tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44856223629297893632024-03-13T12:36:17.281-06:00The Info-DomeIf a comic blog, a personal blog, and a cat lady blog mated and had a baby, it would be The Info-Dome. I try to create a vault of information that anyone can use in their daily lives and can also use to improve their work day or their mood.Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-37992127439325937322011-10-24T21:25:00.004-06:002011-10-24T21:25:52.847-06:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Helloooooo readers :) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because of my recent weight loss, I've been getting a lot of emails/Facebook messages asking me about my workout regimen and my nutrition. I started a new blog that focuses more on fitness/diet <a href="http://www.beastmodebear.blogspot.com/">here</a>. Check it out! Also, just because I'll probably be posting more frequently on the new blog, I probably won't be on the Info Dome too much for the time being. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stay classy, readers! </span>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-56545644543508340272011-08-12T17:04:00.005-06:002011-08-12T17:09:02.247-06:00Proatmeal Bars :)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw0JQ8drCAJzy0IEsWXsYlRbb42hkkIu1dsL8gE0Ihv_lROTpfjxcrlLQUYDHnP8z29V3eSa8Ok7VbVpacb68h7wEgz-HUcPi9-Iu_54FFIFPB0i0mUKFc6h4w5vAVDIPpeUF8DUawIk/s1600/oats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw0JQ8drCAJzy0IEsWXsYlRbb42hkkIu1dsL8gE0Ihv_lROTpfjxcrlLQUYDHnP8z29V3eSa8Ok7VbVpacb68h7wEgz-HUcPi9-Iu_54FFIFPB0i0mUKFc6h4w5vAVDIPpeUF8DUawIk/s400/oats.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These babies are the tits: delicious and diet-compliant. They're especially awesome for a quick breakfast, snack, or post-workout nutrition. Enjoy :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ingredients:</span></span></b></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups oats</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 scoops preferred protein powder*</span></li>
</ul><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Chocolate, cookies & cream, and strawberry Muscle Milk are my favorites :) </span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Directions:</span></span></b></div></div><div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl (I've found it easiest to use my hands).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread mixture on a piece of plastic wrap.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mold mixture into large square-ish shape.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Freeze for about 30 minutes.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut square into 8 even bars.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Store proatmeal bars in refrigerator. </span></li>
</ul><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</div></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-32153968771495117752011-08-09T15:38:00.002-06:002011-08-09T15:40:01.268-06:00T3- I'm not fat anymore!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't blogged since April. I'll spare you the bullshit apology because the truth is that I am unemployed, on summer break from school, I have no friends, and my only real hobby is working out...I haven't been busy or anything; I just literally have nothing interesting to blog about. Also, I am irresponsible and lazy. My excuse? Hey, I am young :) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, as many of you know, I am not fat anymore! Those of you who don't know, I've lost about 30 pounds and I'm not fat anymore! A lot of people ask me how I've lost the weight, so I decided that I'd write this </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">week's</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">month's</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">bi-annual</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> blog post on my new lifestyle...T3 status [what what]. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Fuel</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Here's the truth through my eyes regarding nutrition: what you put into your body is the most important decision you make, health-wise, on a daily basis. Exercising is extremely important, but if your body is not properly fueled, you will not be performing well enough in your workouts to see improvements that you need and desire. Exercise does not, and should not have to, cancel out poor nutrition. There is no magical diet to abide by; eating healthfully should not be viewed as a 6-week plan or temporary program, but something that you will be doing all day, everyday, for the rest of your life. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">General guidelines for my nutrition:</span></b></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Absolutely </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">no</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> processed foods, with the exception of supplements. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat macronutrient breakdown. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The fresher and more natural, the better.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cheat day is Saturday, but don't go get too crazy.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Write down everything that goes down the chute. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take multivitamins and supplements consistently.</span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Exercise-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> This is a no brainer: calories in, calories out. You </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">can</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> lose weight by eating better and sitting on the couch all day, but you're not going to get any stronger or fitter...I'd rather weigh 200 pounds and be able to run, jump, lift, kiiiiiiick, etc. than be stick-thin and have no physical ability. I have absolutely fallen in love with working out; it's what I do when I'm sad, happy, angry, bored, post-cheat day, etc. The secret? Find something that you enjoy; for me, this includes CrossFit, spin classes, heated yoga classes, running [wtf?], and hiking. I highly recommend experimenting with new activities, finding a workout buddy, taking a group exercise class at your gym, creating a solid support system among your friends and family, and </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">challenging yourself</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I do things everyday that I never thought I'd be able to do and that, for me, is so much bigger than my shrinking size or the way I look in the mirror. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My general workout schedule at a glance [AKA Beast Mode]:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Monday: 2 mile run, CrossFit (morning), spin class (evening), foam rolling & stretching.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tuesday: Relatively low-intensity workout (morning), 5k run (evening).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wednesday: 2 mile run, CrossFit + some nature of cardio (usually rowing), foam rolling & stretching. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thursday: Rest day (usually).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friday: 2 mile run, spin class (morning), CrossFit (evening), foam rolling & stretching. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Saturday: Spin class, Bootcamp class, foam rolling & stretching.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday: A generally death-inducing CrossFit workout. </span></li>
</ul><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Motivation-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Sincerely ask yourself this question: </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">why do you want to get healthier?</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> If you cannot answer this question or you want it for the wrong reasons, you will likely fail. My answer 6 months ago: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to be happier, to be healthier, to live longer, and to feel better</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. That is precisely what I've achieved, but I have so many more reasons to keep going: I love the challenges, I love the accomplishments, and I love myself and my body. I've struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember; even when I wasn't technically overweight, I hated my body and was constantly struggling to lose a petty 10 pounds. Once I got into high school, as I blossomed into obesity due to inactivity and poor nutrition, I realized that I really wasn't fat before. Funny how that works, eh? By the time I turned 18, I had tried more diets than I had years to my name (Weight Watchers, South Beach, Adkins, Cabbage Soup, Special K, and even the pathetic HCG diet, to name a few). Some of them "worked" for a while, but there is really no way to lose weight but the right way: </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">proper exercise and nutrition</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I wouldn't be caught dead saying that it's been easy, but it's really not as hard as you may assume. The first two weeks are always the hardest part of any new routine, whether the goal be losing weight, quitting smoking, consistently flossing, etc. Just stick it out for two weeks and remember that it WILL get better.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some motivational techniques of mine:</span></b></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzOcVy79u39I50s5ay2tdohhZ-zma6aefrZYtQFju9xqN2Wijul1uUmFShor2ZQh_NF8CHyJPWi9KzVqWlCnMcYUZvc1LhLGDIuF7r8TIs6w-SYdd1iBi46p9wM3_REr2O26tM9zSfXk/s1600/SAM_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzOcVy79u39I50s5ay2tdohhZ-zma6aefrZYtQFju9xqN2Wijul1uUmFShor2ZQh_NF8CHyJPWi9KzVqWlCnMcYUZvc1LhLGDIuF7r8TIs6w-SYdd1iBi46p9wM3_REr2O26tM9zSfXk/s320/SAM_0341.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Write down your goal somewhere that you can see it everyday.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Find a motivational phrase that will keep you going (mine is "Pain is temporary. Quitting is forever." It's tattooed on my wrist.)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Find a fitness idol (</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VnmWGBycHE"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Julie Foucher</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is my bitch!!)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Make a goals/rewards poster (located to the left).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Deem a song your official "kick ass song" to start every workout with (my current song is Kick in the Teeth by Papa Roach).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get a subscription to a fitness magazine (Muscle & Fitness Hers and Oxygen are my favorites).</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take before, half way, right now, anytime, and after pictures (also at the bottom of this post).</span></li>
</ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Type in 'CrossFit' on YouTube...you will not regret it.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get a badass nickname. I have several: Rocky, Sweet Muscles Shelby, and Womanimal :) </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Always remember that you can do anything you set your mind to.</span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">"You can have results or excuses. Not both."</span></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIJZx3wZ9qC94IdosyzpPx9M67Vzudm52vauQmZOKsYn-OrI4tYAWV4X1vk03y7BFSv__IlRXMUdA5Pd-CwjonS4uQCX10464gKmxtG1_Y7oR5zoshna5HDZzY8nenS7dg_CwblPO3XE/s1600/Untitled.001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIJZx3wZ9qC94IdosyzpPx9M67Vzudm52vauQmZOKsYn-OrI4tYAWV4X1vk03y7BFSv__IlRXMUdA5Pd-CwjonS4uQCX10464gKmxtG1_Y7oR5zoshna5HDZzY8nenS7dg_CwblPO3XE/s320/Untitled.001.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-41396745520507601952011-04-28T16:20:00.000-06:002011-04-28T16:20:52.055-06:00T3- 4/28<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm running out of exciting names for the T3 posts, so I'm just going to use dates from now on. What do you want from me? I just posted a T3 a few days ago, so this post is going to be a test of my bitching abilities...I don't know if I can top the back fat poem though. I'll try...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Skinny tank tops</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- The spanx for your upper body!! This shit is false advertisement. Let's view this from the gentleman's side of things: you're hanging out at the bar and you see a decent looking female from across the way...make your move, man. Score #1: she's drunk. Score #2: she's easy. Score #3: she's coming home with you. You two are macking face on your hand-me-down loveseat and you go to cop a feel...hmmm, interestingly rock-hard abs! Score #4 for you, right? Nope. You take her tank top off and you're sorely disappointed: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">this woman has a beer gut</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. You're a shallow piece of crap for caring so much, but she's a deceitful bitch for hiding behind a tank-top because she's too lazy to do a few crunches. Ladies, these tank tops are not going to make you skinny...exercising and laying off of the malt liquor will make you skinny.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Locker room nudists</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Confidence is a wonderful thing; lack of discretion is a terrible thing. When these two collide in a locker room, the result is obnoxious and unpleasant. I'm not necessarily shy in the locker room: I change my clothes, I don't care who sees my body, and I move on with my gym experience. I do not, however, mosey around the room in the buff, slather lotion on my entire, naked body, or preform post-workout stretches while I'm changing. I can even handle these things most days, but when I see buttholes, I tend to get frustrated; I am NEVER prepared to see a woman's butthole on a daily basis.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Captain Crunch</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- I just can't stay away from you and your crunch berries! You irresistible hunk of man, you!</span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-57339466053970124862011-04-26T17:48:00.003-06:002011-04-26T17:55:19.878-06:00T3- Action Packed!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hello readers :) I would ordinarily apologize for being a worthless terd of a blogger, but we all know that make-up posts are just as good ;) That's what she said. It's been a good minute since I've posted, so I've definitely made a few T3-worthy observations. Here's what's pissing me off this week:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4/20 Haters</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- You go out on Friday nights and you drink and drive; in fact, society hears about a drinking and driving accident at least once a week. Uhm enough said? Yes, but I'll continue. You drink and you become hateful and you make ridiculous decisions (i.e. throwing furniture, imitating a free-range chicken, sleeping with a mustached woman, or operating a vehicle). And you're going to hate on the stoners? Hypocrite, much?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Note: exclusions from this generalization are the following: responsible drinkers (high five), irresponsible stoners (The Beatles suck!!)*</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Running- </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As much as I try, I just cannot seem to fall in love with running. I do understand why people love it; running is to runners as cycling is to me :) Except for the fact that running is terrible. Just when I get to that point during a run when I think to myself, "Hey there, Shelby, this isn't so bad", I throw up and change my mind. I find it absolutely impossible to develop a solid rhythm and I basically end up huffing and puffing or holding my breath until I pass out. Add in some D-cup boobies and it's simply torture. Ever notice that most women that claim to love running have small cha-chas? It's because they aren't getting punched in the face by a 5-pound boob everytime they stride. Give me some duct tape and an oxygen machine and I'll reconsider my hatred for the "sport".</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Back fat- </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I wrote this poem about back fat...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Below my bra strap, you reside;</span></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Squishy, fatty, jiggly, and wide.</span></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">You eat my t-shirt while I jog;</span></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">All of the attention you must hog. </span></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">Back extensions, rowing machines, cardio galore;</span></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">I fucking hate you back fat, THIS MEANS WAR!</span></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope you guys enjoyed the makeup </span></span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sex</span></span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> post :)</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-80019155893465262962011-04-04T12:32:00.001-06:002011-04-04T12:32:35.863-06:00Fitness Friday- Circuit of Death<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy Monday, friends :) My sincerest apologies that I am posting my Fitness Friday post on this here lovely Monday, but I actually did eventful things this weekend for the first time in quite a while! Today, I'd like to share one of my favorite workouts, which I generally refer to as the <span style="font-size: large;">Circuit of Death</span> :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This workout combines strength training with cardiovascular exercise in an interval/circuit setup, in layman's terms: this is worth the effort. This workout works best with 3+ gym buddies, but it can absolutely be done alone if your workout pals are chickens. For this example, I will be giving the steps/supplies as if there are 3 people doing the workout, but it can be easily adjusted for when everyone sees your great results and wants to start working out with you :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Supplies:</b></span></div><ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">12 notecards (may vary depending on # of participants)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Large workout area (room for flailing and frolicking)</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>What to do:</b></span></div><ol style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Write one workout on each notecard (i.e. pushups, squats, etc.) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Lay notecards in large circle.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">While gym buddy #1 is jogging/skipping around exercise area, buddy #2 and #3 will be doing the exercises to the jogger's right.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">When buddy #1 has completed the cardio card, everyone will rotate to the right.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Complete one full rotation, rest for 1 minute, and repeat circuit AT LEAST 3 times.</span></li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Basically, however long the jogger is jogging, that is how long the other participants will be doing the exercises on the card in front of them. The distance for the cardio cards is absolutely up to the participants (it can be 2 laps around the exercise area, one mile, etc.), but the longer the cardio distance, the harder the circuit gets. Here is a drawing of my usual circuit:</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBX-eiY5PM3FBeHp9mVdjz7S6zT0k9_kF1VOMsTbMIePKH2Z_GY7bcBooP8dd8tXl8B3j0aVjnwYNpPiVOKLQkiXqZdEfD-MsCQBx2xXaMT03_HjXTrP3mxrHuy2GjzCDCjw8TKgTQUs/s1600/Circuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBX-eiY5PM3FBeHp9mVdjz7S6zT0k9_kF1VOMsTbMIePKH2Z_GY7bcBooP8dd8tXl8B3j0aVjnwYNpPiVOKLQkiXqZdEfD-MsCQBx2xXaMT03_HjXTrP3mxrHuy2GjzCDCjw8TKgTQUs/s400/Circuit.