the stream of warm water. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While pulling myself together enough to go to school,
I recalled a story a friend told me years earlier about waking up in the middle
of the night feeling like someone was sitting on her chest; she called it a
panic attack, and I remember being unable to truly empathize. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was an
unwelcome epiphany. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since then, I have found my own ways to deal: some
constructive (talking with friends, yoga, working out, deep breathing, staying
organized, staying away from caffeine) and some less so. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is still a very obvious stigma around mental
illness—one that is dissipating, not fast enough. If I was writing this post
about a different physical affliction (cancer, a peanut allergy, a broken leg)
I probably wouldn’t have gone back and forth about whether or not to post this,
and one of you probably would have started a GoFundMe page for me already. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disclaimer:</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> I do not want or need a GoFundMe page. I do not discount the very real
suffering of those who are dealing with physical illness, or those who are in
need of financial help from others to pay for medical treatment</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m just saying, you don’t see gofundme/viral
levels of concern for mental illnesses very often.</i>) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I grew up around a lot of people who did not believe
in medicating for mental illness. If you needed pills to cope, you probably
also needed a good exorcism. So I’ve been turned off to the idea of taking
something pharmaceutical from day one. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m a planner. I
like to make plans, write lists, and always stay busy. I feel most calm when I
am being as productive as humanly possible. If I’m bored, or not being
challenged—if things are disorganized or people indecisive—I get anxious. And
sometimes, despite all my careful and meticulous planning, I bite off more than
I can chew.Then I get anxious. Some days, for no reason at all, I get anxious.
There are days when I give myself a pep talk to get out of bed, and others when
I am a hurricane of multi-tasking proportions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I AM JUST FINE.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was a funny feeling last night sitting across
from a doctor describing me as “highly functioning.” I wanted to say, “Tell me
something I don’t know. I’m nothing if not highly functioning.” But that would
have been rude. He had just met me, and was try to help by piecing together my
previous charts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m nothing if not self-aware. If I didn’t tell you
how I was feeling, if you didn’t see the nervous flush creeping up my neck or
feel my clammy hands, I would seem pretty darn put together most of the time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I can honestly say that my anxiety and panic
disorders (so many names for things that I have a hard time differentiating) have
never kept me from doing what I needed to do—neither my work, nor my grades
have really been affected by it, and that’s something I’ve prided myself on. I
power through. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Look at you! Keeping it
together! Without any pills!</i>) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However, there have been too many times when
I was short or rude or not as compassionate or empathetic as I would have/could
have/ should have been had I not been caught up in my own head. There are
arguments that could have been avoided with my husband, my family, my friends—those
I love the most who sometimes get the worst of me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The past 6 months or so have been rough. I work a
full time job, run my wedding business on the side, and started grad school
this past September. Though I thrive on a packed schedule, I’d been having a
harder time coping with my own racing thoughts and emotions. The balancing act
of managing the things I had to do (work, math homework, household chores) and
the things I wanted to do (plan events, see my friend, fit in some exercise
here and there, enjoy being a married person) became more precarious each day. I
was praying for the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the month,
the end of the semester. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So
who cares if I can work 80 hours a week and go to grad school if I can’t just
be a nice person most of the time? What good are a bunch of hand written
letters and cards to people I care about if I don’t think before I speak and
offend them? Why make a million plans to do a million things if the days leading
up to them give me a stomach ache? </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometimes it’s hard to identify your own feelings. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Am I just stressed? Because that’s life and it
happens. Or am I anxious?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Am I sad? Because that’s OK too, and normal. Or am I
feeling depressed? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Am I organized and tidy? Or am I getting caught up
in some kind of compulsive cleaning? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I personally am most relaxed in a clean house, and I
don’t think a person has to be diagnosed with “OCD” to like everything in its
own place. However, when I let things like laundry tip me over the edge, it
becomes an issue that needs to be addressed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I think starting grad school was a turning point for
me. It shook up my routine. I met new people, and made some new friends—one in
particular who I could relate to when it came to being fully functioning,
bad-ass ladies with lots and lots of anxiety. It’s also a setting where the
general subject of mental health—or more accurately, stereotypes of mental
health issues— cropped up quite a bit—usually in ignorant or negative ways: “I’m
going to kill myself if I don’t get a B.” “I’m really OCD about XYZ.” “I guess
we know who the crazy one is in this class.” I’m not easily offended, and I’m
not the PC police. I’m even guilty of speaking flippantly about mental health issues.
(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe this is one of those cases where “crazy”
people can joke about being crazy, but no one else can? Maybe not. I don’t know
what the deal is.</i>) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, back to the beginning. It was a very last second
decision for me to go to a psychiatrist last night. I tried therapy with a
counselor at the same office last year, but I frankly didn’t feel like I was
getting much more out of it than I would venting about things to a close,
trusted friend. When I met with this counselor, I was adamant that I did not
want to be put on medication, so there was no need to ever schedule an
appointment for me to meet with the psychiatrist. She listened to me, asked me
a few thought provoking questions, and gave me some general advice. I was
willing to keep a diary, and practice deep breathing. Even willing to consider cognitive
behavior therapy, but I thought that if I broke down and agreed to try a pill, I
was weak or broken—unable to just take a deep breath and “get over it.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A little part of me still feels that way, even
though I know I’m wrong. I was embarrassed dropping off and picking up my
scripts at the CVS last night (one pill for daily use to help keep anxiety and
depression at bay, and another for use as-needed when I feel an acute attack
coming on.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have a lot of things to do tonight and this
weekend. And next week, and next weekend. And all the weeks after that. (I did
give myself a break in July and August to enjoy summer. Not too many people
want to get married in the hottest months.) I was listing all the reasons I should
wait to start these new pills. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe
not today, because what if I don’t like them, and I don’t do a great job at my
wedding this weekend? Maybe not Monday, because what if they start my work week
off weird?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was standing over the sink, watching the clock
this morning—coming very close to being late for work—going back and forth in
my head—to pill, or not to pill. I finally just threw the tiny thing in my
mouth, swallowed, and walked out the door before I could regret it. (It was
ALMOST JUST LIKE Neo’s red pill/blue pill moment, only… way less cool and
without an audience.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This all sounds very dramatic, but it felt that way
for me for those few minutes. The whole drive into work, I was dwelling on the
list of potential side effects associated with this pill—do I feel dizzy? Am I nauseous?
Do I have a new rash? Did my head just explode? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now here I am 8 hours later, feeling just fine. No
dramatic change, no zombie feeling, no euphoria either. I do not regret a
thing. I don’t expect to have to be on medication forever, but for now, I’m
going to give it a chance and see if it can help me do/feel things that 10
years of “holding it together myself” couldn’t. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t honestly know why I’m writing this post.
Maybe it’s to make me feel better about myself. Or gather my thoughts. Maybe it’s
so this is all out in the open—and any of you who want to can talk to me about
it. Maybe it’s so one single person feeling a little “crazy” and doubting
whether or not they should seek professional help reads this and just decides
to go for it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I also don’t want anyone to hesitate to ask me for
help (with anything!), because I have no intention of stopping doing the things
and seeing the people I love. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know I am going to make self-care more of a
priority. I’m going to stop telling myself it’s better to be “strong” than to feel
sane. I’ll try to take another moment to think before agreeing to do things I
maybe don’t want to/ or don’t have time to do. Hopefully, I’ll take an extra
second before I open my mouth to say anything. And even if this isn’t the cure
all, I’ll still be happy I tried. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope your take away from all of this is to try be easy
on others and to extend that same kindness to your own self. </span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-55271715698545170502015-08-06T16:09:00.000-07:002015-08-06T16:09:50.421-07:00Scrubs Enlightenment RE: Health Care & Politics<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">As I’ve
mentioned before, I’ve been on a bit of a Scrubs binge on Netflix. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">That
show is SO good! Although I enjoyed watching it 10 years ago when it first came
on, re-watching it from the beginning has been even better, because I am old
and can now relate to more late-twenty-something issues. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Yes,
it’s a fictional comedy, but man, it can hit you right in the feels some times.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Last
night, it really made me think.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">It
was an episode in early Season 8 (with Courtney Cox as a guest star) where JD
and Elliott were treating a guy pretending to have MS so that he could get the
prescription drugs for his daughter who ACTUALLY has MS, because she didn’t
have health insurance. In the end, the doctors were convicted (by their consciences,
not the law) and willing to put their careers on the line by knowingly
prescribing a healthy patient with MS drugs. Happy Ending. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
show originally aired before “Obama Care” came onto the scene; this was a
fictional portrayal of a very real issue. Statistics show that about 129 million
Americans (something like 50% of the US) have what the insurance world calls “pre-existing
conditions.” These conditions include, but are not limited to: cancer,
diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, arthritis and many, many others. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
is not to say that half of America is uninsured—in fact about 85% of Americans
were insured even before Obama Care came into effect—but it does mean that
prior to 2014, insurance plans and insurers were routinely denying coverage
and/or treatment to these people or charging them much higher rates to obtain and
maintain coverage. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Superficially,
this makes sense. People with conditions that cost money are a bigger risk to
companies insuring them, and thus, should be charged more for coverage. People
with bad driving histories pay more for car insurance. People who drive
expensive cars pay more for car insurance. Duh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">But,
then again, we’re comparing apples to oranges. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Comparing
conscious choices: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Which
car do I want? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Do
I want to pay attention to the rules of the road? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Do
I allow myself to be a distracted driver or a cautious and respectful one? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Do
I have a lead foot?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Do
I want to drink and drive? (if so, you’re an asshole) </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">With
luck of the draw:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Does
cancer, heart disease, mental illness, etc. run in my family? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Does
my job put me under a lot of physical or mental stress? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Does
my body just not want to cooperate with me?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Now
before you start arguing with me in your own head (A La John Dorian, MD), I
know some of the questions that come up:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">But
what about FAT people?! Can’t they just start living a healthier lifestyle?
This would/could reduce so many instances of high blood pressure, heart disease
and arthritis. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">If
your job is so mentally/physically demanding, why not just QUIT and find a new
one?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
reply:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Fat people need health
insurance too. Just because they LOOK heavier than you think a healthy person <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> look, that doesn’t mean they aren’t
eating well and exercising. There are people who don’t take care of themselves
as well as they should, but there are also people who suffer from OTHER
conditions that exacerbate weight issues, such as thyroid and other hormone
issues, polycystic ovary syndrome, etc. There are slim people who appear fit,
yet eat fast food every day. Genetic luck of the draw. There are also people
who work 2 and 3 jobs to support their families and have little time or money
to get in the shape society requires of them to be deemed healthy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’ll
tell you right now that in college, I gained something like 30 pounds. I was
not obese, but I was teetering on that fine BMI** line that tells you what your
fat person health risks are. Suddenly I had gone from a thin, busy, college
student who could eat whatever she wanted whenever she wanted and not gain a
pound, to someone who’s metabolism stepped back and was like, I’m gonna let all
that pizza catch up to you. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">**I
don’t hold much stock in the BMI index anyway, but that’s another story. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
have since gotten myself into a healthier lifestyle that includes lots of plant
based foods, yoga, and walking, blah blah blah. I lost a lot of the weight and
feel better, but I also won’t be turning down the occasional ice cream or bacon
cheese burger. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">However,
had anyone presented me with the choice of putting down my pizza or paying more
for health insurance because being overweight was riskier for my provider, I
would have punched them in the throat with my fist that wasn’t holding pizza. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Please, continue to elaborate
on how easy it is to find a good paying job these days that offers good
benefits. For many people, it’s about sacrifice and survival. They work long
hours, sometimes doing grueling or menial work to provide for their families.
The end. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
did a lot of research over the past year or two to better understand all of
this. Most recently, this past winter when it was finally my turn to take on
the task of figuring out what was the best insurance to purchase for my husband
and I and what could we afford. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Curious
about the hot button topic that is “Obama Care”, I scoured for as much
information I could find, on both liberal and conservative sides (trying to see
different points of views and find pros and cons) as well as any sites that
CLAIMED to be fact finders and truth checkers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Obviously,
it sounds good to say that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could potentially
positively affect half of our countries population. As I mentioned earlier,
about 85% of Americans currently have health insurance. Out of the remaining
15%, most conservative sites say that only about 1 million of them would truly
be turned away because of a pre-existing condition if they were to try to acquire
health insurance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
cite that “low ball” number (although liberals would say this number is much
higher), because I know that seems insignificant. Personally, thinking that ONE
MILLION PEOPLE in the most developed country in the world CAN’T GET MEDICAL
HELP without the possibility of going bankrupt seems like a REALLY BIG DEAL. More
significant. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Concerning
the rest of the already-insured people, if they contracted on of these aforementioned
health conditions while they had coverage, they would get treated. However, if
they lost coverage for some reason (loss of a job, divorce, etc.) and then had
to try to get NEW insurance—TA DA—they now have a pre-existing condition.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
ACA also did away with Lifetime Benefit Caps. Many of us have never had to pay attention
to these caps, because we’re fortunate enough not to get sick with some of the
nastier, more expensive diseases out there, but it basically means, although
you’re paying for an insurance plan and you are covered, the insurance company
will only pay up to a set amount of money for LIFE. In many cases, this means if
your treatments reach this max dollar amount, you are no longer covered and the
rest of your treatment bills fall on you. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
is how so many cancer patients end up having to decide if they can afford some
of the newest or best treatments. This is why insured citizens still end up
under mountains of debt— dealing with that stress on top of a debilitating illness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Even
for people who don’t have cancer, but suffer from other chronic illnesses, the
insurance co-pays alone can hurt. $15 per visit (for good plans) weekly or
biweekly adds up. It’s like a whole new bill! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Maybe,
with serious reform, our health care system will stop allowing the pharmaceutical
industry to reap OBSCENE amounts of profit from sick people—cancer patients in
particular. Perhaps, if cancer stopped being such a cash cow for doctors and
drug producers, it might actually incentivize a cure. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
is one of my favorite John Oliver segments about big pharma:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/john-oliver-takes-down-prescription-drug-industry-2015-2">http://www.businessinsider.com/john-oliver-takes-down-prescription-drug-industry-2015-2</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">And
THIS is a disgusting story about a doctor who lied to his patients so that he
could send them for cancer treatment in order to make more money off of them: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/1485160/prominent-michigan-cancer-doctor-pleads-guilty-i-knew-that-it-was-medically-unnecessary/">http://www.inquisitr.com/1485160/prominent-michigan-cancer-doctor-pleads-guilty-i-knew-that-it-was-medically-unnecessary/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’m
sure this doctor is not the first or last to pull this sickening stunt. When
the opportunity for doctors to profit from prescribing unnecessary treatment ceases
to exist, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">then </i>perhaps they will stop
pandering to pharmaceutical reps, insurance companies, and lobbyists and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">focus on what’s best for their patients</b>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">For
a country with so much (power, knowledge, wealth), it seems we can be seriously
lacking in compassion, common sense, and moral compass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
USA currently ranks 37<sup>th</sup> in the World Health Organization’s list of
the World’s Health Systems:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://thepatientfactor.com/canadian-health-care-information/world-health-organizations-ranking-of-the-worlds-health-systems/">http://thepatientfactor.com/canadian-health-care-information/world-health-organizations-ranking-of-the-worlds-health-systems/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">USA
can’t chant WE’RE NUMBER ONE about this. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Even
if these stats are not 100% accurate (bias is unavoidable and there are A LOT of
factors to consider), we don’t even make the TOP 10. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Here’s
another list comparing the US to 11 similar countries:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2014/jun/mirror-mirror">http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2014/jun/mirror-mirror</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">We’re
dead last. Shouldn’t be surprising, but it also costs the most here for some of
the worst care among the top developed countries. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">If
you want to drive fast in your big, fancy car—it’s on you if your insurance
costs are through the roof. Take the bus; ride a bike; get a Prius! Those are
all of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">choices</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">No
one chooses to get cancer. Don’t blame cigarettes or bad eating habits. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> Yes—they’re
not great for you. But I know too many healthy people who eat right, work out,
never smoke and STILL get sick to let that argument stand in the way of reform.
I don’t know why this stuff happens, and I probably never will, but it sucks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
have been fortunate to have health insurance for as much of my life as I
remember. Before the full ACA mandatory enrollment period came up, I was in
college and health care was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t even realize
that the reason I was still able to mooch off of my mom’s health insurance for
so long was because the ACA required plans and issuers that offered dependent
coverage in their plans to make that coverage available until the dependent
(child. me) reached the age of 26. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">A
LOT of my friends took advantage of that new insurance requirement without even
realizing how helpful it was! I stayed under my mom’s insurance until I got
married (4 months before my 26<sup>th</sup> birthday) and that was a lifesaver.
Often, with family insurance plans, it doesn’t cost any more if you’ve got one
or 5 dependents on the plan. So, I was saving my own money by not having to buy
insurance so soon after college, and my mom wasn’t financially affected by me
staying on her plan (since I’m the oldest of 4 kids who were all still on it). It
was funny to hear a lot of my very conservative friends rail against “Obama
Care” while they were lucky enough to be reaping its early benefits. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’m
not saying the Affordable Care Act is perfect, but it really is a step in the
right direction—even if you think everything proposed sucks—it’s a conversation
starter and an acknowledgement that our system is in need of serious improvement. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I’m
aware that this is not news. It wasn’t news to me last night…but for some
reason, it was never in the forefront of my brain—most likely because I had
insurance for most of my awareness years. (Although before I remember understanding
co-pays and coverage, I know we did go through a time where we were at the
mercy of charity care organizations and Medicaid. My mom got a job working for
the county, which opened up a door for good health benefit options. Many people
aren’t that fortunate, and while some would call it a blessing, my mom still
works really hard for a modest salary, because of the health insurance benefit.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I don’t
know why Scrubs was the final straw or why it hit me so hard. The light bulb
went off, and I laid awake for much of the night thinking how horrible it must
be for the people who have to find “illegal” ways to get the medical care and
drugs they need because insurance won’t help them. How could health care and
quality of life not be a basic human right in a country like ours? I thought
about hard-working people I know who have to buy their antibiotics from Canada,
because they don’t have insurance and can’t afford to go to the doctor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Change
seems to be so difficult in our country. So many bureaucratic hoops to jump
through. And almost ALL of the officials, politicians, lobbyists, presidents,
and CEOs in power are privileged and wealthy. You can’t even get to hire levels
of government without millions of dollars to spend on a campaign behind you.
All this money, and yet there are citizens who can’t get quality health care. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Here
are some articles that give you an idea of what the average congress-person’s
benefits and salary package looks like. And yes—they all have the option to
obtain federal insurance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2015/01/congressional-pensions-update/">http://www.factcheck.org/2015/01/congressional-pensions-update/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/Why-The-Congressional-Reform-Act-Will-Never-Pass.htm">http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/Why-The-Congressional-Reform-Act-Will-Never-Pass.htm</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Scrubs</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> made me realize that this
situation can be as serious and ridiculous as it comes across on screen. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">It
also got me thinking about how infinitesimal I am. Although sometimes I get
discouraged thinking that my vote has to get through a political swamp of money
and power and lobbyists to matter, I still have to do it. This is the first
step to having an opinion and hoping to effect change. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vote. Vote. Vote.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">And
for heaven’s sake. BE INFORMED. And I don’t mean turn on your one favorite news
channel every day or share some stupid bumper stickers on social media. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
have made it my mission to cast a completely thoughtful and thoroughly informed
vote for the upcoming Presidential election. I appreciate any advice on quality
news sources or political forums. I am determined to learn about every single
candidate and weigh the options as well as the outcomes that could accompany
them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Although
I work in government, I’m not nearly as politically savvy as I could or should
be. I had to Google the pros and cons of free vs. fair trade and research
off-shore drilling. I swing back and forth on some issues, because sometimes I
feel like I could be a VERY liberal Republican or a conservative Democrat. (Don’t
get me started on the ridiculousness of the 2 parties in general or the fact
that everyone on social media seems to LOOOOOVE the independents, and yet they
never get voted in.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Growing
up, almost everyone I associated with voted for the same party. It was not even
a question. It almost seemed like it didn’t matter WHO was running, as long as
you check the right box. My first few voting experiences followed suit. Then I
got really cynical and stopped voting for a bit altogether. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Whoever
you vote for, please do so with conviction. Not because your friends or parents
or pastor or media tell you to vote that way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
year, I’ve decided to vote for the candidate who is serious about addressing the
health care system, equality for women, and the environment. I decided that
right now they are most important issues to me (and in my opinion, very
important for everyone living here in our country and, in regards to the
environment, on earth). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I Googled
“Quizzes to help you figure out who to vote for” at one point, and took a few.
My results surprised me because they were all very similar to each other and
contrary to my prior voting habits. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">With
so many candidates right now, it helps to get a better understanding of who’s
who. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">If
you’re interested, this one was my favorite, and seemed to be one of the most
in depth and easiest to use (best website set up):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><a href="https://www.isidewith.com/">https://www.isidewith.com/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Although
I really dislike Fox news and laugh at the thought that some people consider
Megan Kelly to be a trusted news source, I will be watching the Republican debate
tonight. If anything, it will be a conversation starter for the rest of the
week with friends and coworkers, and conversations (if respectful) can often
lead to new perspectives. </span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-6624305832422352622015-03-26T14:11:00.002-07:002015-03-26T14:11:36.535-07:00You Don't Have to Do That - Part 2: Wedding Edition <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a twenty-something, it feels like once college
is over there is a wedding period in your life where you are invited to a
billion weddings in a very short span of time. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here’s a news flash!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You’re allowed to decline invites—especially ones
from people you barely know or don’t like or weddings that are far away
(whether it be Pittsburg or Jamaica). You’re allowed to decline because you
don’t feel like spending money on a gift and a hotel room! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After wedding season, inevitably comes BABY
SEASON! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Everyone is having babies and nowadays, it seems
like the common SINGLE baby shower before your first kid is now inferior. You
have to announce your pregnancy, then host another event that lets people know
the sex of your baby, then have a baby shower and then another one for “work
people” and then, some people even have a couples shower!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’ve had someone ask if it was cool to ask for
cash at one of their FOUR baby showers because they’d already gotten everything
they needed at the first three.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>HOLY HELL. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You’re allowed to NOT go. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you care about the person, but really hate
showers, feel free to send a card and maybe a gift in the mail! Otherwise, RSVP
on time (be polite!) and say, “I regretfully will not be able to attend. Please
enjoy your special day.” THE END. The same goes for christenings and baby
birthday parties. If you don’t want to go, don’t. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(This is not to say there won’t be times in your
life when you’ve weighed your options and decided that the couple of hours or
discomfort or boredom far outweigh the consequences of NOT GOING to some big
thing…whatever it is. Sometimes, you have to grit your teeth and grin and bear
it. But don’t let that become the norm. It’s stupid and not worth your time.
