Gettysburg Micro News: July 7-10

[I don't often do this, but there has been some interesting pieces featured in my local area. Feast your curiosity.]

July 7th, Sunday.

Pennsylvania Germans' role in Battle of Gettysburg will be aired in Historical Society program

July 8th, Monday.

Man struck by train in downtown Gettysburg, lives!

The police in the wrong with lock-downs, rifles, searches, over a supposed reported stolen vehicle?

July 9th, Tuesday.

Will signs prevent loud noise from bikers during Bike Week?

Man identified from stolen car/police chase on July 3rd

July 10th, Wednesday.

Personal micro news update: The supposedly huge turn out for the bikers during this year's Bike Week was not impressive so far. However, I will have my ear plugs ready just in chase the noise gets too much to handle later on this weekend.

For you,

Everything is just a motion.

Is this all life consists of?
Is this all we have on this Earth?
Where did my energy go?
Why am I not happy, and yet feel happy?
What even makes me happy?
What is happiness?
Is peace better than happiness?
Is peace just as fleeting as happiness?
If life consists of just repetitive motions, than death is rightly feared: it is the end of all repition.
It does not solve anything. It just stops one life from repeating itself again and again.
A habit drawn out overtime, evolving and changing but never straying from the social structure we're ingrain to live by.
A routine, based on actions and consequences, captivated by the indescribable want to taste and see adventure, to escape the blank white walls we live in day in and day out.
The epitome of monotony, your sole choice is to either keep going, or turn around and fight the current.
A slow, exciting death until death finally reaches you.

Everything is just a motion.

Insanity: One Way Ticket Out of Reality?

I just watched Silver Linings Playbook, starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. While this isn't a review on the movie, it was a very sweet, emotional, chaotic movie and well worth the $7.50 a ticket to see it.

In the movie, Cooper plays a man that has just gotten out of 8 months rehab, and follows him as he tries to better himself while attempting to do whatever it takes to win her wife's trust and heart back, despite the restraining order she has against him. Oddly enough, he instead falls in love with Lawrence,  who plays a formerly-slutty and now widowed young woman much like himself, and the two work together to perform in a dance tournament for the climax of the movie.

The thing that always gets me with movies like this, is the part where you see the character living in a psychiatric facility. Girl, Interrupted, It's A Funny Kind of Story, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and other movies involving mental hospitals, both intrigue and frighten me. They portray a very small part of what it's really like being institutionalized in a mental facility, and although I've never been in one, I often wonder how much it takes to actually be put into one.

Does it help? Are the people inducted into the hospitals truly insane? How do you know you need to be put in one? Or does someone else decide that for you?

Often times, throughout the day, while doing my rather mundane chores life hands me, I always have this sinking feeling that I'm somehow just waiting for the moment to break. Completely apart. To lose it in the most flourished, crazed way. To scream at the top of my lungs and cry and throw things and break plates and glasses and walls. To let myself be completely unhinged.

But do you know why I let myself just keep waiting for the perfect moment?

Because I think if I ever did truly break down,  it would be a long and very hard process for me to truly get back to reality. I wouldn't want to leave. The stress of my former life would will me into continuing into insanity, and I'd be constantly lying to myself if I didn't believe it. I'd be stuck there, until I got sick of it, and then somehow I fear it'd be too late. I'd have no sense of who I am; I would never want to look in the mirror. I'd be some crazy cat owning lady that rides the subway everyday and talks to herself. I would be insane forever, if I were to break apart to my very inner core.

There was only one time that I can remember where I feel like I almost reached that point. And it took me two years to get past even that. I don't know if you truly ever heal from it; or if it just stays like a quiet shadow with you for the rest of your life. Is it a ticking time bomb able to reset again and again? Or it is a one way train ticket?

The thing that's so ironic about life is we are expected to be good, upright, sane citizens that are selfless and motivated, loyal, trustworthy, and loving. At least that's the general idea. Most people have hard childhoods and get the tough end of the deal, but me, despite my circumstances that branched out over most of my early childhood and teenage years, I have no true reason to let myself be anything but sane and stable. I could have a thousand things go wrong in my life, and while it would be nearly impossible to cope with it, what we make of a situation is entirely up to us. Not because of our parents, or what someone did or said to us, it is our choice alone to decide whether or not to let fate destroy our lives. Those that are selfless are looked up to, and yet we are taught from the first day we are put in this planet, to be selfish. We cry when we want something. We get angry when things don't work out. We lose hope, we expect the impossible, we hate responsibility no matter what the rewards are, we would prefer to be lazy, and eat what we want and do what we want, and never be told what we should or should not do. Deep down, no matter how good of a person you think you are, we are bad. Some have that potential more than others, others try to never display it, some spend half their lives living in it, and the other half trying to repair and rebuild.

So if we, being little selfish humans constantly striving for perfection (or having given up on that notion), are somehow expected to endure everything life gives us, and to somehow break free from the adversity and trials that never stop, how on earth can we be expected to remain completely in reality at all times? Is there ever an escape?

I haven't quite figured that out yet. Maybe one day I will, or maybe I will never.

I guess I'm just waiting for the right moment.

How They Fry Chicken

Working in a deli at a downtown grocery mart is quite an interesting job at times. Most days I feel like a hamster running back and forth with no real purpose in life (i.e. "I have to slice four more pounds of turkey ham again?!"), other times I meet so many new people, and learn new things, and it's generally a good day. Except when I almost slice my finger off and it gushes blood like it thinks it's the newest Niagara Falls. Eh, that I could definitely live without.


The one thing I've noticed over the course of working here, is how different the fried chicken we sell turns out after each person has "dropped" it in the fryers, as we call it.

I then started to theorize and over think it, as always, and decided to put it down on paper.

With my various co workers, [names changed] some have tough exteriors and others you can tell have the softest hearts. Learning from them and getting to know what goes on in their lives is really an amazing thing. Meeting new people, especially the ones you work with, can be eye opening on just how unique each and every one of us are. While it sounds completely lame, the more I noticed how the chicken turned out, the more I noticed how on point it was to each of the cooks.

