America & Fast Food!

As I answer these questions about the great land of America, I am listening to Lee Greenwood's "American Patriot," Although I'm not as much of a Patriot as I used to be, I still very quite blessed to have been born and raised an AMERICAN! God Bless America!

1) What do you like the best about living in the United States?
Before 9/11, I'd have said the freedom. However, I believe that after 9/11 all Americans lost a lot of our freedom. With the Patriot Act in tact and all the screening, security and new laws, I think we as Americans are losing more and more of our freedoms each and everyday, and that's sad. But, I think the best thing about living in the U.S. is that when you don't like something, or you disagree, you can stand up and say so. We can VOTE, express our opinion and most of us can drive. A lot of women in other countries aren't allowed to drive, and I am. I know that sounds trivial, but it's not. I think being an American woman is the best! We are so fortunate here in the U.S., we still have a lot to fight for, but the fact that as a woman, I can drive, own property and obtain custody of my children should I divorce, that's really a blessing and a gift. A lot of women worldwide can't say that. I also love that here in America we can wear what we please in public, we're not covered by burkas, headdresses or other confining clothing. We can pretty much go out in whatever we please, and that's a great freedom! I also love the BEAUTY of America. This really is a beautiful country scenery wise and we have a bit of everything; desert, grassland, prarie, mountains (my favorite) seashores, beaches, forests, swamps, etc. On my recent trip from NV to OR I came to appreciate just how lovely and breathtaking this country really is.

2) What do you like the least about living in the United States?
I don't like that there are now security gaurds pretty much everywhere you go in bigger cities. In the library, grocery stores, coffee houses, post office, etc...we've always had them in Federal buildings which is understandable, but it's gone overboard now since 9/11. It's sad really, b/c it makes you feel like someone is ALWAYS watching your every move. Americans are totally losing their privacy. I also dislike the fact that nobody can mind their own damn business anymore. It seems like the Government always has to infringe themselves upon things that don't really matter, for instance, I just heard that President Bush wants to change Daylight Savings Time. Come on! Please! I think we have much bigger problems in this country today than our DST situation. What about terroism, or hunger or homelessness or serious lack of medical care? I don't like that our Administration is quite blindsighted to the real problems in this country. They seem entirely too focused on Iraq and Terroism and nothing else. We have hunger, poverty, problems, why are we ALWAYS helping EVERYONE else in the world while we continue to neglect ourselves. That's B.S. I also seriously DO NOT like our health, or excuse me, "Wealthcare," system. We are supposed to have the best healthcare in the world, HA! Yeah, right. If you don't have health insurance, and over 44 million Americans do not, you're nothing. These "insurance," companies and doctors and hosptials could care less if you keel over and die, as long as they get their all mighty dollar. That's sickening. This country is rich enough to provide for EVERYONE'S health care needs and I'm really sick of fighting the system to get a stinking Rx that I need in order live a full and productive life. Our government doesn't seem to give a crap about sick people anymore. The other thing is all the finger-pointing and irresonpsible-ness. Nobody wants to take responsibility for their actions anymore and everyone blames everyone else, actually, I think that's the #1 problem with the WORLD today, not just the United States.

3) What are your plans for July 4th? (If you are not American, when isyour Independence Day and what do you usually do?)
I spent the 4th of July this year with my sisters, dad and stepmom. Normally, I go out and watch a fireworks show, eat myself silly and just feel good about being blessed enough to be an American.

4) Describe your most memorable July 4th memory.
1996, I was 12 and I spent that 4th with my family and friends on a HOT summer day in Reno watching LOTS of fireworks, eating fried chicken and watermellon and running up and down grass hills while checking out my latest crush. It was SO fun!!!

5) If you could go back in time and visit any period of time in our country's history, when would it be and why?
I'd LOVE to go back to our Forefathers time. I'd just love to be a fly on the wall at the major meetings of Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and George Washington. To see and hear what they really had in mind for this country, what their true vision of it was, and their hopes and dreams for it. To be present at the original draftings of this country's important documents like the Constitution ad Decloration of Independence, oh, that'd be something to see. I'd also like to find out why they didn't include many people in the original version of the Constitution. I feel that our Forefathers, while undeniably brilliant, were a bit racist and narrow minded. I'd like to know why they didn't include women and minorities in their freedoms, laws and principles. I wonder if they had a good reason, or knew that it might lead to downfall. I absolutely LOVE early American History and that's absolutely where I'd go back to if I could!

