Going back to church

This past weekend I went to church for the first time in a long time, and I enjoyed it. I have spent many years saying I did not believe in God (well, more that I didn't see any evidence of a God) and did not go to church. A lot of things let to me letting go of my faith. My dad died, at 39. My grandma died because of breast cancer, and she was quite young. My other grandma went from being completely healthy to dying in just a couple of months because of cancerous brain tumors. All of these things happened and they pushed my faith away from me. How could my "God" want to take these people away from me? What bigger plan were they serving?

I was angry, for a very long time. I did not want to believe. I was pushed even further away from Christianity with the debate of evolution vs. creation. I am a biologist, who not surprisingly, who believes that dinosaurs once roamed the earth, birds evolved from dinosaurs, etc. etc. and because creationism does not mention dinosaurs and only dates our earth to be a few thousand years old, I would never believe that side of things. This doesn't make me a bad person. Show me the evidence! There's evidence of evolution, where's all of the creation evidence? I actually had someone tell me I was going to hell for believing in evolution, and they were even angrier when I asked them where I'd go if I didn't believe in hell.

I also have a real problem with many aspects of specific Christian "things". The Catholic Church has done and does so many things that I strongly disagree with that it would keep me from ever being Catholic. There are conservative Lutheran churches where I used to live that the families have 12+ children and they dress very conservative (women wear bonnets, and children even have to wear ankle length skirts), they do not have TV's or computers. That's fine if they want to be conservative. But I had a real problem with some people of this faith holding their own children back, I know someone from this group that actually was angry that his son wanted to go to college, because he wanted him to get married after high school and start having a family of his own. They hold their own kids back, teaching that life is God's journey, and that learning subjects such as history in school are foolish. It's enough to make anyone question their religion.

I was raised Lutheran- Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, to be exact. They are a fairly liberal Protestant denomination, the largest in North America. They allow women pastors, and allow homosexual ministers to have relationships, though they discourage it. They have never taken an official position on evolution vs. creation. They let you basically think for yourself. They're kinda like the people who when you do show up for church they're like "Hey there glad you could make it, yeah God!" Very laid back, many services are contemporary, using modern Christian music throughout the service. I have been feeling for a while now that maybe a little faith, perhaps a re-connection with God, will help me through difficult and trying times. I don't plan on reading the bible every night and judging people who for so long like myself did and continue not to believe.

The great thing about our country has always been our freedom of religion (albeit we have taken away some freedoms post 911, which is a shame, since this is in our FIRST AMENDMENT). I spent some time deciding if the Lutheran church was still right for me over others, and after investigating I decided to stay with the religion I was baptized and confirmed of. So this is my chance for another go at religion. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

~Have a great day~

Rant about a Blog....

I'm home sick today... ugh. Not fun, I hope it goes away... but in my surfing the web, I found a local blog that really made me irritated, and ANGRY. These are exactly the kind of people who aren't allowing our country to move forward. I'm sick of conservatives who hate homosexuals and deem it necessary to post hateful posts like this lady does, as well as insulting other human beings. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of things, but this blog is just downright hateful! You can see it here. I have my own opinions about things, like that love is a wonderful thing, weather it's a man loving a woman, a man loving a man, or a woman loving a woman.
It's unfortunate to see that so many people are like this still to this day. When will we stop hating and start loving more? When will people stop judging others? When will we just allow for others to love and live and they please?
Homosexuality is not a disease. This brings me to a thing on the internet I saw a while back. So I have posted it here for your reading pleasure:

The copyright, if any, belongs to its author.
Dear Dr. Laura,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.
1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev.20:14)I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted disciple and adoring fan,
J. Kent Ashcraft

The Gay List:
01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Now when reading this, remember I don't hate the Bible, but this is an arguement time and time again when it comes to gay marriage/ homosexuality. If we took everything in the Bible as fact, we'd have one messed up world. Please remember, that like all others, it is a book. Not everything in it is fact, they are stories written by men about the life and times of Christ and Christianity.

So in closing, I hope all of you will find it in your hearts to love and let people live how they choose. Who are we to judge?

