So eloquent and just plain awesome :-)
This blog is all about me and how my different beliefs and perspectives make me weird. At first, I had no intention of posting my stories to my blog, but now that seems to be the biggest reason people visit my blog, lol! So come read about me, and let me know what you think!
If you like what you read, consider donating to help me support my family.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Hollie McNish - Embarrassed
After posting this to my facebook, I vowed to download it to every portable device I have so that I could play it at the drop of a hat to anyone who dared to shame a breastfeeding mother in my presence. Well, as it turns out, I can't really do that, so I decided that I will post it to my blog so that I can have it on hand for easy reference if needed :-) Plus, I can pull up my blog on my Vita, so therefore it's almost like having it downloaded to my vita, lol!
So eloquent and just plain awesome :-)
So eloquent and just plain awesome :-)
Saturday, July 6, 2013
In Search of God
Ever since I first decided to be wiccan/pagan, I've thought about choosing a God or Goddess in particular. My belief - which is very wiccan - is that ALL gods are one God, and that the one God is really two Gods: The Mother and the Father. If I want to Honor one aspect of divinity - such as Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth and Home - I can do a ritual invoking her specifically.
My options are unlimited, which really appeals to me. To be honest, I tend to work more with my Angels than with any one God/dess. I love the Angels! They seem to be more accessible than the Gods.
However, everyone who has chosen or been chosen by a patron God/dess talks about how much more spiritual work they get done. That appeals to me too. More and more as time goes by.
Ever since I was a child, I've been....... Anti male...... If I heard two Amazing songs, one performed by a woman and one by a man, I almost always loved the one by the woman 100 times more. Someone once asked me why my playlist was all female artists, and I hadn't really done that on purpose, so it was a shock to realize that it was true.
Then I also have to deal with being a Libra - which is all about balance. I want to honor men as much as I honor women. It can be very confusing, especially since I have boys, and I want them to be exposed to boy power every bit as much as they are exposed to girl power.
All of this is basically to explain why I find choosing a particular God or Goddess as a patron to be difficult. I like them ALL! I love Kuan Yin and Budda and Jesus and Mary and Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Aphrodite, and Artemis every bit as much as I love Apollo and Thor and Loki and so on... (SEE? I have WAY TOO MUCH variety to choose from! It's like being a non-diabetic in an all you can eat candy store!)
Okay, so recently, the idea of choosing a patron God has appealed to me more and more. It occurred to me that I could do SO much more spiritually if I had one God/dess to give me direction and purpose. However YEARS of trying to find the RIGHT Goddess have not produced a single one that SPEAKS to me on a deep and profound level.
My main spirit guide (who I refer to as an Angel - named John, lol) is a man. The only person who could ever truly see him told me that he is native american, which makes SO much sense to me. I bet that he is standing next to me laughing his ass off that I keep looking for a Goddess. It never once occurred to me that I should look for the right GOD...
Then I read an article from a woman that talked a lot about how we neo-pagans tend to favor Goddesses over Gods, but that she personally has always been fascinated by Zeus. This actually resonated with me.
As I said, I am a Libra - which is traditionally a male sign; airy, balanced, and indecisive. My moon sign is Taurus, and my rising sign is Aries (that's where I get my fascination with women kicking ass, by the way, lol!). Taurus is pretty much the complete opposite of Libra: Female, grounded, stubborn...
To me, a patron God or Goddess is going to have to appeal to both sides of me. The airy and the grounded. This seemed impossible, but since Zeus resonated with me, I decided to look into him a bit more. Previously, I knew that he was a womanizing Sky God who hurled lightning and frustrated his wife Hera to no end. Very basic research revealed this astonishing fact:
BEFORE Zeus overthrew his father to become the King of the Gods, He was an EARTH God! This is so exciting! He is the only God that I have ever come across that literally IS BOTH an Earth God and a Sky God! He has my air and my earth qualities AND the more I read up on him, the more like me he seems. So I think I may have found my Patron God after all :-) Yea!
And then - during the course of my research - I did some research on Hercules, who also seems like an AWESOME God in my opinion, so now I am conflicted again, lol! However, I think that the reason I am drawn to Hercules is that he is the World's most beloved Hero. I wouldn't really want him as my God, but I love thinking about him and researching him, and imagining his life.
Anyway, I just wanted to write this down, mostly as a way of recording my thoughts so that I can think some more and then come back and reread this and see if I still feel the same later on. Choosing a Patron God is a HUGE step after all :-)
My options are unlimited, which really appeals to me. To be honest, I tend to work more with my Angels than with any one God/dess. I love the Angels! They seem to be more accessible than the Gods.
