Text Ad through BlogShares

While checking my account at blogshares, I ran across this blog ad. I really like the dove magnet and will probably order it. 100% of the proceeds goes to disabled veterans, and/or their loved ones.

Heading Home For Christmas

Dave and I will be traveling for the better part of the afternoon heading up to Chapel Hill, NC to spend Christmas with our family! Here's hoping that anyone reading this has a Merry Christmas, that is full of love and fellowship with family and/or good friends!

I hope to upload some pictures when we return probably on Monday....

I Have No Use For Internet Explorer...

I am in the process of setting up a new blog using wordpress. While setting up the new blog, I followed this link and realized it will be very useful to my friends and family. If you want to speed up your web surfing, browsing, and memory issues, make the switch to anything other than internet explorer. I know it's frustrating learning how to use more advanced software. In fact, when I started using Opera, I wanted to throw the darn computer out the window! (for about five minutes before Dave showed me how to set all the nifty little options!) 30 minutes later I was loving life. I could not believe how much faster my page loads were. Best of all, while dedicating about 3-4 tabbed windows to Blogshares, I too could snatch up those rare ideas! It was great for my self esteem, it wasn't that I was such a slow poke, it was that sluggish browser, IE! Another great feature to Opera is the mouse gestures. No more moving my cursor up to the tool bar clicking on icons, and waisting valuable time. it's as simple as . I really don't care which browser you choose, as long as it's not IE! Try them all, and choose the browser that is right for you and your lifestyle.

Clear Vision and Cold Nights

Well, my vision seems to have straightened itself out. It turned out to be inflamed sinus pressure, which apparently compressed or irritated an optical nerve. One lesson I did learn though; pay attention to the meds you purchase in the pharmacy. I go through a lot of deongestant. I tend to have alergies and sinus pressure several times a year. The think to watch out for is the new nasal decongestant- Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) which apparently does NOT work for me. The packaging, from color to style is almost identical to the old fashioned pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). In NC you have to look for the card hanging above the other meds to get the pseudoephedrine product from your pharmacist. Thats right, thanks to the meth manufactures, the state has put limits on how much Sudafed you can purchase at a time. Note: if you decide to try the new Sudafed PE type decongestant, please be advised that the dose is ONE little red pill, not two as with the original Sudafed.

In other news, I took another day off from work today. It is really cold tonight, with the low at 30 degrees. I can't wait for spring! I don't mind if the temperatures dip into the 50's overnight, but anything lower than that is just too low for me.....

Dave and I went to Morehead City today to do a little Christmas shopping, Dave also had to renew his Driver License today.

Note to all motor vehicle drivers: Please check the date on your drivers license for the renewal date!!!!
If you don't notice that your license expired on your last birthday, you may have to take the written and the driving test over completely! Enough said :)

Food for thought: Google is your friend! Before forwarding that email that has been forwarded eight times before reaching you, you know, the one that says, "boycott that department store, or gas station, because they are un American", please just use google as a source to prove/disprove the facts stated before you get all riled up start emailing the piece of propoganda to all of your family and friends. Not only will you exercise your brain with useful information, but you may break the chain of mis information and ignorance. Thats all I have to say about that :)
I may start posting these emails and straightening out the fact from fiction here. I'll have to think about it.

Strange Day and Blurred Vision

Today for some unknown reason, I woke up with blurred vision in my right eye. I feel absolutely fine other than the fact that my vision is still off. Imagine this: Leave your optometrist office after having your eyes dilated for the glaucoma test, then, head straight down to your local cinema showing a 3-D movie, but don't put on the dorky paper glasses.... That's about the closest I can come to explaining my current predicament. I did stop by my doctor's office, and the nurse was a puzzled as I was, and said to come back, or go to the hospital if I had any "other symptoms" (headache, dizziness, heart palpitations, etc...).
Needless to say, I wasn't able to work tonight. I couldn't read street signs, let alone addresses off of houses, and mailboxes!

So that I didn't sit around, I did a little research on vegetarian nutrition. Since I've chosen to give up meat, I might as well focus on staying healthy. I do kind of miss the convenience of the grocery store frozen section. I always liked the frozen chicken fingers. Well while I was perusing VegWeb and a few forums, I found a recipe for quick seitan. I have not completed my pantry to include all the meals and grains, I haven't even experimented with tofu, so I decided to use what I have on hand. Since I do own a bread machine, I have a few different varieties of flour, I didn't have the wheat gluten, but I decided to use my whole wheat flour, and it would at least give me an idea if I might like the seitan as a meat substitute. I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour, and 3/ cup of water, so I wouldn't have to worry about pressing and squeezing out excess water. After kneading it 10 times, I set the meatless loaf in the fridge for about 10 minutes, and then cut it into about 15 chicken nugget size pieces. I dipped some of them in catsup, and some in blue cheese dressing. Yum! They were delicious, and at a tiny fraction of the cost of the actual chicken nuggets. I think the whole meal cost around a dime, and that's due to the fact that I used a lot of catsup! Time for sleep, Dave and I have a busy day tomorrow.

Giving Up Meat

Well, I haven't given up meat completely, but I am finding it suprisingly easier than I would have imagined! Unless you have ever gone several days without meat, you probably won't understand this, but I feel lighter, more energized, and believe it or not happier! I'm not sure if it's because I'm paying more attention to protein, or perhaps because I'm eating more often. And as an added bonus, I'm lowering my caloric intake, getting more complex and less empty carbohydrates. I'm still eating fish, and eating/drinking dairy products, although in smaller amounts than before I decided to make the humane change, and cut out meat. One day I may go completely Vegan, but I'm so happy to feel and look more healthy.

Well, I must get ready to go to work, feel free to comment on your feelings pro/anti vegatarian. pro/anti anything else being discussed :)