~D.

Books and Crochet....

As part of my life list, I want to read all of the Top 100 books on Time's Top 100 list. If you haven't seen this list, it's available online at the Times website. I am having a lot of trouble getting into the book I'm currently reading (The Yiddish Policemen's Union- it just seems very blah to me) so I've looked at the list and have decided to read one of the books from the list (just checking out one for now from the library, since I have that one I've already started plus another book at home) to keep with my reading the top 100. Exciting times in the book world. :) I love books. I really do!!

I have been working on this super cozy scarf which I haven't decided if it's for me or for someone else or to sell, but it's green and super fuzzy and it's about 1/2 way done now. I work on it at night for a bit, until I decide to work on another project (I need to finish a bunch of projects!! I have a sweater that needs a half an arm, hats that are only halfway done, well, you get the idea.) I want to make some grocery totes, but I have to gather patience to sit and cut strips out of plastic bags and make the "plarn" first. I hope to get to that this week or weekend! We must have about 50 plastic bags right now. Ick. I am going to make the Dragonfly Shawl in the Interweave Crochet magazine that is just so pretty and I think will be great for the spring. If I really like the first one I make I'm going to use that pattern to make my mom a mother's day gift (I am thinking ahead!!!)

Today is a dreary day, which is quite disappointing since it was sunny and 60 yesterday. It was raining, which has stopped, at least for now, and it's gray and blah. I feel like curling up under a blanket and reading. I do need to run to the movie store and bring back the two dud movies- The Prestige and Pride and Glory (or something like that, the newer Ed Norton movie) which neither were very good to me... however we watched The Illusionist the other night, it was fantastic, I thought. We do watch a lot of movies, and lately most of them have been duds. I hope we can find some decent ones here in the future, I'm tired of crappy movies!!!!!!! If you have any recommendations, let me know.

Have a good day, and until next time, take care.

~D.

Why Can't Weekends Last Longer???

So this was the end to another wonderful weekend. The weather is finally nice, and I hope it stays this way for a while so all of the snow melts! We enjoyed a nice lunch today at a tasty Mexican place by our house- can we say Margaritas!!! Yum. I just wish the weekend was one day longer. It would make life less stressful! Think about it... 3 day weekends, every weekend. Boy that would be nice.

So I've noticed that some people deem it necessary to drive like assholes down the street in front of our house, now mind you our street is one block long. I bet some go 60 mph. So today's rant is about idiot drivers. Driving wayyyyy too fast is not going to get you places a whole lot faster, it is dangerous, and it is just plain stupid. There's no reason for you to go 60 down a side street, only to come to a stop sign. Hello dumbass, there's 2 schools nearby and a university all within 1/4 mile of each other!! People will be walking. This goes with driving like an idiot in the snow, texting on your cell while driving, and running stop lights intentionally. You know who you are. You need to have your licenses taken away!

So chew on that thought. I'm off to bed, to get a good night's sleep and be ready for another work week. I hope everyone had a safe and fun weekend.

Green Living

Greetings world. Today is my environmental "Tree-hugger" day where I am going to talk all environmentally related things.

Starting with PLASTIC BAGS. Now, when you go shopping, why do you deem it necessary to have a million plastic bags filled with crapola? I realized that I have about 100 plastic bags at home. I am going to use these bags to crochet together a tote. I'm also going to experiment with "fusing" shopping bags together, which is a method of melting them into more solid form that can be used for various things- check that out HERE. Plastic bags take 1000s of years to disintegrate. So please, think about that, there are a million uses for plastic bags.

Another thing I'm going to do is learn to sew. I can make all sorts of wonderful things- even just using my old t-shirts and jeans. From bags to new clothing items, I'm on a mission to reduce waste, become organized, and be crafty. I've already started selling crochet items on my ETSY page. I'm going to buy more handmade, less China made crap.