However, everyone who has chosen or been chosen by a patron God/dess talks about how much more spiritual work they get done. That appeals to me too. More and more as time goes by.
Ever since I was a child, I've been....... Anti male...... If I heard two Amazing songs, one performed by a woman and one by a man, I almost always loved the one by the woman 100 times more. Someone once asked me why my playlist was all female artists, and I hadn't really done that on purpose, so it was a shock to realize that it was true.
Then I also have to deal with being a Libra - which is all about balance. I want to honor men as much as I honor women. It can be very confusing, especially since I have boys, and I want them to be exposed to boy power every bit as much as they are exposed to girl power.
All of this is basically to explain why I find choosing a particular God or Goddess as a patron to be difficult. I like them ALL! I love Kuan Yin and Budda and Jesus and Mary and Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Aphrodite, and Artemis every bit as much as I love Apollo and Thor and Loki and so on... (SEE? I have WAY TOO MUCH variety to choose from! It's like being a non-diabetic in an all you can eat candy store!)
Okay, so recently, the idea of choosing a patron God has appealed to me more and more. It occurred to me that I could do SO much more spiritually if I had one God/dess to give me direction and purpose. However YEARS of trying to find the RIGHT Goddess have not produced a single one that SPEAKS to me on a deep and profound level.
My main spirit guide (who I refer to as an Angel - named John, lol) is a man. The only person who could ever truly see him told me that he is native american, which makes SO much sense to me. I bet that he is standing next to me laughing his ass off that I keep looking for a Goddess. It never once occurred to me that I should look for the right GOD...
Then I read an article from a woman that talked a lot about how we neo-pagans tend to favor Goddesses over Gods, but that she personally has always been fascinated by Zeus. This actually resonated with me.
As I said, I am a Libra - which is traditionally a male sign; airy, balanced, and indecisive. My moon sign is Taurus, and my rising sign is Aries (that's where I get my fascination with women kicking ass, by the way, lol!). Taurus is pretty much the complete opposite of Libra: Female, grounded, stubborn...
To me, a patron God or Goddess is going to have to appeal to both sides of me. The airy and the grounded. This seemed impossible, but since Zeus resonated with me, I decided to look into him a bit more. Previously, I knew that he was a womanizing Sky God who hurled lightning and frustrated his wife Hera to no end. Very basic research revealed this astonishing fact:
BEFORE Zeus overthrew his father to become the King of the Gods, He was an EARTH God! This is so exciting! He is the only God that I have ever come across that literally IS BOTH an Earth God and a Sky God! He has my air and my earth qualities AND the more I read up on him, the more like me he seems. So I think I may have found my Patron God after all :-) Yea!
And then - during the course of my research - I did some research on Hercules, who also seems like an AWESOME God in my opinion, so now I am conflicted again, lol! However, I think that the reason I am drawn to Hercules is that he is the World's most beloved Hero. I wouldn't really want him as my God, but I love thinking about him and researching him, and imagining his life.
Anyway, I just wanted to write this down, mostly as a way of recording my thoughts so that I can think some more and then come back and reread this and see if I still feel the same later on. Choosing a Patron God is a HUGE step after all :-)
In Brist's Time - Chapter 13
Chapter 13
“You’re
not serious!” Was Lucas’ reaction when he was informed of his
parents' plan to leave the twins behind. Regina nodded. “When are
you leaving?”
“Today.”
“So
soon, but what about our horses?” Lucas asked.
“Recovered.”
David smiled. “Thanks to Brist.”
“You’re
joking!” Lucas exclaimed.
“Afraid
not!” David laughed.
“You’re
serious?”
Lucas asked incredulously.
“Quite,”
Brist said, strolling into the room, Sarah balanced on her hip. “I
came to see how you were doing, and to introduce you to Sarah here.”
“Is
that the man my father shot?” The girl asked curiously. “What
does he look like?
Brist
set Sarah on the bed, gently pushing her to investigate for herself.
“Find out with your own two hands.”
Sarah
placed her hand on Lucas’ face, once she discovered where it was.
“You feel like my father. What color are your eyes?” She lightly
ruffled his hair. “What about your hair, what color is it?” She
placed her hand on his cheek. “I hope my father didn’t hurt you
too bad. I don’t understand why he would shoot you. Were you mean
to him?”
As much as Lucas had
wanted to hate this child – once he figured out that she was the
daughter of the thief – he found that he couldn’t bring himself
to actually hate the little blonde angel.
“Actually,
baby, your daddy didn’t shoot Lucas, one of his men did,” Brist
explained.
Lucas
smiled, took the tiny hand that rested on his face in his, brought it
to his lips and kissed it. “To answer your first questions, as you
can see, I have light brown hair and gray eyes.”
