Temporary Vegan

Testing Textamerica

2005-05-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

So..lets see if this works. I'm wading through TextAmerica to see if that will work for me.

2005-05-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

All I know is something like a bird within her sang,
All I know she sang a little while and then flew on,
Tell me all that you know, I'll show you snow and rain.

If you hear that same sweet song again, will you know why?
Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passin' by,
Laugh in the sunshine, sing, cry in the dark, fly through the night.

Don't cry now, don't you cry, don't you cry anymore.
Sleep in the stars, don't you cry, dry your eyes on the wind.

All I know is something like a bird within her sang,
All I know she sang a little while and then flew off,
Tell me all that you know, I'll show you snow and rain.

Soccer Mom

2005-05-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we bought a brand-new mini_van
That's right, gentle readers...my Volvo is busted. My transformation to Soccer Mom is now complete (I just never thought of my Volvo as a family car, it was something I bought cuz I wanted to portray an "image" of say...Free-wheeling, Ben and Jerry's eating, Volvo driving liberal hippie from Vermont, not a mom of 5 from New Jersey)

See you in 6 years when I won't need a mini-van anymore. THEN I will go back to my most favorite of all vehicles "The Bug".

Led Zeppelin II

2005-04-26T04:56:00.000-07:00

I've been obsessively listening to (along with other compilations) Led_Zeppelin_II.
Okay, so maybe I'm a throw-back....but Led Zeppelin has to be the best rock band ever.
Maybe this stirs up old memories of the 1970's. The album that was released in my day was Physical_Graffiti
which contains my most favorite of all Led Zeppelin songs, Houses of the Holy not to be confused with the album of the same name.

Take a Giant Step

2005-04-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Take a Giant Step

When you woke up and morning smiled
It’s time you felt like you did then.
There’s just no percentage in remembering the past
It’s time you learned to live again at last.

Come with me, leave yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind.

You stare at me in disbelief
You say for you there’s no relieve
But I swear I’ll prove you wrong.
Don’t stay in your lonely room
Just staring back in silent gloom.
That’s not where you belong
Come with me I’ll take you where the taste of life is green
And everyday holds wonders to be seen.

Come with me, leave yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind.

**************************************************************
This is actually a song by the MONKEES!
Its kinda how I feel about several aspects of my life right now...
I've taken back some control of my health care. Drugs are NOT the answer to
some of my physical problems. Exercise and diet ARE. I've lost almost 20lbs now and most of my pain is subsiding. I'm pissed that my doctor had me taking a boatload of painkillers. I kicked that.
Work is turning a corner, we had BIG changes but I feel really positive about the outcome...its gonna be alright. Some of you know where I work, we're under kinda a gag order not to use the name of the business in our blogs...so the rest of you may have to google me to find out!

Have a Pollyanna Day,
Angela

Pollyanna

2005-04-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, its been a few days. I keep thinking of stuff to post and then I forget. oh well.
I've been really really busy with work. Big changes going on there, lots of extra hours, but thats okay. I love where I work and what we do so its all good.

I want to become a member of the Pollyanna Glad Club. Pollyanna gets a bad rap nowadays. In fact she's been painted as an extremist and an imbecile. That is if you buy into the suspicious, opportunism that is in style nowadays.

Pollyanna, wasn't stupid. She wasn't always delighted. She did have an important message about the value of trust and the insignificant price of failure. It's all in your attitude.

This I've taken from one of my online friends whose started the Pollyanna Glad Club.

Whack for my daddy-o

2005-04-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Musha ring dum a do dum a da.
Whack for my daddy-o,
Whack for my daddy-o.
There's whiskey in the jar-o.

Its Sunday night. I've just finished listening on my beloved am radio
The_Adrian_Flannery_Show on WNSR Irish Radio Network from Jersey City, NJ.

I've started a new volunteering thing. Donating homecooked meals to shut-in AIDS victims in the Asbury Park, NJ area. The_Center provides microwaveable containers for the meals, all I need to do is fill them and freeze them. This works out well. We bought a new freezer chest last week and my often over abundance at mealtime (you see, I love to cook and normally prepare too too much for my family) coincides nicely when I heard about this project at The Center.

I've been attending Mass regularly since Easter. I feel somehow compelled to return to the faith of my childhood. I've been praying to be lead to a religious community. I don't know if I will ever be completely whole with the RC church, but for now I'm going with it. There is a difference, somehow. Can you imagine this, I found out about The Center as a direct result from my weekly attendance at St_Veronica_Roman_Catholic_Church

I'm feeling more connected to "outside". I spent the weekend planting and landscaping with the family. It was a beautiful weekend for it! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

Women over 40

2005-03-29T13:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a piece written by Andy Rooney
CBS 60 Minutes.

