So, What IS "Normal", Anyway?

So, I've been soul-searching to discover my "purpose" ever since I can remember. I mean at like six years old I was imagining what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was a product of television for sure. Brady Bunch, My Three Sons, Bewitched, The Donna Reed Show, Happy Days, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Welcome Back Kotter, Maude, Dallas, Falcon Crest....I had this "illusion" that even the worst of problems could be solved swiftly and all relationships were mend able within thirty minutes.

Living within this false reality made true reality even harder to comprehend. I mean all the information filtering in from T.V. land was quite frankly false data. So, when real life played out differently it felt "abnormal".

But "normal" is a term that has changed so tremendously it is almost unrecognizable. I mean split up families, a plethora of addictions, physical abuse, unemployment, psych drugs, methadone clinics, a defunct legal system, a sad medical program, nation-wide hunger, poverty are all the "norm". It's hard to be shocked by anything anymore.

Parents complain about music, video games, porn, and the Internet. Our society is so pumped up to "run" with technology. We put out all this information and data in obscene quantities and we know not what we really are doing. Do we all really have the "right" to all information? I mean we all should have the right to research and discover truths but just because some hillbilly puts a meth recipe on line, or racial hate opinions into young minds do we all have the right to it?

What kind of society has to have an actual "law" written down saying not to murder? Isn't that a no-brainer? Isn't it "normal" to want EVERYONE to be happy and fulfilled? Is it so abnormal that I want my peace and internal satisfaction to be no easier nor harder to achiever than my neighbor?

Has the "abnormal" torture we rarely could even imagine in our most horrible nightmares become the everyday? Am I just becoming saddened to the point of paralysis? Normal is perception just like everything in this life. I used to know the world was good, people were kind, everyone loved to make others smile and I could have and do anything I want in this world. I didn't "think" these things were true; I KNEW they were.

So, what's changed? When did I lose focus of the mushroom and just see the manure? When did I start to assume "the other shoe" always drops? When did it become so easy to say "life sucks"?

I believe in the power of positive energy and the healing power we all have. But, I've lost sight of my own. I lost sight of it a long time ago, but today is when I realized it. Hmmmm...now what? Where do I go from here?

NEVER NORMAL

An amazing sense of inner peace washes over me. I'm just as pensive as always but, for some reason, I don't hurt. It's a little scary. I can't remember the last time I didn't hurt.

Not like pain in the sense of a broken toe, but rather a broken soul. The kind of hurt that starts before you even recognize its impact. That constant aching feeling within a void that seemingly will never be filled. Its thirst is never quenched and its hunger never fed.

I look around at the people in this world and I wonder if they, too, have this horrible hollow hell that is ever-so-slowly swallowing their being.

Everyone looks so "normal". People go to work, pay bills, have kids, buy homes, lease Hummers, shop in malls, fine dine, attend churches, rent movies, and email family. Do they do these things as complacently as they seem to? Have we, as a nation, really settled into such a rut?

I ponder great things. I question ALL things. I wonder what it's all about....outside this "society" we've created. There is a world thriving with life. One without boundaries of society. And outside this world, there are others in the universe. I can and do sit for hours imagining what else is out there. Galaxies, worm holes, suns, planets being born, and stars dying.

We are but grain of sand. Not on a beach full of sand, or on a planet full of beaches, but even on a grander scale. We are a grain of sand in the universe! Can you wrap your brain around that? Do you ever think about it? Or are you fixated on the electric bill, the reports for work, the clothes that need picked up at the dry-cleaner and your daughter's recital?

When did you decide dreams are illusions? When did coming home from work, eating a meal and watching American Idol become a good day?

C'mon, I'm not the only one who finds this lack of adventure and loss of journey to be discerning.

I love the possibilities. I love potential. I crave answers. I want to live life without the husband, without the kids, with a job not a career, without a mortgage and without certainty. I like getting lost in the stars and dreaming of life in another galaxy. I like the excitment of never knowing what comes next.

I'm not saying the basic things like money and a home are beyond me. But I like to keep it simple. I like to save my energy for creative thinking...I like to express my thoughts and having time to ponder them is crucial.

I never want to be normal. And I don't think I have to worry too much. As long as I can remember,I've been anything but.

WE ARE ON MARS, PEOPLE!!!