“I wish I could see,” Sarah replied
with a sigh. “ I used to be able to, but now, I can just barely
remember what things looked like.”
“I
had no idea!” Regina, David, and Lucas exclaimed, all three wearing
expressions of sudden understanding. Regina and David more so, for
they now realized that it was fairly obvious and that they should
have guessed.
“When
did you lose your sight?” Lucas asked as he cuddled the cherub.
Meanwhile, he carefully sat up.
“On
the ship ride here, at about the same time the bad man named
Newmoanya took my brother Alan away. I had not been allowed near Alan
in so long because he was sick, and then we were finally here, and my
sister was soooo hungry, mummy must have given her away too, but when
I ask when they’re coming back, mummy just says that they’re with
her mum in a place called Heaven.
“Oh!”
Brist was on the verge of tears. Sarah reached towards the sound of
her voice.
“Mummy
Brist? Will you tell my mum that I will always come back; that I
would never leave her like that?” She asked.
Brist
was crying freely now. She plucked the child from Lucas and hugged
her, assuring her that she would do it the second she got a chance.
“Do
you think that Brist and I might have a few moments alone? I wish to
speak to her,” Lucas asked his parents.
“Sarah,
how would you like to explore the garden?” Regina asked.
“Oh, I would love
it!” Sarah exclaimed. Regina picked her up and headed out the door.
David gave his son a questioning look, but followed his wife without
a word, closing the door behind him as he left.
“The
doctor says I shall be able to leave as soon as I feel up to it. My
wound isn’t that bad; nothing’s broken, and he says there’s no
internal bleeding,” Lucas smiled.
“That’s
wonderful!” Brist replied cheerfully. Lucas sighed and decided to
come directly to the point.
“What
I really want to talk to you about is Sarah.”
“Sarah? What about
her?” Brist questioned, intrigued.
“I
know I’ve just met the child, but I’ve already become quite taken
with her,” he paused hesitantly.
“And?”
Brist pried curiously.
“And
I want to take her with me when I leave.”
“Why?”
“Honestly?
I don’t know. I just feel as if her predicament is all my fault. As
if I
am somehow responsible for the tragic condition of her family. I want
to protect her, and to show her that life can be full of joy... and
that ships don’t have to be feared,” he sighed. “Or maybe I
just want to reassure myself that I am ready to be a father.”
“Are
you going to be a father?” Brist asked, surprised.
“I don’t know what possessed me to
confide this to you, but yes. I dallied with the daughter of a
client; a wealthy plantation owner who has sold quality sugar to our
family for years. They live on an island called St. Eustatius.
Well... She wanted me to marry her, but I got scared. I told her that
I had to come here to meet with my family as was scheduled, but that
I’d be back as soon as I could. I should have married her then and
brought her with me, but as I said, I was scared. I thought to talk
with my family first, but I couldn’t tell them.”
“Why
not?” Brist asked non-judgmentally.
He
sighed again. “Well, once I got here, I realized that it would
disappoint my mother to find out what I did. I figured that if I went
back, married her, and then brought her back, saying that I married
her as soon as I found out she was pregnant, then… they won’t
know I ever contemplated doing the wrong thing,” Lucas explained
awkwardly, feeling frustration and anger at his own foolish actions.
“In
my time, people don’t get married just because they get pregnant.
You didn’t do the wrong thing! It’s perfectly natural to get
scared when you have to deal with something so important. I would
advise you to support her, of course, but don’t marry her if you
don’t love her,” Brist counseled.
“But
I do love her! I realized that
when I realized I had left her alone to cope with being an unwed
mother, and when I think about what her father is likely to do when
he discovers her secret… My blood runs cold. How could
I have just left
her?” He sighed again, sounding on the verge of tears. “But she
doesn’t love me.”
“Well,
it seems as if you have a decision to make, and I don’t see how
bringing Sarah with is going to help,” Brist said.
“But
it will help! It’ll take about a month to get to St. Eustatius, and
having Sarah with during that month will help me to learn to think of
someone other than myself, for a change. I really feel as if it’s
the right thing to do.”
In
the hall, Nicholas raised his hand to knock, but paused when he heard
Brist speak.
“I’m
not so sure it’s a good idea,” she said.
“I
am. I need this,” Lucas replied.
“But
what if something were to happen?”
“I
promise nothing bad will happen, and I think it would be
therapeutic,” Lucas stated.
“But-”
“Don’t
make me beg...”
“Okay,
I’ll…” Brist paused, she refused to give consent without asking
Sarah her opinion. In the hall, Nicholas was positive that Lucas had
just talked Brist into his bed, and for some reason, the idea made
him seethe with rage. He stalked to his room, which was just across
the hall.
