Picture from www.jezebel.com
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Update to Juice! Juice! Juice!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Juice! Juice! Juice!
This topic may not be one of those topics I would usually write about but since it has impacted my life so much I will go outside of my already huge box. I want to talk about juicing!
So. My mom talked me into watching "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," which is a documentary on Joe Cross and his journey through juicing his way back to health. Normally documentaries bore me unless they are about nature in some capacity but from the first five minutes of this film, I was enthralled. It is an excellent portrayal of just how bad we treat our bodies with the food we consume. It really opened my eyes to the fact that food is an addiction and most of us are suffering from it!
Like many others, I was inspired to start juicing after Joe's documentary. I bought a juicer and started a juice fast this past Monday. In hindsight Monday may not have been a great starting point due to the fact that I have a full-time job and lots of animals to care for so I really have no spare time or in this case, no time to wallow in misery. I had to suck it up and get over it.
Day 1- I honestly have NO idea how I managed to get through the first day. I made my morning juice using spinach, carrots, celery, and apples. It wasn't too bad. I drank it with enthusiasm as I was ready to face the day and get healthy. By about 9:30am I was starving (or at least what felt like starving). I made sure to clear out my fridge and drawer at work so there wasn't a single temptation. However, there is a deli in my building and all the smells emanating from it tested my strength of will infinitely. Not to mention the fact that my co-workers thought it would be hilarious to talk about food all day and to visit the deli for their lunch and walk it past my office intentionally. Cruel and unusual punishment I tell you. Then there was the smell of coffee. I have to say coffee has been the hardest thing to quit. I was absolutely addicted to caffiene and that headache took all of an hour to start. When my body realized it wasn't getting it's regular dose of sugar filled caffeine goodness, it started rebelling in a big way. Then I started feeling very sluggish and slow, like I wasn't quite in the present. My vision was a little blurry, my movements were slower than usual, and my concentration was completely gone. I must've typed the same comment into my computer about three time before realizing what I was doing. And I was SOOOO tired that I literally could barely keep my eyes open. I juiced an extra juice to bring for lunch because at work, I don't have the option to make fresh juice. I realized there wouldn't be as many nutrients but there would still be plenty and either way it was an incredibly healthy lunch. It was made up of the same veggies as the morning with a little tomato thrown in. For some reason I could barely choke it down. I assume this is due to the fact that it wasn't fresh. It was horrible. But I managed. I experienced sluggishness and immense hunger as well as the ever present headache throughout the entire day. All I could think about was food! Which makes no sense because I have gone without eating breakfast and lunch before and it didn't really bother me! Damn mind tricks! I made it home, barely and did all of my chores with the animals. Then I washed the juicer, pulled out the produce and made my dinner. Again, pretty much the same veggies but I switched it up and added pineapple. Again, disgusting. I finished it though, cleaned the juicer for the morning and prepared the veggies for my morning and lunch juice to do in the morning. Then I blessedly fell into bed where I would no longer have to listen to my irate stomach. As a side note- I was down 3 pounds at this point.
Day 2- I woke up feeling absolutely terrible. I was nauseous, a bit dizzy, and so damn hungry that my dog's cookies were looking delicious. Even though I had gotten 8 hours of sleep for the first time in a very long time, I felt like I hadn't slept in days. I made my morning juice- spinach, celery, cucumber, and apple. It wasn't bad. I drank it all on my 1.5 hour drive to work. I arrived at work feeling a bit less enthusiatic as the day before. I made two juices for the day as I was so hungry the day before in between breakfast and lunch that I felt I needed another juice. However, I could barely drink the snack juice or the lunch juice. I threw up a couple of times, experienced incredibly bad nausea and cramping and managed to choke down about half of each before admitting defeat. Still, I didnt cave and grab a granola bar. I held tight and when that clock FINALLY struck 5pm was ready to dart out the door. But of course I got an urgent call right then and had to handle a situation first. In my mood, it was lucky I didn't drive the client away. I got home, barely able to stay awake and did all my chores again. The cat and dog food smelled so good, it was freaking me out. However, I started to realize I wasn't quite as sickly as I was that morinng, I had a tiny bit more energy although I was still exhausted and very hungry. I made my dinner juice, orange, pineapple, and carrots. It was pretty good. I started feeling a little more enthusiatric. I still wanted to fall into bed after my juice though but I watched some tv as I fell asleep this time.