This has got to be one of the coolest things I've been priveledged to be alive during. Check this out! PeoplePC - News

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

TODAY IS THE PERFECT DAY TO SIMPLY APPRECIATE

FOR THE RECORD

So, let me quantify my last few entries:

I believe I will have what many of us want:

and that's the Act Of Love for always and forever with the the only soul mate I've ever infinitely known.

Of course, as of this moment I'm unaware if I do indeed already know who that is so I might as well say....

...I know it will become but i know not with whom nor when. But I am no longer even slightly in doubt.

With such clarity, my friendships will flourish and my heart will be at peace. Everything will be revealed in it's own time.

OMG! COINCIDENCE OR HOPE?

So check this out.....

I subscribe to www.theuniverse@tut.com which is a very cool website. It sends me "Notes from The Universe" daily. Now if you've read my previous blog entry on May 20th, you know that I said, and quote: "...when i looked into his eyes the first time and every single time since, without fail, i Feel like i am looking into the eyes of the only soul I've ever loved through life after life after life."

Okay, I know you may be thinking "corny". That's not all false...lol. However this was my message from "The Universe" today:

"You know that dreamy look of deep, soulful love you've sometimes seen in the eyes of another as they gazed into your own?

Expect a lot more of it

Whooooooooooooohoooooooooo!!
The Universe"

Now ain't that something! Huh, and I thought no one was listening..Heehee.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Every interaction, no matter how insignificant it may seem, impacts your life and alters your perceptions if even in the slightest manner and it does so forever and ever.....Cool, huh?

EVERY MOMENT COUNTS.

DREAMS

I know not what is to come of these dreams....
For there is no preface it seems.

But if what i speculate is true and about...
There can be not a glimmer of doubt.

For if even a glimpse of an idea to fail....
will only allow such thoughts to prevail.

So with these words, i wish for you...
to project only what you expect to come true.

And expect it all, my dear friend...
For all you will gain is a happy end.

inspired by: The Universe

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Just when you think it's over.......think again!

NOTE TO SELF

Stood up twice now by Tommy......Perhaps all he was there for was to remind me that the ability to feel is still within me just dying to come out!!

I'm a little sad, but mostly I'm thrilled to know I had even the spark.

WHATS GOING ON?

I wrote this at 1:27 a.m. on May 20th.....

Okay, so I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. Racing thoughts were streaming in my mind like a slide show. The one though that kept repeating over and over again was "Tommy". Now, he and I just got "reunited" so to speak. I asked Deb to have him call me and he did. I was surprised to say the least.

See, the first time my eyes met his, I felt an electricity through my entire soul that was unlike any other experience I've ever had. I was involved with someone when I first met Tommy. But there was and still is no comparison. It's not that the "someone"is insufficient, by any means. It's more like Tommy is eternal.

Weird.This I know. I cannot believe the impact and I'm experiencing its wonder and terror simultaneously. I am 38 years old. I have life experience that far exceeds my years. I have loved like a Goddess and I have known both the glory and defeat that love has to offer.

Tommy is 22 years young. I know little of his life's experiences. I know he has loved.....Amanda (I think that's her name). I hate to speculate on Tommy's potential for sincere emotional availability, but it's simply my nature.

It seems like Tommy likes most people. He is easy going and laid back. I can't remember even one time when he wasn't smiling or maintaining a grin. He is simple and sweet. His intelligence is remarkable. He has a sense of humor that could tickle even the most ferocious of Kings and a heart that is truly gold.

He puts everything he's got into his friendships. He's straight up and you know where you stand with him....if you're a friend.

He and I are more than that. I, obviously, am enchanted by him in a most curiously intense manner. However, I cannot tell how he feels for me. It seems like we're friends with sex. That's not what I want but for now, I think that's where he's at. It would be insane to prompt such questions to him at such an early stage in our "relationship", whatever that may be.

But here i am, unable to sleep, sweating palms, my heart racing as fast as my thoughts. The only thing I can blame this on is "INSPIRATION". When I say "I love Tommy" what I'm really saying is: "I love how I feel when we're together".

I've been so very, very dead inside for so very, very long. I indeed have no joy. My dog is the only thing that I can seem to care about and feel for. I do love my friends and family, but not enough to want to stay alive in this twisted thing called "life". That is...until Tommy.

I wish I knew why him and what it is. He's good looking, but not the "best" looking guy I've dated. He's a good lover....again not my "best". He is easy to be around, polite, gentle and considerate. But, those things are fabulous and all, but I don't feel inspired by the others who have had those qualities.