Life is too short to do things you absolutely hate.) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know a lot of people going through wedding
season right now, so I’ll talk about that. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I LOVE WEDDINGS. They are beautiful and fun and
emotional and happy! I loved my wedding. I love going to weddings. I love
planning weddings!!! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What I do not love is the narcissistic wedding
trend that has been steadily creeping in and taking over. Weddings are special,
and brides deserve to get treated like a special person on their special day! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, it seems that the wedding culture is
transforming into something ugly with a strong sense of demand and entitlement
and selfishness. Too many brides believe that they have a right to demand the
sun and the stars from everyone around them for the ENTIRE YEAR leading up to
their ONE big day. These brides get indignant, and can become intimidating
forces to deal with. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Side note:
I am a feminist. It may seem like I’m talking negatively only about women
(brides) here, and that’s because I am. I’m sure there have been uppity grooms,
but I haven’t dealt with any yet. Frankly, I believe my husband is part of the
majority of husbands who could care less about the details and planning of
their weddings. Men are USUALLY much less likely to have a serious diva moment
during a wedding or the planning and events leading up to it. However, if I met
a dude acting like a crazy wedding dictator, I’d tell him the same things I’m
writing here. Equal treatment for all sexes. #HEFORSHE</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now—I’m talking to you bridesmaids. You don’t
have to spend $300 on a bridesmaid dress. You don’t have to pay to get your
face airbrushed on the wedding day. You don’t need to spend an entire paycheck
on an extravagant bachelorette weekend. You don’t need to go into debt over the
hosting of the bridal shower. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t need to worry about buying an expensive
gift or contributing to a honeymoon fund if you don’t want to. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here’s a revelation: you don’t HAVE to be a
bridesmaid. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So many people I know complain about being in
weddings. They hate the dress, they’re going broke, and they can’t stand the
bride. When you are asked to be a bridesmaid in someone’s wedding, usually it
is a sign that they value your friendship and want you to be a part of their
special day. Some brides see it as bestowing an honor on their maids and some
view it as making sure the most supportive people she knows are standing by her
on her big day. When you’re asked to be in a wedding party, I urge you to take
some time to consider it ALONE. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let’s be real. Weddings DO cost money. If you are
broke, you should feel comfortable enough to have a conversation with the bride
about the anticipated costs of the wedding. If you can’t afford it, feel free
to politely decline. Say you’ll be happy to attend the wedding and support her,
but you just don’t have the funds right now. If you barely know the bride, or
she was your college roommate 6 years ago, and you’ve been pseudo-facebook
friends ever since—you don’t need to be her bridesmaid! If she has already
asked 13 people to be a bridesmaid—you don’t need to be a bridesmaid! You can
if you want to, but you’re allowed to say no!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let me also explain what is expected of you,
according to basic etiquette and common sense:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Required:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Buy a dress—usually one of the brides
choosing—hopefully one you like. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Be emotionally supportive to your bride friend. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Show up to the wedding.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Generally Expected: </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Get along with the other bridesmaids.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Help (or at least offer) to host an intimate
bridal shower (close friends and family is reasonable!)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Show up to the rehearsal dinner (if there is
one).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Make yourself look presentable on the big day.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Bonus Points:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Find shoes and jewelry that will complement the
dress you need to wear.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Offer planning and prep assistance to the bride
if she asks. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Things that are NOT required of you:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Spending money on a lavish bachelorette party in
Vegas or NYC or anywhere. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hosting a bridal shower at a fancy restaurant for
50+ people and paying for it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Paying to get your hair, nails, and make up
professionally done. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Buying a specific shoe, piece of jewelry, hair
piece out of your own pocket.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Slaving away for hours in a DIY decoration
assembly line.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Taking any kind of mental, physical, or verbal
abuse (sounds crazy—but it’s happened!)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Buying separate gifts for the engagement party,
bridal shower, and wedding reception.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The lists could go on, but you get my point. If
you are a bride and you are requiring your bridesmaids to get up-does and
French manicures so they can look identical and glamorous on your special day,
you should be footing the bill. If you can’t afford it, then you should trust that
your bridesmaids know how to make themselves look their best. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you are a bridesmaid who has agreed to be in
the wedding party…but 4 months in are starting to experience rudeness and
selfish, expensive demands at the hands of your bride—you CAN back out. It’s
not fun or pretty, but it’s better than going into debt or losing your damn
mind over a wedding that’s not even your own. If things are going in that
direction, you probably won’t be too good of friends after the wedding anyway. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And brides, assuming you are behaving like a
normal human, you are also allowed to not do things. It IS your special day, and
you are allowed to take the reins. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Everyone will have a moment of stress or
panic—you might lose your cool during the planning process or on the morning of
your wedding when your soon-to-be-husband forgets the ONE THING he was supposed
to bring to the ceremony (**true story**)—but please remember that you want to
still have friends and a husband (or wife!) and money and sanity when your ONE
special day is over. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a bride, you are allowed to NOT feel guilty
when you have 6 different family members complaining about the color scheme or
seating chart or menu. Are they helping to pay for it? If so, they get a little
say. If not, they don’t. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is a fine line between being respectful and
allowing your family (usually just your parents) have some input or allowing
yourself to be nagged and pulled into a million directions. Just as you
shouldn’t be a bossy, guilt tripper—you shouldn’t allow yourself to be guilt
tripped. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A good way to avoid complaints about the dresses
is to let your bridesmaids have some input. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After all, they will be wearing it and paying for
it, so it seems fair to make sure they are comfortable in it! (See the
difference between what you HAVE to do and what would be a thoughtful thing to
consider?)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
SIDE NOTE: I’m going to back track here, and say
there is one thing you HAVE to do when you’re planning a wedding—try not to be
a tacky, greedy grubber. Let me take this moment to tell you all that it is
ALWAYS TACKY to ask for cash. ALWAYS. I don’t care if it’s 2015 and some people
think it’s OK, because everyone’s living together these days and no one needs a
toaster anymore. I don’t care. This is applicable for baby showers, but also
and especially for weddings. The same goes for honeymoon or home deposit funds.
TACKY. You’re throwing a party—don’t try to tally your guest list and figure
out how much you’re going to “make” off of it. Definitely don’t plan your
wedding reception budget off of your projected gifts to determine whether or
not you can afford the affair. You will almost never recoup all of your costs
anyway. You’re hosting a party. Others are coming to celebrate. You expect them
to come and have a good time—they’re not there to help fund their day or pay
for their plate. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I hope that this trend of over spending and over
celebrating cools down a bit. There’s no need to go into debt over a wedding
reception and there’s no reason to lose friends or sanity over it either. You
can have a classy event and thoroughly enjoy yourself by just adhering to
common sense etiquette and having honest conversations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-92094056232352886442015-03-19T13:56:00.001-07:002015-03-26T13:56:03.205-07:00You Don't Have To Do That! <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You know that moment of silent relief you have
when plans that you didn’t really want to have in the first place get
cancelled? You’re trying to seem disappointed, but really you’re thinking how
awesome it will be to just get home from work, put sweatpants on, and watch TV
all night? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don’t get me wrong—I HATE IT when people flake
out on me. Flakey people are the worst people, so I try my best never to be
that person. Buttttt……if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i> cancel the
plans, it’s not on me. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This never used to be the case with me. I used to
always have energy and drive. I love my friends and family and I always wanted
to see someone and do something. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the past couple of years though, I got tired.
I realize how much work it is to maintain meaningful friendships, and, while I
value time spent with good people—I also value sweatpants. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The best kind of people are the ones you can wear
sweatpants to see without judgment. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They. Are. The. Best. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, I hope you know that I believe in being
polite. I think there are too many rude and tacky people out there. I have been
strongly tempted to mail <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emily Post’s
Etiquette</i> to many, many people. (If you are dealing with a bridezilla—I
seriously recommend buying her a copy of Emily’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wedding Etiquette</i>,
but more on that in a later post.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While kindness and thoughtfulness are key, those
of you who know me understand that I also deal in the currency of blunt, honest
straight-talk. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is a difference between being a nice person
and being a sucker. You don’t have to be a door mat to be a good friend. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These days, people seem to be so afraid of
hurting someone’s feelings or causing offense that they lose their voice and,
sometimes, their will.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t say this to make you feel guilty, but feeling
guilty and doing things begrudgingly aren’t the same as being kind and
thoughtful. Allow yourself to be continually guilt tripped and you will most
likely end up becoming resentful. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, I’m no savior, but I am here to liberate
you. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I want to let you know that YOU DON’T HAVE TO.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are so many things you don’t have to do—too
many to count, but here are a few:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to like kale. You don’t have to
EAT kale. You don’t have to lie about not eating it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to be skinny (you SHOULD try your
best to be healthy though!) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to go to that Tupperware or
[insert new “sell from home product here] party.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to go to the gym or run a 5k
(although, you probably should find something you enjoy that gets you active). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to go to grad school to feel like
or BE an accomplished person. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to maintain friendships with toxic
people who aren’t worth your time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to want kids. If you don’t want
them, you don’t have to HAVE them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to ogle over your friend’s kids or
puppies. (Be polite though!!!)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t mean to sound patronizing or
stereotypical here. Women are so often told what they should or shouldn’t do or
say or wear, and you don’t need me to state the obvious.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So—in your own head, think of that thing you’ve
been asked to do, or that invitation you received for that event you
REALLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY don’t want to wake up early/state out late/shower for,
and send a polite, declining email, text, Facebook message, snapchat, tweet, or
IG comment. If you’re really an amazing person, you will make a phone call or
send a hand written note. You don’t need to lie and make up 12 million “legitimate”
excuses for why you can’t make it. You don’t need to be an asshole and say “I
really think your baby is hideous and I don’t want to see it at his/her first
birthday party” either. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A simple: “I’m sorry, I can’t make it” should
suffice. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Since we’re all adults—the inviter should accept
your negative RSVP, and not question you or demand to hear a good excuse. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you like this person, make it a point to reach
out shortly after said missed event, and try to make plans to get together. Or don’t.
</div>
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<![endif]-->VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-74170567045341425662015-02-13T09:16:00.000-08:002015-02-13T09:16:53.021-08:00Matt Walsh & "Mansplaining" at Its Finest<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt Walsh is a popular conservative* who
describes himself as a blogger, writer, speaker, and professional truth sayer.
His blog posts and articles on <u>The Blaze</u> are widely read and shared by
many on social media. In the “Donate to me” section of his blog, he explains
that he “spends hours writing and working on the absolute truths you love to
read and share.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><i>*I say conservative, because he is
mostly read and shared by citizens who share similar conservative beliefs. I do
not know if or how he votes politically, but if you read enough of his blog
posts, you will find he leans toward Republicans and away from anything that
could remotely identify as feminism or liberalism. He often states that he is
simply a justice seeker upholding the constitution. You will need to read for
yourself to get a better understanding of his beliefs across the board (or
don’t.) </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Today I’m just going to reference one topic
that he’s touched on a few times recently: Birth Control. (I know, I know—white
men will never get tired of sharing their opinions on women, their bodies, or
their meds.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He recently wrote an article entitled: <b>“Birth
Control Pills: Men Get Free Sex, Women Could Get Cancer”.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m not part of the “meme scene”, but, in
reference to that headline, I feel like this is an opportunity to say <i>that
escalated quickly. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Before I give you the link to THAT article, I
want to give you a bit of back story. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt Walsh has also written articles on why
women shouldn’t expect their employers to provide birth control; he says, if we
want it, we should just go “spend the $15” and get it ourselves. Spoken like
someone who has never purchased birth control. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">You can read his reasoning in his article
below—and while I understand and agree with religious protections, his argument
that women only use birth control so we can have "free sex" is stupid
and so is the argument to exclude birth control. I would say it’s offensive,
but this type of thinking is too commonplace to be shocking or offensive
anyway. It’s just dumb. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><a href="http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/03/25/a-brilliant-and-innovative-solution-for-women-who-want-birth-control/" target="_blank">http://themattwalshblog.com/<wbr></wbr>2014/03/25/a-brilliant-and-<wbr></wbr>innovative-solution-for-women-<wbr></wbr>who-want-birth-control/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">His argument is that companies with a moral,
religious opposition to birth control shouldn’t have to supply it to their
employees through their company health insurance coverage, because that would
violate employers’ constitutional rights.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">His “brilliant and innovative solution for
women who want birth control” is to…</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">"Pay
for it yourselves. </span></i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Or
find an employer that <i>chooses</i> to provide it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Or
have sex and don’t use it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Or
don’t have sex.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Basically,
take responsibility for your sex life, one way or another.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">There
you go. I’ve solved this dilemma. You’re welcome.”</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and
assume he writes so flippantly about this because he doesn’t know what he’s
talking about and is trying to be funny. Also, because he’s a man, who doesn’t
ever have to worry about getting pregnant. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">We all know how cost effective it is to buy
prescription pills out of pocket. We all know how easy it is in this economy to
just pick and choose the jobs you want based on their health benefit options. <i>(I
hope you can read the sarcasm here.) </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He makes it clear that women need to take
responsibility for our sex lives. Matt Walsh seems to firmly believe that the
only REAL reason women are ever on birth control is because they hate babies
and they want to have “consequence free” sex all the time. This is way of
shaming women for having sex lives—while the men are… absolved? It takes two to
tango, buddy. So in the same argument, he says that we need to exert
self-control over our bodies and reproductive systems, BUT we should feel duped
and guilty if we do so in a way he does not agree with [by using birth control]. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He says: “…Of course — birth control is
popular. It’s popular because it helps you have less babies, and we all know
that babies are a disease (which is why the morning after pill is called
“preventative medication”) and a punishment (according to the president,
anyway).” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">This is a spoken like a guy who has never had
to worry about becoming pregnant and will never have to actually birth a child.
He also happens to be super good at jumping to conclusions, “wry” humor aside. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">What is wrong with not wanting as many kids
are your body can physically produce? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I am going to come out and say it here. I
will decide if and when I want to have children. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Do accidental pregnancies occur? You bet!
Statistics show that almost half of all pregnancies are unplanned. These babies
can be born healthy and into fully functional family who have the means and
will to take care of them. I have nothing against kids. What I do have a
problem with are the people who have a million kids (exaggeration) by choice and
not enough means to care for them. Matt Walsh doesn’t believe in government
handouts either—so he’s not going to be advocating to help feed or clothe those
kids. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I am not shaming or judging women who chose
to have families and raise children. I say “More power to you” to those mothers
who are able to be stay at home moms and chose to do so, because that shit
ain’t easy! I’m impressed by mothers like mine, who work two jobs and go to
college at night with four kids, and rarely a complaint. The bottom line is,
it’s your choice! Good for you, not for me (as spoken by the wisest, most
beautiful funny-woman ever, Amy Poehler). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">What I don’t understand is how people use
religion and MORALS as an excuse to judge and shame women who decide to work
for a living. These days, it’s very difficult (if not impossible) for true
middle and lower class families to afford to have a stay at home parent and
make ends meet. It’s also difficult for two working parents to be able to
afford day care on top of all the other expenses that raising a child can bring. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m not saying children aren’t rewarding, but
parents should get to decide when they’re ready (if ever) to have them in order
to provide them with the best possible living situation—as well as maintaining
the mental sanity of the parents. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">There are people who believe you are
interfering with God’s will if you’re not actively trying to get pregnant every
time you have sex. These people don’t believe in birth control, but they also
don’t believe in condoms either. They believe in having as many kids as your
womb can possibly hold until you’re too old to do so. Sounds fun, right? If
it’s something they’re into—go for it. But it’s also very taxing on the female
body (and, I would also imagine—psyche). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Methods aside, you don’t need to think babies
are a disease to understand that you may not be prepared to have one. You don’t
need an excuse or a justification to be a responsible person who decides they
don’t want to get pregnant at this (or any) point in time because they don’t
want children or can’t afford them or whatever else your reason is. The
end. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I probably don’t need to explain to you that
women (& even teens) can have issues with their “lady parts” that are
sometimes best remedied by the use of hormonal birth control. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Here are some LEGITIMATE medical issues that
hormonal birth control can help treat or control. (Beware—there’s some mention
of “periods” here, which many dudes may find “gross”.)</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Endometriosis</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Irregular Periods</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Lacking Periods</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Heavy Periods</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Menstrual
Cramps </span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">And even Acne.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">It’s also been shown
to reduce the likelihood of anemia, ovarian cysts, ovarian and endometrial
cancers. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Unless you have suffered any of these issues,
which I doubt Matt Walsh has, you may not know that many doctors and
gynecologists recommend birth control as treatment. You also might not know how
uncomfortable and inhibiting some of these conditions can be. (Keep this in
mind, because he will later try to explain that women need to liberate
ourselves by putting down the birth control and “reclaiming” our lives and
biology. He will go onto explain that birth control is anti-feminist. It gets
good.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">To Matt’s credit, he does seem to rethink his
original blanket statement about the REAL reason women use birth control,
because at the end of his article he added the following, patronizing
disclaimer: </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">“<b>Update:</b>
<b>despite closing this post with “the end,” I feel the urge to offer a few
responses to the most frequent(ly off base) responses from Nanny State
Proponents.</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Response:
“But lots of women use birth control for medical reasons that extend beyond
preventing pregnancy.”</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Answer: Yes, some
do. There’s absolutely no doubt that the vast majority of birth control
users are using it to prevent pregnancy, but some women do, in
fact, take them for difference reasons.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">On
the other side of that equation, it’s also true that many of these medical
issues — hormonal imbalances, acne, etc — can be, and often should
be, addressed in other ways. But what about the medical maladies that
absolutely cannot be treated through ANY other means, aside from birth control?
Well, now we’ve whittled the percentage down even further.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt Walsh is speaking like a doctor who
knows best about women’s bodies and medical issues. He also sounds like he
knows all about treating these issues and that there MUST be other ways to
treat female reproductive problems that don’t involve hormones, and align more
with his train of (erroneous) thought. He also claims that he speaks in
absolute truths, and when he ends an article with “THE END” that must be all
there is to it. It’s one thing to have an opinion—we’re all entitled to
them—it’s another to imply that your opinion is absolute truth. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He also went on to explain that he wants
LIBERTY for everyone! Including organizations that don’t believe in
antibiotics. He writes:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">“Response:
“Well, what if a Scientologist/Jehovah’s Witness/Whoever doesn’t want to
provide health insurance that covers antibiotics, due to their religious
beliefs?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Answer:
Then that is their right. See, you can’t back me into a corner with this
liberty thing. I’m not afraid to take my convictions to whatever extreme and
unlikely conclusion you can conjure.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">(I would assume, by this logic, that his
fervent efforts to throw big government off the backs of job creating America
would also include emancipating anti-vaxxers from the shackles of employee
insurance coverage that includes the MMR vaccine. That’s just my opinion
though—you’d have to ask him.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I laid all of this out there for you to read
and understand his point of view before reading his more recent article <b>“Birth
Control Pills: Men Get Free Sex, Women Could Get Cancer”.</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><a href="http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/birth-control-pills-men-get-free-sex-women-get-cancer/" target="_blank">http://www.theblaze.com/<wbr></wbr>contributions/birth-control-<wbr></wbr>pills-men-get-free-sex-women-<wbr></wbr>get-cancer/</a></span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Where do I even begin?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Well, Matt starts his article off by stating:
“I saw on the news last week that birth control pills are now potentially
linked to brain cancer.” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He included a link to this <i>Time Magazine</i>
article: <a href="http://time.com/3677129/birth-control-risks-may-include-brain-cancer/" target="_blank">http://time.com/3677129/birth-<wbr></wbr>control-risks-may-include-<wbr></wbr>brain-cancer/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Check out the second paragraph of the <i>Time</i>
article Matt used as the basis for his argument. The Doctor who conducted the
study that shows a POSSIBLE link between hormonal birth control and a specific
and rare type of brain cancer explained: “Their results, published Thursday in
the <i>British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology</i>, raise questions about the
connection between oral contraceptives and brain cancer, but shouldn’t yet be
interpreted as a reason to stop taking birth control.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">This study was legitimate and it did raise
questions—but I find it interesting that Matt Walsh chose to write an entire
article based on a single study that raised<i> questions</i>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The Doctor went on explaining the rarity of
this certain type of brain cancer (glioma) and said, “If you look at women in
Denmark aged 15 to 49, about five in 100,000 experience that terrible diagnosis
in a year, and that figure includes women on hormonal contraceptives, so it’s a
very rare event….with the present knowledge we have, I would still favor using
contraception in eligible women, but we need to do more research to get a
better handle on the issues.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">So—the study shows that 5 in 100,000 women
per year may be diagnosed. Considering the popularity (and for good reason) of
birth control, would it be too hard to believe that half of those 5 women a
year were on birth control? That’s not a very big percentage when you consider
the actual rates of that specific type of cancer. I bet half of those women
also ate fast food or smoked cigarettes or drank more the 3 glasses of wine per
week. Or perhaps 3 of those women had a genetic disposition to cancer. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t want to come off as someone who is
not empathetic to men and women who get cancer. It’s tragic, and awful, and has
personally affected my own family. I hope that scientists and doctors continue
to run studies and trials to find a cure SOON. However, Matt Walsh
(Not-a-Doctor) loves jumping to conclusions and, in this case, he likes to use
fear mongering to make his point.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I am not naïve. I am not saying to dismiss
health warnings. I am aware that all prescription (and even OTC) medications
can have side effects; some may even cause long term damage that we may not yet
know about. I am not belittling anyone’s struggles with the side effects of
birth control. I personally notice that my chances of getting migraines,
especially around my most hormonal times of the month, increase when I am on
BC. Some people actually use BC to TREAT migraines, so it can affect
everyone differently.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">However—I made a conscious decision to put up
with that side effect in order to not have to deal with all of the other issues
I experience when I’m not on [it]—like irregular or extended periods that are
so painful, sometimes I throw up in the shower or have to call out of work. For
me, it’s the lesser of two evils. That’s my personal choice. One day, I
might decide to change my mind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
some friends and family who experience no side effects whatsoever (I’m a bit
jealous of them). When Matt Walsh and my doctors come up with a better solution
for me that doesn’t involve hormonal birth control, I’ll most definitely
consider it!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I am not a doctor, and neither is Matt Walsh.
