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rp({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$blogger":"http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027"},"updated":{"$t":"2023-06-15T12:34:36.726-06:00"},"category":[{"term":"Rambling"},{"term":"Cooking"},{"term":"Sweets"},{"term":"Art"},{"term":"Geeky"},{"term":"LGBTQ"},{"term":"Poetry"},{"term":"Not Sweets"},{"term":"Photography"},{"term":"BodyPositive"},{"term":"Crafty"},{"term":"Feature"},{"term":"RadFat"},{"term":"SelfLove"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Crazed by Calliope"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"...not even pretending to be sane anymore."},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default?alt=json-in-script\u0026orderby=published"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=26\u0026max-results=25\u0026orderby=published"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"33"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-4196996563612640847"},"published":{"$t":"2019-04-17T16:09:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-04-17T16:45:06.900-06:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The C Word "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"No..not that one. I rather like bandying that one about in the right company. The other one, the one that really fucking sucks. Cancer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI'm not going to apologize for not talking about this sooner. It's not that I've really cared who knows. But it's taken a lot of energy...understatement of the year. And I've been waiting to be in a place where I'm feeling well enough both physically and emotionally to write it all out. Sympathy and outreach, while well intended, can often serve to soothe the one expressing it more than the one receiving it. Especially when they are feeling overwhelmed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo...here goes.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EOctober 22nd\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI had my first Well Woman exam since Milo was born. I knew it was overdue. I was seeing a doctor that I don't normally go to. I'm not terribly old fashioned, but I still don't want to go to my primary, toss my feet up in the stirrups, and then have to look at him like he didn't just see that at my next appointment.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nEverything was pretty normal, but she noticed a lump in my neck. I told her I was just getting over a bad cold, maybe it was just my lymph nodes. Honestly, I had noticed my neck looked a little thicker, but attributed it to not being very observant. Others probably failed to noticed because I'm a big gal, so why would some extra weight there be out of place? Anyway, she suggested I follow up with my primary physician.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003ENovember 2nd\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy primary physician saw me fairly quickly and felt up my neck. He said it could be several things of no concern, but it could be something...so it was better to rule them out. I left with referrals for a CT Scan, Ultrasound and ENT.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003ENovember 30th\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI had an ultrasound of the lump. I had a CT scan prior to this, but failed to mark the day on the calendar. It was all starting to run together. Going into the ultrasound I was told if it looked conclusive, I wouldn't have to do a biopsy after...sadly it wasn't clear enough and I had to start planning for that as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EDecember 5th\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI met my ENT for the first time. After a long wait in the office he wheeled in on a rolly chair and pronounced, \"Welp! It's gotta come out!\" Referring to my thyroid. I was fairly in shock, didn't they need to find out more first? Nope. On the left side it was almost five inches, a third of my windpipe was obstructed. Regardless of what was going on, it wasn't gonna shrink back down, so...it had to go.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nHe looked at me like I had grown a third eye when I asked him, \"How soon can I drive after?\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\"Ma'am you're having surgery and will be in the hospital 1-3 days after. There will be no driving.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAll I could think was, I'm a single mom, I don't have time for this! I had to call my own mother, at a loss for how the hell I was going to manage surgery, my son, recovery, etc. Luckily, and many of you know this, my mom is amazing. Not only did she and my dad plan to come down for the surgery, but they also got me a ticket to come home for the holidays, since my son would be spending it with his father. They didn't want me to be alone.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSurgery was scheduled out for January 29th.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EDecember 14th\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI was insanely nervous about the biopsy. Like an idiot I had googled a bit and seen just how big the needle going into my neck would be. Bad idea.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI was fortunate to have my wonderful Auntie Barb (or Tiny Auntie, as my son has dubbed her), to chauffeur me and sit with me during the process. I didn't want to try driving with my nerves so raw and if it happened to be sore after.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EDecember 20th (ish)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI honestly don't recall the exact date...I think this was it. Every day waiting after the biopsy made me more and more anxious. Waiting for the phone to ring, praying for the best possible outcome. After the predicted result day I left messages with my doctor's nurses, and called frequently to check if the results were in. Bless them for not getting annoyed by me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFinally my doctor called...Papillary Cancer, a form of Thyroid Cancer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nHe told me that, of course no one wants cancer. But if you wind up getting it, this was the kind to have. At my age, my prognosis was 85% - 93% positive. Still, and of course, I had been hoping for another outcome. It was overwhelming.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI've put the dates in here to show just how quickly everything happened leading up to the diagnosis. I was incredibly grateful that they were able to schedule everything quickly of course, but it felt...surreal.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI didn't want to share the news...not with Christmas so close. I didn't want to bring anyone else down, or be a \"charity case\" for lack of better terms.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EJanuary 29th\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI went home for Christmas the weekend after my diagnosis and was there for New Year. Came back as my son's winter break was ending and went back to life as usual as possible, beginning to plan for surgery.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI had my pre-op, my parents arrived. An Aunt and Uncle even drove over from Oregon to be with my folks and support us. It was all a nice reminder that I am indeed loved.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAs a small side story that was touching during this time...my mother had requested a pastor to pray with her before surgery. My dad's cousin Doug lined someone up, and the name felt very familiar. When we met him before surgery he mentioned that he had once pastored in Southern Oregon and had members of his church that were related to some Gildersleeves in Alaska. Did we know a Milo and Vernadell Mann? I immediately started crying. He had been my mom's parent's pastor. No wonder he sounded familiar. I'm not the most religious individual these days, but it was very appreciated and he was such a blessing. Mom and I have kept in touch with him since.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nA few other nearby family members were there to support as well. Tiny Auntie even brought me beautiful tulips.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI was anxious. Various members of my family don't react well to being put under and I wasn't looking forward to finding out if I was one of them. Turns out, anesthesia and I aren't buddies. I woke up after surgery sobbing, puking, having an anxiety attack and begging them to tell my mom I woke up so that she wouldn't worry.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI was in the hospital for two and a half or three days. A lot of pain, and out of it a bit.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nUnfortunately the day of surgery, I also contracted this horrible upper respiratory crap that was going around. Needless to say, coughing with a throat incision...not so fun. It developed into walking pneumonia as well once I was home.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt took me three weeks to start feeling like myself again. When I could finally drive and be able to turn my head a bit. I spent a lot of those weeks on the couch, icing my incision. Grumpy over not being able to do much, not being allowed to lift over ten pounds, and feeling rather useless in general.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSadly Dad had to leave shortly after surgery, back to work. But I was so glad he was able to be there. And there are no words for how thankful I was to have my mom during everything. I couldn't have done this alone...most literally.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDuring surgical recovery I had post-op appointments with my ENT, met my endocrinologist, and had blood tests. They told me that the cancer had spread to my lymph\u0026nbsp; nodes and they removed twelve nodes during surgery. The good news, was that they didn't think it had spread past that. After that I started planning for the next phase...radioactive iodine treatment.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-9wd46fIdh-A\/XLeRz90lfvI\/AAAAAAAABxM\/hAbjbUJ1GMIJowDT_Crf6uIQlUjDjDUogCLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_5386.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1600\" data-original-width=\"1200\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-9wd46fIdh-A\/XLeRz90lfvI\/AAAAAAAABxM\/hAbjbUJ1GMIJowDT_Crf6uIQlUjDjDUogCLcBGAs\/s400\/IMG_5386.JPG\" width=\"300\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003EIncision after being released from hospital. Yay, skin paste!\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EMarch 13th\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nI started thyrogen injections. During daylight hours I prefer never to witness. Mad props to the amazing radiology staff at the hospital for making it a less miserable experience...as fun as getting shots in the ass at sunrise is. I had to have this done two days in a row. Good times.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nOn the third day, the 15th, I went in early and did tests of various bodily fluids. Waited for my pills for quite awhile. It's kind of nerve wracking going into a little room with radiation warnings everywhere, and ingesting pills that the staff won't even touch.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nI had prepped like mad for this. My son stayed with his dad and then his grandma and aunt for the four days I needed to be isolated. I tried to touch as little as possible, wipe down things constantly and the day it was done I did an incredible amount of laundry. Everything had to be washed twice...toilets had to be flushed twice...I sang \"Radioactive\" to myself a lot.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nIt's pretty incredible though. That I was able to do this outside of a hospital. I was also told what side effects were likely, especially given my severe IBS, but managed to feel pretty well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nOn the 18th I went back to the hospital's radiology department. I got fairly fond of the staff. They scanned me and said to avoid holding, hugging, and laying or sleeping next to my son and dog. But otherwise, I should be ok to be out in the public again.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EMarch 22nd\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nBack to radiology. Metastatic Survey \/ PET Scan. I was anxious again. Tests have that effect, don't they? Hoping again for good results and positive outcome. As someone that isn't a fan of sitting terribly still, I'll say it was tough waiting ten minutes for a single image to be taken. I don't know how anyone manages those that take even longer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EApril 1st\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnother appointment with my endocrinologist to go over things. I'll admit that a lot of the time, I'm completely lost with so much medical terminology. So I'll spare you most of it. The take away is that it's looking good. My levels are what they hope\/expect after surgery and radiation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy doctor mentioned that the carcinoma they found during my biopsy was so small on that particular area, that had they moved even a millimeter in any direction they would have missed it. She, a medical professional, used the term \"miraculous.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nIn a few more weeks I'll do more blood tests. And in six months an ultrasound. If things stay positive, they'll then move to yearly scanning. So here's to keeping a positive outlook for October's scans!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-ls8VfihHHb8\/XLeh4wtG0bI\/AAAAAAAABxo\/ZJMM-HOZSD0-S1M0yk3A22RfwkSI0FbzACLcBGAs\/s1600\/IMG_6709.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1600\" data-original-width=\"1200\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-ls8VfihHHb8\/XLeh4wtG0bI\/AAAAAAAABxo\/ZJMM-HOZSD0-S1M0yk3A22RfwkSI0FbzACLcBGAs\/s400\/IMG_6709.JPG\" width=\"300\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003EA week ago, look at me heal like a pro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EToday\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nI'm less self conscious than I thought I would be about my scar. It's just...there. People either avoid it, or ask blunt questions. I've taken to telling them I got in a knife fight, or got bitten by a shark...maybe I got in a knife fight with a shark. My ENT says it will fade to a thin white line eventually. A friend that enjoys anime suggested maybe I have another mouth underneath it. My mom thinks I need to tattoo it with a zipper.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\nI am feeling...more grateful than I know how to express. To the doctor that noticed my lump, to the ENT with amazing steady hands that performed my surgery, to my primary care physician and his staff for their continued care and concern, to a wonderful endocrinologist that is to the point and open with all my questions, to the amazing radiology department I dealt with, the dozen nurses during my hospital stay, and to all my friends and family that have been there to support and help.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI have cancer. But I also have a thankful heart and a hell of a lot of hope!\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/4196996563612640847\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2019\/04\/the-c-word.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/4196996563612640847"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/4196996563612640847"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2019\/04\/the-c-word.html","title":"The C Word "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-9wd46fIdh-A\/XLeRz90lfvI\/AAAAAAAABxM\/hAbjbUJ1GMIJowDT_Crf6uIQlUjDjDUogCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/IMG_5386.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-6614701085506253140"},"published":{"$t":"2017-08-25T17:13:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-08-25T17:33:19.214-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"BodyPositive"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RadFat"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SelfLove"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Did You Really Just Call Yourself Fat? -  A Rant by a Rad Fatty"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZEnWhAIleD8\/WaCzrmucwbI\/AAAAAAAABts\/AcZMdufFBucc3Ct8i3YOU2O_m6PI7QKAACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Comic%2BShock.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1600\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZEnWhAIleD8\/WaCzrmucwbI\/AAAAAAAABts\/AcZMdufFBucc3Ct8i3YOU2O_m6PI7QKAACLcBGAs\/s320\/Comic%2BShock.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\"Did you really just call yourself fat?\" The surprise is palpable.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nYes. Yes I did.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nThis was never a secret.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nNo amount of layers or \"flattering\" clothing are going to hide or shrink me.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nFor fuck's sake I'm just shy of 5'10\" and \u003Cu\u003EI take up space\u003C\/u\u003E!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nNewsflash: \u003Cb\u003Ethat's ok.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nQueue response. \"You're not fat you're \u003Ci\u003E\u0026lt;insert platitude here\u0026gt;\u003C\/i\u003E.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nBitches I never said I wasn't beautiful, amazing, talented, loving, and a general kick ass person.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nI KNOW I am majestic as fuck!\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003EI am an Amazon!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cb style=\"font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003EThese thighs could kill a man \u003Ci\u003E(or woman. Not really particular who's brave enough to take them on *brow waggle*).\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nI AM fat. It's not an insult, it's not the commentary on my character and personality that society would like to make it. It's just a descriptor.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nMy rolls are as generous as my heart and both are beautiful. So why the Hell would I try to pretend I am lesser in any way or accept when others do?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nAnd to those thinking it, please spare me the \"glorifying obesity\" shtick. I know it's embedded pretty far up your ass, but you too can learn that every body deserves love and acceptance no matter where it is on its journey.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nYou don't know how healthy I am or am not just by looking at me. You only know I'm fat. And I'm ok with that.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\nI wasted ENTIRELY too long hating myself, let alone caring about what the rest of the world thought. And sure there are still shitty days it all gets to me. But I'm not into being my own enemy. That doesn't help any of us my beauties!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6614701085506253140\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2017\/08\/did-you-really-just-call-yourself-fat.