FLYlady

http://www.flylady.net

This amazing website has changed my life. I'm finally getting my house in order and clearing the clutter that has followed me. Take a look and come FLY with me, you'll be glad you did!

Gratitude - November 15

• I am grateful that I was able to get some overtime today, even if it meant getting up at 3:30 a.m. on a Saturday!
• I am grateful that I bought two 32 ounce Camelback water bottles so I can gauge how much water I'm drinking in a day!
• I am grateful for my friends who are always patient with me and love me unconditionally. Thanks boys and girls!

What are you grateful for? I've recently learned to look at my life and find three things to be grateful for each day. It took a class assignment in an on-line class to get me to see the optimistic side of life for a change, but I'm glad I finally have!

Plastic Bags

I was recently sent this link to a slide show created by a newspaper in Stroudsberg, PA called the Pocono Record. It really touched me so I though I would pass on the link to any and all interested.

I'm no bleeding heart, but I think this is a pretty important cause. I purchased a few re-usable bags my self in the past few months and just earlier today downloaded a pattern to sew tote bags that can be re-used. I plan on making these and giving them as Christmas presents to friends and family. I'm pretty broke this year, so at least it's something better than a cheesy card or something!

Take a look at the slide show and see if you're willing to make a change in your shopping habit. Even if you just bring ONE re-usable bag into the grocery store, it makes a difference. I now have 4 of them. It helps when bringing in the groceries, too. The baggers at the store tend to over-stuff the sturdier reusable version. This means less trips to the car! Hooray!

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - October

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There is a wide array of things you can buy to help support the cause. My favorite fitness-based product is the pink kettleballs from Kettleball Inc. (http://kettlebellinc.com/products/index.php) Not only do these offer a whole new way to work out with weights, they support a great cause, and $2 from each sale goes to the Susan B. Komen Foundation in Dallas, Texas.

October is also National Domestic Violence Awareness month. The color for this cause is purple. I would love to see Kettleball Inc come out with purple Kettleballs and support an equally great organization.

The Kettleball, Inc. website offers routines on using the kettleballs for fitness and the kettleballs can also be used in the Crossfit workouts http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#KBs and can be incorporated into your daily workout routine just as dumbbell workouts can!

Gratitude

I'm required by my Women's Health professor to write down three things that I'm grateful for every day. I chose this assignment instead of the "Daily Serenity Time" because I'm not really into that new-age hippy holistic stuff. I do think the Gratitude Journal is a great idea, however, and I'm actually looking forward to keeping this journal!

My first entries in the journal are:

• I'm grateful for my daughter's laughter. It can brighten even the darkest of days and moments. It has become my absolute favorite noise of all time!
• I'm grateful that I have a job. It may not be the exact job that I love or want right now, but it helps me to provide for my daughter and allows time for me to go to school to figure out what I want to be when I grow up :)
• I'm grateful for the positive role models in my life. From my mom to my Bible study group, to my closest friends, I have learned so much from each of these amazing mentors and continue to learn each day.

So, what are you grateful for today? I have found that when I have trouble finding something to be grateful for, I can be grateful that I am alive and breathing. Able to enjoy another day on the planet that God made for us!

What's the deal?

I'm getting a little bit irritated with this whole election business. Why is it that people keep saying Sarah Palin won't be able to handle herself with Vladamir Putin? Seriously? we're going to downplay the VICE Presidential candidate for not being able to "go toe-to-toe" with a Russian Prime Minister? It's not like she's going to be boxing him for the title of biggest world power or something. And the fact that she's the VICE Presidential candidate hasn't even been taken into consideration? Wow, we've already theoretically killed off John McCain and put Palin in the presidential slot and now she's battling Putin for the World Title, huh? Yowzah! Looks like we're in trouble.
I personally like Sarah Palin because I think she is a great speaker. Her very first speech was performed from memory, or at least appeared to be, while McCain kept looking at his notes before introducing her. Since the press keeps battling Palin and Obama anyway, lets make her the candidate instead of McCain. Sounds great - a Palin/McCain ticket!

Is Parenthood Similar to a Disability?

Since having my daughter seven months ago, I've frequently wondered if being a parent isn't some form of disability.

As a parent, it takes at least twice as long to get ready for something (i.e. travelling, grocery shopping, brushing your teeth!) as it did when I was single. I have since warned my friends that my spontaneity is no longer thriving and I require at least a two hour notice before venturing out into the real world.

Then there's a little disorder I like to call "Mom-nesia." I once heard the term on a news segment and recognized it as something I could definitely sympathize with. Momnesia can be blamed for misplaced items; trips into the next room that end in you scratching your head, unable to remember why you ventured out of the prior space; making it all the way to the mall or store and realizing your wallet was sitting on the kitchen table; only bringing one diaper and no wipes on a three day trip to Tahoe; and any other memory loss that you wouldn't expect out of your average quarter-lifer!