“I’ll ask her, but
I won’t force her if she doesn’t want to go.”
“That’s
all I ask. Thank you,” Lucas said gratefully.
*******
Nicholas
walked around the rest of the day as if he were dumb, deaf, and
blind. He was preoccupied with thoughts of Brist in bed with his
brother. So much so that he kept clenching his fists and grumbling;
as if he were about to punch the first person he saw.
A slave ran up to him
to report that his detail was ahead of schedule, and that they be
able to start arranging the trees on the east side of the property
into a wall in about a week. Nicholas waved him away without
bothering to comprehend what had been said. He approached his
parents, who were hugging the twins goodbye; his mother was in tears.
“Don’t
worry mother! We’ll be fine,”
Raven assured her.
“And
we promise to behave,” Regan solemnly added. Nicholas was able to
shake off his irritating thoughts for a few moments.
“I’ll
take good care of them,” he informed his teary eyed mother.
“I
know! I know!” She wailed.
“Come
now darling,” David said gently. “It’s time to leave.” He
helped her mount her horse.
Brist
ran up to the departing couple, noting that this time, they had an
escort of armed slaves in addition to Morgan and Curtis – who were
both returning to port with their parents. Curtis was beginning his
captain’s training, and Morgan was getting back to his.
“I
had the cook make up a basket of food. I was hoping that you would
deliver it to Sarah’s parents. There’s also a note from me in
there,” Brist said.
“I feel for them, but
they shot my son, and I-” David began, but Regina cut him off.
“We
could have one of the slaves in our escort deliver it. Then it
wouldn’t be from us, and yet they would still receive some much
needed food,” she suggested.
“Fine,”
David agreed reluctantly.
“Thank
you!” Brist smiled brilliantly. “Have a wonderful trip. I don’t
know how long I’ll be in your time, but I hope I’ll see you again
before I return to my time.”
Regina
smiled and David nodded. Then, the two were off.
The twins held on to
Nicholas’ arms until their parents were out of sight, and then he
led them back inside the house.
“Regan,
Raven, how would you like to go play in the garden with Sarah and
me?” Brist asked as she followed them through the door.
“That
sounds like a lovely idea,” they responded. Nicholas excused
himself, and soon, they had joined Sarah – who was still playing
quietly in the garden.
“Mummy
Brist? What color is this?” She asked, holding up a rose.
“Red,”
Brist answered, wondering how the child had known who had entered the
garden.
“I
like flowers; they’re so soft,” Sarah said reverently, brushing
the flower across her cheek. Brist took the rose from her and used it
to tickle her tiny little nose. She made an adorable little wrinkle
in her nose and laughed. “That tickles me!”
Brist
and the twins burst out laughing.
*******
Nicholas went to
confront Lucas, but he found most of his other brothers were already
in the room with him. Jonathan and Richard – at 23 and 21,
respectively – were captains of their own ships, and had decided to
follow their father’s example to ship out. They were young to be
captains, but seeing as how they had completed their captain's
training – and because their father owned the shipping
company – they were more than qualified.
Gregory and Thomas
weren’t captains yet. Gregory, at 20, was still in his last stage
of captain's training; first mate of one of the Evans ships. Thomas,
at 18, had only recently been promoted to second mate, and wasn’t
due to ship out until tomorrow.
Apparently,
they had been discussing this very subject with Lucas, for Gregory
said: “That reminds me! I’m due to ship out tomorrow afternoon.”
“I
rather think I’d like to spend my last night in port enjoying
myself,” Thomas remarked with a hint of innuendo.
“Good idea! Think
I’ll join you.” Gregory patted Thomas on the back.
“Not
a bad idea! Perhaps I’ll delay shoving out until tomorrow as well,”
Richard agreed with a grin.
“The
four of us can spend the night drinking, and perhaps we’ll each
find a beautiful woman to occupy us for a time,” Jonathan
suggested.
“Sounds
like a plan!” The first three brothers agreed.
“Sounds
like fun! Think I’ll join you,” Lucas said.
“No,
you are staying in bed!” They told him flatly. Nicholas smiled; the
look on Lucas’ face was comical in his dejection.
“I
still have one good arm!” He protested.
“I’m
sorry, but I have to agree. No fun for you until you’ve healed,”
Nicholas said.
“But
even the doctor said I was fit to leave when I felt up to it!”
Lucas definitely disliked being ganged up on, but finally, he
capitulated. Besides, he still needed to get permission to bring
Sarah with him.
