As a little girl, I loved babies...and my room looked it...
Baby dolls, baby blankets, baby strollers, baby bottles...you name it. I had a doll cradle that my aunt had made for me, which I adored. But I also had some real baby items...a stroller, a swing, an infant seat. I particularly loved these...because I felt that much more like a mommy...a real mommy! The irony being that the real baby items often were about the same cost as the stuff for dolls.
Yes, I loved my babies. I would walk down the sidewalk with a stroller, dress them, swing them, rock them, swaddle them. I'd set my "kids" in a group and talk to them and read them stories...and dream of the day that I would have a real baby to do all those things with. It seems to me, there was a time when little girls DID look forward to these things. A doll was a precious, cute, thing that helped girls learn to be tender and sweet. The "fantasy" of motherhood would be enacted through them...and the reward was that someday, the dream would be real. I think I must've caught the tail end of "earning these rewards" because it seems like very soon after that, the "joy" of little girls mothering their dolls...began to fade.
Today, it seems as though there are three reasons for dolls: Collecting, nostalgia, and...just really creeping people out. I'll start with the last one first. At the East Martello Museum in Key West Florida, for example, there is one particular doll...called Robert. Robert is also known as "the haunted doll". So, the "creeping people out" part, has a lot to do with supposed paranormal activity. The story goes that Robert had a curse put on him by a certain housekeeper who became resentful when she became unemployed. This housekeeper was apparently into things like voodoo & casting spells, and she put one on this (rather sinister looking) child's toy. Apparently, the boy (named Robert) who owned the doll began to get in awful trouble for all sorts of "accidents" happening around the house. When questioned by his parents, the boy (Robert) would blame the doll Robert. But more than that, the boy would take the doll with him everywhere he went, the two seemed inseparable. Robert the doll, was eventually found inside a trunk up in the attic of Robert's house (after his death) and it is said that when the doll was removed from the trunk, very strange things began to happen around the house.
This is just one paranormal story (one of the stranger ones) regarding a doll that was to be feared because of a creepy myth surrounding it. Along those same lines, "Ghost Adventures" host, paranormal investigator Zak Baggans is almost as well known for his hatred of dolls, as he is for investigating the activity in general. This is because he says that dolls can hold or "house" negative energy. In several episodes, Baggans and his crew have relished making fun of several dolls seen in children's bedrooms, and houses out of the past, and present. Baggans and his crew's mockery of these precious little reminders of innocence, seemed to reach it's peak in the episode of "Ghost Adventures" centering around "The Island of the Dolls.".
In the canals surrounding Mexico City, is possibly one of the scariest tourist destinations ever. I've never visited there, nor do I intend to...but the story goes that the island's only resident, Don Julian Santana found the body of a drowned child in the canal waters. When he also found a doll floating in the water, he attached the doll to a tree on the island. He believed the island was haunted by the spirit of the child...and he was supposedly attempting to give her some peace. But then the one doll became more & more, and word had it that Santana began searching for dolls on his occasional ventures off the island, and also trading his home grown fruits and vegetables for dolls. The result, is now this incredibly ominous collection of trees...and dolls...some with heads, some without...some with limbs, some without. Some have their eyes poked out. Some still have rusty voice boxes that once made them laugh or cry. But in any event...it's all a freaky picture of premature death. These little symbols of all that is life-giving, loving and nurturing are now twisted, mutilated, ruined by the elements...their little bodies left abandoned to be eaten by crawling things.
So, the island is shown on TV, and little balled headed dollies everywhere are given the reputation of being scary and creepy and demon possessed. Not to mention, the many other paranormal shows where a child's doll suddenly opened it's eyes and said something like "Thanks for the hug." Crazy. But, I suppose, in an age where kids are getting their own cell phones in elementary school, combing a doll's hair and dreaming of being a mommy is no longer a priority.
I suppose collecting and nostalgia go hand in hand when it comes to dolls...but actually the "Creeping people out" factor fits in here as well, when you consider a fairly new phenomenon called Reborns. Put simply, Reborns are baby dolls that are designed to look and feel as much like real newborn babies as possible. Sounds like a cool idea right? Sure...until you get a look at one. These dolls are creepy because there really is no evidence that they are...dolls. Their skin, hair, eyes, limbs, toes fingers, are so life-like, that the line between reality and fantasy is completely blurred. And these little bundles of joy are not generally for children to play with; not when you consider that the cost of one can be almost as much as a hospital bill for a real baby! Never mind porcelain beauties in rectangular boxes with glass eyes that stare from behind a glass case. How about a Reborn nursery! Everything you could ever need for babies...that aren't real. Cribs, strollers, diapers (yes), and dresser drawers filled with matching outfits. We're basically talking adults playing with dolls that cost more than the cost of caring for an actual child...and then showing them off to friends down the street, or at the mall...stroller and all.
So what's the message here? What's the appeal? Those who create Reborns are known as "Reborners" and one doll can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. But why does there seem to be some sort of freakish, bringing to life, Frankenstein sort of element to all of this? Dolls used to represent the pretend play, of a little girl growing up. She could practice being a mommy. She could practice holding & rocking and singing to her child, while always knowing that if she left her on the floor in the hall all night...this was perfectly okay... (duh)...she wasn't real. Remember the book "Baby Dear"? It's the story of a (now) big sister, seeing her mom and dad bring her newborn sibling home from the hospital. When the new baby comes home, daddy brings her big sister a doll, and big sister tries to do everything with her doll that her mother does with her newborn sibling. She looks up to her mother and emulates her, almost as if mommy and her oldest daughter are twins.
But the whole "Reborning" phenomenon seems to take this idea of a girl wanting to be like her mother, and turns it on it's head. As I said, these are not (usually) children's dolls...these dolls seem to be for adults wanting to be...children. But the whole process of making them, dressing them and displaying them, is very grown up indeed. It's serious business. Add to this, (as I said), the fact that the lines between real and pretend are completely blurred. In my opinion this can make Reborning, not paranormal, of course, but certainly a little spooky.
When I was a kid, porcelain dolls also represented growing up, just in a different way. These dolls were my first lesson in "We don't play with that, because we take special care of it.". It was like "graduation" from dragging your vinyl child by the wrist to play with you in the dirt, or putting your doll under water in the bathtub and watching the bubbles while her plastic body filled up with water. It's just pretend, remember? So these things were safe, they were innocent, they were tender. This was a child being a child...and then a child growing up. But I know not where to classify "Reborning" or the whole paranormal aspect to dolls.
