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.

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,

{TSSN} Week 2: Hold the Hail, please.

So, after pore strips, I was ready to conquer something more. Everyone knows less sugar in your life, the better it is for you. Er...right.

I suffer from migraines, so I figured it might prove healthy to try being off sugar for one week and see how it felt.

HA HA FAIL.

Before the week started, on Sunday, I made a big batch of peanut butter brownies (I ate 4...) and drank lots of raspberry lemonade. (The raspberry was actually coffee syrup, which proved to be...rather eccentric in lemonade). I figured if I was going off sugar I might as well LIVE IT UP! Which only resulted in a headache that night and regrets about that fourth brownie. Darn.

Monday, I woke up refreshed (strangely) and ready to tackle my work schedule. Needless to say, the day went horribly... sugar-wise. I succumbed to two more brownies, some leftover lemonade and, horror of horrors, I found a twizzler to devour. Insert tears and another headache and I flunked the first day off sugar. >.<

Tuesday was definitely a better day. But only because I skipped breakfast and just had green tea with my Japanese cuisine for lunch. I managed to only put one packet in the two cups of tea I drank. A feat since green tea is of course, rather bitter. Wednesday I tried oatmeal without brown sugar, and drank lots of water and ate sugar-free jello. Thursday told me that the jello wasn't sugar free and I got a headache, and today, Friday, was strangely uneventful. I still had a headache, but I figured it was from my awesome sparkly silver headband.

Experience: No sugar for....6-ish days.

Lesson Learned: If there's one thing I've learned, it's....AH, FORGET IT. Considering the fact I'm already completely off all--and any--forms of dairy and shellfish, adding sugar on top of that was literally wayyyy too much.

Conclusion: I resolve to work on downsizing my sugar intake; but not completely eliminating it. Otherwise, I'll just be eating carrots, whole bread, and water for the rest of my life.


For you,

Dirty Roses

   Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated with special evenings out, boxes of delicious chocolates and bouquets of seductively sweet roses. But people rarely realize that our romanticized day of love isn't as untainted as it seems. 

   I've tried, I really have, but I can't seem to completely stop buying things at Wal-Mart. I mean, for crying out loud, sometimes they are the only people who sell an item I need without paying an arm and a leg for it. I don't shop there exclusively, but I do find myself visiting our local Wal-Mart frequently even though I hate it. Some people have tried boycotting Wal-Mart because of their policies for supporting gay rights in recent years. Personally, after shopping last Thursday at my local Wal-Mart, the gay rights issue seemed really small...when you compared it to a $2.50 single cut rose.

   My friend and I were in Wal-Mart last week when I happened to see several boxes of single roses (ironic, really) for sale, displayed right out in the center aisle, tempting you with their cheap price tags. Selecting a cream rose with pink tipped petals, I stuck it under my arm to carry and finished my shopping. After purchasing the rose, throwing the bag in my car, we set off to do other things. Normal scenario, right? Wrong. When I got home, I stuck the rose in a vase, hid it in my closet to give to my sister for her birthday later, and checked my email. I get a daily "dose of good" by the Good people, a subscription for a website that reports "good" or interesting news and I subscribed to their feed. Surprisingly, I received an article from them talking about violent labor abuse in the flower industry in Ecuador and Colombia. Interested, I clicked on the link and read the article. Immediately, my journalist’s curiosity got the best of me, and I started researching. I glanced at the rose I bought, and the tag said it was from Ecuador. Somehow, I knew, this rose had a story to tell.

  Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of flowers. Mainly, hothouse roses are distributed to larger nations like the US during holidays or to mass retailers like Wal-Mart. 84.5% of school age children in Ecuador work jobs in the flower industry. Some children work in exchange for a lunch and their shifts can be several hours long. The safety and health conditions of the flower factories are deficient, causing more risk for health problems in the young workers. It is estimated that 80% of the flower industry work force consists of minors, largely being younger than 18 years of age. In a report on the conditions of child labor in Ecuador by the UN, "Ecuadorian legislation states that fifteen years old is the legal age for a teenager to start working for a maximum of six hours a day ...but this is far from the reality of the labor market." 