Day 3- That would be today and I think my last day on the fast. Normally they are done for 3 days, 5 days, 10 days, or 15 days. Some people go up to 30 days. Initially I wanted to go for a longer fast but for my first one I think 3 is plenty especially since I didn't really prepare myself enough for it and I was eating more processed foods than I realized. I felt pretty good this morning. I am still very tired but the headache has finally subsided. I made a tomato, spinach, pear juice that was yummy this morning. My stomach hasn't stopped growling since I started the fast but I am drinking lots of water. I weighed myself this morning and I am down 5 pounds. I think that is an excellent start. I will finish this day out with just juice and start clean eating tomorrow for hopefully what is the rest of my life.
I have learned so much throughout this process because focusing on research has really helped to keep my mind off of the hunger. Realizing what I was putting into my body made me literally sick. I was addicted to food like most people are and didn't realize how terrible most of it was. I fancied myself a much healthier eater than a lot of people as I stuck to organic as much as possible, ate lots of fruits and veggies, hummus, etc., but I was still eating things that were processed. Now I will pay attention to labels much more, make things at home as much as possible, and avoid fast food like the plague. I want my life to change and this is a great way to do it. It's not just about losing weight anymore, it's about living longer because my body is healthy from the inside out. I am not saying I won't indulge in sushi, or chocolate cake from time to time but I will be eating clean on a regular basis. I will not even buy things that could temp me. Most processed foods are no longer actually foods and that is scary. Think about what you are putting into your body, know what you are eating! Do not think that you are any different when it comes to death by food because it is possible and happening every day. Change the way you eat! I feel better for it. I have wanted to become vegetarian for a long time and this is the perfect opportunity for it! And juice will stay a regular staple of each day, likely as a breakfast choice. It is the BEST way to get all of your necessary fruits and vegetables each day.
So thank you Joe Cross, for hopefully changing my life and at the very least making me a whole lot more aware of each and every thing I put into my body.
So. My mom talked me into watching "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," which is a documentary on Joe Cross and his journey through juicing his way back to health. Normally documentaries bore me unless they are about nature in some capacity but from the first five minutes of this film, I was enthralled. It is an excellent portrayal of just how bad we treat our bodies with the food we consume. It really opened my eyes to the fact that food is an addiction and most of us are suffering from it!
Like many others, I was inspired to start juicing after Joe's documentary. I bought a juicer and started a juice fast this past Monday. In hindsight Monday may not have been a great starting point due to the fact that I have a full-time job and lots of animals to care for so I really have no spare time or in this case, no time to wallow in misery. I had to suck it up and get over it.
Day 1- I honestly have NO idea how I managed to get through the first day. I made my morning juice using spinach, carrots, celery, and apples. It wasn't too bad. I drank it with enthusiasm as I was ready to face the day and get healthy. By about 9:30am I was starving (or at least what felt like starving). I made sure to clear out my fridge and drawer at work so there wasn't a single temptation. However, there is a deli in my building and all the smells emanating from it tested my strength of will infinitely. Not to mention the fact that my co-workers thought it would be hilarious to talk about food all day and to visit the deli for their lunch and walk it past my office intentionally. Cruel and unusual punishment I tell you. Then there was the smell of coffee. I have to say coffee has been the hardest thing to quit. I was absolutely addicted to caffiene and that headache took all of an hour to start. When my body realized it wasn't getting it's regular dose of sugar filled caffeine goodness, it started rebelling in a big way. Then I started feeling very sluggish and slow, like I wasn't quite in the present. My vision was a little blurry, my movements were slower than usual, and my concentration was completely gone. I must've typed the same comment into my computer about three time before realizing what I was doing. And I was SOOOO tired that I literally could barely keep my eyes open. I juiced an extra juice to bring for lunch because at work, I don't have the option to make fresh juice. I realized there wouldn't be as many nutrients but there would still be plenty and either way it was an incredibly healthy lunch. It was made up of the same veggies as the morning with a little tomato thrown in. For some reason I could barely choke it down. I assume this is due to the fact that it wasn't fresh. It was horrible. But I managed. I experienced sluggishness and immense hunger as well as the ever present headache throughout the entire day. All I could think about was food! Which makes no sense because I have gone without eating breakfast and lunch before and it didn't really bother me! Damn mind tricks! I made it home, barely and did all of my chores with the animals. Then I washed the juicer, pulled out the produce and made my dinner. Again, pretty much the same veggies but I switched it up and added pineapple. Again, disgusting. I finished it though, cleaned the juicer for the morning and prepared the veggies for my morning and lunch juice to do in the morning. Then I blessedly fell into bed where I would no longer have to listen to my irate stomach. As a side note- I was down 3 pounds at this point.