I remember very clearly that all my dolls had identities. They were little people. The thing is, the line between real and pretend was always in place, as it should've been. Cabbage Patch Kids had adoption certificates kids could fill out, which again, gave a kid a sense of being a mommy...but this is a far cry from a middle aged woman sitting at lunch holding a "Reborn" that is...adorable, sure, but NOT a REAL BABY! So, adults want to be children, and kids? What do they do? They are not adults, but it seems the aults in their life...no longer want to be. Where does anyone, whether child or adult, learn to be a parent? Where do we learn to protect and nurture? Parents are being dumbed down with their kids, and kids are taking over. Is there an agenda here? Well, it's my personal belief that kids who are not allowed to be children, with protective boundaries, cannot handle adult situations when the time comes. What was once innocent and comforting and sweet pretend play, has now become evil and sinister...mixed up, something to be feared and hated...because otherwise, there's no appeal. Meanwhile, children are attached to their phones and attached to their tablets...bonding intimately with gadgets and machines. People whose kids have long since moved out are changing and dressing their Reborns that they bought with money they were supposed to use to retire.
Crazy. Just crazy. I much prefer the days when I wept because the Velveteen Rabbit was abandoned. The other toys in the room would not play with him. They believed he was not a real toy, because he wasn't shiny and brand new like the others. He was old, and faded with stitching coming loose and stuffing falling out. In plain English, he became "lame,"it was thought, because he seemed all used up...but not to the boy he belonged to! The bunny was the toy who received the most love. Guess what? He won! But today, this seems like ancient history. Toys are no longer held onto for as long as possible with sweet devotion and loyalty. Technology has taken over but not helped kids learn to cope. And adults don't know how to handle their children, provoked to anger, because they're bored to death...their sense of imagination dulled. Parenthood is no longer treated as an honorable thing...and such is the dilemma in the valley of the dolls.
Flower Power
Smile... Be Happy!
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
93 Things About Me... Who knows...it might be that no one wants to read that much, and that's okay. :)))
So, someone posted this on their FB page, and since I could not manage to do the EASY thing and just copy and paste, I decided to do a blog entry.
A few are probably missing, some I will elaborate on, and I might add a few (make it 100?)
Anyway...here we go...
1. Last drink you had: COFFEE (with a lot of sugar and creamer).
2. Last phone call I made: MOM
3. Last text: MOM
4. Last song I listened to: "God Only Knows" The Beach Boys
5. Last time you cried: Last week (I don't remember what about).
HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice?
You mean have I ever been in a dating relationship with the same person twice? Or do you mean, have I physically gone on a date with the same person twice? The former, no, the latter, yes.
7. Been cheated on? No. (I'm happy to say).
8. Kissed someone & regretted it? No.
9. Lost someone special? Of course.
10. Been depressed? Yes.
11. Been drunk & thrown up? No. (I decided that I never want to be).
12. List 3 favorite colors: purple, red & hot pink
THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:
13. Made a new friend? Several.
14. Fallen out of love? Yes.
15. Laughed until you cried? Several times.
16. Met someone who changed you? Sure
17. Found out who your true friends are?
Yes. They are friends I already had...but I often find that out as a year goes by, and my friends are still just as wonderful as they always were.
18. Found out someone was talking about you? Unfortunately, yes.
19. Kissed someone on your FB friends list? No. But I'd love to!
20. How many people on your FB friends list do you know in real life?
I wouldn't know, I've never bothered to count.
21. How many kids do you want?
Hmmm...sometimes, I think it might be nice not to have any kids because there's more time for my husband (to be) and me to do other things. But if we have kids, I want twins (a boy and a girl), and then there are two children, with one trip to the hospital and I'm done.
22. Any pets? Yes. 1 cat.
23. What did you do for your birthday this year? Dinner with family, and my new favorite apple walnut cake.
24. When did you wake up today? Between 9:00 & 10:00 AM
25. What were you doing at midnight last night? Praying.
26. Something you CANNOT wait for: Marriage.
27. What one thing would I change about my life? My location.
28. Do you have plants? No. I love them, but they take up space and they are hard to keep alive.
29. What are you listening to right now?
Dialogue in a movie called "Five Miles to Midnight" between Sophia Loren and Gig Young.
30. Have I ever talked to a person named Tom? Of course.
31. What is getting on your nerves right now? The previous question, and the neighbors slamming doors.
32. What is my most visited website? I have no idea.
33. My real name: Child of the living God.
34. Nicknames: Suzy Q, Miss Film Critic, Sunshine.
35. Relationship Status: treat others as you would like to be treated...so people will enjoy relating to you.
36. Birthday: August 4th, every year :))
37. Sex: Not until marriage, thank you.
38. Elementary school: Pleasantly easy until 5th grade.
39. Junior High: Hell. I think it is for most kids. But I got amazing grades, had the respect of my teachers & I made it through.
40. High school and college: As a Freshman, people thought I was a senior. I hung out with juniors and seniors. Many fond memories. I learned my High school's alma mater because I was in choir. Drama, musical theatre. College: took a really long time. Ran out of money. English major, loved theatre. Hated math. Prerequesette's endless...graduated. Wanted to continue...but refused to go into debt.
41. Hair color: dishwater brown with red highlights, although the roots are getting grey fast :)). I'm a firm believer in hair color, so my hair has been black, dark brown, burgundy, and just about every other shade of red there is.
42. Long or short? In between. It's shoulder length...and I want it to be longer. But it's also been very short..
43. Height? Perfect.
44. Do you have a crush on someone? Absolutely.
45. What do you like about yourself? My eyes. My eclectic personality. My poetry. My singing.
46. Righty or lefty? Lefty.
FIRSTS:
47. Surgery: Age 15
48. Piercing: (Ears) age 8
49. Best friend: Richard
50. Sport you joined: Gymnastics age 6
51. First Vacation: Sea World (age 3)
52. First trainers (tennis shoes): I don't remember
NOW:
53. What are you eating? Spaghetti with homemade sauce & cornbread.
54. Drinking? Nothing.
55. You're about to: Get some iced tea.
56. You're waiting on: The weekend.
57. Do you want kids? I have not ruled them out, but they are not a definite.
Do you want to get married? Yes.
58. Career?: Biblical Counseling. I want to be a published author too.
WHICH IS BETTER?
(You mean, on me, or to me?)
59. Lips or eyes? On me? Both. To me? Both
60. Shorter/taller? Taller (def.) on both counts
61. Older/ younger? I'm an "old soul" in a young body, so I don't know.
62. Romantic or spontaneous? I like "spontaneously romantic" for both. This means you suddenly decide to slow down.
63. Nice smile? Of course! (But I can only speak for myself) :)
64. Sensitive or loud? I am sensitive TO loud noises, so I tend to be pretty quiet, but it depends on my mood. I think the three most important words are "Lower your voice.". So I like someone who's even-tempered and quiet.