The only person who should be helping you decide whether or not birth control
is a good fit for you is your doctor. If you’re unsure, get a second and third
opinion. Do your research online, as well, so you know what they’re talking
about when you make your appointment. </span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Do not listen to people like Matt Walsh
who think it’s their duty to blog at home all day and tell you what is right—physically
and morally— for you and your body. </span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The article went on to compare cigarettes, trans-fats,
and sugary sodas (all things that are bad for you—duh) to birth control. It read
that the only reason BC wasn’t getting as severely scrutinized [as these other
bad things] was because [it] is the “Eucharist to liberal feminism,” because
the pill is viewed as ‘a “liberation” from their feminine biology.’</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He goes on to make this point: “If a woman’s
reproductive powers were seen as powers, rather than a disease or a burden or
an oppression, I think conservatives and liberals alike could find many common
reasons to reject the pill.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I find that I can get behind some of this
statement, but who is ADVOCATING for women’s reproductive powers to be seen as
powers by the rest of society? Not Matt Walsh—unless he’s counting this
article. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The work force is not especially conducive to
women in general, particularly women of the childbearing age. (This is a whole
separate issue for another day.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">If society was more accepting and
accommodating to women who wanted to have families AND work (in order to afford
families), then perhaps more women would be having more children, or having
children earlier. But people like Matt Walsh making this argument are not the
same people advocating for flexible work hours or better maternity leave
benefits. They would consider this an unconstitutional infringement on the
rights of businesses. They don’t want the government giving “handouts” and tax
breaks to women who need to put their children in day care in order to work,
because we should be paying for our sexual <i>consequences</i> ourselves. Matt
doesn’t view babies as diseases, but they are most definitely our own
consequences. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He has a lot of opinions and zero solutions. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">This generation is totally different from our
parents. Lots of twenty-somethings are stuck living at their parents’
houses, because they can’t get jobs that pay enough to live alone right out of
college (and many college educated students are in LOADS of debt). At my age,
women in my mother’s generation were working on their 1<sup>st</sup>, 2<sup>nd</sup>,
and 3<sup>rd</sup> kids. It wasn’t easy, but it was doable to be a stay at home
mom in a middle class family back then. Today, times have changed. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Women don’t get enough credit for the amazing
feats we pull off—like growing a tiny person inside of us, pushing it out, and
then taking care of it for the next 20+ years. However, if society were to
suddenly change, embrace motherhood, offer more than 8 weeks of for maternity
leave, offer flexible schedules and fair pay….THE PILL probably still wouldn’t
need to be extinguished, because there would still be women who chose to take
it because they just don’t want kids. There would still be women who have
medical issues (not-withstanding any medicinal breakthroughs). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt Walsh implies that if WOMEN would just stop
taking the pill, THEN they would be truly liberated in society. That is some
backwards reasoning, sir. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt then pretends to understand feminism,
and, of course, allows himself to speak on the behalf of feminists (I’m not
saying that men cannot get behind or understand feminism or call themselves
feminists. I’m saying Matt Walsh is not one of those men, and he makes that
clear.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He says, “Feminists are on a constant quest
to find double standards, yet they miss the most obvious ones. Women assume the
enormous risk and consequence of birth control, and men just get free sex out
of the deal. Where is the feminist outrage when you need it?”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Yes, like we discussed, there are risked
associated with taking birth control pills, but who says men are getting FREE
SEX because of it? People like Matt Walsh always like to subtly (or not so
subtly) imply that women who feel the need to be on birth control must be
sluts, sleeping around with anyone who will have them. I laugh to myself when I
think of my lesbian friends who are on/ or have been on birth control at some
point, usually for medical reasons. (I doubt they’re trying too hard to prevent
a pregnancy.) I’m going to ignore the whole “men get free sex part” because
it’s irrelevant, speculative, and sexist. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Would Matt Walsh say that men choosing to
wear condoms are promoting FREE SEX with women? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">If a woman chooses to have sex with a man,
and both parties consent—it’s sex. If she doesn’t consent and sexual relations
happen anyway—it’s rape. There’s no in between and nothing is “free”. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">This is a typical reaction from the kind of
people who share Matt Walsh’s mind set. A medical matter—a woman’s choice that
does not need to revolve around men <i>somehow</i> revolves around men. That’s
why men think they have a right to <b>MANSPLAIN</b> these kind of things to
you, silly woman!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">SIDE NOTE</span></i></b><i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">: This is a good place to share the Urban Dictionary's
definition of <b> </b></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><b>Mansplain</b>: to delight in condescending, inaccurate
explanations delivered with rock solid confidence of rightness and that slimy
certainty that of course he is right, because he is the man in this
conversation.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Use in a
sentence: 'Even though he knew she had an advanced degree in neuroscience, he
felt the need to mansplain "there are molecules in the brain called
neurotransmitters."' </span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">It’s not the most
eloquent explanation (it IS Urban Dictionary, after all), but I think you get
the point. I also saw this funny “article” just this morning that seems quite
fitting. Check out #9! <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinharris/reporters-asking-female-celebrities-the-wrong-damn-q#.gxWjVBYw2e">http://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinharris/reporters-asking-female-celebrities-the-wrong-damn-q#.gxWjVBYw2e</a></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt then goes on to explain why hormones and
chemicals are bad for women. I don’t disagree that we are a society quick to
medicate, and in an ideal world, everything would be organic and we would never
have to put anything potentially harmful into our bodies. That is not the world
we live in, and again, most women on BC have understood the implications and
have realized that the benefits outweigh the possible risks. There are so many
things that could be harmful to our bodies as women and as humans. This
particular thing is easy to jump on because it helps backs someone’s
agenda. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt believes that by taking birth control,
you are diseasing your own body. (He also said we believe babies are diseases.)
He said that anything that affects the natural course that our reproductive
organs would take is wrong. Even if that natural course means causing us
extreme, pain, discomfort, inconvenience, or illness— we should just deal with
it, because that’s how are uteruses are supposed to be, and God made them that
way. I wonder how he would react if, under the same logic, we concluded that
men with erectile dysfunction should just deal with it because God made those
flaccid penises and taking a little blue pill is unnatural. </span><br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt
Walsh: “The birth control pill is a dramatic and potentially harmful
“medication” designed to “cure” a natural function of a woman’s body. It seems
that men who develop and push these pills are vaguely sexist and anti-woman
(OK, not vaguely) because they have literally made a female’s reproductive
system into a sickness.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt Walsh speaking out against sexist men,
people! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He continues to outline the possible harmful
side effects. I think it’s funny that he believes we are all too stupid to read
or understand the warning labels ourselves. Or that we don’t have conversations
with our own doctors. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He cites an article in which a breast cancer
oncologist and surgeon emphatically proclaims that there is a high risk of
breast cancer and birth control. I am also not a doctor, and I’m not going to
undermine what she says, because she is. It all depends on who you ask,
however. Like I mentioned earlier, other scientists and doctors have found that
birth control has been shown to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reduce</b>
the likelihood of anemia, ovarian cysts, ovarian and endometrial cancers. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">If we knew exactly what causes breast and
other cancers, we would be far more advanced in our treatments of it.
Unfortunately, no one knows for sure YET.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Today, we are aware of some of the more
obvious causes of cancer: UV rays, tobacco, radiation, asbestos, and genetics.
I’m sure you’ve all read articles claiming wine, chocolate, milk, red meat,
alcohol, fluoride in the drinking water, and even cell phones could cause
cancer. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Then</i> I’m sure you’ve read
that red wine and chocolate and coffee could actually prevent cancer. And
everything gets really confusing. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I hate cancer, and it would really suck if,
years down the road, we discovered that BC is as likely to cause cancer as
cigarettes. It may happen. And for the last time, I’m not telling you to start
taking birth control. I’m telling you to do your research. Know what you’re
putting into your body, know the risks, weigh the benefits, and make your
choice. Do not let someone pretending to care about women’s health and well-being
dictate your health choices to you. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">My favorite part of Matt’s article is where
he blames divorce on birth control. He cites some studies that show the
hormonal effects of birth control can overcome a woman’s brain (and sense of
free will and choice) and cause her to be attracted to men she otherwise would
not be attracted to. The same can be said for beer goggles I guess. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">These studies (Which rely heavily on the
words “may”, “might”, “likely”) say that women on the pill <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who then get off the pill</i> are more likely to cheat on their
partners. Again—blame the women for everything. I personally have been on and
off the pill for 5 years. I usually like Brian all the time. The pill has no
effect on whether or not I find him attractive. The times he decides to cut his
own hair however….. (Ha Ha. Kidding!!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt cites the correlation between prevalent
pill usage and divorce rates. He says, “This is one, though not the only,
reason why the rates of birth control usage and divorce track almost
identically. As the pill gained prevalence, so did divorce. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That doesn’t necessarily prove anything,
and <u>you certainly can’t blame a pill for your decision to get divorced</u>,
but it’s a correlation that no honest person can ignore.”</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">IT DOESN’T PROVE ANYTHING, BUT…</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Here’s a good, informative NY Times article
that actually shows declining divorce rates in our country, citing birth
control as a factor in that decline. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/02/upshot/the-divorce-surge-is-over-but-the-myth-lives-on.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/<wbr></wbr>12/02/upshot/the-divorce-<wbr></wbr>surge-is-over-but-the-myth-<wbr></wbr>lives-on.html?_r=0&abt=0002&<wbr></wbr>abg=0</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The article explains that birth control
helped get more women into the work force, and “as a result, marriage has
evolved to its modern-day form, based on love and shared passions, and often
two incomes and shared housekeeping duties.” Go figure. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I would like to think that divorce rates also
went up as women realized they could provide for themselves, and didn’t have to
be stuck home all day watching 5 kids if they didn’t want to be. They had a
means to leave abusive relationships—something many women in the 50s and 60s
(pre-birth control and feminism movement) did not have. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt claims that the divorce rate among
couples who practice “natural family planning” are less than 3%. Natural family
planning is great for those who have the patience for it (tracking your
ovulation cycle with monthly calendars), and if you’re OK with the fact that in
order for it to work and not get pregnant, you can’t have sex (even in a
happily married relationship) for about 1/3 of the month. Also—the average
“user failure rate” is around 25%. Which means even people who are trying
really hard to follow it to the T, still have a 25% chance of an unplanned
pregnancy. That’s a pretty high chance, if you ask me. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I would be interested to see the real reason
why Natural Family Planners have significantly lower divorce rates. I would
take a wild guess and figure it has something to do with the fact that people
who don’t believe in using condoms for moral reasons have even stronger moral
reasons against getting divorced. (I’m not making a pro-divorce statement—just
making an observation.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">He finishes his argument by claiming that
people creating and selling the pill to women are degrading their worth by
making money off of them. I’m going to try not to point out the fact that
anyone who partakes or purchases anything is allowing someone to make money off
of you. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt Says: “I am
rarely one to play the “S” Card*, but perhaps this is where we ought to be
looking in search of workplace sexism. I can tell you this: if scientists ever
develop a birth control pill for men that renders them impotent, potentially
causes cancer, requires them to take a dose every day, and makes their
testicles shrivel, I can guarantee that drug would not be among Rite Aid’s best
sellers. Even the men who love the female birth control pill would suddenly
find the whole idea rather distasteful and degrading.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">*Note that Matt
does not seem to BELIEVE in sexism, and refers to it as “the S card”.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I can tell you why
men are not into the idea of male birth control (and why it hasn’t been
developed yet in 2015)—it’s because men and women who are anti-Feminism believe
that it is the women’s job to handle the whole kid thing. Your body, your
pregnancy, your kid, your responsibility. It’s our fault if we get pregnant.
It’s our fault is we poison our bodies with BC in an attempt to avoid getting
pregnant. I can also tell you that I am not impotent and I don’t have a
shriveled uterus… (Thanks for the imagery though, Matt!)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I read an article
the other day about a man being hailed as a HERO because his Armenian wife gave
birth to a baby with down-syndrome in Armenia (a country not known for its good
treatment, inclusion, or aid programs for mentally or physically handicapped
people) and decided she would prefer to give the baby up for adoption. He
claimed she threatened to divorce him if he kept the baby (which he did). He
then went on to crowd fund the internet and raised tens of thousands of dollars
to help him raise his son. I am glad the baby will be taken care of by a
parent. I am glad this baby won’t be shipped off to an Armenian orphanage, but
I don’t think the dad is a hero. He’s a father taking care of his kid. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">If a
woman was hailed in the news for every time she stepped up to the plate and
took care of her kids after their father left—there would be NO AIR TIME to
talk about anything else on the news. Let’s not get into crowd funding child
rearing. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">This was a rare
situation, and since it’s so rare—the public seems to think it’s an amazing
story. A DAD who didn’t leave his kid when his evil mother did! Her side of the
story has more recently come out—though not with the viral sensationalism as
the father’s— and seems to contradict much of his sob story. This woman was
demonized because she felt she couldn’t handle raising this baby with special
needs in a country where she would likely receive no support. It is so common
place there, that the hospital gave her the choice immediately after the child
was born—keep it or give it up for adoption.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">In a world where
men reign supreme, our AMERICAN news media decided to make this story about an
Armenian mother and a New Zealander father front page news. Probably, because
that kind of stuff rarely happens here, and it was a “feel good” story. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">(This is not a
commentary on the treatment of mentally and physically handicapped people. I
personally believe that they should be compassionately cared for by the people
who are best able to do it. I believe in support systems for the handicapped
and their care takers, along with both private and government programs that
help them (and their care takers) adapt mentally, physically, and financially
to the world around them in order to provide them with the best quality of life
possible. However—just remember that not every country is as advanced or
capable as we are. It is never easy to raise a mentally handicapped child, but
it is definitely much more difficult in other areas of the world.) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">I’m going to wrap
this up, because this is getting long, and the more I write and think about it
the more aggravated I get. All you have to do is read the comments people leave
on Matt’s blog or Facebook posts to realize that MANY men & even women
agree with his train of thought. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">There is a common
practice of using MORAL, “Christian*” guilt to make women feel as though they
are fully responsible for the results of sex with men. People like this are the
same people who complain and protest when OBAMA wants to offer free or reduced
cost child care. Why should we have to pay for SOMEONE else’s kid?! THANKS,
OBAMA!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you see the contradictions in their
beliefs? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<i><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">*I put “Christian” is quotation marks
because real Christians following the MAIN COMMANDMENT of Jesus (Love God &
love your neighbor as yourself) have no place judging or making others to feel
guilty about their choices. It’s not their business, and they won’t win more
brownie points with God being insufferable on their soap boxes. I know
plenty of lovely, Christian people who do not act this way—they are charitable
and loving towards everyone. I also believe that feminism and Christianity need
not be mutually exclusive. Don’t lump all Christians in with this dude.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">The REAL problem (and Matt doesn’t even know it) gets
summed up in his closing remarks:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">“…If
I worked at a place where I thought my chemically imposed impotence was the only
way to get ahead, I’d quit and find an employer who won’t expect me to
sacrifice my manhood for his sake. But then, I guess it’s OK for me to feel
that way because that’s how I feel about the female version of this.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">No Matt—it’s OK
for you to feel this way, because you’re a man and that kind of thing doesn’t
happen to you in our society. There is no “male version” of this. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">You don’t hear any
penis commentary debates on the news. No panels of women discussing male
reproductive organs. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">Men don’t have to
sacrifice careers in order to start a family. Men aren’t subtly questioned by
prospective and current employers, trying to figure out what your marital
status is and whether or not you’ll be having any kids soon. (It’s illegal—but
it happens. That innocuous question about your ring on your finger? It’s not
because they want to make small talk with you. They are trying to figure out
where you are in life. Are you going to be a liability? Expensive to insure?
Taking time off for maternity leave?) How many men are asked “How do your
kids feel about you taking on this more demanding promotion?” Or when jobs
include a lot of travel “How will your family feel about you being away so
often?” </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">There have been
times where I have had to lie to my boss, professor, whoever about why I needed
to miss work or class, because doubled over in my shower with the world’s worst
cramps isn’t an acceptable excuse. Nor should it be. And I don’t even have
kids! I see what my mom went through raising 4 of us, and I can’t imagine
having to do it myself. Having to leave work to pick us up if we were sick, or
bringing us our lunch when we forgot it, not to mention making doctors’
appointments and PTA nights. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">If we want true
equality as women, we need to be up to the damn task. And we are. We are just
as smart, and organized, and funny and business savvy as men. We work just as
hard and just as long, and sometimes, birth control helps accomplish everything
we need to do by making sure we can plan our families and by providing relief
from some fun womanly ailments. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;">We do what we need
to do in our jobs and get paid less to do it. We can’t make excuses, and we
don’t want to, because we know we are just as capable. All we want is for these
ignorant, whiny men (#NOTALLMEN – I know—I’m talking about the Matt Walsh Types
and followers and anyone else whose first instinct when reading this was to get
offended) to stop trying to explain to us how our bodies work and how we should
be living our lives. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-69234664357603026492015-02-06T12:22:00.001-08:002015-02-06T12:23:05.646-08:00Walk & Talk – For Ladies Who Love Literature <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background-color: white;">Part One: Why friends (& especially lady friends) are
important. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I’ve realized over the years that it is much harder to make
new friends. I’m no longer in college where most of my peers are my age and we
have similarly crazy schedules and lots of excuses to hang out. I am the
youngest one in my office by about twenty years. I recently moved about an hour
away from most of my friends after getting married to have less of a hellish
commute, and frankly, maintaining my current, valuable friendships requires a
lot of time and effort (not that I mind one bit) so making new friends isn’t
really a huge priority.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I look through Facebook, and while some of you are people I
hold dearly and maintain meaningful friendships with outside of cyber space,
many of you are acquaintances, friends of friends, and [somewhat sadly] people
with whom I used to be very close, but over time and distance and busy
schedules we’ve drifted apart. Relationships on all spectrums are hard work! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I must admit that there is something thrilling about new,
budding friendships, however. It’s a lot like the exciting first few weeks and
months of dating someone—you learn your likes and dislikes and what you have in
common. You slowly divulge your less-than-polished parts and nuances about
yourself that you wouldn’t want your everyday acquaintances to know, because,
let’s face it, you’re kind of a weirdo. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">When you make a new friend based on a shared interest—it’s
great; things feel comfortable and you always have a fall back plan on what to
talk about if you’re having an especially boring day. You find new friends
begin to pass “friendship tests” or meet subliminal standards you didn’t even
know you had—they pep talk you when you need it most; they don’t tell anyone
about your latest embarrassment or Instagram a super unflattering picture of
you; they make you a meal and show up with wine after a bad day; they hate the
same TV show characters you do; you accidentally clogged the toilet at their place,
and voila—you’ve slipped into a more intense and honest friendship territory. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">Those are the kind of friends I love, and when you have
those friends, you don’t need to worry about how many you have or how often you
see each other, because they will always be there when you need them the most.
You can go weeks or months without talking sometimes, but you’ll always pick
right back up where you left off. Treasure these people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I have male and female friends, and I cherish all of them.
