Hibachi and Anniversary

Today is mine and the boyfriends 3rd anniversary. We are not spending it together. For my birthday/Christmas gift he bought me a round trip plane ticket to Georgia so that I could spend time with my family before leaving for the Navy. I've been here in GA since Wednesday now and am having a blast. Too much food has been consumed, for sure!

Today was the first time I experienced Hibachi. It was amazing and inexpensive!! The chef was a bit of a comedian as well and the kids (Joie, Roman, Cheyenne, Cadence) just loved it. I also loved the food! I had edemame, miso soup, white rice, fried rice, veggie entree. All delicious!

While I am missing my boyfriend terribly, I cannot be sad on this day because I am spending some quality time with my family. Besides, we'll make up for it later. It's only a date, we can celebrate any time we want.

Frühe Weinachten!!!

Happy Christmas!!

Misconceptions of a Vegetarian's Menu

There I was in my Animals and Justice class bawling my eyes out during a video we were watching in class. I had made plans on having Bim Bim Bop (or however it's spelled/called) for lunch but after watching all sorts of animals being abused and then slaughtered, I had quickly lost my appetite for meat.

After class, I was still crying as I walked to the Int'l Student Org's office. I sat down and my friends looked at me like I was some ghost. After telling them what I just saw, I announced that at that moment I was a vegetarian. Their first response: "What will you eat?"

Vegetarians, by definition, eat vegetables and animal by-products. By this I mean milk, eggs, honey, cheese, and anything that didn't require the death of an animal but came from an animal is still ok to eat. Vegans eat absolutely NO ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS. Not even honey. I stress the honey part because many people I tell this to are shocked to hear that honey is considered an animal by-product despite the fact that honey comes from bees.

I cannot give up honey. I love it too much. I also eat the occasional egg and bake with it as well so that is very difficult for me to rid of in my diet. I did replace cow's milk with soymilk and reduced my cheese intake significantly (I will, on occasion, have cheese on my eggs or in my salads).

People tease me saying that I eat grass, or that I'm a grazer. That vegetarians only eat salads or raw veggies. This is not true. We can eat pretty much anything a typical omnivore eats just without the meat. Veggie lasagna is delicious and much better than the original if you ask me. Pizza has more pizzazz when you put all veggies of all sorts on the crust instead of all meats. Sandwiches suddenly become lively and creative when you have to fill up two slices of bread with something other than cold cuts. I have discovered so many new taste sensations that I have missed for the first 24 years of my life. I had no idea how great a cucumber, hummus, bean sprouts, lettuce sandwich was until I became a vegetarian. I eat several HOT dishes as well. Today I had a bag of frozen veggies that I steamed in the microwave. Sure I could have cooked them on the stove but I was lazy and so I went the easier route. I've had to get creative with dinner and discovered a lot of root vegetables as well. I've learned how to adapt and found that my menu is limitless. However, several restaurants and chefs are dumbfounded when it comes to feeding a vegetarian.

It seems that chefs or cooks everywhere think that veggies can't be spruced up into something decadent. Well, they can. That's what spices and herbs are for!! Every time I ask if there is a vegetarian dish on the menu the response is overwhelmingly "salad." Well, your salads are boring! Give me flavor or give me death! Come on! Get creative!

I've noticed that there are some places that are expanding their menu because of the growing population of vegetarians/vegans in our society. Panera bread offers a few items that are delish and creative for us veggies. Even McD's and Burger King have veggie patties (albeit they are disgusting b/c they cook them on the same equipment as the meat).

All I'm saying is that there is more than just salads that we veggies eat. It just requires a bit of creativity and expansion of the vegetable vocabulary. There are endless possibilities and yet people are too lazy to even try. I bet if you took your fave dish and made it vegetarian, you would soon discover how fast your cookbook has just expanded. 

As my dad always tried to get me to do: "Eat your colors. They are much healthier than the pork chop on your plate." Well, I've finally listened and I love it. 

Unconventional Christmas

To be honest, I've never had an American Christmas as described in the movies. I never woke up on Christmas morning excited to open gifts. In fact, for as long as I could remember, Christmas morning was a day to sleep in and play with the toys that I unwrapped the night before. That's right, we celebrated on Christmas eve.

It was always like this. Only candles lit (even on the tree) and music playing softly in the background. We always went to church be ause we were in the children's Christmas play. Once we got home it would be 10pm or so and dad and my brother would put on the act of pretending to see hoof prints on the ground (indicating that Santa stopped by while we were gone). The fact was that dad would be the last one out of the house and would place the gifts under the tree while my brother and I got settled in the car.