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">This workout has endless possibilities and offers great results, so...you're welcome :)</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-53816474319810307732011-03-31T14:20:00.000-06:002011-03-31T14:20:11.729-06:00T3- Great Advice<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Somebody peel me off a golden star because I am actually posting my Three Thing Thursday post on a Thursday today! This never happens :) I'm experiencing a lot of changes in my life right now and I'm always looking for great advice to keep me going, so I thought I'd share the three best pieces of advice I've ever gotten/given.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Be true to yourself</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you." -Dr. Suess :) It </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> truer than true. I used to live my life according to standards and opinions of everyone else around me, but ultimately none of it matters if you are unhappy. I think that the most important thing in life is to be true to yourself and live life the way you think it is supposed to be lived. There is no manual or how-to guide for life, so it's up to individuals to pave their own path that meets their dreams, needs, and desires.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Do what makes you happy</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- I had a wonderful job after I graduated high school; I was a technical writer for a defense contracting company. A job that generally requires a masters degree and a few years of experience; needless to say, I was a bit ahead of my peers. I was making 35K a year with full medical benefits and paid time off...you see what I'm getting at here: it was a really great job. I got laid off last August because the company was making budget cuts; life as I knew it quickly flashed in front of my eyes. I couldn't imagine being happy without my career. Today I am unemployed, living with my father, and struggling to pay for school, but I am the happiest I've been in my life. Losing my job taught me that life is not about working, making money, and sitting at a desk 40+ hours a week...life is about doing what makes you happy, regardless of what it may be. I have time to hula-hoop, read books, exercise, take naps, and savor every minute of my day. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Love & respect yourself</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Let me clarify that I am not promoting selfishness or conceitedness, but love and acceptance of your individual self. I am neurotic, I have ridiculous pet peeves, I have strange eating habits, I have stretch marks on my hips, terrible morning breath, giant hair, and acne that will hang around until my late thirties, but I don't mind so much anymore. It is extremely common, especially for women, to judge themselves and hold insecurities, but I have recently learned that it is completely pointless. When no one else is there to love and respect you, you have to be able to do that for yourself. Know that it's okay to be different, strange, weird, or whatever you may be...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Thursday, err'body :) Fitness Friday post tomorrow! You can count on it!</span></span></span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-90086348575963853582011-03-26T13:01:00.000-06:002011-03-26T13:01:34.864-06:00Fitness Friday!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know it isn't Friday, but I didn't get a chance to write this post last night, so deal with it :) I'm going to start writing 'Fitness Friday' [which will probably evolve into 'FF' or 'F2'] posts every week now. Basically, each Friday I will post a fitness tip, workout plan, etc. So here we go:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For my first FF post, I would like to share my absolute favorite thing to do at the gym: </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">stationary cycling</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Sure, the seat is </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">uncomfortable</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> torturous, it </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">can be</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> monotonous, and it is very challenging, BUT it is a great cardio workout, it is excellent for your lower body and abdominal muscles, and it is fun if you do it the way I do. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Supplies: </span></b></div><br />
<ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cycle [duh]</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mp3 player/radio</span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Workout:</span></b></div><div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Create a playlist with about 10 songs, depending on length of songs.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Begin by cycling to the first song at comfortable pace/resistance level to warm up.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On your next song, bump up the resistance and climb [standing cycle] during each chorus of the song.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Repeat until end of playlist [approximately an hour] and use last song to cool down.</span></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This cycling workout is a form of interval training which has been proven to burn fat more efficiently and add variety to your exercise. I enjoy it because I get to listen to my favorite songs for an hour :) Be prepared to sweat though...this shit is the real deal. </span></span></b></div></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-25045667873669251982011-03-25T14:04:00.000-06:002011-03-25T14:04:57.793-06:00T3- Traditional<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've gotten away from doing traditional Three Thing Thursdays because I've been trying to be more positive, but today I am throwing caution to the wind. Here's what is pissing me off this week :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Skeezas- [</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">noun; </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dirty,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">slatternly</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">woman. Synonyms: tramp, skank, hoski, etc.] Call me old-fashioned, but since when is it a positive thing to look and act like a cheap hooker? I'm all down for being proud of your body and expressing yourself, but nobody wants to see buttcrack and nipples when they're eating a sandwich [except for men, I guess]. Women these days just have a severe lack of public-censorship and class...it really means something for me to say that. For example, I watched a girl I know [who was sober, mind you] scream "I love to fuck" multiple times in an extremely crowded place the other day. We all love sex, skeeza, but there's no need to yell about it. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Tofu- I freaking hate tofu. Everyone assumes that vegetarians love/eat tofu, but I am certainly an exception to this stereotype. There's not even anything to compare tofu to because the world is not large enough for two incredibly disgusting things [except mochi, aka foreskin icecream; somehow Earth has made room for that, too]. I have only come up with one conclusion for tofu: tofu=couch cushion. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Cell phones- Regardless of the activity [driving, working out, spending time with family, dancing, walking, riding a bike, pooping], cell phones have taken over. I have a ghetto, T9 capable, $25 phone and I have no intent on upgrading. I am so sick of people talking and texting on their phones when there is shit that needs to be done. Text messaging while driving has been proven to be more dangerous than drunk driving, so get the hell off of your cell phone and watch the road! </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px; line-height: 16px;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; line-height: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">Happy weekend, errbody! I'm going to write another post later that will be super :) </span></span></span></span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-595663815300626872011-03-19T22:33:00.001-06:002011-03-19T22:34:07.534-06:00T3- Happy Things :)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Saturday night :) I had a tiring yet excellent day, so I'm being an absolute hobo this evening- we're talking about a Lifetime, sweatpants, and heating pad kind of night here...serious shit, man. I have been a definite slacker in the blogging department lately, but I'm making somewhat of an effort so deal with it. I've been going through a few positive perspective changes for the past few weeks and it has been absolutely wonderful. I am happier now than I have been in a long time and I'd like to share why :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Exercise-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I am not in very good shape nor have I been for the past 4 or 5 years, but I have finally fallen in love with working out. At the end of a great day, I go to the gym, have a great workout, and leave in an even better mood; at the end of a stressful day, I go to the gym and work off my anxiety and frustrations; at the end of a shitty day, I go to the gym and work hard, forgetting the negative things, if only for an hour. I was originally going to write my T3 for the week about exercises I love, but I decided to take a bit of a break on the whole workout obsession (so much for that)...I promise I will write that post soon though; I think it will be very useful :) Exercising everyday has made a insurmountable impact on my physical and mental well-being...I highly recommend it to everyone; maybe experts that have been suggesting it are actually onto something, eh? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) "The Outsides"-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I just love being outside :) I usually try to take a walk everyday now...it gives me a chance to clear my mind, get fresh air, people watch, and enjoy this amazing place. I do not understand why people live in Colorado if they do not leave their couch; we live in </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> most beautiful state...suck it up, California- you lose. There's just something about the sound of trail beneath your shoes, river rushing by, and birds announcing their birdhood ("mrrraaawwk"- annoying in anything other situation) that makes your day a little bit better. It helps me to slow down and relax for the duration of my walk; I think people today need to slow down more often. We're always rushing, always going somewhere, and always wanting to get things done quickly, but it really is okay to slow down for 20 minutes everyday and enjoy life and nature a little :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Acceptance-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I'm a cat lady, I'm a nerd, I drive like a grandmother, I have huge hair, I don't like chewing, I am an "unAmerican" because I don't eat meat, I eat bananas with spoons, I love brussels sprouts, I am a "granola", I like to read, I love knitting, I hate television, I hate America, I talk to strangers, I believe in evolution, and I accept myself for the person I am. I love myself and am hardly concerned with outside opinions for the first time </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in a long tim</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">e ever. The insecurities, unhappiness, and self-doubt that most young women are struggling through are pointless and do not contribute to the way that life should be. Maybe I am different and weird, but fretting over it isn't fixing anything, so I shall embrace it all instead; doing this has completely changed perspectives of myself and everyone around me.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope everyone is doing well. Feel free to share if great things are happening to you right now :)</span></span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-37369551734753721662011-03-08T16:50:00.002-07:002011-03-08T16:51:12.721-07:00T3- You've Got It, Gym!<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I like working out; it makes me feel great, it makes me less fat, and the people-watching opportunities are endless. I go to a yuppie gym, so people-watching is even more exciting than usual, but it’s also irritating. Allow me to elaborate :)</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cardio Princess</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">- Oh, you know her. She’s the one that spends more time in the locker room getting ready to work out than she actually does working out. She’s the one looking “super-cute” on the treadmill, walking 2mph and not breaking a sweat, because that would ruin her makeup. Checking out guys and judging the chubs is basically the extent of her workout unless the princess has her minions in tow that day, and then priority goes to gossip. If that is the case, anyone within a 20 foot radius of the CP and her bitches should probably prepare to hear about Maybeline, menstruation, and the Real World. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mr. Bogart</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">- I see you; you’re over there working on the shoulder press. You get your shoulder press on, boy, but don’t get all pissed off when I hop on the bench press just because “it’s in your circuit”. It is physically impossible to use two machines at one time, so share the love, grandpa. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Window Exerciser</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">- Walking laps around the equipment, are we? Just checking out what everybody else is doing, are ya? Well, get out of my bubble, ass! Can’t you see that I am trying to get my roman chair on? I could kick you in the neck right now. I hate this more than anything at the gym. You see them walk by once, that’s normal. See them walk by again, maybe they liked what they saw. See them walk by three more times, screw that, they are just slacking off! Why do they even go to the gym? Just to be able to say that they went to the gym that day? Post it on your Facebook and go walk around Walmart instead, window exercisers, because you’re pissing me off and getting in my dang way! </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Haha. I’m so awesome. Expect more gym/health related posts in the future because the food nazi is on a health kick lately. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hope everybody is doing well :)</span></span></span></span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-62655455908186614132011-02-12T14:03:00.001-07:002011-02-15T09:39:11.414-07:00Hurt Lessons<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When something tragic happens, obviously the initial action consists of mourning or becoming angry, but the challenge in the midst of misfortune is to maintain optimism. By no means am I an optimist, but I do try to pull lessons out from otherwise terrible events in life. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The world lost a truly wonderful person this week; Shelby Hladek was an extremely intelligent, caring, and determined young woman that should not have been taken away as soon as she was. Shelby and I were not very close friends, but we ate lunch together in middle school, did projects together in math class, and said hello to each other in the hallways…and now she has changed my life forever. It is unfortunate that it took such a devastating event for her to make her way into my heart, but that is what has happened. Born only two months before I was, she was just twenty years old on the day that she died. I find myself thinking, "It could have been me, it could have been my best friend, it could have been my sister", but it wasn't. We're all still here and we have the chance to learn from Shelby; I think it would all be in vein if we did anything other than that. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This week has been harder on me than I originally expected. I find myself thinking about what happened very often: while I'm trying to sleep at night, while I'm spending time with my sister, and especially while I am driving. Clearly what happened to Shelby has already affected me quite a bit and I don't think I am alone in saying that. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>My hurt lessons:</b></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>1.) Drive safely</b>- We're young and we think that we're invincible…it'll never happen to us, right? We're so very wrong. Wear your seatbelts, drive the speed limit, keep your phone in the trunk if you need to, and don't forget that it could happen to you. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>2.) Remind people that you love them</b>- I can't imagine leaving this place on bad terms with someone that I love…or vice versa. You may not get to say goodbye, so make your potential last words something that you'd be okay with leaving on. Let the petty stuff go and make sure they know you care.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>3.) LIVE-</b> Our generation is the worst about living on the internet, spending our time watching television, and wasting our youth. If I died today, I would be pissed off; I have hardly done anything that I want to do in my life. I need to start having more fun and living my life the way it should be lived. </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dearest Shelby,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You are so incredibly loved; I wish you could have seen the people at your service today. Your beautiful family, your closest friends, and your acquaintances from high school all come together to celebrate your life. There wasn't an empty seat or a dry cheek in the entire room. You have affected so many people and you will be missed more than you know. Your death was not in vein; it has already taught me so much and I know that I am not alone. You were such a beautiful person; the world would be a better place if more people were like you. Rest in peace.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My heart goes out to her family and friends; the strength you have shown is incredible. Please be careful, everyone. We do not need to lose another beautiful, young person anytime soon.</span></span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-38159407951737996302011-01-27T21:56:00.001-07:002011-01-27T21:56:36.391-07:00T3- Guilty Pleasures<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Thursday, everyone! I've been incredibly busy this week and it's only my fourth day of school, but I </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">always</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> sometimes make time for Three Thing Thursday (T3)! You ever have those days that really make you lose faith in society? I have those days a lot, but today was the exact opposite! I went on a hike today and everyone that I passed along the way was so pleasant and said hello. It really opened my eyes to the fact that there are more great people out there than I generally assume :) That has nothing to do with today's post, but I thought it was a nice little anecdote. This week's T3 will cover three of my many guilty pleasures, so go ahead and laugh at my expense:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Used bookstores- This wouldn't be embarrassing at all if it were a pleasure and not an obsession. I love every single thing about used bookstores: the smell, the products, the people, the potential coffee, the price, the disarray, everything. If I could do anything in the entire world for a living and not worry about finances, I would simply work in a used bookstore. I'd love to own one someday...preferably something small in an unusual downtown area. There would have to be a free coffee area when you first walk in, a couple of gigantic, comfy chairs in the corners, low-volume chick music playing in the background, and books, books, books everywhere. I haven't thought about this or anything...it's only one of my biggest dreams. I'm just not sure that I could sell the books; I'd just want to keep them all and live there in my giant book-fort. With my cats...don't forget about my cats (I guess my boyfriend can come too if he still loves me after realizing that I'm insane).