Day 2- I woke up feeling absolutely terrible. I was nauseous, a bit dizzy, and so damn hungry that my dog's cookies were looking delicious. Even though I had gotten 8 hours of sleep for the first time in a very long time, I felt like I hadn't slept in days. I made my morning juice- spinach, celery, cucumber, and apple. It wasn't bad. I drank it all on my 1.5 hour drive to work. I arrived at work feeling a bit less enthusiatic as the day before. I made two juices for the day as I was so hungry the day before in between breakfast and lunch that I felt I needed another juice. However, I could barely drink the snack juice or the lunch juice. I threw up a couple of times, experienced incredibly bad nausea and cramping and managed to choke down about half of each before admitting defeat. Still, I didnt cave and grab a granola bar. I held tight and when that clock FINALLY struck 5pm was ready to dart out the door. But of course I got an urgent call right then and had to handle a situation first. In my mood, it was lucky I didn't drive the client away. I got home, barely able to stay awake and did all my chores again. The cat and dog food smelled so good, it was freaking me out. However, I started to realize I wasn't quite as sickly as I was that morinng, I had a tiny bit more energy although I was still exhausted and very hungry. I made my dinner juice, orange, pineapple, and carrots. It was pretty good. I started feeling a little more enthusiatric. I still wanted to fall into bed after my juice though but I watched some tv as I fell asleep this time.
Day 3- That would be today and I think my last day on the fast. Normally they are done for 3 days, 5 days, 10 days, or 15 days. Some people go up to 30 days. Initially I wanted to go for a longer fast but for my first one I think 3 is plenty especially since I didn't really prepare myself enough for it and I was eating more processed foods than I realized. I felt pretty good this morning. I am still very tired but the headache has finally subsided. I made a tomato, spinach, pear juice that was yummy this morning. My stomach hasn't stopped growling since I started the fast but I am drinking lots of water. I weighed myself this morning and I am down 5 pounds. I think that is an excellent start. I will finish this day out with just juice and start clean eating tomorrow for hopefully what is the rest of my life.
I have learned so much throughout this process because focusing on research has really helped to keep my mind off of the hunger. Realizing what I was putting into my body made me literally sick. I was addicted to food like most people are and didn't realize how terrible most of it was. I fancied myself a much healthier eater than a lot of people as I stuck to organic as much as possible, ate lots of fruits and veggies, hummus, etc., but I was still eating things that were processed. Now I will pay attention to labels much more, make things at home as much as possible, and avoid fast food like the plague. I want my life to change and this is a great way to do it. It's not just about losing weight anymore, it's about living longer because my body is healthy from the inside out. I am not saying I won't indulge in sushi, or chocolate cake from time to time but I will be eating clean on a regular basis. I will not even buy things that could temp me. Most processed foods are no longer actually foods and that is scary. Think about what you are putting into your body, know what you are eating! Do not think that you are any different when it comes to death by food because it is possible and happening every day. Change the way you eat! I feel better for it. I have wanted to become vegetarian for a long time and this is the perfect opportunity for it! And juice will stay a regular staple of each day, likely as a breakfast choice. It is the BEST way to get all of your necessary fruits and vegetables each day.
So thank you Joe Cross, for hopefully changing my life and at the very least making me a whole lot more aware of each and every thing I put into my body.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The downfall of "humanity" in the human race- You want a cookie for being nice?
An old friend of mine brought up a great point the other day on Facebook. I'm sure we have all seen the image of the police officer bringing milk to the child during the Boston situation. Everyone was going all "OMG how sweet" over it. My friend said that is what is expected of people, it shouldn't be considered some huge deal that the officer did a decent thing and brought milk to a family with a baby who couldn't leave their home. Why does this deserve having his picture posted all over the place like he's a hero? He did his job, the job he was paid to do and as my friend pointed out, it's likely the family called the police and told them they needed milk and the officers had no choice but to go and get it considering they weren't allowing the families to leave their homes.
This really makes me think back through the last 26 years of my life, well I guess really the last 14 or so. I started to really pay attention to the world around the age of 12 I guess. I have certainly noticed the decline of human decency in the last 14 years. So much so that it makes me physically ill sometimes. Even 14 years ago, we were starting our descent into utter selfishness, greed, and inhumanity but now things have escalated at a rather alarming rate. I think part of the cause of that is that too many people feel as though they are owed something. They feel like the world owes them money, power, love, whatever and so they act like complete asshats because they aren't getting what they want.
In some cases, maybe you should get off your ass and work for it. In other cases, those who are working need to just get over it and realize it's life. Yes, there are people who have it easy, at least in our perception. Who knows, it's possible that millionaire kid living off of mommy and daddy's money could be severely depressed, or could be getting abused at night. You NEVER know what someone else's life is like. But, as far as your own lives, you CAN try and control them to a certain extent. You can be in charge of your own life and making the right choices, doing the right things.