Sammy, the head cook is a sweet lady with a wild side. She's a bar tender when she isn't working at the deli, and I can imagine her kicking out a few people for not taking any bullcrap. She'll be cracking hilarious jokes behind the counter making it hard for the rest of us to keep face. When she fries chicken, it comes out looking like classic KFC chicken: She's all about being feisty  getting her work done, and making sure everyone is happy. So with her fried chicken, there has never once been a complaint.

Bonnie, the assistant cook, is this tiny short skinny lady that always looks forward to lunch to see the "Marlboro Man." (a smoke break) At first glance, she's distant and cold at times, but deep down she's a Woo-girl at heart. (Meaning every time she accomplishes something, we say, "Woohoooo!" really loud.) I help her lift heavy things and stuff on high shelves, and she's generally a nice lady. Her chicken is nearly perfect, except for the random bare patches with no breading. Sort of like her: you see what she allows you to see of her, but occasionally lets down her walls and you can see the real Bonnie, outside of the deli.

Arty, the sandwich maker, will sometime throw a batch together when we need it. She's an older lady with short hair and her presence is all about business. She was intimidating at first when I met her, but now she'll giggle at my side jokes and is usually in an all around good mood. Her batches come out very neat and thorough looking, much like her.

Tara, my fellow night shift deli girl, is an extremely energetic and sassy sort of young lady. Closest in age, we usually have a lot of fun working together. Her chicken comes out messy, but it's only because she is usually busy doing most of the dishes and night cleaning, which I am always grateful for. So if her chicken isn't perfect, the rest of the deli usually is.

Now I realize this is an entirely odd blog post, but it made sense to me while I was thinking about it, coincidentally while frying chicken.

What does my fried chicken look like when it comes out, you ask?

Absolutely stunning. But it soon falls apart and I'll never understand why I'm the only person that fries chicken so beautiful only to have the skin slink off later. Not sure what that says about me, though.

All around, I love working this job. It's exhausting and I'm constantly running somewhere and my back, feet, legs, thumbs, and arms all ache when I get off, but it's satisfying work that I think is a great learning experience.

Deli tip: Always ask to have your deli selections sliced for you. While we put in a lot of work to make the case look fluffy and nice, I'd never eat out of it unless it was fresh.

Ciao,

College, My Sleep Cycle, Fattie Problems, and the fact my Honda absolutely sucks.

I think at my age, (the early-to-mid college age, yet somehow manages to still act like a little kid sometimes) college homework would be more...scholarly. I mean think about it. We go through high school taking notes, sitting in boring classes, listening to teachers drone on and on, surrounded by small town gossip, people we like, and people we don't like. And some crappy and/or boring food is usually thrown in there somewhere too.

Somehow along those years I developed this idea that college would be more, hmm, illuminating than high school. Instead, I sit behind a girl wearing the typical "college girl"  outfit of black leggings, Ugg boots, and Hollister hoodie while texting during the lecture. It's very reminiscent of the girls in high school, and I think to myself, "This isn't what I signed up for."

Why does life have to be so predictable? College turned out for me just the opposite of what I was expecting. You still have homework. It's harder. The teachers are called professors. You get lost trying to find your classroom. You get openly judged by what you wear. There are cliques and clubs and competitions. If you are remotely attractive, guys will openly hit on you. The library isn't quiet. The books cost too much. The coffee house coffee is more expensive than gold. The sidewalks aren't ever used and the "cool cats" smoke out by the gazebo. For some reason I can't help but wonder if this is all it is. The socially required degree obtained by four years worth of this torture, is it really worth it?

I guess I'm too much of good, straight laced A student to ever drop college completely, pack a bag, and move to Bali or something. In the mean time, I'll just stare at the little tan pills collected on the sides of that girl's boots sitting in front of me and wonder how much longer the lecture is going to go on. That coffee shop closes at nine, and I kind of wanted one of those iced hot chocolates....

Its funny how you get a job and start attending college when you notice how crappy your quality of life is going. For one thing, I need to stop watching Law and Order (Special Victims Unit) until 4am with one eye open because I have no self control to turn it off. I have the worst habit of treating days I have off with no class the next day as my weekends. You know, those crazy sorority-drunk-fest-level crazy. Only I don't belong to a sorority and I usually just end up watching Netflix with my two best friends while tweeting and snacking on some sort of delicious candy. That's probably only delicious because it's 3am and we haven't eaten since 6pm, when we went on a taco run. Only to do it all over again the next week. And strangely, while you would think it'd get old, it doesn't. Except for the fact I notice I keep writing "face" when I try to write fact and I, after two decades, can only just now pronounce "enunciate" correctly without adding an "h" sound in there. Let alone getting the correct spelling down, I should feel a little more accomplished.

I blame it on my strange eating habits. For years now, I can go through the day with one meal and a snack, and then when 10pm or 11pm hits, I'm hungry as hell and ready to raid the pantry like the a trigger happy outlaw in the Wild West. (Only I wouldn't shoot the first thing I'd see, I'd just eat it. Ew, that came out wrong.)

I feel like somehow eating alot at night keeps me awake, which prevents me from going to bed, which then screws up my rather erratic sleep cycle, to only add to my very weird food preferences. It's a vicious cycle. And while most people are like, "Well just wake up earlier, go to bed, and eat three meals a day."
I kinda look at them frustrated like Obama trying to explain to Congress why he needs more money, and say, "But I have no time." I feel like I'm rushing everywhere. I don't get a chance to sit still. And when I do, I feel lost. Like I should be running somewhere. I am so lost in this life as it is, I can't figure out what to do with myself half the time. Everyday I say, "I AM GOING TO DO LAUNDRY TODAY." And I end up singing in the shower for three hours, painting a Monet, driving to West Virginia and back, fixing a flat tire, making tacos, and almost setting my eyebrows on fire from stoking the fireplace and I still never get around to doing that darn laundry. It's really degrading hahaha.

