Really? I mean, seriously?! Food for thought!

     I stumbled upon an MSN article today that caught my eye after checking my email. The article is filed under a column titled "Food in the News". No, it isn't about the latest diet fad, miracle fruit to prevent cancer or even a new cross breed. Instead, it's about pizza. One specific and pricey pizza, in fact.
     Now, we already know that anyone can find some crazy things on EBay these days. Things are auctioned off and sold every day from a celebrity's state-of-the-art custom painted vehicle to furniture, cosmetics and even rumored bodily fluids! So, it should be no surprise that a whole pizza was spotted on the auction site to be rewarded to the highest bidder. But why would anyone bid on a pizza?!
     This fully cooked, three-cheese pie from Posh Pizza in Australia is said to have the face of Jesus embedded in it! It seems to have gone into the oven just like any other pizza and come out the other end with a holy blessing none of the others were privy to. Now dubbed the "Cheesus Pizza", it's toppings have certainly made an impact on those lucky enough to have witnessed it first hand. The owner of Posh Pizza was quoted in the article insisting the pie is not a fake and stating that she'd even had some good luck since the edible miracle came along. Of course, the fact that she avoided a parking ticket for being in a loading zone couldn't be due to merely no one noticing she parked there or maybe a police officer smelling the doughy goodness on her hoping for an early lunch bribe.
     Could this culinary wonder really be as miraculous as some are saying it is or is it simply a slow day for the media? Either way, it's clear that some people in the world must be desperate to see even the smallest things as divine intervention. Maybe it means God is trying to tell us to eat healthier and stay away from over processed and heated grease traps. Maybe it means pizza will someday be the only food us humans can rely on for nourishment. Maybe the teen cook in the back that put it in the oven actually burned the pizza and saw the opportunity to keep his job while making his boss famous!
     Do all minds automatically assume the face in the cheese is Jesus? I encourage you to do a Google search for images of Brad Pitt. Take a look at the more recent photos with his long hair, full mustache and beard, in particular. Now, look back at the picture of the pizza in the article. *Gasp*! Oh my! It's really our beloved Brad trying to tell us something! And, in some parts of the world, were he spotted walking along a river bank in the woods, I'm sure some local would holler out, "Big Foot!" before realizing he is, in fact, their favorite actor behind all of that hair. They would sincerely believe they've caught a glimpse of the hairy beast everyone hears about until they get up close though, wouldn't they?
     Personally, however, when it comes to pizza (and no, this is not merely due to the fact that my pregnant mind has taken over for the most part), my primary concern is how the pie tastes! Of course it shouldn't look like crap, but I'm sure that if I sat down and over analyzed every pizza I ate, I might even be able to spot Jay Leno's face in there a time or two!! But I would still eat what I paid for, not put it up on EBay!
     The owner has promised to donate the proceeds from its auction to charity. I would guess that one aimed at feeding the hungry would be appropriate. It may not be fish, but maybe she can find a way to make one pizza feed thousands!
     With all of this attention on the pizza, I can't help but wonder what will come of it next. If someone called and ordered that certain kind of pizza before they even put it in the oven, who's to say it wasn't meant to be theirs? With my chin up in the air and my nose wrinkled while inhaling a few whiffs around me, I think I smell a new garlic crust and a few law suits in their near future! Of course, like the image of a divine face showing up in a few layers of cooked cheese, it could all just be in my head.

     The "Cheesus Pizza" was said to have a total of 26 bids and ended up racking in $153 Australian! That's one expensive slice of heaven!

To see the original MSN article > Click <

Missing Military

You know, quite honestly, I feel jypped (or however the hell you spell that). I guess I assumed we'd always have the life we had. I just thought that nothing could happen to take that away from us. Who am I kidding? At this particular moment, I'm feeling very selfish. I don't want to be a civilian wife. I got so used to the comforts and security of military and I really hate that I had to give that up. I know that civilian life is meant to be hard. I understand that. And I don't mind working for it.. but I feel out of place. I'm not meant to be here. I'm not meant to be stuck in this situation. A 29 year old woman (well, next Saturday anyway), married with three animals and living with my father! I know there's no way we'll ever be able to survive on our own in this city and yet we can't afford to leave, apparently, because of the bills that keep popping up out of nowhere that make it so we can't seem to save even five dollars a payday. And, yes, sometimes it seems to me like my husband is perfectly content in the current situation. Sure, he may not like working nights, but we live rent free with my dad and he can whine to his family whenever he wants something because they're right here, maybe a ten minute drive away. I hate this city, honestly. I want out. And I'm terrified that there will really be no way out and that we will never be able to have a home of our own (not just a rented apartment or even a rented house, but our own home that we OWN) or be able to do anything but both work full time and sleep leaving no room for a real life! I know I'm being incredibly selfish right now. I know that I should just suck it up and understand, but I just feel like I have sacrificed enough already. And, in civilian life in particular, I know for a fact that there is no way we will ever be able to afford the fertility treatments I will need to conceive. I know that even if we do get out of this city, we will never be able to be secure wherever we go. Sometimes I just want to scream and say, "What the hell is so wrong with the thought of being military again?!" I just feel like we're utterly stuck and will remain that way for a very long time. I can't help but feel like this pathetic existence we're living right now is going to be something I will be fighting FAR too long to get out of. I just feel like I've given up the last 6 months of my life just because I chose to follow without arguing and it's not over yet. Maybe I sound hopeless or depressing, but I'm sick of it. Honestly sick and tired of it.