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6614701085506253140"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6614701085506253140"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2017\/08\/did-you-really-just-call-yourself-fat.html","title":"Did You Really Just Call Yourself Fat? -  A Rant by a Rad Fatty"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZEnWhAIleD8\/WaCzrmucwbI\/AAAAAAAABts\/AcZMdufFBucc3Ct8i3YOU2O_m6PI7QKAACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Comic%2BShock.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-5801899672998539437"},"published":{"$t":"2016-07-16T04:09:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-07-16T04:18:13.958-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Geeky"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Five Reasons I Love Dating a Fellow Gamer"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan id=\"docs-internal-guid-bf9c4e32-f31f-d8f2-8d94-99bfb53bb427\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EAs my fella removed his headset tonight to abruptly depart for a moment I heard him call, “Cover me!” And I realized something. I really love dating someone I can game with. I am psyched to have a nerd buddy! Let me break down the awesome for you a bit…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E1.) Shared interests\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E. This is the painfully obvious one for me. I’ve tried the whole ‘Opposites Attract’ thing and for me it was over rated \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(more power to you if it works for ya, we’re all different)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E. I mean..having your own interests is great. I imagine our brains like a landscape. We both have a few territories neither of us are interested in visiting\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E (though everyone should TOTALLY give Corny Elvis Movie City a chance)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E. Then there’s a few places I’ll call Community Property where we mirror or overlap\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E (wait, he has a Classic Literature Library on his map too? *swoon*)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E. Having things we will be able to bond over without effort is priceless. After all, even the gaming world is incredibly diverse so I’m doubly thrilled to find someone that is into my brand of nerdom.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E (MMORPG’s if you’re curious. Emphases on the RP, we’ll get to that dears!) \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-l0dumE4JSCk\/V4oFdpqXLwI\/AAAAAAAABoU\/coyVBzavTc08GR3fiAoPdGFtgI4BRBmGgCLcB\/s1600\/Poster%2B-%2BHarum%2BScarum_01.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-l0dumE4JSCk\/V4oFdpqXLwI\/AAAAAAAABoU\/coyVBzavTc08GR3fiAoPdGFtgI4BRBmGgCLcB\/s400\/Poster%2B-%2BHarum%2BScarum_01.jpg\" width=\"261\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(I could have put a\u0026nbsp;relevant\u0026nbsp;meme here. I didn't. Gaze at his glory. GAZE DAMMIT!)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E2.) Breaching Distance.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E Even though we are nearly two thousand miles apart \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(I didn’t just google that in forlorn fashion) \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003Ewe can inhabit the same virtual world. Hey I’m a geek, I readily admit that! I enjoy getting to pal around in multiple universes with my honey. Maybe we can’t walk down the street and grab coffee in the real world, but we can meet up with friends in “local” taverns. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(If you play Wildstar - The Drunken Boulder is the best!)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E Sometimes just seeing our characters run around together and explore, makes the distance seem not quite so far. Even when exploring new areas means me getting lost and falling off mountains \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(directional sense of a drunk clam)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E or poking everything I shouldn’t. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E“Why are you running!?”\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E Never ask dear...just flee, because I probably made something big very angry! \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-6srRavxOBn8\/V4oF8gPBC6I\/AAAAAAAABoY\/IAG1hkv-fYo2UyzSXSNeGsRiJpwedfwuwCLcB\/s1600\/long-distance-relationships.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-6srRavxOBn8\/V4oF8gPBC6I\/AAAAAAAABoY\/IAG1hkv-fYo2UyzSXSNeGsRiJpwedfwuwCLcB\/s400\/long-distance-relationships.jpg\" width=\"377\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E3.) Aaaadventure!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E You’ll often hear how adrenaline during dates is a good way to bond \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E(oh look a wild \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mic.com\/articles\/111382\/when-it-comes-to-romance-science-has-good-news-for-adrenaline-junkies\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Earticle\u003C\/a\u003E appears!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E) \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ESo this starts on the same principle. A lot of games are action packed adventures, and some are very immersive. They make for great bonding experiences. One night we might be hunting Lovecraftian horrors off the coast of Main, the next we’re shooting it out as space cowboys against rampaging hordes of alien monsters, perhaps we’ll be surviving a zombie apocalypse, bringing some centaurs to justice for raiding a village, or traveling the galaxy putting things right as a noble Jedi Master and Padawan. I am perfectly content with a date involving the slaughter of evil rodent geniuses rather than...whatever is considered ‘normal’ these days \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(what do young people do now, anyways? Is it the clubbing thing? social...stuff? Note to self: ask normal friends.)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-b0a_bgKZc_8\/V4oGGFmdPjI\/AAAAAAAABog\/vRnRDh1mXn81yIBarF2wjArTZyBO9zxGgCLcB\/s1600\/41f698efb11a2fa30a37fa1f9e688767.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"397\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-b0a_bgKZc_8\/V4oGGFmdPjI\/AAAAAAAABog\/vRnRDh1mXn81yIBarF2wjArTZyBO9zxGgCLcB\/s400\/41f698efb11a2fa30a37fa1f9e688767.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E4.) Creativity\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E. Awwww yiz. Back to the RP part of MMORPG. The part that stands for Role Play. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(Some people may know of RP because of tabletop games like D\u0026amp;D. Nodding at you my beauties!) \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EThese types of games usually have a broad back story going on in them, a well developed world with a rich history, diverse races, and so forth. Some people choose to just play as spectators as they complete tasks and read the story tid-bits. However, if you’re my particular kind of dork...you join the story. When you Role Play in a game, you give the character you’re using their own personality. Example time! In the game Star Wars the Old Republic I play a twi’lek smuggler named Aantelah. So I created a story and personality for her that is played out in the game.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E (Cliff-notes version because full details would take forever!)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E Like a lot of members of her race, she used to be a slave. She had some dicey times on a planet that is basically Space Vegas, and eventually made enough connections and money to buy a ship and start smuggling. Aan is sarcastic, saucy, brazen, a bit in your face, guarded regarding her past and at times defensive. But hey, deep down she has a heart of gold! Now as for why RP made the list, because I get to share this creativity with my honey! We both love to write, and so together we play various characters and make up stories. For some of you this will seem incredibly nerdy. Maybe it is, but it’s also a great creative outlet. Who wouldn’t have fun being a viking like warrior, a bounty hunter, a practitioner of various varieties of magic, a werewolf, a giant cat person, a spy...the list is nearly endless. Though convincing him to play a Sith and go to the Dark Side can be a struggle\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E.\u003Ci\u003E “Oh God, what have I done! My mother raised me better than this!”\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-SCR6oXQPe6w\/V4oGQ9RgpWI\/AAAAAAAABok\/-9B9jaYLWmQV_qQKOlY8qzp3wI0Fbqi7wCLcB\/s1600\/aan%2Bzan%2Bfor%2Barticle.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-SCR6oXQPe6w\/V4oGQ9RgpWI\/AAAAAAAABok\/-9B9jaYLWmQV_qQKOlY8qzp3wI0Fbqi7wCLcB\/s640\/aan%2Bzan%2Bfor%2Barticle.jpg\" width=\"425\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(Aantelah and Zangdo - Partners in Crime fo'sho! Drawn for us by ataraxicare of DA)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E5.) Comradery. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EThis one is short and sweet. No matter the game and characters, it’s nice to know that someone has your back. A companion, a sidekick, a partner in crime. The Jayne to my Vera.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-5P5NLHBXDSY\/V4oGxnGelKI\/AAAAAAAABow\/K-L7vib2nx8uSDJifmO2c976qIEoNrS6ACLcB\/s1600\/952c9dfa3d12a847c91584b49a33b5b3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-5P5NLHBXDSY\/V4oGxnGelKI\/AAAAAAAABow\/K-L7vib2nx8uSDJifmO2c976qIEoNrS6ACLcB\/s400\/952c9dfa3d12a847c91584b49a33b5b3.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EWhen he came back he was sure to thank me for keeping him from sudden and gruesome death. Because he’s a gentleman like that. Of course, no droids are taking out these Jedi tonight! Onward! To Adventure! \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-z37WtwNMgeY\/V4oHRthHVtI\/AAAAAAAABo8\/VTzgzxJ8bg0f7orMWtQlGxgLj_k36BChwCLcB\/s1600\/e7ce189a68a0608c3c6332e74f610ed9.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"231\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-z37WtwNMgeY\/V4oHRthHVtI\/AAAAAAAABo8\/VTzgzxJ8bg0f7orMWtQlGxgLj_k36BChwCLcB\/s320\/e7ce189a68a0608c3c6332e74f610ed9.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/5801899672998539437\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/07\/five-reasons-i-love-dating-fellow-gamer.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/5801899672998539437"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/5801899672998539437"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/07\/five-reasons-i-love-dating-fellow-gamer.html","title":"Five Reasons I Love Dating a Fellow Gamer"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-l0dumE4JSCk\/V4oFdpqXLwI\/AAAAAAAABoU\/coyVBzavTc08GR3fiAoPdGFtgI4BRBmGgCLcB\/s72-c\/Poster%2B-%2BHarum%2BScarum_01.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-5504286149247756305"},"published":{"$t":"2016-01-19T16:08:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-01-19T16:09:08.121-07:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"I Like Water"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-YrbkjXWYOfI\/Vp7CAWkNVyI\/AAAAAAAABms\/NTdNvn6qXII\/s640\/blogger-image--1433989769.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-YrbkjXWYOfI\/Vp7CAWkNVyI\/AAAAAAAABms\/NTdNvn6qXII\/s640\/blogger-image--1433989769.jpg\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EWho writes this shit?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003ETo quote Justin Booth, who must be a really rocking individual for the comment he left on this prize: \"Who makes these?! Of course you wanna get married once. Is there one that says I want to get married three times and have plenty of cheating and divorce? This is like a meme that says \"I like drinking water\".\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EThis annoys me almost as much as the memes out there that say how marriage is hard work and love isn't easy and if you just believe in happy dancing unicorns you too can make ANY damn situation work. Let's suggest that divorcees didn't try hard enough or bleed themselves dry trying to make it work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003ENooooooo shit, people want things to work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003ESee, here's the thing. This kind of sentiment has always annoyed me, but of course it's doing more so right now because I'm divorcing. I get so tired of the obvious statements and assumptions. Tired of people that insist anything can work. Important word that, can. Doesn't mean it should. And yes relationships are hard work. Let's say it again together in chorus: No Shit!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EIt's time to get rid of this mentality that we should stick it out when two people are miserable! Not every relationship is redeemable. A culture that makes people feel guilty for doing what is best for their own emotional\/physical\/mental health and stability needs to stop perpetuating that guilt! Consider having some empathy. Maybe your marriage is great. Maybe it wasn't always great, but you managed to make it work. That doesn't mean everyone else will or should manage the same.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EEveryone wants Happily Ever After, or at least the happy part. Sometimes life has other plans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E#grumpybritches \u0026lt;-- that's probably not a thing, but totes should be.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/5504286149247756305\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/i-like-water.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/5504286149247756305"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/5504286149247756305"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/i-like-water.html","title":"I Like Water"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-YrbkjXWYOfI\/Vp7CAWkNVyI\/AAAAAAAABms\/NTdNvn6qXII\/s72-c\/blogger-image--1433989769.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-5869035100447064581"},"published":{"$t":"2016-01-19T02:12:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-01-19T02:12:41.081-07:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Give Me a Beast"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I love Beauty and the Beast for a great many things. A classic fairytale where the femme lead isn't being rescued, hot damn! Not that I'm oh so against the old tried and true. I simply like variety and the acknowledgement that a woman not only doesn't always need rescuing, but can save a man. And let's be honest, that's what Belle does. She saves the beast from himself. From self loathing, anger, solitude.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI also identify a great deal with Belle. I adore and share her love of reading. I admire her kindness and ability to stand her ground. I like to think I'm getting there on the latter.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;\"\u003EDespite all my love for this story and it's many forms, one aspect always sat wrong with me.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EI don't want a prince.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EI mean, how could it not be disconcerting? You fall in love with someone for who and what they are. And then they change quite dramatically. We all know how easy change is. I wouldn't want to be rewarded with a handsome stranger.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EI've heard the points against my little ramble. \u0026nbsp;Such as: well his true self was the prince. Was it? It had supposedly been ages and the curse was to bring out the beast he behaved as, in a way more himself than he was before. Alright maybe some merit there in reclaiming the man, but after living as the beast and being accepted for it which would be the more accurate self? An entirely different argument.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EI may just have too large a soft spot for beasts. I find them much more lovable and comforting than princes. A beast doesn't win you over with his face. He has no charm to rely on. He's rough around the edges, but there's often a lot more beneath the feisty exterior. To quote a movie my son is watching entirely too often lately, \"His isolation is confirmation of his desperation for healing hugs!\" He might roar and growl and carry on, but far more often than you realize it'll be because he doesn't know how else to show his concern. More women really should give them a chance.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003EIn the meantime, look up a book by Robin McKinley called Rose Daughter. Possibly my favorite version of the tale.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-dy-hP4W-yUc\/Vp3-BsUUxqI\/AAAAAAAABmU\/KxU98wCTidE\/s640\/blogger-image-82934981.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-dy-hP4W-yUc\/Vp3-BsUUxqI\/AAAAAAAABmU\/KxU98wCTidE\/s640\/blogger-image-82934981.jpg\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/5869035100447064581\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/give-me-beast.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/5869035100447064581"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/5869035100447064581"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/give-me-beast.html","title":"Give Me a Beast"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-dy-hP4W-yUc\/Vp3-BsUUxqI\/AAAAAAAABmU\/KxU98wCTidE\/s72-c\/blogger-image-82934981.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-6447209047636013977"},"published":{"$t":"2016-01-11T12:41:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-01-11T12:41:30.773-07:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Let's Parent Like Piccard"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-_VtrqFd2XhA\/VpQFZUyx6vI\/AAAAAAAABl0\/FofnV6q7WR4\/s640\/blogger-image--671260421.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-_VtrqFd2XhA\/VpQFZUyx6vI\/AAAAAAAABl0\/FofnV6q7WR4\/s640\/blogger-image--671260421.jpg\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003EMr. Kessler, ashamedly I did not know who you were prior to this post I stumbled upon in the swirling information hole of Facebook\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;(seriously people go look him up, he's amazing). Anyone that can bring attention to something I consider vital as a parent in a way that makes people take notice deserves a few nods. Humor can be one of the best languages!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EAnd this got me on my own train of things I would say to my little Ambassador:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESeñor Ambassador, the Febreeze is for the freshening of the air, not your genitals.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESeñor Ambassador, we do not absorb nutrition through our nostrils here.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESeñor Ambassador, our culture prefers the use of words as opposed to guttural noises and thrashing.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESeñor Ambassador, in our society we differentiate between want and need.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESeñor Ambassador, dogs and horses are a seperate species on our planet.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003EI could go on for days. Which really only makes this resonate all the more. That's \u0026nbsp;why it is golden. We need more people to make us stop and think. Children are not idiots, and more importantly infants are not.