   The fact that there are thousands of kids working these dangerous jobs is disturbing as it is. But it's also very disturbing that many of the young female workers are being sexually exploited as well. Forced prostitution is a serious problem in Ecuador. The government is trying to crack down on factories and industry tycoons to eliminate forced prostitution and improve working conditions but Ecuador's shattered economy is what is forcing the minors to work...just to stay alive. A report analysis by International Confederation of Free Trade Unions stated that, 
 “Child labor is widespread in Ecuador, with estimates of half of the children between 10 and 17 being employed. Many of the children work in agriculture, including for exports, whereas many others are involved in domestic work, work in family businesses and in commercial

activities such as vending. The worst forms of child labor are also prevalent including begging

and child prostitution.”

   So, when I looked at the rose I bought, something stirred inside me. Flowers are one of the most beautiful things on earth; they are like little rays of sunshine given to people to signify affection and love. And yet here they are being grown and cut by little kids not much older than my younger brother and sold in a Wal-Mart, the very image of how little we realize, as Americans, that we are so fortunate to live as prosperously as we do. But my question is how unsighted has America become? So blind that we don't even care where our products come from or how they got there, but just that they have the cheap enough price for us? Are we sacrificing frugality over ethics? I will never look at hothouse flowers the same, ever again. True, this doesn’t just happen with flowers. Even the clothes on my back could have been made in a sweatshop; but flowers? Ross Wehner of the Organic Consumers Association wrote, “Although the symbol of romance for Valentine's Day is the rose, Ecuadorans say it is their source of misery and illness. Behind the beauty of the estimated 110 million roses that Americans will give their loved ones [are] flower workers who suffer serious health problems from pesticide poisoning, according to local doctors and the United Nations.”

   The very symbol of beauty and affection propagated by such pitiful—and often devastating—means is something too heartbreaking to ignore. I literally lost sleep after finding out about Ecuador’s flower industry. But all I can do is save the rose’s petals as a reminder that sometimes the cheapest bargain may not be the best bargain. To hold that rose, and know that some little enslaved kid held it, even just for a moment, really changes your worldview. I hope this article has touched you in some way, because even though I’ve tried, words cannot amply describe my grief for buying that rose, and the very high possibility of it coming from a factory with thousands of impoverished children working there. I can’t explain why the rose made my heart saddened. I can only tell others the roses’ heartrending origins.  

To avoid this problem in the future, look for flowers that are “fair-trade certified” such as One World Flowers, World Flowers, or the Inbloom Group.

If you would like to learn more about products sold around the world made by forced/child labor, I highly recommend visiting this website.

Always for you,

Some {Important} Things Guys Should Know About Girls

 {A big thank you goes out to all the ladies that helped contribute to this!}

Easy Read for Men: The important parts are in bold.

"Please?"

Everyone knows there's a big difference between waffles and spaghetti. And everyone knows the major differences between female and male humans. But just how big are we talking?

Thanks to some (female) friends, I've collected some heartfelt information directed towards our male acquaintances that could very well make guys better understand females, or not. Best of luck at trying to figure us out, bub! But seriously. Being completely ignorant of how women work will just lead to further pain and mortifying embarrassment. Well, not really, but you get the point.

So, let's get to it!

 " 'I don't wanna talk about it', means we do want to talk about it."

Ladies are complex creatures, obviously. Heck, I'm female and I will gladly tell y'all that first off! Everyone should know that females generally like to converse in words more than men do. So, when the girl says she doesn't want to continue talking about a certain issue, what she's really saying is, "Prove to me you care by getting me to open up. That shows me you care about my feelings, and that you want to help me."
But remember, don't push her, encourage her. And if she throws a book at you after you've asked several times if she wants to talk about it, let her cool down a bit before expressing your concern again. Remember, we're complex, but completely lovable. ;)

"When a female has a problem and tells you about it, she just wants you to listen to her and pray for her. She does not want you, the male, to express your opinion on how to fix the situation. She knows how to fix the situation. She just wants your sympathy, an open ear, and encouragement. Males skip the listening part a lot of times. They should learn to just listen."

This is also very true. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION HERE! Yes, getting her to open up by expressing an interest is very good but don't immediately jump into a "Problem Solving" mode. This just makes her feel less worthy, like the problem takes more importance than she does. It's like telling someone who's depressed to snap out of it, or telling a rape victim that oh, it happens to a lot of people. And yes, sometimes it is that serious to us more so-called "delicate" females.

