Just Another Day With Me

Bloggers

So I've pulled back on blogging. I've not been writing as much.  Sure I've emailed some of my friends.  But I haven't been posting on this blog. I almost left it as an "orphan" but decided to come back to it and write.  This whole social media phenomenon has pushed the internet on everyone, not just us introverts who took solace in our writing.  Everyone is a blogger, everyone is a writer, everyone emotes online.   Some of us have been doing this for years when others felt we were foolish or crazy to talk to people online.  I've watched everyone I know turn to the internet.  When we first got the internet in 2000,  I knew very few people who were online....  

Message boards and chatrooms.... then a few years later there was Myspace...  and Facebook and now its 2011 and everyone is "online'  not only are they online, they are constantly connected.   Constantly interacting with people, strangers, anyone. Constantly via their  smart phones, laptops, iPads... whatever they can connect with.   

I know I can't talk, I'm just as addicted as anyone, worse, I'm online constantly, that connection and I think I'd like to disconnect, just lose the email, lose the internet, and get my real life back.  But then I think my life has been made richer via many of the interesting, unique people I've connected with online.   I want to step back and write more, in this format, not on the microblogging forums.   

I have connected with my fair share of bloggers. I know everyone dreams of "fame" - Personally I would be happy with fortune. I think famous people have just as many problems as you and I.  Bloggers are obsessed with "hits" or how many people view their page.  Of course we are all self centered, the success of Facebook points to the level of that narcissism in our society. 

Part of the attitude of bloggers, I detest.  I love having a successful blog, its great to see hits everyday, but sometimes I have no desire.  I want to keep a journal, a diary of sorts, which if anyone reads I'm fine --big deal if they don't.

I actually don't like many of the succesful blogs I've read, they scream commercialism or politics.  Sincere? No.  Women's blogs are sarcastic, bitchy and like a comedien.  Some of the photographers are too serious....  I guess they are their creation...

I think I'm anti "promotion" to the level of advertising or seeking advertisers, because I do it from my heart, and I am not about having a million hits! I do love seeing where my hits come from though!  But yeah, I'm blogging on here again... 

I can't think of a photo for this post....  I like photos on posts.  But this song suits it....

 

Running and Rand

I think when I run.  Today I realized that I hadn't written about reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, which is a pretty big accomplishment, 1200 pages steeped in the history of the Soviet Union and a dystopic view of the future and the path society seems to be but should not take.   But, the book isn't totally dystopic it is a book of hope, or was for the people of the Soviet Union.  I didn't realize that Ayn Rand was Russian.  I didn't read the forward, because I rarely do..when I read I dive into the novel and to hell with whatever interesting background tidbits the author wants to share.   I jokingly said " why would anyone not in the 19th century would write a book like Atlas Shrugged." But, later found out that Rand was, indeed Russian. 

Perhaps not as readable as Tolstoy, some of the characters lack the depth.  There is passion but the love stories seem a little unrealistic (but hey I like them)  Dagny loves three men and ultimately the most powerful man in the world.  The one who can stop the motor.   It was a fascinating look at the worst parts of our society. Had I sat with a highlighter while I read (I was fighting of muscle cramps from holding it open)..I would have marked it thoroughly.   It is a book where you watch the "winners" in society slowly be drug down in the ditch and broken down by the jealous government and the mentality of looters..looting the successful taking what is theirs that they achieved through their abilities and making it everyones. 

In 2010 I see a  mentality jealousy, class warfare that is saddening, the haves and the have nots (yet the have nots have it better than any other generation).  I suppose it is human nature to envy those who have more.  It is human nature to want more than others.   We can not escape the nature of the beast.   We are only what are genetics allow us to be.    We are limited by our mental acuity, our IQ and our God given gifts and talents.  I realize not everyone is equal, but sometimes a genius has fewer people skills than someone who is mentally retarded, we all have our good points.   

What I love about Rand is she glorifies the Individual.  She's Atheistic.  I am not.  I believe in a higher power but I also believe in Reincarnation.   I believe in Carl Jungs theory of Synchronicity, I believe in mysticism and the other realm of being.  I am more of a deist, but I believe in the power of the Individual.  I do not believe in collective salvation.  I do not feel I am responsible for those in society who do not care to life them self above their situations.  I can feel sympathy and do.  But I do not feel that it is my plight.  I am a believer in the American spirit.   