As long as we're talking about America, let's talk about Fast Food, after all, what's more American than Burgers, Fries and Coca-cola! (Which I no longer drink-thank God-if it cleans toilets and car radiators, what the heck does it do to my esphogus and stomach-gross!)

1) What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
Wendy's. I like everything on their menu, chicken Sandwiches, fries, and especially their salads-YUM! I also love In N' Out and a few choice items at McDonald's. McDonald's Apple Dippers, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fish Fillet Sandwich. Oh, and MCD's makes the BEST fries EVER! Those are one of my weaknesses in life!

2) How many times per week do you eat fast food?
More than I should. Probably once or twice. Lately though, I'm into Taco Bell's Bean N' Cheese Burrito and Grilled Steak Taco. I only eat beef like twice a month or so and lately it's the Steak Taco at Taco Bell that's been my beef outlet! LOL!

3) Describe your favorite fast food meal.
Wendy's Grilled Chicken Sandwich, no tomato, w/ fries, a side salad and a big lemonade. Mmm, I'm making myself hungry!

4) Do you always Super-Size your meal?
No, I never do, everything is about portion control, even for a skinny girl like myself. I think we can eat anything we want, as long as we don't eat too much of it!

5) What is your least favorite fast food restaurant?
Burger King. Eww, GROSS!!! I also don't really like ANY fast food EXCEPT: Wendy's, Taco Bell, In N' Out Burger Stand (oh my god, they're SO good) and a FEW items at McDonald's!

I Gotta Write...