65. Hook-up or relationship? Relationship.
HAVE YOU EVER:
66. Kissed a stranger? No.
67. Had hard liquor? Yes.
68. Lost glasses? Of course.
69. Kissed on a first date? No.
70. Broken someone's heart? Yes.
71. Had your own heart broken? Yes.
72. Turned someone down? Yes.
73. Cried when someone died? Of course
74. Fallen for a friend? Yes.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN?:
75. Yourself? Absolutely
76. Miracles? Yes.
77. Love at first sight? No. Love is harder...you have to work at it.
78. Heaven? Of course
79. Kissing on the first date? No (But it depends on the guy).
80. Santa Claus? Of course! Who do you think eats the cookies and milk?? (and you gotta know, I'm kidding!)
81. Angels? Yes.
82. Ghosts? Yes
83. Which is better, hugs or kisses? It's a tie.
84. Trouble maker? Or do you hesitate? This is a weird question.
I'd say I am hesitant to make trouble because it's better not to.
Okay, these are added myself, because the others in the original post are missing...
I probably lost track.
85. Favorite holiday: Christmas. I will always love it, but the term Christian is something that I am now detaching myself from, oddly enough. Want to try Chanukah this year!
86. What food can you not live without? Chicken tacos, bacon cheeseburgers, chocolate.
87. Favorite book of the BIBLE? Song of Solomon
88. Favorite number? 12
89. What sound or noise do you love? Wind chimes, ocean waves
90. Favorite season? Fall...absolutely! There's a chill in the air, but it's not unbearably cold. I love the leaves, the sunsets the pumpkins everywhere, warm blankets and pajamas, hot chocolate, oh yes, for sure!
91. Where do you really want to visit? Israel, England (again), New England (Martha's Vineyard)Ireland.
92. Favorite guilty pleasure: I really don't think pleasures should have guilt. Enjoy yourself.
93. Favorite movie? This is the wrong question to ask me because I have too many to count!
92.
A few are probably missing, some I will elaborate on, and I might add a few (make it 100?)
Anyway...here we go...
1. Last drink you had: COFFEE (with a lot of sugar and creamer).
2. Last phone call I made: MOM
3. Last text: MOM
4. Last song I listened to: "God Only Knows" The Beach Boys
5. Last time you cried: Last week (I don't remember what about).
HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice?
You mean have I ever been in a dating relationship with the same person twice? Or do you mean, have I physically gone on a date with the same person twice? The former, no, the latter, yes.
7. Been cheated on? No. (I'm happy to say).
8. Kissed someone & regretted it? No.
9. Lost someone special? Of course.
10. Been depressed? Yes.
11. Been drunk & thrown up? No. (I decided that I never want to be).
12. List 3 favorite colors: purple, red & hot pink
THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:
13. Made a new friend? Several.
14. Fallen out of love? Yes.
15. Laughed until you cried? Several times.
16. Met someone who changed you? Sure
17. Found out who your true friends are?
Yes. They are friends I already had...but I often find that out as a year goes by, and my friends are still just as wonderful as they always were.
18. Found out someone was talking about you? Unfortunately, yes.
19. Kissed someone on your FB friends list? No. But I'd love to!
20. How many people on your FB friends list do you know in real life?
I wouldn't know, I've never bothered to count.
21. How many kids do you want?
Hmmm...sometimes, I think it might be nice not to have any kids because there's more time for my husband (to be) and me to do other things. But if we have kids, I want twins (a boy and a girl), and then there are two children, with one trip to the hospital and I'm done.
22. Any pets? Yes. 1 cat.
23. What did you do for your birthday this year? Dinner with family, and my new favorite apple walnut cake.
24. When did you wake up today? Between 9:00 & 10:00 AM
25. What were you doing at midnight last night? Praying.
26. Something you CANNOT wait for: Marriage.
27. What one thing would I change about my life? My location.
28. Do you have plants? No. I love them, but they take up space and they are hard to keep alive.
29. What are you listening to right now?
Dialogue in a movie called "Five Miles to Midnight" between Sophia Loren and Gig Young.
30. Have I ever talked to a person named Tom? Of course.
31. What is getting on your nerves right now? The previous question, and the neighbors slamming doors.
32. What is my most visited website? I have no idea.
33. My real name: Child of the living God.
34. Nicknames: Suzy Q, Miss Film Critic, Sunshine.
35. Relationship Status: treat others as you would like to be treated...so people will enjoy relating to you.
36. Birthday: August 4th, every year :))
37. Sex: Not until marriage, thank you.
38. Elementary school: Pleasantly easy until 5th grade.
39. Junior High: Hell. I think it is for most kids. But I got amazing grades, had the respect of my teachers & I made it through.
40. High school and college: As a Freshman, people thought I was a senior. I hung out with juniors and seniors. Many fond memories. I learned my High school's alma mater because I was in choir. Drama, musical theatre. College: took a really long time. Ran out of money. English major, loved theatre. Hated math. Prerequesette's endless...graduated. Wanted to continue...but refused to go into debt.
41. Hair color: dishwater brown with red highlights, although the roots are getting grey fast :)). I'm a firm believer in hair color, so my hair has been black, dark brown, burgundy, and just about every other shade of red there is.
42. Long or short? In between. It's shoulder length...and I want it to be longer. But it's also been very short..
43. Height? Perfect.
44. Do you have a crush on someone? Absolutely.
45. What do you like about yourself? My eyes. My eclectic personality. My poetry. My singing.
46. Righty or lefty? Lefty.
FIRSTS:
47. Surgery: Age 15
48. Piercing: (Ears) age 8
49. Best friend: Richard
50. Sport you joined: Gymnastics age 6
51. First Vacation: Sea World (age 3)
52. First trainers (tennis shoes): I don't remember
NOW:
53. What are you eating? Spaghetti with homemade sauce & cornbread.
54. Drinking? Nothing.
55. You're about to: Get some iced tea.
56. You're waiting on: The weekend.
57. Do you want kids? I have not ruled them out, but they are not a definite.
Do you want to get married? Yes.
58. Career?: Biblical Counseling. I want to be a published author too.
WHICH IS BETTER?
(You mean, on me, or to me?)
59. Lips or eyes? On me? Both. To me? Both
60. Shorter/taller? Taller (def.) on both counts
61. Older/ younger? I'm an "old soul" in a young body, so I don't know.
62. Romantic or spontaneous? I like "spontaneously romantic" for both. This means you suddenly decide to slow down.
63. Nice smile? Of course! (But I can only speak for myself) :)
64. Sensitive or loud? I am sensitive TO loud noises, so I tend to be pretty quiet, but it depends on my mood. I think the three most important words are "Lower your voice.". So I like someone who's even-tempered and quiet.
