A Difference of Opinion

Here I am. I have my opinions, and you have yours. You believe your things, I believe mine. Therefore, I will not try to sway you to my side of the fence. However if you spew useless, unresearched fiction, I will call you on it. If you have major viewpoints, base them on fact, not by opinions of other people. Research it before you spread it.

If you believe everything you read in email, then you would be a millionaire already...only if you would have only donated that few hundred dollars to the Price in Africa. (sarcasm)

Alas, I do not hate. I do not judge. I just merely state the truth. And I like you better for taking my advice under consideration.


And that is all I have to say about that.

Vegetarian, Gluten Free Chili Dog

I wanted to share my version of a Vegetarian (or Vegan), Gluten Free Chili Dog:

Gluten Free Hot Dog Bun
Lightlife Tofu Pups
(disclaimer from Lightlife does state these as gluten free)
Amy's Medium Chili
Mayo and Mustard
Sliced Avocado
Top with shredded cheese

And now you have a yummy, yet quick and easy-made meal (that won't make me sick)!

Migraines

I don't think anyone realizes that I have experienced most of my life in a fog. A fog that lingered daily in my brain letting the pain pulsate in veins and arteries of my face and scalp. Sharp, excruciating jolts of pain, that is, would strike at the back of my eyes, as if its ridiculously long fingernails would tear each nerve ending out and squish it between its toes. If pain had toes.

They say that the pain itself causes nausea. And if I puked my brains out, I felt a little better, but never quite well. And again, the pain lingered, day in and day out, like an aura shadowing me. Was I better when the migraine went away? Sure, I would tell you, and I told you that because you were tired of hearing about my stupid migraines.

They would say, it's because you probably have high blood pressure. Think again. I was in elementary when these started, doctor. (Oh, you're not a doctor?--then don't diagnose me.) Yes, I was in elementary, spending lunch, mornings, or afternoon in the nurse's office. She believed me. Mom believed me. She had to. She had the ugly demon as well. She even sent medication so I could make it through the school day. Pathetic--only in elementary.

Sure, I won't lie. Some days sucked. Some days I made it through, and you never knew a difference. You didn't know did you? Well, I hid it well. In college, I self-medicated with alternative medications, I guess you could say. And after my car accident, it seemed like the roll and total of my car shook my brain up a bit. Knocked a few nerves out of place. Probably should have had a catscan. (Yes, Mom, I will admit that.) And shortly after, a buzzing in the back of my brain appeared. Migraines that used to last a couple of days now lasted a couple of weeks. Constant. Buzzing. Fog. They were significantly worse. Catastrophic. The pain affected my legs. I couldn't move, but I had the shakes. I lived in darkness. I went to work. (I had to.) I would drive home, and couldn't remember how I got there. I would spend the afternoon in bed, sleep and start all over again when morning came.

At this point in my life, the doctor gave me barbituates, which inherently saved my life. And for the record, I may have been on a loopy high, but I finally felt clear, strong. The fog lifted, but for a little while.

And you wonder now, did things get better? Years later, yes, I can say they did. I changed my diet due to other health reasons to a lactose-free, gluten-free lifestyle, and now for the most part I do feel better. I have not refilled my barbituates since November of 2009.

Am I migraine free though? Well...every once in awhile, just when I think I'm sitting pretty, the migraine sharpens its claws on the back of my brain, grabs my eyeballs, and squeezes.

Poetry vs. Fiction

Hey, guess what crazy man? You don't want to read my poetry, don't want to waste your time on something outside your genre, you say. Well, I don't want to waste my time listening to you talk about your fiction on subjects that express no interest to me, even though you published it. Funny, crazy man. Good luck with that.

In Bloom

This is a mix of my front yard garden and my patio garden. The hydrangeas are unbelievable...

Double Knockout Roses...

Basil and Kolanchoe

Monkey Grass...potted.

Irises

Purple Jew and Pentas

 



Hydrangeas (this is for you Ruthie...)

 

Texas Sage (Salvia...the red variety)

Victoria Blue Salvia

 

Caladiums

 

Minivans

I was going to post about my new kitten, but thought this matter needed attention as soon as possible.

This is not directed to ALL minivan owners, but you know who you are if this applies to you...

When you drive a minivan, are you not allowed to go the speed limit? And does the minivan not allow you to drive in the right lane when you are going TEN MILES BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT? Just wondering. Because you are always in the left lane.

So since I know minivans do go the speed limit, making the above question moot, do they have to drive beside you at all times, and if so, is the ultimate goal to block you so you can't pass? And when you can finally pass, because it's bound to happen sometime, are they required to speed up, so surprise, you can't pass anymore?

Lastly, when one minivan sees another minivan are they required to drive side by side until someone rides the ditch to cut one of them off? Let me give you a scenario: Three lane highway, three minivans. I'm f#$%ed.

So please help me understand. Do we need to create a "minivan" lane? Because I will. Otherwise, one day I will snap and run you off the road! Here is my advice: Just because you drive a minivan, does not mean you should drive like sh*t. When you drive your other car, do you drive the same? I think not.

Disclaimer: This rant does not belong to those minivan owners who have indeed read the manual carefully, for those people are few and far between...

On Writing...and Money.

That's it. It doesn't exist. If you write for money, well, plan on getting a day job. Making millions off your work is few and far between. Sure, don't get me wrong, if it happened, I would be happy. Don't write because you think I want to hear about your life, much less pay money for it. There are too many good writers out there I would rather be spending my time on. Don't write either because you are someone famous and looking to make that extra buck. Unfortunately, you will. But I won't read it. No way. You probably paid someone to write it for you, so you could sign your name under it.

Here's the rub. Write because words from fingers are more poetic than conversation. Write because your story is consuming. Consuming you, me. Consuming your brain like acid on skin. Get it out. Love it. Work it. It has meaning. If you love it, I will to. Write because it makes you smile. Write because it makes others smile. Write because it causes controversy. Write because you have something to say. Write because you want to see your name in that publication. Write it, type it, sing it, record it. Just do it. And don't write for money. Money is merely a side effect. Nice, but not realistic.

Everybody wants to be a writer. Everybody's writing a book, a novel, a memoir. Do you have it? Can you do it? What makes your life so damn fantastic that I would want to read about it? It's not as easy as you would think. Do you think putting words on paper makes a book, much less a sentence? I feel like I'm qualified, are you?