Friday, May 29, 2009
Weigh In #58 & 59
Sorry for the chaotic video. Such is my life right now. :) I'm not leaving...I'm just backing away a bit until I get my priorities back in line & life calms down a bit.
Politics/Economics: "Green Economics: $100 MM to save $1 MM?"
Green economics: $100 MM to save $1MM?
President Obama yesterday hailed Nellis AFB’s $100 million solar power system because it saves the Air Force $1 million per year, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Too funny.
Politics: "Sotomayor: Right to Bear Arms Is Unconstitutional"
How could anyone think that our Second Amendment right was unconstitutional? Well, that is the type of person our President has nominated as a Supreme Court Justice. Also, watch the video clip below to get an idea of what she is planning should she get the job.
I really wonder how such a person could even graduate from law school. If she were a doctor, I wouldn't let her come near anyone I cared in the least about. To me, her argument is just a desparte grasping for straws. I mean, really? Could we have been so confused on the topic for over 200 years? If those men had truly felt that owning a gun was against what they had just drafted up, wouldn't they have proceeded to inforce the law they had just written?
The whole point of the Second Amendment was to protect the people from an opressive government. While the Constitution was waiting to be ratified, Alexander Hamilton published his Federalist Papers. In Federalist No. 29, he states:
Let's use that same logic with drinking. We know that many people are killed each year by drunk drivers, but no one is calling for alcohol to be made illegal. If you remember, our country already tried that once & the result wasn't that successful. No one is saying, "This person was killed by a drunk driver so let's make cars illegal."
Claiming that guns are the reason for murder is just removing the blame from the offender & placing it on an inanimate object. No one these days seems to want to take responsibility for their actions.
I do support responsible gun use. I believe everyone who purchases a gun should be required to take some sort of gun safty & usage class. A class that would teach you how to load, shoot, clean, & store your gun in a responsible manner. I mean, you have to take driver's ed or at least the driver's test before you are allowed to drive. Granted, a car is a much more dangerous instrument but still, I don't really see why you wouldn't want to take a gun safety class.
As far as her comments in the video below, I think it speaks for itself. She said enough. No need for me to comment.
clipped from www.moonbattery.com
I really wonder how such a person could even graduate from law school. If she were a doctor, I wouldn't let her come near anyone I cared in the least about. To me, her argument is just a desparte grasping for straws. I mean, really? Could we have been so confused on the topic for over 200 years? If those men had truly felt that owning a gun was against what they had just drafted up, wouldn't they have proceeded to inforce the law they had just written?
The whole point of the Second Amendment was to protect the people from an opressive government. While the Constitution was waiting to be ratified, Alexander Hamilton published his Federalist Papers. In Federalist No. 29, he states:
"but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people while there is a large body of citizens, little, if at all, inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their own rights and those of their fellow-citizens. This appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist."Many anti-gun proponets scream that guns are dangerous, that they are responsible for all the murder & school shootings & office killings. Do they not think these things would happen even if you take guns away? People intent on murder will always find a weapon.
Let's use that same logic with drinking. We know that many people are killed each year by drunk drivers, but no one is calling for alcohol to be made illegal. If you remember, our country already tried that once & the result wasn't that successful. No one is saying, "This person was killed by a drunk driver so let's make cars illegal."
Claiming that guns are the reason for murder is just removing the blame from the offender & placing it on an inanimate object. No one these days seems to want to take responsibility for their actions.
I do support responsible gun use. I believe everyone who purchases a gun should be required to take some sort of gun safty & usage class. A class that would teach you how to load, shoot, clean, & store your gun in a responsible manner. I mean, you have to take driver's ed or at least the driver's test before you are allowed to drive. Granted, a car is a much more dangerous instrument but still, I don't really see why you wouldn't want to take a gun safety class.
As far as her comments in the video below, I think it speaks for itself. She said enough. No need for me to comment.