Over the years, Christmas became less celebratory. We stopped going to the children's mass and dad was always too tired to go to midnight mass. We started opening our gifts by 7pm Christmas eve, which were never that many, and then proceed to watch movies and eat a decent meal. When it's just you and your dad there really isn't a need to make a huge meal. Christmas to me isn't my family's biggest holiday. In fact we celebrate Thanksgiving more than Christmas.

This year I am celebrating it early. Today to be exact. The boyfriend opened his gift from me this morning (a samsung blu-Ray player with wifi for netflix). We are currently on the road to his parents house to celebrate there (yes I am blogging from my iPhone while in the car). Point is that we just don't follow society's version of the holiday. We don't care much for the tree or the shopping or the gifts. We would much rather spend time together than deal with all of the other nonsense. Besides, it's more fun being with family than going into debt at the store anyway. I would much rather do this instead. ^_^

Izzy and Max

I have two kitties, Izzy and Max. Izzy is 3 and Max is 6 months. Both were adopted at a rescue shelter and both really adopted me. Izzy was born with feline leukemia (very mild form) and in one year managed to build up her immune system and beat the disease. We waited a year and a half before getting Max to make sure she was 100% well. We also noticed how lonely she was whenever we left for work. While the two of them do "fight" (I put that in quotes because I've seem them be civil and playful to each other), I know that Izzy is happy to have a friend. Max is just always happy. ^_^

Izzy

Max

(c) 2009 LRG Photography. Please Do NOT Copy.

I'm Gonna Miss This

The year is coming to an end and with the New Year comes New Beginnings. For me it will be starting my life in the Navy. Nervous, excited, anxious, are only just a few words that can describe what I'm feeling right now. Resigning from TSA is the best thing I could have ever done. I cannot imagine being there forever, making it a career with no possibilities whatsoever. It was merely a stepping stone to something much greater.

TSA kept me from getting that Cum Laude I was shooting for because of the expectations required of me. Forcing me to make compromises that I didn't want to make just so that I wouldn't become homeless. Not working with me and countless of other College students and their school schedules, actually telling me to quit school for that job. It just isn't a good government job for the educated American.

These walls have kept me inside but now I'm busting out! Freedom and adventure here I come! Well, ok so the Navy will own me for a while but it'll be worth it in the end. It's going to be much better than this.

I will miss this: being able to watch my favorite shows on the days they air, seeing my friends whenever I want, spending time with my boyfriend and my cats. Blogging, singing, dancing, etc. whenever I feel like it. It's only 8 weeks without my iPhone, MacBook, Cable TV, and my Nikon D40 but 8 weeks will come and go and I'll be back on the grid again.

I will NOT miss: Drama, TSA, Newark (NJ), or insane people.

Another stepping stone to something greater. In the end the journey will be worth the struggle and the obstacles that lie in my path. In the end I will be a bigger, smarter, and more experienced person. Right now, I'm enjoying the adventure.

Next stop: Great Lakes!

Ich Liebe Pocky

I discovered this gem of a snack at the Sushi bar on campus a couple of years ago and instantly fell in love. Simple chocolate or strawberry cream covered biscuit sticks go great with coffee, tea, or by themselves. Then when the Sushi bar changed managers, the Pocky's disappeared. I was devastated! Then I found them at a Border's in the airport but couldn't get to them as often as I liked. Now they are available at the local Farmer's Market (Veggie/Fruit grocery near my apartment)!! I am so excited that I can barely contain myself! Sure, they can be fattening but it isn't like I'm eating them everyday. Anyway, if you want to try them you'll have to look hard for them sometimes. It's a Japanese treat that isn't available everywhere in the U.S.


I find it amusing that the dark chocolate ones are called "Men's Pocky." I love dark chocolate!! 

Ink Stains on my Fingers

Before we officially changed our work schedules at work, this summer I was plagued with working with the most childish of people. One of them was an elderly woman who lived off drama and nonsense and enjoyed getting on my case for the most ridiculous of reasons. Whenever she overheard me talking to my friend Tiff about my money-saving projects this woman would interject and call me cheap. Her calling me cheap was because I refuse to buy into name brands or wasteful spending. Well, if that's cheap then by all means call me cheap. But what I do is not only saving me money but saving a few trees as well.

Today I acquired the most wonderful of stains on my fingers: ink. I am wrapping all of my Xmas gifts with the Sunday Comics of a newspaper that I have delivered each week to my apartment. I only ordered the weekly delivery for the coupons but quickly realized that my boyfriend enjoys reading something first thing on a Sunday morning. Since I'm already paying for the paper I have started to find ways of reusing said paper before it goes to the trash. I use it for packing and wrapping gifts right now. So far I have wrapped 6 gifts with this stuff. Yes, a tree still died to make that paper but at least I'm not buying any specialty wrapping. Baby steps.