Oh snap, look at the clock. Here I am ranting about how I have a horrible sleep cycle and I'm typing this at 2am. I am absolutely horrible.

Speaking of horrible things, yeah. My Honda is a trooper, I'll give her that. She gets great gas mileage but babe, your radio sucks, the heater acts like it's pumping out for all Hell, and the roof paint is chipping. I need to find a new baby. That's all there is to say about that.

Cheers to first world problem solving,

Yours Truly.

Benghazi: What Went Down (as far as we can tell)

   The American people deserve the truth about Benghazi and the events following the terrorist attack.
(A timeline of events was published here for those who didn't read the whole story.)
The current Administration's drones flew over the attack that happened on September 11th in Libya. They saw it. They watched it. Then lied about it. Proper action and justice was not served.

   Why did the President choose to do nothing? What motive is behind this? Why ignore a threat that caused American lives in Libya to be lost?

The CIA operatives were repeatedly denied requests for help as stated in this Fox News article update:

"Former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods was part of a small team who was at the CIA annex about a mile from the U.S. consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens and his team came under attack...shots [were] fired.... they informed their higher-ups at the annex to tell them what they were hearing and requested permission to go to the consulate and help out. They were told to "stand down,"....Soon after, they were again told to "stand down." Woods and at least two others ignored those orders and made their way to the consulate which at that point was on fire. Shots were exchanged. The rescue team from the CIA annex evacuated those who remained at the consulate and Sean Smith, who had been killed in the initial attack. They could not find the ambassador and returned to the CIA annex at about midnight. At that point, they called again for military support and help because they were taking fire at the CIA safe house, or annex. The request was [deliberately] denied."

Greta Van Susteren tweeted a note on the story, a clarification from FNC's Justin Fishnel: 

"NOTE in Benghazi story: the denial of the request from help went via the CIA chain of command, not military (Pentagon)."

But there were military drones that were watching the entire event take place, minute for minute.

Meanwhile Obama is in the states preparing for another day of campaigning, ignoring the fact that lives were lost over something that could have been completely prevented in the first place. He showed no remorse whatsoever when dealing with Tyrone Woods' family after the attack. He claimed it was all from a video not a Sharia activist group. So we ask ourselves how this will affect the Presidential race looming towards us in less than 12 days.  Was this a fluke in the higher up system of getting the information out to the right sources? In order to prevent Obama from looking bad for being too busy with his own campaign to order the rescue of the Americans in Benghazi, is there any way to justify the way this was handled? 
It seems like this was purposely ignored while the Administration spent the latter weeks telling the public it was caused because of an anti-Muslim video. Which is not true. And even when the news of the attack hit the states, "...former President Bill Clinton has been “urging” his wife to release official State Department documents that prove she called for additional security at the compound in Libya, which would almost certainly result in President Obama losing the election." (source)


As one blogger of vintage-parade said:  

"I don’t care what party affiliation you are.... But you have to understand this. Our President watched four Americans get killed, and did absolutely nothing to help. We had American forces less than an hour away in Sicily, and Obama did nothing. He knew it was a terrorist attack....days later, Jay Carney (the Press Secretary) and Susan Rice (UN Ambassador)...said it was caused because of the video [the alleged anti-Muslim video which you can read about here]." 

Contrary to the video being the reason behind this, the American Spectator warns:

"The "initial information" (to use Jay Carney's words) pouring into the State Department -- which was then handed on to the White House itself -- had no mention whatsoever of an Internet video and a quite specific reference to the Al-Qaeda terrorist group Ansar al-Sharia.
....
According to Mohammad Ali al-Zahawi, the self-styled "Commander of Ansar al-Sharia" his group -- admirers of Al-Qaeda -- is all about doing "battle with the liberals, the secularists and the remnants of Gaddafi." The terms "liberals" and "secularists" of course mean Americans and Westerners."

   So not only was the Obama administration denying the fact that the Benghazi attacks were caused by an Al-Qaeda extremist group and saying instead it was from an Internet video, Obama stood before Americans in press conferences, in debates, and was quoted that told us false speculation that the attack had nothing to do with very same ideology that promotes Granny Sarah's "fashion simpatico with a totalitarian ideology" that the media has so carefully avoiding saying much about. 

Nixon lied to the public, but no lives were lost.

Clinton lied about his affair, but no one died.

But Obama lied, and now 4 people have died.

   In the words of Jeffrey Lord, "Who killed Ambassador Chris Stevens? Sharia killed Ambassador Chris Stevens." And Obama did nothing to stop it. Why is the media not completely torn up about this? Why is no one rising up and calling for a trial for treason, impeachment, for justice?

   Clinton stupidly told the Woods family after losing their son that they would find and prosecute the makers of the video. What utter lies! Even if that was the reason, which we know it's not, that would conflict with the freedom of speech in the first place.

   Now would be the right time to re-think your decision on re-electing Obama and facing up to the fact that we don't belong to the government. The government belongs to us. The American public deserves to know the truth and Obama has done everything except give us just that.

   America, you have been warned.

 
For the pursuit of truth,

The Future of The War in Afghanistan: It's Decision Time

March 14^th, 2012

By June, the war going on in Afghanistan will have lasted 128 months. That’s almost 2 years longer than the Vietnam War, which ended after 103 months of fighting in 1973. At first, the focus of Operation Enduring Freedom was to retaliate against al-Qaeda for the attacks made against the United States on September 11th. On October 7th, 2001, thousands of soldiers set out to dismantle the Taliban terrorist group and prevent it from using Afghanistan as a home base.

Today, our country seems split on whether or not the War on Terror is indeed a fight still needed to be fought. After 11 years of conflict, many are asking themselves what is the purpose of this?

