The Art and Science of Writing…A Hit or Miss Affair!

Writing, as anyone who is involved in this fascinating combination of art and science knows, is an unpredictable process to say the least! Our relationship with the process of writing, however is unique for each of us… or is it?

Many times, at inconvenient times, thoughts travel through my mind at the speed of lightening. I quickly turn the light on in the middle of the night and commit to them to paper, in a note- book, the old fashion way. These thoughts once on paper take a different life of their own… I cannot deny their existance, I have a responsibility!

Many times in the light of the morning they turn out to be totally useless! However, in the darkness of the night they sparkled! In that moment I was convinced of their potential value and uniqueness. I felt an urge, I felt under some sort of moral obligation to catch the thoughts, not let them leave the space of my bedroom and force them to paper forever!
Why would that be? In a strange way, now that I think of the process… I violate the freedom of my own thoughts to wonder as they pleased! On the other hand, they already mine, in My mind… or were they “send” by a Higher- Power to my mind, and if so, I had a responsibility! They became my thoughts, not just fleeting thoughts!

Just as not all artists paint the same picture, not all writers experience the same creative processes. Frankly, that would be very boring of all readers and admirers of art!
I could only guess other’s creative processes but describe mine. After many years of asking myself why I write I concluded that deep rooted inside my heart there is a desire and idealistic hope that a that specific thought might change or help someone in this troubled world and maybe I am just the conduit!

Is this a general trait of most writers?

Do all writers feel an irresistable urge to catch the true meaning of the thoughts visiting our minds at inconvenient times of day or night? Do we all hope some kind of life changing idea would be doomed to darkness if we don’t bring it to light?

Hmm… these thoughts just paraded through my mind and without asking for permission, I am committing them to paper for us to debate.
Officially they became intellectual property!
Please share with us WHAT is your relationship with the thoughts which visit your mind? Do you ” catch” them or let them go?
Rodica

Buyer BEWARE! How to Protect Ourselves Against ALL SCAMS

Scams! They could be dating, IRS or skin care products, in other words, no area is OFF LIMITS FOR SCAMMERS!!!

The beginning of my involvement with “scams,” was back in 2013 when I decided to share with my readers what happened to me, so it would not happen to them too!

At the time, I posted about an unfortunate and costly experience I had when I was naive enough to believe that a product would be mailed to me as a “trial,” for the cost of the shipping and handling only, a reasonable $4.95, but once the company had my credit card number, they started charging monthly amounts, close to $92.95 and not a one time $4.95!

We are now in 2017 and 1,600 comments later, of which approximately are about other people’s experiences of being scammed, I decided to revisit the topic in an attempt to share for everyone’s benefit what I have learned in the last four years from you, the people who cared enough to share their experiences, so that others might be spared the financial and emotional distress, and also what I continued to experience personally in the area of the never ending scamming world we live in!

At first, I attempted to write about a comprehensive list of a majority of companies to avoid. Their names and how they operate. Soon, I discovered these companies CHANGE THEIR NAMES once enough people become aware of their operation. At that point it became useless to even try and compile a list of probable scammers.

Given the proliferation of such businesses, there are a few easy ways to protect ourselves against ALL SCAMS. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, but here are a few suggestions:

1. Buy a PREPAID CREDIT CARD with a small limit and use that card exclusively for your internet purchases. By doing this, at least you avoid large losses.
2. Do business and purchase only through reputable companies which will stand behind the companies they represent. The two reputable umbrella companies that come to mind are Groupon and Amazon.
3. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is! Once I purchased a beautiful, inexpensive jacket from an unknown company. The jacket arrived as expected, but two weeks later, my credit card number was used outside the U.S. and purchases of over $1,000 were made.
4. It is important to belong to a good bank or credit union. What do I mean by it? Over the years, many people reported that their financial institutions refused to dispute in their name. A good financial institution, after you, personally, try and fail to resolve the issue, will stand with you and investigate the issue.
5. If you used a card with a high limit and not as suggested a prepaid card with a small limit, IMMEDIATELY report to your financial institution and have them send you a NEW CARD with new numbers.

A few words about phone scams.

Honestly, in order to be scammed by phone, one MUST first answer the phone. My logic is simple: If it is legitimate and important, they will leave a message. Of course, some scammers have the nerve to leave threatening messages.If you receive such a message, consult with someone you trust about the message or report it to your local authorities.

I guess, I am running out of tips:) but I hope the above helps and I encourage you to continue and share with the community YOUR OWN PREVENTION TIPS and stories.

To a safer world!
Rodica

Your Puppy IS Teething! WHAT To Do!