"Guys should know it's kind of hard for us to know what's going on inside their heads/hearts if they don't say anything!"

luv ♥

It baffled me how each one of these things that our ladies expressed all went hand in hand. Guys, make the effort to not just get her to talk, and to listen, but to also share your own feelings, which is what a woman really needs. She needs acceptance, understanding, and more importantly love. And nothing says "I love you" more than risking your reputation/ego/pride/etc by opening your own heart to her. I think a big reason why people have communication problems is because men won't open up, and women assume things because of the lack of input. Make it your goal to listen and share, and it will help bridge the gender-gap that so many of us have a hard time understanding.

"My eyes are literally up here dude! I think all chicks hate it when that happens."

Visual. Yes, we know y'all are visual. But guys, c'mon. Man up and start respecting the ladies. Sometimes I just wanna smack some of you, because even though you were created for...well, sex, it's not that hard to make the effort to respect a woman. Look her in the eye. If you strive to be respected by the ladies, do the same for them. Be careful of her feelings, share your thoughts when she's talking seriously, admit it when you're wrong, and above all, love her. That doesn't mean just saying it, it means being it. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to prove you love her, you've already done that if she wants to be with you. You just have to be there for her. Show her that she means so much more than anything else in the world to you. It isn't weakness, it's love. 

Lastly, I would like to share something a dear friend of mine wrote:

Except her, love her, want her, exactly the way she is.

Girls are not all alike. Some see things from a completely different viewpoint than others and react in equally unique ways. For instance, I do not tend to know how to "fix" a certain situation; therefore, my goal in explaining it to someone else (male or female) may be seeking wisdom or suggestions from them. I don't always just want someone to listen to me, I tend to want some type of input. I agree that there are times when I really don't want anything other than encouragement and prayer. I think that's probably true for most people, including guys, but I wouldn't really know, would I? ;) 

Personally, I enjoy the opportunity to be the one who listens and know that a guy friend has enough trust/confidence in you that they want to talk you.

Also, speaking for myself and perhaps not all girls, I do not like classification. When a guy dismisses something that I say, merely because they feel that I, as a girl, don't understand, I am not amused. Not to say there aren't boundaries...because it's true, I won't understand certain things due to my gender. ["You didn't like that hopelessly romantic MOVIE?!?!??!? WHAT?!"] It's a FACT that women think almost entirely different than men. I suppose that's like guys and their egos, many girls have a certain amount of pride....pride that can be hurt. Even when it is said in fun or joking, most girls that I know do not like to hear themselves classified or (do I dare say it) stereotyped ; whether it's "blonde," "preppy," "know-it-all," "sensitive," etc etc. Granted, we shouldn't act in a way that would cause anyone to give us those labels, but sometimes we slip up, and it happens.

Last thing, again speaking mainly for myself, girls(this one, at least) have a very hard time "summing-up" or explaining anything in a small amount of words. Thus, we tend to be confusing/boring/ "wait, what? you were still talking... oh...." There are few things I appreciate more than for another individual (again, guy or girl) to actually take the time and consideration to everything that I said and give me input. Few things hurt more than to find out they really weren't listening or just pretended to be interested.

On the that note, guys stop being sarcastic. It's not appealing. Girls are hurt many times by unknowing males simply because they were sarcastic in conversation. Don't treat your girl friends like your guy friends. They deserve a much higher level of treatment. There is a place and time for sarcasm, but use it minimally. Trust me on this.

Well mon amies, that about sums it up. I have a feeling the "Some {Important} Things Girls Should Know About Guys" is going to be much shorter. ;) If any of you gentlemen read through this, it must be because you either like my blog way too much, or you're actually interested in being a better man when it comes to interacting with us conniving women. x]
Remember, the more you are actively involved in a woman's life, the more it requires you to love and respect her. And she then will respect you, because you respected her first.

For you,

Digital Destruction: Are We Becoming Technology Zombies?

  The people at GoodCulture beat me to it: they asked their Facebook and Twitter followers how technology affects human relationships in this day and age. The answers, varied but mostly all relevant, reflect our digital era’s outlook on today’s society.