Part of some of my major issues with the health care legislation is we have opened a whole new can of worms for societal legislation on food.  Prior to the health care act we were listening to the pundits constantly preaching about the "Obesity Crises" and there are probably 50 television shows about dieting.  I see so much of our societal problems as a crises of the individual.  Not a crises of obesity, healthcare...it is a problem of one.  The problem is you.  The problem is your motivation the problem is what you feel society owes you.   The world doesn't owe you,  nor do you owe the world.  You owe yourself.  

I digress back to running.  I have never been a fan of contact sports.  I am not a fan of "watching sports"  I wonder how much money our society spends watching sports.  Apparently they are so important that cities provide great tax breaks to these games.  That congress wastes my precious tax payer dollars to have hearings over sports.   Where I heard on the news last week a pundit saying the Government does have a vested interest in professional football... WTF I say.. WTF.   If the Government feels that they should have oversight into professional sports of course they feel they have the right to regulate me to death.   The government has a vested interest in protecting me from invaders from other countries, that is all. 

Running... is a sport for Individuals.   Women it seems, by observation and from friends are driven by peer pressure to exercise.  They have gyms for women only so men don't see them exercise (silly).  They have aerobics, Zumbaa, pole dancing or whatever....I know women who want to walk or run but won't do it alone.   Women, apparently travel in packs.   

I run because it makes me a better person.  I'm forever grateful to the person who introduced me to it.  I began because I wanted to lose weight because I wasn't happy with who I was.   I kept at it until it became a part of  me.  

I can sit around and make excuses for myself but when the clock rolls around to the time that I go run..I know that I must get up and get dressed and go out. I whine and complain if its cold.   I over dress...I pile on the fleece and a half a mile down the road in the ditch it goes.  

I was running tonight and a man with a broken down truck said to me "Its too cold to run."  Its never too cold to run.   Noting my shorts and leggings -  I didn't think it was cold enough.   Cold is water freezing in your bottle.   Cold is not 50 degrees.   But, I had a good run and was thinking about why it is nice being able to go alone, and not needing anyone to help you exercise.   

Running has changed my perceptions of what is normal.  To me a three mile run is a copout and I can do more.  To me...  if I don't get outside and get that sunshine I get depressed.  Today was the first day I went out in a week.  I find the anxiety creeps up on me and chokes me ... I get moody and restless but if I go run, I feel the calm as the endorphins rush in and create that rush.   

 I know so many in our society are chasing their own demons,  if the drug war in Mexico is any evidence many Americans are battling their acedia with illicit drugs, and many more are battling it with Alcohol, while there are those who chase religion and hopes of a better afterlife.   

People worship athletic figures,  people drive their children to exhaustion praying their little prodigy will be a great athlete.  Nothing annoys me more than seeing a 300 pound parent in the stands at a game screaming advice at their child about playing "the game." 

Personal responsibility, individualism..the desire to be a better me..thats why I run.   I don't ever want to be in a place where I need alcohol to cope, where I am driven to the dark edge of the abyss to my own personal insanity.  Running helps me cope with being me.   

This is one of my favorite songs..about the individual.  Freedom puts my faith in none of the above. 

 

Tea Bagged?

The other day I ranted about the fact that the Liberals while crying political correctness for everyone but those they didn't agree with (while apparently they like Osama Bin Laden and the rest of the Islamic Terrorists better than Conservatives).   Last weekend they were rallying for "sanity" in Washington D.C. and there were numerous signs about the "Tea Baggers" which if you don't know is a sexual term meant to be derogatory towards people who support this political movement.   I must admit that I'm not feeling so bad or insulted this morning because over all "We The People" showed the critics who got "Tea Bagged."  I hope they enjoyed it.  Nancy Pelosi said that the Tea Party wasn't real it was not "grass roots" it was "Astroturf." I wonder what she will say as she turns her gavel over to Speaker Boehner?   Tea Baggers indeed.   