While I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything in the world, I do miss my sanity at times.

It Takes a Village

I was thinking the other day about just how much it actually takes for a family to raise a child. Most likely brought on by the fact that my boyfriend is away on military orders for a few weeks and I'm having to elicit the help of friends and family to take care of my daughter.



My mom has all but moved in for the weekend because I'm working nights. So, not only do I need someone to watch Reese at night while I'm at work, but I also need someone to watch her during the day so I can sleep.



I know my mom absolutely loves my daughter and enjoys taking care of her, but a baby is a lot of work. Not to mention she is dealing with my roommate and his 5 year old daughter who is staying with us for the summer, which is not always the easiest thing. She's a good kid, possibly spoiled beyond all help, but nonetheless, a good, healthily inquisitive five year old, who just screams for attention, literally.



Then there are my best friends. Katie has done so much for me. She will come to my house and pick Reese up while she runs errands just so I can go to the gym or get a few hours of much needed shut-eye. Rene', who recently migrated back up north from San Diego, is always willing to pitch in and help, too. Seriously, what better friends could you ask for?!



So, even though I'm "Baby-Daddy-less" for a few weeks, we have the childcare issue covered. I couldn't do it with out my amazing mom and great friends. It truly does take a village to raise one tiny little baby girl!

Help the Honey Bees

I recently heard about the problem we're having with honey bees. This is not just a local problem, but a dilemma that reaches to all corners of the earth. Did you know that one third of the food that we as Americans eat can be directly linked to honey bees? Ok, I'm not trying to get up on my soapbox and preach to you all about some tree-hugging hippy cause that no one cares about. This is actually a very serious problem. Can you imagine what would happen if there were no more honey bees?

No more honey bees would mean no more fresh produce like pears, cherries, tomatoes, cucumbers. No pumpkins for Halloween. No almonds or other nuts. Why what would our neighborhood squirrels eat? According to the San Francisco Chronical, honey bees are "responsible for $15 billion in agricultural crops each year." This number might be a lot closer to double that according to a more recent article by the same news source. That's a lot of money, people! And without the honey bee, that's a lot of people out of work, too! With an already increasing unemployment rate, this is cause for great concern.

Another cause for concern- prices of the goods we desire will continue to rise. As the value of the almighty U.S. dollar continues to deflate, the price of goods is already on its way up. Add to that the shortage of fruits and vegetables, and we are headed for some painful grocery shopping excursions. Don't think that this will only effect the cost of fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Oh, no. What is it that you think they make frozen, dried, dehydrated, less nutritional versions of these foods from? That's right, you have to have the real thing in it's purest form before you can start altering that which God created.

Help out by planting some flowers and avoiding pesticides and herbicides. Just a few plants can make a big difference.

Daily Happenings in Iraq

"On February 20, 2004, at approximately 0955 hours, while on vehicle patrol as a gunner of MSR Tampa (North) between Balad, AFB and Taji, FOB I observed a large military truck (Hemmit) that was broken down on the right side of the roadway. As we approached, I noticed a Hemmit wrecker backing up to hook the broken truck up for towing purposes. I also observed a soldier behind the wrecker attempting to ground-guide the wrecker into place. It was apparent that the driver did not see the ground-guide and backed over him. The soldier, who was acting as ground-guide, later identified as SFC Bacon, was taken into the wheel-well of the vehicle and crushed by the weight of the wrecker. At this time bystanders were yelling at the driver to stop and the driver put the vehicle in “drive” and pulled forward, running over SFC Bacon’s body, again.

My squad leader, SSG Morris, had previously given me a Med-Evac request card and I began to fill it out with the information I could obtain. I called for a medical support helicopter as our medic, SGT Samantha Baskette disembarked the vehicle and began to render first aid. SFC Bacon was pronounced dead on scene and after the helicopter retrieved SFC Bacon’s body, we returned to routine patrol operations."

The events of that day still haunt me. I can see his body being pulled into the wheelwell like a cartoon character under a steamroller...

The Beauty Myth

“How can you tell if a blond has been using a computer? There’s white out on the screen!”[1]

In our society beauty and brains seemingly correspond. Our culture is based on the assumption that those who are beautiful are far from intelligent. Those who are attractive and express themselves with emotion and creativity are considered very weak and inferior to those who have indifference to pleasure or pain and are not worried about their looks. This is not the case for women, alone, but also for attractive men. The terms “dumb jock” and “dumb blond” both come to mind.