In the article's comment section, I like what the reader "sz91370" said:

 

"Technology is wonderful and makes getting things done easier….yet at the same time it has caused 'relationship ADHD'. People do not have the same level of commitment or attention span for relationships as ten years ago because it is so much easier to just move on to a new one, whether in friendships, familial, or romantic. Patience has waned as the "next" and "delete" buttons [have become] so accessible."

   Technology has enhanced our society's interactions to a more efficient level. But it also has created a sense of urgency and impatience when things aren't as quick as we're used to...or want them to be. High speed internet aids in the quick retrieval of information, texting makes contacting a person faster than ever before, and the list goes on. As Facebook user Michelle Werner puts it, "Technology feeds the desire for instant gratification..."

Technology Zombies

  Back in the 1800s, a letter that was sent two weeks beforehand was entirely normal. But today, letter writing is nearly obsolete. Why write a letter when you can text the person within seconds or write them an email within minutes? Technology has made it easier to keep in contact with people, but it's also nearly destroyed basic relationship courtesies that were once accepted and expected to be kept. In fact, the digital age has almost made us too social. We're constantly updating, searching, reading, responding, linking, sharing, connecting, and texting; it's basically made us technology zombies. Outside our screens of social networking, the effort for real conversation and real interaction with other humans face-to-face is becoming scarce, even for people who claim they aren't technology savvy.

   Technology used to be just a “bridge” to gap the space of distance and time between people, to simply make it easier to keep in touch. For instance, an email instead of a letter was a more rapid way to let your daughter know Christmas was going to be at Uncle Mick’s house, instead of Gram’s. A text to someone’s mobile phone has become an even quicker way for people to communicate without long telephone conversations. The “unnecessary” step of calling them directly is eliminated. Technology in this age has not only become the bridge, but also the “final destination” as well. In reality, you can virtually talk to someone on a daily basis without actually seeing their face or hearing their voice. This can be very useful in some aspects, but it has also stunted our knowledge of relationship commitment, patience, and social obligation as a whole. Tweeter PopSciGuy said, “Technology minimizes distance on a macro level, but creates space on a micro level.”

Being a “technology zombie” is indeed regrettable. But technology has in fact helped us in many ways. We’re a more advanced and connected society thanks to all the digital gadgets most, if not all of us, now possess. But what do we do to keep our daily lives on a more “real” level, rather than virtual? Living totally without technology, as least for Americans, is not an option. But making efforts to keep our lives on a face-to-face, voice-to-voice level will prove to be beneficial. Yes, it’s good to keep in contact with family and friends. Yes, it’s great that we use computers and technology to enhance our work output potential. Yes, technology has helped us. But if we don’t make the effort to keep everything in balance, by either limiting our virtual interaction or monitoring the time/exertion we put it to it, technology could very well destroy the positive elements we share as a society and keep us malnourished from the real, literal interactions that we need with our fellow humans in order to thrive.

   So what about you? Will you take the challenge to make an effort to keep your social internet life based on a more realistic level? It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. I like the way Facebook user David Heyburn put it:

“When we become overly dependent on technology, I believe it is detrimental to…human relationships. If we can keep in mind the…essence of what the technology is trying to do, [by helping us achieve efficiency, not replacing], we will be better off.” 

For you,

Shopping, Cinnamon Vanilla Chais, Crickets, and Sweaters

 Okay, it's official. Lizzie is a shopaholic.  *sighs* I never thought I'd actually admit it, let alone on my own blog, but it's about time I finally admitted it. And I know exactly what to blame. Well, besides my brain which is determined to make me go bankrupt over the next pair of shoes, I hereby blame it on my little plastic magic  named Master Card.

Innocence lost.

Ever think about just how easy it is to spend money with a card and not actually realize what's going on when you hand "Lois" the cashier with too much eyeliner you're plastic cash card? *waves hand* That would be me. It's really easy to just think, "Oh, heck, it's only $20...$30....$50...$2.5 million for this pair of shoes, I'm good." HA! No way in Haiti does that mean you're safe from spending too much. By belittling your spending, you justify your guilty conscience of the unnecessary purchase, thus plunging yourself into deeper realms of "I'm good" reasoning...then leading you to a place which is called the "D" word...the place every shopaholic finds herself if she isn't dragged out of her dark money hole and flashed a torchlight in her face first.