65. Hook-up or relationship? Relationship.
HAVE YOU EVER:
66. Kissed a stranger? No.
67. Had hard liquor? Yes.
68. Lost glasses? Of course.
69. Kissed on a first date? No.
70. Broken someone's heart? Yes.
71. Had your own heart broken? Yes.
72. Turned someone down? Yes.
73. Cried when someone died? Of course
74. Fallen for a friend? Yes.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN?:
75. Yourself? Absolutely
76. Miracles? Yes.
77. Love at first sight? No. Love is harder...you have to work at it.
78. Heaven? Of course
79. Kissing on the first date? No (But it depends on the guy).
80. Santa Claus? Of course! Who do you think eats the cookies and milk?? (and you gotta know, I'm kidding!)
81. Angels? Yes.
82. Ghosts? Yes
83. Which is better, hugs or kisses? It's a tie.
84. Trouble maker? Or do you hesitate? This is a weird question.
I'd say I am hesitant to make trouble because it's better not to.
Okay, these are added myself, because the others in the original post are missing...
I probably lost track.
85. Favorite holiday: Christmas. I will always love it, but the term Christian is something that I am now detaching myself from, oddly enough. Want to try Chanukah this year!
86. What food can you not live without? Chicken tacos, bacon cheeseburgers, chocolate.
87. Favorite book of the BIBLE? Song of Solomon
88. Favorite number? 12
89. What sound or noise do you love? Wind chimes, ocean waves
90. Favorite season? Fall...absolutely! There's a chill in the air, but it's not unbearably cold. I love the leaves, the sunsets the pumpkins everywhere, warm blankets and pajamas, hot chocolate, oh yes, for sure!
91. Where do you really want to visit? Israel, England (again), New England (Martha's Vineyard)Ireland.
92. Favorite guilty pleasure: I really don't think pleasures should have guilt. Enjoy yourself.
93. Favorite movie? This is the wrong question to ask me because I have too many to count!
92.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Do We Need Some Air?
How do you explain "vocal fry"?
How do you explain, this deep, rising and falling, low grinding sort of "crackle" that people (particularly women)seem to have nowadays...especially when those who have it, seem to believe; "This is just the way I talk."?
It's sort of like listening to a phone call that is breaking up; the person's voice seems to "mute" or "skip" in and out, like listening to an old vinyl album amidst the scratches, scrapes and pops of the record grooves. A sentence will begin, with either a high pitch, or a smooth tone. Even individual words will have a high pitch or a smooth tone, but by the end of the syllables, or the end of the sentence...that same voice sounds as though there's no pitch at all. It's deep, and gravely, throaty...the syllables and sounds seem...burned out, or "fried" for lack of oxygen.
Remember that noise you made as a kid where you constricted your throat a little and then forced air to hit it? It was sort of like a long, vibrating "burp" that made your voice sound like some sort of...reptile? And your mom would go "Quit! Stop that, it's driving me nuts.". That's it. Imagine going all the time between some sort of high, "little girl" sounding pitch, and...that, and you have Vocal Fry. Listen to the Kardashian women for any length of time, and you'll hear it.
So, at this time, you may want to find some You-Tube videos because it's driving you nuts wondering what I'm talking about. But watch any current popular TV sitcom and you'll hear it. The trouble is, many people don't seem to hear it, especially, those who do it the most...because (I suppose), it just seems normal. But my question, is why?
I mean, remember the movie "Singin' in the Rain?" (Excuse yet another movie example, but it fits.). That actress who...sorta sounded like she swallowed helium, ya know? Anyway, this lovely British dialogue coach was brought in to help her to "Please remember dear, ROUND tones.". Not that it was to any avail, but the point is, much effort was made to try and refine her, because she was absolutely, a bubble-headed bleached blonde, whose irritating voice sounded like nails on a chalk board. No insults here, because the audience is SUPPOSED to believe this. Her character is completely exaggerated because we are supposed to get that her tone, pitch, and just her voice in general need major help. (Dear God, no one must know!) I'll come back to her hair color later. It was the same with "My Fair Lady," which, now that I think about it, is basically, "Taming of the Shrew.". Miss Eliza Doolittle is...refined, she is "softened"...she becomes an elegant..lady (hence the name of the story.). Anyway, the first thing to be changed (for the better) is Eliza's deep, throaty, gravely, voice, which in many cases was hard to understand...what? So, here we go, remember, it was...
"The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain."
(Eliza): "De rhine in spine stighs mine-ly in de pline."
Eliza was then instructed to recite this each night when she said her prayers because she would get a lot further with the Lord if she learned not to offend his ears. Now of course, this remark was sarcastic, and understanding that I mean NO disrespect to a cockney accent, I find it interesting that the gravely, rather "unkempt" sounds coming from Eliza's throat, the very ones that in her case, needed to be corrected...seem to be just the norm today.
Now for some actual life experience. When we speak normally our vocal cords need to be relaxed so that air can flow through, and the tone, or pitch of our voice can be heard. But this becomes much more apparent when someone sings. I began singing as a kid, and as I got older, I learned about deep breathing, relaxing the jaw and throat, correct posture, staying on pitch, and rounded tones. Everything must be relaxed and "opened up" inside so that air and sound can flow. If throat muscles are too tight or air is constricted, the "sound" of our voice is "shut off" or "muted". The word is still there...but it's pretty much as though someone is either smashing their larynx (voice box)or like they have a bad cold...are they holding their nose?? To put it simply...this is not normal. In truth, I've tried to imitate vocal fry before, and I can't do it without hurting my voice. The sounds are so deep and distorted, that it's as though someone is pressing against my throat with their tongue, squeezing my throat, and putting a weight on my chest. Ummm OUCH.
So, as far as the casual belief that "this is just the way I talk"; this really intrigues me because I don't see how this is possible. Vocal fry is simply not natural or normal. Folks have to make themselves sound that way when they speak. Think about it this way: when actor Christopher Reeve gave his first interview after his paralyzing horse riding accident, he said that in order to be able to speak, he had to wait for his ventilator to pump air over his vocal cords. This is why a lot of his speech would be slightly delayed...he was waiting for the oxygen. See where I'm goin' with this? So, my question is, why do we literally live each day "holding our breath" and constricting our ability to speak? (to the point that it's "normal" and we no longer realize we're doing it?)
I have two theories, and I'll just be very direct about them.