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Homework- I don't know if I've ever actually admitted this one to anyone, but I couldn't make something like this up. The sweet thing about homework is that you really don't think about anything else; no finances, no family problems, no drama, nothing but homework. I like reading a writing for leisure, so English homework is a given...I obviously enjoy it whether it's an assignment or something I'm doing in my free time. I wouldn't do math for fun, but I actually do not mind doing it for homework. I think it's a really amazing feeling when I initially look at a problem and say "oh hell no, screw you, problem" and then eventually figure it out; it makes me feel like a smarty pants. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Lifetime- I sound like my mother, but I love Lifetime. What other network can you watch a movie about a hobo that impregnates an underage girl and eventually gets on his feet and follows through for his child and 15-year old lover who he eventually finds out is his long-lost little sister? Exactly my point.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have a great Friday, readers! :)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-70821249058778380602011-01-20T15:59:00.002-07:002011-01-20T16:02:05.089-07:00Three Things That Will Ruin Our Youth<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What's today? Oh that's right...it's THURSDAY! I'm writing my Thursday post on its designated day for the very first time in weeks! Go me for being responsible and being able to correctly operate the calendar on my computer :) This year, I made a suggestion to myself that I should start writing more meaningful blogs on the rare occasion that I actually post. I love Three Thing Thursday (T3) and everything that it stands for, but lately I've been getting a little deeper with them every week...I hope you guys like it as much as I do. This week I'm tackling the three things that I believe will eventually ruin our youngest generation- here we go!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) Television-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> If today's youth is spending 28 hours a week in front of the television, what is our future going to be like when they are the leading generation? Very stupid and very fat. That's 28 hours that our children are not physically active, mentally engaged, or learning anything valuable in just one week. That is 1,456 hours that they have lost in just one year due to TV. Television is not only causing the majority of our youth to become obese, lazy, and ignorant, but also potentially violent as well. Statistics show that the average child will watch 8,000 murders on TV before finishing elementary school. By age eighteen, the average American has seen 200,000 acts of violence on TV, including 40,000 murders. Our adults TODAY are already terrible (average 9 years of non-stop television per lifetime), but I hate to imagine how it's going to be when these children grow up. What happened to children playing outside or reading? Get rid of this garbage, parents!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) Fast food</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- When I was younger, I remember that getting a Happy Meal from McDonald's was a huge treat- it only happened once a month if my sister and I had been really good. Children now would think of that as punishment, but it wasn't because we were poor (we were) or because my parents were jerks (they could be), it was because eating out everyday was practically unheard of 15 years ago. I know people that feed their children fast food at least 3 times a week and I want to shove a Happy Meal toy up their asses. Fast food is garbage! A cheeseburger happy meal with fries and a Sprite at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">McDonald's</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> has 640 calories and 24 grams of fat; this is over half of the total calories many children should be eating in an entire day! These "restaurants" spent over $350 million on marketing messages aimed at children in 2009; they do it because it works and parents fall for the scams, too. Our youth is going to be even fatter than our adults are today and this country does not have room to get more unhealthy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) Anger & Intolerance</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- I don't have any impressive statistics for this bullet-point, but I think it's the most important of them all. With the economy declining, the global warming crisis looming, and moms and dads getting increasingly stressed-out, children are picking up on the bad attitudes that our adults have about them. If you grow up around constantly bitchy people, you're bound to end up with a negative attitude after a few years. We should be teaching our children to accept others and live happily and not waste time with hatred and judgement. We're going to end up with a bunch of stupid, fat, bitchy people if we stay on the track that we are journeying down. I don't like the amount of stupid, fat, bitchy people we have now...this needs to be fixed. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope everyone has a great day! I start school on Monday, so I'm sure I'll have more to write about in the future! Yay for really, very, extremely, expensive education that will eventually get me a job that I can do now (before I even start college)!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh and here are my sources :) - csun.edu, nytimes.com</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See ya!</span></span></div></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-52315044241381004372011-01-14T12:40:00.000-07:002011-01-14T12:40:46.247-07:00T3- Things We Need to Change!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Friday, everyone! Hopefully when I start school next week, I'll begin recognizing days of the week again like a successful adult, but I make no promises. I've been thinking so much lately about the everyday habits of our citizens in this country and I'm seeing a HUGE problem made up of several smaller issues that we could work towards fixing if we really put our minds to it. I'm really going to try to take it easy with my harsh opinions throughout this post, but I'm angry about these things and it's going to be difficult to remain politically correct. I could express changes I believe should be made all day long, but taking little steps is the key to success, so we'll start with three today.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) <b>Recycling</b>- I don't think there is an excuse for not recycling anymore. With curbside pickup and convenient drop-off locations, it's become just as easy to recycle as it is to not recycle in today's world. I do understand that it isn't as easy as it should be, but with the incredible benefits that it delivers, a little extra effort is worth it. According to greenanswers.com, only 40% of Americans recycle all of the time; that simply isn't enough for the change that our world needs. I'd estimate that for the past two years, I have recycled at least 75% of my household trash, but I am striving towards improving this. I purchased recycling containers last week for less than $20, but even if they had cost $100, I'd buy them before I'd be happy with living in a world full of garbage. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) <b>Bottled water</b>- Why? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By one estimate, 50 billion bottles of water are consumed per annum in the United States and around 200 billion bottles globally. We've allowed water, by volume, to become more valuable than GASOLINE. And why? Because corporations like Coke, Pepsi, and Nestle spend billions of dollars every year to convince us that tap water is dangerous and unhealthy. So instead of drinking the chemical-free, practically cost-free water that is available to us, we spend over $60 billion on chemically enhanced, plastic-clad, bottled water every year. We're trusting the same corporations that pump out syrup-heavy, diabetes-causing soft drinks with our drinking water and we assume that it's safe? The day that we analyze that the companies care about money and money only is the day that we'll stop giving into the garbage that they are feeding us. Do yourself and your planet a huge favor and inform yourself on these facts; do some research, take back the power from these corporations, and stand up for yourself and your health.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) <b>The FDA</b>- Dear FDA, I hate you. According to their own website, the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FDA is responsible for p</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">rotecting the public health by assuring that foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I think they're full of shit. </span>U</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ntil an additive is shown to cause cancer, allergies, chemical sensitivities, or some other medical problem, the FDA allows it to be used without regard to the possible human health risks it may have- these additives include growth hormones, trans-fats, ammonia, antibiotics, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), etc...AKA things that shouldn't be in our food AKA things that the FDA is supposed to be protecting us from. BPA (bisphenol A) found in many plastic containers, water bottles, and baby bottles, has been banned in many countries and few states. Despite hundreds of studies conducted by scientists and universities proving that BPA is harmful, the FDA continues to allow this toxin in products, this decision supported by only two studies conducted by industry trade groups. Here is my question to you: do you think the FDA is doing their job? I certainly do not. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This country is being run by corporations that only care about finances. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hate to imagine where we'll be in 30 years i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">f we don't begin taking some of our power back, but if I have to take a guess, we'll all be really fat, really disease-ridden, and really unhappy. Stick that in your bottled water and suck it, America.