This attraction is not physical....well, not totally. It's impossible for the attraction to be emotional this early in the game. It most certainly isn't intellectual. But I swear to God, that when I looked into his eyes for the first time and every single time since, without fail, I feel like I am looking into he eyes of the only soul I've ever loved through life after life after life.

It's like electricity or chemistry. I feel like I've been reconnected with everything I thought had lost forever.

Exciting shit, eh? However, there is another side to this. What if Tommy never feels like I do.....which, is in my opinion, probable. What if it's all just fun and games for him? What if he says things he doesn't mean? What if I hear what I want and tune out the rest? Am I setting myself up to be hurt?

I can go on and on with a hundred similar questions. The only thing that will reveal the answers is TIME. And being the extremist that I am, time is absolutely no friend. You would think that I would enjoy the slow seduction of evoking emotion on a gradient. But, nah.....I want a balls-to-the-wall romance that rivals the splendor and tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

I'm hungry for it again. Just when I had given up on the idea of a soul mate....in walks Tommy again. And he has promised nothing! I mean not even a glimmer of my intensity or emotional availability.

The one thing I know for sure....I will never break that boy's heart. I won't lie to him, because I can't. I won't betray him because that would really just be betraying myself. I will adore every fiber of his being. I already do. It doesn't matter why.

Now, do I tell him these feelings? Or do I simply just show them through my actions? I think that is the better approach. The true benefit isn't hearing his response but it's in his happiness and fulfillment. If I can be part of that experience then it's worth every sleepless moment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

NEVER STOP BELIEVING

SPEED RACER CAN KISS MY ASS!!!

There are some sad animal cruelty stories out there: factory-farmed animals kept in cruel filthy conditions, senseless pain and death among horses forced to race, sick and abhorrent treatment of greyhound dogs, and the horrible live-skinning of many cows due to the twisted manner in which they operate slaughter-houses!

But this latest story is ridiculously obscene and senseless! As we are all aware, computer animation has come insanely far! The images are so life like, we can barely notice a difference between what is real and what is not.

I would hope this would end the need to put live animal "actors" in films any longer. Take for instance, chimpanzees. They are quite often ripped form the arms of their mothers in hopes of making them "actors" at a very very young age. This creates a fear of the unknown and developmental problems.

Then, so as to "teach" the chimp who is boss, they are beaten repeatedly throughout their lives from even two weeks old. Trainers,if you want to call them that, refer to this torture as "breaking their spirit".

Well, P.E.T.A, being aware of Warner Bros. intention to use a live chimp in the upcoming film SPEEDRACER, begged for them to reconsider this age-old cruel practice. And, believe it or not, the idiots in charge ignored the pleas for humanity. What assholes!!!

So, thanks to a whistle-blower on the set of the Warner Bros. film, P.E.T.A. was informed that the chimp was indeed beaten many times while filming. P.E.T.A. did their own investigation and was able to confirm the allegations to be true.

I implore you to ban SPEEDRACER. Rent the animated series and write to Warner Bros. expressing your refusal to see the film. Check out mote at www.PETA.com.

I'm disgusted and appalled. How can people keep breeding such ignorance and barbaric behaviors? Really now!

JUST A LITTLE THANK YOU

I am quite new to the "online world". I'll admit my first time was June 25, 2007. Since then I've discovered online dating, ASK.com, and found out you can Google any and every crazy thing you can think of, which is really pretty cool!

Another thing I was turned on to by my amazing sister is this.....blogging. I love it. I have very little idea to what the lingo is, what half these buttons do, and how to navigate through things, but I do love it.

I never know if anyone really reads my blog. The comments are an indicator. I do have two people reading. So, Luxe Travel, thank you. Thank you for making me feel heard. Thank you for offering assistance. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

ADSENSE

I'm completely lost! Can someone "add" some "sense" to this for me?? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, I know. But I'm feeling more stupid than usual. How do I paste the code into my HTML. And which HTML?

I have apparently made some error being that, uhhh, there are no ads. Hmmmmm......computers can sure make you crazy! LOL

CANCER

CANCER, CANCER, CANCER, CANCER, CANCER, CANCER, CANCER. One word, many changes. Once this hits home,life is never the same. Never. That's all I can say right now.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

NOT KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT CAN BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND FINDING IT!