Soon
after their brothers had left, Lucas noticed that Nicholas seemed to
be mad at him. Thus, there was an awkward silence. Puzzled, he then
noticed that it was oppressively warm, so he asked Nicholas to open
the window.
Nicholas
complied and was greeted by a symphony of giggles coming from the
garden. He leaned out the window to determine the reason for the
laughter, and Lucas took advantage of his inattention by climbing out
of bed. He overheard his older brother mutter as he joined him at the
window: “Now
what are they up to?”
“It looks as if they
are having fun,” Lucas replied.
Nicholas
grunted, realized that Lucas was out of bed, and ushered him back
into it with a noise remarkably similar to that of a mother hen.
*******
“Finally,
the day is over! Lucas is resting, the twins are in bed, everyone
else is gone, and Brist will
be mine!” Nicholas told himself as he entered her room. He hadn’t
bothered to knock, but it didn’t matter for she wasn’t there.
He
cursed her for being difficult, and then stood thinking about places
she could be. Most importantly, he knew that she wasn’t with Lucas,
for he had just come from his brother’s room. He felt a sudden
peace descend upon him as he realized her voice was drifting in
softly from the balcony.
“Saaarah,
you’re the poet in my heart. Ooo Saaarah…” Brist lapsed into
humming the rest of the Fleetwood Mac tune.
Nicholas
marveled at how delicious her voice sounded even when she was only
humming. Nicholas used the time to rethink his actions; now that he
thought about it, he was sure that she hadn’t agreed to bed Lucas
after all. He even decided that she was probably still a virgin, and
had almost made up his mind to leave, but was interrupted when Brist
reentered the room. She smiled at the sight of the man who looked so
much like her ex-boyfriend, and yet so much more… delectable.
“Shh… She’s
finally asleep,” she whispered. She laid the child on the bed,
careful not to wake her, and pulled Nicholas out onto the balcony.
“Was there something you wanted?”
“Yes.”
You. Nicholas had to think quickly to come up with something so that
he didn’t blurt out the truth. “I wondered if you would walk with
me. Perhaps we could try to put our differences aside and try to get
along. After all, you are my sisters’ companion, and we will
frequently be in each other's company.”
“Sounds
good to me; lead the way.” Brist followed him in near silence –
humming so very softly – as he walked randomly through the garden
and into a nearby grove of trees.
Nicholas couldn't think
of anything but her. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anyone
before. He tried several times to say something – anything! – but
nothing could compete with the thoughts of what he wanted to do to
her.
Without any warning, he
threw his arms around her and swept her up against him. With her
diminutive body so intimately aligned with his and her exceedingly
kissable lips now in reach, Nicholas lost all control. Brist returned
his ardor with equal fervor, and pulled on his shoulders in order to
gain better leverage.
“I
want you,” he murmured between kisses, and any objections she might
have had vanished with the realization that his kiss was far superior
to any other she had ever before experienced.
Nicholas’ next
coherent observation was when he noticed the comfortable pile of
clothing on the ground. It was shortly followed by the discovery that
it was comprised of their clothing, and he couldn’t recall creating
the pile.
Brist’s
thoughts – when they were compos mentis – all involved surprise
at the intensity of sensations she was experiencing, and bafflement
that it should be this way with a virtual stranger when she had never
experienced anything near this level with her ex – whom she had
loved deeply.
Nicholas
tried to slow down – to fully explore her body – but once his
fingers discovered the moist heat of her innermost womanhood, he lost
all semblance of control and plunged inside her with reckless
abandon. Brist dug her nails into his shoulders and gasped as he
entered her.
He rode her hard, grinding against her
with a passion he had never known prior to this moment. Brist quickly
learned the rhythm of his thrusts, recognizing in anticipation that
the most powerful orgasm of her life was in the making; gathering
energy like matter being sucked into a void.
Brist
was suddenly afraid of her inescapable climax. Instinctively, she
knew that if it didn’t happen soon, it would ravage her like a
hurricane, and she was unsure of her ability to survive it. She held
onto her lover as if her life depended on it, because she feared it
just might. Just when she was certain that she was about to die, she
felt his hot seed pour into her, and for some reason, this phenomenon
drove her over the edge, making her scream in a combination of fear
and ecstasy.
It took some time for
Brist to return to herself, and when she did, she was filled with
anxiety over what she had done. First off, she hadn’t needed to
renew her birth control since she was dumped, and second, she had
only had sex with one person prior to this, which had been a major
and carefully considered decision. She was not a slut who slept
around!
She
heard a distinctive voice in her heard tell her not to worry, for all
was as it should be. This brought her confusion and no small amount
of concern over her sanity, and yet, it somehow reassured her. The
damage had already been done, she decided, and as wonderful as it had
been, she wanted more. She debated the wisdom of initiating another
round of sex.