As a woman, my lady friends usually just get me better, and this is who I’m
speaking to today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I am lucky to have some of the most beautiful friends
(inside and out)—smart, ambitious women who also are respectful and caring;
they don’t always have perfect lives, but they are always moving forward, and
doing so without stepping on or tearing down others. They overcome hard times,
tight budgets, and complacency. They’re buying houses, and having babies, going
to grad school, adopting puppies, and making big moves! I’m always amazed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">And
these women with their busy, eventful lives, are the same women who will spend
an hour listening to me bitch about a bad day. They encourage and also straight
talk. These are the kind of people I hope everyone is fortunate enough to have around
them. If you’re not—talk to me! I’ll give you the hook up!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background-color: white;">Part 2: Get to the point</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I started writing this because I was wondering—what if some
of my “internet friends” are thinking like me? Like “Gee—I wonder how so and so
is doing? I’d love to catch up but after this long I’d feel like an idiot
initiating it.” Most often, I hear from long lost people when they need a favor—no
shame! If I can help I will! It’s just how things work on the internet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">And then I was thinking about ways to get some nice,
intelligent ladies together to either meet new friends or reconnect with old
friends and/or acquaintances. And then I was thinking…hmm I’m not really that
interesting….and I don’t DO a ton of different things. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I’ve learned that the ability to meet new people is often based
on your willingness to A. Try new things and B. Put on real clothes outside of
your work hours. You know who meets people? Young adults who go to outdoor
beers gardens in the summer or play indoor soccer or teach yoga classes. I
ATTEND yoga classes, but while I’m there my glasses are off so they don’t sweat
off my face or fog up, so I can’t see anyone anyway. Once class is over, I look
such a mess and feel so gross that I just jettison my ass right out of there—minimal
small talk= missed opportunities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">If you were to ask my husband what I like to do, he would
tell you “Bake & Read.” He thinks I’m pretty lame because I’m not into paintball
or RC airplanes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">That’s not entirely accurate, because I DO enjoy doing other
things (this statement will be even truer when the weather starts creeping
above the freezing point), but it’s pretty on point. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I love to read. I will read almost anything and everything—from
fantasy fiction (HELLO, Harry Potter!) to historical biographies. I love true
crime novels and funny autobiographies. I love Tolkien and Dumas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poehler and Fey. Knipfel and Piccoult.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I’ve read lots of books turned major motion pictures: Gone
Girl, Hunger Games, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Book Thief, etc. (I’m that kind
of person who always says READ THE BOOK FIRST! And I will be a snob about Game
of Thrones and gripe about how poorly adapted the TV show is!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">When I was a kid, my mom would diligently take me and my
siblings to the library once every other week or so. It was awesome, and I
would walk out with the maximum number of books my library card would allow. She
fostered my love of reading, and loathed cable TV, so I either had to entertain
myself outside climbing trees and pretending to run away or read a book. My
time was usually spent split between the two options. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">When I lived at home, whenever my sisters or I would buy a
new book, within a few months, it was almost always passed around and read by
all three of us. Now that I’ve packed up my books (I may have stolen a few of
my sister’s….) and moved out, I really only rarely swap books with one or two
friends. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">What I really enjoy about reading is gathering my own
opinion about the book, and then conferring with someone else who’s also read it
and getting their take! Literature leaves so much to the imagination
(especially when compared with movies, TV, and other forms of entertainment—both
stimulating and less so) that it’s amazing how differently characters, themes,
and “lessons” can be interpreted from one person to the next. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">Whenever I hear about book clubs or see them portrayed in
movies, it’s usually a group of middle aged women getting together to discuss
the latest romance novel they’ve read over wine (not a terrible idea) and get a
night away from their demanding families. I don’t judge anyone for any reading
choices ever (except for maybe Fifty Shades of Gray…because…well, I’m gonna
judge you.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">I am sending an open invitation to my friends and
acquaintances in both the real and virtual worlds who have a passion for
reading to get together with other intelligent women with similar interests. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">At the risk of
sounding supremely corny—I’d like to propose the Walk & Talk: a “book club”
of sorts that reads one book a month and gets together at the end of the month
to take a group walk—whether it be a stroll on the boardwalk, a hike through
the mountains, or a march through the mall—and discuss our thoughts on the
book. We get some exercise, we get to express our innermost feelings about the
books, and we can to hang out with some awesome ladies!</b></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">Does this sound like something that would interest you? Please,
share your thoughts <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">: ) </span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-55118319846442231482015-01-14T13:46:00.000-08:002015-01-14T13:54:07.398-08:00Why Feminism? My Manifesto<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This—people—is why feminism is so,
very important. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/a-third-of-male-students-in-a-new-study-say-theyd-rape-a-wom" target="_blank">http://www.buzzfeed.com/<wbr></wbr>rossalynwarren/a-third-of-<wbr></wbr>male-students-in-a-new-study-<wbr></wbr>say-theyd-rape-a-wom</a>
*</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/vio.2014.0022" target="_blank">http://online.liebertpub.com/<wbr></wbr>doi/pdf/10.1089/vio.2014.0022</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The rape study was done on a small
number of participants—86, mostly white, straight male college students. But it
is alarming that even out of this one small group—ONE THIRD of these young
adults said they’d be cool with sexually assaulting a woman if they knew they
wouldn’t be caught. What are we teaching these boys about being men? And what
would the numbers look like if this study was done on a much wider scale?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2013/10/28/by-the-numbers-sexcrimesoncampus.html" target="_blank">http://america.aljazeera.com/<wbr></wbr>watch/shows/america-tonight/<wbr></wbr>america-tonight-blog/2013/10/<wbr></wbr>28/by-the-numbers-<wbr></wbr>sexcrimesoncampus.html</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The stats cited in the link above
were based on a 2000 (as in Y2K) study conducted by the Justice Department.
Some of the exact numbers were debated (mention a bit why later…), and this
survey is 15 years old now—however, I think it’s safe to say that the results
are still alarming, and that the college culture hasn’t changed much. And while
I’m not telling you to blindly trust the government, this department does have
the resources and man power to handle such a survey study. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">20 – 25% of women experience rape or
attempted rape in college. While those numbers may seem staggering—so
astounding that many people’s first instinct is to claim they must be wrong or
inflated—they exist, and we need to start taking some serious consideration
about why they do. (Even if they’re off by a few percentage points, they’re
still bad. Even if they’re wrong by half. STILL BAD.)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Some of the critics of this
particular study cited the fact that participants were given a $10 gift card as
a thank-you for their participation. Does anyone really believe that someone
would lie about being sexually assaulted for a $10 gift card? They weren’t
offered the gift card to answer the survey questions one way or another—so they
would have still gotten it even if they said that no man had ever approached
them in any way, shape, or form, EVER. Gift card! I find that accusation
belittling. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To be fair, let’s consider all
sides. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perhaps they are inflated numbers,
manipulated by militant feminists who seek out ways to lie on rape surveys to
demean men across the country and fear monger. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perhaps this study didn’t poll enough
differing people from enough schools across the country. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perhaps we should initiate a new,
current study that anonymously polls people from public and private schools
across the country. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perhaps we should take into
consideration that many people who were assaulted don’t want to talk about it
or admit that it happened to them because the media and our society has
stigmatized victims. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perhaps they’re afraid that their
entire life will be picked apart, their integrity and sanity questioned, and in
the end—after all of the trauma of an investigation— the perpetrator will not
be brought to justice anyway. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Often, victims on campus go to their
school leadership for help, and then that leadership betrays them by never even
reporting the crime to the true authorities. It doesn’t look good for a school
when crime rates go up. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perhaps you know someone who has
been a victim of assault or attempted assault, or perhaps you’ve been in that
situation yourself. It’s real, and it’s tragic, and it boggles my mind that
there are so many defensive men AND women who will pull their own hair out
before admitting that there is a problem. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">NOT ALL MEN! You say? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You’re damn right. And those men who
aren’t rapists should be ashamed of those who are and standing up with their
mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends to stop it from happening. Instead, so
many throw their hands up and say “I’m not a rapist. Feminists just hate men,
and I won’t stand for it.” </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So many men are still offended by
the IDEA of feminism. I have met and worked with people who don’t believe in
glass ceilings. They won’t acknowledge the gender difference in salaries.
(Women make less money than men. Even when they are equally educated and doing
the same exact job.) They feel like they’re being usurped! We don’t want to
take over the world and kick all the men out (or do we?) We just want an equal
opportunity to have fun and be awesome in it while making a difference. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Many people confuse feminism with
misandry. I LOVE MEN! I married one! He’s awesome and smart and handsome and
good at his job. He works full time, as do I, and when WE get home, we make
dinner, we do dishes and laundry, and we sit around and watch TV like lazy
assholes instead of going to the gym. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He grew up in a traditional,
conservative household and probably never gave feminism a second thought until
he met me, mostly because it didn’t directly (or so he perceived) affect him.
He has a mom who loves him more than anything who always did his laundry, made
his meals, and made sure that he was treated like a king, as she did for the
rest of the family. I am happy for him. Many people aren’t so lucky to have
such a nurturing home life growing up, and I don’t think any less of the way
she decided to raise her family (who turned out pretty darn great), just
because it’s more conservative than the way I would do it. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But he is not infantile or spoiled
or macho. He is the best iron-er I know! He does dishes like a champ. He can
change my car’s oil, fix almost anything in the house, and keep his cool while
teaching kids with behavioral and mental disabilities. He wears flannels and
has a sweet beard that is the envy of many. But none of this defines his
masculinity, as his masculinity doesn’t define him. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He is a man who loves and
respects his mother, sister, wife, female boss, coworkers, and all women he
encounters. He can give and receive a compliment, but he is always aware of how
his words may be perceived. He’s that guy who will pull over and help anyone
with a flat tire on the side of the road. If a woman who held his values was
running for office, he would vote for her. He can do a billion pushups. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He is more than a label, as we all
are. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If he was running for office. I’d
vote for him. And run his campaign. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you asked him, he would tell you
that most “feminist” thing I’ve made him endure was the fact that I did not
change my last name after we got married. It caught him off guard, but it was
something we talked about quite a few times before we actually tied the knot.
During our first conversation his reaction was something along the lines
of…”Not my name, not my wife.” </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He was half joking.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There was a lot of talk about the
WHY. I believe if two parties can sit down and discuss two opposing views about
something they’re both passionate about by explaining the WHY of how they feel,
everything can usually be resolved without killing each other. Not everyone
will be happy or in agreement, but at least you might end up a bit more open
minded. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My reasons were simple to me:</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1.
I don’t like to do things just
because other people have done them that way before.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2.
I liked my name.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3.
I didn’t want to go through the pain
in the ass process of changing it on all my legal documents.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">4.
I didn’t think that getting married
changed my identity as a person, so why should a name change reflect that? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">5.
Secretly, if I ever get famous, I’ll
want to be known by my real name that I’ve had for 25 years—so all the kids in
middle school who made fun of me KNOW that it is indeed…me.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If having one last name symbolizes
unity as a couple—why does it always have to be the males’? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hint: back in the day, women were
mainly viewed as property, so the man’s name signified that she belonged to
him. She originally would have her father’s surname, but then when she was
given to her husband, she took his (under new ownership!)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So—since we’re obviously past the
archaic (and frankly, stupid) tradition of viewing women as property—why has
the surname change tradition held on so tightly? (Side note: I'm not judging anyone who took their husband's last name. Your name, your choice. More power to you. It just wasn't for me.)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After a few more open minded
discussion on both parts, I had decided that if this was really important to
him, I would concede—not out of submission or archaic tradition, but out of
respect for the man I loved. I didn’t want him to somehow feel that I did not
want to see myself as part of his family—that frankly has nothing to do with
it. We’re married now, so they’re stuck with me. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was lucky to marry a man who
ultimately understood that this was my decision, as it was my identity. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When I came back after the few days off
I took before and after the wedding, I was bombarded by (well-intentioned)
people in the hallways at work asking “So! What’s your new name?” I smiled
politely, and explained that my name is the same as it was. And no—you don’t
need to update me in your email address keeper. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I kept my maiden name. I’m feeling
it out. I like it. Some may view me as a bad feminist if, down the road, I
decide to change it. Who knows. Who cares. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I tell you this personal stuff to
illustrate that feminism is not cut and dry and there’s no right and wrong way
to be a feminist, as long as you are pro-gender-equality. I don’t have all the
right answers, and I don’t live my life thinking “Is this a good feminist
decision for me to make?” I live thinking “Is this good for me and would I be
proud for my mom or my younger sister to find out about it?” Compromise is
always necessary. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My husband and I are seemingly
normal people who live pretty normal lives, and were both lucky enough to grow
up in loving homes with strong female role models. Our mothers are quite
different, but they both have their own strengths, showcasing the amazing,
diverse array of female abilities. Now, more than ever, I respect them both for
all of the hard work they put into raising two pretty awesome kids.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now more than ever, I also realize
that 25 years ago, they had even less opportunity as women than I do today. I
appreciate the strides that have been made, and the work the feminists made
before me—going all the way back to the sexy suffragettes!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">However, you can’t fix a problem if
you refuse to admit it exists. And there is most definitely a glass ceiling
that exists, even in our very advanced country. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Look around you. Who are your town
and county and state representatives? Who is running our country? Who are the
owners and CEOs of the fortune 500 companies—and even on a smaller scale—who
are your supervisors and bosses? More often than not: it’s a man (probably over
40…probably white). Are these men qualified to do their jobs? I’d say maybe and
probably. But they also get the advantage—privilege—of being a male in a
society who seems to value their leadership qualities and input more so than
their female counterparts. The evidence, again, is in the (small) number of
women in political and economic leadership positions, the salary differences
that incur, and the rampant violence against and degradation of women. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What are we going to do about it?
I’m not 100% sure. It’s a daunting task, but believe it when I say you can
truly make a difference. You can do simple things. You can speak up when you
hear a sexist (or racist, or any bigoted) joke. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I know, personally, I can never
recall something so vividly and clearly as when it’s been something I’ve done
(or not done) and regretted. Moments after I say something really loud and
really stupid at work—I swear!—it reverberates in my ears over and over so
clearly, it’s like I’m on repeat. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One time in particular, I remember
something that I didn’t say when a co-worker (of the “acquaintance” variety—not
someone who I worked with every day) was speaking about the Ray Rice
controversy. He was joking about 10 feet in front of my desk, saying that when
he and his wife watched the elevator footage of Ray punching his then-fiancée
his wife said something along the lines of “That bitch had it coming; I would
have punched her too!” He said they laughed and high-fived each other, and he
went about talking about how proud he was of his wife in that moment, as if
nothing offensive had been said. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I just sat there staring at him, dumbfounded
with my mouth hanging open. I was aghast that not only did he think that was OK
and funny, but he thought it was acceptable to say at work in front of me and
my two other female colleagues. I was disgusted, but I was afraid to say
anything, because although he wasn’t my superior—he was a supervisor, and one
that I didn’t know well enough to gauge his reaction. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speak up. Don’t pull a me. Think
critically and analyze things that need analyzing, but don’t jump on the media
bandwagons that throw hate and cast doubt on victims when they come forward,
vindicating perpetrators. You don’t need to trust blindly, but it’s so easy to
pick on the weak target. Was she slutty? Was she asking for it? Was she
drinking? Why doesn’t she remember every single detail of the night in perfect
chronological order? As if any of those questions answered would negate the
tragedy of it all. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Be aware of your surroundings and be
responsible for yourself, because in this world we have to. Also be there for
others. When you go out, don’t judge that girl who’s had too much, stumbling
around—help her hail a cab. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Not too familiar about anything I’m
talking about? You can support the cause by supporting feminist authors while
educating yourself! Watch movies (kinda hard to find ‘em) directed, written,
produced by women. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Congratulate other women on their
achievements, and keep jealousy at bay by being genuinely happy for them!!
(Hard to do sometimes. I know.)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Speak up for those who can’t for
themselves, but use discretion and have respect for their feeling and privacy. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On a broader scale—don’t hate on
other women, period! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Don’t give backhanded compliments. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Don’t pick apart women on the red
carpet or in the mall (guilty) for their poor outfit or life choices. They’re
her choices not yours. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My favorite woman in the universe
who doesn’t know I exist is Amy Poehler. She is amazing, and smart, and
supremely funny, and gorgeous inside and out. I’m in the middle of her
wonderful, empowering, and straight-shooting book “Yes Please.” It’s a great
feminist read that I would recommend to any man, woman, child, and pet who can
read. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Side note: Not only is Amy Poehler
my role model, but so is her TV character Leslie Knope from Parks and
Recreation (one of the best TV shows ever.) If you haven’t watched that show,
do it. Do it for comic relief that shows you don’t need to wear a giant
feminist button to do good things for the cause of equality. I aspire to BE
Leslie Knope. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of my favorite quotes from Amy’s
book so far is:<b> “‘Good for her! Not for me.’ That is the motto women should
constantly repeat over and over again. Good for her! Not for me.”’</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I’m a very opinionated woman, as you
probably can tell, so this I something I need to help remind me to check
myself. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Encourage your friends to be awesome.
Encourage them to start their business or quit their horrible job to do
something they love. Encourage them to keep painting, or swimming, or taking
pictures, or traveling. Join them! Support their causes! If you’ve got a talent
that could actually, physically help their cause—use it!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Side note: I’m really good at
planning stuff (events, dinner, and everything in between) and I’m kinda good
at writing and proof reading stuff—so if you need any help with either of those
things, let me know! I’ll be happy to assist you in achieving your dreams!!! </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have a general rule for myself:
When my friends (and I don’t use that term loosely) start a business or a
venture or whatever, I will actively support them at least once (most
applicable to financial support—otherwise just one act of support kind of
sucks). Even if I don’t love what they’re doing. It’s their life.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I must confess, the things I find
most annoying are pyramid schemes or all of those new “selling stuff
parties”—you know—purses, costume jewelry, makeup, Tupperware etc. I hate them.
I don’t know why, but they are my least favorite way to buy things, and I
almost never like what they are selling. But if you are my true friend (and you
haven’t unfriending me for making these offensive comments about your choice of
livelihood) and you start on of these ventures—I guarantee one good purchase
from you. I will attend your first party, and maybe even offer to host one for
you if I’m impressed, but please don’t make me come to more than that. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sorry.
That’s my disclaimer. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But aside from product parties—I
will come to your grand opening, I will eat at your café, I will vote for you
kid, watch you play guitar at the bar, take your yoga class— whatever you are excited
about, I want to be excited about it with you & although I’m no friendship
goddess, I think this is how we should all try to be.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you’ve met me, you know, when I
am REALLY impressed with something or someone, I tell everyone, because A. I
want to support my friends and B. I want the world to be as lucky as me to get
to experience them and their awesome talents!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We won’t succeed all of the time.
We’ll get tired and lazy, or even broke. But your real friends and family are
the ones who pull you through the really shitty shit, so make sure you’re
investing time and thought and good energy and efforts in them. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Be there for your friends and be an
open line of communication (or an open ear) when someone wants to talk. Also,
feel free enough to be honest with them if they’re making choices that are or
could be seriously hurting them. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do everything you do well. Be proud
of your work, and don’t be afraid to speak up and share your awesome thoughts
with everyone. It can be scary to be the only girl in a conference room full of
men, but you got this! It can be hard to politely, but earnestly, disagree with
a close friend or family member, but you can do it. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Beyond your circle of comfort—get
involved in your communities and keep up with politics. They’re not always fun
and exciting. Often they can be frustrating and you may feel like you can never
get the full story. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do your research! I beg of you—Don’t
be that person who only knows what they read on Facebook or who only watched
Fox or CNN or MSNBC news. I am very leery of the “journalism” that’s rampant in
the media today. It’s not real
journalism, just a bunch of robots spewing hot topics. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">However—there are meaty, informative, fact-checked pieced out there, and if you don’t get involved in at least UNDERSTANDING
politics, and you don’t vote your conscience, then it’s hard to complain when
everything goes to shit. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Volunteer. Campaign for things you believe in. Give
back to your community. You can make a small difference that can have
widespread effects. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Support good things and good people,
and hold hope that with time and effort, we will come that much closer to
equality and peace of mind. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For those of you who disagree with
me and with feminism in general—you’re entitled to your opinions, but remember
that the true definition of <b>FEMINISM is “the advocacy of women's rights on
the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.”</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> </b> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You may hear about bitter man-haters
or other negative conations that you may associate with feminism. You may think
that feminism is some dirty word that describes “bitchy” women. (Don’t get me
started on the double standard known as “bossy women” vs. “male leaders.”) </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Those people exist, but they do not
define all feminists, and their actions and beliefs don’t align with the
straightforward (but not simple) mission of creating a world where women and
men get equal pay for equal work and equal opportunities to excel both
socially, politically, economically, and educationally. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you can’t get down with equal
opportunity—you’re not invited to the party. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(*Final side note—I am fully aware
that Buzzfeed is not always a worthy and unbiased news source—however, the
study is posted for you to read for yourself. Plus it was just one of many
examples I could have used that caught my eye this morning.)</span></span></span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-39796560457584477642014-02-19T19:36:00.000-08:002014-02-19T19:36:36.362-08:00It's my birthday, I'll dry shampoo if I want to. <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>It's my birthday, I'll dry shampoo if I want to. </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">As I sit,
staring down the barrel of 25, I can't tell if I want to throw up or go to bed
early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsuIS7lVx-XB7htG9e36u0O47BP1jPOQvsm5BHF6oiMK7U2j6hICl_oCSXO2swVbFisjePFCu3-0Sm14C3dYrOfBFczbTQwRrpxf6nt6uRkCi2IWBNOC3XyVOGPNSWafbe8bPbxvTf40L/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsuIS7lVx-XB7htG9e36u0O47BP1jPOQvsm5BHF6oiMK7U2j6hICl_oCSXO2swVbFisjePFCu3-0Sm14C3dYrOfBFczbTQwRrpxf6nt6uRkCi2IWBNOC3XyVOGPNSWafbe8bPbxvTf40L/s1600/25.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">This year has
been one of the most eventful of my life, and yet sometimes it feels like the
least.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">This time
last year, I was about to turn 24, and I had just taken a new position as a
political speech writer-- which is a pretty good job-- one I thought would be
my dream job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Brian
and I got engaged this summer, which was super exciting (and still is)!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Those are
some pretty huge things! Once in a lifetime, you could say. (One would hope.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">On the other
hand, along with the new job came a 3 hour daily commute. With the "next
step" in our relationship so imminent, Brian and I have been trying to
"buckle down."We still have lots of fun together, but spontaneity
gets curbed a bit when the major purchase of your first house looms in the back
of your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I can honestly say I've never felt so tired in
my entire life. I'm tired just writing this. Earlier this evening, after a day
of work and a nice "you're getting old gynecologist appointment" I
felt almost too tired to chew my health conscious dinner of fish and brown rice
with veggies. This year I've made countless resolutions. I've started drinking
green juice. I make conscious decisions about my fiber intake. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I feel old. I
wonder if 24 is the last birthday people get excited about. I'm halfway to 50!!
Probably a third of the way dead! (That's scary if you think about it....)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I'm not mad
or even sad about it. I don't feel sorry for myself, and I'm not having a pity
party. Actually, I'm going to have a birthday party with some of my favorite
people on Friday, and I'm very much looking forward to that! I just feel weird
and numb. I've always LOVED birthdays!!!! I used to be that kid who had the
hardest time falling asleep on my birthday eve. I used to make lists of what I
wanted for gifts and revel in every second of my special day. I still have
people who make me feel special and who will be lovely on my
"special" day, and for that I am thankful, but the
"hold-your-breath", drink champagne, throw confetti and save your
birthday balloons until they droop in your room excitement is just not there
anymore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Maybe I'm nervous. Maybe I'm scared because I realize that the past year literally flew by so quickly I'm not even sure what happened or where the time went. Wasn't it just yesterday I was going out to Philly for my 21st birthday?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I used to
judge people who said they didn't do birthdays. Maybe I still do. I didn't buy
it when anyone said that they didn't like people making a fuss over them once a
year. It's your birthday for goodness sake! You get to be a princess today!! I
considered them faux cynics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Right now,
I'm too tired to be clever or witty or
to even have my thoughts straight, but I've got to get this down! It's the last
day of the 24th year of my life! I am grateful to have a job and to have people
who love me and to have breath in my lungs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I am trying
to be grateful for all those awkward times when strangers confuse me for a high-schooler.