I'm also going to eat healthier- more veggies, less meat. I am taking vitamins for the iron and gaining protein from other things- like soy. I have been for years now been bringing lunch to work in reusable containers. Then I found out about the Bisphenol A scare that's bringing to front the reasonings as to why people need to buy themselves a water bottle etc. But Ziploc has containers that are free of BPA- so I will be investing in more of these (the less foil, plastic wrap and baggies I use, the better it is).

Anyhow, it's a start. I'll keep you posted on my greener lifestyle.

~D.

A Sad Anniversary

Life. It's so amazing. Sometimes we spend so much time being angry or whining about the simple petty things we cannot see the good things whizzing by us in the wheel of time. Today is a day for me to reflect. Reflect upon a friend, who one year ago today, took her own life. Angela Battan was not forgotten, she is still remembered.
Angela and I were not always friends. In kindergarten she pushed me down on the school bus and ripped my tights. She stuck gum in my hair, and once she even flipped off the person behind our school bus who then pulled the bus over and she accused me of doing it. But even in all of this, we became lifelong friends, and she was also my neighbor, one of the handful of kids who lived where I did for a 5 mile radius. As we grew older, our friendship stayed strong. But Angela had her own demons that she battled everyday, and no matter what was done to help her, there was a higher power at work. Even today we may not understand why or how this could happen, but we do remember her.
I have been thinking about how at her funeral last year our old "crew" of friends were reunited. What a horrible circumstance, but yet we were once again brought together. We laughed and shared stories and pictures, we cried, and we spent time together. Unfortunately that again was where that ended. Why do we allow this to happen? Let something that is so precious- true friendship- fall to the wayside? Only to be brought together again by a tragedy? I guess life takes you different places, but I feel as though this is a wrongdoing on all of our parts. The last time I saw Angela, she looked happy. But was she? I spend a lot of time thinking about what I didn't say, and what we don't say to each other to this day. So in light of a sad anniversary, I just want to let my friends know how much I do care, whether we live far apart or close to each other. I have tried to be a better friend, and please know, that no matter the distance or how little we may talk on a normal basis nowadays, I am here for you. If you need me, I will be there. Forever and always.
To Jess, Rob, Jeff, Kelly, and Nick and our glory days of life out in the sticks, may we continue to hold memories of those wonderful childhood days in our hearts. If I could, I'd hug each and everyone of you today, but I can't, at least not physically. Here's to shooting down airplanes, hitting poor Rob in the head, bike rides that never end, prom dresses and trampolines, and a million memories we keep in our hearts.... today Angela Marie Battan, is to you... may you finally be at peace with yourself. We love you.

~D.

Getting in Shape

Hey folks.
I need to get in shape. I weighed in at incredibly fat at the doctor's office a few weeks back, and it's been all of the motivation required to get my fat ass to the gym. I went last night and I have been taking multivitamins daily and I cannot believe how good I'm feeling. I am not going to be able to work out today because I work until 9 tonight but I will be back at the gym everyday this week all the way through Saturday. I will build endurance and lose fat. I will work towards a healthy and fit body. And I will wear a sexy dress to show it off (I don't know to what but I'll figure it out). Life makeover!!

So my rant of the day goes to... nothing! Today I feel quite happy. So no rants today. I finished book last night too- so here's my recommendation... read it!! It was a good read I think and you'll get sucked in trying to figure out "who done it"...

I'd write longer but I just don't have the time.

~D.

