Conservibal, Libertive... Whatever

I was just thinking about something I heard the other day, drove me NUTS.

(And you know, even great acquaintances can drive ya nuts, hell, I'm lame at times, aren't we all?)

A friend of mine is cheating her federal tax information to keep a state-aided, federal-backed financial benefit. Now, I HEAR her side, and KNOW ALL THE CONTEXT, but I am not cheating. Am I? Hm. I don't "have all the ____ she has in her life," but really. Why am I PAYING MY TAX MONEY, TO HER FED-AIDED PROGRAM, SO SHE CAN WORK LESS AND MAKE THE SAME. Hm.

Almost as bad as the WORST example of our fucked up tax system:
SIUE, 2002, Sociology class (could not have had a better setting). There was a outspoken token brown-haired "would suck dick to get ahead in the political arena" Republican in a J.Crew sweater and an initial-embroidered LL Bean backpack. We were talking about the Food Stamp/LINK Card programs. She raised her hand and said "When I went to U of I, me and my 3 roommates were filling out our financial aid forms, and there was this box 'check if you want to see if you quailify for LINK.' So we checked the box. We all got like $400 a month for food! It was awesome. Like so much food money in one student apartment! It was awesome, because we didn't necessarily need it, but we got it."

Uh. Sure bitch. Sure you didn't need it. Doesn't sound to me like you were a "grants only paid my way" kid who bussed your ass to school. Not to undercut her, but I hated her and that whole BS monologue she spewed out.

Then, a well-spoken, 35 year old black woman raised her hand, "Hi. I have 2 children from a common-law type relationship. I work full time, and pay for baby-sitting, and am trying to get my degree to better my life and the lives of my children. Unfortunately, I get about $270 a month on my LINK card. So what's wrong here? That's for my whole family!"

Then Repub-slut retorts "It's not my problem you had children early." wtf.

Come to think of it, there was another LL Beaner in there, a 45-year-old that was on Unemployment for the EIGHTEENTH MONTH!!! I HAD to say something. "How are you on Unemployment for that long? Get a job some where. I'm bartending to pay for my bills, and I'm still pulling a 3.3 gpa. Why can't you?"

She replied, "Why shouldn't my company pay me still, and if I can get government aid too, why not. There's no way I'll find a job like I had, so I'll just go to school and then I'll look."

GOD PEOPLE!! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK IS PAYING FOR YOUR ASS TO SIT AT HOME AND GO TO SCHOOL FOR 8 HOURS?? Who do you think is paying for your Schnucks brand Cream Corn and generic 2-ply so YOU can afford Jack Daniels and Virginia Slim cartons?

Fuck you all.

Sheesh I sound so conservative. I'm not completely. I am all for civil rights movements, therefore will typically vote democrat. AHHHHHHHH

See my dilemma?

Ah. Afternoon thoughts. Delightful.

D

"THIS IS NOT MY SIZE ASSHOLE!!" Shopping Fun!

No, those are the right brands or designers... but you get the point.

Mama shopped on Saturday!!

So, it started off with an idea for a sweet evening: 15 local high-end boutiques were having a "cash n carry clearance" near a prominent boardwalk. If you shipped the special "invite only evening party" and paid $10 for charity, you may just get that last pair of GoldSign jeans for $40. Who knows. Maybe go for a little cocktail in Clayton afterward, invite some girlfriends and some gayfriends... Simple, innocent, fun!

As the day came, no one wanted to go shopping :*(

So we all go the next morning, and was it the fresh air, the 50 degree temps, the "did I awake in LA?" mood... who knows. But the $200 I took out for this "I'll only spend $50 at that sale" was completely gone in like 45 minutes. It was like a pricey yard sale. I got some SWEET things tho:

I calculated, I got $800 of stuff for $190. Yay!

Now, enter the scavenger hunt: NO NO NO not with goods,... with my friends that arrived later that I trying to keep up to Nick and I. So we leave the sale after having a parking lot show for Amanda and C; we looked like we were selling bad fake fendis out of Amanda's sweet new Jeep. Congrats you!