As I grow in age, I value women who are over 40 most of all. Here are
just a few reasons why:

* A woman over 40 will not lay next to you in bed and ask, "Whatare you
thinking?" She doesn't care what you think.

* If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit
around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it's
usually something more interesting.

* A woman over 40 knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is,
what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of 40
give a damn what you might think about her or what she's doing.

* Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with
you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course,
if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they
can get away with it.

* Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what
it's like to be unappreciated.

* A woman over 40 has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women
friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best
friend because she doesn't trust the guy with other women. Women over 40
couldn't care less if you're attracted to her friends because she knows
her friends won't betray her.

* Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to
a woman over 40. They always know.

* A woman over 40 looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This
is not true of younger women or drag queens.

* Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far
sexier than her younger counterpart.

* Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right
off if you are a jerk or if you are acting like one! You don't ever
have to wonder where you stand with her.

* Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons.
Unfortunately! , ! it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart,
well-coiffed hot woman of 40+, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow
pants making a fool of himself with some 18-year-old waitress. Ladies, I
apologize.

For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk
for free." Here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against
marriage, why?

Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire Pig, just to get a
little sausage.

Wild Horses

2005-03-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

Today I witnessed probably the most bizarre traffic mishap. Whilst tooling up NJ Parkway north, there was a strange back up at the Asbury Park Tolls. Lots of smoke, etc...I assumed they were paving the roadway or something. By the time we reached the actual toll booth, traffic was being diverted and I could see a man holding the reins of a horse on the other side of the tolls. There was a horse trailer on fire! There was a large recreational vehicle smoking like crazy...okay. Weird enough.

We get past that and low and behold, the traffic is backed up again almost to exit 105...and no wonder. I glace to my left to see two horses, spooked...galloping full steam up the express lanes! Gosh, I could smack myself for not having my cam at the ready....

Anyway..I finally found a news link for the breaking news...I didn't realize how tragic the story really was until I read the full details. VERY SAD.
HERE

Life is Random

2005-03-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

Even though this article is a month and a half old, I think it's cool that Apple does
this.

Last night, I fell asleep in front of the TV. I woke up to Late_Night_with_Conan_OBrien I forgot how funny he is. I was laughing my head off at 1am while the rest of my family slept.

Anyway. I used to think that Life WAS random. I thought it was more exciting if it was random. Like, everyday is a new adventure. I must be getting old or something, because I wish sometimes I had some structure. My life can be sooo random! With so many variables, family, school, sports, social life (my daughters, not my own!)work, doctors, therapy, etc...I can't seem to get with any sort of schedule.

I'm almost craving some kind of ORDER.

Daffodils and Water

2005-03-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

Why do daffodils have to smell so stinky?
Poems are written honoring this sweet sign of spring. They are one of the first visual respites from 90 days of gloom. They do, however, smell real bad. Last night, bought 4 bunches to brighten up my home for the upcoming celebration of Easter. As long as I only my sense of sight to enjoy the gaiety of the flower, Im good.

Also, I was not aware there was such a thing, but today happens to be
World Water Day

Invasion of the Guinea Fowl

2005-03-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

We've been blessed with an invasion of Guinea Fowl here on the farm. Saturday morning, we awake to clucking, BAAK-ing and general squeaking outside my window. (We sleep with the window slightly ajar every night, as a fresh-air sleeping aid) We look out the window to a flock (about 30) of these strange looking, but wonderfully necessary birds.

You see, we have a problem with the Lyme's Disease carrying deer tick being surrounded by woods and water.

Every spring and fall we are infested with the little buggers (literally). We can't come out of the woods without being covered with them. The problem is, they are so small that you really don't notice them until its either too late (being bitten) or looking down to see what you thought was a specks of peet from rotting leaves is actually a swarm of deer tick.

So, I say we are blessed with an errant gang of guinea fowl BECAUSE one of their favorite foods just happen to be the pesky deer tick!

They are loud, they are ugly...but they are an organic method of controlling ticks and for that I am truely grateful.

What was I thinking?

2005-03-18T05:21:00.000-08:00

Oh man. I am so done with conservative talk radio listening. What was I thinking?
How much right-wing posturing can one moderate democrat stand? Thats just me though...I get interested in something for a short while and then "poof"!

Its totally sad to me. Like, this online psychologist taking bits and pieces of someone's trauma and making them feel like crap. Bob Grant is so racist its disgusting.
The real clincher was when I actually agreed with Bill O'Reilly. Only on being against the Death Penalty...so, i guess thats not too bad. Actually it was sort of a twisted humanitarian gesture by him. Man. I am so done with that. Its scary to think this may be what most of America is like.