Women are viewed by many men as lesser beings who are around to be aesthetically pleasing and to answer to man’s every command. Those women who try to break out of the role of servitude and establish a level playing field with men are often seen as radicals, and often mistaken for lesbians or man haters. Those women who are attractive and successful, simultaneously, are scrutinized as bitchy and overbearing.

In the military, those women trying to fit in with men are chastised for the actions. When Lynndie England was witnessed leading Iraqi prisoners around on a leash and laughing and pointing at their genitals, she was made to be the focus of the entire investigation. Never mind that England was a female in a male dominated military and stationed in a male dominated country.

While trying to fit in and be accepted as an equal among her fellow soldiers, England acted in ways she expected would gain her this acceptance. And it did. Her fellow soldiers, and mainly her older boyfriend, who took part in the “atrocious” activities of humiliating terrorists in front on an international level, did accept England as one of their own.

When the pictures and the news of this activity hit the international media, it created an uproar. How could a woman treat these detainees this way? Holding England to a double standard and showing complete disregard for the fact that the terrorists who were not in detention facilities were capturing American soldiers and beheading them on international television. Once a woman tries to inflict some torture or humiliation on detainees who refuse to abide by the Geneva Convention rules, she is ostracized by the international community and called a “bad seed” by her own government.

George Neumayr summarized the events of Abu Ghraib prison in the American Spectator:
“The image of that female guard, smoking away as she joins gleefully in the disgraceful melee like one of the guys, is a cultural outgrowth of a feminist culture which encourages female barbarianism …. This is Eleanor Smeal’s vision come to life.”[2]

This type of response demonstrates an intolerance of those women who try to fit in with men, in a male dominated society. It shows that women are expected to act a certain way because of how we look and how our chromosomes say we should.

Those women, who try so desperately, to fit in with their male counterparts, are viewed as transgressive, and let power go to their heads. The pressures from society to fit in, is what consumes these women. They have to be beautiful, but if they are beautiful they are considered unintelligent. If they are intelligent our society, a patriarchy, will designate them as unattractive.
Instead of embracing differences as attractive qualities, they are interpreted as flaws, ugly and out of place. Our society has created this super-human vision of what we think beautiful is, and the forms of medium are far from innocent in this development. The media in our country has played a vital role in the stereotyping and dehumanizing of women.

Through television shows such as “The Swan” and “Extreme Makeover” women as a culture are taught that we are not good enough the way we are; that, unless we get multiple painful surgeries, we will never be good enough to meet societal demands. Popular women’s magazines such as “Cosmopolitan” and “Marie Claire” which use airbrushing and other photo-altering techniques to make their models appear more “perfect” and flawless, are also major contributors to the perfectionist attitude about appearance that our country has been caught up in for years, nay, decades.

When our culture can put away thoughts of an ideal image of perfection, and begin celebrating individuals for their uniqueness, we will begin to truly understand what it means to be beautiful. Until then, we are stuck with the contemptible view of dumb blonds and dumb jocks.

[1] www.zelo.com/blonde/atwork.asp
[2] Pop Culture is Us: Two Essays on a Theme. Susan J. Douglas and Catherine Orenstein, pg 526. Women’s Voices Feminist Visions.

Equity in School Athletics – Changes to Title IX

Title IX states that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance,” but there is still an uphill battle waging for equality for women’s athletics in the education system.
On March 18, 2005 the Department of Education released a policy guidance called “Additional Clarification of Intercollegiate Athletics Policy: Three-Part Test – Part Three.” This policy provides new guidelines for establishing equal representation in athletic programs, changing the way equality in these programs is analyzed. Instead of collecting accurate measurements of participation by considering factors such as “the opinions of coaches and administrators, or participation rates in sports in surrounding high schools or recreational leagues,” the policy provides an opportunity for institutions to prove they are in compliance with Title IX through an e-mail based survey of students of the underrepresented sex. The third part of this test is a survey asking these students of educational institutions who do not have equal representation in athletic programs, if their interests and abilities have been “fully and effectively accommodated by the present program.”
The problem with a survey is that many people are not likely to take the survey unless they are forced to. The third part of this new policy guidance provides a loophole for educational facilities to focus money for athletics on the programs of their choice and still be in compliance with Title IX. By sending out an electronic survey to the underrepresented sex regarding equality in sports, the schools will not receive an accurate account of the interest of their students. It is not fair to say that the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex have been met if you can not establish a credible measurement of interests and ability. A survey cannot provide an accurate measurement of ability.

We Have Poop!

Finally! Yesterday morning while I was asleep, my mom came in and let me know Reese had a poopy diaper. Oh, happy day! I never thought I would be so happy for a poop! I'm just glad good 'ol grandma got to change it and not me :) We had given her 1 oz of prune juice and a little bit of water. Thank goodness it worked. Apparently the prune juice really is a laxative. Gotta keep her regular! Just in case, I went out and bought some baby oatmeal instead of rice cereal. That rice cereal just doesn't have enough nutritional value I think. Tried the oatmeal this morning and it didn't go over too well. Maybe I'll mix it with some peaches or pears tomorrow...

