Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?

I am often asked why I am vegetarian...how long I have been a vegetarian...do I really think that it is healthy to be a vegetarian...don't you miss eating meat??

Well this is my answer to those questions. I have been a vegetarian for almost a year and a half...although I tried to be in high school and I really cut way back on eating meat. For me, I didn't make the decision because it was healthier. I made the decision because I didn't believe in eating another being. But I DO NOT judge what other people do. You won't see me giving someone a hard time about the choices that they make. I just found it personally difficult to make a meal out of another being. And now that I am learning and studying Buddhist theory...this rings true.

Mahatma Gandhi said "To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body."

Buddhists and Hindus and probably other religions that I am not yet aware of believe that no living creature is better than another and therefore one should not take the life of another.

I find being a vegetarian kind of peaceful. Although I am a pretty bad vegetarian. Most people who give up meat, tend to be quite healthy...developing eating habits that are organic and natural. I tend to eat a lot of cheese and bread, with a little wine thrown in there! Definitely do not get enough protein or nutrients...so I really need to work on that.

What I want people to know is that, for me, being a vegetarian is a very personal thing. I didn't do it because I regret having eaten meat for my whole life or because I judge others...just simply because of my beliefs right now, present day. And just in case anyone was wondering, I love animal crackers!

Becoming an AUNT!!!

Now that I am going to be an aunt to this little blob....(affectionately named that by my brother-in-law, Brian)....

...I feel that it is necessary to figure out what being a good aunt is all about. Lucky for me, I happen to have a pretty damn good mentor for this task, my Aunt (and God-Mother) Linda!

I have to say that I lucked out with this one! Not only has she spoiled me rotten since I could walk, she turned out to be a pretty amazing friend too. I really admire her.

I have many favorite memories with my aunt, but one that sticks out in my head is when I was 14, I went to visit my aunt, uncle and cousin Sarah in Detroit, MI over the summer. I think I spent 3 weeks there. My cousin was only 10 months old. My aunt let me make Sarah a birthday cake for her "10 month birthday" because I wasn't going to be around to celebrate her 1st birthday. That whole summer was so much fun, but for some reason, spending time with my aunt, making that cake really sticks out in my head!

Aunty Linda is a mother, wife, sister, nurse and an overall amazing woman and has come to be one of my closest friends. No matter what...I know if I need her I can call...even if it has been a billion years since we have talked. Which now that I am older and have a job and her kids (my beautiful cousins, Sarah and Abi) are older too, keeping her busy...it seems like we talk less and less and that, my friends, makes me sad. I wish we lived closer.

So this is what I have learned from my aunt...ways to be a great aunt...

• Always send birthday cards (to this day-I am fairly certain that she has never missed one)


• Always be available to talk...she once told me that she is only a phonecall away...always has been.


• Always be generous...never has my aunt put herself first.


• Always be genuine and be true to yourself.


• Have determination...hell the woman went back to school for her nursing degree with 2 kids and a husband


• Have faith--in our lives, a great many things happen that make you constantly question Why? I may not be very religious, but she reminds me that there are reasons for everything.

So all in all, I am hoping that I turn out to be half the aunt to my little niece or nephew that my Aunt Linda has been to me!

Don't judge a book by it's cover...

So there is this lady around Drew's apartment complex that I don't like! She has two small dogs that she walks and a stray cat that follows her around. I only know that it is a stray cat because another neighbor...a nice neighbor...told me that she feeds it and that it is a stray and it just follows her around when she is walking her dogs. Funny isn't it? Anyway...off the subject. This woman just looks mean. When she sees you coming, she literally turns the other way...I am not kidding! I always thought she was just being antisocial or didn't like the look of us. But today, I realized that I was sorely mistaken.
Let me first start by saying that it was a beautiful day here in AZ...probably about 80 degrees when I picked up Motley and took him for a walk. We were laying in the grass, enjoying the sun, when Madame Snub came out with her two terriers and her cat...they were not on a leash. No big deal right? Well...Motley wasn't on the leash either, so he, of course decided to be the friendly pug that he is. He ran after the dogs, saw the cat...chased the cat....all while I am apologizing profusely. The lady (whose name I still do not know) politely said, "it's okay...I was more worried about my dogs being mean to yours." And with that, she and I proceeded to have an hour long conversation and I, thus learned that this woman was in fact, not mean and rude at all, but was worried about her dogs being mean and rude! So that's what I get for making assumptions about people!