</span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-73933179902464865212011-01-09T17:26:00.003-07:002011-01-09T23:12:55.199-07:003 Things Right Now<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thursdays don't really exist to me anymore; actually, days of the week don't really exist to me anymore. When it doesn't matter what day of the week it is, they all just start meshing together and I stop caring if it's Sunday or Tuesday or Friday. I don't have a job or many responsibilities, so I hardly pay attention to the day it is. Today is Thursday for us right now because I have things that are irritating me that I'd like to write about, so happy Thursday on this here lovely Sunday!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Walmart</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- I'm done shopping at Wally World now. I've made this decision to stick it to the man once again; first I went vegetarian and now I am swearing off the world's largest corporation. There are obvious reasons for doing so: the parking lot, the people within, the smell, the low quality, etc; meanwhile, there are behind-the-scenes reasons that most people are unaware of. Walmart treats their employees like garbage; they are underpaid, overworked, and barely appreciated by customers and employers alike. Almost all of Walmart's employees are on government aid programs (Welfare, food stamps, Medicare, WIC, etc.) because their employer DEPENDS on these programs (and cheap Chinese products) so that they can underpay employees and provide shoppers the low prices that everyone is so concerned with. By shopping at other markets and spending an extra dollar or two, we're standing up for ourselves and our fellow citizens by cutting back some of the power that this corporation has on our country and our world. Plus, if you can avoid all of the electric carts containing people that are too lazy to walk, loud children that continually run into you, the garbage food that they promote, the ridiculous amount of time you spend standing in line, and the demographic of people that you fall into just because you shop there, why the hell wouldn't you?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marriage</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Every little girl dreams of their wedding day; walking Barbie and Ken down the aisle that you've fashioned out of toilet paper, imagining what your dress will look like and where you'll go on your honeymoon. Little girls grow up, date a few piece of shit boyfriends, get their heart broken, and eventually find someone that they fall in love with and decide to marry. What was the key phrase in the last sentence? "LITTLE GIRLS GROW UP". I've met a few couples that have been together since age 18 and make it work; they wouldn't change a thing even if they could go back in time- they're supposed to be together...they're the exception to the rule. I feel like everyone around me is getting married so young and so quickly without knowing their partner for long at all. I simply do not understand the rush. What happened to dating someone for a year or two and enjoying the process? Call me old-fashioned, but I really believe in knowing the person that you are vowing to spend the rest of your life with. Oh and t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he baby excuse isn't valid anymore...it's 2011 and obviously if you are that worried about religion, you wouldn't have been making babies anyway, so you can wait for marriage. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Buffets</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Ew! I wasn't even aware that people still ate in these "restaurants"! They're absolute breeding grounds for bacteria and low-quality food. I may be too cautious, but I find it entirely too difficult to trust an eating establishment that serves chicken fingers and chinese food next to the imitation crab meat and the jello. All out in the open like that, it makes me nauseous to think that my food has mated with 100 other people's food. I want virgin salad mix- I don't want the same salad that the guy in the corner eating the ice cream and picking his nose just ate...at least I don't want to know that we are eating the same salad. I ate at a Chinese buffet last week because I was invited by my wonderful father. I was actually really surprised because the food was pretty tasty and there were plenty of vegetarian options for me to pick from. I was surprised again when we all ended up with some unpleasant bathroom time for the next few hours. I would rather not be surprised like this again- goodbye, buffets!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don't be pissed at me if you got married yesterday to your partner of 2 months and you are now eating at a buffet and planning your honeymoon in a Walmart. You should be pissed at yourself :)</span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-40186262952553420212011-01-03T14:55:00.005-07:002011-01-03T14:58:08.135-07:00New Beginnings<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Excuse me, 2011, but where the hell did you come from?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Last time I checked, it was 2007 and now here we are embracing ANOTHER new year that crept up on us too quickly. Quite frankly, 2010 was less than desirable; a lot of unfortunate things happened, but among the shit (losing my job, losing my apartment, enduring family controversy, etc.) emerged a few really wonderful events that I am very thankful for (being with my amazing boyfriend, moving in with my father & sister, getting my lovely cats, learning new things, etc.). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In order to grow into a stronger, more confident and self-sufficiant being, gradual improvement and evolution is extremely necessary. In order to create improvement and evolution, one must accept and activate change in their lives. 2011 is going to be a year of change for me and I am looking forward to implementing processes to get me where I'd like to be in a year. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the first of the year every year, friends and family discuss new year's resolutions, usually involving one of the following: getting in shape, quitting smoking, eating more healthfully, becoming more financially stable, etc. I'm not sure that I've ever heard someone mention a goal that wasn't superficial like these. Granted, quitting smoking and becoming healthier are very important, but I don't want a cookie-cutter resolution this year. I want to take advantage of the year ahead of me, become a better person, make essential life-changes, and accomplish things I've been putting off for a while. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are a few things that I'd like to see in 2011:</span></span></div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More consistent, meaningful blogging from your's truly.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A stronger relationship with my family and my boyfriend.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forgiveness for the people that have hurt me in the past.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Better dedication towards my passions and hobbies (writing, blogging, hoop-dancing, knitting, etc.)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">New & stronger friendships.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exploration of new activities, environments, and personalities. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A healthier lifestyle.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Risk-taking and adventure.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">TONS of reading and learning.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Better acceptance of other points of view and opinions.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Release & acceptance of events & people from my past. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Those are just the most important for now. I will explore in more detail as I go through these things in the next year, but until I make things happen, it's just a list. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. Now that it's finally over, I'll be blogging and sharing a lot more than I have been. Happy new year to you all!</span></div></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-91257331714604162372010-12-18T17:22:00.000-07:002010-12-18T17:22:09.869-07:00T3- Reasons to Be Nice To Vegetarians :)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://littlefrugalista.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/cartoon-vegetables_medium.jpg?w=300&h=278" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://littlefrugalista.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/cartoon-vegetables_medium.jpg?w=300&h=278" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Hello reader-folk! I'm still here; don't worry! I'm just a day or two late...we're doing T3 on Saturday this week and I'm sure everyone understands- the holiday season is chaotic and stressful! I didn't even know that it wasn't Thursday until about 2 minutes ago. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Anyway, just to clarify one important fact about myself and today's post, I </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">don't</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> push my beliefs on people; I absolutely respect the power of individual opinion and I'd never try to change someone's stance on things, except for respecting my opinions and beliefs. I know that today's title might throw some of you off, but I just want to plead my case on my new-ish lifestyle change. I've been a vegetarian for almost two months now; I feel amazing and this decision has absolutely changed my life. Unfortunately, I've gotten a lot of shit about this decision from family, friends, and acquaintances- this is irritating and I'd like to stand up for myself in my favorite way. Here's why you should be nice to vegetarians (especially this one):</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">1.) I'm not doing this for cows-</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> I'm doing this for myself. I love cute, baby chickens as much as the next lady, but this change has gone beyond moral justification. I'm sick of being a typical burger chow-hound, I'm sick of giving into the corporate bullshit, and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I'm sick of being a fat, lazy American that eats an average of 260 POUNDS OF MEAT PER YEAR</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">. Companies are lying to consumers about what they put into their product, about how to manufacture their product, and about how they treat their employees. Why would I support that? Why have I supported that for 19 years? I'm taking a stand FOR MYSELF and finally saying 'no' to corporations that have been pumping me with growth hormones and poisons for my entire life. Here's a nasty-ass fact for you: in the 1960's, chickens took 90 days to develop entirely; today, chickens raised for Tyson only take 43 days. The chickens' muscles grow too quickly for their bones and organs to support, so very few can walk away from their own feces while they're eating. Chickens raised for Tyson never see daylight.