With the tragic shooting of 17 civilians by an un-named American soldier in Afghanistan, the world is shocked, and unforgiving. As much as the incident is horrific, what the American soldier did is one isolated event, and it pales in contrast by the many well-planned terrorist attacks on America, Afghanistan and the world. Regardless, the public is asking for answers, seeking a reason for this ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The information given to the public is often biased, leaving out key points and reasons behind the events we hear about on a monthly, if not weekly basis, in lieu of the sensationalized stories that spark uproar from the public. With the Quran burnings by NATO troops that happened in February, many don’t realize the full story behind these events. The Qurans belonged to Taliban prisoners who were writing in the sacred texts, secretly passing them back in forth to each other. Upon marring them, the copies then became defaced. The NATO troops burned the texts knowing that marking and writing in the Koran was blasphemous. There are always two sides to every story. The public deserves both, rather than a story willing to play up the Afghan outrage, and thus make our very own troops look bad.

In all accounts, the Afghanistan war has not been easy. With almost 1900 military casualties to date, those frequently caused by non-combat accidents or maneuvers, the cost of war is apparent. In comparison, the Iraq war which overlapped the Afghan fight has had almost 5,000 casualties resulting in the successful overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s rule. The costs are small by comparison to wars in the past, such as Vietnam, but devastating to the families of the loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Those who gave their lives to protect freedom will always be known to us as heroes and must never be forgotten, which only gives us more reason to make sure they did in any way, die in vain. We can't ignore the growing confusion and unrest that many Americans are facing as the Presidential election approaches in November. Republicans continue to criticize the President, demanding clear answers on what he plans to do in the less than 300 days of office Obama still has to serve.

The main thing to realize is we aren't just spinning in circles over there, in a never-ending battle. We have actually accomplished a lot of what we originally set out to do. In his speech at West Point in 2009, President Obama stated that, “the core of U.S. goals in Afghanistan: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and to prevent their return to Afghanistan.” The reason for this was to show that the United States was very much involved in pursuing justice for the innocent lives lost in the attacks of 9/11 and even more so those who have been lost due to fighting this War on Terror. According to the Project on Defense Alternatives, “The Taliban have been driven from power in Afghanistan, fragmented as a political force, and widely discredited as an ideological movement…[and] Al Qaeda infrastructure and operations in Afghanistan have been destroyed, a substantial proportion of their core cadre have been [abolished], and their capacity to act globally has been disrupted significantly -- although perhaps only temporarily.” The key point is not just seeking justice for the lost lives, as much as that is the main reason many who have joined to serve in the recent years, but it’s also about preventing any other attacks against innocent citizens not just in the US, but in the world.

It’s absolutely critical that the extremists willing to attack the United States are dismantled. The UN did a study and found out that nearly 76% of the civilian casualties in Afghanistan were made by the Taliban, and not foreign militia such as US troops. The Standard Weekly wisely pointed out, “…media outlets focus an enormous amount of energy on reporting the relatively few accidental deaths caused by Coalition forces, but put little emphasis on the deliberate murders inflicted on the Afghan people by the Taliban.” The military men and women, fighting right now, to protect freedom are not doing it for recognition but rather because they believe the Taliban and al-Qaeda must be stopped. And even though it seems like this war has dragged on forever, the costs have remained minimal at best in comparison to the almost 60,000 lives lost in Vietnam. The lives given in effort to stopping the spreading threat of al-Qaeda terrorists had produced a sense of security for not just those back home, but a glimmer of hope for the Afghan people, despite recent events. We mustn’t take for granted the sacrifices made in this almost 12 year war. But now it’s decision time. How much longer will foreign troops be deployed in Afghanistan? When former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked this, he said it was “unpredictable” and “perhaps a few years.”

What the public wants is a solid timetable of withdrawal. But what most speculators don’t realize is a slow transition, not a complete pull out, will benefit us all the most. Leaving suddenly could only jeopardize the mission. Setting a solid timetable, available to the public, is dangerous. It gives the opposition a timetable as well, on us. In light of the current news stories splashed across the world, it comes down to this: Afghanistan must decide if they still wish to seek US help in overcoming the Taliban and al-Qaeda, or letting us pull out in a orderly, sequential manner.

Humbly,

P.S. I highly encourage reading from the included links marked in the text of this article. Thank you.

copyright Elizabeth Hottenstein, 2012.

How to Survive in College

College is definitely a lot different than you expect. Whether you're working towards your degree at a community college, a university, or online, there are lots of ways you can be a success and achieve what you want. This semester, I learned some valuable things and I'd like to share my tips on how to survive the ever-present impending social expectations in college-form for us young
people...

Tip #1: Stop the media.

It's real easy to get distracted, especially when you're studying an oh-so-boring topic for your next exam. But tuning out the distractions will help you hone your studying skills. Concentration is key. Turn OFF your cell phone. Shut down your laptop. Put some peaceful music in the background, hop on your bed with a glass of something cold, and get down to it. The sooner you tackle your day's worth of reading, the better you'll understand the material you will be later tested on.

Tip #2: Learn to be a scribe.

Scribes, unless they were meant to, never wrote down everything single thing. If you did, you'd just be writing your own personally scribbled copy of your textbook and that's useless. Notes are essential to learning and applying the text you just read, so write down the important parts. What are the important parts? Phrases, things repeated, words in bold, definitions, and anything else that your teacher has hinted will be needed later on.

Tip #3: Learn to say, "Later, man."

Sure, you can't always relive a party. But will that party matter ten years from now? Probably not. This is probably the most hardest thing to say no to, but learning to skip out of parties or dinners or events to study doesn't make you a nerd, it makes you learn. Then, once you've finished your work, then you can better enjoy your time with friends, knowing you've accomplished your homework and are treating yourself for being a better student than most!

Regardless of how well your grades were, there are ways you can improve next semester. There's hope, a little light at the end of the tunnel. Now that finals are over, it's time to turn over a new leaf.

Good luck,

Week 25: Learn Not to Burn

One, two, skip a few... and BAM! here we are at the end of week 25 (I actually just guessed...). I'm missing like 5 or so articles, but I have an excuse. I was working on a piece for my new writing freelance job, and it got published!

If you're curious and want to read it, check it out here.