Yelp! Yelping!!!!
WHAT could have happened to suddenly change Toto, My puppy’s playful mood? On closer examination I noticed blood in his mouth and some white object Hanging loose, as he continued to make heart breaking noises! Oh please, don’t swallow IT!!!

I managed to swipe IT out of Toto’s mouth and on closer examination, it was a baby tooth!

My Toto was loosing his baby teeth, also called milk teeth, which is normal when the puppy is over 4 months old.
Toto is almost five months, so he is normal, but I don’t remember having any teething dramas with other puppies I had the luck to have as companions over a life time. Toto is different!
Clearly, Toto was in pain and his teething process might require my attention to make it easier.

If at this point someone reading this post thinks “is she (me) crazy? It’s just a dog!” I ask such fictitious person to stop reading because I treat my dogs as companions, not as “just dogs.” As a result, I took the time to research and here is the summary of WHAT I learned on PetMD (www.petmd.com/dogs) specifically the article “Everything You Need To Know” by Matt Soniak and also on the AKC site.
Puppies are born toothless but quickly acquire a set of 28 teeth. They serve them well, as we all know (and probably a number of our shoes) for about 4 months.
The last to fall out are the canines and at about six months the permanent teeth erupt as soon as the baby ones fall out.
The adult dogs have a set of 48 teeth (versus only a set of 28-baby teeth.) One Could Say, dogs are toothy as compared to cats who only have 30 and humans, 32:) we better watch out!
By 8 months a dog has all his permanent teeth in.
How to care for a teething puppy?
Most times, providing adequate chewing toys is all a human could do.
WHAT constitutes an appropriate chewing toy?
The toy must be SOFT CHEW and FLEXIBLE ( must bend in your hand,) should not have sharp edges or splinters. Anything sharp could greatly harm your puppy.
PetsMart and any quality pets stores has the Chewing products clearly marked.
For instance, Nylabone BRAND has the chewing toys marked: Softer for puppy chew, and even a set of two toys, a soft chew and a medium one. Do not purchase hard chews for puppies, as they may break their teeth. This could be a problem, as the dog’s teeth roots are deep and if a tooth breaks and the roots remain in the gums, they might get infected and surgery might be necessary.
If a tooth falls and you notice blood, wash the area with warm water. I also continued to rinse Toto’s gums to make sure if he plays with leaves outside and dirt penetrates his tender gums the dirt is removed before they get infected.

WHAT you do.
Early on, get your puppy used to your hands and to touching his gums. This will help greatly later, as your dog will allow you to brush his teeth.
If you brush your dog’s teeth, use soft bristles and either just warm water or a tooth paste formulate for dogs. Do not use human paste which must be rinsed and spat and… to my knowledge, no matter how smart, dogs don’t do that:)
I guess… this is all for today!

If you have a dog ( or two, or three…) enjoy! If you don’t, consider getting a companion animal.
Pet Therapy Works!

The Tests of True Friendship

How do you define friendship?
Are your friends the people you invite to your home for drinks and dinner and to reciprocate they invite you back?
Are they those you go out with on vacations and split the costs? Even at times it’s all on you, or on them, knowing the gesture will be reciprocated because everyone in your circle of friends has equal means?
Who are your friends and beyond having “fun” together, have you tested the depth of your relationship?

My concept of friendship and its true meaning was defined early on. It wasn’t even about my friend, so thankfully the hurt was indirect, yet, still there, as a reminder…
When I was about ten years old, my father, a violent, active alcoholic, came home late at night and hit my mother. We barely escaped his violence and made it to a public phone, as in those times the world had not even dreamed of cell phones. It was dangerous to return home and mother called her best friend. The phone rang, and rang and her sleepy friend picked up at last. I saw my mother crying, trying to explain between sobs what has happened. Then there was silence. My mother was listening to her friend. In my mind of a ten-year old I knew we needed help. We needed shelter for the night and I was certain, my Mother’s friend would offer it. After all, I thought, we spent holidays together, even lovely vacations on the Black Sea…
My mother hang up the phone: ” Coca,” Mom explained, “was asleep… it is so late, she said to never call so late, under any circumstances!”
She took my hand and held it tight. We walked slowly in the night, as slowly as possible, awaiting the sun raise and light in our lives!

In those moments, walking through the dark, hoping for light, I sworn never to allow such people into my life. I made the decision to always be there for those I call friends but always to travel a two way street.

If you are committed to someone 24/7 unconditionally, the relationship must be reciprocated to be called a friendship. Otherwise, one is the “giver,” the other, “the taker.”

However, true friendship is a fine line to walk on a journey as long and complex as life…
Many times a friend falls off the social or financial status which brought you together in the beginning. Do you abandon your friend, or she, you?