Keep me in the woods here with my public tv or none at all.

I'm back with NPR to stay! Holy mackerel.

Low-Cost Coffee and the Resurgence of Me

2005-03-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

The origin of my recent descent into Talk Radio has to do with my reclaiming my car. I stopped using my car because Bernie's car
he felt was safer for me to drive. While this may be true, it is a stick shift and hurts me to operate. So, I went back to my car, which I feel very comfortable in. Amongst the many things that are broken on my car is the cassette tape player (totally obsolete anyway) and the FM radio. The AM radio works, barely. I can get one station in clearly. Yes, WOR.

Its been 6 months of change. I changed cars, but changed back. I'm just not a newer car person. Maybe one day I'll find the perfect new car for me, but I doubt it. I don't even buy new clothes. I'd rather find something funky in the thrift shop than retail. Ultimately, I'd like to design and sew my own. In the past I did do this. I'd sew dresses for myself and my girls. I'd design and sew my curtains, etc.

Therapists and even Bernie think I have a self-esteem problems not wanting new things. I'm just not materialistic in that way and find retail fashion dull.

Life started to get in the way...survival, work..etc. Getting back to me
now...slowly. Its the moderation thing. Discovering who I am at this age. I don't think I've ever been in a safe enough place to find out who I am. I feel pretty safe now.
Anyway. Check this out...Wawa is selling any size cup of coffee for 99 cents! I love that. This morning I was inside my local Wawa, counting loose change for a cup of coffee. Dang, the gregarious vietnamese counter lady was quick to inform me of this extra-special low price.

oh...happy st. patricks day...btw.

Talk Radio

2005-03-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

I'm suddenly addicted to talk radio. I've been listening to WOR 710 on your AM dial. I actually went as far as to call Joan Hamburg last week with a question. I don't know why I called Joan, I probably should have called Dr. Joy Brown for this particular situation!

Anyway, I love it. Cooking tips from Rocco DiSpirito, its great.

Texas Toast

2005-03-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

This is classic!

2005-03-09T03:58:00.000-08:00

No one believes you can do anything
until after you've done it.

Lauren Bacall

Revenge of the Citronella Ant

2005-03-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

I know spring is coming. This morning I found the yearly invasion of
Citronella Ants coming up in my shower drain. UGH! Being that they are harmless, just ugly and creepy..I spray bleach on them and they die. Who knows what terror lies in the underground pipes here on the farm.

Low Cholesterol = Increased Depression

2005-03-04T04:06:00.000-08:00

So, I've my yearly blood test results.
Guess what my cholesterol level is? NINETY (90)
That's right...90. Normal range is 100 - 199
Its like my blood pressure 112/80 or sometimes 80/60
My resting heart rate is never more than 65.
My target heart rate for aerobic exercise is 130
I'll walk on the treadmill @ 4 miles an hour and rarely
get past 112. I'll bike, sustaning 80 mph for 20 minutes
my heart rate will not budge passed 92.

All this is pretty good, right? Exceptionally healthy, even.
So, why have I battled this disease most of my life? BBC explains it all.
How DEPRESSING!

Free Ice Cream!

2005-03-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Get yours
HERE

Meetup News...

2005-02-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

Enter Contest

Dual Nasal Flame and the Double Crunch Ice Cream Cake

2005-02-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

OUCH!
Everyone in my house has a budding:
a.)Sinus Infection
b.)Strep Throat

Lots of drama and random panic.
Alternating Advil and Vick's Cloroseptic

Not to mention cameo appearances by my all-time leading cold medicine in any sickbed drama:
Vick's VapoRub

Man, nothing beats Vicks.

Its also Bernie's Birthday. Bernie only asks one thing for his Birthday. Ice Cream cake with chocolate crunchies I've been on a scavenger hunt for ice cream cake with chocolate crunchies NOT from Carvel. I will tell you this: There are none.
I think Carvel has a patent on those chocolate crunchies. I checked Baskin-Robbins. No Luck. No chocolate crunchies, just ice cream and cake. I inquired at Cold Stone Creamery Nope. Mostly cake, less ice cream. By the way, I don't understand the hype about Cold Stone. So what? They mash your additions into your ice cream on a "cold stone". Big Deal. I don't like their flavors, and its WAY too expensive for frozen cups of cream. Anyway...the only place to get a genuine Carvel ice cream cake around me is at our local Pathmark grocery store. AND guess what? They now feature a cake with double chocolate crunchies! Just what my Bernie wanted, and MORE!