Two Ways to Cut Back on Spending: 
1) Don't spend obliviously. Unless it's food, gas, etc, don't buy it. If you have to, budget & saveeeeeee.
And 2) KEEP TRACK OF YOUR ACCOUNTS!
I know, I know, it sounds like a no-brainer, but heh....if you spend alot, you gotta track it like a wolf tracks a bleeding rabbit at the dead of night in the middle of the winter. I am that serious. And mostly, I'm talking to myself, haha. Let's just say I've had a near encounter on a cliff ledge of the "D" word and vow never to go cliff diving off into it ever, ever, ever again.

So! Cinnamon Vanilla Chai's, anyone? All this budgeting talk is making me sick....I'm a tragic shopping heroine in need of refreshment. If you'd like to join me, here's my secret recipe...but remember, "Mum's the word," lovies. *winks*

Mmmm, froth is the best, yo.

Lizzie's Fantabulous ICED Cinnamon Vanilla Chai Recipe:
Mum's the word, remember comrades.
Mix together the following: iced chai tea, (Yogi is good), a dash of cinnamon, a teaspoon or two or vanilla, some ice cubes, and coconut milk, (not cream of coconut, it's disgusting if you do), and sugar (as needed). Bon appetite, mon amies! See, isn't it lovely? Gosh, I could drink it all day if I could, and it's probably less than US-$2  a serving! Bravah! (: If you don't like mine, you can be snubbish and mean and try this chaiiiii. ;) jk

EVIL in bug-form

Okay so, seriously? If there's one thing I'd mark on my "Comments & Suggestions" card when I get to Heaven, it'll be, "WHY WHY WHY did You, dear Lord, create crickets?!?!" Grrr. I don't hold it against anyone, but seriously? Man alive, I hate those things. They are bad enough outside, but when they creep into the corners of one's basement flat and chirp the snot out of you, it's time to declare war. So far, this fall, it's been 21ish, Lizzie, Crickets, 0. *grins* But seriously, gosh I hate them crickets with avengance! (however you spell that blasted word.) I mean, the whole chirp-chirp thing is getting OLD. Crickets should try online dating services and leave the rest of us to sleep IN PEACE. I'd even offer to manage their accounts if they would just shut up! Haha! I'm getting pretty good at tracking and assassinating the little buggers, but I suppose that's not much a talent, aye? Hahaha. Pssshh, crickets. *sighs* I just wish they'd go away and NOT come back some other day.


Last, but certainly not least, I'm happy to report this year's fall fashions for sweaters is looking bright. Old Navy is featuring countless cardigans, sweaters, and vest with poppish tones meaning to please many a busy woman, Rue 21 is featuring large-print sweater coats in bold patterns, AEO is featuring the same lame kind of sweaters they've been selling since the 80s, Maurices is into purple and blue this year, Aeropostale...no comment, Dress Barn is displaying sweater jackets in orange and 'kelly' blue, Target's Mossimo (whatever the spelling) is going all out 70s here, Kohl's is featuring hot rocker chic Candy jackets, and Mr. Walmart....is well, really pushing his LEI puffy vests and plaid shirts...again. I think I'll stick to my new "baby"...a teal, tiny ribbed sweater V-neck from ON....just a heads up, girls, for some fall looks you don't want to miss.


Oh gosh, I did buy that sweater, didn't I? So much for reform... *throws up hands* -.-


Love always, Lizzie ♥

Dumster Bags, Petrified Roosters, My Music Slump, and Rubix Cubes

Just throw it in the Bag...

You have to hand it the eco-friendly people, they are pretty creative. Finding ways to use less or re-use, or use up what you have to me seems like it would be tricky, but worth it. Recently at Lowe's I noticed a new eco-item for construction projects. Dumpster bags! You just fill the green (of course) large recyclable Bagster© by Waster Management with your construction leftovers and the company comes and takes it away for a reasonable collection fee (compared to the price of renting and using a regular dumpster). It's made out of canvas that's completely reusable and is large enough to accommodate a small dumpster size's worth of trash, or around 3,300 lbs of debris.You can fill it concrete, or landscaping scraps, or whatever other construction type of trash you'd wish to throw away. Talk about cool :] The two only problems I could find with this method of eco-trash removal is that the Bagster© is not waterproof and the collection fee in some rural areas can be up to $129. Other than that, I'd say it's a pretty nifty idea...