America spoke last night?  Did you hear biased media?  Did the message come through loud and clear?  We are TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY.  We still don't know what is in your health care bill and we still don't want it Nancy Pelosi.  Mr. President, we are not the enemy.   Mr. President we do not believe in "Collective Salvation" and if you do, please feel free to move to China or North Korea.   This is America we believe in individualism.   

Oklahoma spoke loud and clear as the Republicans swept our state.  Oklahoma made me proud last night.  

Tea Baggers

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-100-best-signs-at-the-rally-to-restore-sanity 

I'm sitting here looking at the 100 best signs at the "Rally to Restore Sanity" put on by "Comedy Central" first of all I didn't watch the coverage on the television and have ignored reading links posted all day long on twitter. But let me say first and foremost that I am offended. It takes a lot to offend me.  The fact that people on the news can go on and on and on and on about someone saying something that might offend a Muslim or calling someone a Bitch, Retard or any other slur they can think of or, God Forbid someone says the "N" word, and I might add if you go on twitter and do a search for SAID word you will find people of color using it profusely with each other (and that is offensive too).   Yet, no one will say that.  Hypocrites....  (we are all guilty right?) 

Tea Bagger

1) A male engages in the sexual act of tea bagging. in which he stands over his partner and lowers his testicles into his partner's mouth, as if lowering a tea bag into a tea cup.

Now, there were THOUSANDS of people at this rally, there is no media issue with shouting this term on the news in the daytime hours in front of children. 

I have to say..it offends me.  

I believe in the Tea Party movement. I believe in its origins... So you irrational uneducated ones, you bleeding hearts who want to save the world; who only watch comedy central and read the Huffington Post listen to me now... 

TEA  means TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY.  Finding its origins in the original movement... The Boston Tea Party which happened after the Stamp Act was passed.   But enough with historical origins.  The Tea Party movement is a conservative movement for less government but it is not a pure "Democratic" movement.   It is a reactionary movement against outrageous government.  A bloated, unresponsive government who is turning its back on WE THE PEOPLE.  A government that ignores and won't  listen to the people.  A government that pats itself on the back, while the people cry out in despair.   While you, (oh ignorant ones) are wanting something from the Government too. You want the government to step in and care for you, you want the government to make life easy and happy for everyone.  You want the government to give cell phones and nachos  to the poor who won't  care for themselves, you want lollipops and rainbows.   You bleeding hearts do not understand that a handout is not the way out of poverty.   You don't understand what it is like to be poor.  

Liberals.. I want you to know that the "Tea party " movement who cries out Socialist has a very good reason to do so.  You see, unlike you who trust blindly in the Government we listen to the vocabulary they use, the rhetoric they spout.  We hear the soundbites like "Collective Salvation" and any person raised in the Soviet Union would cover their face and cry, any person who watched the Berlin Wall Come Down, who watched the peaceful Revolutions of 1989 are crying for America. Somehow there are things happening in this great nation that reminds me of Tienanmen Square in China...  where people speaking out were squelched by the state.  

While we spent many years trying to protect people from the "evils" of corporate America, corporate America was fleeing the country, fleeing the oppressive boot in the face regulations.  To produce in third world nations.  What is frightening is without production what do we have?  We  have nothing... we have a society of users, of moochers.    

People who once dreamed of America are watching us take a turn to our potential demise....  "Collectivism" is a term that was coined by the Socialists in the 1880s, it was used as a Utopian dream...While the good in people longs for a Utopian, human nature will always prevent it.  You can take from the producers for only so long.  The idealism of you lovers of lollipops and unicorns will fall by the wayside of the harsh reality of individualism.  As Ayn Rand said, a strong, rational being will never be enslaved. We will martyr our selves and our intelligence before we will become slaves to the incompetent ones.   

Collectivism is starkly opposed to Individualism.  So, why you will cry out to be unique (like everyone else) and tell people that you are an Individual; living and breathing the air and the freedom you feel you have the right to.  Realize that Collective Salvation will be our downfall.  I am not my brothers keeper.  When I hear pundits arguing that the Constitution, is not a living breathing document, it shakes me to my core, that there are people who would discount such a great document.   