1. We're scared to death of emotion. The sounds or tone of one's voice, gives insight into how they feel. Could it be that we associate this with weakness? If a person is genuinely happy or excited, this will come through in their voice, generally, the pitch will be higher, more childlike...more relaxed and carefree, suggesting a VULNERABILITY about us that we apparently, have just allowed to escape. How could we let this happen?? We're human, that's how. The same thing goes for if we're afraid, or sad...if anyone sees us cry, it'd BETTER be for dramatic purposes that earn us attention, and seem to say "I meant to do that"!! Heaven forbid we should ever be genuinely emotional, without tight reins on every single reaction that say we are completely in control. Oh, yes, and sentimentality must be avoided at all costs...genuine caring seems to suggest that you're a huge whimp...but if you have a cutting remark for someone or you're angry...this is good. This keeps all other emotions suppressed and seems to give people power and control. Really, so if we're so in control and confident, how come some many of us seem to be cutting off our air supply, like we're scared to death?
2. We are better friends with computers than with real people. Remember the episode of Big Bang Theory when Raj got his IPhone, and he believed that an actual girl had begun a friendship with him...that she was speaking right to him? Now of course these were the "responses" that came programed into the phone...that even has "voice recognition.". Now of course, we balk at this and get a laugh...but is it really THAT far fetched?? GPS devices talk to us, ATM machines talk to us, computers talk to us...things that I don't even KNOW talk to us, talk to us. And there have been some wonderful efforts to make these voices sound as human as possible, but they are still...machines. Couple this with the fact that our vocabularies are becoming shorter through more and more acronyms for everything, and abbreviations through, texting and continued social media. Not only that, if I'm correct, kids are no longer taught spelling or phonics in school. Phonics is simply the way a word sounds when it's said. I've seen school papers which simply encourage kids to "spell a word the way they believe it SHOULD be spelled.". What? When I was in school, this was not allowed. Listen, the English language is probably the most difficult there is, because the "rules" of the language are broken and changed so many times. Even those with degrees in the subject who teach it to others, have difficulty with it. Now I'm only one person, but it would seem to me that with all of this considered...kids would need all the help they can get learning to speak and spell. Shoot, that used to be a TOY you could buy, remember?? Not anymore.
So it seems to me that many of us can no longer feel the sense of healthy pride that comes with knowing how to express ourselves clearly, eloquently, and with confidence. As a result, we no longer know how to do this. As a result it is now considered discrimination if we want to make sure someone has proper language skills (because what are they?). There was a time when this knowledge made someone a confident adult...but it would not appear so now...not anymore.
How do you explain, this deep, rising and falling, low grinding sort of "crackle" that people (particularly women)seem to have nowadays...especially when those who have it, seem to believe; "This is just the way I talk."?
It's sort of like listening to a phone call that is breaking up; the person's voice seems to "mute" or "skip" in and out, like listening to an old vinyl album amidst the scratches, scrapes and pops of the record grooves. A sentence will begin, with either a high pitch, or a smooth tone. Even individual words will have a high pitch or a smooth tone, but by the end of the syllables, or the end of the sentence...that same voice sounds as though there's no pitch at all. It's deep, and gravely, throaty...the syllables and sounds seem...burned out, or "fried" for lack of oxygen.
Remember that noise you made as a kid where you constricted your throat a little and then forced air to hit it? It was sort of like a long, vibrating "burp" that made your voice sound like some sort of...reptile? And your mom would go "Quit! Stop that, it's driving me nuts.". That's it. Imagine going all the time between some sort of high, "little girl" sounding pitch, and...that, and you have Vocal Fry. Listen to the Kardashian women for any length of time, and you'll hear it.
So, at this time, you may want to find some You-Tube videos because it's driving you nuts wondering what I'm talking about. But watch any current popular TV sitcom and you'll hear it. The trouble is, many people don't seem to hear it, especially, those who do it the most...because (I suppose), it just seems normal. But my question, is why?
I mean, remember the movie "Singin' in the Rain?" (Excuse yet another movie example, but it fits.). That actress who...sorta sounded like she swallowed helium, ya know? Anyway, this lovely British dialogue coach was brought in to help her to "Please remember dear, ROUND tones.". Not that it was to any avail, but the point is, much effort was made to try and refine her, because she was absolutely, a bubble-headed bleached blonde, whose irritating voice sounded like nails on a chalk board. No insults here, because the audience is SUPPOSED to believe this. Her character is completely exaggerated because we are supposed to get that her tone, pitch, and just her voice in general need major help. (Dear God, no one must know!) I'll come back to her hair color later. It was the same with "My Fair Lady," which, now that I think about it, is basically, "Taming of the Shrew.". Miss Eliza Doolittle is...refined, she is "softened"...she becomes an elegant..lady (hence the name of the story.). Anyway, the first thing to be changed (for the better) is Eliza's deep, throaty, gravely, voice, which in many cases was hard to understand...what? So, here we go, remember, it was...
"The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain."
(Eliza): "De rhine in spine stighs mine-ly in de pline."
Eliza was then instructed to recite this each night when she said her prayers because she would get a lot further with the Lord if she learned not to offend his ears. Now of course, this remark was sarcastic, and understanding that I mean NO disrespect to a cockney accent, I find it interesting that the gravely, rather "unkempt" sounds coming from Eliza's throat, the very ones that in her case, needed to be corrected...seem to be just the norm today.
Now for some actual life experience. When we speak normally our vocal cords need to be relaxed so that air can flow through, and the tone, or pitch of our voice can be heard. But this becomes much more apparent when someone sings. I began singing as a kid, and as I got older, I learned about deep breathing, relaxing the jaw and throat, correct posture, staying on pitch, and rounded tones. Everything must be relaxed and "opened up" inside so that air and sound can flow. If throat muscles are too tight or air is constricted, the "sound" of our voice is "shut off" or "muted". The word is still there...but it's pretty much as though someone is either smashing their larynx (voice box)or like they have a bad cold...are they holding their nose?? To put it simply...this is not normal. In truth, I've tried to imitate vocal fry before, and I can't do it without hurting my voice. The sounds are so deep and distorted, that it's as though someone is pressing against my throat with their tongue, squeezing my throat, and putting a weight on my chest. Ummm OUCH.
So, as far as the casual belief that "this is just the way I talk"; this really intrigues me because I don't see how this is possible. Vocal fry is simply not natural or normal. Folks have to make themselves sound that way when they speak. Think about it this way: when actor Christopher Reeve gave his first interview after his paralyzing horse riding accident, he said that in order to be able to speak, he had to wait for his ventilator to pump air over his vocal cords. This is why a lot of his speech would be slightly delayed...he was waiting for the oxygen. See where I'm goin' with this? So, my question is, why do we literally live each day "holding our breath" and constricting our ability to speak? (to the point that it's "normal" and we no longer realize we're doing it?)
I have two theories, and I'll just be very direct about them.