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">2.) We're helping the environment-</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> Someone told me once that using hairspray was destroying the environment. Here's what I have to say them: Shutup, jerk. Your cheeseburger is killing the environment more than my hairspray, more than cutting down trees, and more than TRANSPORTATION. Suck that, Hairspray-Nazi. Here's an excerpt from "</span></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Rethinking the Meat Guzzler</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">", a New York Times article:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">"An estimated 30 percent of the earth’s ice-free land is directly or indirectly involved in livestock production, according to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, which also estimates that livestock production generates nearly a fifth of the world’s greenhouse gases — more than transportation."</span></span></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">3.) I feel incredible- </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I haven't felt this physically-well in my entire life. I have more energy, my skin looks better, I'm losing weight, I sleep better, I poop easier, I save money at the grocery store (according to statistics </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I will save approximately $4000 per year</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">), and the only thing that gets abused for my dinner is spinach and carrots. Replacing cheeseburgers and hormone-rich steaks with vegetables and natural proteins is the best decision I've ever made. Hell, I'm even willing to put up with ridicule just for the way that I feel now. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Those are only the top 3 reasons I think people should be more accepting of vegetarianism. This lifestyle is frowned upon in our society and it makes absolutely no sense. At least I know what is going into my food and I know that there is only one carrot in my one carrot and not 1,000 different cows in my one cheeseburger. I'm not standing here with a picket sign telling you not to eat meat; </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I just want respect for my decision</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">. Quit judging, open your mind, do some research, and show some respect.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Oh, and have a wonderful day :) I love my readers! Thank you all for your support!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-22844343058281300122010-12-15T10:40:00.001-07:002010-12-15T10:41:24.876-07:00Beer+Bread=Oh My.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As if beer and bread by itself isn't delicious enough, mixing it together is basically too good to be true. Do it anyway!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><b>Beer Bread Recipe*:</b></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Can Preferred Beer (I recommend Fat Tire)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Cups Self-Rising Flour</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tbsp. Sugar</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees, mix all ingredients in large bowl, spray bread pan with non-stick cooking spray, empty contents into pan, bake for approximately 1 hour.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*Recipe compliments of my lovely friend, Amy :)</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It's okay guys, we can be fat together!</span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-25626574090355392142010-12-09T10:34:00.003-07:002010-12-12T08:20:21.188-07:00T3- Holiday Edition!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">SURPRISE! You may say I'm a little late, but I think I have pretty great timing! The holidays are stressful, you know, and what's better for stress than laughing at someone and their lame attempts to be funny! Because there is nothing funnier and more awkward than the holiday season in my home, I figure I'll share some tales from the years past- I will be writing about the three worst Christmas presents I've ever received.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>#1) A Christmas on the Homestead</b>- My Great Aunt Norma and Great Aunt Karen are two of the most wonderful women I've ever met and I'm positive that most people would agree with that. They're sweet, creative, and they make some very beautiful things, like quilts, Christmas ornaments, and pot holders. Since my sister and I have progressed into adulthood, we usually find a simple card with a $10 bill stuffed into the envelope, but in our younger years, I think our aunts knew that if they made it, we'd be forced to wear it with a smile on our faces. When I was 6 years old, a large package arrived a few days before Christmas and it was specifically addressed to Alyssa and I; we were excited. My dad must have known its contents because he had his patented "Dad Smirk" going on over on the sidelines, anticipating the sheer embarrassment that would haunt us for years to come. We shredded the box with glee, waiting for copious amounts of toys, candy, and fun hiding in the bottom of the cardboard. There we found two white bonnets with floral pattern, paired with matching aprons for each of us. Suited up in our homestead gear and dreading the day when someone else would see the photo, we faked a smile and acted like the miniature housewives we were dressed to be. As I'm complaining about this gift, I remember that I asked my sister for an apron this year...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>#2) The Sweater Heard 'Round the World</b>- Grannies give the best presents: they get you the things mom won't, they spend half of their retirement money to make you smile, and they don't quite understand when gifts are not a good idea. Grannies aren't perfect though...they make mistakes just like the rest of us. When I was 8 years old, my sister and I were playing with our Hot Wheels in the living room when my mom brought out two identically wrapped packages and placed them under the tree. Immediately after she had left the room, we were shaking, smelling, and weighing the packages to guess their contents; the package was jingling. "Everything that jingles is fucking awesome", I said to my sister, "Granny gives better presents than mom, so I'm opening this bitch first." A few days later on Christmas, that is exactly what I did...just like the stupid, little bastard I was. Made with dark black, very fuzzy yarn, laid a knitted sweater in the bottom of my box. Picking the lump of fabric up with hesitation and fear, I unfolded the mystery. Two pointy ears, two giant eyes, a little pink nose, and a curved smile sat above a jingly bell: I was holding a kitty-cat sweater. I met my sister's eyes with horror when I realized what had just happened. "Put it on, put it on, put it on", my mother cooed, "I want to take a picture for your Granny!" Alyssa and I came tromping out of our bedroom, jingling like two awkward-looking, scrawny, rejected reindeer with frowns on or faces. "Meowwww", we mumbled as my mother snapped the photo.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>#3) Hindsight is always 20/20</b>- I resent that 10 years ago, this gift would have made my "Best Gifts Ever" list. As I unwrapped the small shirt-box, I was expecting a sweater or a pair of jeans from JC Penney like every other box under the tree probably contained. When I pulled the denim overalls out of the box, I was immediately stoked, but as I unfolded them and discovered the Looney Toons embellishments lining the pockets and straps, I peed my pants in excitement. "I am going to be the coolest girl in all of third grade", I said outloud, "I'll wear my hair in pigtails and I'll wear my favorite purple t-shirt underneath". When I see pictures of me wearing these Tweety Bird overalls, I cannot help but cringe. A comforting fact is that I recognize the distaste of Looney Toons (or Disney) embellished clothing and I'd rather view photos of myself at 10 years old wearing it than be seen in a Walmart wearing the same pair at 30 years old. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are all bad gifts, but they must have had some kind of meaning because I still remember every detail to this day. The truth is that sometimes a thoughtful, ugly gift is much more meaningful than a gift card or some body spray from the dollar store. And in regards to grannies, they must be able to predict the future...how did she know I'd grow up to be a cat lady?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Happy Holidays, everyone. Welcome back! :)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCODNyeUrHqZSvzM5OViNWLKYopyWLP2hrHZgA5kX2jBWDPAlSmmq-EQYDddQ8iwrKUmx3kVBIZ0InoMW9Ht4g7_Qhe7xOTNPq5Ft4c8VWl9U8nMErtq3EY2eA7PnNZsVMlxu3MZm1a3c/s1600/l_f8c0e9000fd942cab182628086fe01d7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCODNyeUrHqZSvzM5OViNWLKYopyWLP2hrHZgA5kX2jBWDPAlSmmq-EQYDddQ8iwrKUmx3kVBIZ0InoMW9Ht4g7_Qhe7xOTNPq5Ft4c8VWl9U8nMErtq3EY2eA7PnNZsVMlxu3MZm1a3c/s320/l_f8c0e9000fd942cab182628086fe01d7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-27495017973969439042010-12-07T09:29:00.000-07:002010-12-07T09:29:03.255-07:00Twenty Before 20 Novel Progress<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was too cluttered in the original Twenty post to keep track of all of the novels I've read so far, so I decided to make a separate post designated for that. It's not like I don't have at least ten posts just about books anyway...it's expected when you are unemployed and live with your cats. Here we go!