With the summer almost ending, classes starting, and increased work hours, one can easily become discouraged how much energy is sucked out of you on a daily basis. According to the American Psychological Association's 2007 survey of the US, half of Americans say they can't sleep at night due to stress. 30% of Americans also feel like they live under extreme stress on a daily basis. Why so uptight?

The principle is simple: Americans need to learn to slow down, de-stress, and learn to say "no" to over committing and "yes" to taking a little time out of their busy schedules to repair themselves.

Everyone knows if you use your car, and never put anything in it, never do anything to the interior, or the exterior, or take care of it that thing is going to be one sorry piece of junk that won't be going anywhere. So if we take good care of our cars (well, the smart ones among us that is; or else you already have a junker and don't care...still, the poor thing could use some TLC), why don't humans stop and refill up our energy stores alot more often than once or twice a week? A solution de-stressing from a busy schedule is not saying no to everything except doing what it takes to pay the bills. It's the concept of not over committing yourself. Cutting back on unneeded areas in your life that just add more baggage or dead weight. And learning the use of time management is a very necessary tool.

 

#1 = Start with one hour.

If you have a crammed life, start with just one hour a week. If you think you can manage an hour a day, good. In that hour, pick up a magazine, pour yourself a glass of something cold, and sit down. Yes, please take a seat. See how long you can stay that way within the hour without answering the door, the phone, your recent Facebook notifications (Farmville can seriously wait, I promise), or even the dog. (Unless it's peeing somewhere...) What you are attempting to do right then is called something very weird but wonderful--it's called relaxing. As strange a concept as it seems, simply sitting down and breathing is actually really healthy for you. No TV though. TV can actually raise your blood pressure. (Probably from shows like NCIS or Monk which always keep me on the edge of my seat until I almost fall off.)

Grab your favorite piece of writing, (I would highly suggest "Unfashionable" by Tullian Tchividjian, this month's Lucky magazine, or even a cookbook like Culinaria France...), sip your drink, play some music in the background and repeat this at least three times a week. You'll find yourself not only looking forward to your hour of "me time" and also find yourself de-stressing a fraction more and more every time.

 

#2 = Learn to say, "No, thanks."

Everything may seem like a good idea, but you're not Superman. So don't "super commit" to even recreational activities. Keep your schedule basic. If you work long hours, don't plan on long nights out or elaborate plans. Even if you feel like time is crucial to keeping your social life interesting, keeping your body going is alot more important. Physical fatigue isn't the only symptom from "stressing too hard." Mental fatigue, which drains you much more than physical, is very demanding on your brain, your body, and your mind. As long as you keep in mind that you can say "no" to friends and still be friends, (unless they are completely lame), you will definitely thank yourself later when you're feet and head are throbbing after work or class.

 

#3 = Find something that's satisfying.

 

Americans are restless. We flit like butterflies from place to event to home to games to hobbies in a heartbeat, not realizing it only fuels our impatient fast-paced lifestyle habits all the more. Whatever happened to that relaxation thing I mentioned? Find something simple that you like doing, (such as a simple hobby or exercise) and try your hardest to practice it twice a week. With your "me hours" and your "satisfaction times", you'll need to sift out somethings your life doesn't need. Even if it's volunteer work or going to every single church event (yes, that's admirable but one must be realistic) or volunteering to take another shift when your body is already screaming no, you must let it go. Learn to say no, take some time for yourself, and do something you enjoy.

Life is a beautiful thing. As long as we don't let the clock rule our lives (to a certain extent), it can always stay that way, even through the ups and downs.

For more ideas on how to de-stress, check out these websites I found for reference:

• Simple Yoga Poses
• How to Relax

For you,

Week 14 & 15: The 5 Basic Steps of Packing (Or, "Packing for Idiots")

While most of my friends gallop off into the sunset for vacations at the beach, I'll just sit here and type an article on a more easy way to pack neatly. And cry. And watch Mad Men. And wish I was elsewhere....

So! Here we go:

The easy way to packing can artfully be condensed to 5 simple steps.

First you must have clean laundry. Essentially, you want both your whites and darks separated at the beginning of the laundry cycle process so colors won’t run and you have a quicker way of finding just the items you need to pack.

Once your laundry is completed, fold it entirely. Except for socks or panties unless your the Laundry Nazi. Fold shirts, shorts, and pants by folding in half (long ways or short ways depending on the item) and stack in neat piles, preferably on a top of a couch like most Americans do. As long as pets/little kids/dust bunnies keep off, your piles will stay organized. Usually.

Now get out your bag or luggage. Unfold or unzip all compartments. Starting with your clothes, pick out the items you wish to pack. Lay out shirts, pants, underwear, socks, hats, and lastly, shoes. Shoes should be packed in a separate bag than your clothing, due to the fact they might have grass, dirt, or grime on them and unless you want a dirt-mark the size of Wisconsin on your new white shirt, I’d suggest putting your trusty sneakers in their own carrier. Trust me on this.

Next, roll up folded shirts into rolls. This conserves space and doesn’t wrinkle them too bad as long as you unpack them as soon as you get to your destination. Put the rolls of shirts in the bottom of your luggage in neat rows. A normal sized bag can hold two rows of 6 or more shirts if folded properly. Do the same for the pants and place the obviously larger rolls of pantaloons on top of the shirts. Tuck in underwear and socks on the sides of the other clothes in the small spaces on the sides of your suitcase; unless you iron your underwear, no one’s gonna see the wrinkly undies. This method is very efficient so don’t worry.

Lastly, add your shower stuff, shaving kit, bath bags, electronics, swim gear, snacks or anything you wish to take with you on top of your clothes. Your personal items are safely and neatly ready for your journey.

Bon voyage! 

In jest,

Week 13: Fortune Cookie Scriptures

5 fortune cookie fortunes. 5 or so comparative Scriptures. 
Let's see what we find...

Fortune #1: "Trust your intuition."

From a biblical standpoint, we can't trust our "natural" intuition to always line up with what God says. According to 1 Corinthians 2:11, which states:

"For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God."