There is no political statement stronger than a boot in the face.  Well, right now the Federal Government has its boot in the face of the American people.   We have a President who  is not even trying to Unite the people. He is the Great Divider.  I had a sense of optimism and yes, hope when he came into office.  But, he has left a sour taste in my mouth.  I hoped that the "racism" card wouldn't be played, but it has been played more.  If I don't believe in his policy I am deemed a racist.  If I don't believe in their rhetoric I am called a racist. If I am against a massive expansion of the welfare state I am a "racist"   If I call people using vocabulary with the word "collective" in it and calling it like the Websters Dictionary and Encyclopedia sees it...  "Socialist" I am called a racist.   But, my Grandfather  was an Indian, his skin was not white. Yet, I am a racist.   

I am an Individual. I watched Bill Maher insult me because I am a woman who supports the Tea Party movement.  I am called "Stupid" or "Ignorant" or uneducated, while I have been educated in History by some of the best and the brightest.  I have studied Russia and the Soviet Union at a greater depth than most Americans.  I read, I have read Rand's Atlas Shrugged. It draws eye opening parallels to our society, while being a scathing reaction to the Soviet Union of the 1920s. 

I used to believe that we are Rome, with our bread and circuses....  But, now I fear we are becoming Russia with Lenin at the Helm, while Lenin... soon passed on and Russia was left with Stalin.  

We are not Weimar Germany, we are not the French Prior to the Revolution.....  We are Russia in 1905.  But we  have hope.  I am not religious...but I believe that more of America should quit playing rock bands in church and building youth centers and  should read the red letter portion of the Bible.   Who is John Galt? 

 

Hey Vermont! *vote Republican..because y'all are crazy.

Let me just say OMG.  So, the TV is on CSpan at midnight...and it is like watching Saturday Night Live... The Vermont Gubernatorial Debate is on.  Let me introduce you to a couple of the candidates. 

Emily Peyton <--- tip, edit your page.  Seriously 

Cris Ericson <--- Perhaps the page won't load because she was high.. oh wait here is another one. Cris Ericson

Ben Mitchell  <--yeah a ball cap for a Governor debate.. Awesome Oh and he wants to redistribute your wealth...  Go to Russia or Cuba .  Now! 

Dennis Steele <-- LOOK HONEY A SECESSIONIST - he's a little better than some of the others. But he looks like a lumberjack.. I immediately thought of Monty Python sketches.  

Brian Dubie  A Republican..the only one who doesn't want to smoke weed... 

Peter Shumlin The Democrat... and we know he won't get elected.  

OH what a great question..mistakes in their personal lives..

Teach Your Kids Not To Be Assholes

OK,  parents, adults, teachers, policy makers  we are in this together for all of our kids.  I'm sure no matter what a rotten, judgemental person you may be you don't want your kids to turn out to be big assholes like you are.   So, I have a big suggestion and brilliant idea to help combat bullying in our country.  It is the "Teach Your Kids Not To Be Assholes" campaign.  It is a great anti-bullying campaign with a catchy title that is easy to remember. Its kind of like that whole "Do Unto Others" rule, which, despite your religious or lack of religious affiliation this idea  too could work for your family.   

So, if you aren't actually raising your kids and the television is, please allow me a moment of your precious time.   I have  a suggestion all you have to do is pull your kids aside as you drop the McDonalds bag on the table and tell them to be nice to other kids.  Your kids may whine that they don't like kids who are different (and  you may not either).  But it is imperative  to tell them that they need to be nice  to other kids despite their disabilities or personalities.  Because even kids who have serious issues in school don't need your mal-adjusted messed up kid to pick on them.   

You may have been the bully when you were in school.  You may have fond memories of giving swirlies, stealing lunch money, calling names.  I'm sorry you had no self esteem and got pleasure in picking on innocent victims, you may feel guilt about it now.  I believe that people who have overcome bullying are much stronger for it.   We shouldn't have to have kids killing themselves because you raised your kid to be a heartless , thoughtless inconsiderate asshole.   

Media, maybe you need to step back on picking on fat people. It seems to be a habit, look at all the "lets make fat people thin" programs .  I guess that doesn't bother me so much because my bullies were the fat girls.  So to this day... I've found that fat women always envy thin women...   Maybe you are causing some of the messed up adults who are raising messed up narcissistic kids. 