Sotomayor: Right to Bear Arms Is Unconstitutional
Sotomayor is a graduate from Princeton University, where her legal theses included Race in the American Classroom, and Undying Injustice: American "Exceptionalism" and Permanent Bigotry, and Deadly Obsession: American Gun Culture. In this text, the student Sotomayor explained that the Second Amendment to the Constitution did not actually afford individual citizens the right to bear arms, but only duly conferred organizations, like the military. Instead of making guns illegal, she argues that they have been illegal for individuals to own since the passing of the Bill of Rights.
Here she is declaring that the Constitution be damned, courts are where policy is made:
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009
4000 Questions: Question #47: Can you describe your first punishment for doing something bad?
First off, I would like to confess I am innocent on all charges.
One of the first spankings that I remember getting came when I believe I was in kindergarten. I wanted Skittles for breakfast. Sounds reasonable, I know. I mean, how many times have I been told that the healthiest meals are those full of color? What has more color than the rainbow?
Anyway, mom said no. And, according to the plaintiff, aka mom, I proceeded to make some kind of "face" at her. And, as most of you know, when you make a "face" at your mother, all Hell breaks loose. It was on. The flyswatter magically appeared in her hand & my arm was in the grip of her other. Knowing this was not the most desirable position to be in I decided to high tail it out of there. Again, never a good idea. At this point, I imagine the scene to look something like all those old western movies where the cow
hand it breaking a horse. In one hand, the cowboy is holding a rope attached to the horse's reins & a whip in the other hand. The horse runs in a circle as the cowboy cracks the whip behind the horse. I was that horse. I was running in a circle while mom spanked me with the flyswatter.LOL Too bad we didn't have cameras back then. Of course, now days some liberal nutcase would probably scream child abuse & my loving parents would be thrown into prison for teaching me respect. We wonder now days why no one has respect for each other. Maybe because parents are too scared to discipline their children or have been brainwashed to think you can actually discuss with a child what they did wrong. Granted, you can do that with some children but it is a VERY small fraction of the population. Am I scared from that experience? Am I a worse person because my parents practice corporal punishment? Do I hate my parents now as an adult? No, no, & no. In fact, I believe I am a better person because of it & respect my parents for teaching me to respect authority.
Ok, enough of my stance on that. I know I had received punishment many times before that but that instance was the first I thought of & a quite humorous story in my opinion.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Where to go from here
I have several ideas for this blog. As I titled it, I'm trying to change my life "one choice at a time." When I first started it, I was thinking mainly of my weight loss but there are so many areas of my life that are changing every day so I started including those too. However, lately I have posted very little actually written by me. Most of the posts have been interesting articles or videos I have found & wanted to share. While I probably won't stop doing this, I do want to get back into sharing my views, opinions, & life.
So, where do I go from here? I have so many ideas I want to do with this blog. Most people suggest picking one topic & dedicating your blog to that subject exclusively. While this is a great idea to generate more traffic to your site but I don't really care about that right now. I'm really just doing this for myself, for cheap therapy, for fun. :)
So, anyway, I'm going to start trying to explore some of those chaotic thoughts I have that I referred to in my previous post. We'll see. It is all a great experiment, anyway. :)
So, where do I go from here? I have so many ideas I want to do with this blog. Most people suggest picking one topic & dedicating your blog to that subject exclusively. While this is a great idea to generate more traffic to your site but I don't really care about that right now. I'm really just doing this for myself, for cheap therapy, for fun. :)
So, anyway, I'm going to start trying to explore some of those chaotic thoughts I have that I referred to in my previous post. We'll see. It is all a great experiment, anyway. :)
Hello, my name is Kristy, & I'm an addict
Ok...so I can just imagine what you guys have me all addicted to at this point. I must confess, my addictions are not that interesting. They will never be the fodder of gossips.
I believe, through self-diagnosis, I have an addictive personality.
You are probably thinking, "No. I know Kristy & her personality is certainly nothing I could ever be addicted to." But that isn't what an additive personality is. A person who has an addictive personality becomes addicted to things very easily, whether it is drugs, eating, gambling, sex, etc... Besides the eating, I'm not addicted to anything quite as interesting as those & I really wouldn't say I'm really addicted to eating as much as I just don't make the right choices that often.