Any God-given understanding is true wisdom. Trusting God's will to direct our lives is the only true intuition we should follow. But you gotta be careful, sometimes that creepy little voice in your head may sound like its right...but you could be having the (cough) privilege of hearing from the Dark Side (no pun intended). Just match up your thoughts to the Bible and you'll find out the true answer to your questions.

Fortune #2: "Take the advice of a faithful friend."

I got this one while I was munching my way through a box of fortune cookies I had bought at the grocery story while watching Nikita. The verse that popped into my head as soon as I got this one was,

"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17 (NLT).

If you have a "two way street" relationship with a friend, then you can both help, encourage, and strengthen each other. Think opposite of jello. Don't be afraid to speak the truth in love. It's kind of like a metal file...it's irritating for a while, but it slowly smooths out your rough edges if you respond to your friend's Godly advice correctly. No one likes a person that goes around agreeing with every darn thing you say. It's like talking to a parrot or something. Someone who is actively involved in your life and truly cares about your well being is by far a true friend.

Fortune #3: "You will always be prepared for the future, but never forget what you've learned from the past."

If you're smart, you learn from the mistakes you've made in the past. If you're stupid, you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over without learning the reason why you fall for them or why you find yourself repeatedly doing them. Forgetting the pain of the past, but taking it's life lessons with you towards your future is the wise choice. "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3
If that isn't a clear message of hope for the future, I don't know what else is!

Fortune #4: "A good evening is one spent with good company."

I'm going to stick my foot in my mouth with this one but it really ought to be said...

Check out these verses:

A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands.

Proverbs 27:15-16 (New Living Translation)

It is better to live alone in the desert than with a crabby, complaining wife.

Proverbs 21:19 (New Living Translation)

Those are some pretty strong analogies, ladies. A nagging, nit-picky, whiny woman is a very repulsive thing. So take it from one of your own kind, a good evening is one spent without the whiny woman. Wipe that gripe off and get happy!  *tries to dodge getting shot*

Fortune #5: "Failure is the Mother of Success."

Nobody truly enjoys failing. If you do, you might want to check yourself into the funny farm. Those who pick themselves back up after failing and press towards their goal are the ones that achieve success. In Proverbs 24:10, it says: "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!" which is true. But David in the Psalms encourages: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26  Only God can truly give you the strength you need to succeed in this world.
So who says you can't be the best person you can be? If you trust God, and keep going even when the times get tough, that my friend is the path to true success.

If you enjoy getting fortune cookies and reading the fortunes (and crunching on that weird yellow cookie material and regularly making a mess of the table like I do), trying cracking the binding of your Bible and tuning  into Proverbs. I basically think of Proverbs as the Fortune Cookie Scriptures. Little bits of wisdom in easy, two line verses. Solomon, the wise guy (haha I mean wise man) that wrote these verses, should have started his own fortune cookie company because the advice God gave him to write down is way better than some of the lame cookie fortunes I've gotten (for example, "Photographic memory! Remember to put film. Or is it digital?!" was the lamest so far)
Personally, Proverbs 14-21 are my favorites. I have them all underlined and marked up in my tiny purple Bible by my bed. I dare you to read them and see for yourself!


For you,

Week 11 & 12: Too Much of the Good Stuff

 I won't minch words by making some lame "It's summer, I'm busy!" excuse. Blogging every week was my full intention even in the summer months, but alas after starting my job (and going places with friends, family, and mon cherie), it took a toll on my allotted blogging time.

 But enough about me, let's talk about something very controversial, very tasty, and very common. Yep, we're talking about coffee. Coffee consumption isn't a "yes or no" issue--it's not like sushi, you either hate it or you love it. It's not black or white; pun intended. Coffee comes in all sorts of drinks and mixes that the possibilities are endless. Some like it straight up, some like it with tons of cream, some like it cold, some like it hot. Either way you go, coffee is treated as not only a necessity in American life (take the huge franchise Starbucks for instance) but also as an art form around the world for those who grow and roast the coffee beans to perfection. (The beans are roasted at a mere 500 degrees for up to an hour or more.)

The thing about coffee that makes it most popular is something within the coffee: caffeine. And as it is mostly known for, caffeine is one of the most abused substances. Known as 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, caffiene is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug. In other words, it's basically a drug.
According to the National Coffee Association, on average 112 million people (around 54% of people) in the US drink coffee on a daily basis--that's over 336 million cups of caffeine infused beverages being pumped into millions of peoples' bodily systems. The question is, what exactly does coffee do for you and to you?

Now I'm quite sure many of my readers are coffee drinkers. In fact, I could even go so far as to say half of my readers have or do consume coffee. The thing about coffee is it seems harmless. You grab a cup of joe in the morning, hit up Starbucks in the afternoon, and it's no big deal. Or you buy a Monster on your way to work for an extra kick. (Let's not even get into energy drinks...another time, another rant). And by the way, I'm talking regular, non-decaf coffee here. The kind that contains caffeine...[the whole point of this article]...anyways, coffee acts as a ergogenic, increasing a person's mental or physical labor. It gives you a burst of energy, but really all it does is temporarily remove the sensation of being tired. Positive side effects of coffee in a moderate consumption means increased attention and memory performance. Negative sides effects can mean a crash, a headache, or drowsiness and nervousness. In other words, you could easily because a lethargic jerk after you drank alot.

Recently I had the pleasure (sarcasm) of experiencing caffiene overdose. Let me say this: I hate caffiene. Coffee in itself is kinda cool---all those frappa crappa drinks coffee baristas make are pretty legit. Just take out the caffiene dependency, side effects, and utter feeling of grogginess and I'll be fine.