How about you bend over and pick up that plastic bag blowing around and drop it in the trash instead of walking right past it? How about you help that lady carrying 6 bags to her car obviously struggling with them while her toddler grips her leg as she walks? Maybe you could feed that litter of kittens begging for food that hang out in your yard? Or you could even try doing some volunteer work instead of watching an entire television series from the viewpoint of your couch? There are so many things that we can do for others, for animals, for the Earth, etc. There is no reason that people should spend their lives either being hateful, lazy, or thinking that the world owes them something and/or that their life is terrible. Everyone has something that bothers them or that makes them unhappy. Everyone has a past and demons in their closet. That includes me. I had a pretty rough childhood but instead of using that to fuel a pathetic "poor me" life persona, I took it and let it fuel something positive. I thrust all that energy into volunteer work. I spend more time volunteering than I do having a personal life but I love it. I love being able to help those who are less fortunate. My preference is animal rescue but there are tons of organizations out there for many different causes. There are tons of ways to turn negative experiences into positives. You just have to stop feeling sorry for yourself and do it.
Guess I got a little off track. Back to humanity. I have come to realize that I actually expect people to be rude rather than nice. When someone is nice right off the bat I am truly taken aback. It genuinely surprises me when people are kind now-a-days. It is sad that as a race the norm has become rudeness and scorn. People are so judgmental it literally makes me ill. Leaving your home can be a true test in your patience these days. People will judge you for how you look, what you wear, what you eat, what you buy, what you drive, what you say, etc. How about we all get over it! Worry about yourselves and stop throwing your two cents out there into other people's business where it is certainly not wanted or needed. Let everyone live their lives! If we all just walked around, not judging others and being positive, helping others where we can, this world would instantly become a better place to live in. There is so much negativity, greed, waste, and pain that it's becoming a place that I'm not sure I want to bring children into.
Picture retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/benmarioninstitute
Another huge issue with our race is the fact that we STILL haven't reached equality or true freedom. The government still believes it has the right to dictate who can marry who and what a woman can do with her body among many other things! And if that wasn't bad enough, the people think they have the right to have an opinion on the same issues. NONE of you have the right to make a decision about whether or not a man can marry a man or a woman can marry a woman. You also don't have the right to decide if a woman should have a child or not, regardless of the situation. Science has proven what it has PROVEN. There are FACTS out there about abortion, FACTS, so read up on those before you throw your opinions around like darts. It's not YOUR choice. Are you going to adopt that child? Are you going to personally raise it? Are you going to make sure it doesn't end up being abused, starved, or end up in the foster system to ultimately be put out on the street? No? Then shut the hell up and keep your opinions to yourself unless you are going to personally make sure that every one of those children born to families who either don't want them, or cannot take care of them, are safe, protected, healthy, and grow up in real homes. And no, I am not condoning abortion for birth control purposes. I am not saying it is something that should be done lightly. I am simply saying that if it is the best choice for the person and the child, then that's their decision. I am a very firm believer in mandatory birth control but that's another topic. And I don't even want to hear about religion or God! That is a belief! Nothing but a belief! If you want to believe in God then go ahead but religion has no place as a determinant in world issues or issues of a personal nature for someone else's life! This world in general needs to stop trying to run other people's lives. It is disgusting. Focus on yourself. Focus on putting that time, energy, and money into something else, something positive! Bob Marley said it best, "Who
are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect & I don't
live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands
are clean." TRUTH!
Next thought: We are all in a hurry to get somewhere. Everyone wants to speed, and scream at people for not going fast enough or not moving quick enough when that light changes from red to green. And we wonder why there are so many accidents and senseless deaths on the road. What is wrong with us? Are we all really in so much of a hurry that we have to run other people off of the road? And seriously, you can't let people in front of you? Why? Is that car getting in front of you going to throw off your schedule in bumper to bumper traffic? It infuriates me that people can be so insensitive and rude. Wtf? Letting people merge, letting people get over when they need to, that is part of being a decent human. I RARELY see decent humans on the road. I am just as guilty of being in a hurry sometimes but I ALWAYS let people over. Not only is it the right thing to do but it prevents pointless accidents and help people out so they don't have to freak out sitting on the side of the road with their blinker on for 20 minutes because no one will give them enough space to get over.