Finally,
her curiosity got the better of her. She had been studying techniques
in sexual self-help books in a desire to rock her man’s world (or
at least his bed), and now she had an uncontrollable urge to see if
different men reacted to the techniques differently, or if both the
men would be alike in this matter also. (Considering that they
appeared astonishingly alike, with subtle differences.) She had a
feeling that in this, like so many other things Brist had discovered
about Nicholas, he would be the same, only 10 times better. This
has to be an incredible dream,
she thought.
Nicholas
was dozing lightly, his strength sapped. Plus, he hadn’t had any
sleep the previous night. At first, he was only mildly aware of her
exploration of his body, but she aroused him so expertly, she could
almost be likened to a high-priced courtesan.
“You could not have been a virgin,” he
remarked softly. She would have replied, but her full concentration
was on the task at hand, and he was more than pleased to be receiving
her undivided attention.
The funny thing to me is that this story was one I wrote when I was 15 or 16 and still a virgin. I had read pretty much every romance novel ever written, but had no real experience except for my vivid imagination. Therefore, I relied more on almost poetic descriptions than on graphic details. Also, much of what I used for plot and content was the parts I liked most from other stories. With my own twist, lol! Can you tell the difference? As I reread my older stuff, I cringe in embarrassment, and so editing it now is a challenge to retain the majority of the original content without diving under my chair and hiding from the embarrassment! That's probably why I don't post it more frequently even though it is a finished book :-)
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Thursday, July 4, 2013
The Declaration of Independence
The real one, taken directly from the government archives: D of I Transcript
I am going to copy and paste the parts of it that I feel are important and relevant to us today, but I will not change anything, so it is not me telling you to stand up for what is right, it's Thomas Jefferson and the rest of our forefathers :-)
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it,
The above paragraph states that: We have the right to live in a way that maintains our freedom and makes us happy. That is NOT to say that we may take away the rights of another, but it DOES say that when any form of government tries to take away our rights as Americans (the government which only exists because we allow it to), it is our RIGHT to stop it and demand that our freedom is returned!!!
all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government,
This paragraph says that experience has shown - and indeed all of history has shown - that people are far more likely to suffer in silence as their government (or others who hold power) abuse and misuse them. However, it is also a warning and a reminder that when such abuse of power goes on too long - long enough that the people can no longer suffer in silence - it is their right AND THEIR DUTY to rebel and force the government to change. I have a strong belief that with so much of the world rising up against their own injustices, that it will only be a matter of time before America does too.
There is a long list of tyrannies committed by the King of Great Britain back then, but I will copy and past only those that seem to be referring to our government today.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
As I said on my Facebook page, this sounds a LOT like it is referring to OUR government sending out officials to small - and usually amish or organic farms - in order to bully them and often destroy their hard work by destroying their products.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
Read these two carefully several times. Do you know what it sounds like to me? It sounds like the MANY times when an unjust or downright terrible law is slipped into the riders of an important bill - which often has nothing whatsoever to do with the riders attached to it - so that it can be passed without question. It also sounds like the times when we as a nation are so focused on gaining one particular right that we don't even notice when congress votes on and passes another one that is simply atrocious. If you have no idea what I am talking about, do a search for what was passed the day we were all focusing on gay rights...
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
And this part here sounds a LOT like what is happening in the Middle East. Everyday we hear about some new scandalous atrocities that are being committed by OUR soldiers in the name of their duty. And we call ourselves civilized...
When will we put a stop to the insanity?
I am going to copy and paste the parts of it that I feel are important and relevant to us today, but I will not change anything, so it is not me telling you to stand up for what is right, it's Thomas Jefferson and the rest of our forefathers :-)
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it,
The above paragraph states that: We have the right to live in a way that maintains our freedom and makes us happy. That is NOT to say that we may take away the rights of another, but it DOES say that when any form of government tries to take away our rights as Americans (the government which only exists because we allow it to), it is our RIGHT to stop it and demand that our freedom is returned!!!
all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government,
This paragraph says that experience has shown - and indeed all of history has shown - that people are far more likely to suffer in silence as their government (or others who hold power) abuse and misuse them. However, it is also a warning and a reminder that when such abuse of power goes on too long - long enough that the people can no longer suffer in silence - it is their right AND THEIR DUTY to rebel and force the government to change. I have a strong belief that with so much of the world rising up against their own injustices, that it will only be a matter of time before America does too.