Ewwww.

Chickens. Blah. Don't get me wrong, I adore a chicken in the form of edible food, but not in "real life." I can take Gen Tso's Chicken, chicken strips, Arroz con Pollo, cold chicken salad. Just not, for the love of bagels, a real live Americana hen! I think it's the chicken doo, squawking, and yellow beady eyes that get to me. Urgh, those eyes! It's like they can SEE into my soul. Hideous things, but fascinating when around little kids. My parents' neighbors down the lane recently adopted two Ukrainian brothers, ages being about 3 and 5, and they stopped over on one hot afternoon as the family was out of a lark of walk. A hot one, but they are avid walkers! At the house my mother has a few mobile pens with various breeds of chickens. Young chicks, year-old roosters, mother hens and the top rooster, stray roosters, the Big Huge Ugly laying hens, and more. The little boys were extremely fascinated with the roosters--namely, gently tormenting them in a young child-like fashion. Alexsander, the younger one, immediately ran over to the young roosters pen squealing in delight about the chickens in a language I assume was Ukraine. He poked his little fingers through the pen and that near about did for the frisky rooster boys. POW- SQUAWK- FLOOF! The roosters exploded into a pile of feathers, running to the other side of the pen for their dear skinny-necked lives, screaming protests. They were more skiddish than a pair of little girls finding a snake! Quickly rebuked for scaring the chickens, Alexsander was swooshed back into his mother's arms, but he craned his neck to watch and laugh at the roosters, who were squealing their protests and fluffing their rusty feathers in annoyance. I stood a few feet away, grinning, as I watched the whole scene play out. I have an idea me and Alex are going to be real, real good friends.

Hilariously idiotic? Heck yes.

What is it with music these days? I wish we could all go back to the days where songs were complicated stories.  All these modern boppy tunes of repeated choruses with alotta bass seem to be geared toward teenage audiences that are assumed idiots with no musical taste whatsoever. Just whatever is catchy and fast, cool and fun sounding right? Who cares about the lyrics, the distasteful use of explicit words, and ridiculous beating background noise? Or worse, the trashy lives of the singers. Well, I'll admit it, pop songs, soft rock, techno, punk etc...I do enjoy it when I'm out driving with the sun shining and the world is moving fast. Heck, even the beat goes with the road bumps sometimes! But try listening to Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, Timbaland's If We Ever Meet Again, or Mike Posner's Cooler than Me while trying to read a book...nearly impossible. But what's the solution? Beethoven?  Hymn songs? Folk lore strumming? Or worse, ethereal notes of New Age? No thanks. There just doesn't seem to be a neutral area. Either it's too plunky, too poppy, too rockish, too classical for my taste. I guess I shall dub this condition I have a ''Music Slump''.

WOWzers. DA-Huuuude. Geewilikers.

 4x4 Rubix Cube

I met this 12 year old kid at a neuro clinic today that could solve a 5x5 Rubix cube in less than 5 minutes. You could hear the rattling of the cube as he worked it with his slim agile fingers all the way across from the room, where his mother sat unfazed. She calmly explained to me that he could do a 3x3 Rubix in less than 30 seconds....I probably couldn't even solve one in 30 years. He showed me all his other ones that he had toted along in a reusable grocery bag (6x6, 5x5, 7x7, and a 9x9) and commented on who he hasn't quite figured out a 7x7 since he just got it yesterday for his birthday. The boy then carefully explained that the key is practice, but also a high quality Rubix that can shift easily, aiding in quick time to solve the cube. He looked like a nerdy genius and man, he sure could solve that cube fast! The things you learn while waiting in a reception lobby...