What happened to me was this: I was at a journalism training camp thing and after going for a couple days on little sleep, I didn't think it would hurt if I grabbed a 4-shot expresso latte from the host college's nifty cafe. The first afternoon I had it wasn't so bad. It gave me INSANE energy, so much so that even after like 8 or so games of beastly volleyball, two games of human Dutch Blitz, and two impromptu skits, I was still bouncing off the walls all evening and well into the wee hours of the night. In the morning, I felt completely normal. That afternoon, after arriving back at camp, I needed another pick-me-up. 4 shot latte-- no big deal right? Wrong. Very, very, very wrong. I had the kick, this time ten times stronger (probably adding with the caffeine still left in my tiny 100 pound frame). But after an hour or so, I was nursing a killer headache and jittery limbs. I popped one of my migraine pills, not even thinking---just reasoning it could help. Later, after dinner, I remembered I needed to take my concussion meds as well, and being tired, exhausted, and utterly stupid, I popped my meds and after about an hour, things started really changing.

To put it in plain words, that night, and the whole next day, I thought this girl right here wasn't gonna live to see her next birthday. And folks, when it comes down to it, it ain't worth it. Caffeine intoxication is very serious. I experienced a whole host of the symptoms: restlessness (even though I was completely exhausted), flushing of the face (only my face was completely drained of color), increased urination (but no strength to move), muscle twitching (felt like I was being electrocuted), a rambling flow of thought and speech (My one roomie said I kept repeating things), irregular or rapid heart beat (It felt like I was having a heart attack), and psychomotor agitation. In this case, which was a larger dose, I had disorientation (I was very confused), disinhibition, and delusions (I kept thinking I was on my bed, when at one point my counselor woke me up because she found me on the floor and I had no memory of that).

So ....no fun. No fun at all. The thing is, besides the fact the caffiene mixed with my meds, I hadn't had a large dose of coffee like that in a very very long time--if at all. (4 shots twice is like 10 cups of coffee at once). I had previously stopped drinking it to berid myself of any headache triggers, but obviously had forgotten that coffee and medication do not mix. DO NOT MIX being the key phrase.

In conclusion, studies have shown that a regular routine of coffee consumption, in the same amount, around the same time every day can actually be beneficial. Irregular caffeine consumption is where the danger lies. (It's even worse if you consume energy drinks which are made purely with just the powdery concentrated caffeine substance...) So if you drink coffee, be aware of its effects. Don't overuse it, and you won't lose it like I did. "To everything there must be balance."


 For you,

Photo credit to Google Images and WikiCommons. Stats and research thanks to: http://www.coffeeresearch.org/market/usa.htm 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_caffeine_on_memory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine

{TSSN} Week 10: How To Impress in 4 Steps or Less

I couldn't resist making a post with a rhyming title. It's kind of fun to be corny once in a while. Did I just rhyme again...?

To start, impressing people has to be done honestly. Impressing people has to be done skillfully. It does not mean being someone you are not, to gain false respect or admiration, at the risk of being found out. Which, in most cases, ends in disaster.
The key is finding the perfect balance between reality and gaining what you want. It's an art. It takes talent, a keen sense of one's audience, and confidence. A person who is impressive is different than a person who impresses. In this case, the former is what you should strive for. We interact with people on a daily basis; it's important to know how to gain favor with everyone you meet. Granted not everyone will love you, but you can at least try, right?



#1 - Engage all your senses.
Are you looking at people's eyes when they talk? Listening intently? Showing the right confidence in your body language? Dressing nicely? Are you walking confidently? Correct posture? Appearances, as much as they are overrated sometimes, are key to impressing people. Our eyes and ears tell us things about the people we interact with. Ever meet someone where it felt like when you were talking to them, you were the only person in the room? That sort of devotion to a conversation says that they are not only a gracious listener, but they are sincere and genuine. But you gotta relax, stay cool, be calm. Trying too hard can come across as creepy. If you have the "good appearances and engaging your senses" part done pat, you're halfway there.

#2 - Have the right motives.
Impressing people shouldn't be to stoke your ego, gain more friends to look good, or to make yourself climb a social ladder. You are who you are, with or without people's opinions or impressions of you. Stop trying so hard. Be yourself. If people don't like that, it's not your problem. Be courteous but genuine. Be aware of how people are responding to you. Dare to do things, to express opinions, to compliment, to care. The effort you put into it depends on your motives.

#3 - Talking and not just blabbing.
(This is where it gets tricky). Ever meet someone where they looked really nice, but as soon as they opened their mouth you really, really suddenly found the lint on their shoulder so much more interesting? Talking is an art too. Find a topic that interests the person or people you are talking to, and ask them about it. If it's something you also know about, brownie points! If not, learning something new and being impressed by their knowledge of a topic will in turn make them impressed by your listening skills. A conversation is both talking intelligently, and listening intently. And half acting like you know what they are talking about too, I will admit. Because honestly there's no way you can know everything. But just don't act like you know all about the rare ant disease the Russian entomologist you are talking with is referring to; you could get yourself into some deep water there. Be realistic, but charming.
Humor, even if it's not your strong point, is also a great way to lighten up a conversation and make people smile. Unless you are at a funeral, mild humor is never a let down.

#4 - Just be you.
Nobody can do it better. Everyone appreciates an honest, consistent, open person. Don't lose your cool in tense situations. Think positively about everyone. Work on having excellent manners. But most importantly, focus on being at ease with everyone. Even people who hate your guts. To put it quite plainly, if someone doesn't like you, it's not your fault. (Unless you are acting like a total jerk, then that's a different story). As long as you are confident, a good listener, and have a clean shirt, you're far above the social norm and well on your way to fame.


P.S. I'm not biting my nails, I drink protein shakes daily, I jog almost every day, and I'm happy. If that's not a form of success I don't know what is. I did realize this week though, that when you're happy, you tend to become a target. It's rather sad, because I wish everyone could be happy. It sounds naive and stupid, but it's true. Who doesn't like happiness? Ah well, I love being happy anyway. Don't you?

Yours Always,

Purses & Ties: Part 2 (For the Ladies)

Want to get to know your lady better? Take a look at her companion: the purse. Whether she always carries her same favorite one, or sports an entire entourage of different shapes and sizes, you can find out a lot about a woman by her most used and trusted accessory.

Unlike guys, women tend to read into things more, and thus, this article was a bit daunting to write. Not only are there a lot more categories of purses than ties (see Part 1), but status, color, shape, practicality, and size all play an equal part in choosing a handbag. Why we women have to be some complicated, I'll never know....