I will appreciate that in 10 years. I think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Between work,
and wedding planning, and house hunting, I haven't had much time to do much
else that counts as productive. I'm reading and listening to audiobooks, but I
find myself choosing books that I've
already read. Perhaps that's my subconscious making sure I don't get to
invested in something I don't have the time or mental capacity for. If I've already read the book, it's still a
good book, and I'm still working my brain, but I don't find myself staying up
until 3AM because I just HAVE TO finish the next chapter ... or 5. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><b>Side note:</b> If
any of you are looking for a great fiction read-- Stieg Larsson it is! </i>The Girl
with the Dragon Tattoo<i>,</i> The Girl Who Played with Fire<i>, and </i>The Girl Who Kicked
the Hornets' Nest <i>are wonderfully written books that are a challenge that
reward diligence and perseverance. Plus,
the protagonist in these books is a girl who kicks ass like no other-- a
serious thriller with technological, psychological, and political themes
throughout, along with strong feminist undertones. </i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I have always
been a low maintenance kind of girl, but this year I feel like I could count of
one hand the number of times I put serious effort into doing my hair and
makeup. I have not touched my eyebrows in SIX MONTHS (That is not an
exaggeration-- in fact, I'm treating myself to a nice birthday threading)!!! Is
this because I'm tired and lazy or do I care less or have I come to terms with the person I am and
how I look, so that I no longer feel a need to make myself up on special occasions?
Am I crazy for even thinking about these things? Probably a little. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">All I know is
that tomorrow is my birthday, and instead of washing my hair and preparing a
cute outfit, I just sprayed half a can of Klorane dry shampoo on my head and
threw on some sweatpants. This is who I have become.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw48sqMt9Nf85WJnA_s889Z3lbSL4GMfVbAGyUl4fnVCVyWgeLloWnw8nhtFIhjvqyH0_pBE6Rv9qcYTVw1ZRZs1tDwoDyRm4S24kE-X1O3kRpo_0xyK8Tni0TRqsFoQ7oXc7eL_y-ztj/s1600/klorane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw48sqMt9Nf85WJnA_s889Z3lbSL4GMfVbAGyUl4fnVCVyWgeLloWnw8nhtFIhjvqyH0_pBE6Rv9qcYTVw1ZRZs1tDwoDyRm4S24kE-X1O3kRpo_0xyK8Tni0TRqsFoQ7oXc7eL_y-ztj/s1600/klorane.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> I guess what I have to do is realize and
accept that my birthday is just going to be another Thursday. I won't feel any
different. In fact, I'll only actually be a day older, not a year. But I can
use it as another opportunity to set new goals for myself, including expanding
my work goals and ideas, finally getting serious about getting back into my old
jeans (Please--- No one use this line as an opportunity to try to sell me
something), and find a new hobby that makes me feel like my brain is still
working! I don't want to get duller with age. I need to stay curious and open
minded. I want to learn something new every day. My days are more numbered
today than they were yesterday. Who knows how many I'll really have. For now,
I'll continue to use an acne face wash in the morning and a wrinkle cream at
night during this transition phase. I am determined to get my excitement back--
about everything and anything! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">25 is going
to feel old, but it's going to be a good year. I'm going to get married. I'm
going to move out of my mother's house (which is terrifying to be honest), and
I am going to get something done-- just not sure what yet. I might even shave my legs regularly, but
that's not likely. <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-58829175578830488182013-10-31T06:48:00.003-07:002013-10-31T06:48:36.825-07:00Beating the Boring Breakfast Blues<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Beating the Boring Breakfast Blues</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This time of year, I need a breakfast to stick to my ribs
(but not my waistline.) My office is usually freezing, so it’s nice to have
something warm to eat when I get in. Also, I need my sleep. I do not have the
time or energy in the morning to get up and make a real breakfast. Sometimes,
even making a smoothie is too much work for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to bring those
instant oatmeal packets to work with me…saccharine sweet flavors like banana, strawberry,
and peach, but now they’re too sweet for me to handle. Plus rolled oats,
especially the instant variety, can easily become a pile a beige mush—not too
appetizing!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That’s when I discovered steel cut oats. I really don’t know
why I never had them before, but they’re awesome. They do take a few minutes to
cook in the morning (usually 10…but if you like them mushy, I guess it could
take 20,) but they’re low maintenance. Put some water on low heat and dump the
oats in. I brush my teeth. Run to the kitchen to stir. Put my clothes on. Stir.
Make my bed. Stir. ETC. Basically, when the water almost completely evaporates,
they’re done! Yay! Then you can flavor them anyway you want! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Little time saving hint: if you’re a commuter like me, and
like to bring breakfast to work so you can eat it when you get in, prep all
your add-ins the night before (fruit, nuts, honey, sugar, coconut flakes,
peanut butter, etc.) and put them in a Tupperware in the fridge. That way in
the morning, you just have to worry about cooking the oats, dumping them in the
Tupperware, and running out the door. I have an hour and a half commute, so I still
need to reheat it in the microwave when I get to work, but they stay hot for
the first 20 minutes of the drive if you don’t have such a far trip! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Also—I know there are “overnight oats” methods when you can
soak them overnight and just microwave them in the morning, so feel free to
experiment with that if you really hate the idea of using your stove in the
morning.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Below is my favorite
recipe.</b> It really tastes good, it’s got texture—so you can chew it!—and it’s
under 300 calories, and completely holds me over ‘til lunch!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">¼ cup of steel cut oats</b> (The ¼ cup measurement is the amount of dry
oats; then you cook them according to your package, and voila!)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 tbsp of chia seeds </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">½ tsp of cinnamon</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1tsp of Sugar in the Raw </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">½ tbsp of sliced almonds</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">½ tbsp of dried cranberries </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 tbsp of vanilla almond milk </b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you use this exact recipe, the nutritional info is as
follows:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">285 calories. 41 g of
carbs. 9.5 g of fat. 6 g of sugar. 11 g of protein. 11 g of fiber.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not too shabby!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I like Bob’s Red Mill brand for the oats and chia seeds, and
you can get them at ShopRite, but it’s totally your preference. Same goes with the
Sugar in the Raw; you could use brown sugar, agave, honey, whatever you like.
And again with the dried nuts and berries—mix it up to your preference! You
could also use regular or rice milk instead of almond milk, or leave it out
entirely. I like it, because I have to heat it up again once I get to work, and
it keeps the oats from getting dry. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-52445097051655987402013-10-30T10:20:00.001-07:002013-10-30T10:20:38.271-07:00BluePrint: The cleanse for the health conscious and slightly masochistic <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">BluePrint: The cleanse for the health conscious and slightly
masochistic </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">**This is a LONG entry, but it’s thorough, and if you’re debating
whether or not to try the BluePrint cleanse, it’s pretty detailed and
informative (or at least I hope and think so!) so stick it out ‘til the end!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Let me preface this play-by-play of my experience with the
BluePrint organic juice cleanse by saying—I’m a normal person!!! I currently
have a BMI (body mass index) of 24, which— for those of you who aren’t familiar
with it—is one point below slightly overweight (typically starts at 25+.) </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Now I don’t put too much stock in the exact science of the BMI
Index, because it is calculated solely by your weight and height (they don’t
take my XXL hips or very thick hair into the equation, and there’s not much I
can do about that,) but it is a good general indicator of where you’re at
weight wise. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, let’s rewind to August 23, 2013 when Brian proposed to me.
He did good. He kept it a secret and I was totally surprised, which is
virtually impossible. I said yes, and the next morning he had another surprise
for me—an awesome cruise!! We had a ton of fun, and the best part was the all
you can eat all day every day—from a fancy restaurant, to a taco stand, to
a buffet, and a build your own Guy Fieri burger station—plus a few boozy
drinks now and then. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Unfortunately, when we got back and when I got on the scale, it
was a bit scary. I put on 5 pounds in 5 days (this was on top of the fact that
I never really got my beach body back completely since my senior year of
college—so it was five pound on top of the other 15 I wanted to lose before I
got engaged!) I realized then that I was getting married, and, as trivial
as this may sound, if I couldn’t get motivated to get in shape for my wedding
day, I probably would never find a better reason. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I started by cutting out all fast food (not that I ate much of it
anyway, but once in a while I would give into some taco bell or chicken nuggets
of a good five guys burger!) I cut out all processed foods; I stopped eating
anything that came wrapped in plastic or cellophane, anything with an unlimited
shelf life—no more “Lean Cuisine”and sodium loaded low fat soups for lunch,
even though, in my past life, I considered them my “healthy”and “light”options.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">(Don’t get me wrong, I lost 15 pounds on the lean cuisine diet,
but I was cranky and hungry and bloated from all the added salt and
preservatives…not worth it, not sustainable, and not healthy!)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I CUT OUT COFFEE. Which sucked for the 1<sup>st</sup> day, but I
kept green tea on hand and was able to make the transition. I had 2 cups of
green tea on my first coffee free day. Then 1 cup a day for a few days after,
and finally I just stopped. No headaches or crashing. I was caffeine free for a
whole month. Now and then I have a cup of green tea when I’m feeling slow, or
just want it, because it’s good. And once in a while I’ll treat myself to a
small coffee—because I like it, not because I need it to function! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I found out about BluePrint at a yoga event in Philly. Some of
their reps had a table set up and were giving free samples; they let my friends
and I try the whole flight of BluePrint flavors, which was really nice, because
it was good to know I could stomach the flavors before I took the plunge into a
full-blown cleanse. All of the flavors were very tasty, and the juices
were all organic, cold pressed juices, from a variety of fruits, vegetables,
and even nuts! I was intrigued, because the cleanse consisted of drinking 6
juices a day, lots of water, and herbal tea if you wanted. I was more intrigued
when I found out that each day, I would be consuming 1200 calories—which is
good because I don’t do starvation—I love food too much, and I am the
originator of the adjective “hangry” – don’t believe me? Google it. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">BluePrint offers 3 levels of cleanses—beginner, intermediate, and
expert, and it’s basically based on how much of a crappy eater you are.
The beginner cleanse consists of 2 green drinks a day (out of the 6
juices,) and as the levels increase, so do the number of green drinks per day.
Needless to say, I decided to go with the beginner cleanse, also known as the
“Renovation” cleanse on their website. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This cleanse consists of:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2 Green juices which include organic romaine, apple, celery,
cucumber, spinach, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>kale, parsley,
and lemon juice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">1 Gold juice that includes organic pineapple, apple, and mint
juice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">1 Red juice that includes organic apple, carrot, beet, lemon, and
ginger juice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">1 spicy lemonade (kind of like the Master Cleanse drink!) that is
water with organic lemon juice, cayenne, and agave. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">·</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">And finally, one drink that isn’t really a juice at all, it
includes organic cashew milk, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>agave,
cinnamon, and vanilla bean.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43p1b8qnE1W5O4iV_udTqNNepjmRRt34Rfqo6gOcmJIjFUUu7YwbDO_guPquf0Q6GupcfHs_KCR4RyyP17mGZc1OJeMtSxnA5oXyGrY7lxMeIFNqcz9rj6fTGDFsm8tYTEL65pI1EPCpe/s1600/blueprint-cleanse-renovation-juices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43p1b8qnE1W5O4iV_udTqNNepjmRRt34Rfqo6gOcmJIjFUUu7YwbDO_guPquf0Q6GupcfHs_KCR4RyyP17mGZc1OJeMtSxnA5oXyGrY7lxMeIFNqcz9rj6fTGDFsm8tYTEL65pI1EPCpe/s320/blueprint-cleanse-renovation-juices.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">OK—so at first, I thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is going to be easy. I just drink pre-made, pre-packaged juice for
three days.</i> Because, man, is juicing annoying. The chopping, the juicing,
the cleaning of the juicer, and the fact that if you wait too long to drink it,
it’s already a weird color, especially green juices. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">HOWEVER, this cleanse is expensive!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Check out the BluePrint website for further explanation of the juices, packages,
and pricing, but if you want to do a three day cleanse, it costs $195 for 18
bottles of juice (6 per day.) AND if you don’t want to drive to NYC to pick it
up, they charge you $30 to FedEx it overnight—since it has a short, refrigerated
shelf life, there’s no other shipping option. So $225 for a 3 day cleanse.</b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">They offer 15% off group discounts, and bridal party discounts, but it still
stays pretty pricey. Since I am a skeptic and a cheapo, I decided to look into
the Wholefoods option (Because, as far as I know, if you don’t buy it directly
from BluePrint, Wholefoods is the only other place that sells the juices.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I did my research and my math. If you buy the cleanse from
whole foods, you need to purchase the following:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6 bottles of green juice (at $9.99/bottle) = $59.94</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3 bottles of gold juice (at $9.99/bottle) = $29.97</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3 bottles of red juice (at $9.99/bottle) = $29.97</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3 bottles of spicy lemonade (at $6.99/bottle) =$20.97</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3 bottles of the cashew milk (at $11.99/bottle—Yikes!!) =
35.97</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Total cost for the BluePrint 3 day cleanse through
Wholefoods is $176.82 –which already saves you $48.18 (compared to buying it directly from the BluePrint site.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BUT IT GETS BETTER!!!</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wholefoods offers a 10%
case discount.</b> A case is 12 bottles (I believe) and must be made up of
bottles in the same price point, so you can buy the 12 bottles of green, red,
and gold juice that you need in one case since they’re all $9.99, and then just
buy the other 6 bottles of cashew milk and lemonade separately. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If you purchase them this way, with the
case discount like I did, you’ll only end up paying <u>$164.83</u>, which is
$60 cheaper than buying them through the BluePrint website!!!</b> (You’re
welcome. I’m a frugal genious! I know<span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span>)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">$164.83 is still pricey for 3 days worth of juice, but I justified
this purchase by telling myself it was a good kickstart to a healthier
lifestyle, and I was getting married. It’s important to note that I did not
decide to do this cleanse with the intention or hope of losing weight. Yes, I did
lose about 4 pounds (about what I put on during the cruise,) and yes I did keep
them off, but it’s not a magic fat wand. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So 3 days before the cleanse, you need to prep for it. Get
rid of any heavy processed foods, coffee, dairy, red meat, etc. Basically, I ate
steamed or broiled fish, whole grain rice or beans with veggies and fruit. 2
days before the cleanse I ate fruits and veggies rice and/or beans, and the day
before the cleanse just fruit and veggies. Pre, during, and post cleanse, I only
drank water and hot green tea. Then you start you 3 days of juice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Day 1 sucked. The taster samples I’d tried a few weeks
earlier at that yoga event were yummy! They tasted fresh, and trendy, and
healthy! Chugging 16 ounces of green juice on my way to work was hard. You
start your day off with one green juice. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Chug water. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">An hour later, you drink your gold juice—which is decent
your first sip, but is soooo sweet it was almost harder to finish than the
green! I know it’s real fruit juice, but the gold has <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">45 grams of sugar</b> in it!!! That’s A LOT! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Back to chugging water, then onto my 2<sup>nd</sup> green
juice—which is really rough by this point in my day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">More chugging, then it’s time for a spicy lemonade (my
favorite!) More water, and I make it to my most hated of juices—the red (beets,
apples, carrots, ginger.) I really do not like beets, and I really, really don’t
like drinking them. Also—don’t be alarmed when you go to the bathroom and it
looks like you have internal bleeding worthy of a House episode. It’s just
beets turning your poop a really scary color of red! Yay! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Finally, I finish my day off with the cashew, cinnamon,
vanilla, agave drink. You have to shake it really well or it gets a little
chunky, and the instructions day that you should really try to chew your drink
to mix your saliva into it for better digestion—whatever—I felt like a big
idiot doing that, and I choked myself once on my own spit. Go me. This drink
wasn’t so bad. The first half of the bottle I imagined it was almost like
drinking a yummy milkshake. The 2<sup>nd</sup> half of the bottle gets a lot of
chunky sediment, and I started to feel like I was swallowing a poorly mixed
protein shake. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I must say, I wasn’t really hungry all day because I was
chugging so much liquid. I was also peeing every 10 minutes…and my pee was
clear, so that’s good!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The next day went the same as the first, except I’d gotten
used to the routine a bit, and definitely wasn’t hungry. I didn’t feel cranky
or headachy. I did have a bit of trouble sleeping the 1<sup>st</sup> night,
which might have been from so much sugar during the day. Gold juice has the
most sugar, but the rest weren’t far behind. It was tough because I was at work
this whole time, and my lovely office ladies kept asking me if I was sure I didn’t
want to eat some pizza. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That second night I had to go to an event for work
where there was like….a wedding style cocktail hour and sit down dinner. I was
really good for most of the night, but then I was really hungry, and couldn’t
drink my cashew drink at this event without looking like an idiot, so I caved
and have some of the steamed veggie side-dishes that were offered. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The last day of my cleanse, went fine. However, at the end
of the work day (it was a Friday) we had a big, fancy office retirement party.
I had RSVP’d weeks ahead of time, so I couldn’t back out, and there was so much
fancy food, I thought I would die. I caved (again) and ate some stuff…just a
tiny appetizer plate’s worth, but I had a few shrimp with cocktail sauce, some
veggie crudités, and (gasp!) a cute and tiny grilled cheese. I’m the worst at
not eating real food. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That 3rd night, after the retirement party, I skipped the beet
juice and the cashew juice, because I felt bad about eating and really wasn’t
hungry. I tried to extend the cleanse into a 4<sup>th</sup> day by drinking the
beet juice for breakfast the next morning, but it was so gross; I could only
stomach half the bottle. I felt so guilty about throwing out $5 worth of juice,
but whatever. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I saved the last bottle of cashew milk, and drank it after
the gym as a protein shake that day. Good riddance, juice cleanse. I finished
it. I cheated a little, but I don’t feel too bad about it. The cleanse was
fine. I had energy, I wasn’t hungry, I got a ton of servings of fruits and
veggies over that week. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I eased myself back into regular food, but it took a
whole week for my stomach to get used to it. I know this is TMI, but it’s
important—I had diarrhea the WHOLE WEEK after the cleanse. Not terrible, not
explosive or painful, but not normal. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I probably wouldn’t do this cleanse again, because it was
pricey, and I really think that I could have gotten the same nutritional value
by just eating fruits and veggies. The green juice claims to have 8 pounds of
produce in one bottle, so it might be hard to eat that much produce, but again—whatever.
However, for me, it was a good mental cleanse and jumpstart to a good gym routine
and healthier eating habits. I kept telling myself, you just spend $160 on a
juice cleanse—you better keep up this healthy stuff! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, if you’re feeling desperate for a change and not very
motivated or consistent, maybe this is for you. Maybe you love juice! Whatever
floats your boat! I’m not going to recommend this either way, because I’m not
you and I’m not a doctor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I would recommend that you NOT consider doing this
for more than a few days. I read somewhere that this is safe for up to 30 or 40
days, and some people—especially crazy brides—do the cleanse for the whole
month leading up to your wedding. I can confidently say that sounds insane. You
will be cranky and hungry and wanting to chew stuff, and you will be taking in
WAY too much sugar every day. Plus, good luck trying to eat anything awesome at
your wedding or on your honeymoon because your stomach and colon will not be
having it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Whatever you do, make sure you do your research and make
sure you do it safely. Don’t believe anything or anyone who tells you it’s a
good idea to try XYZ fad diet or cleanse because it promises you’ll lose 10
pounds in 3 days. It won’t, and if it does—you won’t be feeling well and you’ll
gain it all back!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Enjoy ladies and make good decisions!!! <span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">The end. Feel informed?? </span></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-532477910206957932013-05-09T13:57:00.004-07:002013-05-09T13:57:40.794-07:00Being old. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>You know how I know I’m
old?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Here are a few things
that helped me reach this realization:</i></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>When people ask me how old I am, and at first I
say 23, but I’m not. So then, I remember that I’m 24 and feel super old. <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>When I make a conscious effort to reach my daily
fiber intake EVERY SINGLE DAY, and eat things like steel cut oatmeal with chia
seeds (delish. Try it.) I also have been eating PRUNES. Not religiously, yet,
but I’ve been eating them, and frankly, they are not so bad (especially the
Orange Essence ones that Sunkist brand makes.)<br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I can no longer order a Domino’s pizza and eat
the whole thing myself, because if I do, I’ll not only feel guilty—I’ll be
spending significant time in the bathroom two hours after I ingest it. <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I take a HANDFUL of mineral supplements and
vitamins every day, and unless it’s a placebo effect, they make me feel better
and stuff. <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I have to thoroughly stretch at the beginning and
end of every day. I “pulled something” in my back the other week (by sleeping
funny, I think,) and I carry Icy-Hot in my purse to work. Every joint in my
body cracks on a daily basis (including hips, elbows, STERNUM. Wth?!)<br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I go to a chiropractor, on a semi-regular basis.
<br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I say things like, “Back when I was in college.”