Amber and Joshy Poo are even more behind them. She claims it's because I texted them last minute that we were going-- really tho I thought Amber was already at the mall because it was a Saturday....;) Love ya lady! No but really, it was sweet that everyone was coming out for an afternoon of fun.

So then we all hit up the near by mall for a purse and shoe extravaganze at Dillard's, and DAMMIT!! I found some awesome, plaid and patent type BCBG shoes for like $40! Then... the boots. THE BOOTS THAT MADE A GAY MAN CRINGE: Normally you shouldn't buy that shit then. But I liked them dammit!! They were $52 from $298!! Of course bitch picked up that shit. YAY! I wore them today. Totally cute. Bitches.

So aside from two new dress shirts, and some MAC fun, we hadddd to be done.

Oh waittttttttttttt, nope. We are heading for the notorious STL Loop. Into Brandt's we go. I fucking LOVE that place! We did have a VERY charismatic server, we'll call her Meow. Meow loves her glasses. Meow told us about her glasses, and her dad's eye care insurance, and her favorite frames designers for about 15 minutes all because Nick complimented her frames. wowy. Great service tho.

We had a light lunch: World's biggest salads for real. Here Amanda, C, really, please, have some lettuce. Nick takes one for the team and orders the first alcoholic beverage of the day (Thank you Nick--granted beau had been with 3 "ladies" all day.. probably pretty tired of the shop thing)
So vodka Dee ordered. Mmm this salad's better. Enter, Amanda and C's crab cakes: the normally smallish cake delights were half-pound patty size. We give the server the ole "WTF but thank you" face. "Oh, you know, they messed up. Enjoy!" Amanda says it looks like cat food. Score one for Dee! YAY crab cake! Best in the city seriously.

....This was slowly becoming one of the happiest days of my life.

So, feeling full of yummy food and vodka, and having $.10 left to shop with, we do some power clearance shopping at a shop I used to work at.

OMG. Look at that dress. Holy Fuckstick. What a sweet "Vicky Beckham wanna be and my boobies would look spectacular" dress. Ouch, $240. "Oh, I'll give you 70% off" says the girl as she sees my drool, picks my up off the floor and scoots me into the dressing room. "It's a little busty... so you know.... that's why it's on clearance" warns the sales women.

'I've got this shit' I think. No wait, WAIT, WAITTT. Holy shit I'm stuck. Was it the one vodka that did this to me?? DAMN YOU VODKA! How did I not see that I didn't unzip the side zipper all the way. Either way, here comes Maternal Miss our sales rep. Oh theres a boobie. Oh there's my fat ass looking out the fitting room door. "Sorry ya'll. Sorry about the bootie. Amanda come help me!! GET OUT MA'AM!" So Amanda helped me yank that shit over my head. Size 6 my ass. Or maybe it was a "size 6 for no tits" and bitch told me it would fit. God sales people are crazy. Do you see these shelves?? No way. Any way, I found a nice navy wrap dress for like $20 that fit my girls and my tush just fine, and we were outtie.

That was enough. We all laughed the rest of our walk, and my charming PERFECT manfriend had to twist it, "That just made my day."

Ok manfriend,... I did have you watch me shop all day. I'll give you a get out of jail free card. >:(

Great day tho. Thanks everyone for making it one of those Saturdays.

Oh yeah, and yes, we did finally see Amber and Josh 3 hours later on the street. Good to see you too. Jk babe, loved your sweater. :)

D

Economic Atmosphere, 4th Quarter 2008: Fat is up 80%

McDonald's stock is up 80% net from last year 4th quarter...

So from Late 2007 to Late 2008, instead of 1 Billion Burgers Sold, 1.8 Billion Burgers were Sold.... (example)

...But really, that's almost double!