MY MOTHER, MY FAULT

As Mother's Day approaches I find myself longing for my mother. I miss her every single day but Mother's Day is just gut-wrenching. I can't help but to think that I wouldn't even exist if it weren't for her. I know Dad had a big part in my creation, but it's Mom that gave birth. And it's Mom that is no longer here.

I also can't help but to think I played a part in her death. It's as if I killed her myself. I can't escape the fact that I was with her everyday up until the month prior to her death! I was not a daughter of which she should have been proud, but somehow she managed to utter those words to me when we weren't getting high.

Yes, that's the ugly truth: we were partners in addiction. We got high almost everyday. My mother spent all her time in pain from a back surgery. Throughout the years she found herself on pain prescriptions including morphine patches, Lortabs and Percocets. It didn't take long for this need to lead to an opiate addiction.

Upon losing her beauty-shop business due to pain related issues, her finances took a great plummet. Unable to continue medical treatment and the cost of prescriptions, the surgeon recommended the Methadone Clinic. See, much to my surprise, Methadone is the strongest and cheapest pain killer on our planet. Not only are Methadone Clinics used for recovering heroin addicts, but they are used as pain management for the poor.

The Methadone Clinic's policy is to raise the dosage on a daily basis. My mother went from 80 milligrams daily to 270 milligrams daily. She'd come home from the clinic and nod off to sleep within minutes.

Not only did mom take methadone, but she was on 2 milligrams of Xanax three times daily. She did get drug tested at the clinic, as this was their policy for every patient. It was done randomly. Unfortunately, legally prescribed drugs were not my mother's only crutch. And they definitely weren't my only demon.

After Mom got kicked out of the Methadone Clinic detox was imminent.....unless I intervened.

I had been living with her in the mother-in-law apartment. She had another roommate that was, in my opinion, the equivalent to the Anti-Christ. This guy was a world-class loser and used my mother so obviously that I was always stunned how she couldn't see it. However she was becoming less and less aware of the obvious and the rational, as her addiction seemed to swallow her mind, body, and soul.

Phil, the Anti-Christ, supplied her with Morphine, Oxycontins, heroin, and later crack. He always charged quite a lot even when she paid hundreds of dollars a week for drugs that she shared willingly with him on a constant basis.

I was no better a friend than that sorry excuse of human being named Phil. I used drugs with my mother as well. Even though I knew it was so terribly wrong. I would contribute money to, what ultimately, became the cause of her death.

I had an epiphany. It was one night after I had finished work at the Cheetah. I had made enough money to pay Mom my rent and score enough heroin to last me four days. When I got home Mom called me to her room. She was at the point where she rarely left her bed. She asked if I had anything that she could use. I told her I had heroin.

We were getting out needles and a spoon. I always had a hard time hitting my own vein, so she offered to shoot me up. Suddenly I had a flashback to when I was nine years old and I became a Brownie. My mother was our Brownie Troop Leader. I remember thinking it was so cool to have her as my Brownie Leader and I knew I wanted to grow up and be just like her.

Well, tears were streaming down my cheeks and my mother asked, "am I hurting you?" That's when I said the words that haunt me today: "Mom, when you were my brownie leader, did you ever think you'd one day be shooting me up with heroin?"

Well, that was it. That was a taste of the bitter reality that neither of us were prepared to bite into at that moment. I plopped down three bags for her and said "I think I should move. Me and Shana (my pit bull) have no where to go, but if I stay here I'm afraid I'll die here...in this very house, Mom." Her reply was " You're strong like I was. You'll be okay. I love you and I think you should go too."

You know, typing this out and seeing it all in print brings back more pain and sorrow than I know how to handle. It was within weeks that I got the phone call form my sister that mom had died....in her very own bed.

There are simply no words in any language, that adequately describe losing a parent. Death is a part of life, I know. But I just know how to live without my mother. I cry like a baby when even the thought of losing my Dad enters my mind. How am I ever going to live through that? Hopefully I die first.

It feels like I was looking at my mom just yesterday. I haven't really moved forward in life. I got clean but I have no real joy for life. I simply exist since her death. Maybe if I had stayed. Maybe if I had gotten off the drugs. Maybe if I had gone to visit her that week. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

I could have saved her. I could have done something. All I did was leave.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I hope you finally have all the peace and joy you always deserved.