Poop Update

No poop yet. I'm getting really worried. She might be sick. No fever, and she's not upset or in pain. We called the Advice Nurse today. She was no help. She said to wait till 7 days of no poop, then get worried. All I know is that if I went 7 DAYS without pooping, I would not be feeling too great! So, for a six month old to go that long must seem like forever. And what happens when she actually does poop? Is it going to hurt her? I read on a baby website to try baby supositories, but really DO NOT want to go there. If she doesn't poop by tomorrow, we're going to the doctor!!

Cool Site

I just came across a great site called wellsphere. It gives you nutritional information on the food at your favorite restaurants through their "wellternatives" application. Since I'm trying to eat better and live an all around healthier lifestyle, I wanted to pass on this great site. There are a bunch of other great resources on the site besides the nutritional guide, but that's my favorite. It reminds me of that book Eat This, Not That but is (obviously) web based. Enjoy, and happy dining!

5 Minute Abs

Okay, so I just came across a link on Yahoo Health called "5 Minute Abs" written by Lucy Danziger the Editor-in-Chief of Self Magazine. Lucy claims that bicycle crunches for 5 minutes a day will give you a chiseled middle and rock hard abs.

Great, Lucy, I'm glad that in your little bubble of a world you can do crunches for 5 minutes a day and have your very own portable washboard for your laundry. Meanwhile back in the real world of obese and morbidly obese Americans, some of us need a little more work than five measly minutes a day. Not only will this not work for us, but with this kind of false encouragement, our kind will only get bigger and bigger. "But, Luce, I did my five minutes!" Give me a break. Unless we eat better - as in not shovelling loads of sodium and sugar infused crap into our mouths - we will never be able to SEE the abs under the flabs!

Perhaps there should have been a disclaimer with the article: Lard-o's need not waste your five minutes. Just try to cut up an apple and eat some almonds instead. That will do you much better than a bicycle crunch.

Don't get me wrong, in Basic Training I loved the bicycle crunch. I just think it's very unrealistic to believe that one move for five minutes a day will change your entire life. You need to add some cardio in there and lift weights, too. If you really want to see results, cut out refined sugar, soda, sodium, and anything with ingredients you can't pronounce. These are not good for you and are contributing to the Obesity Epidemic plaguing our nation.


Need more help? Read "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno, a fitness competitor from Canada. It's not one of these fad diets that everyone is so crazy about. It's actually a lifestyle change. If you follow the examples she outlines for you, you will see results. I did before I got pregnant. It takes a little while to take yourself off the sugary crap that we all love, but it is so worth it! You just need motivation... which I am lacking a bit right now.

On Poop Alert

"Houston, we have a problem."

My six month old daughter hasn't pooped in nearly three days. I've been searching for answers on what I should do because I don't want her to be uncomfortable. Babycenter.com says that it is normal for a baby to go a few days without pooping but that they shouldn't go more than four days without some movement. She has had a lot of gas, so I know stuff is moving around down there. I'm just worried that she will be pooping out little rocks and it will be painful for her.

My step-mom told me if she doesn't go tomorrow I should give her an ounce of prune juice and some water. I am trying it tomorrow if she doesn't handle that business tonight! I really don't want to push a suppository up her little bum!

I'll post updates soon!

Embarking on a New Journey

A year ago, I never would have thought that I would be sitting here chastising myself for some of my decisions and praising myself for others.

Okay, so I have a six month old daughter who is the light of my life. I wouldn't trade her for anything, but I must say, it's tough being a single mother. I look back on my life and think of all that I have accomplished, and of all I still want to accomplish in the future. At 24 years old, I have some tales to tell...

From finding love to losing it, then seeing it pop up again, randomly; going to war and figuring out how to cope with all my feelings now that I'm home; and now stuck in a profession that I'm not quite sure I like anymore. The single mother thing undoubtedly threw a wrench in things, but it was a good twist. Now I'm finally going back to church and trying to be the best woman I can be, as an example to my daughter.

I'm not perfect and I don't really want to be. I believe that perfection is boring and our flaws are what make us interesting, and tollerable!

This is my journey to find myself and to figure out my place in life. Being that I'm somewhat of a "Tom-Boy" I also like to dress up and look good once in a while. I'd love to lose about 30 pounds for myself, but also for my best friend's wedding next year. Being the token fat bridesmaid is something I NEVER want to be again!

So, enjoy reading my antecdotes and feel free to leave some comments, questions, advice, or other tid-bits of knowledge. I love learning something new each day!