Misfortunes, illnesses, financial disaster or both, as one could, and does trigger the other, might happen to anyone when you least expect it.
Are you ready to be there for your friend and is your friend ready and willing to help you unconditionally?
The TEST of true friendship could be called THE MID-NIGHT Test!
Are you and your friend willing to help each other if one of you needs help when is inconvenient for the other and no pay back is expected?

Please share your opinions and experiences concerning true friendships, so that we all learn.
Always remember, if you need emotional support about a difficult situation in your life, feel free to contact me.
God bless.

Rodica M

Holiday Anxiety, Expectations and How to Achieve Peace of Mind

A few weeks ago I signed up for Keith Matthew’s Quote of the Day. I’m the “type” who signs up for many “inspirational” programs because I need constant food for thought. At the beginning, just as in the case of new relationships, the programs are WHAT I thought they would, but after a while they don’t seem to sustain the trial of time or may be my expectations are unrealistic. For one reason or another often I unsubscribe. It is as easy as “unfriending” a Facebook friend who wasn’t a friend to start with. A trial and error, more error, unfortunally, but the few worthy friends or inspiration I keep and cherrish long term, makes it okay to be disappointed by some and move on!

Quote of the Day, by Keith Matthew is one of these fortunate exceptions!

Every morning I look forward to reading the Quote because it puts old things in a few perspective and makes me use “neuropaths” less travelled.
Today’s Quote for instance, fit perfectly the anxiety pattern the Holiday Season stirrs in me, and I know, in many others!
We are conditioned by our culture of excessive pozitivism to deny such feelings of sadness or anxiety. However, it is scientifically proven that reciting to ourselves or others positive affirmations which our subconscious mind knows are not true, is not helpful! In other words pretending to be happy might not be healthy afterall.
I believe there is an undercurrent of anxiety created by expectations, especially at this time of the year, I decided to share today’s Quote, which is:

You are not in this WORLD to live up to others expectations, nor should you feel the WORLD must live up to yours!” F. Perl

I always thought of these two statements separately, but having both together, brought a new, richer and deeper meaning to both and reinforced the belief that the best way to travel in life is on a two way street.
It highlights the truth that unless we make peace with the self, true peace is not possible. However, this is not enough, we also need to learn and stand on our own and not expect an outside force to “save” us from ourselves.
Ultimately, the only person who is with us 24/7 is the self and only when we achieve happiness in our own company, we could honestly say we are truly happy.
Selfsufficiency and no expectations from outside sources are the secrets to peace of mind.
Sounds simple, but it is one of the most difficult accomplishments in life!
If our own company is the best and the company of others is just a bonus we appreciate, but could live without. If we could be at peace without worrying that the WORLD is not giving us what we expect, or we are limitted in our material resources to give to the WORLD all that we would like, or WHAT it experts, only then the undercurrent if anxiety will stop! If we stop expecting we could “expect” true inner peace!

This Holiday Season, may we all be blessed with the Faith that we are enough and to expect nothing from the world and by following the laws of no expectations to acheive true happiness and piece of mind!

What’s In Your Refrigerator??? Weekend Dishes Ideas Using Our Great Imagination!

img_4527What’s in our refrigerators is one of my favorite on going posts, because I hope it makes us think and use our imagination before we throughaway food!
Having been in several unplesant situations lately, food was the last thing on my mind, but here I am! Today I was hungry!
What did I have in my refrigerator and pantry? Let’s see the ingredients:

Angel hair pasta
Tomatoes from my garden
Basil from my garden
Sharp cheddar cheese In the refrigerator
Flowers clipped from my Halloween display

How to prepare:
Boil the pasta on high after you add salt and oil to the water. Boil it until it’s tender.
If there is still water left, drain it and place the drained pasta in a bowl.
Chopp the tomatoes, basil and grate the cheese and mix well with the pasta. Add salt to your taste!
I think this would be even tastier if some chopped onions are added, but this is a matter of taste.
I don’t know about you, but I think food seems tastier when it looks pretty. For that reason, I decorated my pasta bowl with the mums I had left from Halloween. Of course I did not eat the flowers. As the picture shows, I placed them in a vase. They are still fresh and beautiful and lovely to look at them every morning:)

If you have “leftover ideas” you tried and they were yummy, please share with us!
Using our imagination is a good brain exercise, so it is a win- win situation!
Thank you for visiting The NUDE Truth. If you wish to subscribe please type your email in the window at your right as you face the screen.
The Nude Truth is commited to continue to tell the truth and also share ideas from ALL aspects of life.
Our goal is to make everyone’s life easier!
Please always remember KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
May God bless you.Have a nice weekend!