And Mom, I am so sorry.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

ONE OF THE MOST REDEEMING QUALITIES YOU CAN CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO POSSESS AND MAINTAIN IS: PERSEVERANCE.

HERE KITTY, KITTY

Anyone who has ever had a cat and dog will relate to this. Enjoy...

HOW TO GIVE A CAT A PILL:

1. Pick up catand cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, gently pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of dresser. Call spouse in from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth set to side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door on to neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie the little bastard's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by a large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters


HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL

1. Wrap it in bacon.

2. Toss it in the air.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

ONE GOOD THING ABOUT BEING AT THE BOTTOM IS YOU CAN ONLY GO UP!

ONE OF THOSE DAYS

It's just been one of those days. I've been seeking employment for three months now. The latest place was a jewelry store. It was a good job...horrible money, but at least there was opportunity. When I say horrible, I mean $7.30 per hour and I was only guaranteed eighteen hours a week. Anyway, I got a call today that they have gone bankrupt and are going out of business. Therefore, I'm not getting hired.

As if that wasn't a crummy enough way for a morning to start, when I got in my car to go get coffee, I ran over a screw and my tire began going flat. On my way to get a plug put in I ran over a raccoon. Being a vegetarian and member of P.E.T.A., I felt like I just ran over an infant or something. This was not a good morning.

I got the tire plugged and headed back to the store for coffee once again. Pulling into the parking lot, my car started jerking and making a funny sound. Holy cow! I was out of gas. Luckily the gas station was on the other side of the Wal-Mart shopping plaza.

Thanks to the kindness of Jeb, a sweet man that saw my struggle, I was pushed to the gas station. With only forty dollars to my name, I had to put in enough gas to get me to Georgia to sign-up with a temp employment placement service. So, twenty-five dollars later I was on my home....without the coffee.

Thank goodness my tax refund was coming. Rent is only nine days away and with only fifteen dollars now left in my account I knew I better get a job like today!!!

When I got home I walked in the door to find my dog vomiting in the living room. She must have eaten something she didn't like. Yuck. I picked it up and got immediately into the shower. I just wanted to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head, but I couldn't.

Finally, I was on my way to Blairsville, Georgia to the temp agency. After making a wrong turn, I ended up thirty miles out of my way. Again, thanks to the kindness of others, I followed a trucker back to the route I should have been on. Whew, things could only get better, right?

Once I arrived I filled out nine pages of paperwork, watched two videos, and took a test. I turned in my two forms of identification only to find out that the birth certificate I have is not an original copy with a seal. Unfortunately I lost my social security card about six months back. Needless to say they can not proceed with the application process until I have the required identification.

At this point my brain actually hurt. I knew I had to get a job this week. The tax refund will cover only my rent, no food, no gas, no electricity. I headed back home to Murphy, NC and was off to see my aunt at work.

My identification solution was to go to Franklin, about an hour away, to the social security office and apply for a new card. Fifteen dollars won't cover it. It will cost ten dollars for the card alone. The trip to Blairsville already used quite a bit of gas. I'd need about another twenty to get up to Franklin, back to Blairsville, then back home and back to Blairsville again for the follow up interview and actual placement.

After making call after call to see if anyone could take me to Franklin, I was getting discouraged. Luckily my Grandmother returned my call and is available tomorrow at noon. Thank goodness...one problem solved.

I decided to call the IRS. I figured at least I'll get to find out when my money will actually hit my account. It should be here any day. I needed some good news.

UGH!!!! Not only did the IRS seize my refund, which is my only source for May's rent, they say I owe over twelve hundred dollars from 1998!

This was just horrible news. I decided maybe I should go walk down to the river with a blanket and my dog to relieve this stabbing pain in my chest and reeling anxiety.

As I took a deep breath to calm down, I kicked off my sandals and headed to the the river when I stepped in big pile of dog-dooders!

Why did I get out of bed today???

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

SEE THE WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD WHILE APPRECIATING IT WITH THE WISDOM OF ELDERS.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

CHERISH EACH DAY AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST, AND GREET EACH DAY AS IF IT IS YOUR FIRST.

PONDER THIS....

IF YOU KNEW YOU HAD JUST ONE MONTH TO LIVE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME?

Send me your answers: jody.70@hotmail.com

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"WHATEVER THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE........IT CAN ACHIEVE."

NEED AN ALTERNATIVE TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?