Particulate Pollution Explained

Particulate pollution, also known as particulate matter (PM), encompasses a wide array of airborne pollutants that can affect an individual's breathing and well being. The US EPA classifies PM in two categories: particulates that measure between 2.5-10 microns in diameter, and particulates that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Healthy individuals tend to be able to catch the particulate matter that fall in the 2.5-10 micron category in their mucosal linings. However, there is room for this size matter to pass into the lungs, creating health issues. Of even bigger concern are the super tiny particulates that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter.
The tiny particulates that measure less than 2.5 microns can be a direct result of industrial processes, forest fires, and automobiles. Particles this size are the major cause of what Americans call "haze", where it's common especially in the summertime for it to be "hazy" in cities. These particles are so tiny that it would take 30 of these particles lined up next to each other to equal the thickness of a single human hair.
Fine particulates contribute to numerous health problems, including asthma, irregular heartbeat, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can irritate the airways. They are not only a strain on the health of people, but can also be a contributing factor in acid rain, salinization of soil, crop damage, and can throw the balance of an ecosystem out of whack, so to speak. Important monuments, such as cathedrals, historical landmarks, and other stone based monuments can be damaged by the settling of particulates which eat away at the stone.
What can you do to protect yourself? If you already have breathing related problems or a suppressed immune system, you should keep yourself informed of the air quality in your area by watching the weather channel. When the air quality is not satisfactory, minimize your movements outdoors and try to rest as much as possible to minimize the impact of the poor air quality. Installation of air purifiers in your home can also help reduce particulates in your home. Do not burn candles unless they are of soy base and do not emit smoke, as these produce many particulates that can affect your health. And most importantly, do not smoke. This one is obvious for many reasons.
It's also important to minimize your impact on the environment. Drive your vehicle only when necessary. Try to group automobile trips into one event. Carpool when possible, and if possible, walk or ride a bike to work. It's good exercise and it beats sitting in a car in traffic! Do not burn garbage, and take care of your vehicles. Well-tuned vehicles will be better for the environment then cars that need a tune-up. Become involved and help others to learn of particulate matter. We created much of the particulate pollution that is present today, and it is our responsibility to reduce it.

Citrus Greening Disease

Here's my new article for Helium:

Something is leaving a bitter taste in citrus farmer's mouths in Florida, and it's not a particularly bitter grapefruit. Small psyllids are bringing an unwelcome visitor to citrus crops and it could lead to the collapse of the citrus industry, particularly in Florida. That unwelcome visitor is Candidatus Liberibacters, a gram-negative bacterium that has already caused problems in Brazil, China, India, and other citrus producing regions or the world and its problems can be devastating to a citrus crop.
Psyllids are the host organism that carries this bacterium from tree to tree, spreading the disease that has no cure. Once the psyllid has carried Candidatus liberibacters to a citrus bearing tree, the bacterium makes its way into the tree, taking up to a year before the signs begin to show. The leaves begin to droop and turn yellowish. Fruit begins to drop from the tree at an unusual rate. Upon inspection of the fruit, the farmer finds that it is small, misshapen, and has a green end on it, even though it's supposed to be mature. When the farmer looks inside of the fruit, he notices that the seed is brown and truncated. The fruit itself has a bitter taste and is not marketable to anyone.
The occurrence of citrus greening disease was first noticed in Florida in 2005, although the particular organism that plays as its host was found in Florida 1998. It occasionally has popped up in other regions in the USA, as well as Mexico, but in 2005, Florida saw devastation they thought was only possible by hurricanes. Trees were dying at amazing rates and no one knew what to do. Citrus prices skyrocketed in light of the crops being threatened by a disease that proves to have only one end result: death of the tree. As of right now, the only method of prevention is trying to prevent the psyllids from spreading the bacterium, which means restricting the imports of citrus from foreign countries, including plants, cutting down trees that are infected to prevent spread, and constant vigilance in the orchards, where farmers work together to identify these pesky vectors and inform government agencies of their presence.
There are no resistant citrus tree species. There is no spray that will fix this situation.
Right now, the most important thing for anyone to do is to learn how to identify the psyllids that are the vector of this disease and be on the lookout for citrus trees that contract the disease by looking for the telltale signs and removing this tree as soon as possible to decrease the risk of spreading the disease. What will happen to US Citrus crops? It's truly too soon to tell. Unless scientists can find a treatment, this disease could devastate US Citrus crops and destroy Florida's economic gem. The race is on, but no one can tell if this disease can be stopped in time.

Super Bowl, Obesity, and Reading.

Hey kids- I slacked all weekend and didn't even post anything. Lame, I know. But I'm back. I'm sure that many people watched the Super Bowl over the weekend. And this is where my rant begins.