1. We're scared to death of emotion. The sounds or tone of one's voice, gives insight into how they feel. Could it be that we associate this with weakness? If a person is genuinely happy or excited, this will come through in their voice, generally, the pitch will be higher, more childlike...more relaxed and carefree, suggesting a VULNERABILITY about us that we apparently, have just allowed to escape. How could we let this happen?? We're human, that's how. The same thing goes for if we're afraid, or sad...if anyone sees us cry, it'd BETTER be for dramatic purposes that earn us attention, and seem to say "I meant to do that"!! Heaven forbid we should ever be genuinely emotional, without tight reins on every single reaction that say we are completely in control. Oh, yes, and sentimentality must be avoided at all costs...genuine caring seems to suggest that you're a huge whimp...but if you have a cutting remark for someone or you're angry...this is good. This keeps all other emotions suppressed and seems to give people power and control. Really, so if we're so in control and confident, how come some many of us seem to be cutting off our air supply, like we're scared to death?
2. We are better friends with computers than with real people. Remember the episode of Big Bang Theory when Raj got his IPhone, and he believed that an actual girl had begun a friendship with him...that she was speaking right to him? Now of course these were the "responses" that came programed into the phone...that even has "voice recognition.". Now of course, we balk at this and get a laugh...but is it really THAT far fetched?? GPS devices talk to us, ATM machines talk to us, computers talk to us...things that I don't even KNOW talk to us, talk to us. And there have been some wonderful efforts to make these voices sound as human as possible, but they are still...machines. Couple this with the fact that our vocabularies are becoming shorter through more and more acronyms for everything, and abbreviations through, texting and continued social media. Not only that, if I'm correct, kids are no longer taught spelling or phonics in school. Phonics is simply the way a word sounds when it's said. I've seen school papers which simply encourage kids to "spell a word the way they believe it SHOULD be spelled.". What? When I was in school, this was not allowed. Listen, the English language is probably the most difficult there is, because the "rules" of the language are broken and changed so many times. Even those with degrees in the subject who teach it to others, have difficulty with it. Now I'm only one person, but it would seem to me that with all of this considered...kids would need all the help they can get learning to speak and spell. Shoot, that used to be a TOY you could buy, remember?? Not anymore.
So it seems to me that many of us can no longer feel the sense of healthy pride that comes with knowing how to express ourselves clearly, eloquently, and with confidence. As a result, we no longer know how to do this. As a result it is now considered discrimination if we want to make sure someone has proper language skills (because what are they?). There was a time when this knowledge made someone a confident adult...but it would not appear so now...not anymore.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May... (Kinda corny, but oh well!)
Wow. So much being stirred up in me today! It's hard to know where to begin. As usual, Facebook posts and things I've heard over the radio have me needing to write like crazy. But how to bring it all together?...
I finished reading a blog post this morning about end times prophecy, basically, and one of the YouTube videos posted dealt with this...meteor?? that is supposedly going to hit the Earth (according to the guy who made the video). This meteor will apparently not be part of the Tribulation period, but will be a sign of God's judgement on us, telling us to turn back to him. Scripture out of the book of Daniel was used to back it up. Do I believe this? I think it's possible, but that those who have "grafted into the Olive Tree," need not fear. Trust in God, and know that He is your hope, always. This is the most important thing we can do. I also think that whether this happens or not, the world is talking endlessly about preparing for disaster. People are saying: Stock up on food and water. They're also saying martial law is coming to take over, and people will be taken from their homes. Just do a general YouTube search, you'll find it.
So, a few things...first of all, if people are just making it month to month, like most folks are, how are they supposed to afford all this extra food and water? Secondly, if we are taken from our homes, or asked to leave, how is all that extra food and water we stored at home going to help us? Thirdly (for those of us able to afford guns) since each one of them must be registered, how are we supposed to get our hands on one that is not registered so it can't be tracked? Seriously...I mean, there's a lot of talk out there about everyone being required to turn over their firearms, right? Yes. So it would seem to me that if you're "caught" with guns that are not registered, in the eyes of the law, you now have them illegally and you can then be arrested, I would guess. Do I think this is right, or fair? No, because our constitution states that we have right to bear arms. In other words, we have the right to protect ourselves. I believe we are slowly being stripped of that right, which is horrible, I think, and I read just last week that IF someone does show up at your home, and want you to leave, under no circumstances whatsoever are you to go with them, or let them take you somewhere else. Agreed...but with no way of protecting ourselves (if worst comes to worst), when "they" have the uniforms and the guns, and we don't...how do we keep this from happening?
People believe we are in the last of the Last Days, and I agree with them, I must admit. Severe earthquakes, diverse weather conditions, spiritual awakening like never before coupled with darkness like never before...it's all foretold in scripture, and here, we seem to be right in the middle o it. I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit...how unprepared people were for the disaster. People who were forced out of their homes suddenly had no time at all to "gather" anything, like extra food, water, clothes, important papers or documents, family photos...nothing. In most cases, these were all things that folks had prepared for ahead of time; but with not even time to respond, those preparations were not of any use.
So, I say, stay informed on what's going out there sure, but get your news from more then just the mainstream media simply so you have other perspectives, stock up because this is good planing in general, and it also might help others too...not just because you believe it's your only option and it's being done out of fear. Be generous because the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. "watch therefore, for you know not the day or the hour.". No, but we CAN know the SEASON in which these things take place, and remember, when the scripture says (beware), for you know not...He's speaking to those who have not prepared their HEARTS to meet the Lord. He's speaking to those who are the FOOLISH virgins...not the WISE ones! Remember the parable? In other words, the WISE virgins CAN and will know the SEASON in which these things take place...because they are the ones who have taken the time to "gather enough oil" in order to "keep their lamps burning" so they are ready when their Bridegroom comes to get them. Perhaps this should even be a post for one of my other blogs, called "What is this Crazy Faith" too. But my advice to anyone afraid of living in these last days would be: "Fear not.". Live it up...live each day like it's your last because we serve a FAITHFUL God...not because your fearful. Go ahead and stock up on whatever you need to, but then, pass it around...give to those in need. Help someone who's struggling. I would also encourage you to remember that we DO have an enemy out there, and his goal is to steal, kill and destroy. This is helpful to keep in mind when scary things do happen, because our enemy might win the battle...but he will not win the WAR.
In other news, I love Mayam Bialik's blog and I've written about it before. Yesterday, she posted about a woman who took her family on a journey to stop eating meat. Bialik said that she's wished this lady would've talked to her, because there are a lot of other reasons to not eat meat besides avoiding hot dogs. "Yes, I thought...but this is a really GOOD start!". I commented on the post, talking about substitutes that are out there for those who want alternatives to meat...but that these generally don't taste very good...so I've heard.