I think I will break it down to the reasons why ladies have purses and what purses match those reasons.

#1 Status/Wealth/Statement:

The women who carry these purses want to say, "I'm rich and fabulous, be jealous." Whether the bag is flashy, expensive, or bejeweled, the main reason is to appear as a wealthy socialite with style, class, and pomp. Labels mean everything to these ladies. As most women know price and style and think that's a way to make a statement, men tend to notice an organized and complimenting purse over a handbag that was $6,000. My advice? Don't use a purse just because of the label.

#2 Color:

I have seen plenty of women who like to match their outfits with their purses right down to the exact shade. As cute as this seems, it is a bit cliched. It says "I like to be fashionably in control." It's a very studied way of being fashionable, but I wouldn't advise over doing it. Matching your purse to your outfit to a certain extent can have a very stunning effect and I know I do it sometimes. It's more of a "be sure to use a brown purse with brown shoes, and a black purse with black shoes" sort of thing. But don't go the opposite way and use an olive purse with a pink dress just because you like the look of the olive. Coordinate without appearing sterile and stuffy.

#3 Size/Shape:

Size and shape are a dramatic way of catching the eye. A wild creation says, "Notice me! I have amazing taste." A large purse says, "I can handle anything. I came prepared." (Although, it's rather dangerous territory because a 'too stuffed' purse can come across as sloppy, hobo-ish, and messy. A big but mostly empty purse means, "I'm just too cool to carry a small clutch.") While size can play a major part in how useful a handbag is, shape is also key.

Shape adds creativity and uniqueness, but can also be unpractical. A medium-sized bag is good for interviews and errands, but a round or square clutch purse is perfect for evening parties and dinner affairs. The essential thing to keep in mind is how it affects your outfit. If you have a very smooth, polised business attire on, a blingish fuzzy pink purse just won't do. That also applies if you are wearing a white clubbing dress with a huge black plain duffel bag purse ...it will totally ruin your look. Choose a purse that's not only adorable, but can work with many outfits without seeming overused or cliche.

#4 Practicality:

This is the most common reason women have certain purses. Now, don't think weird lumpy brown purses with long straps straight out of the 90s. Older women tend to pick practical over fashionable (especially grandmothers and mothers) and thus us younger generations tend to shy away from a purse if "practical" is mentioned. That is not always the case. The most common purse also conquers the most common problem: not enough pockets. By getting a practically cute purse, it won't turn into a black hole and can look (at least mildly) classy. Perfect for business, work, or school.

So there you have it, ladies. Status, color, size, shape, and practicality. If you can find a purse that fits all of these things perfectly, I can guarantee you are my number one fan of all time! Meanwhile, the rest of us will spend the rest of our lives searching for that one perfect purse...ah, the life of a woman.

For you,


P.S. Part 1 and Part 2 of my Purses + Ties article will count for Week 4 and Week 5 of the TSSN Challenge. I'll be back at writing about killer shoes and sugar headaches while we go on week #6, woot! Only, minus the headache part. :]

Purses and Ties: Part 1 (For the Men)

If you're a guy, and you wear ties, read on! If you don't wear ties, scroll to the bottom and check out the paragraph that starts with the word "Unfortunately..." x]

 

 This is not, in anyway, a personality quiz to match your mood to your tie. This is for informational purposes only. Enjoy.

   What fascinates me the most is no matter what, purses and ties have almost always been around. They are, of course, a lot more played-up than in centuries past, but the need for a fashion statement can always be discovered in one's choice of hand bag or tie. This week we will analyze the meanings of purses and ties to their respective owners.

   First, I'll start with the men. Part 1 focuses on ties. I made sure to put the important parts in bold, for those wonderful fellows who never read anything other than stuff in bold. Notice how I put "important parts in bold" ...in bold to get their attention and remind them to read....the, um, important parts in bold. So if you got that, let's hit it!

- Tie Shape -

♦ Thick/Fat: This means you're either self-important, or you really liked that design and just had to have it. Chances are you thought wearing a fat tie would make you look less skinny. Designers are saying fat ties are out, and I have to agree. Fat ties just look...weird, sorry.

♦ Skinny/Long: These ties scream modern, edgy, and classy. Think "Beatles". Extra brownie points if it's black.

♦ Medium/Normal: These are definitely the most common of ties. These say you're confident, but classic. If you own more than ten of these, you either go to church a lot or are involved in law, politics, or business. (duh.)

- Tie Color/Pattern -

♦ Solid: Ties that are one color, and/or made from satin, say sleek, savvy, and neutral. You don't want cliche stripes, but you also shy away from dorky patterns.

Solid ties' meanings:
black- elegant, rich, sleek
gray- vintage, classy, dashing
blue- stability, serene, collected
red- powerful, confident, dynamic
green- aware,  lively, receptive
gold- wise, contemplative or flashy
pink or purple- friendly, up beat, urban

♦ Stripes: Thin stripes are classic, wide stripes send a bold messages, and a mix of the two says active, lively, and dashing. It looks especially dashing if you have brightly colored stripes.

♦ Patterns: Tiny print patterns are stuffy and sterile, large prints are daring, and a mix of patterns and stripes tell the wearer is very vogue. Pastels are soft, unassuming, and say "quietly serious".

♦ Designs: This means you not only have a good sense of humor, but it also means you're most likely a tie connoisseur. Congratulations.


Unfortunately, if you don't wear ties or even own one, that says you are probably 1) young [or retired and living in the Bahamas], 2) extremely casual, or 3) you hate ties or never learned how to tie one. Why own something if you never wear it I suppose is your reason for this? But dahling, ties can make even a casual pinstriped collared shirt look classy! So, keep in mind it's best to own at least two ties: one for special occasions (I'd recommend a black or gunmetal shiny satin, it's very sexy) and a friendly one (medium-width stripes or a bright solid color. No hot pink, please. That belongs on your girlfriend, not you.)

Good luck, chaps!
For you,