Do you suffer from stomach pain, arthritis pain, back pain, or general body aches? If your answer is "no", you're a rarity! Most of us have these afflictions at one time or another.

A common remedy to these problems is popping an over-the-counter pill and some people choose prescription drugs as an answer.

I have exciting news! Did you know that your diet can cure these problems without drugs? There are some fantastic natural remedies that really work.

Pineapple has been called the "natural Advil". It is a natural cure for inflammation. It has been noted that a man actually cured his back pain by eating pineapple for three days. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is ideal for arthritis pain as well. Another great pain blocker is the blueberry. It is also highly recognized for its amazing pain-relieving power.

If arthritis is a problem, try removing potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant from your diet. These are known to agitate the condition. Some cases of arthritis have been cured by the simple elimination of potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant!

Having stomach pain? Try fresh cut ginger-root. This is known to help with any stomach issues like nausea, morning sickness, and motion sickness. It is also available in a capsule or tea. Peppermint is another terrific cure for nausea.

Things to avoid with stomach issues are egg, chocolate, and milk. As a matter of fact, all dairy products should be avoided. Milk is listed as one of the top five allergens in adults. If you notice gas OR indigestion after consuming dairy, try a lactose-free milk or soy milk.

Other foods to avoid for pain related problems are white flour and white sugar. Both these ingredients cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels which indirectly affects inflammation. Inflammation causes pain. Whole grain products are okay.

Still having aches and pains or menstrual cramps? Go to any health food store and find a calcium-magnesium mixture.available in a powder form to easily make a drinkable solution. It is also available in capsules. This is an amazing calming concoction as well. It helps with both pain and mild anxiety.

Our bodies perform better when natural remedies are used rather than synthetic chemicals. You'll not only save dollars, you'll save yourself!

SEVENTEEN FACTS FROM DR. OZ

I stumbled across my notes from an OPRAH SHOW FROM MAY 15TH, 2007. It was one of the most interesting episodes with Dr. Oz. It's random medical facts that are both fascinating and some even life-saving.

I've arranged them in no particular order. It's like medical-trivia. I hope you learn something you can use....I sure did!

(1) The omentum stores fat in the body. It actually "comes alive" and stimulates us to eat. It also can be a cause of diabetes.

(2) Flavonoids are found in foods containing anti-oxidants like dark berries, and teas. They help the body eliminate toxins.

(3)For every thirty-five pounds a man loses, he gains an inch in penis size.

(4)The human body shrinks as it ages because the spine actually starts to crush.

(5)A healthy blood pressure is crucial to life longevity. If you maintain under 120/80, it takes ten years off your life.

(6)Avoid salt; eat potassium; and exercise.

(7)Impotence may be an indicator of heart disease. Impotence is commonly caused by a lack of enough nitric oxide. Viagra works by adding nitric oxide.

(8)Most heart attacks occur on Monday mornings. Plaque in the arteries is more likely to rupture then.

(9)Regular sexual intercourse makes one live longer. Two hundred orgasms a year adds six years to your life!

(10)The best cure for a jellyfish sting is vinegar. Fresh water will make it sting more.

(11)The safest, easiest way to remove a tick is to pluck it. Contrary to popular belief, the infections that are caused by a tick is in its body, not the head. Ticks are the most common problem for insect bite health problems.

(12)There are many reasons why some people attract mosquitoes more than others. Some of them are scent of perfumes and deodorant, genetics, and diet. Mosquitoes hate hair.

(13)Small gall stones can block the flow to the liver and pancreas causing pancreatitis.

(14)Brain Freeze is caused by the dilation of the arteries.

(15)Migraine headaches are also caused by the dilation of the arteries.

(16)Thirty percent of the population experience brain freeze.

(17)Take heed: if you are experiencing pain in your upper right side it could be your liver.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"IT'S NOT THE NUMBER OF BREATHS WE TAKE IN LIFE, IT'S THE MOMENTS THAT TAKE OUR BREATH AWAY!"

BREAST AUGMENTATION...A HAPPY STORY

The media has delivered countless stories of breast augmentations gone "bad". We have all heard everything from Frankenstein-like scars to death on the table. Yes, there are risks involved like with any surgery. But not every breast augmentation goes awry. I am proof of that; or rather my breasts are. Even when everything goes perfectly well, there are "things" that happen over time thanks to aging. I'd like to tell my breast augmentation story, as it's a happy one.