Now for the Rich parents who work so much you are never home...  You need to tell your kids that they shouldn't pick on another kid for being poor.  Kids can't help that some parents can provide more than other parents.  So remember when you get your five minutes of quality time in with your kids that the world isn't all about "stuff."  Just because a kid has more stuff or live in a bigger house doesn't mean they are better.  Besides - with one in five near Foreclosure and one in 8 in foodstamps I think the glass houses are pretty much gone.   

Now if your kid is part of the partying crowd, the drug and alcohol group.  If you don't think they are a suggestion is that  you need to check the liquor cabinet when you go out to the club. You might tell them that peer pressure is not cool and just because they want to drink or smoke weed, you need to tell them that they shouldn't pressure other kids to do the same.   

So if everyone would get behind me on this not being assholes to each other movement we might have a little bit better world.  I promise I'll quit telling fat people to exercise if they will quit making our legislature trying to tax my Soda and regulate what I eat.   

Believe me... nothing is worse than sitting  at home at night with a sick feeling in your stomach.  Knowing you have to go to school the next day. Trying desperately not to make eyecontact or sitting in class hearing the giggles and knowing its you they are making fun of.  Or going to the locker room and being confronted.  Having a whole class call you names.  Its horrible.   As an adult to be able to relate to why kids bring guns to school and to think to yourself the poor kids just got pushed to the point of breaking and didn't know how to deal with it or who to talk to.  To know why the kids didn't think they could take just one more day because the teachers allowed the bullying and no one was there to help them. 

Nothing is worse than being a parent  and to have a child  coming  to you crying his eyes out over being bullied.  Or is waiting for you to get home sitting on the porch because he got into a fight because words are powerful and other kids were calling him Gay so he threw a punch to show him he wasn't.   So maybe, parents we should teach our kids not to be assholes.   All of them.  We all have biases we all have prejudice and I promise most of us aren't as politically correct as we want our neighbors to think we are.  

America, we don't need new laws.  We don't need more lawsuits.  No amount of lawyers or lawsuits will stop this epidemic.  Laws won't help.  Humanity will help.  Our country is so divided, so many of the adults are financially strapped that they are more worried about money than raising their kids. Laws aren't the answer.  Parents are the answer.  Less YouTube, less People of Walmart, less FailBlog. I know we are obsessed with watching peoples humiliation and failures, I'm just as guilty.  Less Perez Hilton...less mean media stories.   We are  obsessed with watching peoples failures, not successes, because we are so envious of people who do things right.  

So lets do things right.  We may never be incredibly nice (we're old and jaded) but we can teach our kids to be nicer to one another, right?  

   Excuse my profanity but I just couldn't think of a better word... 

And kids... It gets better.  It really does.  

Food Stamps... The Solution

Food Stamps.  I'm not saying let the little children starve, and I think that truly is the Governments intentions is not to let innocent children starve.  But its a system out of control. 

Do away with "foodstamps" debit cards. 

Expand the commodity program bigtime, build and open warehouses to house the Government Cheese, if you've ever lived on the Rez  you've had the good Govt Cheese.  

Commodities provide the basics, food that you have to cook. Commodity Program. Beans and rice, potatoes, hearty filling food.  Vegetables.  Milk, eggs, flour, butter, oil, meat... food you have to cook. Food bought on the periphery of the grocery store.   Real food. Not food products.  Maybe popular writer Michael Pollan could help you decide what "food" is. 

This should be foodstamps.  

I guess I'm mean.  Do not allow people to calculate out of control housing costs into their foodstamp qualifier, its not my fault that they can't live within their means.  Back in the olden days - less than a 100 years ago people actually had to cook.  Flour was assistance, flour and beans... wow times have changed when the Government can't decide that candy bars aren't food stamp worthy.   

There is a saying that they used to say years ago: "Beggars Can't Be Choosers" yet we let the beggars choose our public policy.   