Sincerely Yours, Lizzie ♥

Crapple Pies, Bruises, and Paper Wasps

    Alright, I promised my friend Candi I'd blog about them...so here goes :) You know, McDonald's right? Heck who doesn't. Well, through careful observation, taste-testing, and studious thought, I think I'm finally ready to write to McDonald's and suggest a unique and wonderfully descriptive name for their so-called "apple pies". Call 'em Crapple Pies! LOL! Yeah? Oh c'mon, you know I'm right. It's a disgrace to even say they're pies at all. Have you ever compared those squared stamps molten hot with foreign objects in them thingys to the REAL thing? You'd probably get a taste score of negative -50. I do admit, I used to eat them alot...late night, pick up a small fry, a coke, and pie right? Wrong. No more. Nuh-uh. Not doing that anymore. Bleah, the last one I had was a partially burnt one in a remote Oregon town that I ate anyway because I was so starved. (It was like 10:30pm at night, you see.) It not only burnt my tongue into oblivion, but it also lost my appreciation for McD's tasty CRAPPLE pies. So, I abstain from them....unfortunately, I'm too much of a good person to actually go and do suggest the name Crapple Pies to the McDonald's Admissions Office (or whatever fancy name they call it) so just be satisified about laughing at it here.
Wait, why am I frequently mentioning McDonald's in my posts?! This is sick. I hate McDonalds. Oh heck, who doesn't.

Bruises. Funny, weird marks on your body that show up in the most annoying places with no memory usually of where they came from. Hunh. I'm pretty sure they've ended up on my Nature's Mysteries list by now. recently I walked into my mom's kitchen, looking for a snack to pass me off til she finished dinner, and all of a sudden she cried out, "Woah! What is THAT?" and pointed at my leg. Innocently, I looked down at the spot whilst she was pointing, and cried out, "Woah-h-h-h! What is that?" Strangest bruise mark I've ever seen. Usually when I get bruise its a small, darkish red spotch. This one was a perfectly and brilliantly blue SPOT. No kidding. I do not remember backing up into a metal pipe, or knocking a hammer smack-dab (cool term, eh?) on my leg so this was all very strange. I gingerly touched the area and WOOOOO man, it hurt. Normally bruises for me just have that achy sensation, never the big, honking neon sign saying "OUCH" type of pain, lol. After that little bit, I finished scrounging for my snack and basically forgot about it. Later, while I was on a camping trip with my friend Kate and her grandparents, I noticed it again.

A week had gone by and the bruise had now turned into a dark purple ring. Funny thing was that were was in the dead center of the bruise ring, a freckle! Katie and I laughed at the weirdness of it and then went body surfing in the river, at which I hit a huge sharp rock dead on my butt and have a large butt bruise from it. Anyway, on the ride homewards, a 5 hour drive, Gramma noticed me looking at the back of my leg and asked me what I was doing. I showed her the bruise and she said, "Oh my! Look at that mole in the middle of it! I think you better get that checked out." And went on for another 15 minutes or so talking about various nephews or nieces that had had cancer in different areas. Katie and I looked at each other and burst into silent laughter. The very thought of my little bruise and freckle being cancer drove us over the edge. We were sitting there laughing without making any noise, and I still laugh at remembering Gramma saying, "Look at that MOLE!" lol :) The bruise is gone now, and I still have a freckle....and yes, my butt still hurts too. But body surfing is SOOOOO worth it!!!

So...paper wasps. While taking a jolly ride around the yard in Karl, my sister's ex-car, I noticed a HUGE honking paper wasp nest in one of our planted cypress trees. I think maybe I'll go check it out tomorrow. JUST KIDDING. lol :) I know better than that, despite the rumors of me being blonde. There IS a difference between dumb and blonde, right? Right? lol :)




Sincerely, Lizzie ♥

Ticked off Models, Colored Eyebrows, and Starbursts

 Is it just me or am I the only one that has a terrified face when flipping through fashion magazines filled with strange outfits (that no one in their right mind would wear in public) worn by models with seething, ready-to-kill faces? Why the murderous looks, Vogue? Happy, fresh looking girls not an option anymore? Quelle scary.

Of course I’m not saying the cheesy grins of models from yesteryear are any better than the sultry, pouting ones of today’s fashion runways (As in RUN AWAY!). But seriously, it’s scary. I’d rather read a magazine showing models with happy faces…or contented faces…or ones that don’t look like they’ve walked through all hell and are trying to be so convincing as a drop dead (literally?) gorgeous model that they across as seriously ticked off about something, or in two seconds they’re going to jump you and kill you off with a pair of ridiculously spiky stilettos. Like I said, quelle scary.