AND--as a bonus, she put something in my head, without even thinking about it. See, my mom read my blog about Perfection earlier and being the sweet mother that she is, she emailed me and said something along the lines of, "You have thought about med. school and interior design and all of these other things, but have you ever considered being a writer?"--and a few other really nice things. Anyway, that got my brain thinking. Well...when I was talking to my new-found friend this afternoon, she was telling me about her daughter, who was an English major (like me), became an attorney (not like me) and decided that she wanted to do something more creative. So she quit her job and is now at USC (yuck-Trojans) for a Masters in Screenwriting. Just weird that here I am, thinking about a new possibility and this woman, who I am speaking to completely out of the blue tells me this! Very weird.

Then, I spent the rest of the afternoon researching writing jobs....is this possibly something that I am interested in? We shall see I suppose!

My pet peeve...

...One of the things that drives me crazy the most is this...smokers who throw their cigarettes out their car windows. I understand that you don't want to have that smelliness in your car, but I don't want it polluting my world either! I saw someone do it on the way to work this morning and it just makes me want to scream! Really there is no excuse for this!...I mean it is considered trash right? If you wouldn't throw cans and garbage and other waste out your window, why do you think it is okay to throw cigarette butts out your window? It is your choice to smoke...and I am not here to preach or lecture on the virtues of not smoking, because, well, you would have to be living in a cave to not know how dangerous it is to smoke and if you make a calculated decision to light one up...that's on you. But for crying-out-loud, do you need to dirty up the streets with cigarette butts? I mean really...I can't even take Motley on a walk without him trying to get into the butts on the street! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE...which brings me to my next point. My good friend Ryan, who is smoker, says that if he throws his cigarette butts out the window it gives street cleaners something to do--keeps them employed. My answer to this is...if that were true, there would be no butts on the streets because they would all be getting cleaned up! That's a lame excuse to be lazy in my opinion (sorry Ry--but I told you this already) My other friend told me that they don't make ashtrays in cars anymore...to this I say, that's not my problem!!! Keep your smoke and your butts to yourself and in your own car!!! Not that I think that me getting upset at this subject matters in the least...on the way home from work today, it is almost guaranteed that I will see someone do it again!!!

Perfection

The quest to be perfect is a very frustrating endeavor. I realized the extent of this frustration when I was at yoga this morning, reaching for the perfect pose and failing to attain it. But, you see, yoga is not about the perfect pose or moving and bending without flaw. It is about being in the moment and reaching inner peace with what your mind and body can do. The moment you feel that your body is in the "perfect" position, stretch further, reach more, push harder. There is no perfection in yoga...there is only gaining just a little bit more so that your mind and body can reach a new experience. Yet, I still get super frustrated when I lose my balance or can't lock my knees straight or just can't get the pose just right (well I guess there is no right is there?).

Why do we yearn for this unattainable perfection? We are all human and we are not meant to be perfect right? Yet, so many of us are not okay, not satisfied with less than perfect. That is why the term "perfectionist" exists. We want everything to be in it's place, doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way...or we are unhappy. I am certainly one of those people. I cannot and will not leave well enough alone...oh no, "well enough" is meant to be polished until it is shiny, not tarnished in the least, set in the perfect ray of sun so that the light hits it just right and only then will I accept it...because then I will consider it perfect.