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful, handsome, gentle husband on Earth!
I love you with all of my heart, now and forever.

Feeling Groovy : Love of Peanut Butter

2005-02-24T04:42:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report I am Feeling Groovy

Most of my physical pain has subsided. I've been working diligently with my physical therapist. I don't know how I will do without deep tissue and pressure point massage 3x a week! Karen Barlow (my P.T.) has taught me many new strengthening exercises for my knees and back. I'm excited to be pain-free, however I need to keep my progress in perspective.

Moderation is my new theme for living. I've always been an ALL OR NOTHING person. Forcing myself to Take it Easy is new. I've made lots of mistakes by insisting everyone operate at my level. Lost friendships even.

So, nature took care of me. I reaped the result of over-doing without care to my health. The good news remains that I am fixable.

Yesterday I tried whitening my oh so discolored teeth at my dentist office with a product called ZOOM!

It was quite time consuming, but the results where okay...my teeth are 10 shades lighter than they were, although not exactly WHITE. My dentist wants me back for further bleach treatments tomorrow.

Fun. 2005 - We can rebuild her.

Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches and revenge of Fluffernutter.

My kids always want the same thing in their school lunches. Kate and John want Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, EVERYDAY. Genevieve needs her Fluffernutter fix everyday. I can't say that I blame any of them. I love both! I wish they weren't so darn fattening, I'd eat them everyday.

I do cheat a bit with the Fluffernutter. I slather it on ...(thinly with the PB) a rice cake. Sometimes I just lick it off the knife after I make her sandwich.

One other food idosyncrocy of all of my children is the TYPE of bread these luscious sandwiches must be prepared upon Martin's Famous Potato Bread

Genevieve needs to have her Fluffernutter on one slice of Martin's Famous Potato Bread FOLDED, not cut, FOLDED.

Why do I indulge them? Love, I suppose, of my children and peanut butter. I can relate.

Lost and Found

2005-02-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Lack of Commitment.
I never realized this about myself until recently. I suppose its quite obvious to other people, my lack of commitment. The only true commitment I have had in my life is probably to my children. That's more of a moral commitment. I guess that is something to say in defense of some sort of commitment.

Its like the title of this blog. "Temporary Vegan" I can't GET WITH anything for long periods of time. I get all hyped up about something and then...eh. It loses it luster and I need to try hard to stay interested. I am interested in people though. I don't lose interest in my friends or relationships. True, I have had more than the normal share of marriages, but I look at that as lack of good judgement (commiting to a marriage(s) that was doomed, and I knew it going in...) rather than lack of commitment.

I've never held a job for longer than 3 years. I'm hoping to hang out with Meetup for as long as they'll have me. I really love what I'm doing. The entire atmosphere, etc. Never do I feel pidgeon-holed into anything dead-end at Meetup.

Small goals, personal goals, seem impossible sometimes. What I am finding out about myself is that I can utilize a myriad of reasons to NOT complete personal goals. I'm usually putting my children's needs before my own. After doing this for years (years of self-neglect) I am now paying for it. I won't go into it, but this is a long journey of self-repair that I am now embarking upon. There are ups and downs. Small triumphs and big set backs. I have to take this piecemeal. Its really difficult to have to ask other people to do simple tasks for me. I feel lazy and selfish asking for help. I know its ridiculous, that I would do the same for anyone who asked my help...but I don't know. I just feel weird about forcing myself to REST. My physical therapist has recommended that I do not BEND to pick things up. Like, try that. Its really difficult for me, as a person constantly picking up after children and pets to NOT bend to pick something up. I can do deep knee bends to pick things up but that hurts! I don't have the strongest quads in the world.

I joined a gym to get maximum benefits from 2005. I know I just have to wait a while until I heal to really start workingout to my fullest potential, but the waiting is hard. I've actually lost interest in it. ha.

2005-01-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

and another day goes by...

Im feeling better today. Every week, on thursday the medication is increased. Today was more doctors and tests. More presciptions for more tests..too.

I felt pretty good though. I decided to shop for most of the day. I can't remember the last time I went shopping alone for ME. Im always rushed or with kids or buying things for other people. Today was just for me and I felt good. I didnt wear a watch. I just kept looking and looking. Here's what I bought:

A cerulean blue dress coat

A pink, brown and sage paisley tote bag with mahogany leather trim.

Rosey mauve suede shoes with little bows on the vamp.

2 pairs of black pants in different styles

A mauvey black and maroon pucci inspired silk blouse

A black and white crazy printed blouse

An oversized wooley stockinette stiched poncho (cream)

A very freaky blue and white pork-pie hat

My doctor this morning was very comforting...which is a nice feature for a gynocologist to have.