Resolving to Catch up on My Blogging in the New Year

So many many things have happened since my last blog post. The biggest being that we went on a real vacation! Typically all of our extra time is spent traveling back to Ohio, but we were finally able to do something with just our friends. And, lucky me, it fell on my birthday! We took a 7 day cruise through the Western Caribbean with 4 stops including, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Belize, and the Bahamas. I did get a little sick on the boat, but it was totally manageable.

More Eating Animals

So after my initial post yesterday I have done some more research. It's definitely way more expensive to buy ethical meat than I anticipated which is super sad. It's particularly hard where I live because it is so urban I would have to travel pretty far to find truly certified ethical meat. However, I have been reading a few other blogs and exploring much better options than what we are doing right now.

First off, it's more realistic to say I am going to attempt to drastically cut down on the amount of of factory farmed meat I consume rather than saying I am never going to eat it again. For our family, at this point, it's not realistic. I have found a small local farm that is not "certified" but I have seen the farm and I feel good about the way they treat and feed their animals and they are more reasonably priced than some of the more more trendy ethical farms out in Virginia. I plan on visiting them next week to make some purchases.

Another step is to just eat less meat. I definitely am a meat lover and probably eat more than my share. So by increasing the amount of organic vegetables I am eating and decreasing the general amount of meat it will make a difference. Also, a huge point for me is the eggs. To me buying "cage free" at the grocery store means nothing. No one regulates this label being put on food so who knows if they are even doing it and many farmers' interpretation of cage-free means a million chickens are shoved in a room where it's so crammed they can't even walk or peck. So one plan I have it to use pumpkin instead of eggs and oil in my baking. I actually already do this with one type of cookies I make, but I plan on implementing this on everything I can. Now I am on a mission to find some locally grown ethical eggs nearby for the rest of my cooking. One exciting this is these kinds of eggs last longer than the type you get in the grocery store so the cost may even out over time because I always end up throwing eggs out all the time.

Eating Animals

So I've been wrestling with the idea of giving up meat for probably half of my life. When I was Catholic I usually gave up meat for Lent as a way to ease my conscience. Several times a year I deeply contemplate this, but I always chose to ignore it because I am weak and I LOVE meat. I know that if I really face up to the way the animals that we buy from the grocery store are really treated it makes me sick. Today, while sitting at home and watching Ellen I watched a spot on vegetarianism that I really couldn't ignore. I know this is a controversial topic for many people and there are strong opinions on both sides. I have resolved to begin by drastically cutting down on my meat consumption with the intention of eventually giving up al factory farm meat. I am lucky enough to know of a local farm that I know I would not be ashamed to eat the animals they raise. My issue is not the idea of eating animals but of encouraging the disgusting treatment of most of the animals that are a part of our daily diets. I hope I can do it because it is important to me but I know it will be hard. Wish me luck!

The 4 Loves...and Hates

Loves (in no particular order)

1. BOOKS! I can openly say I am obsessed. I am just like my dad in this!

2. Aha moments. Yes, I am stealing this phrase from Oprah, but it's so true. My pet peeve is a lack of self awareness so I try to be aware of how my actions are perceived by others. Not in a way like I'm worried what everyone thinks. But in an attempting to be sesitive to others and having empathy way. I am not always successful, but at least I try.

3. Nieces (and necphews if I had any). I am so satisfied with the fantasicness of my nieces I wonder if I even need kids (kidding). Let sisters and sisters-in-law do all the tough stuff and take all the glory in being the fun aunt. However, I know being a mother will be priceless and I cannot deprive my sister of the joy of being an aunt.

4. John. As I said, in no particular order :-P. Sure everyone has their faults, but I seriously lucked out in the husband department.

HATES

1. How the skinniest person at the gym has to some work out right next to me even though there are 15 other open treadmills. This happens literally every time I am there. EVERY. TIME. These ridiculously thin women come work out next to me moving at an inhuman speed for about 10 minutes then they collapse from exhaustion because they have only eaten a stick of celery in the last 2 days. I do not criticize your devotion to to bodily perfection, but rather your need to come work out next to me to make yourself feel evern thinner.

2. People who talk on their cell phones in public restrooms. I do not talk to my friends on the phone while I pee and I dont want your friends to hear me either. I think they should pass a law. This is an invasion of my privacy!

3. Rubber neckers. We have all done it, but I save my rubber necking for something that actually merits it. Not for the dude who ran out of gas in his mercedes. This happens every day in DC. Is it really that interesting? It's not so just keep driving with you eyes straight ahead. Just worry about not running the guy over, not staring at him for long enough to be able to paint his portrait when you get home.

4. Sharing dairy products. John says I am generally a bad sharer. But some things I cannot do and sharing dairy products is one of them. No need to elaborate why on this. I think it's obvious.

Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!

So in life and in blogging I, typically, shy far far away from political issues. Even when John tries to talk to me about issues that he is fired up about I don't want to hear it. I like to bury my head in the sand because it gives me too much anxiety when I face what is really going on in our country today. I hate that I have to cringe and wait for the insult or eye roll when I tell people I am a conservative. Do we really want to be a one party system? Personally I am in favor of more parties. Two is not enough and one is just frightening.

The media is one of the main players in this in this assault against conservatives. Fox News is labeled as a fear monger and radical. Seriously? Let's be honest Fox News is conservative and everyone else is extremely liberal and each side pushes their own agenda. Each side is bias and, honestly, the liberal side is the greater of the two evils. Not to say that both sides have not done wrong, but be real people. Journalist who coin themselves independents can't even hold back the eye rolling when they have a conservative guest. They have completely given up on maintaining the actual facade of being independent.

Since when is it un-American to trust in capitalism? Since when is socialized heath care considered to be the answer we have all been looking for? Please give me a good example pf a country that is better of because of it. People in Canada won't even get minor surgery done there like Lasik eye surgery. They come to America for it!

This week Obama will appear on Letterman. Since when does a campaign include a media tour similar to that of Tom Cruise promoting a movie. Why is the presidential election a popularity contest? I know Obama might be a cool guy to have a drink with but do you really want a man who has known association with terrorists and groups like ACORN running our national security?

I am a conservative and I don't think my taxes should pay for abortions. I do not want the quality of medical care to go down because of socialist propaganda. I am not okay with reverse racism. I will not stand for a big government who makes snap decisions and representatives who do not truly represent the will of the people, but rather the campaign donors filling their pockets. I am a conservative and I will not hide because it is not popular. I will not accept that the highest nation in the land is a popularity contest no better than that of a high school homecoming court. I will no longer shy away from confrontation over issues that are too important to ignore and tell yourself that it is the political cycle and will eventually correct itself. Finally, I will not be ashamed to call myself a conservative because of shameful indiscretions of past political representatives. They are not what America stands for and not what my party stands for. My party stands for hard working Americans who have contributed to the values and ideals that our forefathers laid out for us which are equality, respect, happiness, justice, peace, unity, and freedom.

New Trailer for New Moon!

Even John is excited for it!

Friend Visits and Vacations

So we have been really busy lately with Dan and Heather visiting (separately) and getting ready for our vacation. We haven't been on a real vacation since our honeymoon and that was only 4 days long. This will be my first time out of the U.S. (besides Canada which I barely count since my family lives there) and I am really excited! We are planning on going snorkeling in Belize which will be the highlight! I am also so pumped to be able to hang out with Amber, Devin, Heather, and Dan for a whole week! We plan on making this an anual event. Next year's may be on a smaler scale if we buy a house, but we will see!

I'll try to post a book review before I go. Heather took a bunch of pics o her visit and as soon as she sends them to me I will post them. Bon Voyage!