But how ofter do we really achieve perfection? I rarely do, I know that much. And then I beat myself up for having failed to reach the unattainable goal of perfection, when in reality...what I did was quite a feat in itself and should probably be acknowledged as such.

Why are we, as humans, so unsatisfied with the road to perfection. The tireless trek to reach the top of the mountain is not easy. If we reach the top of that mountain, should we just ignore the hike it took to get there? And if we don't reach the top, does that really make us a failure or does it simply mean that we are not meant to get to the top of that mountain because, after all, we are only human.

On the cusp...

I happen to really believe in the art of Astrology and love it! No-I don't know if it is really real, but I enjoy it nonetheless. I happened to be reading a magazine at lunch today and read my horoscope for the year. Among many things, I am going to have struggles at work and in my love life this year (shocking!!)....but I am a Lioness (Leo), so it says that I will come out relatively unscathed! That's what it says anyway.

Technically, I am a Leo / Virgo cusp...not just a Leo. Which is even more fitting if you know anything about astrology or me :) You are a Leo / Virgo cusp if you were born between August 21st (my birthday) and August 28.

So here are some of my characteristics...I will let you decide if they match my personality or not!

-- Possess the fiery, energetic and aggresive traits inherent in Leo --

-- Possess the rational and meticulous traits inherent in Virgo --

-- Tend to be highly secretive --

-- Able to accurately determine the right time to do something --

-- Experts at the art of effect --

-- More discriminating than most individuals --

-- Less overtly sensual than most individuals --

-- Reluctant to allow others to share in personal feelings --

--Blend of introvert and extrovert--

--Combine practical, earthy qualities of Virgo with more intuition of Leos--

--Quietly work for productivity--

--Understand things in a very first expression--

I don't really know if this describes me to a tee...but it is interesting isn't it? Hey...can't be that bad, both Coco Chanel and Bill Clinton are Leo/Virgo Cusps!

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Here is my horoscope for the day (very interesting):

Responsibilities at home may be weighing on your mind today and might interfere with other obligations. This might cause some inner conflict, but you have a personal life and it's important to take care of these responsibilities as well. Upsets in your circle of friends could distract you and stress you out today. Make the effort to balance it all, and you'll make it through the day.

"I'm just crazed about Tiffany's!"

For those of you that know me...you may know that my favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's. While I would like to say that it because of the spectacular shiny items that come in the little blue boxes from that amazing store...this would, in fact, be untrue. Not that I don't love those items and will accept them from anyone who feels the undying need to give them to me!!!

No, my love for this movie comes from the leading lady, Audrey Hepburn. This was the first movie I ever saw her in and she was amazing. To me, it was like watching true talent on the screen. Ever since I first saw the movie...it has been, without a doubt, hands-down, favorite movie.

I watched it again this weekend. It is not just the typical romantic love story. Maybe that is why I love it so much. It is about a girl who struggles with her identity so much that she is almost willing to let go of the love that is staring her right in the face.

Here is the famous quote:

You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-you-are? You're chicken, you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, "Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness." You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.

Of course, she comes to her senses!! As every girl should (but doesn't always--because life, afterall, isn't a movie) and runs after the man who she loves. Because all romance movies end with a Happily Ever After...especially where Audrey Hepburn and Tiffany's are concerned!

Anyway...it comes highly, highly recommended! For anyone who lives here in AZ, I have it and I am willing to loan it out! If not this one...there are many, many other movies that star Audrey Hepburn and I think you will find her just as marvelous as I do!

Can't sleep....

IN-SOM-NI-A
This is what I have!!!

It is a noun, but more importantly it is the inability to obtain sufficient sleep, esp. when chronic; difficulty in falling or staying asleep; sleeplessness.

As of 4:30 am this morning, I confirmed with myself that I do, in fact have insominia. After tossing and turning in my bed for 4.5 hours I realized that my eyes were wide open and I was not going back to sleep! Which did not conjure up good thoughts when thinking about how I would be so tired when my alarm went off or how I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes open during my copious meetings today or how I would likely end up trying to hold my eye lids open with toothpicks as I drive home from work, because of course, my body will choose this time to get sleepy...when I am sitting in rush hour traffic!