What is going on with kids these days?!

Alright, so I think I must have struggled with the title of this one for about ten minutes before actually giving up and naming it what I did instead of something catchy or clever. First, I'll go a little bit into why I decided to write about this. In the apartment complex that my dad rents at (which is where we're staying right now) there's somewhat of a routine that's developed. At 2:30pm every weekday people do one of three things (that I've noticed): One, they head out onto their balcony with a pack of smokes and their cell phone ready to call the closest school or the police, if need be. Two, they make sure they have plans so they can be gone from the complex completely until 3:30pm. Three, they bring in anything they think may be of value (this includes door mats) from the balcony and the front of the apartment and lock themselves in tight for the hour. Okay, so I know this is starting to sound like something out of a fantasy novel and that, at any minute, I'm going to tell you the giant dragon is about to swoop down on the helpless little village. If only that were true. In reality, that time every single week day is when the kids from the local Jr. High and High School are out of class and walking home. You would expect to see a mix of tiny, shy or nerdy kids and then the kids who play football or the occassional cheerleader outfit. Not with these kids. Each and every one of them apparently believes they are "hardcore" and "bad ass" so they can do whatever they want. For example: They walk through the parking lot of the apartment complex (which they're not supposed to) smoking cigarettes, screaming the worst profanities I've ever heard on a child all the way across the parking lot at kids they don't know or even tenants, pushing one another and cussing in the hopes that a fight will break out (which it always does), kicking people's cars, jumping into people's trucks, making it to at least third base in the middle of the parking lot, sneaking down the stair well to the garage right below our window to have sex, throwing glass bottles at each other, stealing things they want off of the balcony as they walk by, talking back and threatening us if we catch them and scold them and even threatening to kill other kids if they don't give them money. Angels aren't they? Now, there are a few of these kids who actually just walk quietly through, but they are always picked on by the others and almost in tears by the time they get to the other end of the lot. The police have been called before, but they get here 20 minutes later when that particular batch of kids who damaged property or made the threat are long gone. A neighbor, however, went straight to the school board and they sent out an official in his personal vehicle to observe these kids and was so angry with what he saw! The question is, why does this have to happen?! Why are these kids like this?! To answer those questions, you need to ask another one: What are these kids doing out of school at 2:30pm?! I remember being in High School and walking home, but we didn't get out of class until 3:30pm and once we got home at 4pm we had to sit our butts down and watch whatever "after school special" was on that day, be teen pregnancy, the dangers of playing with guns or drugs! And we always had at least one after school activity we had to be involved in which meant that, some days, we wouldn't leave the school grounds to walk home until 6pm! Schools today (public schools in particular, it seems) don't have enough money so they use that as an excuse to send these kids home earlier and cut the after school programs that are so vital to their personal growth! When we were kids, we didn't dare talk back to another adult! We didn't dare come home any later than we were expected to walk through the front door! And we certainly didn't dare to get the mail or answer the phone before our mom or dad got to it when we knew it was bad news from the school.. because we knew they'd find out later and our butts would be so sore if we did! I'm not saying parents today should beat their kids and I'm not even going to get into the spanking issue here; I'm just saying that if kids were actually involved at school and had something to look forward to every morning other than a few more classes then the long walk home, they'd be more appreciative! These kids are bored at school because they teachers don't get paid enough anymore either and so they destroy things and hurt each other for amusement and then act out on their way home from school because they know that if the school finds out and calls their parents they will be able to get the cal first! They know if the school sends their parents an email, they got all their email passwords! If the school tries to send a letter, they're home long before their parents are so they can burn that letter like it never got there! Remember how we used to sprint all the way home on report card day and pray that we'd get there before the mail guy did so we'd have a chance to look at it and know what was coming?! And most of the time we didn't make it their on time! Our parents were already home from work! These shorter school days and lack of after school activities or arts programs are creating more and more "latch-key" kids than we ever had before! These kids spend hours of their days on the streets between school and when their parents get home! They have nothing to guide them for more than a few hours each day and only their peers to teach them what life is the rest of the day! They have zero respect for other people, let alone older people, and think that they run the world! And WE are creating children like this! It's no wonder parents are eager to send their kids to private school or to home school them! But not everyone has the money to do so! We have a moral obligation to our kids to make sure they are safe and nurtured when we can't be there! That's what the school system is supposed to be for! I know it's not a daycare system, but why punish the kids in taking away the fun and productive things they could be doing after their usual classes which could be the difference for them between Harvard and Juevenile Hall?!