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003ESome of the things my two year old is capable of baffle those I speak with. His language skills, my expectations for him, the small chores he's already capable of. What did I do to achieve this. Very little in my book. I let him. I let him and assumed that if he was ready to try and it did no bodily harm, why not? And maybe this is a good point to mention that yes every child is different. This is in no way me saying you should pressure a child or a return to the overdone: look my offspring is so much more advanced than yours, neener neener!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003EThe fact is that children are little sponges, always watching and listening and they accept the limits they hear us place. I'd love to put an end to: oh you can't expect an (insert age here) to be able to do (insert whatever the Hell here).\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EOf course I would also like to see better balance between imparting how to think and what to think.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003ESo thank you Mr. Kessler. Here's to doing the best we can for our wee Ambassadors. I sincerely wish this picture was an actual literary work, I would read the Hell out of it...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-JliLQ6WjwZc\/VpQFaDVJ-GI\/AAAAAAAABl8\/H69ZAUW7S74\/s640\/blogger-image--887857119.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-JliLQ6WjwZc\/VpQFaDVJ-GI\/AAAAAAAABl8\/H69ZAUW7S74\/s640\/blogger-image--887857119.jpg\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6447209047636013977\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/let-parent-like-piccard.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6447209047636013977"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6447209047636013977"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/let-parent-like-piccard.html","title":"Let\u0026#39;s Parent Like Piccard"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-_VtrqFd2XhA\/VpQFZUyx6vI\/AAAAAAAABl0\/FofnV6q7WR4\/s72-c\/blogger-image--671260421.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-1232929520899902970"},"published":{"$t":"2016-01-10T02:09:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-01-10T02:09:50.702-07:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Cartoon Charisma"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"You know you've been watching copious amounts of children's television when you can name every one of the trains on Thomas and you know more theme songs than anything off the Top 40. It\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003Ecan easily be argued that it's better than sinking into the show hole of daytime television. But still, you might be slipping when you start thinking things like \"that Victor train is kind of distinguished, rawr.\" (It's totally the Spaniard bit.)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont face=\"Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont face=\"Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif\"\u003EI'm not going to lie. Nine times out of ten when choosing what to watch on my own time I wind up with an animation. They're usually happy, I like to laugh and something about less people suffering and hating their lives just does it for me.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont face=\"Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont face=\"Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif\"\u003EHowever, prolonged exposure to my son's entertainment choices has lead me to some terribly deep quandries. Such as...\u003C\/font\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EHow does it rain underwater? Looking at you Bubble Guppies. Why is Mr. Crabs selling Krabby patties, is he a closet cannibal? How is it every member of Caillou's family has a different hair color and he is bald? Can Curious George really be a monkey without a tail? \u0026nbsp;Do you think Gadget got freaky with Chip \u003Ci\u003Eand\u003C\/i\u003E Dale, or maybe she went for the accent on Monterrey? Pokemon is still on, damn when is Ash gonna catch em' all?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EAnd\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;the most recent, and perhaps one of most drastic importance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EWhich cartoon single dad is the most appealing to a single mother?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EAfter really mulling it over. I mean agonizing hours of thought here people, I decided it had to be Dave Seville. Sorry Ted you were a close runner up, but the quirky love of yellow would wear thin and George is probably waiting to star in the next Outbreak.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-KLvLPP0eOI4\/VpIf3BEcQaI\/AAAAAAAABlc\/yXLxdjxqxas\/s640\/blogger-image--696706751.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-KLvLPP0eOI4\/VpIf3BEcQaI\/AAAAAAAABlc\/yXLxdjxqxas\/s640\/blogger-image--696706751.jpg\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EDave has it going on ladies. Gainfully employed, great father. You know the man must have the patience of a saint, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003Elook at that hair!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;\"\u003EMaybe I need to start watching things with real people again...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/1232929520899902970\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/cartoon-charisma.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/1232929520899902970"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/1232929520899902970"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/cartoon-charisma.html","title":"Cartoon Charisma"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-KLvLPP0eOI4\/VpIf3BEcQaI\/AAAAAAAABlc\/yXLxdjxqxas\/s72-c\/blogger-image--696706751.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-6924553221153548515"},"published":{"$t":"2016-01-05T03:23:00.002-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-01-05T03:23:21.732-07:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Meness"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Where to begin. 2016, you snuck up on me and you bring a lot to talk about. But before we begin on what’s new, it seems more fitting to look back on our old friend 2015. It was, quite the year. I’m not sure if I should call it good, or bad, or simply say that it was.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAt some point as we crept toward the beginning of 2015 I realized that I had lost myself. My “meness” as it were. It’s hard to pinpoint when it happened, and it’s very likely that it didn’t all at once, not really. It was slowly eroded and chipped away. All the easier to go unoticed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI am well aware of some of the reasons why. And I know I’ve ever promised to be truthful and open here, but there are some things...some things my dears, that even I think should be left burried. I don’t want to hurt anymore. I don’t want to dredge up, or blame. What matters is simply that it happened and that I realized “me” was worth fighting for.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd it was a fight. Every step of the way, every little bit reclaimed and put back together. Something I find interesting is that...it’s not exactly the same as it was before. The broken pieces reassembled resemble the same thing, but their shape is slightly different. I am me, and I am more. I had to make room for pieces I didn’t know were missing, and the glue itself that helped me hold together has made a difference…\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThere is so much in that glue.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFamily, friends, love and support that I never thought to open up to or trust before. Silly girl thought she could hold herself ...and everyone around her, all together on her own.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI learned crazy concepts this past year as well. Like the astounding fact that I deserve to be happy. That other people’s happiness is much less my responsibility than formerly believed. And that I deserve to be loved for that “meness” as aforementioned.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBut mostly, it all comes back to the glue. To those that know who you are, thank you. To those that may not, I pray I get the chance to show you."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6924553221153548515\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/meness_5.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6924553221153548515"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6924553221153548515"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2016\/01\/meness_5.html","title":"Meness"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-1859426289433927443"},"published":{"$t":"2013-06-10T15:06:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-06-10T15:06:07.107-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Polka Dot Cake - Tips"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I can't really call this a tutorial as the original idea was not my own. But I'm here to offer a few tips on how I did my own, as well as link to the original inspiration.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt all started when I saw this floating around facebook: \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-g-JIj1jDSz4\/UbY3dL5HAXI\/AAAAAAAAA3Y\/kHYGjYtgvNI\/s1600\/734184_407902382618285_1776343157_n.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-g-JIj1jDSz4\/UbY3dL5HAXI\/AAAAAAAAA3Y\/kHYGjYtgvNI\/s1600\/734184_407902382618285_1776343157_n.jpg\" height=\"316\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nSomeone mentioned it was done with cake pops and I thought, \"Hey! I could do that I bet!\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nWhen I got more serious about making my cake I found this tutorial from \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/once-upon-a-pedestal.blogspot.com\/2012\/05\/polka-dot-cake-from-bake-pop-pan.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EOnce Upon a Pedestal\u003C\/a\u003E to be very helpful picture wise. \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nI was never really on the cake pop bandwagon. I mean, don't get me \nwrong, they are adorable! But they were also so much work for something \nthat I didn't think was that tasty, but rather a lump of sugar. So I was\n a bit behind the times and hadn't seen the pans for making them without\n icing mixed in.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nThe \"As Seen on TV\" pan is supposedly decent, but I wanted my pops to be a bit smaller so I could fit more than one layer of them into my cake layers. I also wanted a pan that was a little more affordable, and one that didn't need clamps to hold it closed. The answer for me was a smaller \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B0070WUPFQ\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ENordic Ware\u003C\/a\u003E pan. In retrospect, I would definitely buy two of them however, because waiting for each batch to bake when I made so many took an hour or more.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\nOnce I had my cake pop pan in hand, I realized that none of the cake pans I owned were going to be deep enough for what I wanted to do. Way to think ahead, I know. So with some quick research I came upon the Fat Daddio brand. Let me just say, amazing! I chose to go with \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B0013BG2GG\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E8 x 4 inch pans\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENow for those promised tips...\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nYou could make your own cake for this, but I opted to go store bought since I was already putting a lot of time into the prep work and making. It took \u003Cb\u003Efour\u003C\/b\u003E white cake mixes and a whole lot of egg whites! I went with pillsbury's super moist because it was both cheap and dense.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI did not find that I needed to do anything fancy with pudding mix in the cake or anything like that as some people have done when making these. I simply beat the mix by hand (no electric mixer or kitchen aid) and it was very dense and moist. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI'd never really baked with deep pans before, so that was the toughest thing for me to master and figure out. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFor my 8 x 4's I set the oven to 275°F and both the test cake and final product baked for about an hour and forty five minutes. Depending on your oven and your pan size you may want to adjust the time, but the nice low baking temp will keep the cakes from drying out.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSome tutorials suggest using cake towels around the sides and other such things. Again, I didn't bother with that and turned out just fine!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI used two of the cake mixes on the pops alone. Just to make enough balls to really fill up the cake pans with lots of layers. Because of this each pan then took an entire additional cake mix to be sure there was enough batter to cover the balls. I only put a thin layer in the pan to begin with to start setting them on then let the rest trickle between them all.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThese cakes turned out so heavy that they flattened themselves out on the cooling racks and I didn't even need to use my wire to smooth them.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOh, one last tip! Invest in Pam baking spray, the one with the flour. I had to wipe out my cake pop pan and respray before each batch. It's easy for the little buggers to want to stick.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIf you want your cake to look super smooth you can use fondant, but honestly I cannot stand the taste of it. And taste was more important than appearance (at least on the outside) to me. So I used a basic cream cheese frosting. The polka dots were simply Wilton Candy Melts that I turned \"bottoms out\" and pressed into the frosting. Wilton also makes some really big confetti pieces that would be cute.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI also saved the trimmings from smoothing out the cake balls and keep \nthem frozen, and they work really great for homemade \"funfetti\" inside a\n white mix!\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-B1vbCAvjyxI\/UbY-xd3QodI\/AAAAAAAAA3s\/pF_9o1eQuG4\/s1600\/Cake+Collage+watermarked.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-B1vbCAvjyxI\/UbY-xd3QodI\/AAAAAAAAA3s\/pF_9o1eQuG4\/s1600\/Cake+Collage+watermarked.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe best thing about cakes like this, at least to me, is people's reactions. They don't expect things on the inside. So have fun with it! I want to try making dots of different flavors sometime myself .\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/1859426289433927443\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/06\/polka-dot-cake-tips.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/1859426289433927443"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/1859426289433927443"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/06\/polka-dot-cake-tips.html","title":"Polka Dot Cake - Tips"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-g-JIj1jDSz4\/UbY3dL5HAXI\/AAAAAAAAA3Y\/kHYGjYtgvNI\/s72-c\/734184_407902382618285_1776343157_n.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-4887306908031042336"},"published":{"$t":"2013-04-30T09:30:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-04-30T09:30:03.886-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Namesake"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Dear Grandpa,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI don't talk to you as much as I should, but I think about you an awful lot. I wish you were here to meet your newest great grandson. To play the same games with him that you had with me. To tell him stories, and tickle him with your beard. Maybe he'd be another Pipip for you, he is likely to be as stubborn as I am after all. And he'd grow up knowing that the smell of love is sometimes a mix of peppermint, sawdust and diesel.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWe had the hardest time naming him. There were names I was attached to since I was young, that my husband absolutely hated. And most of the names he came up with, I didn't feel much better about. Those we did agree on weren't terrible, but they were just lacking something. And then one moment it just hit me, what his name \u003Cb\u003Ehad\u003C\/b\u003E to be, even if Jonathan was reluctant.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nHe is Milo.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt's a good name, I think you'd agree. I can't picture him with any other.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nHe may not get to meet the man he was named after, but he will know you. I'll be sure of that, and his grandparents will be sure of it, his Aunties and Uncles. We all carry different pieces of you.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd if I am terribly lucky he will be another piece and inherit your intelligence, your kindness, your silly humor, and your gentle caring nature.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThank you for everything you taught me and everything you are going to teach my son.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI love each of my Milo's.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/4887306908031042336\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/namesake.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/4887306908031042336"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/4887306908031042336"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/04\/namesake.html","title":"Namesake"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-6639182439120007788"},"published":{"$t":"2013-01-20T16:39:00.002-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-01-20T16:39:17.290-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Poetry"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Verse Play Poetry"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Back in the day I took a poetry class, since I love writing the stuff. It opened me up to some forms I'd never heard of, one of the most interesting being Verse Play. When creating a verse play piece you simply choose two things: people, characters, inanimate objects. Then you hold a conversation between them. There are a few that I was rather proud of and some I thought I'd lost. This is one I was awfully sad that I lost, but just stumbled upon again.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI'm not sure where in my head some of these things come from, honestly. I can tell you this one in part comes from an interest in psychology I've harbored. At the same time I've held very little respect for certain figures. No offense to the Freudians out there, but he's just not my cup of tea! \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnyway, I'm beginning to ramble...here you have \u003Cb\u003ETickle Me Elmo and Hitler\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003ETickle Me Elmo and Hitler sit at a bar…Hitler depressed he has\nlost his conquest, Elmo boozing up (how do you think he stays so\nhappy all the time?)