The reason I believe I have an addictive personality is because I find an activity or subject I am interested in & I obsess over it for a few weeks to a couple of months. In addition, I am a researcher. I research the heck out of a topic.
Right now a couple of my obsessions include: cooking (not actually doing it much but collecting recipes, advice, tips, etc...), wedding/shower stuff, spiritual growth, relaxation/spa stuff (how to's), politics. None of these topics are bad but I obsess over each of them at the same time & never grow in any of them. Not only that, but I always have this feeling of "I have to become an expert in this subject right NOW!" "I'm not learning this fast enough!" "AAAaaaahhhh!!!"
I need to sit down & organize myself.
On the cooking front, I should commit myself to cooking at least one new recipe each week.
I've never been too into weddings/showers. In fact, I've always hated going to them. Part of this was due to my anxiety in social situations, another part probably has to do some with protecting myself (something I will go into in another entry). However, with helping plan Kim's wedding & me planning a shower for her, I have really started getting into this. In the past few years, I never really thought I would want a "real" wedding. I thought, at most, maybe just the immediate family & possibly a house party/backyard barbecue/reception after the honeymoon for extended family & friends. However, with all this research (because that is what I do), I may be getting closer to reconsidering should I ever find myself in the same situation. I'm sure after Kim's wedding, this obsession will soften.
The relaxation/spa topic has increased on the interest scale due to my desire to throw a spa party for the bridesmaids & Kim a couple of days before the wedding. It is really just me trying to get ideas for thing we can do but still. :P Again, thank God, this obsession will probably calm after the party.
If you read this blog much (the 2 or 3 of you out there...hehe), you probably have noticed a sudden interest in politics. While I still have quite a heavy interest in that subject, the extremity of my obsession with it has cooled a bit recently. Unfortunately, I believe a lot of this is due to the upcoming wedding so it will probably return after the summer.
Another obsession I mention is spiritual growth. While an "obsession" in this area is good, I can't seem to focus my intentions. I have several books I want to read all on different topics but all in the Christian growth realm. My problem is that I want to read all these books at once. I have a serious problem of starting a book & then starting another & then never finishing either. I nearly did this the other day. Right now I am reading a fabulous book called Captivating. This book will definitely go down as one of the books that significantly impacted my life. I am so excited about this book & cannot say enough good about it. You just need to read it. (I'll probably discuss this book more in another post.) However, the other day I ordered another book (plus the workbook) that a friend of mine suggested I read (about 8+ years ago). They were laying on the table the other day & I reached for the book to go read for a bit & stopped myself. I so badly wanted to go read this book for an hour or so but I remembered my other book. I made a pact with myself not to start that book until I had finished Captivating. Thank God, because I may have never finished this amazing book if not. I now only have just about 40 pages left. I am also reading another book right now but it is a book that is organized into topics rather than chapters that must be read in order. It is more of a collection of writings that can stand on their own so I don't feel bad about picking this book up & putting it down for awhile.
I really don't know why I talked about this today. I guess it was just something on my mind. If you got this far, you are a real trooper & I'm sorry there is no Earth shattering conclusion. But this is how many of my thought are usually. Now real conclusions just chaos & disorder. Maybe just getting these thoughts down on paper...ahem...on screen, will help quite my mind that has been even more noticeably chaotic lately.
I believe, through self-diagnosis, I have an addictive personality.
You are probably thinking, "No. I know Kristy & her personality is certainly nothing I could ever be addicted to." But that isn't what an additive personality is. A person who has an addictive personality becomes addicted to things very easily, whether it is drugs, eating, gambling, sex, etc... Besides the eating, I'm not addicted to anything quite as interesting as those & I really wouldn't say I'm really addicted to eating as much as I just don't make the right choices that often.
The reason I believe I have an addictive personality is because I find an activity or subject I am interested in & I obsess over it for a few weeks to a couple of months. In addition, I am a researcher. I research the heck out of a topic.
Right now a couple of my obsessions include: cooking (not actually doing it much but collecting recipes, advice, tips, etc...), wedding/shower stuff, spiritual growth, relaxation/spa stuff (how to's), politics. None of these topics are bad but I obsess over each of them at the same time & never grow in any of them. Not only that, but I always have this feeling of "I have to become an expert in this subject right NOW!" "I'm not learning this fast enough!" "AAAaaaahhhh!!!"