Okay, that's my rant. I'm done. And yet, still disappointed.

Facebook Freedom of Speech

First, let me start out by explaining a few things about my personal Facebook experience thus far. When I first started my page, I was amazed at the responses I got from day one to the things I posted on my status. Whether it was a good day or bad day I was having, I knew within a few minutes that my friends were there to love and support me just by their comments. Now, Facebook can be an uplifting thing in a time of need, but there are people out there who try to hold it and your posts against you. There's a few simple ways to deal with them.
Do we need to watch what we say? Well, that's the beauty of it. Personally, I have a lot of fellow Aloette consultants and clients on my Facebook page because of the fact that it makes me (and them) feel like there's almost a closer relationship there and it's nice. Because of that, I do tend to watch the profanity. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that, when I'm really super angry, I tend to pay no attention whatsoever to the language I'm using and I voice my opinion very loudly. That's just who I am. That being said, I do know how to draw the line. There comes a time when being professional and respectful is the right thing to do. Now, I do still tend to vent when something in particular is going wrong in my life or something has really got me fired up. I'm just careful about the exact words I say and I do not mention names as I know it will come back to bite me in the ass. If, however, your Facebook page is meant strictly for personal use and only your close friends and family are connected to you on it, why should you feel the need to hold back? Those people are well aware of the depths to your personality and know what to expect from you, so why shouldn't you be able to "vocalize" your joy or discontentment on your own profile page? Why should it matter to them what you say (unless you use their name)? Those who are offended by your posting and venting when something wrong has been done to you could possibly be showing signs of a guilty conscience.
I had this issue about eight months ago (give or take). I'll just share with you how I handled the situation. Back then, my Facebook was purely personal and there was nothing professional about it. In fact, I'm sure you may even be able to scroll through the thousands of posts back to sometime in January and know exactly what I'm talking about. There were so many things that were effecting me and my life negatively that I needed to vent about it. If I'd have had a blog then, I most definitely would have written about it. I mentioned no names whatsoever, but I knew that I needed support as I felt as though many things in my life were beginning to fall apart in front of me (maybe if I'd known the struggles to come, I would have seen the situation differently, but that's an entirely different blog). Anyway, a few people felt that what I was posting was offensive and, essentially, irresponsible because they believed I was putting too much personal business into the internet world. I received so many messages and calls about my comments on Facebook from these people (including one that was passed through my husband telling him to better "control" his wife) and, I have to be honest, I was infuriated! I did, however, find a way to fix the issue. The process to rectify this sort of dramatic and judging behavior from those kinds of people is hard for some and takes a great deal of time. I like to call it, "Delete"!!!
Seriously, there are so many things in life to worry about so many things that could use our energy and time. Judging others for what they say on Facebook, of all things, is just pathetic, in my personal opinion. Spending all of that time complaining about the fact that someone is upset and telling the world about it when the world probably has no idea that you are the one he/she is mad at to begin with is just a waste! Furthermore, for those of you who sincerely feel that you have to sit there and comment back and forth on your page to argue with those kinds of people about what you post on your Facebook, you need to sort out your priorities! Don't let other people's insecurities get you that messed up! The phrase you're looking for to combat that problem is "FREEDOM OF SPEECH"! If those who are on your page as friends don't like what you say, then simply delete them! Removing them from your Facebook should not be the "permanent life delete button" that it is today! Honestly? Seriously? Just because someone removed you from their Facebook page does not mean they never want to speak to you again! And if it does, honey believe me, there was no room in your life for selfish and childish people like that to begin with! If you honestly have that huge of a problem with someone, vent about it without names if you must, but talk to them about it in person! And don't judge others for what they put on THEIR Facebook page! We all have the right to say what we want whenever and wherever we want (unless, of course, it's something that could lead to someone being phyiscally hurt or permanently effecting their lives and families, which is why I recommend not naming names)! To put it simply, if you don't like the things someone specific posts, don't be friends with them on Facebook! But don't make it a matter of National Security!
Alright, I've done enough bitching on that subject. I have one more for the day that I'll post in a few minutes. I do love you all very much. Let's just do everything we can to be responsible, respectful and supportive no matter what the situation or what others may say.