Or “Back when I could stay up past 10:30 pm.” <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>Most of my trips to TJ MAXX results in purchases
of either yoga/lounge gear or business attire. (& for those of you [women] working
in a corporate or government setting where you have to dress like an adult to
work, may I suggest hitting up TJM for as many Cynthia Rowley dresses as you
can find! They’re comfy, cute, and almost always look good on everyone. Plus
they tend to be modest enough for work and around $25. WOOHOO!)<br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I have to carefully consider committing to
weekend nocturnal activities, because FLAKEY PEOPLE are my <b>biggest pet peeve</b>, and I hate reneging on plans, but I also hate
when Friday comes around and I am too exhausted from the work week to drag
myself into the shower, much less to shower, blow dry my hair, put on nice
clothes, and go do things. <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I realize how much work it is to maintain
lasting, quality friendships when you’re no longer running into your friends at
school or work (<i>but it’s almost always
worth the effort</i>.) <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I’ve purchased a pair of pants that could
probably be classified as “chinos.” <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>I check up on my monthly budget about once a
month to make sure my savings is on track for my first home purchase plans. <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>When I’m in the car, if I’m not listening to a
book on CD, NPR is on. <br /><br /><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>Next year’s birthday will be my quarter century
mark. </span></span></div>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Maybe 24 is the new
45? (<<<Insert Carrie Bradshaw voice over here.) </b></span></span></div>
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</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can say that I feel a million times better when I get
active during the week, even if it’s just a nice walk a few nights a week,
bedroom yoga, or whatever. And eating vegetables seems to help too. It’s tough
to feel like exercising after an 11 hour day of sitting. Sitting in the car for
3 hours and at my desk for 8 is a killer. </span></span></div>
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</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think I’m going to try some new things soon. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luckily, I
have a boyfriend who seems pretty on board for new adventures, as long as they
fit somewhere in our budget, so hopefully my next posts will be all about
exciting/cool/new things I’m doing. </span></span></div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-7396715579616556492012-11-22T05:57:00.001-08:002012-11-22T05:57:04.807-08:0030 Days of Yog: Day 2
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30 Day Yoga Challenge.</div>
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Anyone who knows me could tell you that I can be pretty...
headstrong....sometimes.</div>
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Like, in that kind of gross, bossy, controlling kind of way
that's really not much fun for anyone, including myself, believe it or not.</div>
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Sometimes I see myself in the 3rd person acting that way and
it really freaks me out, because I'm not sure why I do it-- I don't even know
what makes me tick. I don't enjoy controlling things, and I really don't
believe your ideas are better than mine: I don't think I'm better or smarter
than you, I just feel the need to control my own situations all the time, and
you just happen to fall into that situation. It's not pretty and it's something
that I am always trying to work on... or at least I'm thinking really hard
about trying to work on it. </div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Anyway, I'm too type A for yoga.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Along with my delightful bossy notes and condescending
undertones, I'm also a bit compulsive, which is how I ended up in a really hot
yoga studio about a month ago. </div>
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I'd been pretty lax about going to the gym, and sometimes
when I went, I'd spend half an hour on the treadmill or do like 30 crunches and
peace out. Needless to say, I wasn't really getting results. A girl friend of
mine was doing yoga at this local studio for a while and told me she loved it;
she also was staying in pretty decent shape [She's pretty hot & single if
anyone's interested ; )]</div>
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http://graceandgloryyoga.com/ </div>
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So, with my loyal and adventurous friend Gretchen, we set
off to sign up for our first two weeks of yoga. The first class we took was 90
minutes long and hot. It started off hotter than you'd ever want your house to
be, but not deadly, and peaked at way-to-friggin'-hot-to-breathe-right (or at
least it felt like that.) I was sweaty and clumsy, and not very flexible. </div>
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I've never had the best balance, so there wasn't much
meditation going on-- I just spent most of the class trying not to fall and
break something. Towards the end of class, Allie, the wonderful non-hippy
instructor, brings the heat back down to a reasonable temperature and you can
start to wind down and appreciate the fact that you finished an hour an a half
work out in hell. </div>
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Driving home from that first class, I felt so calm and
relaxed that it almost felt that the previous torture was worth it. I went back
about 5 more times after that during my first two week trial; I really started
to enjoy myself. It didn't take too much convincing to get me to the studio,
and I even managed to drag my mom and Brian out once. When my two weeks were
up, I went back to the gym a few times (because I was paying for my membership
still) and stopped in the yoga a few times, more sparingly, because it is a
little bit of a hike from my house and it does get a little costly, especially
when you're already paying for a gym membership. </div>
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Tuesday (2 days ago) I felt conflicted all day. I had some
choices to make, and I was feeling guilty about maybe making the wrong choice,
an everything else that comes along with it.. playing Devil's advocate with
myself, justification, etc. (Needless to say, I could have been more productive
at work.) I went to yoga that night with the intention of getting in a good
work out to prep for Thanksgiving (and the food coma to come.) When I got
there, I was having more trouble than usual getting into the flow of things;
some positions that I could normally do were throwing me way off balance and I
was getting really frustrated about everything. </div>
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During one of the quieter moments towards the end of class,
Allie was talking about something... I don't even really remember
what...something about upcoming Thanksgiving and being thankful and then my
decision was made. The thing that had been bothering me all day suddenly seemed
so stupid, and the answer so obvious that I really should have never been
considering otherwise. I felt clear and decisive, and I wasn't sure if it was
all the blood rushing to my head from so much downward dog, or if --perhaps-- I had quieted all of my rambling thoughts long
enough to have some kind of epiphany. </div>
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At the end of class, Allie announced her 30 day challenge:
Go to yoga for 30 days IN A ROW and get your next month free. Monetarily, this
was awesome because I'm broke and yoga isn't cheap, but I did feel like it was
a challenge.</div>
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I'm always so go-go-go. I'm planning my next move before I
finish my first 3, so committing to driving half an hour everyday for the next
month to go to hot yoga was rough. I debated for the next 24 hours then I
decided I had to do it. It's not convenient and it won't b easy, but last night
I completed day one of my 30 day challenge. I'm about to leave my house now to
go to a class at 9:30 am and do yoga and think about how lucky I am to be able
to physically do it and afford it and just be. </div>
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It's pretty awesome. </div>
VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-13569429236550386532012-07-24T15:01:00.001-07:002012-07-24T15:01:38.232-07:00Christmas in July<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alright people, these blog posts are not chronological-- or timely for that matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think about things I’d like to write about during the day
when I’m busy and then by the time I stop being lazy and actually write it, it’s
a long time later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Since it’s hot as hell outside, and everyone is cursing
summer and counting down to sweater wearing months, I figure it’s a good time
for a taste of <span style="color: red;">C</span><span style="color: #274e13;">h</span><span style="color: red;">r</span><span style="color: #274e13;">i</span><span style="color: red;">s</span><span style="color: #274e13;">t</span><span style="color: red;">m</span><span style="color: #274e13;">a</span><span style="color: red;">s</span>. In July.</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This past December, my friend Gretchen and I realized that
we knew very little about office gifting etiquette in our big girl jobs. We
were not longer broke college girls, but we were still broke. Gretchen’s
mother, who happens to be a real life Martha Stewart—the kind of lady who shops
at King Arthur Flour—gave us the wonderful idea to use those adorable little
mason jars to give “gourmet,” home-made hot chocolates out to our co-workers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aEFodZpT9guaTq59p7nwtFGLyhbAbBPjVIfRkbj27NzU0wgskDOpjPHxsvqwjev-bKsurMJ1oQwUilANe528X_SyhqZI0K_iSVWpmBfUu00Rtr7adgGTjP8Gz2Vki22vGLUOu6iYkP1i/s1600/IMG_4032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aEFodZpT9guaTq59p7nwtFGLyhbAbBPjVIfRkbj27NzU0wgskDOpjPHxsvqwjev-bKsurMJ1oQwUilANe528X_SyhqZI0K_iSVWpmBfUu00Rtr7adgGTjP8Gz2Vki22vGLUOu6iYkP1i/s320/IMG_4032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we gave it a shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About $30 and 4 hours later, we managed to make enough hot chocolate
gifts for all of our co-workers—at about $1 a pop—not too shabby! Granted, it
takes more patience than Gretchen and I had, times three, because about 20
minutes in, we wanted to quit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We made two batches:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mint hot chocolate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mexican hot chocolate with cayenne pepper and Madagascar-an
vanilla sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The mint hot cocoa was kid friendly and the Mexican hot
cocoa was a kick in the back of your throat. It took a few terrible taste tests
to get it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each mini mason held one regular or two small serving of hot
chocolate mix, layered to look pretty, and covered with mini marshmallows. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even bothered to dye the sugar with green
and red food coloring to make it more festive. Believe me, that crap was
painstaking and laborious, and afterwards our fingers were an ugly shade of
red/green/brown. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9MM_9QPGdE2vqw78pNJ2mKLTELG-aNtOoHqMReetBKHzHA6FuyHSKlmchZWY_QxTpe0Ulv4I1L_VcvW9T7X25swZIfQbEoX0u-b0MP-3lhbYzqFtipyx8TnJAz-Lpg-QFOmK9iCOmkOB/s1600/IMG_4036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9MM_9QPGdE2vqw78pNJ2mKLTELG-aNtOoHqMReetBKHzHA6FuyHSKlmchZWY_QxTpe0Ulv4I1L_VcvW9T7X25swZIfQbEoX0u-b0MP-3lhbYzqFtipyx8TnJAz-Lpg-QFOmK9iCOmkOB/s320/IMG_4036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Little circles of spare fabric served as lid covers, wrapped
with a ribbon that tied on a tiny card cut out of card stock that informed the
receiver what kind of cocoa to expect. Apparently, many of the people who were
given the Mexican hot chocolate didn’t get the memo, but after the first
confusing but delicious sip, they caught on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was our first try so they weren’t exactly Pinterest
worthy, but it was a good effort, and everyone in my office appreciated them. I
even got a super cute thank you card from the daughters of one of my co-workers
raving about it—so Booyah! I’m still a fan of the mason jar gift—because you
can put ANYTHING in it! It was an inexpensive thoughtful gift that’s handy when
you have 20+ co-workers and now clue about the gift exchange process at a new
job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-61651914273334342742012-01-11T09:49:00.000-08:002012-01-11T09:49:58.666-08:00InterventionI never gained the freshman 15.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I didn’t even gain any weight my sophomore year of college, but somehow in the past 2 ½ years I’ve managed to put on 30 pounds—which seems incredible. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I guess the weight just crept up while I wasn’t paying any attention—getting into a serious relationship, pulling 20 credit semesters, working full time all played their part in the fat conspiracy.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I hate to admit it, but having a wonderful boyfriend who loves me, pretty much no-matter-what, steered me into a bit of complacency when it came to staying in shape. I wouldn’t say I let myself go, but I wasn’t doing the opposite of that—if that makes sense. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In the summer, after graduation I started working FT at my now-job, and they’re pretty awesome and have a corporate membership to Tilton Fitness (the most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">expensive</i> gym <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ever</i>.) Luckily, corporate membership means I get a pretty great discount, so I joined the gym, signing my life and money away in a 1 year contract. I go to the gym, and I shoot for (and usually accomplish) 3 days a week, but I haven’t lost any weight. This can be attributed to the fact that after I work out, I feel that I deserve a reward, and that usually comes in food form. I know I’m not alone when I say, “As soon as I finish my workout, I am starving like I have not eaten in 5 days.”</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The pounds sneak up on you—for me it started with some muffin top, then lead to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Oh my God, I’m wearing spanx under my jeans—who does that?!”</i> Now I’m at the point where I literally have like 3 pairs of jeans that fit, and 20 pairs that don’t. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I am currently a few pounds outside of what most health websites state is my “healthy weight range” for my height—it seems a bit of a vague range, especially since it’s only based on height—not age, or abnormally large or small foot size, but let’s just pretend it’s legit. I’m not obese, but sometimes when I find myself talking about food, or flipping through Martha Stewart cooking magazines, I have fattest or fat girl thoughts. I literally think about food all day. I think I was talking about some bakery the other day when Brian said, “You sound like a crack fiend talking about cupcakes.” Awesome.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I don’t really buy into the “addiction is a disease” mindset, so at this point there are no excuses to be made.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It is a CHORE to make time and get motivated enough to eat healthy and be more active every, single day, but it’s just something that needs to be done. Consistency is the hardest thing ever, especially when it seems every single time I am super serious about eating healthy, my sister (the pastry chef) bring home an entire gourmet cheesecake, and I’m like “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are you freaking kidding me right now</i>?” And then, I eat some. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Over the past year of so, there have been many instances where Brian would say “Do you really need that 2<sup>nd</sup> slice of cake?” That usually just made me really made, even though his intentions were never mean, it was upsetting to be confronted, especially by someone who is always in perfect shape even though he eats McDonalds and Chef Boyarde like it’s his job. He eventually got the picture that I did not want a food lecture.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Right before Christmas, my good friend Joel was home for break and we were going to go out to dinner with a group of friends for “Friends-mas.” While I was getting ready in my room, I heard my mom talking to Joel and Brian in my living room. She was saying something along the lines of, “Wow, hasn’t she gained so much weight?! She has a pot belly!” I walked in and saw both men— visibly uncomfortable on the couch looked back and forth from me to my mother. Let’s just say it was awkward and embarrassing and I was pissed. What mom does that? Mine. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Those comments really bothered me for a while, because it was an asshole thing to say to my friends and because I did gain weight, but I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do not have</i> a pot belly. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I got over it after about a week, and actually started hitting the gym harder and more often. I improved my eating from the morning and though my work day, but dinner was still not up to par—that’s when I would indulge or stress eat, etc. Brian and I started talking lots of walks on the weekends (when I refuse to go to the gym,) and he’s starting to work out too. While he lifts weights, I do the BowFlex in the basement. It’s cool, I guess.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I go to the gym, I try to take classes, because they’re more fun than working out alone, and if it gets really hard it way too embarrassing to walk out on a class full of people. I take a great class called Body Pump with a great instructor—lots of weight lifting and lots of reps. I’ve been trying to add a little more weight each time, and it’s really nice to have a good sore the next day. Pounds have not been flying off like I’d hoped, but I’m keeping at it.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last night, I came home a little later than expected from a doctor’s appointment, so Brian was already there waiting for me. I got ready to go out to the bookstore with him—</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 55.8pt 0pt 0.5in;">(Side Note: BAM is the bookstore that took the place that Border’s vacated, and it is the same exact thing—so don’t worry! We can all still have our free magazine reading date nights!)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.8pt 0pt 0in;">He was doing something on the computer when he said, “I just got the longest lecture from your mom.”</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.8pt 0pt 0in;">(This is not an unusual occurrence, and I’m surprised he hasn’t flipped out by now, because he’s gotten lectured on everything from religion to finances.) “Well, what did she say?” I asked.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.8pt 0pt 0in;">Long Story Short:</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.8pt 0pt 0in;">Brian had mentioned to her his new plan to gain weight, and how he bought lots of sirloin burgers and chicken from Costco that day, and she proceeded to blame him for my weight gain, and essentially told him that he should do something about it—in a long and very repetitive, drawn out fashion, I’m sure. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.8pt 0pt 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This poor kid. <o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I laughed. My mom was trying to rally Brian into some fat intervention for me. This was rich.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I love my mother, but something I think she is actually crazy, and she is no slim chicken herself.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She came home from running whatever errands she was doing just as we were walking out the door.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“Did you eat dinner, yet?” She asked. (Very obviously implying, “E<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at something healthy that I’m about to suggest to you. Like lettuce.”</i>)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“Yes.” I lied.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I said good bye, she was pulling cheese cake out of the refrigerator, which I’m sure she ate while standing over the sink—where she has most of her healthy meals. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I got a chicken cool wrap from Chik-Fil-A for dinner. I think my semi-unhealthy choice was to be secretly spiteful of my mother. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This morning, I scrambled to put a lunch for work together, when I saw a bunch of Slim-Fast bars in the cabinet. Assuming my mother bought them for herself, I tried to be nice, and I slipped one into her purse, because she was running late.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She was nice and offered to start my car when she left, so it’d be defrosted by the time I left for work.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I got into the big, blue Jeep, I found a Slim-Fast bar in my cup holder. </div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Game on. </div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I am now determined to get skinny, if for no other reason, than to spite my mom.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurxzLHsg2oCVlM1J_1l-rMrOLFr4vkkQze1-FT9Ijsb7T_H2NxUfnKZPcE0gHMgzvVU5Xu0f2zK1WamefHEkSA_q_YRA_Ot08nQWYMIWoR8eGlc3hyYHWunfJ8q2YUf-cpqK6sT7TTBf3/s1600/i-think-about-this-the-whole-time-i-leg-press-every-single-time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurxzLHsg2oCVlM1J_1l-rMrOLFr4vkkQze1-FT9Ijsb7T_H2NxUfnKZPcE0gHMgzvVU5Xu0f2zK1WamefHEkSA_q_YRA_Ot08nQWYMIWoR8eGlc3hyYHWunfJ8q2YUf-cpqK6sT7TTBf3/s320/i-think-about-this-the-whole-time-i-leg-press-every-single-time.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">I can’t wait to go to the gym today!!!!!!</div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-33192586823427691922011-12-16T14:23:00.000-08:002011-12-16T14:23:02.979-08:00Welcome to the Sh*t Show (Pardon my French.)<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday I experienced my first colon cleanse, and let me tell you—it was not pretty.</span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started the awful day off right—with a dentist appointment. Once my teeth were clean, I continued with my all clear liquid only diet. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had organic chicken broth, lime green jello (any red or purple dye was off limits,) water, Gatorade, and diet ginger ale. All Day. And that was it. Who knew how hungry one could be??</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I used the term “<strong>hangry</strong>” (angry because you’re hungry) quite a few times.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I tried to make the most of the day by getting some errands done in the morning. But I had to stop because everywhere I went smelled like McDonalds (which I don’t even like.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Luckily, I have a very understanding boyfriend. He brought over butt paste and bought me a magazine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Around 5:00 pm it was time to take the saline flush solution. 16 ounces of the most disgusting liquid I have ever tasted— like sea water mixed with bad cherry cough syrup and lots of aspartame. I chugged over the sink. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then it happened.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was in the bathroom for the next 3 hours. TMI? Probably, but I’m trying to prepare you in case it’s ever your turn. I literally read half of the 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Harry Potter Book.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Between the long bathroom sessions and not eating all day, I passed out for an hour. When I woke up at 9:30 it was time for round 2. I didn’t get to sleep last night until around midnight, and I was starving like I have never been. You should know by now how much I love food. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This morning I woke up to grumbley tummy, took a shower, and headed to the outpatient surgery center. My appointment was at 10 am, and unlike myself, I got there 10 minutes early. Unfortunately, it was my lucky day and everything was delayed. I got taken back for blood pressure finally around 11am. By 11::45 I was getting into a backless hospital gown and getting a plastic IV tube shoved into my arm.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At noon I got some oxygen tubes up my nose, and got wheeled into the operating room. By the time I realized my anesthesia has been put into my IV I watched the walls move for a couple seconds, then passed out. I woke up 20 minutes later, had an apple juice, and waited for the Doctor to tell me that I was all clear—both literally and figuratively. Which is nice to hear, but also frustrating, because if problems aren’t solved, and endoscopy is next. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not worried, though. Just inconvenienced. I didn’t have to work today, or yesterday, so that was nice. I’ve been watching the Oprah Winfrey Network all day being consistently served tea and toast by Brian. As soon as I got out of surgery, all I wanted to do was eat—the suggested a light meal first mean before I could eat whatever I wanted. I decided a soup from WaWa would be a good call. Stupid me, I gave into the delectable lobster bisque. Bad choice. Brian later confirmed this by saying, “you went with fish and dairy as your first choice?” Hah. Observant.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s after 5pm and I’m still not feeling too hot, but I have the rest of the weekend to relax and do nothing, except attend an ugly sweater Christmas party.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All I have left to say about this experience, now that I’ve considered it all, is this—Once you’ve had a colonoscopy, you will never use the term “hot sh*t” again. Not that I actually ever use that term, but when people use it they’ll say, “Oh, he/she thinks he/she’s hot sh*t.” No. No. No. No. No one would ever want to be that.</span></div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-91344326720258305752011-12-01T12:47:00.000-08:002011-12-01T12:47:30.448-08:00Getting Old & Acting Creepy<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Getting Old & Acting Creepy<o:p></o:p></b> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last night, a girl friend and I decided to have a ladies’ night. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We had high expectations of a Wednesday night filled with drinks and laughs and dancing. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Plans went from a club in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlantic City</st1:place></st1:city> to a bar in Somers Point.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Cocktails and cute outfits turned into two tired girls sitting at a table in the corner struggling to finish our one and only drinks over a pile of nachos and mozzarella sticks. </div><br />
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</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 73.95pt 0pt 0.5in;">She is a newly, newly wed, so I got to look through her camera and see all of her pictures, which was lovely—she is lovely. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 73.95pt 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">By 9:30, we were yawning and calling it a night; I could barely keep my eyes open on the 45 minute drive home.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Not to say, I didn’t have a great time, because I did. It just made me feel old and kind of lame. </div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A month ago, I hosted an awesome Halloween party in a house I rented in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Ocean</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place>. It was lots of fun, and a lot to clean up and take home, so inevitably Brian forgot his brand new tool box that his dad bought him for his birthday. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Ocean</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place> is kind of out of the way, and after a few failed attempts to return to get the box, we’d kind of forgotten it. The owner of the house had already winterized it (I know, because I clean for her.)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So last night, since we had driven to the bar from my lady friend’s apartment in Ocean City, I asked if she minded stopping at the house quickly so I could grab the tool box before I headed home. So we did.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There’s a lockbox on the front porch, and I knew the combination from cleaning in the summer, so I fumbled around with it in the dark, until I finally got the stupid thing open.</div><br />