I need to sit down & organize myself.
On the cooking front, I should commit myself to cooking at least one new recipe each week.
I've never been too into weddings/showers. In fact, I've always hated going to them. Part of this was due to my anxiety in social situations, another part probably has to do some with protecting myself (something I will go into in another entry). However, with helping plan Kim's wedding & me planning a shower for her, I have really started getting into this. In the past few years, I never really thought I would want a "real" wedding. I thought, at most, maybe just the immediate family & possibly a house party/backyard barbecue/reception after the honeymoon for extended family & friends. However, with all this research (because that is what I do), I may be getting closer to reconsidering should I ever find myself in the same situation. I'm sure after Kim's wedding, this obsession will soften.
The relaxation/spa topic has increased on the interest scale due to my desire to throw a spa party for the bridesmaids & Kim a couple of days before the wedding. It is really just me trying to get ideas for thing we can do but still. :P Again, thank God, this obsession will probably calm after the party.
If you read this blog much (the 2 or 3 of you out there...hehe), you probably have noticed a sudden interest in politics. While I still have quite a heavy interest in that subject, the extremity of my obsession with it has cooled a bit recently. Unfortunately, I believe a lot of this is due to the upcoming wedding so it will probably return after the summer.
Another obsession I mention is spiritual growth. While an "obsession" in this area is good, I can't seem to focus my intentions. I have several books I want to read all on different topics but all in the Christian growth realm. My problem is that I want to read all these books at once. I have a serious problem of starting a book & then starting another & then never finishing either. I nearly did this the other day. Right now I am reading a fabulous book called Captivating. This book will definitely go down as one of the books that significantly impacted my life. I am so excited about this book & cannot say enough good about it. You just need to read it. (I'll probably discuss this book more in another post.) However, the other day I ordered another book (plus the workbook) that a friend of mine suggested I read (about 8+ years ago). They were laying on the table the other day & I reached for the book to go read for a bit & stopped myself. I so badly wanted to go read this book for an hour or so but I remembered my other book. I made a pact with myself not to start that book until I had finished Captivating. Thank God, because I may have never finished this amazing book if not. I now only have just about 40 pages left. I am also reading another book right now but it is a book that is organized into topics rather than chapters that must be read in order. It is more of a collection of writings that can stand on their own so I don't feel bad about picking this book up & putting it down for awhile.
I really don't know why I talked about this today. I guess it was just something on my mind. If you got this far, you are a real trooper & I'm sorry there is no Earth shattering conclusion. But this is how many of my thought are usually. Now real conclusions just chaos & disorder. Maybe just getting these thoughts down on paper...ahem...on screen, will help quite my mind that has been even more noticeably chaotic lately.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Weigh In #57
Weekly loss: -2 lbs
Total loss: -70 lbs
Sorry so late. Very busy week. I'll probably gain after this week due to all the parties, eating out, & lack of water intake over this past week. Oh well, no biggy. This week won't be much better due to another weekend home & a party to go to. Oh, well, I'm now having to try to maintain until after Kim's wedding anyway for the dress to fit so I'll not worry about it too much. :)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Movie Review: Star Trek XI
Star Trek XI was a great sci-fi action film. I can, however, certainly see how many die-hard Trekkies have not cared much for this version of their beloved franchise.
The casting for this film was phenomenal. The only thing that kind of annoyed me (but I got over it quickly) was the casting of Spock. Now I believe that Zachary Quinto was & is the most logical choice for Spock. However, they casted him as being the same age as Captain Kirk. Granted, I have not seen many of the original series but I was always under the impression that Spock was much older than Kirk. Vulcans age much slower than humans. I just thought this was a bit off from the original story.
I think the biggest complaint that Trekkies will not like is the diverged from the original story. Basically, the way this film ends makes the following episodes & movies story lines obsolete.
I have now downloaded the original Star Trek series on my Netflix/X-box. I am actually, at this very moment, watching the first episode. It makes me even more amazed at the amazing job they did at the casting in this most recent film. Not only are the similarities in appearances astonishing but even their basic manerisms are perfect.