Being cheap really isn't much of an insult when you have money in the bank because of such frugality. 

Animals Are Smart

I really hate it when people state that animals are dumb. I hate it even more when they use this logic to defend their abuse towards animals. Animals are not dumb. They are very smart creatures. They work together as teams to survive. They have feelings of love and anger towards one another and towards other species. Granted they are not as evolved as Humans but that doesn't make them dumb. Geese fly in a V formation to maximize travel. The goose in the front does the most work and as further back the geese are in that formation the less work they have to do because they coast on the work of their family before them. When the leader tires, he moves and one that is more rested will go to the front to take his/her place. This allows them to travel great distances without having to stop. Salmon travel upstream every year to their birthplace in order to lay and fertilize more eggs. How can that be considered dumb?

However, since animals go more by instincts and are not as evolved as Humans, we cannot hold them to the same moral standards as we hold ourselves. It doesn't teach the Shark or Alligator any lesson by killing him because he killed a human. The more likely scenario is that the animal was defending himself from the human. Punishing the animal for doing what he is instinctually built to do is not justice. We must stop this practice.

There are more things we should stop but I need to go and get ready for work. I just had to get this bit off my chest.

Tips for Traveling (reposted and edited greatly due to laziness)

I advise all travelers to go to www.tsa.gov and click on travel tips if you DON'T want to be surprised at security. As a TSA employee I have come across the most insane of situations. These situations are tedius, annoying, and easily prevented. Here are some you might not see on the website:

•metal bracelets: they WILL ALARM THE METAL DETECTOR. So if you can live without then for a day then please don't wear them when going through security. They piss off the officers because it's annoying to have to pat down someone who is too lazy to take that stuff off. We don't mind the extra screenin. Of those who alarm legitimately (I.e. Those with metal implants or real threats) but those bracelets are a thorn in our sides. Plus it slows down the lane which makes the lines long and annoys other passengers.

•shoes: ok this is on the site but I have to reinterate. SHOES MUST COME OFF. All types of all sizes and all styles. Just buck up and take them off. We don't like to smell your feet either so start applyig some odor eaters or clean you feet and wear clean socks. Do somehing for your god aweful feet!

•liquid limitations: also on site. 3.4ounces or 100mL in a clear QUART (not gallon) size bag. Why? Because of the foiled plot that happened 3 years ago in the UK. It also applies to food items such as jams, peanut butter, dips, hummus, yogurt, water, etc. If it ain't solid or not within those regulations then either eat it before you come or check it in. I don't care about you favorite brand, it's going in the trash if you bring it through security.

Pack lightly if possible and don't overstuff your carry-on bag. If it's heavy and overstuffed and then we have to check it you are putting OUR SAFETY AND HEALTH at risk and we are less inclined to help you repack it. In fact, if you are a pain then expect to be treated the same. Give us a bit of respect and we will treat you with respect. If you follow the rules and are patient then I promise
you security will be a breeze. Just remember that these are federal officers and you can be arrested if you start a fight or pose a
serious threat.

Also a thank you neve hurt anyone. It oftentimes makes my day. :)


*I say reposted and edited b/c I've made previous drafts only to have deleted them later*

Strange Gift Ideas

Watching TV has presented me with some very odd gift ideas this Christmas. Ideas such as electric toothbrushes. Why on Earth would anyone want an electric toothbrush as a stocking stuffer? Ya, thanks for telling me I need to brush my teeth with technology. Give me some toothpaste to boot why don't ya.

And when I think about it, buying those gift packages you see in the stores that are full of soaps and whatnot. I'm not going to use hardly any of that. Obviously the person felt obligated to get me something but didn't put any real thought into it. I've been seeing myself do the exact same thing with a friend of mine. I am considering getting her a nice make-up kit but is that what she really wants or needs? I don't even know anymore. I say if you are gonna give a gift but don't know what to give, just give the person a universal gift card. At least this way they can get themselves something they really want. And who doesn't like free money! ;-)

Christmas sucks. I had the premise of feeling obligated to give gifts to anyone. If I want to give someone a gift it should be because I WANT to not because I NEED to.

Digital Books = Win!!

I absolutely love that I purchased digital versions of Volumes 1 and 2 of Sherlock Holmes from Barnes & Noble.com for less than $6. That's a lot of stories for such a small price!!! I also bought the complete works of Grimm's Fairy Tales for less than $4. Score!!!!