Last rant topic: Social media is really turning the younger generation into little monsters. Bullying has increased ten-fold, kids are tweeting nasty things about other kids, Facebook stalking, whatever, and it is really getting out of hand. As much as I personally like technology I think it has really made a mess of our youth. I remember being under 18 and going to school and things have certainly changed. Kids are having sex younger, getting pregnant much younger and thinking it's OK because of all the crap on TV! They are killing each other, beating each other, doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and all kinds of stuff younger and younger. It makes you wonder how things are going to be 10 years down the road. I'm not sure how much worse they can get! Then you have parents who either don't let their kids do ANYTHING or those that couldn't care less what their kid does and would defend them no matter how horrible they act. Parenting is also another topic I will touch on later down the road.
All in all, you don't deserve a reward for being a decent person. That is what being a human is supposed to be about. We are supposed to be there for one another. We are supposed to be a united nation. We are supposed to have love for one another, no matter who, and it saddens me more and more each day that the world is not like that. It is full of hate, negativity, and self absorbance.
As a side note: Sometimes I think about what would happen if someone dropped massive amounts of money from a plane. I think the hoards of people would all kill each other over a few bucks. I'm almost certain they would, and I don't even know what to think about that.
This really makes me think back through the last 26 years of my life, well I guess really the last 14 or so. I started to really pay attention to the world around the age of 12 I guess. I have certainly noticed the decline of human decency in the last 14 years. So much so that it makes me physically ill sometimes. Even 14 years ago, we were starting our descent into utter selfishness, greed, and inhumanity but now things have escalated at a rather alarming rate. I think part of the cause of that is that too many people feel as though they are owed something. They feel like the world owes them money, power, love, whatever and so they act like complete asshats because they aren't getting what they want.
In some cases, maybe you should get off your ass and work for it. In other cases, those who are working need to just get over it and realize it's life. Yes, there are people who have it easy, at least in our perception. Who knows, it's possible that millionaire kid living off of mommy and daddy's money could be severely depressed, or could be getting abused at night. You NEVER know what someone else's life is like. But, as far as your own lives, you CAN try and control them to a certain extent. You can be in charge of your own life and making the right choices, doing the right things.
How about you bend over and pick up that plastic bag blowing around and drop it in the trash instead of walking right past it? How about you help that lady carrying 6 bags to her car obviously struggling with them while her toddler grips her leg as she walks? Maybe you could feed that litter of kittens begging for food that hang out in your yard? Or you could even try doing some volunteer work instead of watching an entire television series from the viewpoint of your couch? There are so many things that we can do for others, for animals, for the Earth, etc. There is no reason that people should spend their lives either being hateful, lazy, or thinking that the world owes them something and/or that their life is terrible. Everyone has something that bothers them or that makes them unhappy. Everyone has a past and demons in their closet. That includes me. I had a pretty rough childhood but instead of using that to fuel a pathetic "poor me" life persona, I took it and let it fuel something positive. I thrust all that energy into volunteer work. I spend more time volunteering than I do having a personal life but I love it. I love being able to help those who are less fortunate. My preference is animal rescue but there are tons of organizations out there for many different causes. There are tons of ways to turn negative experiences into positives. You just have to stop feeling sorry for yourself and do it.
Guess I got a little off track. Back to humanity. I have come to realize that I actually expect people to be rude rather than nice. When someone is nice right off the bat I am truly taken aback. It genuinely surprises me when people are kind now-a-days. It is sad that as a race the norm has become rudeness and scorn. People are so judgmental it literally makes me ill. Leaving your home can be a true test in your patience these days. People will judge you for how you look, what you wear, what you eat, what you buy, what you drive, what you say, etc. How about we all get over it! Worry about yourselves and stop throwing your two cents out there into other people's business where it is certainly not wanted or needed. Let everyone live their lives! If we all just walked around, not judging others and being positive, helping others where we can, this world would instantly become a better place to live in. There is so much negativity, greed, waste, and pain that it's becoming a place that I'm not sure I want to bring children into.