You see, I have come to the conclusion that I am an insomniac, not from this one experience, oh no, but from several experiences! In fact, the night before I left Colorado after Christmas...I maybe got one hour of sleep. And within the last three nights...each night I have woken up right around 12:30 - 1:00 am and have struggled will falling back into a dream laden slumber! Instead I lay awake thinking about all of the things I should do, want to do, need to, the fact that I should just get up and read or maybe watch tv. I think about the new tattoo I am getting and about the blog that I am going to write when I do get it. I think about my to do list--the absolute worst thing to think about when you can't sleep because you keep adding things to it, but you are too lazy to actually get out of bed and write things down so if you actually do fall asleep...you will forget everything you just thought of that you needed to do!!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!!!!!!!!!

And of course...I was tossing and turning to the point that I infected Motley with my INSOMNIA!!! Poor baby...because he was dead asleep...pug snoring and all. And then he was wide awake, giving himself a bath and then getting water and then chewing his bone. Not good.

So you may ask, why doesn't this crazy girl just take some Tylenol PM and be done with it! Well for those of you that know me (which I think is all of you that are reading this rant) you will know that I am too many drugs already to be taking sleepy meds just willy-nilly!!! DAMNIT! Because I would!

So that's that...I think I might be a little irritable...does the whole "warm milk" thing really work???

Sweet dreams!

Top 45 Natural Highs....

1. Falling in love.

2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. No lines at the supermarket.

5. A special glance.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed, listening to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

11. Chocolate milkshakes.

12. A bubble bath.

13. Giggling.

14. A good conversation.

15. The beach.

16. Finding a $20 bill in your coat from last winter.

17. Laughing at yourself.

18. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

19. Running through sprinklers when it is really hot outside.



20. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

21. Having someone tell you that you are beautiful.

22. Telling someone that they are beautiful.

23. Laughing at an inside joke.

24. Friends.

25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

26. Waking up and realizing that you still have a few hours left to sleep.

27. Your first kiss (either your very first or your first with a new parter).

28. Making new friends or spending time with old ones

29. Playing with a new puppy.

30. Having someone play with your hair.

31. Sweet dreams.

32. Hot chocolate.

33. Road trips with friends.

34. Swinging on swings.

35. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

36. Making homemade chocolate chip cookies.

37. Having someone make homemade chocolate chip cookies for you.

38. Holding hands with someone you care about.

39. Running into an old friend and realizing that som things (good or bad) never change.

40. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present.

41. Watching the sun rise.



42. Being able to get out of bed every morning.

43. Knowing that someone misses you.

44. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

45. Knowing you have done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

I want to run a marathon this year....

2009 promises to be a good year right?? So in order to get off on the right foot...I have developed a list of things that I want to accomplish!!! I am trying not to be too much of an overachiever, because I will let myself down!

Here goes:

1) I want to go back to school...problem is which school?? Physicians Assistant? Fashion Design? Medical School? Interior Design? Hell, throw Law School in there for fun. All things that I would love to do, but can't pick one! HOW do you figure that out?

2) I want to start writing in my journal again. Plus Santa gave me some really beautiful leather journals that will hopefully inspire me! Maybe they will inspire me to write a book (that's not trying to overachieve at all is it?) Hmmmmmmm.............

3) I want to start painting again...no more excuses! Find the inspiration, get the paint, prep the canvas and do it!

4) I want to run a marathon...I always have wanted to...and I never have done so. Instead, I am going to start small and start training for a 10k with Jill and work my way up!

5) I want to get my budget in order, pay off bills and get my finances straight! Enough said.

Well those are my top 5....if I can get those done, hopefully I will feel some sense of accomplishment right!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!