Digital Books (on the iPhone no less!) = Win!! ^_^

Snowy Day Update

Well, it's snowing outside. Has been since about noon-thirty and since my left ear is still a bit stuffy, I've not had the chance to enjoy it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be better. I'm sick of not being able to hear things when I eat. It's so loud in my head! 

BUT! The good news is that I didn't have to rely on the Oxycodone for long. Took just one dose and the pain went away. I still take Advil when the pain starts to return (which isn't often) and I'm taking the Amox until the swelling (I'm assuming that's why my ear feels muffled or congested) goes down. Until then, I've been shopping online. 

Now I'm off to reheat some veggie lasagna! Mmmmmm....*Drools*

Sick Days

For the past two weeks I've been sick with a cold. Normally I can handle a cold but this bout was really rough. I contracted it from my boyfriend who is still coughing but his wasn't nearly as bad as mine. I blame work for my worsened conditions. The place is dusty despite the efforts of the cleaning staff. Working at the airport means I am in constant contact with other people. People who put their boarding passes and passports in their mouths, then hand them to me, and then have the audacity to complain about taking their shoes off. I say the floor is a lot cleaner than their mouths since that is what they are giving me; their nasty mouth germs. Well, I make it a point to NOT cough on others and when Thanksgiving rolled around I had to leave work early because I was too weak to continue. I took Friday and Monday (which was my birthday) off to recoup and felt well enough to go back to work on Tuesday. My coworkers thought I was faking despite my constant coughing and by Wednesday I was feeling bad again. It was Wednesday night that my left ear became congested which lead to me waking up early Thursday morning with an earache. After consulting with a doctor on Xanga, I found an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist who was willing to take me in. Turns out I have an ear infection. So now, I've called out for two more days from work, plus I will be calling out on Monday because I have a meeting with my Navy recruiter that is mandatory. Extended weekend, yes but not what I had in mind.

I was prescribed Oxycodone and Amoxicillin for the ear infection. While the Oxycodone did take away the pain, I found it didn't do any better than Advil and I so I've not taken more than the first dose of it (I have switched to Advil which is working just fine). My ear still feels congested but at least there isn't a throbbing pain anymore. I am hoping that later today I will feel well enough to go visit my friend from England, Hannah. We are to go Karaoke-ing tonight in the City but I don't want to make matters worse. Should we plan for Saturday night instead? I don't know. I am just going to play it by ear. (Hehe..)

I don't like being sick but since this doesn't happen to me often, I guess I can't complain too much. The ear infection sucks but I am glad I saw the ENT anyway. I would hate it if I had not and then had permanent damage to my ear. Plus, the pain was making me cry (ouchie!)

For the time being, I've been busy reading a book on my Barnes & Noble eReader on my iPhone. I have decided NOT to invest in the Sony eReader, Amazon Kindle, or the B&N Nook. Why when I have the app on my phone and it works just fine. Besides, I was going to be reading stuff on my phone anyway so the font size doesn't bother me. AND it makes for easy carrying! A lot easier than those bigger electronic Readers. I will say this, I think it's bonkers to HATE digital books. They are cheaper to buy, save trees, and makes it easier for the avid reader like myself to store and carry. There was an author a couple of nights ago on The Colbert Report stating that he refuses to make his books in digital form because of what has happened to music since it went digital. Meaning that since pirating music has become easier, so will pirating books. Maybe this will happen but I don't see it being as big an issue as music and movies. I'm still trying to find people my age that enjoy reading!! One should be glad that their book is popular enough to be pirated! Think about it. Only the most popular entertainment seems to be the ones targeted most by pirates because EVERYONE wants it. So if your book is that great then HOORAY! I know not making money off of pirated stuff sucks, but it is getting your name out there. I for one do not pirate music, movies, or books. I am perfectly fine purchasing them legally. I have found that I have fewer computer viruses when I do things legitimately (I learned from my friends and from past experiences). In any case: I love digital books!

I've also been thinking about my faith. I have decided that I do believe in a God. The God of Abraham perhaps? I have learned years ago that the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths are stem from the same God so picking one Religion is merely based on personal preference and tradition. I guess I am still a Christian in that I follow it's teachings more than the other two but I still do not feel comfortable going back to church. I also believe in evolution. I believe that if God can do anything then he/she can use evolution to create the world and it's inhabitants. So this is where I stand now. Who is God and where does he/she reside? I have no idea. Sometimes one just has to roll with the whole faith thing and move on with their life. I don't care to argue or debate or whatever anymore. I am comfortable in what I believe and in what I do and I don't care who agrees or disagrees with me anymore. Just don't tell me I'm going to hell, cause that's just not nice.

Well, that is all for now.