People often asked "why did you have a breast augmentation or boob-job as it is known by strippers. Yes, i did say strippers. Let me start at the beginning. My breast were always generous in size. In elementary school this was a curse. But the older I got, they better it was. By the time I was in college I was a very generous "C" cup. I was lucky enough to be chosen for "GIRLS OF THE S.E.C." Playboy magazine spread. I wasn't even curious about increasing my breast size at that time. The Playboy photographer certainly didn't think I was a candidate for breast augmentation either. They were firm, nicely shaped and had great sensitivity to the touch. There were no lumps, thank goodness, and no health issues. I was blessed with healthy, happy breasts.

After two years at the University of Florida, I moved home to Bradenton, Florida. Not for the smartest reason, mind you, but I had found love. Or so I thought, but that's a different story. Moving into an apartment at 21. My first real place was very exciting. However, the cost of living was shocking. I was lucky enough to have a father that paid for school and housing when I was in college, but now things were a little different. The "love" of my life left and I was stuck trying to manage all my bills on a $6.00/hr preschool teaching job.

It was impossible. One day I was looking in the want-ads and saw "DANCERS WANTED...$500 per week". I went to the address and found myself at a strip club. So as not to drift from the breast augmentation story, I'll save the details of that night and many more for another blog entry. As you've probably figured out, I became a stripper. Some ladies prefer the term exotic dancer. I was twenty-one then.

I saw thousands of breast augmentations from age twenty-one to thirty. I saw good ones, bad ones, over-the-muscle, under-the-muscle,incisions under the arm, under the breast, through the nipples, and even through the belly button. Being in that business was a definite plus when it came to breast augmentation research. First thing that every breast augmentation candidate must do is research, research, research! And a strip club is a great place to see the actual product.

There are many things to consider. I chose my surgeon based on other breast augmentations that I saw on co-workers. Dr. Harry Eisenburg based out of Maitland, Florida did an outstanding job on every girl I saw. I felt the implants too. This may seem awkward to most, but in that business, you just become desensitized to things like that.

There are two types of implants: saline and silicone. At the time he did not offer silicone implants for breast augmentations. The saline, or salt water, implants were encased in a silicone bag.

By the time I was thirty, I had been dancing nine years. I felt like a breast augmentation would be a great investment. Everyday there is another eighteen year old getting hired in that business and competition gets intense the older you get. I felt like I needed a "boost". So after lots of research I made the decision to get the breast augmentation.

I knew I wanted Dr. Eisenberg as my plastic surgeon. My first step was done. The next step was to go for the consultation. This was fun! I got to pick the size I wanted. To do this the nurse fits you with a sports-like bra and gives you the actual implant to stuff it with! I was already a generous "C" cup so I new I was going to go big. I saw so many girls get them done and within a year's time they wished they had gone bigger. I decided to go bigger than I thought I wanted so I would be happy with them long-term.

Breast implants used in augmentations are measure in cc's. The largest implant the doctor offered was eight-hundred and fifty cc's. That would have been a triple "E" cup on me! I wanted big but not too big. I am only 5'2 so triple "E" just wasn't an option. I chose five hundred seventy-five cc's. This would be an "E" for the first six to eight months. After that the swelling would go down and leave me with a double "D". 36DD!

At the consultation we set a date for the breast augmentation surgery for about six weeks later. And just so you know most surgeons will require payment in full prior to the procedure. This was not an issue for me, as exotic dancing provides a nice income.

The surgery took about an hour and a half. I was all bound up with bandages and a bra. Because the surgeon needed to see me for a follow up in two days, I had to stay in a hotel room in Maitland. Luckily I had my boyfriend at the time to stay with me. For the record, it hurt! I mean I had never had a surgery hurt so much! And I was no stranger to surgery. I had three ankle surgeries, brain surgery, herniated disc surgery, thyroid surgery, appendectomy, laporoscopy, and none of them hurt so bad. I was given Demerol pain pills and I had my own Xanax. It was explained to me that because of the number of nerves in a breast, breast augmentation is quite painful. I was also told by patients that were moms, giving birth was much worse. I've never had a child so I can't compare.

I was instructed not to lift anything and not to raise my arms for four weeks after the breast augmentation surgery. I was also told to lie on my stomach with my arms at my side and roll from side to side on my breasts each night every night for the first year. This would help shape them to a very natural shape. It would be six to eight weeks before I could return to work.