Picture retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/benmarioninstitute
Another huge issue with our race is the fact that we STILL haven't reached equality or true freedom. The government still believes it has the right to dictate who can marry who and what a woman can do with her body among many other things! And if that wasn't bad enough, the people think they have the right to have an opinion on the same issues. NONE of you have the right to make a decision about whether or not a man can marry a man or a woman can marry a woman. You also don't have the right to decide if a woman should have a child or not, regardless of the situation. Science has proven what it has PROVEN. There are FACTS out there about abortion, FACTS, so read up on those before you throw your opinions around like darts. It's not YOUR choice. Are you going to adopt that child? Are you going to personally raise it? Are you going to make sure it doesn't end up being abused, starved, or end up in the foster system to ultimately be put out on the street? No? Then shut the hell up and keep your opinions to yourself unless you are going to personally make sure that every one of those children born to families who either don't want them, or cannot take care of them, are safe, protected, healthy, and grow up in real homes. And no, I am not condoning abortion for birth control purposes. I am not saying it is something that should be done lightly. I am simply saying that if it is the best choice for the person and the child, then that's their decision. I am a very firm believer in mandatory birth control but that's another topic. And I don't even want to hear about religion or God! That is a belief! Nothing but a belief! If you want to believe in God then go ahead but religion has no place as a determinant in world issues or issues of a personal nature for someone else's life! This world in general needs to stop trying to run other people's lives. It is disgusting. Focus on yourself. Focus on putting that time, energy, and money into something else, something positive! Bob Marley said it best, "Who
are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect & I don't
live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands
are clean." TRUTH!Next thought: We are all in a hurry to get somewhere. Everyone wants to speed, and scream at people for not going fast enough or not moving quick enough when that light changes from red to green. And we wonder why there are so many accidents and senseless deaths on the road. What is wrong with us? Are we all really in so much of a hurry that we have to run other people off of the road? And seriously, you can't let people in front of you? Why? Is that car getting in front of you going to throw off your schedule in bumper to bumper traffic? It infuriates me that people can be so insensitive and rude. Wtf? Letting people merge, letting people get over when they need to, that is part of being a decent human. I RARELY see decent humans on the road. I am just as guilty of being in a hurry sometimes but I ALWAYS let people over. Not only is it the right thing to do but it prevents pointless accidents and help people out so they don't have to freak out sitting on the side of the road with their blinker on for 20 minutes because no one will give them enough space to get over.
Last rant topic: Social media is really turning the younger generation into little monsters. Bullying has increased ten-fold, kids are tweeting nasty things about other kids, Facebook stalking, whatever, and it is really getting out of hand. As much as I personally like technology I think it has really made a mess of our youth. I remember being under 18 and going to school and things have certainly changed. Kids are having sex younger, getting pregnant much younger and thinking it's OK because of all the crap on TV! They are killing each other, beating each other, doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and all kinds of stuff younger and younger. It makes you wonder how things are going to be 10 years down the road. I'm not sure how much worse they can get! Then you have parents who either don't let their kids do ANYTHING or those that couldn't care less what their kid does and would defend them no matter how horrible they act. Parenting is also another topic I will touch on later down the road.
All in all, you don't deserve a reward for being a decent person. That is what being a human is supposed to be about. We are supposed to be there for one another. We are supposed to be a united nation. We are supposed to have love for one another, no matter who, and it saddens me more and more each day that the world is not like that. It is full of hate, negativity, and self absorbance.
As a side note: Sometimes I think about what would happen if someone dropped massive amounts of money from a plane. I think the hoards of people would all kill each other over a few bucks. I'm almost certain they would, and I don't even know what to think about that.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Oh you support breeding?! You must be so proud of the deaths you're responsible for.
Picture retrieved from
The truth about breeding is a harsh one allowing for no misconceptions. Breeding is death for a shelter animal, period. There are no exceptions, there is no argument. Get your facts straight and get educated before you support breeding or even worse, become a breeder. The age old thought pattern, "It's just one litter, it won't hurt." Wrong! Yes, it most certainly will hurt. Think of it this way, for every puppy or kitten you breed, you are killing a shelter animal. Harsh? No, it's really not because it's the damn truth and more people need to start realizing that. YOU ARE NOT AN EXCEPTION! That ought to snap you out of the moronic belief that you are doing no harm. You want to make money? Get a damn job like a normal person instead of whoring out your animals to make a few bucks. Not only is it sickening, it's pathetic and utterly wrong. Do you want to be forced to get pregnant and pop out 2-10 offspring? Yeah, I didn't think so. Do you want to do it over and over again? Reeeallly didn't think so. So, why then do you think a dog, cat, rabbit, mouse, etc. wants to go through it? They don't! As humans, we are the superior race, (OK that is very much up for renegotiation) but I mean it in terms of the fact that we have voices and opposable thumbs. We are responsible for the protection of those creatures that don't. And we are doing a pretty shitty job of it. There are tons of rescues and advocates out there including those I volunteer with (GO Operation Paws for Homes and Animal Allies!!) but we are too few in number. We make a hell of a difference but we could make a tremendous impact if breeding was banned! Spaying and neutering needs to be a REQUIREMENT not a recommendation. Honestly, I think we should "spay and neuter" more people but that's a topic for another day.
Here are some fun facts for you derived from www.americanhumane.org.