…suddenly Elmo laughs, Hitler feels insulted …\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ch1 class=\"western\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003EE\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h1\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E: was Sie\ndummes kleines rotes Tier wünschen\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n     \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ewhat do\nyou want stupid tiny red beast?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E     (Hitler\nglares at Elmo)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ch1 class=\"western\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003EE\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h1\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E: Sie\nlachen bei mächtigem Hitler!?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n     \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eyou laugh\nat mighty Hitler!?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee, Elmo tickles\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E: was ist\nTickle?  Hitler war einmal großartiger Diktator, fürchten ihn!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n      \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ewhat is\ntickle? Hitler was once  grand dictator, fear him!\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nDas gleichmäßige kleine Rot, das ein respektieren stört nicht\nmehr, Hitler.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n     \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EEven small red annoying one no\nlonger respect Hitler\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E. \u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n    (He orders another drink becoming more depressed)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee, Elmo loves you\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E: Ich\ndanke Ihnen kleine Geisteskrankheit gerittenes Rot Eins\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E     I thank you\nsmall insanity ridden red one\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E: Ja ja\nwird Energie nie... Sie wissen dieses auch...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n     \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EYes, yes,\npower is never appreciated...you know this also...\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E     (Hitler Sighs\nHeavily)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nMöglicherweise zusammen könnten wir gesteuert haben die Welt...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n    \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EPerhaps together we could have\ncontrolled the world...\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee, Elmo wants hug\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E: Nien! \nNien!  Kein Umarmen des Fuhrer…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E     No! No! No\nhugging the Fuhrer…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhug elmo, hee, hee, hee\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\n(Head darts back and forth, makes sure no one is looking)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n     Sie sind so weicher haariger Monster wie Freund\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n     You are so soft hairy monster like friend…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESuddenly a man grabs Hitler by the\nshoulder….\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFreud\u003C\/b\u003E:\nNow Hitler, what have I told you? This does not help you get past the\nemotional fear of castration you have. We must blame your mother and\nsix year old girls for all your problems and this tiny red symbol of\nsafety can not help you.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EH\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nJa, ja….\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n    \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EYes, yes…\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E\n   \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: small;\"\u003E(Hangs his head.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EE\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: small;\"\u003E:\nhee, hee, hee…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6639182439120007788\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/verse-play-poetry.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6639182439120007788"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6639182439120007788"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/verse-play-poetry.html","title":"Verse Play Poetry"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-8309429678581242318"},"published":{"$t":"2013-01-18T21:05:00.003-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-01-18T21:05:17.506-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Poetry"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Life, Death and a Blood Red Rose"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-1K8X6e-gceo\/UPoa_CaHlTI\/AAAAAAAAA2o\/5iiLUFrDzG0\/s1600\/Life+Death+and+a+Rose+2+watermarked.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-1K8X6e-gceo\/UPoa_CaHlTI\/AAAAAAAAA2o\/5iiLUFrDzG0\/s1600\/Life+Death+and+a+Rose+2+watermarked.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"367\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EEverything comes\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAnd everything goes\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBlooming and wilting\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EJoy and woes\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EEver this cyle\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ENo repose\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ELife and death reflect\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EIn the blood red rose. \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/8309429678581242318\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/life-death-and-blood-red-rose.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/8309429678581242318"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/8309429678581242318"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/life-death-and-blood-red-rose.html","title":"Life, Death and a Blood Red Rose"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-1K8X6e-gceo\/UPoa_CaHlTI\/AAAAAAAAA2o\/5iiLUFrDzG0\/s72-c\/Life+Death+and+a+Rose+2+watermarked.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-7467676741496934505"},"published":{"$t":"2013-01-15T17:54:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-01-15T18:25:53.741-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Not Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Gramma-Gramma's Rice Pudding"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bAuor1cX8XQ\/UPX39PslUkI\/AAAAAAAAA18\/nvnUcHNhaEQ\/s1600\/puddin+servin+watermarked.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bAuor1cX8XQ\/UPX39PslUkI\/AAAAAAAAA18\/nvnUcHNhaEQ\/s1600\/puddin+servin+watermarked.jpg\" height=\"275\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSimple and comforting, like wrapping up in a big blanket on a chilly Sunday morning. That's how I feel about fresh rice pudding, especially still warm from the oven. Store bought varieties cannot compare, but worry not, it's nearly fail proof to make yourself. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EWhat You'll Need:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n- 1 cup white rice\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n- 1 cup sugar\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n- 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk -or- 2 cans of coconut milk (not light)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n- 2 tsp. vanilla\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n- 1 tsp. salt\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n- a 3 quart dish\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nYup, that's it! We're being thrifty!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nPut all your ingredients into your 3 quart pan or casserole dish.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow, this is going to sound kind of strange. But fill the rest of the dish with water up to about 1 to 1\/2 inch from the top. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMix again and pop that sucker in the oven at 350°F.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAfter about \u003Ci\u003E1 hour\u003C\/i\u003E your pudding should form its first skin. You're going to mix this into the pudding and let it keep baking.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAfter about \u003Ci\u003E30 minutes\u003C\/i\u003E your pudding will have been productive and made its second skin. You're going to laugh at its attempts and stir this in as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAfter another \u003Ci\u003E15 - 30 minutes\u003C\/i\u003E you'll check your pudding for a last time. It should have formed its third skin. This one you're going to leave in place.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nRemove the pudding from the oven and let it cool, then proceed to shovel into your feed-hole.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-04yyekWBzIo\/UPX3-uMtILI\/AAAAAAAAA2E\/_avOVSYxle4\/s1600\/Rice+Pudding+watermarked.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-04yyekWBzIo\/UPX3-uMtILI\/AAAAAAAAA2E\/_avOVSYxle4\/s1600\/Rice+Pudding+watermarked.jpg\" height=\"262\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003ETa-da! \u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nJust like great grandmother used to make! Enjoy!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nA minor edit because I forgot to mention!\u0026nbsp; My hubby likes to sprinkle nutmeg over the top of his serving sometimes. Other people like to bake raisins into it, but I personally cannot get behind the use of humiliated grapes.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ciframe width=\"350\" height=\"263\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R9rlr6b-7cw\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/7467676741496934505\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/gramma-grammas-rice-pudding.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/7467676741496934505"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/7467676741496934505"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/gramma-grammas-rice-pudding.html","title":"Gramma-Gramma's Rice Pudding"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bAuor1cX8XQ\/UPX39PslUkI\/AAAAAAAAA18\/nvnUcHNhaEQ\/s72-c\/puddin+servin+watermarked.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-3630156419052739063"},"published":{"$t":"2013-01-14T18:34:00.000-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2014-10-11T09:49:00.492-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBTQ"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Coming Out...or Standing Proud"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSometimes it's funny. How even someone that considers themselves a writer, a poet, an open and sharing spirit...can find themselves at a loss for words. And at times, my words are a crutch. It's easier to sit and think out what I want to say than to find the voice and courage to speak the words to someone's face. My voice can stammer and stumble, my resolve can falter. But my fingers rarely do, even when they have difficulty finding the right things to set down.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI have spent years, finding numerous ways to attempt to define or express just who I am. And no matter how close I come to doing so, I can't help but think I have failed. There is always something held back, cowering inside. That little bit of self that worries about judgment and acceptance. No matter how confident I become. No matter the armor I build up. I feel like I'm an odd mix of personalities. Logic sits upon one shoulder and emotion on the other and they often debate amongst each other leaving me lost in the middle. Logic will tell me that I don't' need the acceptance of the entire world, that I should be proud of who I am. Emotion leers at him and reminds me how difficult the world can be when everyone is looking down at you. So I remain, all at once, shameless and shamed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt said that, and boy do I love throwing that quote at people. And yet I play the hypocrite, empowering the small minded. Perhaps, because until recently I have not accepted myself. How then, could I have expected others to? I've fought my own multitude of inner demons for years. And I've finally come to a point in my life that I am no longer in denial. No longer self loathing. The past two years are the first I have felt as though I can accept myself.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSee, the thing is I'm not straight. And some people would say I'm not gay (that's another discussion). Which leaves me in some form of middle ground. A place often frowned on by both sides of the spectrum. My heart speeds up and my fingers shake even typing the words now. And logic sits on my shoulder again telling me I may not even have the courage to share what I write now. But, at least it's cathartic. And I'll say it for myself. I'm bisexual.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI ignored it for years, denial is an eager friend when you seek him out. Looking back now I really have to laugh at all the obvious indicators to myself. Things easily dismissed. After all, they say all young people explore all sides of their sexuality at some point in their childhood. But I digress...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy sexuality hit me like a brick to the face some years ago when I realized I had romantic feelings for a female friend. I tried to explain it in all manner of ways, like just \"really close friendship\". Even when I was with her, I refused to label myself. I told myself, “Oh I'm not bisexual. I don't find every woman attractive, just this one.” Like I find every man attractive, right? Real smooth. It ended badly and because of that I pushed things back into the closet again.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy life eventually provided more handy excuses. \"I can't come out, people will question my marriage.\" One of my biggest fears is that what I am will reflect poorly on my husband. I mean, let's face it, people almost always jump to the worst conclusions. \"She must be running around on her husband.\" \"She must be a whore if she likes both genders.\" But I adore my husband. He's supported me when I didn't even support myself. He accepts me. He is my rock, and I respect and love him immensely.The other side of that coin is, \"Well you married a boy, so you aren't gay.\" \"You chose the right team in the end anyway!\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI feel as though I'm rambling, or my thoughts are scattered. Trying to get it all lain out like this, but I need to do it. For myself.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnother thing that's held me back is my faith. I believe in God with all my heart. But I was always taught that alternative sexualities were a sin. A large part of why, for years, I struggled. I couldn't overcome the immense guilt, even when I loved someone. I've come to the point however, that I'm able to say, I don't know if I am right or wrong. But, the Bible says the most important thing in the world is Love right? So how then, can love be wrong? I believe wholeheartedly that, each of us can only live to the best of what we believe is right. And if I am wrong, God will judge me. It's no one else's job. Nor is it mine to judge anyone else on their lifestyle. I have friends from a wide array of walks of life, and each of them is beautiful. None of us should have to hide. I am tired of some of my best friends with the most gorgeous hearts having to hide who or what they feel they are for fear of not just judgement, but because they live in a super conservative area...even death. Is that really what faith should be spreading...guilt, fear, hate, loathing and intolerance? “Your morals aren’t as upstanding as mine.” “I’m right you’re wrong.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd to those people that say anyone chooses to have a nontraditional sexuality? I can't force you to believe otherwise, I simply can't. But think about it, please... Who would choose to be looked down upon, hated by strangers, friends and even family? Who really wants to have less rights than the general populace? Who wants to be bullied? If God is as petty as the masses and will forgive a murderer for his actions, but chooses to burn me for having a fondness for breasts, well so be it I suppose. I've come to the point in my life where I can accept that as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI know many people will disagree with me. I'm fairly sure some of my own family will be among them. I know they'll always love me no matter what, but I don't expect them to always agree with me. I'm sorry I couldn't tell more of you personally, and part of me feels cowardly for doing it like this.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBut I'm not a coward. I know that now as well. Everyone comes to terms with themselves in a different way, at a different time. This is my time, and it's been long coming. I will be proud of who I am, and I will love myself.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd if I have the courage to share this I'd like to say to those that take the time to read it, thank you. Whether you are supportive or not, you empower me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt's difficult to explain why something like \"coming out\" and sharing one's sexuality feels important.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFor me, I think a great deal of it is....admittance. To yourself more than anyone else, that it's ok. And maybe if you can accept yourself, you can show others...that it's alright to be yourself. To not have to hide who you feel you are. Keeping something hidden eats away at too many of us when it’s an integral part of who we are. It places that thought in the back of your mind that, “If I’m hiding it, there must be a reason to be ashamed. There must be something wrong with me.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd if enough of us realize that we don’t have to live with self doubt, we can begin to inspire others. Maybe hearts will be opened. Maybe minds will be opened as well. Perhaps those are lofty goals and it's simpler to say that maybe, just maybe...people will talk and it will lead to change.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd I don't know about anyone else, but I want to bring my child up in a world that can embrace that change. I never want my child to have to worry about being different. To fear judgement, or to judge others.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo I will stand proud...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy name is Telitha Aann Gildersleeve, and I am sister, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend to those who will accept it. I am a poet and a dreamer. I am a Christian, and a believer in freedom and rights for all peoples. I am creative, colorful, spontaneous, over emotional, loving, a touch neurotic, a little OCD, and plenty unbalanced. I just also happen to be a bisexual."