 

Food Stamps.... My Thoughts

41.8 Million people in the United States on Food Stamps.  That is a big check the government is writing every month.  BIG.  We are buying a lot of Frito Lays, Nachos, Frozen Meals, Ice Cream.  Everything but preheated foods.  I remember being in College, borrowing money and work studying my way through (I did have some Grants and scholarships).  But, I also had three babies while I was working on my undergrad degree (not saying I was that smart then).  I remember going to the store, with my potatoes, meat, canned veggies and pinto beans and being resentful behind a person driving a better vehicle than I did, with a cart of junk food.   Resentful, thats what I was and this is when I was under 21 years old.  Back then a family of four could draw in $400 a month in food-stamps, which compared to our food budget, was huge!  This is the mid to late 90s mind you.  

I want to know the foodstamp eligibility requirements. Foodstamps are now known as "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" Oh, "SNAP"  wait a minute, you can buy junk food with food stamps, so should we even be allowed to call it nutrition?  

Food-stamp Eligibility: You can have a vehicle and a vehicle payment....  Understandable I suppose. I kind of disagree - if you are making car payments of any sort you shouldn't' get food-stamps.  Food Stamp Eligibility (SNAP). This is the deduction that truly angers me: Shelter deduction. The shelter deduction is for shelter costs that are more than half of the household's income after other deductions. Allowable shelter costs include the costs of rent or mortgage, taxes, interest, and utilities such as gas, electricity, and water. For most households, there is a limit on the amount of the deduction that can be allowed, So it doesn't matter, if you borrowed too much for a house.  We are in essence rewarding people for being irresponsible, if they bought a house they couldn't afford they can deduct it and take foodstamps from the publics dole.  Nice country right?  While people who are responsible get punished and have to pay for these folks. 

What can you buy with foodstamps? Pretty much anything.  No Alcohol, but energy drinks and soda is in, it is kind of funny. There is a big argument with what is food and what isn't.  Because the government can't take a stand and narrow down its options, however the WIC program can narrow down its requirements as to what kind of  food a Pregnant woman can use. I was on WIC back when I was young and dumb before my kids arrived.  http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/eligible.htm

This is a problem people.  The government just took over healthcare and they can't fucking decide that people they (the government is FEEDING) cannot buy food that is unhealthy!!! WTF America?  So they will tax it for the people that actually is spending hard earned money. Hard working Americans face drug testing to get jobs and keep jobs in the government.  Yet the great enabler won't test people for drugs to get foodstamps.   

Another problem is I've read many articles of legislators throwing the idea of taxing soda around because we are all so huge because we drink soda (pop). Me 33 years old, in shape and thin, drinks a obscene amount of Mountain Dew a day.  I'm not fat.  I exercise, damnit.  Why should I be taxed because I exercise and drink a lot of pop?  Really Government. Not to mention you talk of foodstamps and poverty,  while when on food stamps your food purchases are not taxed by State or Federal Government.  So, the tax on Soda would in effect not affect the poor at all, they wouldn't be taxed for drinking soda.  Just us people who pay our way.  So, that is NOT FAIR.  At least New York is trying to ban the sale of Soda... NYTimes..Ban Soda for Food Stamps.  Why the Soda thing pisses me off so much is I drink copious amounts of the sugary liquid and I EXERCISE.   

So, the government is heavy handed in the business of regulating food and housing.  The way the food stamp regulations are written it is a distinct advantage to be living in your expensive upside down mortgage with a $500 a month car payment, because, wow the government works for those who are doing everything wrong.   I have a solution for food stamps, and I think perhaps they shouldn't be as appealing.  Maybe I'm just a big ole' meanie to think that people getting free food should only get free food that they have to cook.   But, hey, when I buy food, and trying to eat healthier (or at least cleaner) I want to buy food that I have to cook or bake.  

What To Do.. well I'll write another post with my solutions to the lets feed everyone on drugs and in an upside down mortgage and big car payment.  

Hoarders

So, I haven't been productive today.  A little bit now that I finally decided that my problem with today is incredible humidity and asthma.  I've medicated now.   And after watching Man Vs. Food (love that show) and now Hoarders is on behind me. I note that the words "crises" --I had to turn it off.  Really pissed me off, these people call hoarders to GET HELP this woman comes in and calls social services on them? You HAVE to be kidding me.  These in my opinion stupid people contacted a TV show to get help and the woman who is brought into help sics the Government on them????They should take an example from the crew at BBC 's How Clean Is Your House in how to treat people.  They treat people respectfully.