Of course, the ship is a bit more modernized in the new film but still quite recognizable. While I was watching the new movie, I wondered why all the women crewmen were wearing dresses & why they were so short. I mean isn't this supposed to be the future? Are women still expected to dress that way in the future? Then it dawned on me, the original series. Being made in the 1960's, mini-skirts were the hight of fashion & women still didn't wear pants much then. I guess this was their way of staying true to the original. However, now, watching this original series, I would like to point out that the newer women's uniforms are not near as short as the 1960's version. :)
I would totally recommend this film. I would give it a solid "A," if not an "A+."
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Weigh In #56 + Some interesting groceries & weekend adventures
Weekly loss: - 0 lb (yeah, I know, another maintain, I'm actually pretty proud of my maintains, to be honest)
Total loss: -68 lbs
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant. -- Horace (65-8 BC) Roman Poet
If you want to know what a man is really like, take notice how he acts when he loses money. -- New England Proverb
God's perception is not the same as mine.
Something I've been thinking about lately.
God's priorties are nothing like our own. So, are we screwed up or is it God who has it all wrong? Well, I'd be willing to guess it isn't God.
I have never really thought of myself as being one of those money obsessed people. I don't have any debt (that I know of) except my car (which is about to be paid off) & I only work as required to keep my job (aka, I am no work-a-holic). However, due to a recent hiccup in my life lately which I will not go into right now, I have realized just how important money is to me. Not so much "money" itself but the pride of having at least that area of my life together (aka, no serious debt & a great credit score compared to my peers).
Due to this recent "hiccup," which could affect my credit score if it turns out it is legit, I have been seriously stressed. I've lost sleep & it has litterally been making me sick to my stomach. It isn't the money. If there is some debt that I owe on, I'm sure I can pay it. What I'm concerned about is my credit score. What will I look like to some banker if/when I go to buy a house?
And then, while getting ready for work, God says to me, "So what?"
"Well, God, that could make it harder for me to get a loan or cause me to pay more later on."
"So?"
"So?! Are you kidding me?! That's a BIG deal!"
"Is it? Is that what is so important in life? Is that the life I called you to? A life as a slave to money & money concerns?"
That's it isn't it. I have made money my master. I have made it an idol. I have put my good financial status up on this pedestal & lovingly gaze on it whenever I think about it.
So maybe there is this mysterious debt floating around out there. So what? There's nothing I can do about it now. If I ever receive paperwork explaining what this debt is & if it is legit (which may not be case due to this company making this claim having a history of illegal practices & scamming people), then I'll cross that bridge when I come to it but until then I should praise God for the blessings He has afforded me so far in this life.
All during last week's stress, I was thinking about Job (which is kind of "ironic" since my parent's preacher spoke on Job on Sunday while I was there). This little situation hasn't quited those thoughts anymore. Now, I'm not saying my worries are anything near what Job went through but it is the message of Job's story that I keep thinking about. "In the midst of a bad day, praise God, anyway." Not always an easy task.
We don't always understand the valley's we go through but God looks at life differently than we do. If you are a Christian & you go through some rough patches, count it as a compliment from God. I know that sounds like a poor reward for following Christ, but God will never give us something that He does not know we can handle with Him. He does often give us things we cannot handle on our own, but if we lean on Him we can. When Satan approached God, He even mentioned Job to Satan.
God wants to bless us but His relationship with us is more important to Him than money, relationships, or anything else that this flawed world can offer us. Don't let hard times get you too down, you can morn, the Bible says so, but when they do come, allow God to work through you in the situation & deepen your relationship with Him.
God's priorties are nothing like our own. So, are we screwed up or is it God who has it all wrong? Well, I'd be willing to guess it isn't God.
I have never really thought of myself as being one of those money obsessed people. I don't have any debt (that I know of) except my car (which is about to be paid off) & I only work as required to keep my job (aka, I am no work-a-holic). However, due to a recent hiccup in my life lately which I will not go into right now, I have realized just how important money is to me. Not so much "money" itself but the pride of having at least that area of my life together (aka, no serious debt & a great credit score compared to my peers).