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/3630156419052739063\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/coming-outor-standing-proud.html#comment-form","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/3630156419052739063"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/3630156419052739063"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2013\/01\/coming-outor-standing-proud.html","title":"Coming Out...or Standing Proud"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-2548012526124118257"},"published":{"$t":"2012-09-27T19:42:00.001-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2013-01-14T18:13:02.230-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Art"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Photography"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bear Mojo"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nRecently my mother told me she'd been holding onto several bear claws for some while and that she wished to turn them into jewelery pieces. Of course I told her that I knew someone capable, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/firetruckcherie.deviantart.com\/\"\u003ESheri\u003C\/a\u003E. She did a piece for each of us.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-m2cKy2XaRos\/UGT6st4zn1I\/AAAAAAAAA0Y\/ysjFjJKYWyQ\/s1600\/bear+tooth+collage+watermarked.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"171\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-m2cKy2XaRos\/UGT6st4zn1I\/AAAAAAAAA0Y\/ysjFjJKYWyQ\/s320\/bear+tooth+collage+watermarked.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy mother's piece is pictured above. With leather, gold, and small pieces of amber. She also had a small matching bracelet done. Please forgive the lesser quality of those pictures, as they were taken with a phone. The gold wire wrapping on the tooth itself is a tree of life!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy piece is much more traditional. Bone beading, turquoise and gunmetal fashioned into a traditional choker. I could not resist modeling it, complete with some very bare tribal markings historically typical of Chetco women (which if you've read other posts, you are aware I am).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Gzpd1rp0KXU\/UGT7ToprBWI\/AAAAAAAAA0g\/RRGKO0eFm6Q\/s1600\/chocker+022+watermarked+for+blog.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Gzpd1rp0KXU\/UGT7ToprBWI\/AAAAAAAAA0g\/RRGKO0eFm6Q\/s400\/chocker+022+watermarked+for+blog.png\" width=\"297\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWearing a bear claw necklace traditionally meant protection and good health to the Indian wearing it. One can't ignore the strength and dignity that bear offers.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIf you begin looking up symbolism of the bear to different native cultures you will find all manner of things, but overall a Duality. That duality makes the bear a kind of native American Yin and Yang. Which of course I find intriguing. I'm going to let another lovely lady sum it up, as I don't have a horrible lot of time on my hands and she does it so well!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe following are from Avia Venefica on her website \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.whats-your-sign.com\/index.html\"\u003EWhat's Your Sign :\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EAs a Brother -\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003EBecause the bear is cautious, it encourages discernment to humankind.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003EBecause of a fierce spirit, the bear signals bravery to those who require it.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003EBecause of its mass and physical power, the bear stands for confidence and victory.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003EBecause it prefers peace and tranquility (in spite of its size), Bear calls for harmony and balance.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EAs a Totem -\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPatience and Connection\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nHibernating with our ideas or projects until a better time presents \nitself.  Further, bear will speak to you about connecting to both \nearth-based energy and celestial (sun\/moon) forces. Tapping into the \nbear will also allow you to tap into the wax, wane and flow of life.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EConfidence and Authority\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBy its physical presence, the bear reminds us we can be larger than life\n if we raise ourselves up to our inherent status.  Moreover, no one \nquestions the bear. This kind of authoritative presence will be a lesson\n the bear can impart.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\"custom\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENurturing and Protection\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWe intuit these attributes by the commitment bear mothers make to their \noffspring.  Whether your offspring is in children or ideals, the bear \nwill lend you the determination required for rearing up strong results.\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhether one believes in these things or not, it is impossible not to feel powerful wearing something like this. Bones always have a wonderful feeling to me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIf you're interested in having a keepsake of your own made into a piece you can hold onto, please feel free to follow the link to \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/firetruckcherie.deviantart.com\/\"\u003ESheri's Deviant Art page\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/2548012526124118257\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/09\/bear-mojo.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2548012526124118257"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2548012526124118257"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/09\/bear-mojo.html","title":"Bear Mojo"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-m2cKy2XaRos\/UGT6st4zn1I\/AAAAAAAAA0Y\/ysjFjJKYWyQ\/s72-c\/bear+tooth+collage+watermarked.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-6515416823338781608"},"published":{"$t":"2012-08-10T15:21:00.002-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-08-10T15:21:22.264-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBTQ"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Quilted Bi-Pride Cake!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KJ2Hkjmj9TQ\/UA3yypwRiLI\/AAAAAAAAAv8\/wA29nfN5Ddo\/s1600\/quilted+cake+003+photo+corners.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"302\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KJ2Hkjmj9TQ\/UA3yypwRiLI\/AAAAAAAAAv8\/wA29nfN5Ddo\/s400\/quilted+cake+003+photo+corners.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI wanted to make something pretty and unique. So when I got my \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B0000VLGWU\/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01\"\u003Echeckerboard pan set\u003C\/a\u003E I started doodling out what I wanted my cake to look like per slice. I came up with this quilted pattern, using the bi-pride colors because well, even if they weren't bi-pride I still think they're lovely!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI got the checkerboard cake bug to begin with thanks to \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/magnanimoussquirrel.deviantart.com\/\"\u003EMagnanimousSquirrel\u003C\/a\u003E over on DA, and a comment they left on my tie-dye cake.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI used the same recipe I had with both the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/06\/tie-dyed-cake.html\"\u003ETie-dye\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/captain-america-cake.html\"\u003ECaptain America\u003C\/a\u003E cakes. However, in my quest to be ever healthier I decided to try out a new improved type of stevia you can use in baking. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B001FXQDFC\/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00\"\u003EStevia with fiber\u003C\/a\u003E. First of all, it tends to suggest a 1:1 ratio on a lot of stevia recipes. Never listen if something tells you this! Halve this stuff, or you will have something so sickeningly sweet you'll gag. Luckily I went ahead and did this as I'm used to working with things like agave or Truvia (stevia with fructose).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe first thing I'd made with the new baking blend was cookies. And they were pretty damn good. However, you can still detect a slight aftertaste of that very sweet nature. I thought it worked well enough, onward to healthy cake! Sadly...it was a bust. This cake was gorgeous, but the consistency was off. It tasted like uncooked cookie dough in a way, even though it was very much done. And though it was moist, it still had an odd crumbly consistency.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI gotta say I'm bummed! Because Stevia and Agave are amazing things for eating healthier and keeping the glycemic index in check. Agave works well in sauces, dressings, ice creams pies. But I just can't bake with it. And apparently I can't bake with this either. Hmm. Back to the drawing board!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAt least it was purdy!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/6515416823338781608\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/08\/quilted-bi-pride-cake.html#comment-form","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6515416823338781608"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/6515416823338781608"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/08\/quilted-bi-pride-cake.html","title":"Quilted Bi-Pride Cake!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KJ2Hkjmj9TQ\/UA3yypwRiLI\/AAAAAAAAAv8\/wA29nfN5Ddo\/s72-c\/quilted+cake+003+photo+corners.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-8180758070725568337"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-29T23:25:00.002-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-07-29T23:26:05.454-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Not Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Coco-Nutty Crusted Halibut"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-QU8-9PEChHg\/T_45faSZ3II\/AAAAAAAAAt4\/H94nFFCVrcI\/s1600\/halibut+prebake.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"317\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-QU8-9PEChHg\/T_45faSZ3II\/AAAAAAAAAt4\/H94nFFCVrcI\/s400\/halibut+prebake.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBeing an Alaskan girl, I am a fish freak. I love it and now and then I'm lucky enough to get hold of some when my parents make special shipments from back home. Lately it's been a lot of halibut so I've been trying to come up with new and creative ways to cook it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe other evening I tried this nut and coconut crusted variety and my goodness it was wonderful! Of course...I tweaked the original, because I just can't help myself. For example, if you have macadamia nuts they would be wonderful and are what the original called for, but they're a bit pricy so I used almonds and think it's still delicious! \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-vng8j1Qqhi8\/T_44lGxdP7I\/AAAAAAAAAts\/neQIVnNUQA8\/s1600\/halibut+and+focaccia+005.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"317\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-vng8j1Qqhi8\/T_44lGxdP7I\/AAAAAAAAAts\/neQIVnNUQA8\/s400\/halibut+and+focaccia+005.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003EPictured with my \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/best-sandwiches-eva-aka-focaccia-bread.html\"\u003Efocaccia\u003C\/a\u003E bread.\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECoco-Nutty Crusted Halibut\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EIngredients:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n2 1\/2 lbs of Halibut (skinned, boned and what have you)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 can Coconut Milk (full fat not Light)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1\/4 cup Agave\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 cup Panko breadcrumbs\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n3\/4 cup Sliced Almonds\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1\/2 cup Shredded Coconut\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n4 Tbs honey\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n3 Tbs butter\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nPreheat your oven to 425°F.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nCombine coconut milk and agave in a large bowl or baking dish, whisking well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;Marinate halibut in the milk and agave mixture for 30 minutes or longer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMeanwhile, pulse nuts in a food processor until they're crushed well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAdd the panko and shredded coconut and pulse a few times, so that it's well combined.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nYou can either put the mixture on a plate, a wide bowl, a tray, or even a baggie (ala shake and bake style). Whatever is easiest for you to coat your fish.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnce the halibut is coated set it out on a baking tray. I line mine with a silicone mat, but you could use foil as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMelt the butter and add the honey. Drizzle it over the halibut.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBake for 15 minutes uncovered. I always check the largest piece to be sure it's done through. Fish will take on a more white appearance instead of being translucent.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhen I made this I actually split the bread crumbs in half and made the dish over two nights as it's just feeding two. I would definitely recommend marinating it over night. It was even tastier on day two. But the quick marinade works if you're not planning too far in advance.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI believe you could also do this recipe with another mild white fish like Talapia. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/8180758070725568337\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/coco-nutty-crusted-halibut.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/8180758070725568337"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/8180758070725568337"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/coco-nutty-crusted-halibut.html","title":"Coco-Nutty Crusted Halibut"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-QU8-9PEChHg\/T_45faSZ3II\/AAAAAAAAAt4\/H94nFFCVrcI\/s72-c\/halibut+prebake.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-2137296032974446956"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-24T17:27:00.001-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-11-04T14:12:17.314-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Art"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBTQ"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"A Few Thought on Bisexuality and Labels"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFirst it was the LGB community. Then it was the LGBT. Then the LGBTQ. I think a few more letters have been added on at times, and I've also seen variations like GBST and GBSTA. As a person with a nontraditional sexuality it's getting damned hard to keep track! How many acronyms do we need to say, \"Hey, I'll help support you. Hey, I'm proud!\" ?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow, you might ask why I'm bringing this up and rambling (aside from the fact I -usually- ramble). It's come to my attention, more so in the past year, that as a species we really can't resist labels. Labels file things away nicely and neatly! Labels keep our society a neat and orderly place.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBut really, at least in my humble opinion, it's getting kind of ridiculous. How many different branches and sub-branches of sexuality do we need to slap a label on to say \"I'm queer\"?\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDon't get me wrong, I understand that finding a definition for something you feel you are can be very important to a person. It helps you reaffirm your identity, and find others like you. But, again there just comes a point that it's getting silly to me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFor example. I was having a conversation with another artist some months back when I first heard the term \"pansexual\". When I asked her what she meant by it, she said, \"Well I find all people attractive, I don't hold to gender binaries. It's kind of like being bisexual, but less restrictive.\" At this I was kind of taken aback.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBisexuality...restrictive?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThis wasn't the only person I ran into that thought this either. It truly confounded me. I've never felt myself restricted in my life. Others have said, \"Well being pansexual opens you up to people of other sexualities too.\" Quite frankly, I find men and women attractive even when they aren't in traditional roles. I don't care what they think they are or are not. If a person reaches me on a deep level, they just...do. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI'm not trying to single out the pansexual community or to belittle anyone's identity here. For me, it's just become a matter of not needing more labels to try and grasp at what each of us are. People differ and labels should be worn loosely. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFor a long time, I fought with labeling myself even. I thought...surely I'm more complex than a little word? But in the end, at least in my personal journey. It was easier to just accept the label simplest for the greater populace to comprehend.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd as I've grown I've not felt limited by it. I've not felt misrepresented.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFor me, being bisexual is about the complexity of my nature.The fact I am not just a simple singular creature. I'm attracted more to a personality than to an appearance, I always have been. And so I can appreciate the souls of those personalities regardless of what body they happen to be wrapped inside of.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-dlXcRAyCd8M\/UA8lA99eQ7I\/AAAAAAAAAwY\/6CZf4dvqdfw\/s1600\/pink+blue+collage+intrepid+photo+corners.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"341\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-dlXcRAyCd8M\/UA8lA99eQ7I\/AAAAAAAAAwY\/6CZf4dvqdfw\/s400\/pink+blue+collage+intrepid+photo+corners.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMoving on from those thoughts... \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOn a whim recently, some of you know I decided to dress in drag. I don't secretly want to be a man or feel that I'm in the wrong body. I feel rather comfortable in my imperfect skin honestly, but to me it was just...interesting\u0026nbsp; Because my personality does have some masculine thoughts and traits that some women don't. I wanted to see the face of the fellow hiding in my psyche. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe effect was created through makeup. Lots of shading and shadowing with different shades of powder and foundation, an eyeliner pencil, and parting and straightening my hair to look less femme and cover my shaded cheeks a bit more to achieve a more angular look. The rest is thanks to position, lighting, and so forth. The only computer affects are some color tweaking, skin texturing, some minor thinning where I had shaded for more realism on the cheeks, and then the artistic overlays I worked to achieve. Both of these faces...are mine. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhen I saw this man looking back from the mirror, I named him Jesus (pronounced: Hay-zeus). I've been told by multiple people I do in fact look like Jesus...or Silent Bob.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt was an almost surreal moment. Here I was looking at a stranger, that was part of me. My husband tells me I look better as a woman, and I can't exactly argue. But it still pleased me to meet that little corner of\u0026nbsp; my mind.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe quote I chose for this of course, being from the Beatles, as \"I Am the Walrus\" kept going over and over in my head.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EI am he, as you are he, as you are me, and we are all together... \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWe are all such beautiful rainbows, composed of so many little broken shards. Sometimes I think, though it's important to know what makes you...you. It's also important to realize how much you have in common with your fellow human beings. That we all are indeed together and have far more in common emotionally than we allow ourselves to realize. If the whole world remembered it...I'm sure that hate and discrimination would be more rare. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/2137296032974446956\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/a-few-thought-on-bisexuality-and-labels.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2137296032974446956"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2137296032974446956"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/a-few-thought-on-bisexuality-and-labels.html","title":"A Few Thought on Bisexuality and Labels"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-dlXcRAyCd8M\/UA8lA99eQ7I\/AAAAAAAAAwY\/6CZf4dvqdfw\/s72-c\/pink+blue+collage+intrepid+photo+corners.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-2165347883105582301"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-23T17:31:00.001-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-07-23T17:31:04.751-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"On Being Injun"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ci\u003EWhat does it mean to be an injun in this day and age? \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nYes, you read that right. I'll say right now. In my family we don't tend to call each other \"Native Americans\". We say \nIndians and injuns. I'm sorry it's not politically correct. It is what \nit is.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt's an inner struggle for many I know. The mix of wanting to be proud of what we are, but not wanting to carry a chip on our shoulder. Not wanting to be a stereotype. There's also this strange shame, that it seems has been passed down from generations. It tells us, don't make a fuss. You are what you are, why be loud?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-gGImowsF0Do\/UACN-gNXcII\/AAAAAAAAAvU\/yFcaIr1o4N4\/s1600\/My+Tribe+Edited.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"272\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-gGImowsF0Do\/UACN-gNXcII\/AAAAAAAAAvU\/yFcaIr1o4N4\/s400\/My+Tribe+Edited.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMyself with my mother and her siblings. Left to right: Milo, Mum, Myself, Maggie, Mike.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EWhat does it mean to be an injun in this day and age?\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFor any of you that have seen pictures of me, you might say, \"Wait? She's Native American?\" I've felt at times, that I can't claim any pride, because I don't look the part. My skin isn't brown...hell, I need SPF 85. If you look at half of my family though...they \u003Ci\u003Eare\u003C\/i\u003E tribe. My grandmother was a half-breed. My mother looks the part. My father is German and English though, so there you have it. Daughter of Paleface.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-pT3t3Qvvp9g\/UACJ2SaqZEI\/AAAAAAAAAus\/tKO-TaMJR40\/s1600\/Lucy+Dick130+edit.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"296\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-pT3t3Qvvp9g\/UACJ2SaqZEI\/AAAAAAAAAus\/tKO-TaMJR40\/s400\/Lucy+Dick130+edit.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGrandmother is the little girl front and center. She's sitting with Lucy Dick, her sister, father and grandfather.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EWhat does it mean to be an injun in this day and age?\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAs I've said in other writings. My grandmother was born before being \"Indian\" was cool. She was spit upon. I just can't picture that, because she was a beautiful, amazing soul. But it happened. My mother said...the older grandma got, the more she felt like an Indian though. And when she died she looked as peaceful and striking as an Indian princess. Technically, she was. My fourth-great grandfather was an Indian chief. You'd think that with such a rich heritage, it'd be easy to be proud. But there's still such a deep mix of emotions. A struggle of cultural identity.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ayOMzOo546U\/UACJoo2pRGI\/AAAAAAAAAuk\/Anx_NMSlbyA\/s1600\/Wake+Kloshe+edit.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ayOMzOo546U\/UACJoo2pRGI\/AAAAAAAAAuk\/Anx_NMSlbyA\/s400\/Wake+Kloshe+edit.png\" width=\"306\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EWake Kloshe by Peggy O'Neal - The Chetco \"trail of tears\" as it were.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EWhat does it mean to be an injun in this day and age?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWe don't smoke peace pipes, we don't chant around fires. We never killed buffalo. Our tribe was small, on the Oregon coast. We liked fish a lot...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe reservations are fewer and further between these days. And many\u0026nbsp; natives resent them as well. It's easy for people separating themselves from the world to dwell on the past and say, \"look at what the white man has done to us.\" But...a great many of them are at least partially white men. I think many of us fear that mentality, and it's another reason we're so wary of pride.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-t5vjDEC5ndk\/UACLgAib2zI\/AAAAAAAAAvE\/wdwBCgsYow8\/s1600\/Auntie+Nora+and+Verna+edit+border.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"380\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-t5vjDEC5ndk\/UACLgAib2zI\/AAAAAAAAAvE\/wdwBCgsYow8\/s400\/Auntie+Nora+and+Verna+edit+border.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGrandma Oogie (Vernadell) and her Aunt Nora.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EWhat does it mean to be an injun in this day and age?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWell you must be an alcoholic? If you're not, someone in your family has to be. It's true. There are a handful in my family. And I know I have an addictive personality, so I've never really picked up the habit myself. Who wants to be the drunk Indian?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ajnpHcsayRo\/UACLaXXJpwI\/AAAAAAAAAu8\/TEU6WlGCm_g\/s1600\/elmer+whole+copy.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ajnpHcsayRo\/UACLaXXJpwI\/AAAAAAAAAu8\/TEU6WlGCm_g\/s400\/elmer+whole+copy.png\" width=\"316\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMy Great Uncle Elmer.\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Ci\u003E(Not the literal last I dare say!)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EWhat does it mean to be an injun in this day and age?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI just watched Smoke Signals for the first time,and I loved it. But I noticed, as I watched the movie, and connected with it, that my husband really didn't seem to get into it. What was really funny to me, barely got a \"heh\" out of him. I guess there really is an \"Indian Humor\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAs my family has pointed out many times, humor is a very big thing for us. I think if people who have been put down or had hardships can't laugh...well they wouldn't have survived as long as they have. If you laugh, you live.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo in the end, that question I can't stop asking myself...what does it mean to be an injun in this day and age? It means more than I have managed to sum up here. And I'm still not sure of all it entails. To me, I suppose the only true importance is that it means...something. And I'm on the path to finding pride in that part of myself.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI'd like to leave off with a poem my grandmother wrote.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cb\u003EA Glimpse of the Past\u003C\/b\u003E - \u003C\/u\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eby Vernadell Mann\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSilver pathways upon the water\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAs peke faced moon shines down upon the sea\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n'Neath the wind I sit and ponder\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nEons of time turn back to me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI see the peaceful Chetco River\u003Cbr \/\u003E\non its journey to the sea\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd as its mouth an Indian village\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhere my people used to be.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDusky maidens in shell trimmed dresses\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBabes as brown as they could be\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDwelled upon this land God gave them\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nLiving their lives in harmony.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBrothers of the mink and otter\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhere the Chetco flowed wide and free\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnly taking what they needed\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNever killing needlessly.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIndian old brown and wrinkled\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTaught the young the Indian ways\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd in this way, down through the ages\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThese Indians spent their carefree days.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nLucy Dick was born in this Indian village\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nPlayed as a child, on sun warmed sand\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nLittle knowing, unsuspecting\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhite men soon would take our land.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThen white men came to this peaceful valley\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTheir greed for land grew and grew\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThey took the land of these Indian people\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd their lives, they wanted too.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nLucky Dick, my great grandmother\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWas in one of these bands\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThat the soldiers drove like herds of cattle\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTo a far away reservation land.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMany Indians didn't make it\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThey lost their lives along the way\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTheir homes and freedom\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTo satisfy paleface greed that day.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSiletz is where the soldiers took them\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd my people mourned to be\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBack to the beautiful Chetco River\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIn their village by the sea.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI see the foot prints of my people\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nImbedded in the sands of time\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhere they live now forever\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nEtched upon my heart and mind.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-0LAeGhVYV4Y\/UACKA24eADI\/AAAAAAAAAu0\/BC5hH4f-YJM\/s1600\/Lucy+Dick129+edit.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-0LAeGhVYV4Y\/UACKA24eADI\/AAAAAAAAAu0\/BC5hH4f-YJM\/s400\/Lucy+Dick129+edit.png\" width=\"271\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EA painting of Lucy Dick from the Chetco Memorial Project.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/2165347883105582301\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/on-being-injun.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2165347883105582301"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2165347883105582301"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/on-being-injun.html","title":"On Being Injun"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-gGImowsF0Do\/UACN-gNXcII\/AAAAAAAAAvU\/yFcaIr1o4N4\/s72-c\/My+Tribe+Edited.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-2468741817125985995"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-13T15:28:00.001-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-08-10T16:05:48.341-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Not Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Best Sandwiches Eva! (aka Focaccia Bread)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy husband and I were eating sandwiches we'd gotten at the local Co-Op, lovely artisan bread, good meat, fancy cheese, stone ground mustard and fresh veggies. It dawned on me as I was chewing my sprouts most gleefully, that I could make this myself! And it sure as heck wouldn't cost me $7 a sandwich to do it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI started out with a wheat ciabatta I'd made before, with a recipe from one of my favorite food blogs: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/budgetbytes.blogspot.com\/\"\u003EBudget Bites\u003C\/a\u003E. As much as I've enjoyed it in the past, it wasn't light enough for the sandwiches. Not as \"fluffy\" as my husband put it. So I went back to look for something else. Focaccia jumped out at me, because I enjoy the herbs on top of it. But, looking at the recipe it looked (apart from said herbs) almost identical to the ciabatta.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBeing the over zealous little baker I am, said I to myself, \"I CAN make it fluffier!\" While still maintaining the artisan flavor of course. And what do you know...I did.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBehold! My beauty! I actually forgot to dimple the loaf this time. I was in a hurry. But I know it will still be delicious.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhat's that you say? Stop rambling and post the directions to this Godly Sandwich Bread? Ok, ok! Just put down the hose. And prepare yourself for the easiest bread you may ever make.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KSeystgMNRw\/T_47KD2OrlI\/AAAAAAAAAuE\/_NRQ2B7O6rM\/s1600\/focaccia+baked.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"306\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KSeystgMNRw\/T_47KD2OrlI\/AAAAAAAAAuE\/_NRQ2B7O6rM\/s400\/focaccia+baked.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBefore we get going I'd like to make a few quick notes about ingredients. When I make bread I now flat out refuse to use anything but \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B003Z7VYXW\"\u003ESAF Yeast\u003C\/a\u003E. It's never failed me. I keep it in the freezer since it comes in a larger package than most and it lasts me a good while. 1 Tbs equates to one packet of active dry yeast, and a package of the stuff is a full pound so it's not exactly breaking the bank to go for quality here. Not only is it all I will use, but it's all the culinary school nearby does as well. Nuff said.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI should also note, that for most things I use plain old all purpose flour. But never, NEVER bleached! I've had plenty of pie crusts fail me, and loaves of bread turn out less than fluffy, because I used to try using a cheap bleached flour. So again, just a little more for quality and you won't regret it. Gold Medal is a nice, affordable brand. Recently I've begun using their \"Better for Bread\" Flour as well. I must say I do like it. If you want to get really ritzy, go with King Arthur Flour. Can't go wrong there! But for me it's a bit pricier.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAlso, when I can afford it I've been using coconut oil or spectrum shortening (which is 100% organic expeller pressed palm oil) in place of other oils and soy laden shortenings. Coconut oil is a fat yes, but it's a fat recognized and broken down more readily by the body. And I really do attempt to cook healthier more often then not. Whether I succeed is another matter.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAlright, onward we go!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ENOTE: You need to start this bread a night before you plan to eat it!\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EIngredients for Bread:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n4 cups of\u0026nbsp; all-purpose flour\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1\/2 tsp yeast\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 1\/2 tsp salt\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1-2 tsp honey\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n2 - 2 3\/4 cups water\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003ENeeded Later:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n2 Tbs-ish Corn Meal (I love Bob's Red Mill! Nice and coarse)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 Tbs-ish of Coconut Oil (other oils will work, I just prefer coconut as mentioned)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 Tbs-ish Seasoning Blend (I prefer greek, you could also use Italian or your own blend of spices. I also tend to do a sprinkle of Lawry's Season Salt and dried Parsley for color. My bread is vain.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI usually start this bread around 8-9pm, so I can make it and have it done around lunch time the next day.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo, the first night you'll mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend them well. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnce your dry ingredients are combined add your water and honey. (If you can't have sugar and aren't worried about it getting quite as fluffy you can leave out the honey for health reasons.) Start with two cups of water and just add a little at a time if your dough isn't holding together. The key is to get just enough water in for the dough to be tacky and your flour to fully blend. You don't want so much water that it's a goopy dough. If you live in a drier climate, like myself you'll use more than others.