I too would like to quit eating meat, but what I said on Facebook is thar I think it's better to "just drop the other shoe, as they say and quit eating it, and forget the substitutes"... I also said that if a person has eaten meat all their life, it's hard to just stop eating it altogether...so we're still eating ground turkey and turkey bacon! :)). I didn't look at any of the comments after that, but I have my own reason's for not wanting to eat meat anymore. I once had a substitute teacher who said that he was diabetic...and that what made his blood sugar spike more than anything was hotdogs and processed lunch meats. (He told the class this). I'm not even sure how the subject came to that... but he was trying to explain that the stereo-type is that SWEETS were the main unhealthy culprit in diabetes, and he was saying that's not always true. I remember wondering why people would want to keep eating those things if they're that bad for you. I would imagine it's because people have no idea that these things are this bad for you. Now, this was a long time ago...but I never forgot it. I've eaten plenty of hotdogs since then, but now have many more reasons for not wanting to eat meat.
I was watching Oprah one day, and she took her viewers "inside" some poultry farms around the US, explaining that chicken is often injected with hormones to make it heavier and plumper so people will be more apt to buy it. But apparently, this does not only happen when the chicken is packaged. These chickens are often injected with hormones while they are still alive to make them grow bigger. I was broken-hearted as I saw these poor chickens collapsing under their own weight, just trying to walk around the chicken coop. Awful. I saw the movie "Super-Size Me" online, and again was broken hearted to see this really healthy guy, destroy his health doing the experiment to see what life is like everyday for someone who eats nothing but fast food, super-sized. He was literally, sick and tired...all the time. He was sluggish. He became very irritable and had trouble concentrating, and (it gets worse) he would need to vomit while finishing all of these super sized chemicals. But the one I felt really bad for was his girlfriend, who was (of all things) a registered dietitian. During the experiment, she helped him monitor (and watched him destroy) his blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight gain, etc. "It kills me to see him suffering like this," she said. And on Facebook, one evening, musician Julian Lennon posted a photo of a huge metal bin, inside of which, it looked like there was...strawberry frozen yogurt. This what many people guessed...yogurt or ice cream. It was smooth and peaked on top like soft serve, or some rich dessert. Not even close... this pink stuff was in fact processed chicken product found in many chicken sandwiches and chicken nuggets at fast food places.
Well, at this point, I wanted to throw up! I thought of all the times I had unknowingly eaten...THIS?? But it was covered in batter, heavily seasoned and deep-fried! So what did I know?? On another occasion, I was in England, staying with some dear friends, and they served the most wonderful stuffed peppers for dinner! The peppers had ground lamb in them rather than beef. The lamb was much more flavorful than any ground beef...I loved it! I gladly sat and had an amazing meal, but later on... all I could think of, was what that meat had been..before it was meat. At some point, it was a cute little, baaah, baaah baby sheep! A "sheepie" as I loved to call them.. How could I eat them?? It's for this reason that I won't eat duck. I'm sure it tastes AMAZING when it's cooked well, but how could I stop thinking about a little, quacking, waddling duck? Poor baby! It's the same with deer meat...which I LOVE, by the way! I've had it breaded like pork chops and made into patties like sausage...both of which were very good, because that meat was hunted, cleaned and cooked properly. But, it was once a sweet little deer! Did it have little spots on it's back, like Bambi? Was it a doe, with those huge, intense, innocent eyes? Goodness! Pork...okay...this is probably the hardest one for me, because I LOVE bacon, sausage, pork chops, pork roast with apple sauce, sweet and sour pork, pork fried rice, and then there's one of my favorite foods on earth...chille' verde'...that wonderful shredded pork, with hot, green chillies, eaten with flour tortillas. To me, it's like Heaven on a plate...ironic, considering it sets your mouth on fire when you eat it! But that's what makes it so good! But the thing is...before it is shredded pork...it's a piggy! It's Wilbur from "Charlotte's Web," it's a momma who might've nursed little piglets...PIGLET! It's Piglet! It's Miss Piggy! It might be the little pot-bellied piggy from "Uptown Girls," how do I know??
Now, have I gone over the edge with examples? Of course. This is now overdone, and just to be clear, I am not telling anyone else that they need to not eat meat...not at all. The kicker came for me when I was convicted that there are certain foods we are asked to not eat in scripture. Here I was, claiming to believe in the God who authored the Old and New Testaments, but believing that the instructions in the Old Covenant do not apply to me. I now know that this is not the truth. I suppose this has nothing to do with the Bridegroom returning, it was just something I responded to yesterday that got me thinking...and thinking some more! I think there are things in many of our foods that most people wouldn't believe and that might be one reason there is so much sickness in the world. Anyway, maybe someday I'll write a book. I'd love to, actually, but that's another story for another day. :))
I finished reading a blog post this morning about end times prophecy, basically, and one of the YouTube videos posted dealt with this...meteor?? that is supposedly going to hit the Earth (according to the guy who made the video). This meteor will apparently not be part of the Tribulation period, but will be a sign of God's judgement on us, telling us to turn back to him. Scripture out of the book of Daniel was used to back it up. Do I believe this? I think it's possible, but that those who have "grafted into the Olive Tree," need not fear. Trust in God, and know that He is your hope, always. This is the most important thing we can do. I also think that whether this happens or not, the world is talking endlessly about preparing for disaster. People are saying: Stock up on food and water. They're also saying martial law is coming to take over, and people will be taken from their homes. Just do a general YouTube search, you'll find it.
So, a few things...first of all, if people are just making it month to month, like most folks are, how are they supposed to afford all this extra food and water? Secondly, if we are taken from our homes, or asked to leave, how is all that extra food and water we stored at home going to help us? Thirdly (for those of us able to afford guns) since each one of them must be registered, how are we supposed to get our hands on one that is not registered so it can't be tracked? Seriously...I mean, there's a lot of talk out there about everyone being required to turn over their firearms, right? Yes. So it would seem to me that if you're "caught" with guns that are not registered, in the eyes of the law, you now have them illegally and you can then be arrested, I would guess. Do I think this is right, or fair? No, because our constitution states that we have right to bear arms. In other words, we have the right to protect ourselves. I believe we are slowly being stripped of that right, which is horrible, I think, and I read just last week that IF someone does show up at your home, and want you to leave, under no circumstances whatsoever are you to go with them, or let them take you somewhere else. Agreed...but with no way of protecting ourselves (if worst comes to worst), when "they" have the uniforms and the guns, and we don't...how do we keep this from happening?
People believe we are in the last of the Last Days, and I agree with them, I must admit. Severe earthquakes, diverse weather conditions, spiritual awakening like never before coupled with darkness like never before...it's all foretold in scripture, and here, we seem to be right in the middle o it. I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit...how unprepared people were for the disaster. People who were forced out of their homes suddenly had no time at all to "gather" anything, like extra food, water, clothes, important papers or documents, family photos...nothing. In most cases, these were all things that folks had prepared for ahead of time; but with not even time to respond, those preparations were not of any use.