- "Each year, approximately 8 million animals are taken in by shelters across the country. Tragically, about 3.7 million, nearly half, of these animals must be euthanized because good homes cannot be found for them. In fact, shelter euthanasia is the leading cause of death for both dogs and cats in the United States."
- "Despite increased public awareness over the past 40 years about the need to spay and neuter pets, 35 percent of pet owners in the U.S. still choose not to do so. Many among this group intentionally choose to breed their pets, either for profit or for what they mistakenly believe to be a "fun" experience. Others who choose not to spay or neuter out of ignorance, believe their pets wont accidentally breed."
- "There is NO accidental breeding. Spaying and neutering is a conscious choice. Puppies and kittens can be safely spayed and neutered at 8 weeks of age, before reaching sexual maturity- so there is simply no excuse for an "accidental" litter."
- "Many people who breed their pets believe they aren't adding to the pet overpopulation problem if they find homes for all their puppies or kittens. But consider this: Every puppy or kitten sold by an irresponsible breeder means there is one more shelter animal that will not find a home. And many of those same puppies and kittens will end up in shelters themselves at some point in their life. There are currently about 163 million pet cats and dogs in the U.S., and about one out of every 20 ends up in a shelter each year."
- "Seventeen million Americans acquire a new pet each year, that is more than double the number of shelter animals! Sadly, only 3.5 million people, or about 20 percent, choose to adopt their new pet. The rest choose to buy their pets from pet stores or breeders, or they choose a variety of other cheap or free sources, such as friends, neighbors, or Internet ads."
- "Virtually ALL puppies sold at pet stores (not adoption events) come from puppy mills, where dogs live miserably in tiny cages with little or no opportunity to exercise, play, or socialize. Although there are many responsible breeders, there are far more irresponsible ones who are breeding for profit without regard for good health and temperament or the pet overpopulation problem."
- "While acquiring a puppy or kitten, or adult animal from a friend, neighbor, or Internet ad might seem innocent enough, in reality you are contributing to the pet overpopulation problem by creating demand for irresponsible breeding or enabling owners to have a convenient, guilt-free and often profitable outlet for disposing of unwanted pets. In many cases, these people will go on to become repeat offenders, engaging in a continuous cycle of irresponsible breeding or pet acquisition and disposal because they know they can easily find a new home for the animals."
- "By choosing to adopt, you will not only save a life, but you will also ensure your adoption fee is going to help the next unwanted pet that comes in the door of that shelter or rescue. The adopter fees at most shelters and rescues include spaying or neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, worming, and heartworm or feline leukemia testing, and they are typically hundreds of dollars less that what you would spend to have all of these services performed at a veterinarians office."
- "The continuous flow of animals into shelters across the country is not just made up of litters of puppies and kittens. In fact, most shelters receive a greater number of stray and owner-relinquished adult pets. The majority of stray pets arrive at shelters without any ID, and most are never reclaimed by their owners. Average owner reclaim rates for stray dogs are less than 50 percent and for cats, less than 10 percent."
- "While there are some situations when it may be absolutely necessary for an owner to relinquish a pet, hundreds of thousands of pets are relinquished to shelters each year simply because they have become an inconvenience because the owner did not consider the time and financial commitment required to properly train and care for them. Another common excuse is moving when most rentals allow for pets these days."
Picture retrieved from karmadecay.com
There are some common complaints from people about their attempts at adopting animals. One such complaint is that they want a purebred animal. My first question is why? Why do you NEED a purebred dog? Did you know that many purebreds actually have more health problems than mixed breeds? Second of all, do some research and you will find countless rescues designated for certain breeds, many of them purebred. Often times shelters and rescues have purebred animals and sometimes with papers! You just have to actually look! Another complaint I've heard is that rescues are too strict. No, they aren't. Massive trial and error has shown rescues that they need to have applications, and reference/vet/landlord checks, sometimes home visits, and an extensive interview process. There are WAY too many animals that are returned for ridiculous reasons including finances, moving, behavior, time constraints, among others. THIS IS WHY WE DO THE APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS! It is to try to avoid these animals being uprooted and returned to the utmost extent that we can. We still get returns but they occur a hell of a lot less than they would if we didn't go through that process and ask those questions. Yet another complaint is that it costs too much to adopt. I just cannot comprehend the level of ignorance here. Most people have absolutely no idea what goes into rescue. It costs money to pull from shelters because it costs the shelters money to board and care for these animals. WE ARE ALL NONPROFIT. We MAKE nothing. Every penny we get goes towards the care of these animals. So your "expensive adoption fee" is for the pulling from the shelter, the transport from whichever shelter the animal was pulled from, the vaccinations, deworming, flea meds, heartworm meds, any treatments or surgeries, spaying/neutering, microchipping, and any other odd and end expenses that come up. Fosters spend their OWN money on supplies for these animals while they care for them. So, think about that before complaining about an adoption fee. And really, if you can't afford the fee, you shouldn't be getting a pet to begin with.