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnce your dough is well blended into its sticky mass, cover the top loosely with a dish towel or saran wrap (with breathing room) and pop it into a warm place. I tend to put it in the oven where it's not affected by my AC. Sometimes with a bowl of water from the teakettle for a little extra warmth.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow the best part. Forget about it! That little dough darling gets to rise for fourteen hours or so. If you go a few extra don't panic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe next day, your little ball of dough should have matured into a bubbly wet looking mass as it's had a glorious night of fermentation. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mass over a few times, loosely making it into a ball.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFoil and grease a baking sheet very well (again I grease my faithful silicone mat!) and sprinkle with your cornmeal generously. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDump your dough out onto the prepared baking sheet.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nUsing the oil, cover your hands (as the dough is sticky) and loosely press it into a mostly rectangular shape. Perfection is not important here.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSprinkle that puppy with your herbs and spices!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnce it's shaped, set your oven to preheat at 425°F. Set the bread atop the stove so the heat helps with the rising. Let it rise for an hour. Sometimes I leave it for an hour and a half.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAfter rising, you can dimple the top of the bread if you want it to look like a proper Focaccia. Just press your fingers in lines covering it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBake 20-25 minutes. Just until golden brown. Then let cool fully. If you have a wire rack you can move it, but mine's never been hurt by staying on its pan to cool.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-jm6Oue45U8c\/T__SkwMuGxI\/AAAAAAAAAuU\/5xmnL_Mypts\/s1600\/sammich.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"243\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-jm6Oue45U8c\/T__SkwMuGxI\/AAAAAAAAAuU\/5xmnL_Mypts\/s320\/sammich.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSeriously. Amazing sandwiches to be had here. One loaf for us makes 6-8 sandwiches depending. My favorite is with Havarti Cheese, Soy-Free Vegenaise, Stone Ground Mustard for Hubby, Peppered Turkey Breast, Alfalfa Sprouts, and Leaf Lettuce. Pure heaven!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EEdit Update: I've amended the recipe to call for honey instead of sugar. It works better! Hooray for a pro-tip I found digging around online that yeast feeds off of honey better!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EFurther Edit: I've replaced the honey with agave, it works just as well and those watching glycemic index don't have to worry at all! I also tried using potato water and it turned out fluffier than it ever has before! To make potato water just peel, cube and boil one small potato in two cups of water. Mash potato in with water after it boils. You can add a little plain water as needed if you need more water.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/2468741817125985995\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/best-sandwiches-eva-aka-focaccia-bread.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2468741817125985995"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2468741817125985995"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/best-sandwiches-eva-aka-focaccia-bread.html","title":"Best Sandwiches Eva! (aka Focaccia Bread)"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KSeystgMNRw\/T_47KD2OrlI\/AAAAAAAAAuE\/_NRQ2B7O6rM\/s72-c\/focaccia+baked.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-54128167435947730"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-10T16:24:00.003-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-08-16T20:55:06.364-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Art"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Poetry"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Why Does the Tree Reach to the Sky?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nWhen I first saw this picture, I was inspired by an incredible sense of longing. And I wrote this little snippet for Red: \u003Ci\u003E\"And she reached and she reached....but no matter her struggle \nweathered, withered, fingers could not touch the heavens....only grasp \nat the one set so high above her.\" \u003C\/i\u003ENeedless to say I wasn't content to leave it at that. It's crossed my mind a few times in this last week and finally I settled on the following. The title is because as I wrote, I imagined a mother sitting with her child and answering him. Telling him the sad sweet story. \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-VlS0nrFon4I\/T_yrOQddKgI\/AAAAAAAAAtg\/q4yvJ4eV-Xg\/s1600\/c0541fd6bdbe62e9772d4f0dd846504a-d55val7.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-VlS0nrFon4I\/T_yrOQddKgI\/AAAAAAAAAtg\/q4yvJ4eV-Xg\/s400\/c0541fd6bdbe62e9772d4f0dd846504a-d55val7.png\" width=\"298\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003EOriginal image by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/redsuzanne.deviantart.com\/\"\u003ERedSuzanne\u003C\/a\u003E of DA (minor editing by myself)\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EWhy Does the Tree Reach to the Sky? \u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n“Why are you alone?”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nAsked the owl winging by.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Because...” Said the tree.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Between my love and I is placed the\nentire sky.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Can't you reach further?” \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nHe said, as alighted he on weathered\nlimb.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nShe shook what bare leaves were left\nclinging.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThen she explained to him.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“That's my love there.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nTwisted bare branches stretched\noverhead.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Do you see her, shining.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThe tree wistfully said.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“You mean the moon?” \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nQueried the owl full curious now.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Yes, that is she.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nSaid he, “But how?” \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nFor this the tree had no answer. \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nExcepting that, “love is love.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nAnd she knew where her own heart lay.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nWith that soft glowing goddess above.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“How long have you grown here?”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nShe replied, “I only know centuries\npass...”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Yet despite how I've tried and\ntried,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nMy love lies beyond my grasp.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThe owl now heavy of heart,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nSat quite in thought.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nPondering that age old mystery of love.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nBoth the joys and sorrows it's wrought.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Maybe, another century.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nHe offered, “Maybe you'll reach\nthen.”\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Maybe...” Echoed the tree. \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nBarely hearing her friend.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nWith a mournful call,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nWinged he off out of sight.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nAnd there was left the tree.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nOnce more alone in the night.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n“Someday.” She whispered softly.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThen she sang sweet and low.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nAnd she reached and she reached.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nAnd she dreamed she would grow.\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/54128167435947730\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/why-does-tree-reach-to-sky.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/54128167435947730"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/54128167435947730"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/why-does-tree-reach-to-sky.html","title":"Why Does the Tree Reach to the Sky?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-VlS0nrFon4I\/T_yrOQddKgI\/AAAAAAAAAtg\/q4yvJ4eV-Xg\/s72-c\/c0541fd6bdbe62e9772d4f0dd846504a-d55val7.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-1580022070533048032"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-09T20:18:00.001-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-11-04T13:55:28.035-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Art"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Photography"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Poetry"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Memories in Ink"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nThis post was meant to be about my recent acquisition of body art. But to get into that, you have to get into the reason behind it. And it's all about a woman who is far more interesting than a bit of ink...\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-c4ELUdbPP2I\/T_uHyACbicI\/AAAAAAAAAtQ\/VCqVQ3DjuMc\/s1600\/verna+on+car+copy.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"367\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-c4ELUdbPP2I\/T_uHyACbicI\/AAAAAAAAAtQ\/VCqVQ3DjuMc\/s400\/verna+on+car+copy.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nMy grandmother was born in 1934, before it was \"cool\" to be Native American. She was a half-breed. She was spit upon. The youngest of ten, by the time she joined the family her mother had run out of names so an elder sister named her. Vernadell, no middle name to claim. She lost her father when a toddler, and her mother before she was out of her teen years. She was married at the age of sixteen and had her first son while her husband was fighting in Korea.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-4_1QjtrQhW0\/T_uHZNhpkBI\/AAAAAAAAAtA\/uRtL0VfzZ58\/s1600\/oogie+in+native+regalia.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-4_1QjtrQhW0\/T_uHZNhpkBI\/AAAAAAAAAtA\/uRtL0VfzZ58\/s400\/oogie+in+native+regalia.png\" width=\"232\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nYou get this\n bit of history, because I like to remember. Who she was, apart from \nwhat I knew. A strong woman, with plenty of odds to overcome. A real woman.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\nFast forward a number of years and my mother wound up relocating to Alaska once she was married, near her sister. It wasn't long after that my Grandmother and Grandfather followed. I was blessed to have them as nearly neighbors until I was six years old. After that we visited often in my mother's home town. In the same house they'd lived in since she was a child. Run down, roses overtaking the outside of it, critters the inside. My grandmother wasn't overly proud. But in that house you never wanted for anything real. \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\nBy the time I knew my grandmother... she was simply, Oogie. And\u0026nbsp; the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, is to try to find enough words...right words...to tell anyone of her. They always fall short, no matter how hard I try. To say she was the most beautiful person I ever knew, does not begin to cover.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-AP7gOlRQQDw\/T_uHUsTNqNI\/AAAAAAAAAs4\/Djtauv2jO-E\/s1600\/oogie+and+hibiscus+copy.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"358\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-AP7gOlRQQDw\/T_uHUsTNqNI\/AAAAAAAAAs4\/Djtauv2jO-E\/s400\/oogie+and+hibiscus+copy.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOogie was the epitome of a good soul. She was a Christian...the sort that taught me what a real Christian should be like. She never judged, or lectured, or pushed her beliefs in anyone's face. She lived her faith. She lived love. She radiated it. No matter who you were. She looked at my father once, a 6'2\" two hundred and some pound man, and told him he looked like he could use a hug and asked him to sit on her lap. If you were in need...she would give you the literal shirt off her back or last dollar in her pocket. I don't think she knew how to be selfish. Because of her, those in my family know true love. The sort of family bond that transcends petty disagreements, and differences of opinion. The kind that bears all and believes all...and will never turn its back on you.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-NyyyBAz92F0\/T_uHtkEiRvI\/AAAAAAAAAtI\/LZaTaiQ2Qs0\/s1600\/oogie+on+log.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"350\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-NyyyBAz92F0\/T_uHtkEiRvI\/AAAAAAAAAtI\/LZaTaiQ2Qs0\/s400\/oogie+on+log.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nHer gentle heart didn't extend only to people either. She adored animals and not just the domestic sort. Growing up I recall her rescuing and rehabilitating a crow, a golden eye duck, various mice, a mountain quail, and several baby racoons. My mother tells stories of a pet squirrel, chickens, a houseful of dogs, and so many guinea pigs they formed their own \"pack\" under the house. She couldn't stand to harm anything, live trapping even the rats that would get into the attic. Her favorites were mice and ladybugs though...they made her smile. I got her a small ladybug pin when I was younger. She wore it pinned in her coat for years.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nShe wrote too...poetry. Most of my creative side is attributed to my father's side of the family. But I like to think some of that came from her. She was always encouraging me to keep writing...that someday I'd be somebody. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe spring of 2006 my mother went down to Oregon to help care for my Grandfather, who had emphysema. Oogie had been complaining of back pain. Shortly after she was diagnosed with bone cancer. We lost her October of that same year, grandfather shortly before her. I never got to see her before she died. A selfish part of me is glad. That I never had to see her so much in pain. That I don't have to remember her lying in a hospital bed. But that's just a manner of coping. Because I'll always regret that I didn't get to say goodbye. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt's been six years, and I still think of her all the time. I write something and wish I could share it with her. I hear her favorite song...Morning Has Broken, and can see her listening with closed eyes. I see a thing of beauty...a flower, an animal...and see her smile along with it. More than anything, though, I long for her hugs...the sort that made every trouble and ache in the world melt away. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo here, we finally get back to the Ink part of this article. I've always wanted something on my body. Something permanent for her. I'd been trying to think of a design involving one of the things she (and every other grandmother out there I think) loved to say, \"This Too Shall Pass.\" But nothing ever seemed right...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy mother said something, and it hit me. A ladybug. She loved them and...in her older age we often teased that she looked like one as well. She never stood over 5'1\". \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo I begged Sheri to draw for me. Something whimsical, but slightly elegant. I gave her all of twelve hours notice. Bless her heart, she came through, and soon as she was done I took the design into \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.blackcatboise.com\/\"\u003EBlack Cat Tattoo.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThis is the portion of the article where I inform you everyone who tells you tattoos don't hurt, is a filthy...dirty liar and should be flogged with limp noodles. Feels more like \"scratching\" my left arse cheek! Granted, I've been told I have very sensitive skin, I'm scared to death of needles, and I got it pretty much on my boob. I didn't cry, but I clutched the arms of the chair for dear life and was more than pleased when it was over.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-cSbYMbqWENk\/T_t7QrbHjII\/AAAAAAAAAss\/TFgsvf04hHs\/s1600\/Tat+Collage+with+border++and+corners.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"206\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-cSbYMbqWENk\/T_t7QrbHjII\/AAAAAAAAAss\/TFgsvf04hHs\/s400\/Tat+Collage+with+border++and+corners.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-cSbYMbqWENk\/T_t7QrbHjII\/AAAAAAAAAss\/TFgsvf04hHs\/s1600\/Tat+Collage+with+border++and+corners.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E(Find more of Sheri's work on \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/firetruckcherie.deviantart.com\/\"\u003Eher DA account\u003C\/a\u003E )\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhen all is said and done I'm thrilled with my Oogie Bug, close to my heart. It's taken almost a full month to heal (again with the sensitive skin) and is still peeling slightly, but was good enough for pictures. I got a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B004YD74DU\"\u003ETattoo Goo\u003C\/a\u003E kit for the healing process and can't recommend them enough! You have salve for the beginning, a wash for keeping it clean through the whole process, lotion for the itchy as hell stage, and a color guard stick for after. The lotion and salve are also known to boost color in old tattoos! Seriously, not being paid to say this, I'm just in love with it!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThank you for bearing with me through something I really felt needed shared. I'm a weepy fool sometimes and I leave you dears with this:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cu\u003EVernadell\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThere are not enough words\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nTo capture what you were,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nand express what you have been.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThe more I try to set them in place,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nthe more I find lacking.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nNone do you justice.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThough if I must,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nI would choose,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nCompassion, acceptance, trust,\ndevotion, faith\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nand Love...