So, I say, stay informed on what's going out there sure, but get your news from more then just the mainstream media simply so you have other perspectives, stock up because this is good planing in general, and it also might help others too...not just because you believe it's your only option and it's being done out of fear. Be generous because the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. "watch therefore, for you know not the day or the hour.". No, but we CAN know the SEASON in which these things take place, and remember, when the scripture says (beware), for you know not...He's speaking to those who have not prepared their HEARTS to meet the Lord. He's speaking to those who are the FOOLISH virgins...not the WISE ones! Remember the parable? In other words, the WISE virgins CAN and will know the SEASON in which these things take place...because they are the ones who have taken the time to "gather enough oil" in order to "keep their lamps burning" so they are ready when their Bridegroom comes to get them. Perhaps this should even be a post for one of my other blogs, called "What is this Crazy Faith" too. But my advice to anyone afraid of living in these last days would be: "Fear not.". Live it up...live each day like it's your last because we serve a FAITHFUL God...not because your fearful. Go ahead and stock up on whatever you need to, but then, pass it around...give to those in need. Help someone who's struggling. I would also encourage you to remember that we DO have an enemy out there, and his goal is to steal, kill and destroy. This is helpful to keep in mind when scary things do happen, because our enemy might win the battle...but he will not win the WAR.
In other news, I love Mayam Bialik's blog and I've written about it before. Yesterday, she posted about a woman who took her family on a journey to stop eating meat. Bialik said that she's wished this lady would've talked to her, because there are a lot of other reasons to not eat meat besides avoiding hot dogs. "Yes, I thought...but this is a really GOOD start!". I commented on the post, talking about substitutes that are out there for those who want alternatives to meat...but that these generally don't taste very good...so I've heard.
I too would like to quit eating meat, but what I said on Facebook is thar I think it's better to "just drop the other shoe, as they say and quit eating it, and forget the substitutes"... I also said that if a person has eaten meat all their life, it's hard to just stop eating it altogether...so we're still eating ground turkey and turkey bacon! :)). I didn't look at any of the comments after that, but I have my own reason's for not wanting to eat meat anymore. I once had a substitute teacher who said that he was diabetic...and that what made his blood sugar spike more than anything was hotdogs and processed lunch meats. (He told the class this). I'm not even sure how the subject came to that... but he was trying to explain that the stereo-type is that SWEETS were the main unhealthy culprit in diabetes, and he was saying that's not always true. I remember wondering why people would want to keep eating those things if they're that bad for you. I would imagine it's because people have no idea that these things are this bad for you. Now, this was a long time ago...but I never forgot it. I've eaten plenty of hotdogs since then, but now have many more reasons for not wanting to eat meat.
I was watching Oprah one day, and she took her viewers "inside" some poultry farms around the US, explaining that chicken is often injected with hormones to make it heavier and plumper so people will be more apt to buy it. But apparently, this does not only happen when the chicken is packaged. These chickens are often injected with hormones while they are still alive to make them grow bigger. I was broken-hearted as I saw these poor chickens collapsing under their own weight, just trying to walk around the chicken coop. Awful. I saw the movie "Super-Size Me" online, and again was broken hearted to see this really healthy guy, destroy his health doing the experiment to see what life is like everyday for someone who eats nothing but fast food, super-sized. He was literally, sick and tired...all the time. He was sluggish. He became very irritable and had trouble concentrating, and (it gets worse) he would need to vomit while finishing all of these super sized chemicals. But the one I felt really bad for was his girlfriend, who was (of all things) a registered dietitian. During the experiment, she helped him monitor (and watched him destroy) his blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight gain, etc. "It kills me to see him suffering like this," she said. And on Facebook, one evening, musician Julian Lennon posted a photo of a huge metal bin, inside of which, it looked like there was...strawberry frozen yogurt. This what many people guessed...yogurt or ice cream. It was smooth and peaked on top like soft serve, or some rich dessert. Not even close... this pink stuff was in fact processed chicken product found in many chicken sandwiches and chicken nuggets at fast food places.
Well, at this point, I wanted to throw up! I thought of all the times I had unknowingly eaten...THIS?? But it was covered in batter, heavily seasoned and deep-fried! So what did I know?? On another occasion, I was in England, staying with some dear friends, and they served the most wonderful stuffed peppers for dinner! The peppers had ground lamb in them rather than beef. The lamb was much more flavorful than any ground beef...I loved it! I gladly sat and had an amazing meal, but later on... all I could think of, was what that meat had been..before it was meat. At some point, it was a cute little, baaah, baaah baby sheep! A "sheepie" as I loved to call them.. How could I eat them?? It's for this reason that I won't eat duck. I'm sure it tastes AMAZING when it's cooked well, but how could I stop thinking about a little, quacking, waddling duck? Poor baby! It's the same with deer meat...which I LOVE, by the way! I've had it breaded like pork chops and made into patties like sausage...both of which were very good, because that meat was hunted, cleaned and cooked properly. But, it was once a sweet little deer! Did it have little spots on it's back, like Bambi? Was it a doe, with those huge, intense, innocent eyes? Goodness! Pork...okay...this is probably the hardest one for me, because I LOVE bacon, sausage, pork chops, pork roast with apple sauce, sweet and sour pork, pork fried rice, and then there's one of my favorite foods on earth...chille' verde'...that wonderful shredded pork, with hot, green chillies, eaten with flour tortillas. To me, it's like Heaven on a plate...ironic, considering it sets your mouth on fire when you eat it! But that's what makes it so good! But the thing is...before it is shredded pork...it's a piggy! It's Wilbur from "Charlotte's Web," it's a momma who might've nursed little piglets...PIGLET! It's Piglet! It's Miss Piggy! It might be the little pot-bellied piggy from "Uptown Girls," how do I know??
Now, have I gone over the edge with examples? Of course. This is now overdone, and just to be clear, I am not telling anyone else that they need to not eat meat...not at all. The kicker came for me when I was convicted that there are certain foods we are asked to not eat in scripture. Here I was, claiming to believe in the God who authored the Old and New Testaments, but believing that the instructions in the Old Covenant do not apply to me. I now know that this is not the truth. I suppose this has nothing to do with the Bridegroom returning, it was just something I responded to yesterday that got me thinking...and thinking some more! I think there are things in many of our foods that most people wouldn't believe and that might be one reason there is so much sickness in the world. Anyway, maybe someday I'll write a book. I'd love to, actually, but that's another story for another day. :))
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