   But despite my ardent aversion of said modeled faces, I did manage to find something scarier: colored eyebrows. No, I’m not kidding. Vogue has been featuring dazzling pictures of girls with hideous blue and orange eyebrows as a part of their fall 2010 fashion guide. What, do they want us all to look like aliens now? Sure, we all know it’s okay to have ice-blue eyebrows on the runway to match your ice-blue lipstick and stringy ice-blue dress (if you can call it that), but try walking around downtown DC with those babies and you’ll get the kind of attention that isn’t necessarily flattering.  I mean its one thing to shave your eyebrows off and pencil them on, or even tattoo them on *shudders*, or do it just for a Halloween gig, but to shave them off and paint them on blue as a part of your daily makeup? Now that’s where I draw the line. And so should those crazy fashion designers.

   Starbursts are a wonderful invention. They come in 5 flavors (well, the original kind do anyway), they are sweet, they are sticky, and most importantly, they are cheap. If you have a bag of Starbursts, magically everyone becomes your best friend; and it’s entertaining to pick out your fave flavor and chew them in sticky sweet bliss. However, wonderful as they are, Starbursts come with two problems. Problem-o number one is…they don’t go with anything. I mean, try to eat Starbursts with crackers…or Coke…or a sandwich…or popcorn, and you will find out fast that Starbursts suck with any other kind of edible food out there. I’m been eating Starbursts (well, not like all the time) for years, and I still haven’t found a food that “goes” with Starbursts, so I usually eat them alone…and man oh man it’s very tempting to eat the whole packet or bag, kinda like a bag of potato chips. That presents problem number two: they are really sugary. Sugar wrecks havoc in your mouth, and also in your brain. So, since Starbursts are practically all sugar, consuming a large quantity of them (especially if eaten alone) leaves you with cavities and headaches. Nice. Who would have thought such an adorable thing as a paper wrapped, brightly colored piece of Strawberry candy could be so evil? :)

Sincerely Yours, Lizzie ♥

P.S. I tried adding a new Reaction Label (besides the weird, funny, interesting ones) called "Yeah, that's definitely Lizzie." but it wouldn't let me. Hmph.

My Moon Chair Must Have a Magnet, My Brain Must Have a Leak

My feet tingled, alerting me I had been sitting too long. It was the evening before D-Day, Destination Day. The next morning I would leave early to fly Westward and be gone for two whole weeks, folicly in vacational bliss.

My tummy suddenly growled. My mind began to wonder about various snack arrangements as I lay sprawled on my moon chair. I had eaten all the ice cream cones (without the ice cream, of course). My beloved gummies were safely packed in my luggage that threaten to burst at any given time. The candy stash had been pocketed by my sister, never to return. The stairs leading to the kitchen seemed a lifetime away as I lazily considered possible eating choices from my round, fluffy chair. Hunger was calling my stomach, yet I stayed as my brain began to mess with my eyes—obviously blinded by the hunger my stomach was announcing.

My ceiling transformed into strands of Twizzlers. My carpet became a sea of gummies, the red heart kind too, my uber favorite. Soon all my furniture was turning into my most-craved snack foods and I laid there amusedly, as I imagined my bed being cinnamon toast with marshmallow pillows. Clocks became pizzas, lamps became exotic popsicles, collectibles became Chinese donuts or roasted coconuts, dresser drawers turned into whole sheets of Belgium chocolate laced with Mandarin oranges, (which, by the way, is so good it’s to die for).

I rustled in my moon chair and surveyed my tasty surroundings. Like any good writer would, I reached over on my shelf and grabbed a notebook (which had miraculously remained inedible) and instead of ceasing my cravings for all things delectable, wrote down my happenings as inspiration had finally hit me. After all, everyone knows that the pen (when written in earnest) is always before the pizza, if you ever want anything published, even if it's from a moon chair.

I think I’ll go get a snack now. ^_^

P.S. Although on second thought-- if you have a freshly delivered pizza, eat that first, write later. Cold pizza sucks. What also sucks is I can’t even eat pizza anyway. Grrr.

Sincerely, Lizzie ♥