Due to this recent "hiccup," which could affect my credit score if it turns out it is legit, I have been seriously stressed. I've lost sleep & it has litterally been making me sick to my stomach. It isn't the money. If there is some debt that I owe on, I'm sure I can pay it. What I'm concerned about is my credit score. What will I look like to some banker if/when I go to buy a house?
And then, while getting ready for work, God says to me, "So what?"
"Well, God, that could make it harder for me to get a loan or cause me to pay more later on."
"So?"
"So?! Are you kidding me?! That's a BIG deal!"
"Is it? Is that what is so important in life? Is that the life I called you to? A life as a slave to money & money concerns?"
That's it isn't it. I have made money my master. I have made it an idol. I have put my good financial status up on this pedestal & lovingly gaze on it whenever I think about it.
So maybe there is this mysterious debt floating around out there. So what? There's nothing I can do about it now. If I ever receive paperwork explaining what this debt is & if it is legit (which may not be case due to this company making this claim having a history of illegal practices & scamming people), then I'll cross that bridge when I come to it but until then I should praise God for the blessings He has afforded me so far in this life.
All during last week's stress, I was thinking about Job (which is kind of "ironic" since my parent's preacher spoke on Job on Sunday while I was there). This little situation hasn't quited those thoughts anymore. Now, I'm not saying my worries are anything near what Job went through but it is the message of Job's story that I keep thinking about. "In the midst of a bad day, praise God, anyway." Not always an easy task.
We don't always understand the valley's we go through but God looks at life differently than we do. If you are a Christian & you go through some rough patches, count it as a compliment from God. I know that sounds like a poor reward for following Christ, but God will never give us something that He does not know we can handle with Him. He does often give us things we cannot handle on our own, but if we lean on Him we can. When Satan approached God, He even mentioned Job to Satan.
God wants to bless us but His relationship with us is more important to Him than money, relationships, or anything else that this flawed world can offer us. Don't let hard times get you too down, you can morn, the Bible says so, but when they do come, allow God to work through you in the situation & deepen your relationship with Him.
Things I want to do in the next 12 months.
Ok. So I just started thinking about this like 2 min ago. Some show was on the TV here at work about some people going for a rafting trip & I thought, "I so want to do that." As I mentally added that to my "To Do Before I Die" or my "Who I Want To Be" list, I thought, "What does my list look like for this year or even for the next 12 months." So, I decided to make a list here. Granted this is constantly changing & with my sister getting married this summer & the possibility of me having heart surgery later this year (I'll explain that in a later post), the possibility of me doing many of these things this year is probably pretty slim but I'm going to list them anyway.
1.) Get to my weight loss goal of 150 lbs (30 lbs more to go...totally doable)
2.) Run a 5K (I was supposed to do this in April but then I hyper extended my knee...at least I think that is what happened & getting back to running has been a bit difficult, plus my knee still hurts a bit from time-to-time so I don't want to push it too much. So, I'm thinking sometime this fall or winter)
3.) Participate in a sprint triathlon (Maybe sometime next spring)
4.) Take & pass my CT registry
5.) Take a trip to the UK &/or Ireland (I was planning on taking a trip to AK but since Kim & Jonathan decided to get married & wait until he graduates, that trip is off for now. So, I had been toying with the idea of going to the UK for a couple of weeks but then this bomb of possible heart surgery was dropped on me so who knows now, plus I plan on spending a lot on my sister's wedding ... dresses, parties, presents, etc ... not because I have to but because I want to ... that it may not be financially wise to take such a huge trip right now.)
6.) Go rock climbing (not necessarily on a real rock face. This is totally doable even right now. I have a membership to REI & with that you can climb their indoor rock for free.)
7.) Go white water rafting (This would require a road trip to CO, which I am always up for. This will probably be an alternative to the UK trip if that doesn't seem feasible & will probably go down sometime next summer. Just too cold any other time.)
Anyway, that is what I have for now. Even if I don't do these things this year, that is fine, they'll just be added to the next year's list.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
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