Because I had large breasts before my augmentation, I chose to have the implant placed over the muscle. This allowed for a more natural "dropping" of the breast. That's a nice way of saying they'll hang like a real boobs! Within six months they started dropping and the swelling went down.

It's been eight years since my breast augmentation. I have never had a complication. My sensitivity is phenomenal. I chose for the incision to be under the breast and the scars are barely visible. Thanks to gravity, my breast covers the scarring. But even if they were "perky" the scars are so small and faint they'd be hard to see.
I retired form the exotic dancing industry when I was thirty-five and saved nothing. Again, another whole string of stories. Money is crucial long after the initial breast augmentation. It's a good idea to have $8,000-$11,000 on hand after an initial breast augmentation so they can be re-done ten to fifteen years later. The integrity of the implant does become compromised with age as does everything. Also, with age comes the joy of fighting gravity. With eight pounds pulling on my skin and chest, this fight becomes almost futile. If I had the money, I'd start shopping for a new surgeon in 2010. Dr. Eisenberg has since retired and I don't have the "insider's tips" I had while being in the club.

I have loved my breasts everyday since the augmentation and I never regretted it once. It was an exciting experience and I recommend it to anyone that wants it. Just remember research, research, research, when considering a breast augmentation. Then, enjoy them!

Stinky K.D. and 21

So today was a very cool day!! A friend and I went exploring. After stumbling upon the Appalachain Trail, we met a very cool guy named STINKY K.D.. He's a hiker originally from Kansas City. He's on an adventure tha will take him approximately 6 months ending in Maine.

I have to admit I don't even wak to my mailbox, but this guy spends half a year trecking all over this land. He had just hiked through 5 days of rain! We had the priveledge of driving him to a quaint little Hostel called CLOUD 9. It's in Hiawassee if you're ever looking for a place to stay while hiking.

We'd just like to say "kudos" 2 u, STINKY. Hike on!

****************************************************
LATER ON...

We checked out a cool spot in Young Harris called FUNWORLD. Go karts, lasertag,games, games, games, batting cages and a totally cool indoor kids playground. We killed some time therebefore seeing GREAT MOVIE ...."21"

This true story of a college kid needing $300,000 for med-school was a real winner. He joins an underground blackjack team headed by one of his teachers. This isn't gambling folks, it's all about strategy and counting. There's a clever twist that is a real surprise.

I say 2 thumbs up!

That was my day.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE A CHANGE...START SMALL, START TODAY"

Poem: "Thank You, Mommy"

In memory of Aline.....
......my mother.

THANK YOU MOMMY


Thank You Mommy for
Wanting me
When I was just your seed
For teaching those around you
I was your precious need.

Thank You Mommy for
Showing me
To read, to write, to talk
For years upon years at hospitals
So I could one day walk

Thank You Mommy for
Holding me
So close to your warm heart
For drying my tears and calming my fears
When I would fall apart

Thank You Mommy for
Giving me
Wisdom, Strength, and Courage
To face this sometimes painful world
To be hopeful, not discouraged

Thank You Mommy for
Trusting me
When everyone else just frowned
For trying to lift my spirits
When I was feeling down

Thank You Mommy for
Joining me
In celebrating my wins
Greeting each day with optimism
So I'd succeed again

Thank You Mommy for
Allowing me
To make mistakes and fall
For overlooking failure
Supporting me through it all

Thank You Mommy for
Holding me
With family, friends, with love
Such clarity within your soul
Of the Lord above

Thank You Mommy for
Believing me
In all I'd say and do
Even when I'd doubt myself
To my dreams,you'd remain so true

Thank ou Mommy for
Telling me
The stories of the past
The history of our family
So good memories would last

Thank You Mommy for
Gifting me
The present of my Dad
For somehow we should love eachother
Though our hearts remain so sad

Thank You Mommy for
Granting me
The bond of Sisterhood
A love that stands the test of time
You always knew it would

Thank You Mommy for
Sharing me
With all your Sisters and Brothers
For through them all, we'd come to know
To simply love each other

Thank You Mommy for
Honoring me
With your Father and Mother
They taught me how to love,
To laugh, and to care for one another

Thank You Mommy for
Teaching me
The greatest lesson of all
To love yourself, your gifts, your dreams
From that you should not fall

Thank You Mommy for
Loving me
Until your untimely end,
For in your warm and loving eyes
I have my very best friend.