Hey everyone, Stock of the moment to invest your "extra money" into: WEIGHTLOSS PROGRAMS! Not only because it's January/February 'Lose the Holiday weight season' but MORE SO, because the world is choosing a more pocket-friendly alternative to the Applebee's WeightWatchers lunch: The $2.99 DOUBLEcheeseburger Value Meal from McDonalds. Or, as my 6'2" 150lb male 'I can dispose of all transfasts and not gain' co-worker told me: "Jack in the box is selling a Jumbo Jack, 2 tacos, and a large fry for $2.99. I had it yesterday, and it was AWEsome!" Granted, this co-worker was one of the 1-in-10 U.S Citizens that worked at a McDonald's in their lifetime, and he did call it "the Machine." Says Boy-Genius, "It really is a machine, and it will always do exactly what it takes to stay on top and overcome all challenges [Super Size Me ring a bell?] and will keep sales rising."

Wow... So this is what it's come to? Don't mind the fact that I've had the food education of a lifetime the last 9 months while dating Nutritionist/Personal Trainer Mr. Nick. As a tradionally healthy 'Farmer's Daughter' I thought my spinach salad and soup lunch, then grilled chicken and grilled asparagus dinner was healthy. Now I know of such daemons as uncertified organics, falsely advertised natural products, special dietary ratios, antagonist and synergists in nurtients within your body, etc.
IN LAMENS TERMS: There's a ton of products out there that YOU may think are healthy, even found in the NICE grocery store, and they are actually SHIT. Certain nutrients can be fighting against something ELSE you are taking, possibly in supplement form, to help your body's specific needs. Furthermore, the chemicals your 'healthy' proteins were pumped with at birth and through the growth cycle, are 10x worse than certain more fattening proteins.

Back to Fast 'Food' Chains from hell:
The problem is--There's no easy way to feed a family of 5 during a recession. The more we lend out, the more prices will inflate. The more superstores and restaurants SAY prices are being slashed on necessity items like Eggs, Milk, Raw Veggies and Beef to "Help you get past the recession," they are hiking the prices on toiletries and processed and packaged goods. So really, they are screwing you over x2. You THINK you're saving money and you are NOT, AND you are eating SHIT food that is "eco-priced," which normally means the farmers or the shipping company got fucked with lowered costs, or your qualitative value has decreased substantially.

So, Where do you turn?

I had a simple rule of my own (BEFORE I met health-guru):

Shop the outside of the grocer ONLY: Think about it, where are all the 'non-processed' foods? Produce-Dairy-Protein-Bread
It's brilliant, and aside from the 24-pack of bottled water and cheap wine aisle, you are out the door 30 minutes faster because you are not aimlessly walking around the 24 aisles. ALSO, you tend to save money with no 'Promotional end caps' of nacho chips and the 'fake cheese that is supposed to be sold with them' extravagant purchases.

Now with Health-Guru's help, I've noticed that these "outside perimeter purchases" also need to be "Pre-washed, Organic if it all possible, Grass Fed Beef, Free-Range no antibiotics Chicken, Wild Caught Fish, Free Trade Coffee products" to name a few.

Basically: These are food products that were 'farmed' the way nature intended the animals to eat, and live. Or, they are products that were farmed with workers earning a living wage for a quality product. While these products are traditionally more expensive because of the TLC put into their production, there is a whole movement to push the #1 Money Maker in the world: The Food Processing Industry to get on board with these eco-friendly practices. Until that happens (which it won't without hard-government intervention) the prices will remain higher than most crap-product. There are "Generic USDA Certified Organic Brands" out there. Certified is VERY important!! Schnucks has 360 degrees. Shop N Save has Wild Harvest. Then there's Trader Joe's: A Store that only sells it's own brand of well made, mostly organic products.

But I digress, HOW TO FEED MULTIPLE HUNGRY KIDS with little money:
Well, While 'Family Bags' of grilled chicken for $5.99 are kind of a joke at that price for that much product, we do have to say: That is a hell of a lot better than: "4 #14's Super Sized and 4 Cherry Pies. Oh what? Oh we'll have Diet Cokes. We're on a diet!!"

Really. Wtf is up with that. Or 8 Mich Ultras and a 20 piece order of Hooters chicken wings.
Come on people. Join the movement.

Stop eating this junk; it's killing you.

Dr. D