Friends-Family, Family-Friends

It's been said that friends are the family you choose. With some friends, this is definitely the case. Now, I've learned that some friends are just meant to be the "once in a while" type no matter what you do. That's okay and all, but I sincerely believe that everyone should have at least a few friends in their lifetime that stick with them. I'm not talking about "Best Friends", but rather "Family". These are friends that are included in every aspect of your life. You can share your deepest and darkest secrets with them without the fear of being judged. You can sob uncontrollably, snot running down your face and that little sucking sound as you try to catch your breathe, all over a sad movie. You can change in the same room with them and feel completely comfortable even though you make faces and complain under your breathe about your fat thighs and double chins when you change alone. You blow up and feel like you've just been kicked in a not-so-friendly place when someone insults them or hurts their feelings. You're there or will be there when their kids are born and you'll be there to watch them grow. When they travel great distances (or just back to their house) you worry about them and insist they call or message you every step of the way and when they get back home.
These friends seem to be so much harder to find these days. Having been military (particularly Navy), I know how hard it is to make friends and keep them. New orders are presented to another state, the opposite coast or even to another country. Distance is often a "deal breaker" for any relationship and it's a huge challenge to continue that close bond once a few hundred miles or an ocean are between you. One of the good things, however, that I found in being a military wife with so many military friends is that I have great friends all over the world now. We may have met in one place, but no one will ever know how to be a devoted friend like a military friend. These days, there are so many new technologies to help us keep in contact and, even though it's not the same, it's so very imporant to find the time for one another. Moving to a new place is hard. It's hard physically and it's hard emotionally. When you have to leave your friends and start all over again, nothing warms the heart and motivates you to keep going like a phone call or an email from your friend to say they miss you and ask how you are.
I really do feel kind of bad for those who don't have a friendship like that. I have been so blessed to have many friends who will always be family to me. They may be spread out in different places but, the way I see it, I'll have plenty of places to travel to when I get older and want to see new places. I am so grateful for these people in my life. They inspire me, support me, lift my spirits, keep me focused, make me feel loved and remind me constantly that I am worth the love and respect of others. I don't know what I would do without these people and I sure as hell will not lose them. They are all vital to my existance and make up so much of who I am. Thank you, friends/family, for being the light of my life and seeing me through all of my good times, bad times and curing my boredom in between. Know that you are all so very deeply loved and appreciated in return.

Good day vs. Bad day

I don't usually have a day that's specifically good or bad. I've found that almost every day is a fair mix of both and I just need to work on keeping my focus on the good. For example: I woke up this morning (more like this afternoon, but I'm giving myself the benefit of the doubt) and I was actually in somewhat of a decent mood. My husband had to work over time this morning, but forgot and so he took my keys with him to work last night thinking he was being nice in letting me sleep passed 7:30am, when I would normally have to let him in. When he did get back, however, he decided he was too lazy to walk around to the apartment gate from the parking lot and jumped the balcony fence then called me to let him in! As soon as I opened the back door, he handed me my keys.. nice. See, I could've let that ruin my entire day (and I did stay pissy about it for a little while), but I moved onto what I needed to accomplish for the day. I actually had the motivation and energy to go to the gym and work out for the second day in a row (believe me when I say that's almost a new record for me) and I felt great about that. But I'm a very anti-social person at times when my anxiety peeks and there were about 15 teenagers at the pool (which is in front of the fitness center) and I couldn't escape the fact that I had to walk through them. Tiny 15 and 16 year old girls in booty shorts, barely-there tank tops, bikinis that covered even less, Coach handbags, sunglasses that cost more than my whole closet and faces that screamed "Like, ew, I'm so better than you". And here I was; 29 years old, fat, frumpy, warm up pants two sizes too big, muddy sneakers, my husband's t-shirt, color challenged hair that had been pulled back into a tiny nub of a pony tail and back-in-the-day over the ear head phones that had been something like $4 at Target and all I could afford. Yeah, I definitely could've let that be the end of my day making it mostly bad, but I completed my full work out successfully and then came back to the apartment and released some aggression by blowing shit up in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2! See? Good day and bad day mix!