Daily RANT:
OK, if you're going to have the Super Bowl on your channel, you might want to make sure that the picture quality isn't crap!!! NBC had a weird feedback from sound and a picture that was like watching TV in the 80's. Way to blow it NBC. It was like this for the entire game. You'd think they'd try their hardest to fix this problem, but nooooo we had to watch the entire Super Bowl in the crappiest picture quality out of any channels on TV. NBC you suck. Along with CNN, who on inauguration day completely underestimated how many people would be utilizing their site to see the inauguration (because most of us were at work) and I couldn't even get on to see it, thankfully the BBC had a feed that worked (funny since they are WORLDWIDE and NOT EVEN AN AMERICAN CHANNEL).
I pretty much think NBC blew it this year. I also thought the commercials were disappointing. I mean, you'd think they would have just been amazing since they are supposed to be attracting people to their products in this horrible economy. You know who didn't advertise during the Super Bowl? McDonalds. I didn't see them. I also didn't see any banks, or other restaurants in general. I know it's expensive, but seriously? Not even one ad? I was shocked.
Speaking of McDonalds, we ate there yesterday while running errands. I was incredibly disappointed. The fries were super salty. My bf's quarter pounder had a splash of mustard and a lone slice of pickle. Weak. I don't even know what I'm complaining for, it's not like you ever feel good after eating there. I always feel like a big pile of dog crap afterwards, which is why it is a rare occurrence (maybe once a month at most).
My other rant is that when you go to Walmart, do you not find it annoying that people who weigh about 400 pounds ride around on scooters in there and then you watch them stand up off of the Scooter to reach the chocolates or chips on the top shelf?? WTF!!!! I mean, my ass could stand to lose a few (which is why I am starting back at the gym and going to stick to it) but I do not need to ride around on a scooter because it's so big I can't walk. I just think that America has a serious situation when this is happening. And they take up the whole aisle!!! I mean, I have absolutely no sympathy for them. At all. I get angry when you see someone who is grossly obese on TV talking about how rough life is for them and the discrimination they face then you watch them consume more in one meal at a fast food joint than you would in a week. Seriously? I wonder why people think you're a disgusting pig. You obviously brought it on yourself if you think a meal at McDonald's is 5 cheeseburgers, 2 large fries, a large soda, and 20 Chicken McNuggets. Sick. Now I know why I'm a little chubby. I drink too much beer, I eat junk, and I don't work out nearly enough. I am hoping that eating better and working out will do the trick. If it doesn't seem to be doing a whole hell of a lot, then I need to cut out some beer (I know what you're thinking- ha, Dee cutting beer from her diet, that's a good one). At least I sit and try to figure out how to get myself into shape. So today's thought is, put down the ho ho, pick up the banana, and get yourself to the nearest treadmill. Sidewalks, escalators, and airplane seats will thank you.

RAVE
Today's rave of the day is actually (and quite ironically) about food. The first food item is the Chicken Pizziola sub from Subway! Yummy. And it's a 5 dollar footlong. 2nd... Mac and Cheese!! My favorite comfort food, and I had some this weekend. What a yummy meal. I only eat it once and a while, since we tend to cook good hearty homemade meals daily. I also made homemade beef stew this weekend. It turned out great... I love my crockpot!!!
Funny how my rave is much shorter than my rant....

So on to book reading.....

I'm still working on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which is becoming really really intense and I am mad that work is interfering with my reading time. It is one of the better books I've read in a long time. The mystery is a pretty dark story involving murder and some gruesome connections to other horrific murders. I will give the full review hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday on it. I'm hopefully going to start The Yiddish Policemen's Union soon or The Other Queen, which both are at home and haven't yet been touched. So I've got lots of reading ahead of me.

I am almost done with my first sweater (crocheting that is). I have one sleeve left!!! I'm excited, this is my first sweater and it turned out pretty good thus far. I am working on a sweater for my goddaughter as well, it's a cute pink one... it's about halfway done. I'm using a pattern from one of my new crochet books: Positively Crochet!

I made a pretty sweet hat this weekend too that will be for sale on Etsy. So keep your eyes peeled.

Until next time,

~D.