Hey Y'all. What a week! I am so happy to be alive and living in the moment. Life is really good. However, I am also quite confused over what to do next. I'm 21, actually, five months from today I'll 22. Man, that's hard to believe! Anyhow, I am feeling this draw to Real Estate, I think it would be a good field and pretty easy on the body, I know there's a lot of math and numbers and running around, but I think I'd be good at it. I'm considering going into that field, but we'll see. Right now, at this percise moment, I really feel the need to write. I got inspired last night and was writing some Haiku's, and now I feel like I want to write a poem for my dad, Joe. We had such a wonderful time while I was up in Oregon, he made a concious effort to make time for me. That meant a lot to me, and I'm so glad we got to know eachother a little better. We still have a long way to go, and we both agreed that it's going to take ALOT of work to make this relationship what it should've been all along, but I feel like he's on my side now. I feel like I finally have a dad now. I grew up with a daddy, Jim, my stepd-dad who raised me, but he left in 1994, so for about eleven years since, I really have considered myself fatherless. My dad, Joe, was there and we talked, but it wasn't until this very year that I started to feel I could go to him with my problems, worries, victories and dreams. He is totally supportive of me going to school and writing and doing something productive with my life, and he really encouraged me to follow my heart. I realized that I am a lot like him in some ways, so right now, there's a poem about him stiring in my head. I've always known that he loves me and is proud of me, I never questioned that for a second, but now, it's being shown and that's such a blessing. I no longer feel like I have to step on eggshells to gain his approval. I'm my own person, but I do get quite a bit of my traits and attributes from my mom, grama and dad. The poem in my head is called "I Get It From You..." about all those things I just mentioned. My Haiku's are good too, but not ready to be read by everybody. I love to write, and my ultimate goal is to be a writer, but the question is, what do I do in the meantime? Last night, I watched the Biography of J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Books, and she started out dirt poor and all alone. Isn't that how we all start? Isn't it funny that the people who "make it" in the world, in whatever field or capacity, always started out at the bottom. Writers I think imparticular suffer ALOT, because we have to have something to write about. That's how I look at life now, the more experiences I have, the more of life that I get to live, the more I have to write about. Whether those experiences are good or bad or indifferent, it's ALL something to draw upon and to write about. Anyhow, I must be one of the ONLY people on earth who hasn't yet read Harry Potter, I don't know, I'm just not into that kind of stuff. I don't really like fantasy and witchcraft and stuff. I don't think the books are bad and the story of how HP came to be is really fascinating. What I realized last night while I was watching Ms. Rowling's story is how very much she PLANNED. I mean, you can't make ALL the plans for everything, and life NEVER turns out the way we plan, BUT.....she dedicated her whole life for ten years to writing this series. She became the book, totally immersing herself in the story and wrote every single day, night and day, whatever else happened in her life, she still would make it a priortiy to WRITE. I used to think that writers were just talented people who happen to get lucky by cashing in on their craft, but last night I realized, it's HARD WORK. It's damn hard. Just like anything else, writing takes a tremendous amount of dedication, passion, imagination and planning. I've never really thought of myself as a fiction writer, but whatever it is that one writes, it has to be maticulously planned, drafted, picked at, re-written and looked over a hundred times. I still want to be a writer, but now, I see it totally differently than I did before. Writing is SO much mental work and I think the hard part is, you tend to become your work. I really believe in the power of the word, and last night during the Biography show, Ms. Rowling said how it was funny that what she wrote about happened to her after she wrote it. I really think that's true and it has to do with creation, the minute you think it, see it, and or write it, it becomes real. You send that thought, those words and its energy out into the Universe and EVERYTHING (good and bad) that goes around comes around, whether it's written words, repeated thoughts or spoken words. Anyhow, it was really interesting to hear how HP came about and how hard to she worked, and how much she planned it out. So, even though I never read the books and really don't want to, I learned A LOT from that one hour show, I'm so glad I watched it. Thanks Ms. Rowling for inspiring me and so many others! :) One of the reasons I keep this blog is to write, even if I just write about my thoughts and everyday events, that's writing in one form or another. Last night, my mom and I had the most pleasant evening. We did our toenails and watched that program and then watched "Reba," the sitcom. After that, we went and sat by the pool here in our complex, then took a walk over to McDonald's and got ice cream and walked home @ about 10pm. It was so nice and wonderful to hang out with her, without fighting or arguing. I really do love her so much, but it is totally different since I got back from Oregon. Taking the trip was the best thing I've EVER done; I learned so much and it taught me that I CAN make it on my own and that I AM capable of fending for myself. It's so easy to just my mama's little girl and let her do everything and revert to that six year old, but when push comes to shove, I CAN take care of myself. I love her, I missed her and I will miss her, but I so want to move out. I want my own place, and I want to move to Oregon. Yes, it will be hard, but I want to be closer to my dad, sisters and get some new friends. I have MANY friends, but no inperson friends. I've lived here in Vegas for over a year and a half and NO friends, no job and crappy school, so maybe it's time to throw in the towel here, realize Vegas just isn't workin' for me and move on. I felt so at home in Oregon and I was filled with so much peace and hope and joy. Yes, life follows you anywhere and life is NEVER easy, no matter where you are, or what age you happen to be, but I really need a change. I'm CRAVING my independence, to become SARAH. I think I started becoming my own person a long time ago, but this trip just did it for me. It was exactly what I needed. I LOVE who I am when I'm around my sisters, they bring out the best in me, and while I don't want to live WITH them, I'd LOVE to be closer to them. Ashland, Oregon was nice, and even Salem's okay. If I got into RealEstate it'd be great, b/c there's SUCH a market out there for it. It's really amazing actually b/c I saw houses for sale and RE EVERYWHERE throughout ALL of Nevada, California and Oregon. If I don't do RE, than we'll see.....I'd actually love to take this next month or so (I start school again in about 5 weeks) and just BE. Not DO, but be. Be me, write, upload my photos on Webshots.com, clean out my bathroom and bedroom and material crap again, and plan my move to Oregon come January. I have decided one thing though, I'm DONE taking care of kids. I love kids, but I don't want my own, and I don't have them for a reason. It's SO much work, so much hassle and so time consuming and self-absorbing, so NO MORE KIDS for me. I'm only 21, so I might change my mind, but I doubt it. It's kinda cool to think about being 31, like where will I be? But, I'm really learning again to stay and live in the moment. It's like cutie-pie Keith Urban says, "We talk about forever, but we've only got today." Amen, Keith, and today is good enough. Today is beautiful, it's partly cloudy, humid and only 100*, a real big break from the earlier week temps of 115*+. Whew! That's one of the reasons I gotta get outta here, I live on the freakin' SUN! Anyhow, like Keith said, "...we've only god today." And today is a special gift that I choose to soak up for all its worth! Talk to you soon!

Many Blessings,
SL