There is a long list of tyrannies committed by the King of Great Britain back then, but I will copy and past only those that seem to be referring to our government today.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
As I said on my Facebook page, this sounds a LOT like it is referring to OUR government sending out officials to small - and usually amish or organic farms - in order to bully them and often destroy their hard work by destroying their products.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
Read these two carefully several times. Do you know what it sounds like to me? It sounds like the MANY times when an unjust or downright terrible law is slipped into the riders of an important bill - which often has nothing whatsoever to do with the riders attached to it - so that it can be passed without question. It also sounds like the times when we as a nation are so focused on gaining one particular right that we don't even notice when congress votes on and passes another one that is simply atrocious. If you have no idea what I am talking about, do a search for what was passed the day we were all focusing on gay rights...
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
And this part here sounds a LOT like what is happening in the Middle East. Everyday we hear about some new scandalous atrocities that are being committed by OUR soldiers in the name of their duty. And we call ourselves civilized...
When will we put a stop to the insanity?
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Skillet Crustless Quiche
After reading this post for Crustless Quiche (for those of us avoiding grains or carbs), I decided to try making my own version in a skillet. Note: It's easier if you have a lid for your skillet that fits it. Mine is a bit too small, so I had a 1/4 inch rim all around mine that looked like a crust, lol!
Start by deciding on your ingredients. I had about 3/4 a cup of hamburger and onion that had been fried up a few days ago that needed to be used up. I tossed that in the skillet and turned the heat to high to warm up the pan. (Mine is a 12+ inch skillet, I think this would have been far better made in a 10 inch skillet with a good fitting lid.) To the warming ground beef, I added a bag of Thai-Style frozen veggies. The blend consists of green beans, broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, and onions. All cut string style :-)
I salted the veggies lightly to help them thaw and cook. It is helpful to let this mix cook until all the frozen moisture has evaporated since not doing so will make the end result wetter than most people like, lol! Even if you use fresh veggies of your choice, letting the moisture evaporate a bit will be helpful :-)
As that cooked, I grabbed a bowl and cracked 6 eggs into it. Then I poured cream into the bowl until I had slightly less than an equal amount. If you are a stickler for measurements, a cup is good to start with. Pour it in slowly in case you think you might want less, that way you can stop when it looks right to you. Add more if your batter looks too eggy still.
Every quiche that I have had the pleasure of trying was on the bland side. This is because a lot of people think that salt is bad for them - which is true if it is regular table salt. But if you were to do a study on the history of salt, you'll discover what people have known since the beginning of time: that salt is vital to human health. True salt comes with all the trace elements that a body needs to function properly. Therefore, I always use Redmond's RealSalt. It's a type of Sea Salt that hasn't had all the minerals removed. I added some to my egg batter, and then added an organic version of (what I call) Mrs. Dash. It's ACTUALLY called Frontier Salt-free Organic All-Purpose Seasoning Blend
When the meat and veggies seemed ready (i.e dry enough), I poured the seasoned egg batter over the mix.I stirred it just enough that it was evenly spread throughout the pan. Then I covered it with my slightly-too-small cover (which is the biggest one I have, lol!) and let the whole thing cook for a bit.
Another helpful hint is to let this part cook most of the way through BEFORE adding the cheese. I sprinkled the shredded cheese right on top before it had cooked at all, and the top was therefore unavoidably gooey. You may want to let the mix cook on high heat for a few minutes to give it a nice brown crust. Otherwise - or after the crust has browned - turn the heat down to medium or even medium low so that it can cook all the way through without burning. Remember to sprinkle the shredded cheese on it a minute or two before it's ready to serve.
Finally ENJOY!
I have stated several times that I am impatient, so I ended up putting my cheese on too soon AND not waiting for it to fully cook all the way through. Mine turned out gooey on top, which is fine by me and my kids. If you would prefer a none gooey end result, AND if you have used a slightly smaller pan, once the bottom half of the quiche has set properly, you may wish to flip the whole thing as if you were making an omelet. HOWEVER, it will break very easily, so only do so if you are reasonably certain that you can flip it without breaking, or don't care if it breaks :-) THEN add your cheese to the top of the quiche after it has been flipped and has cooked for a few minutes.
If properly cooked, it'll take about 20 minutes from start to finish. Mine took about ten to twelve, heh heh. I used the skillet to cook it faster, however, you could totally make this by baking it at 350 for about 30-35 minutes OR tossing it in your crockpot on low for an hour or so OR throwing it in a roaster oven with the temp between 250-350 for between 30 minutes to an hour. (It depends on how quickly you want it to cook, lol!)
Final verdict: The seasonings really make a difference! Not only was this quiche savory, but it was also mouth-watering! My boys scarfed it down in about 5 minutes flat. My hubby has yet to come home and taste his, but I know he'll love it too, so this is definitely a recipe the whole family will love :-)
What veggies and/or seasonings do YOU like to use in your quiche?