\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nLessons you instilled within us,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nAs you  held us together\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nwith your soft, weathered, clorox\nscented hands.\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\nThese will remain,\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003Efor\nyou wove them well.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/1580022070533048032\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/memories-in-ink.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/1580022070533048032"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/1580022070533048032"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/memories-in-ink.html","title":"Memories in Ink"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-c4ELUdbPP2I\/T_uHyACbicI\/AAAAAAAAAtQ\/VCqVQ3DjuMc\/s72-c\/verna+on+car+copy.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-2379552509266150"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-07T02:19:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-07-17T15:54:25.651-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LGBTQ"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rambling"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Found My Soap Box Again!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I talk a lot about hate. How I dislike the word. How I feel it's too strong. Some get tired of hearing me, I'm sure. But I'm afraid it's a soap box I just can't step down from.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/fc01.deviantart.net\/fs71\/f\/2012\/188\/e\/a\/secret_six_by_teamseaslug13-d56chvc.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/fc01.deviantart.net\/fs71\/f\/2012\/188\/e\/a\/secret_six_by_teamseaslug13-d56chvc.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003ESecret Six by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/teamseaslug13.deviantart.com\/\"\u003ETeamSeaSlug13\u003C\/a\u003E on DA\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThis is Kathryn...and she \u003Ci\u003Eis \u003C\/i\u003Ebeautiful. I see kids like her, far too often...hurting and feeling lost. And it baffles me, how \nsomeone can hate them without even knowing them. Hate them for something\n they don't approve of, or understand.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI understand that there are differences in opinions and \u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003Ebelief\n systems. Everyone is entitled to believe what they want to, that is the beauty of freedom. But why must difference in opinion lead so often to hate? Hate is\n too strong, and too damaging. To those it's directed toward and those \nharboring it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELook at this girl. How has she wronged someone so terribly? To be told she doesn't even deserve to \u003Ci\u003Elive\u003C\/i\u003E! Look at her face, the tears in her eyes. How can anyone out there, have lost so much compassion that they can deny she is just as much a person as they.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003EShe is a living, loving human being and she deserves better.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003ESome teenagers aren't as strong as Kathryn. They don't speak up. They listen to those spreading hate, and they take their own lives. Too many of our youth feel like there's no other choice. That life doesn't get better. That there's no hope for change. It breaks my heart how much potential has been lost along with them. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003EWe have to stop it. It doesn't matter your race, religion, or sexuality. People are people. And people deserve to live, to be happy, to have rights.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003EDan Pearce said it better than I ever can in his now iconic blog: \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.danoah.com\/2011\/11\/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html\"\u003EI'm Christian Unless You're Gay\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003EI urge everyone out there to read this, regardless of what your personal beliefs are. Your own beliefs aren't compromised because you let someone feel like a human being.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003EPlease stop the hate. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/2379552509266150\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/found-my-soap-box-again.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2379552509266150"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/2379552509266150"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/found-my-soap-box-again.html","title":"Found My Soap Box Again!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-8214740817456297275"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-05T23:37:00.004-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-07-05T23:37:48.253-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Geeky"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Captain America Cake!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-fE9oKGGs7nk\/T_ZwhaUcafI\/AAAAAAAAAr4\/rKpbvnJWp4A\/s1600\/Flag+Cake+Collage+Bordered.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-fE9oKGGs7nk\/T_ZwhaUcafI\/AAAAAAAAAr4\/rKpbvnJWp4A\/s320\/Flag+Cake+Collage+Bordered.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI wanted to make something special this 4th of July for the get-together my in-laws were having. Which really isn't shocking. I seem to thrive on making people smile with my creative baked goods. I just can't help it!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSo I'd seen these cakes all over the interwebs for the past several years with interiors that looked like flags. I saved a few pictures and thought, \"oh well it's far beyond me, I'll just ooggle them!\" Well little did I know it's really not as hard as it looks!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIn my pursuit to be epic this year I found a few tutorials that really helped and have decided to put one of my own together for you beauties!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI started with a cake recipe that I quickly adapted. The same I had used for the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/06\/tie-dyed-cake.html\"\u003Etie-dyed cake\u003C\/a\u003E I made a bit ago.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThree Layer Coconut Cake! \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n5 ½ cups cake flour\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n2 Tbs + 2 tsps baking powder\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n1 ½ tsp salt\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n8 egg whites\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n3 cups white sugar\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n1 ½ cups butter\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n2 cups coconut milk\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n2 tsp vanilla extract\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n2 tsp coconut extract\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Col\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\nMeasure sifted flour, baking\n powder, and salt, blend well. If you have a sifter use it several\n times. \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\nIn a mixing bowl, beat egg whites\n until foamy. Add 1 cup sugar gradually, and continue beating only\n until meringue will hold up in soft peaks. \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\nCream butter or margarine.\n Gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar, and cream together until light\n and fluffy. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk a small\n amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Mix in\n flavorings. Add meringue, and beat thoroughly into batter. \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\nSplit batter 3 ways. Leave one\n plain, add red to one batch, blue to the last. Fill 3 round cake\n pans. \n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EBake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. My\n electric oven is lame so it actually took me about 45 minutes. But\n you want to check after 30 and then add time 5-10 minutes at a time.\n Cool cake thoroughly before handling.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ol\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnce the cakes were done and completely cooled I turned them out onto the table and set to what for me was the hard part. I was horrified that\u0026nbsp; in trying to cut them they'd fall apart on me. It was pretty sturdy stuff though. So here's how it works!\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAs it says in the recipe you will be working with three cake layers: one red, one white, one blue.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nFirst things first. Using a sharp serrated knife (I use my bread knife) level the tops of the cakes carefully so they are all flat. If you have a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B001E9O22I\"\u003Esilicone pastry brush\u003C\/a\u003E they work wonders to sweep away excess crumbs. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow you need to slice the red and white layers in half. If you have a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B001AGO60I\"\u003Ecake leveler\u003C\/a\u003E they work great. If you're like me, and a beginner you can actually cheat and use dental floss. I started the cut with the knife just to break in slightly then lined up the floss and pulled it through. In my humble opinion this makes less crumbs then using a knife, and is gentler. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow with your sliced layers you are going to make two new \"cakes\". Each will be red layer on top of a white layer. Ice between them to hold them better together. I used a basic cream cheese frosting with coconut milk and extract in it instead of the usual vanilla.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nSet one of these white\/red layers onto the plate you'll be serving your cake from and top it with your frosting. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow for the \"magic\"! Oooooh! Aaaaah!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI used a basic bowl, but you could use anything round and of average size. Take your bowl and place it in the center of your blue cake. If your bowl has nice edges press down through the cake. If you're worried it won't cut clean, use your knife and trace around the bowl.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDo the same thing to your second white\/red layer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow, pull the center out of the blue layer and set it aside. Carefully pull the center layers from your white\/red layer and place them into the now blue ring. If your cake isn't too crumbly you can ice around the hole in the blue ring before putting your white\/red layer inside of it. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nPlace your now complete second layer atop the first. Ice around edges and over the top carefully to avoid excess crumbing (totally a word, because I say so!). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIt's really that simple!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIf you want to do a buttercream transfer for the top of your cake you'll want to get it going before you start your full icing. I waited and it didn't quite settle in on the top as well as it could have.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTo do a transfer you'll need cardboard, waxed paper, a print out of your design (in my case the Captain America shield), a pastry bag and a basic buttercream icing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI was going to write out the directions, but I think this \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/birdonacake.blogspot.com\/2011\/10\/make-buttercream-transfer.html\"\u003ETutorial\u003C\/a\u003E words it great and I might be feeling a touch lazy.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy cake decorating set malfunctioned some while ago so I actually made mine using gallon sized Ziploc bags with tiny snips out of one corner. I can honestly say I wish I'd had the bags for a cleaner effect. I'd also recommend going with the buttercream recipe linked in the tutorial. I tried an old one of my own and it wasn't as nice!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThis cake went over great, by the way! It's fun because people don't really suspect the interior. If you want to give it a go, have fun and don't be afraid! Worst case scenario you have a messy experiment to eat up. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/8214740817456297275\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/captain-america-cake.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/8214740817456297275"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/8214740817456297275"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/captain-america-cake.html","title":"Captain America Cake!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-fE9oKGGs7nk\/T_ZwhaUcafI\/AAAAAAAAAr4\/rKpbvnJWp4A\/s72-c\/Flag+Cake+Collage+Bordered.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388373138102708027.post-7051425498698262538"},"published":{"$t":"2012-07-02T00:03:00.000-06:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2012-07-02T00:03:20.600-06:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cooking"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Geeky"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sweets"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Nom-Staches!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-eCMtwZClO-w\/T_Ez2op5jGI\/AAAAAAAAArs\/_mgkJzzpkyk\/s1600\/mustache+collage+take+2+edit.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"386\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-eCMtwZClO-w\/T_Ez2op5jGI\/AAAAAAAAArs\/_mgkJzzpkyk\/s400\/mustache+collage+take+2+edit.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBehold! Mustaches! Glorious bastions of lip hair! These lovely and obliging folks were from my husband's work place, give them a round of applause for being great models!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIf you want to make some of these cookies yourself you need the basic sugar cookie recipe I wrote out in the Star Wars Cookie article with just a tweak on the flavoring. Oh heck! I'll be nice and repost it just for you. (The chocolate sugar cookie recipe would also be great with these!)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nYou'll need these \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/amzn.com\/B005LGUX00\"\u003ECookie Cutters\u003C\/a\u003E. I really love the Fred brand, so much win!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003EYou will need:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n2 1\/2 cups All-Purpose Flour\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1\/2 tsp Salt\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n12 Tbs (1 1\/2 sticks) Butter\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 cup Sugar\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 Egg\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n1 1\/2 tsp Coconut Extract\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMcCormick's Black Food Coloring (enough until color is as desired)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMake sure your butter is at room temperature for smooth mixing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMix your flour and salt together well and set it aside.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nBeat your butter in a medium sized bowl until it's fluffy and creamy. \nSlowly add the sugar and beat until it's incorporated and light and \nfluffy. Add the egg, coloring and extract and beat until they're well mixed in. \nAgain...FLUFFY is the key. Don't forget to scrape the sides of your bowl\n frequently with a spatula.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAdd the flour mixture in two or three portions, beating and \nincorporating it between additions so it's thoroughly blended. When your\n dough is well mixed and the flour has absorbed the moisture well your \ndough should pull away from the sides of the bowl a bit.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTurn the dough out onto your table, or what have you, and divide it into\n two portions. I find that if I'm using a stand mixer it's a more \ncohesive lump. If I use a hand mixer it's more crumbly and needs pressed\n together before divided.\u0026nbsp; Wrap each of your dough balls in plastic wrap\n and refrigerate them for at least 2 hours (as long as 2 days).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhen you're ready to make your cookies, pull out just one chunk of a \ndough at a time to work with. I let mine sit for a few minutes so it's a\n little more malleable. Roll it out fairly thin. Go to work with your \ncutters while your oven is preheating to 350°F!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAlright so here is where a few little tips I've come upon help me. \nFirst, no matter how well I grease my cookie sheets they hate me and \nlove to stick so, these \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wilton-Easy-Silicone-10-Inch-15-Inch\/dp\/B000FPX4G2\/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1340730728\u0026amp;sr=8-3\u0026amp;keywords=silicone+baking+mat\"\u003Esilicon baking mats\u003C\/a\u003E\n have saved my cookie's lives! You could invest in parchment paper, but \naround here a roll costs at least $7 and when you can get something \nreusable for just a bit more? Well, that's a win for me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe second tip, is before baking, and if filling more than one cookie \nsheet, put the waiting cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes. This helps \nthem hold their shapes more. Something I never thought of!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWhen they're ready for baking pop them in for 10-15 minutes per batch.\u0026nbsp; I\n tend to go with the shorter baking time. Even if they're a bit soft you\n can let them cool until they're set enough to remove from the sheet and\n then they have a nice soft consistency that will last.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nTa-da!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EIf you make these I'd love to see your results interweb peeples! \u003C\/b\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/feeds\/7051425498698262538\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/nom-staches.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/7051425498698262538"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/8388373138102708027\/posts\/default\/7051425498698262538"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/crazedbycalliope.blogspot.com\/2012\/07\/nom-staches.html","title":"Nom-Staches!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Telitha Aann"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01567267833435662481"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"20","height":"32","src":"\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh-Qwp42EP0Tuuua7k8hxObWFh1shNqjv2emlR9XmQMYJ2UNGmxdBHov312nANfHBk525jBBle8eMjZ_rU8ZAgd2gAsKuKDFAjySSp5R_0seRkWuoC4DjhxXQ2XlvRRjg\/s220\/tellyaann.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-eCMtwZClO-w\/T_Ez2op5jGI\/AAAAAAAAArs\/_mgkJzzpkyk\/s72-c\/mustache+collage+take+2+edit.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});