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Autobiography of a Fat Bride- Laurie Notaro</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Flaming Tantrum of Death- Laurie Notaro</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One for the Money- Janet Evanovich</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two for the Dough- Janet Evanovich</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three to Get Deadly- Janet Evanovich</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Four to Score- Janet Evanovich</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A Million Little Pieces- James Frey </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh boy, I have a lot to do before my birthday. Because I've read all of these in the past month, it seems like I've done far much more than I actually have. Everyone already knows I'm a slacker though; I don't have an image to uphold anymore, but LOOK AT ME BLOGGING RIGHT NOW! High fives all around! :)</span>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-63844925948557832592010-11-15T12:43:00.002-07:002010-11-15T12:43:37.884-07:00Apology Monday!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hello beloved readers! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As we all know, I really suck at blogging. Here is my official apology though: I’m sorry. I’m moving this week and I will have consistent internet-access as soon as that happens, so I swear on my cats’ lives that I will be blogging more frequently than I have been. To be completely honest, the most exciting thing that has happened lately the speeding ticket I got last month. I really don’t even know what I would write about anymore, but I will figure something out soon. Please don’t give up on me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-Shelby</span>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-31705175156089510172010-10-10T19:15:00.000-06:002010-10-10T19:15:21.483-06:00I'm Worth Quite a Bit!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EBvkPjaiFybihktx_HNqlvBtcrm92AYwhcL41LU0MJzy_P1I4APwLf58VJ9YJaYNiYNQQ7qr5yCk7qKsGGM_wD0tf-bzZi5LHtbwl6m2M_v8iXZ0ZpqwZM3S_HwO_AsBnaJfwfekWWo/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EBvkPjaiFybihktx_HNqlvBtcrm92AYwhcL41LU0MJzy_P1I4APwLf58VJ9YJaYNiYNQQ7qr5yCk7qKsGGM_wD0tf-bzZi5LHtbwl6m2M_v8iXZ0ZpqwZM3S_HwO_AsBnaJfwfekWWo/s400/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nothing makes you feel really valuable quite like hearing someone say "I wouldn't trade you for a young mule". Apparently that's an 86-year old man's version of a compliment these days. Thanks, Uncle Jay...I'm glad that I'm worth more to you than a young mule, especially considering that you live in an apartment and I really don't know where you'd put a cat, let alone a donkey. I wouldn't trade you for a young mule either.</span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-67426753127377307132010-10-10T00:12:00.004-06:002010-10-10T18:17:09.554-06:00Agnes Rose<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Readers, I introduce you to Agnes Rose. Miss Rose is the portion of my personality that closely resembles that of an eighty-year old woman; this proponent of my personality is so dominant that I believe it deserves to be acknowledged, but calling it “the old lady in me” sounds a bit dirty. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I attribute many things in my life to my hidden-senility, including: </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My love of felines. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My distaste of 90% of today’s youth. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My sub-par driving abilities. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My poor eyesight. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My adoration of Betty White. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My compatibility with other elderly women. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My attachment to old books and photographs. </span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My addiction to yard-sales and clearance racks. </span></div></li>
</ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To be completely honest, if I was given the chance to spend time with only one generation for the rest of my days, I’d choose the elderly without any other considerations. Sure, they repeat almost everything they say and they cannot operate a remote control or anything that requires electrical current, but if you want an honest, pure, and interesting group of people, you’ve got it. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I spent at least 90% of my childhood summers sitting in nursing homes with whichever family member was residing in Glen Haven at the time. It’s not exactly how most children dreamt of using their time away from school, but I never minded it at all; in fact, I probably learned more at the Home than I did in school. Nursing homes really aren’t so bad: it was always like a party with all of my favorite people, actually. The food wasn’t terrible, the air conditioning was always functioning correctly, and almost everyone was happy to see an eight-year old, Dorothy Hammil look-a-like running around in Tweety Bird overalls. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think Agnes has been brewing inside of my personality for quite some time; probably since my days of green jello in the Haven cafeteria and Sunday morning bingo in the lobby. The truth is that I’d give anything to turn back time for a day: sit in the pleather recliner, listen to stories that have no relevance to anything in today’s world, and hug each of the loved ones that I’ve lost over the years just one more time. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am the way I am because when I was eight, my best friends were all at least sixty-five and couldn’t chew large pieces of food very easily. They taught me how to treat people with compassion, they taught me to always stand up for what I believe in, and they taught me that you should never pay for something new when you can find it cheaper at a thrift store. Agnes is a compilation of the many years I spent with my favorite people: my Granny Sara, Papa Sarge, Grandpa Hall, and Aunty Evelyn. This month makes five years (ten for Gramps) since I’ve lost them all, but I am reminded everyday that they’re in my heart because of the instantaneous U-turn I make when I pass a yard sale sign. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I miss you so very much. Thank you for all you taught me.</span> </span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4485622362929789363.post-38521960029202018222010-10-07T12:18:00.001-06:002010-10-07T12:19:42.752-06:00Welcome Back, T3!<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Happy Thursday, everyone! For most of you responsible, mature adults with jobs, Thursday is a very special day because that means you only have one day left until the weekend that you've been looking forward to since Monday morning. Thursdays are also a very special day on this blog because I get to pick three things to whine and complain about...which is actually pretty easy for me to do! Let's get started!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1) <b>Finding someone else's pornography stash</b>- "Wow, Shelby really just threw that one out there, didn't she?!" Yes, yes she did. The only thing worse than finding someone else's porno vault is when that person is: A) a relative, B) an old man, C) married to your grandmother, D) all of the above. Yes I am inappropriate and creepy for opening today's post with tales of grandpa's spank bank, but at least you aren't me. At least you didn't have to see it. </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2) <b>Motorcycles</b>- When a 25-year old, dark-haired, muscular man is attached to one of these two-wheeled death machines, I can almost appreciate what motorcycles bring to the world. Other than that, these things serve no purpose but killing people and causing me to have severe anxiety attacks when someone convinces me to strap myself to the back of one. I rode one yesterday for the first time in years and quite frankly, I don't know if that will ever happen again. I am okay...there was no accident or almost-accident, but when I asked where the seatbelt was and all I got was laughter, it made me a little uncomfortable.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3) <b>Traveling by plane</b>- It's faster, it's more efficient, and you're actually more likely to die on the way to the airport than you are while you're mid-flight. I don't give a fat shit about any of these things. My four-hour flight for paradise left at 12:55 AM out of Denver International Airport on Monday. I had a four hour layover in Charlotte, where I slept on urine-stained carpet, and then I had an hour and a half flight into Birmingham where my lovely grandmother greeted me. I reasoned that I could sleep during my first flight since I would absolutely be exhausted and probably wouldn't have the mental capacity to think about plummeting to my death as the plane exploded. This was before I discovered that I was seated next to a John Goodman look-a-like that obviously had a foreign object lodged in his nasal cavity, causing the loudest snoring I have ever fathomed. My flight was complete with 8 snoring men, 4 crying babies, and 12 catty women...all in a 4 or 5 row radius of my seat. Plummeting to my death didn't seem so bad after an hour or so. Somehow I always forget how much I hate flying once it's over, because I almost always elect to fly when I go on vacation. I almost always regret it, also.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I have a surprise for everyone</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> I am offering a guest post slot to Mr. John Hall, music producer, sometime in the next week or so. Mr. Hall has been married to my grandmother for almost 15 years and has extensive knowledge about everything there is to know about anything EVER, so it will most certainly be a treat for all who read his article. I'll probably give him free reign to write about whatever he chooses, and if it goes well, I will be recruiting my other wonderful, Southern family members for guest slots while I am vacationing here. This is something you will want to read, guys. Trust me.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Happy [almost] Weekend! </span></div>Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11992055360412200717noreply@blogger.com0