The whole Hoarder genre of TV programming  has to be one of the most disgusting disrespectful couple of shows I've ever seen.  I hate the music and the whole "horror music" and the fact that it makes these people look like "sad, pitiful losers' you know what, they are people and they have homes and yes, some of them have serious issues with stuff, but guess what most Americans have serious issues with stuff.

Our consumer society and "health of the economy" is based upon retail sales and postings - our society is dependent upon people buying lots of stuff and subsequently throwing away stuff.  A throwaway consumer society.  Now we demonize and threaten those who do not fit that typical lifestyle.  

Word to the Hoarders.... "What happens with hoarders...stays with hoarders"... 

I think our society no longer values private property, adults living in their own trash, well thats an adult living how they feel comfortable.... you can't change people. and to those children who won't visit their parents because they don't like how they live, I think they are a great big waste of humanity to treat their parents like that because they aren't "comfortable with their parents lifestyle."  

I think that we are now making an issue about people who just aren't good at something. Some of those people do have mental illnesses, but I guarantee you there are a lot of people who may not have been raised in a neat and tidy home but it doesn't mean that they aren't good people.  

We are such an absolutely judgmental society when there are people in third world nations who live way worse than the worst of the hoarders. 

 

Yard Overgrown

Here it is Sunday Morning.   Now, my yard looks like my house is abandoned, the lawn mower  hasn't started in ages and the husband has been on the road constantly or sick.  Today.  He fixes. The Lawnmower.   The Puppy (I say puppy but I dare you to set foot on my property at night- puppy is a Shepherd mix and looks bad ass already) has shredded anything he can find and has left it in the yard.  Sure am glad there is no neighborhood association or community to bitch at me about making their property values lower (oh yeah, people your property values are getting lower anyways).   

So, guess what, no one is harmed by my yard being one ugly mess.   It won't hurt anyone, people who drive by may shake their heads and call me a redneck (who cares).   But, I'd like to get it mowed - the weeds are growing up over my porch stairs.  

Soon people will be stopping by at my parents asking if that "abandoned house" is for sale.   Ummm...no.  I told my kids I was going to paint the exterior hot pink and purple and they begged me not to...Ok, well maybe a nice shade of yellow or hunter orange.   

Oh, read an article in Time about the whole "Is buying a house obsolete" or something to that nature. Guess what 30 year mortgage owners...you are BUYING  a house... for thirty years.  Guess what.....  you can say its "your house" but the bank owns it.  Stop paying and see what happens.  Until you quit making payments (thirty years later) it truly is not YOUR home it is the BANKS home.   So, I know you get tax breaks and can paint it what you want (yada, yada, yada) but it is really not your HOME until you OWN it free and clear.  So shut up about "owning a home."  

What is funny we watched someone do a $12,000 bathroom renovation on a home show last week.  $12,000 on a BATHROOM.  Seriously people..and then a show about people who borrowed a MILLION dollars to start a vineyard and build a house that won't even show a profit for years, while working two jobs and having babies in the midst of it all!!! Insanity.   I cannot imagine borrowing $100,000 -  I seriously can't.  I don't want that burden over my head.   

Did you ever hear Dave Ramsey talk about how the "debtor is a slave to the lender"  this is the case with supposed "home ownership." Because people don't really "own" their homes, they are long term renters.... their name may be on the title but they are a slave to that $1000-$2000 a month payment and when people don't have the job stability that they did 30 years ago it creates a mess.  

Guess what.... I OWN my home now.  A true "home owner"  no bank can tell me anything about it.   Oh, and in only five years, and my home is only 12 years old.  Sometimes it pays to be a "trailer trash" redneck.  Because we own our home, that is why I can officially be called a "housewife." 

Have a great Sunday.   Live simple.  I love expensive things... I love going places but I don't love lots of debt and lots of bills.  If I have to have to borrow money to do something, I generally won't do it.   Right now, my bills are paid, my kitchen is filled with food and life is pretty good.   I do miss my income, because as a teacher you make a decent wage but, the fact that my house is clean and I have time to do everything I need to and we are still making it fine,  is worth not having that money.