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</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0.5in;">I did explain to the owner that I had forgotten something, and would be stopping by the house next time I was in the area to get it. She lives in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">West Virginia</st1:place></st1:state>. It’s not like I routinely just let myself into people’s homes. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;">I open the lockbox, and there is NO KEY inside of it. There’s a guy who lives in a separate downstairs apartment, and his light was on, but he had complained about our bass being too loud at the party, and I didn’t really feel like asking him.</div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;">So I get the bright idea to walk around the back of the house to a two story garage that was converted into another apartment. I knocked on the door once and waited. It’s 10pm on a Wednesday night by this point. I knock again. Finally a shirtless guy in his late twenties answers the door to find two lovely ladies standing outside in the dark.</div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;">I briefly explained that I had indeed met him before, because I invited him to my Halloween party a month early—“Could you let me into the house, I forgot something?” He briefly explained that he had been to no such party, and that was probably his brother. Oops. I countered with a—“Remember that time in the summer I cleaned the house and you were in there fixing the washer?” (True story.) It worked. The dude put a hoody on, led us into the house, and once I found the light switch, I made my way to the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor and found the tool box. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;">On our way back to my friend’s apartment, we concluded that three things could have happened tonight—we could have left empty handed, we could have had good luck and gotten the tool box, or we could have never been heard of again. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 35.45pt 0pt 0in;">I went to bed last night feeling old and creepy.</div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-15883432031817804352011-10-21T06:49:00.000-07:002011-10-21T06:49:09.561-07:00Making Things, Mending Broken Things<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Making Things, Mending Broken Things<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLA22AuIsHrKmAd2kQWLMaviK-q3ISMkXKrzk7BGjq6osXiXX15sxpNctnV47MqddoVPNbmNK2vdMjNdVCpVin52sD8mSiTG9ZwmloLVl6XAoATdrBADBnyAnRAqDi9TIMfZeXwX_mnuT/s1600/000Martha_Stewart_Halloween_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLA22AuIsHrKmAd2kQWLMaviK-q3ISMkXKrzk7BGjq6osXiXX15sxpNctnV47MqddoVPNbmNK2vdMjNdVCpVin52sD8mSiTG9ZwmloLVl6XAoATdrBADBnyAnRAqDi9TIMfZeXwX_mnuT/s320/000Martha_Stewart_Halloween_.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>I wish I was Martha Stewart.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I mean really? When I want to bake something or make a cool craft—I turn to Martha. I believe I have 3 or more of her books, and if I can’t find it in a book, I find it on her website. She has a whole section in Michaels, as I found out last night while perusing for Halloween party ideas with Gretchen. </div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So I have this idea, that Gretchen and I should use all of skills: marketing skills, baking skills, nun chuck skills… and make a super company that provides everything from wedding planners to wedding cakes, fashion blog (on her end,) and much, much more. If I were not me, I would buy a fancy cupcake from me, if I were in the right location. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael’s had a peacock wreath in the Christmas section: Gretchen said, “Be a peacock for Halloween! Just put that around your neck!” That’s great advice. Unfortunately, neither of us really got much done in all of our perusing and planning last night, and we’re still costume-less. We did, however, buy some awesome cookie cutters and some cupcake liners. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I felt like I was in heaven and spent twenty minutes in Michael’s just looking at the overpriced, but beautiful cake decorating stuff—sprinkles, food coloring spray paint, edible glitter <3 This is such fat girl talk. Did you know that Duff from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ace of Cakes</i> has a line of cake decorating stuff?? Granted, its $20 for a small tub on fondant, but that’s neither here nor there. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4w-av77-uhIZPFS1ndB9dJF49pnt-NdV96e8rNDQok7lPfIySt4HN6-WrXA2Xo7_QpStmI-WVyzx3o3xjgQpBAHsvSay9ATmkqPChHdukgI4dpDCFJwyFdOWnJE49GBiWCPKI4_JySvF/s1600/000cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4w-av77-uhIZPFS1ndB9dJF49pnt-NdV96e8rNDQok7lPfIySt4HN6-WrXA2Xo7_QpStmI-WVyzx3o3xjgQpBAHsvSay9ATmkqPChHdukgI4dpDCFJwyFdOWnJE49GBiWCPKI4_JySvF/s320/000cupcakes.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Michael’s trip was a nice finish to what had been one of the worst days in a while. I was running into less than nice people everywhere I turned all day. The day started off bad when my alarm clock failed to go off <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again</i>—I hate scrambling first thing in the morning. Also, I’m not sure if it’s the weather or my poor hair cut, but I was having the worst hair day ever. I burnt my toast and then my mother yelled at me about it with unnecessary roughness, kind of like she yells about everything. My day was packed with people telling me they needed things done five minutes ago, and I was swamped. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While I sat in my doorless office at work, I listened to an eighty year old man talk smack about me in the hallway ten feet from my desk. (He will be getting a nice email today.) What made it even worse was at that exact moment, I was texting a friend who was calling me out for doing the same thing to her. I literally got sick to my stomach. I had talked about her behind her back, and even though I could defend myself by saying I hadn’t meant it maliciously (which I didn’t) I still shouldn’t have done it. I felt awful, and not just because I was getting called out, which is not fun at all, but also because we haven’t been close in a while, and I had no idea it was because of that. I felt stupid for letting something like that waste so much time that could have been much better spent. I hate knowing I’ve made someone feel bad, especially long after the fact. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I have to say though I was thankful and pleasantly surprised when the conversation ended well, and not with “You know, I hate you, and I don’t want you in my life any more” which I was kind of expecting—maybe not “I hate you,” but still. Even though I didn’t necessarily do anything right, I must not have done more wrong, because it seems like I’m getting another chance here to not be a crappy friend. It was a weight off my shoulders and a weight out of my stomach. </div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was nice to have Gretchen to see at the end of the day, because she is awesome. We had plans to make lots of plans (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I LOVE Plans, if you haven’t caught on already</i>,) but when we ended up winging things, and aimlessly wondering stores and then the internet without any plan or direction—much like our current lives—we still had a great time. I didn’t even start tweaking like I normally do when tentative plans fall through. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We were attempting to book a room and buy our Broadway tickets for our next Girl’s Night Out (aka High school Reunion Weekend.) Our original game plan was to stay in a 4 star hotel so we could feel glamorous and have a reason to wear obnoxiously high fashion clothes, and hit a Broadway show.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdBwiJulQlKUcQhKFi-hlUMxImfXpFMYpUzdmCBBrSWRYHOoYP-nnDPzdH3WbkhiPbty54qDSJkX88T1L50xCv_x5BEVvcvkAyqAvH4dvVNf4ptQv-z2NfpKt51nLY9tSFFxG_2hX1iXR/s1600/01_sexandthecity_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdBwiJulQlKUcQhKFi-hlUMxImfXpFMYpUzdmCBBrSWRYHOoYP-nnDPzdH3WbkhiPbty54qDSJkX88T1L50xCv_x5BEVvcvkAyqAvH4dvVNf4ptQv-z2NfpKt51nLY9tSFFxG_2hX1iXR/s320/01_sexandthecity_lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Side note: The only good thing about getting a colonoscopy is that you’re expected to drop like 5 or 10 pounds from the disgusting amount of crap that just hangs out in your system, so maybe I’ll fit into some glamorous New York clothes even better!<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Side, Side Note: I ordered $200 worth of sweater-wear from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Victoria</st1:place></st1:state>’s Secret website. I am not naive—I am aware that the clothes I buy will not fit me like they fit the models that are wearing them online. I do, however, expect stuff to be the same color I ordered. I bought the stuff last, and I was so excited when I saw the UPS guy pull up, because it’s only been like 3 business days or something super fast. Unfortunately, when I pulled the stuff out of the bag, it was really disappointing. I bought a sweater dress that was gorgeous online—black with silver gemstones around the color—that turned out to be some flimsy black long sleeve t-shirt dress with cheap looking gold sequins on it. It was $70. I also got a couple of silk/cashmere blend sweaters, and while they do feel luxurious, they don’t look great on me—definitely not good enough for what I paid, so now I’ll be paying $5 to send them back. </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span> This is my luck with online shopping. I don’t know why I still do it. <o:p></o:p></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After looking at prices for hotels in the city the weekend we’ve planned to go, it’s looking like we won’t be getting a 4 star hotel room without a miracle. We saw rooms with 2 single beds in them for $400/night. I still have hope though, maybe we’ll get a breakthrough, or maybe we’ll have to bring a tent and pitch it in a hotel lobby instead. Either way, I’m still confident that we’ll be having a great time. We technically have 4 weeks to finalize our plans, and buy our tickets, but in reality, we have like 2 days since the prices for hotel rooms are only going up with the Christmas countdown. </div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The imminent count down for me today however, is to Brian’s birthday. He is going to be 27 on October 27<sup>th</sup>, so that’s kind of a big deal. I finally got a definite head count for his surprise outing this Saturday (Thank You to All who responded, and other choice words for his flakiest of friends) and I bought his present last night. Although I’m sure he does not read my blog, I won’t reveal any more details until post-event. </div><br />
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</div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-16646990882056115372011-10-17T10:02:00.000-07:002011-10-17T10:02:58.212-07:00Festivities and Colonoscopies<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Festivities and Colonoscopies <o:p></o:p></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Things I love about fall:</div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Hoody Wearing Weather</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Neutral and Earth Tone Fashion</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Halloween</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">All Accompanying Fests</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Food</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Planning Brian’s Birthday</li>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ve been busy lately—working, trying to get to the gym at least 3 days a week, and planning. It’s so dorky, but I really love planning.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Things I’m currently planning:</div><br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Brian’s Birthday Outing</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Our next Girl’s Night (which will be Girl’s Night In this time)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Halloween Party and Corresponding Costume (which is not going so well—the costume part, anyway.)</li>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This past weekend was fun and relaxing. I spent Friday night in the Tropicana celebrating my friend Brandon’s birthday. I was the DD, which was fine, because alcohol is off my list until Halloween weekend anyway. We had dinner at Hooter’s which was classy, and we had the cutest little Spanish waitress I have ever seen—accent and everything. I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her home—she really was that cute. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Saturday I went to Cranberry Fest in Chatsworth with the two best men in my life—Brian and Duane.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was really nice; the weather was perfect, the whole place smelled like kettle corn, and there were blocks and blocks of vendors with crafts, food, and great chintzy stuff. As usual, I didn’t buy anything besides a food—a slammin’ gyro and a bag of the most delicious kettle corn I’ve ever had. I also bought some jelly—thing I would only buy when intoxicated with smells and scenery of a fest. I’m a huge fan of fests. On our way home from the fest we stopped at a few party and dollar stores looking for Halloween party ideas and decorations, and then I introduced Duane to Costco. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I kid you not when I say we spend over an hour in Costco deciding whether or not to get a chicken pot pie for dinner….we decided against it considering it was big enough to feed a stoner Brady Bunch. We bought rotisserie chicken and pumpkin bisque instead; then Duane and I baked an apple crumb while Brian played his new Godfather video game upstairs. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 73.95pt 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">10: the number of times Brian said that Duane and I should get married on Saturday. It could be the fact that we finish each other’s sentences, or that we’re both foodies, but I know that we should at least live in a duplex together at some point. <o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 73.95pt 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Countless: the number of times in the past week that Brian has told me he is seriously considering a life of organized crime.<o:p></o:p></i></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">Duane and I are both planning this Halloween party, since we’re renting a house in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Ocean</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place> from one of our best cleaning clients in the summer. She gave us a really good deal on the house for the weekend—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she made me an offer, I couldn’t refuse</i>. As super excited as I am about this party, I’m nervous because A.) She’s our best client, so I don’t want anything broken and I don’t want to piss off the guy that lives in the apartment under the house (who I only just realized existed.) B.) I’m hosting this party, and I still don’t have a costume! When I invited people to the party, I emphasized the importance of having a black light friendly costume, and so far my only idea has been a black swan costume—which will make me invisibly in the black lights. Other options I’m considering: Sushi, a Mermaid, and actual invisibility. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELP!<o:p></o:p></b></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">You’ve probably noticed the second part of my title: colonoscopies.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">Lately my mother has been looking into (and requesting I join her in Googling) good places to get enemas. What the hell do I know about them?! I thought it was gross and mildly amusing, until last week.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">Without going into detail, I have been procrastinating going to the doctor for some annoying issues. I finally went last week and these issues became even more annoying when Dr. Dude told me that not only would I need to get blood work done, but I would also need to do a… wait for it…. Take home POOP test. Kill me now. As if that wasn’t the worst thing you’ve ever heard, please consider that I had to do one of those poop kits three months ago for some stupid other thing that ended up being a whopping nothing at all. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">It gets worse. Twenty-two year old me needs a colonoscopy. My world is almost over at this point until the doctor tells me he is at least recommending me to a lady gastrologist. He actually told me to “put my big girl panties on,” which was weird. After throwing out some names of alarming condition my issues could be, and seriously worrying me for 24 hours, I called the gastrologist office to make an appointment. The earliest CONSULTATION is November 2<sup>nd</sup>, which means colon-time will be schedule a few weeks after that—this gives me plenty of time to dread this. It’s also obnoxious because I’ll probably have to take a whole day off for the procedure, as well as half a day the day before because you have to “cleanse.” The nurse told me this “cleansing process” could take all day, which means I’m going to move my TV into the bathroom.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">I didn’t tell my mom about that appointment, or the fact that I’m making an appointment for a colonoscopy, because she’ll either worry unnecessarily, or tell me I’m worrying unnecessarily—both of which are annoying. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">When I got home from the doctor that day, I found an “Enema in a Box” on my bathroom counter—my mom has been searching for one of those for a couple of weeks—she finally found one at some rinky-dink pharmacy, because real pharmacies must agree that enemas are no longer in style. Last Friday, she asked me if I would take her to her colonoscopy appointment on Halloween. Go figure. I’m wondering if I can actually get this all done and over with without telling her. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -3.05pt 0pt 0in; tab-stops: 445.5pt;">This weekend I went to LabCorp (before Cranberry Fest) and got my blood work done. The women there were all incredibly rude, but the blood taker did a good job, and I did not pass out. They sent me home with my own personal poop kit, that I must… complete… and return. It has about 8 million vials, and a thick instruction book that I haven’t had the nerve to look at yet. Let’s see how long I can put that off. </div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-35201787608052976442011-09-23T09:31:00.000-07:002011-09-23T09:31:44.182-07:00DIY: Spa -- Milk & Honey Face Scrub<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">DIY: Spa<o:p></o:p></span></b> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Despite the fact that I am now a full time working adult, my skin has not caught up and is still teenager disgusting. I ran out of my usual <st1:place w:st="on">St.</st1:place> Ives apricot scrub and my face was in need of a good exfoliation, so I whipped my easy, cheap, face-fixing concoction – <strong>milk &</strong> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">honey face scrub</b>. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4uevGhT-lgeBfkRrgUsbH1kNmFN2DVKeHfcSX4Ntcg9PZT0a0OCP_p2FQCvM9Z44MheGoHdY28q1gnPPDoDh8S0zdFcNeIUerdUN4awOpDoRlO4QT0IbAVGdzxMm-lrB7i4puRQgYKWN/s1600/18_milkandhoney_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4uevGhT-lgeBfkRrgUsbH1kNmFN2DVKeHfcSX4Ntcg9PZT0a0OCP_p2FQCvM9Z44MheGoHdY28q1gnPPDoDh8S0zdFcNeIUerdUN4awOpDoRlO4QT0IbAVGdzxMm-lrB7i4puRQgYKWN/s320/18_milkandhoney_lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s super easy, and great for your skin without harsh chemicals, soap, laurel sulfates or any other chemical crap. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I stole a side dip container (see blue cuppie in picture) from Applebee’s a while back—just popped it into my take out box, because I wanted the dip but I didn’t want it to make the rest of my meal soggy, so the cup had to come along.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6ogqv4rIJ5UMONogJi8TavTKsf1ag8_qrI4BKYGwi2UzIY6ndA-eiX2Ny5VtzWYEdW0AUImbZ5elHnTLc6PYZsXJmS4-gw_GNRH9mTaGCJIZIV3TEZ2eO7K7glGNoyIvoGOYNUz6KhD1/s1600/dip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6ogqv4rIJ5UMONogJi8TavTKsf1ag8_qrI4BKYGwi2UzIY6ndA-eiX2Ny5VtzWYEdW0AUImbZ5elHnTLc6PYZsXJmS4-gw_GNRH9mTaGCJIZIV3TEZ2eO7K7glGNoyIvoGOYNUz6KhD1/s1600/dip.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s the perfect size for this, but you can use whatever size container you’d like. For the very lazy of you, however, I do not recommend making a big batch and saving it for future uses, because the baking soda will dissolve more and lose its scrubby-ness. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">You Need:<o:p></o:p></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">1 tbsp honey (whatever kind you like—organic if you’re fancy and wealthy.)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">1 tbsp baking soda</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">1 tsp milk (optional)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Mix all ingredients up in a cup. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;">(I usually do this in the shower so the steam can open up my pores a little bit more and it’s not a sticky mess on my bathroom sink.)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Wet your face with warm water and apply scrub and then scrub like you would normally scrub your face. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Leave it on anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes then rinse. It will tingle slightly, if your skin is sensitive then you might want to rinse off sooner than later. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I used it as a body scrub too. It’s good for flaky, dry winter skin too, and it makes you smell awesome. If you want a courser body scrub add a tablespoon of sugar in the raw or course brown sugar (bigger scrubbing particles for bigger areas.) When I got out of the shower, I still had some zits (it is not a miracle worker,) but my face literally looked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">glowing</i>. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why it works?</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Honey</b> contains an <a href="http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/digestive-enzymes.html" target="_new"><span style="color: windowtext;">enzyme</span></a> called glucose oxidase, and when you combined it with water, it produces hydrogen peroxide which acts as a mild antiseptic, killing some zit causing germs on your face. In addition to the glucose oxidase enzyme, honey also contains <a href="http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/antioxidant.html" target="_new"><span style="color: windowtext;">antioxidants</span></a> and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. Honey is also a <a href="http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-properties.html" target="_new"><span style="color: windowtext;">humectant,</span></a> which means it attracts and helps retain moisture, rebuilding the moisture level in the skin without making it oily. Honey has been around and been used for thousands of years—things have been found preserved in crystallized honey, so maybe it helps preserve your young, youthful face? </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baking soda</b> is made up of small grains that aren’t too harsh on your sensitive face, and it’s also been used for a long time as a cleanser (in the washing machine,) as a rash/sunburn soother/calmer, among other things. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiCCDZ3LLy9GwnE5k4h4lDXxkc2zmWRfKr_2qsmHgPcal5g1Q0L2eC-6sBDoXc94hIlv9Rd75MtamOnMGHRzQy4FgGgflKP3k_a-qDvDAU9MZn9gKk72tEB7bkU0athiI30x8BlIRHmCM/s1600/arm-hammer-baking-soda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiCCDZ3LLy9GwnE5k4h4lDXxkc2zmWRfKr_2qsmHgPcal5g1Q0L2eC-6sBDoXc94hIlv9Rd75MtamOnMGHRzQy4FgGgflKP3k_a-qDvDAU9MZn9gKk72tEB7bkU0athiI30x8BlIRHmCM/s1600/arm-hammer-baking-soda.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Lactic acid in the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">milk</b> is a mild exfoliate in itself and has been shown to improve overall skin appearance. Try it and let me know what you think!</div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-85441778489087586032011-09-19T08:38:00.000-07:002011-09-19T08:38:41.751-07:00Girls Night Out Recap“GNO” Recap<br />
<br />
(A long post, but well worth the 5 minutes you'll spend reading it.. or at least I think so.)<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I last left you with a few frustrated words from the first half of my day that would later be “Girl’s Night Out.”</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I sit here freezing, listening to Glee’s Christmas album, I’m laughing out loud thinking back to Friday night.</div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Let me begin…</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Girl’s Night Out (Hereinafter referred to as GNR) was supposed to begin at 4pm. Every one was supposed to meet at my house at 4 so we could all head over to AC together and have time to settle into our room, walk around, shop, whatever before our dinner reservation at 7. As you can guess, this did not happen. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">One thing or another caused everyone (including myself—and I LIVE at my house) to be late. It was around 5 pm by the time seven girls were sitting on my bedroom floor sorting their luggage. (And though we are not alcoholics, we were bringing a couple bottles of classy champagne and other things—unfortunately for me the bottles were all sitting in the middle of my room when my mom walked in and demanded to know if they were sparkling cider or not.) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Despite the fact that we would be spending less than a day in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlantic City</st1:place></st1:city>, everyone packed a giant duffel bag, like there would be time for 7 outfit changes throughout the night. In an attempt to consolidate space, we had a fashion show of sorts where we all tried out our outfits and tried to unanimously decide who should wear what so the extra clothes could be left behind. 3 out of the 7 girls ended up wearing dresses from my closet which, sadly, I didn’t fit in anymore, which kind of was a crappy feeling, but they did look HOT in those dresses. Multiple outfit changes and some serious convincing later, we had only eliminated one bag, and we still had to fit an elephant sized air mattress somewhere. </div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finally, we were ready to go, and slowly everyone loaded themselves into the awkward minivan—this would have been MUCH easier if the door to the trunk wasn’t broken, but it was, so everyone had the heave the heavy luggage over seats and heads and into the back. I have the key in the ignition when Courtney, who is sitting shotgun, starts dumping the contents of her purse on the floor looking for her keys, which are so inconveniently attached to her mini-wallet and her ID. I go inside to help her look, and 10 minutes later we find them under my sister’s bed. Back in the car, ready to go a second time, I realize that my keys are no longer in the ignition. A symphony of groans erupted from the back seats as I ran inside to find those keys. Two minutes later, I’m back in the car—take 3!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> I very slowly start to back out of my driveway that’s on a slight hill, because it’s hard to see whether or not cars are coming in the back alley, when all of sudden there’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a horrible bang and a loud scraping. I immediately stop (of course at this point Brian has already made his way over and is laughing and pointing) and tell everyone to get out of the van. I put it in drive, move forward 10 feet, and even more slowly, try to back out into the narrow alley with 8 people standing around in my way. Apparently, the weight of 7 girls and 7 ginormo suitcases was too much for the red minivan. Diagonally blocking any potential traffic through the alley, I parked and let everyone climb back in. </div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now, it is six o’clock—we were on our way. As we approached the city, we called P.F. Chang’s to see if we could push back our reservation half an hour in order to give us time to check in and bring our bags up before dinner. The receptionist was a certified ditz-wad, who made things extremely complicated when we informed her that we’d be adding a 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> person to our reservation for 6. She told us that this really complicated things, and we could come whenever (but she could only hold our 7:00 reservation for 15 minutes) and then we’d get a buzzer and have to wait because what would be do about the seventh person?!!? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It took us about 2 minutes after she’d hung to appoint the second most… aggressive… person in the car to call back (Obviously, that would have been me, but I was driving) and explain that we would be showing up at seven and we would be sitting down with all seven people—“Put an extra chair at the table, we’ll squish.” </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Once we made it through the parking lot maze, we got to PF Chang’s 5 minutes early, and we were sent downstairs to be seated right away. A disgruntled hostess led us to a table for not 6, not 7, but 8 people. She gave us a dirty look as she grabbed the extra chair and said “I guess I’ll just get this out of your way.” Yes. You. Will. Dinner was lots of fun! We ordered about 20 appetizers and were too full for dessert by the time the check came around. Our waiter was kind enough to give us 8 large paper cups for our room party to follow, since we forgot to get any. Let the night begin.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When we left, Angelica realized that we were parked on the wrong side of the Tropicana, since we were by the Quarter and the hotel rooms were on the totally opposite side. We decided to go back to the parking garage, pile back in the mini van, and go down the spiral exit (me holding the brake the entire way down.) When we got to the bottom, the parking attendant said “Ten dollars please.” I calmly explained that I just wanted to go the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other</i> parking garage. He looked at me like I was a crazy person and less calmly explained that this was the only Tropicana garage, and I was just going to have to back up. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The lady behind me was not grasping the concept of reverse, despite the fact that she was about 50 feet away when I first put my hazards and my reverse lights on, while waving my hand out the window. One smooth K turn later, we were going back up the ramp, past our last spot on the 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> floor, to a new spot on the 6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>. 20 minutes wasted.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Dragging our extremely heavy luggage through the whole casino was fun, but not as fun as what happened next. It was $180 dollars for the room, and the Trop charges another $25/person for everyone staying in the room besides the original 2 people who booked it, so Angelica and I stood in the check-in line when the others kept a “reasonable following distance” from the hotel lobby to the elevator that would take us to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">South</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Tower</st1:placetype></st1:place>. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sitting on a planter ledge next to the narrow hallway that led to the only elevator up to our room was a very heavy set, suited man. Next to him was a sign explaining that every single person staying in the hotel should have their own room key and this guy was there to check and make sure of it. Oh Crap. Angelica and I had the 2 keys, which meant the 5 following at a safe distance would not be able to get upstairs. Sweating, I signaled the other girls to go wait somewhere else, and the two of us went upstairs. </div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">By the time I got to the room, I was in panic mode. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I ruined girl’s night out! They’re never going to be able to get up here. </i>I literally started to get nauseous as Angelica and I tried to devise a plan that included somehow getting them room keys, and I could think about were all the movies I’d seen about people trying to cheat casinos and how they always ended up strapped to a chair in the basement getting beat up by a huge dude in black. It also didn’t help that I had been carrying someone else’s duffel and someone else was carrying my purse, with my phone in it, and I had no one’s number but my own. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Almost an hour and a couple sneaky plans later, all five girls made it upstairs with no problem, probably because the guard was busy flirting with some other girls at the time. Courtney, who works at some fancy shmancy restaurant, needed some champagne popping experience, and she got it. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We got ready and had drinks and snacks and laughs in during the next few hours. It took a few trips and some searching and some elevator rides to actually get a hold of some ice, but when we did, we brought a trash can to fill. Ironically, the huge bottle of Gatorade intended for rehydrating use the next morning was used as a mixer. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Replenish your electrolytes while you imbibe. That’s my motto. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Although the club cover charge was some ridiculous $15/person, Shelly knew someone who knew someone who got us on some list. While standing in line, feeling important Angelica’s heel decided it had enough of my one toe nail, and it came down hard with a vengeance—luckily, I had enough silly juice in me at the time that I could barely feel it. I believe someone took photographic proof of the bloody event. The snobby entrance girl said she did not know the friend of the friend who got us on the list, so only 4 of us were free, but splitting the $30 we got charged was NBD, especially since it saved us $60. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The club was the club. Sweaty, loud, but surprisingly not to gropey. I think Shelly was the only one who got hit on—what does that say about the rest of us?! Ha Ha. Somehow a number of us ended up dancing on some kind of elevated circles. Framing my face was probably my best move of the night. We made it back to our room after a 3am adventure for pizza at Tony Baloney’s—otherwise known as Tony’s Baltimore Grille, where it smelled just like a litter box. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The next morning we made it out of bed. There was a mess in the room, blood in my Bandolino’s and everyone was a little sore or smelly or both—signs of a night well played. We got breakfast (and a lot of it) and called it a day around 1pm on Saturday. It was a very successful GNO, and although it took me most of the weekend to recover from my hang over, I can’t wait for the next one! I’m sure there are details I’ve left out, but after reading all this, don’t you want to come too??</div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-12476204476347067062011-09-16T09:15:00.001-07:002011-09-16T09:15:59.182-07:00Girl's Night Out is Finally Here!!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">IT’s HERE!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today is officially “Girl’s Night (and late afternoon and early tomorrow morning) Out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What started off as 4 girls in a 2 double bed room has now expanded to 7 girls with a couple of air mattresses in the room—and I am so excited. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What should have started off as a relaxing day off of work, sleeping in and lounging, became a caffeine induced nightmare. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brian bought me a couple of “Happy Pills” from the Vitamin Shoppe. Literally—they’re 2 tablets in a little package called “Happy Pills” that have stuff in them to make you feel good and energized—herbal stuff like St. John’s Wort and caffeine etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I needed to go to the bank and then to the post office to cash a money order and deposit a check. News Flash! The bank was just bought over by another bank—my debit card stops working at 3pm today and the new one I get doesn’t start working until Monday. Awesome. Then I go to the post office by my house (it’s a post office money order, so you can only cash it at the post office,) and they do not have the $192 dollars to give me. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I eat a breakfast sandwich, take one of the two happy pills, and head to the gym, frustrated, but not willing to get pissed off on my good day yet. I was told by the manager of the gym that the class I want to take starts at 10:30, so I spend my first 30 minutes at the gym on the treadmill waiting for the class to start. Kathy Lee was on TV talking about Brazilian waxes, and it was disturbing. Then It’s time for class so I walk upstairs, panting, and am unable to find the room or anyone who knows what they’re talking about. 10 minutes later I find out there is no class, so I just hit the weight room instead. Half way through my intense work out, I get dry mouth, and my heart is racing faster than usual. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Whatever, I’m just working out extra hard</i>, I thought. By the time I get to my last stations I’m feeling light headed and seeing spots. I quit a few minutes earlier and head to the car—really hot and jittery—then I realize that it was the STUPID HAPPY PILL that is making me feel like crap!! I’m so not happy at that moment. Thank goodness I took 5 dum-dums from the bank while I was there, because I needed the sugar to help me feel less light headed on my way home.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s another post office on my way home, so I stop in trying to cash my money order—surprise! They don’t have the cash. Now I’m annoyed, sweaty, and breathing really funny, with no cash in my pocket. I don’t understand why the post office issues such money orders if they never have the cash to fulfill them. I am about to go to the mall to pick out an outfit for tonight and the lawn mower that Brian bought from Sear’s yesterday. I have high hopes for tonight, but I do feel like I’m tweaking a little bit still. WISH ME LUCK!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the way, did I mention that I traded cars with my mom so we can all take one car for girl’s night? Well, I’ve been feeling very Juno-y all day, because I’m driving around a red minivan that is so much more frustrating to drive than my Jeep. This day can only get better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-29316458769229329162011-09-08T07:16:00.000-07:002011-09-08T07:16:07.891-07:00DecisionsDecisions. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A good friend’s wedding is this weekend, and I am still dress-less. It completely slipped my mind that I’ll be reading the Bible passage during the ceremony, so I need to look good while I’m doing it! Also, I want Brian to see me in this dress and think “Wow, I have a hot girlfriend.”</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I went to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Marshall</st1:place></st1:city>’s (usually my #1 store) and found nothing. Then I went through all 3 floors of Macy’s— Nothing. I even went to H&M—some things, but nothing very WOW! I went into BCBG Max Azria in the Walk last night, in the pouring rain, and was helped by a very perky, helpful fitting room drill sergeant. She had me in about 15 dresses, and one stood out. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OHJOf62XxV4AA_SFUNwy92ZqyCC29mrrw3riCpAcyIKTHmz74vYtzLjyhX4XHSxz2IMqx90MH-aU8RhdlPVqkjwBOS5FlW5BCGRIN62IkqVrO9AyNs6iIn93TUZ0zE7E4OdgX9BA4xcJ/s1600/711xEWO-0JL__SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OHJOf62XxV4AA_SFUNwy92ZqyCC29mrrw3riCpAcyIKTHmz74vYtzLjyhX4XHSxz2IMqx90MH-aU8RhdlPVqkjwBOS5FlW5BCGRIN62IkqVrO9AyNs6iIn93TUZ0zE7E4OdgX9BA4xcJ/s320/711xEWO-0JL__SL1500_.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZsz5qjyORtQa-nQYAR9YNRnBuZkIO0hrNP_QUwzl_aZbJ5LmyWWC1TdsM7ZS4BXv2QihYZQFNDXsuXgYpw_qZuaIm3ke9KUsA3ebsQoRQGJaVKUGzi_IVcGJDUPGvO2MkjzqDRM7BVI_/s1600/71w2zSpZTwL__SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZsz5qjyORtQa-nQYAR9YNRnBuZkIO0hrNP_QUwzl_aZbJ5LmyWWC1TdsM7ZS4BXv2QihYZQFNDXsuXgYpw_qZuaIm3ke9KUsA3ebsQoRQGJaVKUGzi_IVcGJDUPGvO2MkjzqDRM7BVI_/s320/71w2zSpZTwL__SL1500_.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I really liked this dress when I put it on. It fit really well, and you can never go wrong with B&W.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was on sale already for $220, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> everything in the store was 50% off—so the dress is now $110. I have a few pairs of shoes that will go, so I’m not too worried about that, but I need some opinions. I’ve always tried to put off higher prices purchases (especially clothing) for a day or 2 so I can think about it. If it keeps popping up in my head, then I know I wasn’t just about to compulsively spend money because I was in a store, and then if I go back and it’s still there in my size, I usually get it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Pros:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It is hot. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It is stretchy (in the top especially, so I can eat fancy wedding dinner, and it will expand with me.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It is camouflaging of little tummy chub, because of all the bandaging allusions. Also, if I eat too much, the A-line puffy bottom pretty much hides everything anyway. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It’s a simple color scheme.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It reminds me of a cupcake.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Cons:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It is wrinkly. You can’t tell by the picture, but the bottom half is taffeta and it was super wrinkly when I tried it on. The sales girl told me she would steam it for me, and it would help, but as soon as I get into a car or something, it’ll probably be wrinkly again—it didn’t look awful, just not perfect, like in this picture.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It’s $110</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>If I buy it, it’s final sale. There are no returns at BCBG. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It reminds me of a cupcake. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So this is where you few readers of my blog come in! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s your opinion??</b> It’s on hold at BCBG until tonight at 8pm when they close. I have the rest of the day to make a decision. Tonight is my last shopping night, because tomorrow I have the rehearsal dinner (separate dress for that occasion—casual, grey Cynthia Rowley,) and Saturday is the wedding. To buy, or not to buy (and if not, where do I go look for another dress?!) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-68346474179116085242011-09-05T19:20:00.000-07:002011-09-05T19:20:18.990-07:00Three Day Weekend Heaven<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Three Day Weekend Heaven<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This weekend has been wonderful. Brian finished work on Friday at a decent time, and after taking an extra long shower, shaving my legs, waxing, and giving myself a mani/pedi, I met up with him at his house and proceeded to drink half of a bottle of Korbel [Brut.] I wasn’t going anywhere, I was just enjoying sitting on the couch nursing a slice of pizza, drinking my champagne, and watching his mom show off her new aerobic moves. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next morning, Duane showed up and we set off for Vernon, NJ to go water parking at Mountain Creek Water Park. The day felt more like fall than a day fitting to splash around in cold, mountain stream water, but Brian and I are alike in the way that when we’re looking forward to something, little can keep us from it. The whole ride up we watched the thermostat in his car fluctuate, dropping from 78 degrees to 76 (oh no, SEVENTY SIX?!)— back to 78, 74(WHAT?!?! Don’t go lower!) and at its lowest, 73(OH MY GOSH! IT WENT LOWER!) Just as Brian was getting really worried about freezing his butt off at the park, we passed a small business that said “SWIM SALE” on a large sign outside. We pulled in, and Brian crossed his fingers, hoping they sold rash guards (He thought they were meant to keep you warm… hence the name—rash guard. Brian is always so cold, he wears a wet suit every time he surfs—no wonder he didn’t know what a rash guard was for.) </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SIDENOTE:</b> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anyone reading this who surfs, skates, snowboards, or just likes wearing those sport brand name clothes—if you ever get the chance to buy from this place—do it! It’s a great small business, owned and operated by two guys in the mid to late twenties. Their prices are already competitive, but they’re also open to making you deals. Our total purchase came to $40 (for a new rash guard and a cute winter hat for me!) The owner gave us $20 off our purchase, which was already lower than suggested retail value. Great product at great prices with great service. I’m all about supporting small business, so check this place out if you ever get the chance! <a href="http://outkastsports.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://outkastsports.com</span></a> (That’s the end of my sales pitch.)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had a great day at the water park, stopped at Panera Bread on the way home, and I fell asleep early after a good, exhausting day. Sunday we lounged around the house most of the day, after running a couple of errands. I took a dip in the pool to cool off when it got really hot, and set to work on an art project I’ve been planning for a couple of weeks. It got overwhelming, so then I quit. That night we had birthday dinner for Brian’s dad. I split another bottle of champagne [my new, classy drink of choice] with Brian, and went to bed at nine o’clock. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today was the last day of my three day weekend. I hope everyone else had as good of a Labor Day Weekend as I did. I hung around the house, watched a Denzel Washington movie, stopped at a friend’s birthday BBQ, and finally completed my art project! The only thing left on my to-do list from this week is to buy a dress for a wedding I have coming up this weekend (Yay Jess & Tommy!) QUESTION: What’s the deal with matching your better half at a wedding? Is it too much like prom? Help!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Want to know what’s great about tomorrow? As much as it’s going to SUCK going back to work after a three day weekend, my job recently switched banks, and I think the bank is trying to brown nose us pretty good, because they’re providing us with HOT breakfast tomorrow, and I CANNOT WAIT! It’s funny how something like breakfast will make my day so much better tomorrow. I feel pretty lucky when my biggest complaint is having to wake up at seven am. I’m so thankful for my job, my friends and family—especially the ones I can always count on to show up when they say they will. I’m thankful that my job lets us stay home for a paid holiday today, and I’m thankful that Brian is a hard worker and he woke up at 3:30 am today to go to work without complaining. SIDENOTE: Everyone out there who prays, please keep him in mind! He has an interview for a teaching job this week, and if that doesn’t work out, he’s taking the police academy entrance exam. He’s working so hard, and I just want him to feel accomplished and happy with what he’s doing. </span></div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-92133362480251657642011-08-31T12:25:00.000-07:002011-08-31T12:25:18.788-07:00Things I’ve recently realized that I should have known by now <u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things I’ve recently realized that I should have known by now:<o:p></o:p></span></span></u><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Everything takes work—consistent work, and usually, more work than you think.<o:p></o:p></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>a. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It has been over 2 months since I’ve even written a blog entry—something that I thought would come naturally and easily, because I enjoy doing it. Wrong. It takes work to remember to write.</i> It takes work to think of what to write, and even more work to make it sound vaguely interesting. I am making a promise to myself to work harder at this, because I do enjoy it, and I really like reading other people’s work and thinking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They are going to love having this to look back on in the future.</i> I read a complete stranger’s blog today (a friend of one of my high school teachers, whom I have never met,) and I found myself in tears reading about her experience with the loss of her baby. I feel awful that she went through it, but her entries were beautiful and real—I felt like I knew her and was really sharing in a part of her life. I don’t have any monumental experiences to write about, but I think that it’s incredible that people can connect this way. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>b. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My relationship takes work.</i> Oh my goodness, it takes so much work to be a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good </i>girlfriend. I can’t even imagine how much more work it will take to be a wife—maybe once you have the girlfriend thing down, it won’t be as bad. Men really think on this whole other level that is completely incomprehensible sometimes if you’re not trying REALLY hard to figure them out. Brian is always telling me how complicated I am, when in fact I say everything exactly the way I mean it. (Side Note: this bluntness tends to get me into trouble.) I like to plan things ahead of time, and make back up plans to my back up plans, and have dates and times and addresses—this way, no one is ever confused. He doesn’t understand why I feel the need to do that, and therefore he thinks it is complicating. I don’t understand why he won’t just pick a movie or a restaurant or make any sort of plan ever. One would think that after two years, you get it. This does not come easily to me, nor does compromise, but I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">working</i> harder everyday to try and really see from other people’s point of view. It is so true that you hurt the one’s you love the most—you’re stuck in the house with your family, or you see your boyfriend and your best friend so often that you forget to filter what comes out of your mouth, and these people who are closest with you end up getting the brunt of your bad day at work. I know I personally fight with my sisters more than I’ve argued with everyone else combined (although Brian comes in at a close second.) </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>c. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Feeling accomplished takes work.</i> One of my big goals in life is to write an Op-Ed for the <u>New York Times</u>. That’s a lofty goal, so a good runner up for me would just be to get paid to write something notable—something that someone somewhere will acknowledge that they have read, and hopefully enjoyed. That’s another big reason I’m committing myself to being more committed to this blog; I need to improve my writing skills. Everyone can improve, and it definitely puts good ideas in my head reading other people’s writings. Even at my job, which is not glamorous or fancy, I am working to feel accomplished. I hate wasting time, and I don’t like feeling like I’m doing good enough to not get fired. I want to do my best for this company, whether I care about construction testing and inspections services or not. I put together my first real, big bid the other day—all by myself. It felt good to have it done right, and have my boss say “Wow, that’s done already?!” Do whatever it is you’re doing well, and you will never regret it—even if you don’t get recognition, you’ll feel just that more accomplished. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>d. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Getting my 18 year old body back is taking A LOT of work.</i> Last time I wrote, I was considering going to the gym. Shortly after, I signed up for a year long gym membership. I have been going every week (with the Exception of the time I spent in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:state>, which was awesome by the way!) since I signed up, and trying for 3-4 times a week, even though there have been a couple 2 – 3 times a week weeks. Do you want to know how many pounds I lost? 0. Also known as zero. That’s right! None. I think I’m looking a little… different, if not, less chunky, but my weight has stayed exactly the same according to my digital scale. I believe that muscle really does way more than fat, and I’m gaining muscle as I lose the chunk so it’s all balancing out. We will see how this goes. I could stand to eat a few less fun size Three Musketeers Bars. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Just because you’re right, it doesn’t mean you’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right. </i></b>There’s not much to say on this subject. It’s pretty self-explanatory. Lately, I’ve been right a lot. I’ve been right about what time the movie was supposed to start, and how many times we did whatever, and the definition of whatever word. I’ve been right in lots of petty arguments with Brian, but where has it gotten me? No where. Just because someone is being a huge hussy, doesn’t mean you’re right in telling everyone you know that she is a huge hussy. You get where I am going with this. I realize when I start talking about other people, it’s only because a. I’m really, really pissed at them and if I don’t vent about it, my head will literally explode (not that it’s a worthy excuse) or b. my life has gotten so boring that I need to talk about someone else’s to make myself feel better—both of which sound pretty pathetic. I’m not going to lie though— sometimes a girl’s night full of girl talk is just what every girl needs. This point ties into my last epiphany… </div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Choose your battles, and try, try, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">try </i>to let go of the ones you decide are not worth fighting. </b>This comes most in handy for my relationship with Brian, even though this takes a lot of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">work</i> to practice what I’m preaching. There are things worth arguing about, and there are things that aren’t. I’m learning to pick what’s important to me and organize my logical argument into an easy to understand my point mini fight, instead of a long emotional disaster argument. I don’t want to be a nag, so for now I need to learn to lay off Brian for always leaving his wet clothes on the bathroom floor after a shower, and be patient while I’m telling him the date and time of our friend’s wedding that he has not yet requested off of work for, for the nine millionth time. He is a good man, and I don’t have much to complain about, so I should probably stop complaining so much. This goes for friends too. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nothing gets under my skin as much a flakey friend—some one who says they’re going to do something and bails out at the last moment with lame excuses. I’m sure everyone has copped out last minute at one time or another—stuff happens, but try to keep it to a minimum, please, or else you’re going to drive all of us micromanagers and over-organizers out of our already unstable minds. At the same time, I need to learn to give people a break. Brian is always telling me to “let things roll off my back.” It might be one of my least favorite sayings, because my logic tells me that if you just kept your word, there would nothing needing any back rolling. I have always had high expectations of people, because if I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, you better deserve it. I’m learning to give my friends a break, or at least choosing not to cause any scenes over last minute plan breaking, until they do it so often, I chose to stop making plans with them in the first place. </div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585254708261571413.post-32121203996691909952011-06-23T07:57:00.000-07:002011-06-23T07:57:06.380-07:00#TWEETMYWEIGHT is trending on Twitter.June 23, 2011 <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">#TWEETMYWEIGHT is trending on Twitter.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’m pretty sure that’s the worst idea I’ve read. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tweet my weight? That’s got to be instigating a few easting disorders. It did make me feel guilty enough to think about going to the gym. What really put me over the edge were the bathing suits I bought online from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Victoria</st1:place></st1:state>’s Secret. Online, they’re on super hot, air brushed women, but when they showed up in my mail box it was another story. One I returned altogether –it was supposed to be a “Miraculous” push up top, but really it was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Imagine a B&W, polka-dotted cantaloupe made out of Temperpedic mattress material; then imagine cutting it in half, attaching both halves to strings, and wearing it as a bikini top. I imagine no one would dare wear it into the water, because it would absorb so much and eventually drown you with the weight. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">So anyway, the other suits I bought were gorgeous (and ON SALE,) so I didn’t return them; I just tried them on and vowed to lose at least 5 more pounds before every wearing them in public, and definitely before going to Miami –the land of the thin, tanned, and Porsched. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">SIDE NOTE: Only 10 more days ‘til I’m actually in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Miami</st1:place></st1:city>, and I am so excited! I’ll be spending the first half of the week visiting <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Miami</st1:place></st1:city> and my awesome friend DB. The second half of the week will be spent in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Orlando</st1:place></st1:city> when I will FINALLY get to explore the magical world of Harry Potter in Universal Studios. I. Can’t. Wait.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Can I say “Thank God” for my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other </i>friend [who happens to also be named] DB. He’s the kind of guy who is super cool and flexible and always down to do whatever. He is also the only person who will actually get my butt to the gym. Yesterday we went to Tilton Gym. It’s a huge gym full of snobs and awesome equipment. It also has a pool, a hot tub, a sauna, and a steam room. We worked out for an hour and then he tried to teach me how to swim—really swim. I give you swimmers props, because it is super difficult to even do a full lap, much less look graceful while doing it. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’ve started eating healthier a month or so ago, but now I feel like in order to take the next step, I really need to start working out REGULARLY. Tilton is a bit out of my price range, but they do offer student discounts, and today I found out that my job is actually some sort of corporate member so I’ll be able to get a discount that way as well. BONUS: my job has a fitness incentive—if you go to the gym 28 times in 6 months, they put an extra $60 in your paycheck. Not bad! That might cover one month’s membership costs. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>VanessaTheRedHeadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12190588637169901524noreply@blogger.com0