Start by deciding on your ingredients. I had about 3/4 a cup of hamburger and onion that had been fried up a few days ago that needed to be used up. I tossed that in the skillet and turned the heat to high to warm up the pan. (Mine is a 12+ inch skillet, I think this would have been far better made in a 10 inch skillet with a good fitting lid.) To the warming ground beef, I added a bag of Thai-Style frozen veggies. The blend consists of green beans, broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts, and onions. All cut string style :-)
I salted the veggies lightly to help them thaw and cook. It is helpful to let this mix cook until all the frozen moisture has evaporated since not doing so will make the end result wetter than most people like, lol! Even if you use fresh veggies of your choice, letting the moisture evaporate a bit will be helpful :-)
As that cooked, I grabbed a bowl and cracked 6 eggs into it. Then I poured cream into the bowl until I had slightly less than an equal amount. If you are a stickler for measurements, a cup is good to start with. Pour it in slowly in case you think you might want less, that way you can stop when it looks right to you. Add more if your batter looks too eggy still.
Every quiche that I have had the pleasure of trying was on the bland side. This is because a lot of people think that salt is bad for them - which is true if it is regular table salt. But if you were to do a study on the history of salt, you'll discover what people have known since the beginning of time: that salt is vital to human health. True salt comes with all the trace elements that a body needs to function properly. Therefore, I always use Redmond's RealSalt. It's a type of Sea Salt that hasn't had all the minerals removed. I added some to my egg batter, and then added an organic version of (what I call) Mrs. Dash. It's ACTUALLY called Frontier Salt-free Organic All-Purpose Seasoning Blend
When the meat and veggies seemed ready (i.e dry enough), I poured the seasoned egg batter over the mix.I stirred it just enough that it was evenly spread throughout the pan. Then I covered it with my slightly-too-small cover (which is the biggest one I have, lol!) and let the whole thing cook for a bit.
Another helpful hint is to let this part cook most of the way through BEFORE adding the cheese. I sprinkled the shredded cheese right on top before it had cooked at all, and the top was therefore unavoidably gooey. You may want to let the mix cook on high heat for a few minutes to give it a nice brown crust. Otherwise - or after the crust has browned - turn the heat down to medium or even medium low so that it can cook all the way through without burning. Remember to sprinkle the shredded cheese on it a minute or two before it's ready to serve.
Finally ENJOY!
I have stated several times that I am impatient, so I ended up putting my cheese on too soon AND not waiting for it to fully cook all the way through. Mine turned out gooey on top, which is fine by me and my kids. If you would prefer a none gooey end result, AND if you have used a slightly smaller pan, once the bottom half of the quiche has set properly, you may wish to flip the whole thing as if you were making an omelet. HOWEVER, it will break very easily, so only do so if you are reasonably certain that you can flip it without breaking, or don't care if it breaks :-) THEN add your cheese to the top of the quiche after it has been flipped and has cooked for a few minutes.
If properly cooked, it'll take about 20 minutes from start to finish. Mine took about ten to twelve, heh heh. I used the skillet to cook it faster, however, you could totally make this by baking it at 350 for about 30-35 minutes OR tossing it in your crockpot on low for an hour or so OR throwing it in a roaster oven with the temp between 250-350 for between 30 minutes to an hour. (It depends on how quickly you want it to cook, lol!)
![]() |
| Hubby's portion - AKA what's left after we ate our share :-) |
Final verdict: The seasonings really make a difference! Not only was this quiche savory, but it was also mouth-watering! My boys scarfed it down in about 5 minutes flat. My hubby has yet to come home and taste his, but I know he'll love it too, so this is definitely a recipe the whole family will love :-)
What veggies and/or seasonings do YOU like to use in your quiche?
The Lightstones - Chapter 15
This book has now been published on Kindle, if you have a Kindle or the Kindle App, please buy my book :-D The Clan Chronicles - Book One - The Lightstones
Monday, July 1, 2013
Visual Aid
I am dying to post the chapter that I plan to post next (from my story The Lightstones - Chapter 15). It is completely written except for the last 3 or 4 paragraphs - Which REFUSE to be written, grr! Anyway, I wanted to hold off posting this until AFTER I posted the chapter, but since it's taking so long to finish, I figured I'd just post this first and let y'all wonder what the chapter is about :-D (Fyi, the scene this is a visual reference for IS done :-D )
No matter what I tried, I could not get all of the videos to be the same size, preferably big, lol! Oh well. So tell me, which one is your favorite?
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