I am just so tired of the substantial level of ignorance and just plain obliviousness out there regarding breeding and shelter pets in general. These animals deserve so much better than they get and we do not deserve to be called "superior" to them in any way. We need to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and do right by them because we owe them that much, we ALL owe them that much.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Trash cans need neon signs
As a huge environmental advocate, there are many things that drive me to the brink of insanity. I can't walk my dogs without wanting to taser someone. And if I had a taser, I would probably be in jail. What the hell is wrong with people? I do not get it. I have actually seen people drop trash on the ground with a trash can less than 10 feet away. I mean, they can SEE the trash can, it is in their line of sight. Yet they are so lazy or just so uncaring that they drop their trash and continue walking instead of waiting that extra minute to drop it in the trash can. But, if I'm being honest with myself, this is all part of the rapid deterioration of the human race. This is not a new "thing" and no matter how much I babble about it or turn red, it's likely not going to change anytime soon. Maybe when the world is either consumed by some sort of plague, or zombie apocalypse, or hell Mother Natures wrath,people will start saying, "Damn, I should've made an effort instead of being a selfish, heartless moron." But by then it will be much too late. It's possible that it already is.
One such littering incident that I will never forget occurred about a year ago; I was waiting in the car while a friend of mine ran into Walgreen's to get some medicine for my sick dog after an emergency vet visit. While I'm sitting there holding my dog, this car drives up. The driver proceeds to get out, walk around the the passengers side, open the doors and pull out ALL of the trash from the car and dump it on the ground in the parking lot. It was an empty parking lot in the middle of the night. There was a trash can by the door to Walgreen's. So, all he would've had to do was drive up to the curb and get out to put his trash in the can. It took all of my willpower not to roll my window down and tell him to stop being so fucking lazy and take his trash to the can 15 feet away. What a piss poor excuse for a human being! And really, any person who can't manage to walk to the trash can or hold onto their trash until they're near a trash can is worthless in my opinion. Those people are part of what is wrong with our universe, they are a large part of the reason why our Earth is being destroyed.
If you cannot be bothered to do your part to protect and respect the Earth, the very thing that is responsible for keeping us all alive, then you deserve to be eaten by Zombies. If that offends you, then you should rethink some of your choices in life. I am so tired of people being so ignorant and utterly not giving a shit about what is going on around them.
And the jerks who throw their cigarette butts out of the windows of their car or drop them on the ground. Seriously?! I hate to be cliche here but the Earth is not an ashtray assholes! Stop being do damn lazy!!!
Knowledge is power and I find it hard to believe that with all of the information readily available, people don't understand the severity of what is happening with the Earth. Start small, and stop littering and let's see what happens! Rant Over... :)
One such littering incident that I will never forget occurred about a year ago; I was waiting in the car while a friend of mine ran into Walgreen's to get some medicine for my sick dog after an emergency vet visit. While I'm sitting there holding my dog, this car drives up. The driver proceeds to get out, walk around the the passengers side, open the doors and pull out ALL of the trash from the car and dump it on the ground in the parking lot. It was an empty parking lot in the middle of the night. There was a trash can by the door to Walgreen's. So, all he would've had to do was drive up to the curb and get out to put his trash in the can. It took all of my willpower not to roll my window down and tell him to stop being so fucking lazy and take his trash to the can 15 feet away. What a piss poor excuse for a human being! And really, any person who can't manage to walk to the trash can or hold onto their trash until they're near a trash can is worthless in my opinion. Those people are part of what is wrong with our universe, they are a large part of the reason why our Earth is being destroyed.
If you cannot be bothered to do your part to protect and respect the Earth, the very thing that is responsible for keeping us all alive, then you deserve to be eaten by Zombies. If that offends you, then you should rethink some of your choices in life. I am so tired of people being so ignorant and utterly not giving a shit about what is going on around them.
And the jerks who throw their cigarette butts out of the windows of their car or drop them on the ground. Seriously?! I hate to be cliche here but the Earth is not an ashtray assholes! Stop being do damn lazy!!!
Knowledge is power and I find it hard to believe that with all of the information readily available, people don't understand the severity of what is happening with the Earth. Start small, and stop littering and let's see what happens! Rant Over... :)
Picture retreived from
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