Rodica Mihalis, MS counseling and Clinical Psychology

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The Many Faces of Discrimination

I’m yet to meet someone who openly admits to discriminate against a person or a specific group of people.  As our culture  evolved, less and less groups may be discriminated against and a new expression was born: “Politically correct.”

Politically correct, doesn’t mean discrimination disappeared overnight or  slowly. Perhaps, it only means  it is “whispered about,” instead of “screamed out loud!”

In a country like ours, also known as “the melting pot,” the concept of discrimination should logically not even exit.  Unless one is Native American, we, or our ancestors, came here from elsewhere, for some reason, at one time or another. Yet, more than ever, the topic of discrimination is passionately debated, to admit the least.

As a first generation immigrant, I often wondered what’s “the big deal?”  I am still debating in my own mind, and decided to write about it in hopes by the time I am finished writing this post, “clarity,” or at least more understanding of the true roots of this serious issue, would become more obvious.

Who are those discriminated against?

Legally, in our culture we make a written statement on all documents that there is NO discrimination based on age, race, sexual preference, sex, disability, etc.

However, daily we hear news and  watch images of violence directed against certain groups just because they don’t conform to certain norms of acceptable. Often, we know or hear about people who were not hired because of their age or a disability, or were fired just as they were about to reach the age to qualify for certain benefits or retirement.

If life were as generous with you, as it were with me, you might even have known a person who was secretly going through the process of changing their gender. People who presented themselves as men for their 9 AM- 5 PM jobs and transformed themselves in ladies to go out of the house after dark for fear the neighbors would discover their secret.

Recently, I watched “The Imitation Game,” a historical thriller starring  Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of Alan Turing, the cryptananalyst whose work, and his team’s, during  World War II saved the lives of approximately 14 million people. Alan Turing was gay  when in England to be gay was still considered  a crime. He was given the choice to either go to prison or subject himself to hormonal therapy. He chose the latter and after a year completed suicide…His work saved the lives of millions, but no one saved his!

Volumes could be written about racial discrimination, disability, gender, but I am not aware of much having been discussed about  discrimination against a white,  educated   woman  who legally  immigrated from Europe to the United States. No one, to the best of my knowledge even thinks of such a possibility! One might be tempted to think such a person is privileged.

I might have never thought discrimination against such a person existed but I am  one of these people and my experiences of a life-time are factual.

I remember, when I was successful at my first job, which involved public speaking, and although bilingual, I have an accent, my boss’ remark was:

“When I hired you and your accent, I gambled! I thought, if the audience likes ‘IT” (my accent and me!!!) that’s great! If not, I’ll fire her!”

When a few years later I told him I was expecting a baby, he said:

” Well, that teaches me a lesson, never to hire women of child-bearing age!”

One might consider these comments insignificant, perhaps I was too sensitive, and may be compared to the horrific way other groups and people are discriminated against, what has happened to me throughout my life, pales. Not so with the event which triggered my intense thoughts about discrimination. Here is the story:

My neighbor rushed me in the E.R. of a major hospital.  The first reaction of a medical professional working in the triage  where I was rushed was to tell my neighbor,

“May be she speaks like this because she is not from here.”

He assured this medical professional I did know English  and that was not the way I spoke when I didn’t have a stroke!

The neurologist arrived in time and the miracle drug hPA was given to me. A drug which completely reversed my symptoms ONLY  BECAUSE IT WAS GIVEN within an hour from the start of the stroke’s symptoms!

In other words, if my friend was not there to speak up for me, I could have been misdiagnosed and in the best case scenario died, in the worst, become a vegetable, in a nursing home, for the rest of my life!

Discrimination…

racial

sexual

gender

disability

A combination

Has anyone thought that an European, educated woman, could have lost her life because she had an accent and someone, in the triage of an ER was BLINDED by their habit to discriminate to such a degree that  the symptoms of a stroke could have been missed?

As I  hoped,, I gained some clarity on  this topic:

I conclude that in truth, discrimination is not about the people or the groups discriminated against, but about those who have so little education, such huge egos and narrowness of minds to not understand that the world doesn’t start and end with them and their values.

As the story illustrated,  anyone could be discriminated against! It could be anyone, anywhere!  Be proud of who you are and live your lives with purpose and in peace!

Rodica M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Death Brings Us Closer To Life and GOD!

  1. imageimagePopular wisdom has it that we could not truly understand an event which we didn’t personally experience. While this truth is debatable, if one wishes to question it, one could. I belong to the group which is in agreement. The reason is simple: I know first hand  that experiencing something on a personal level made me a  better prepared listener and overall helper.

An example:

As a confused young mother I went to consult a psychologist. The first question I asked him was, “Do you have children?”  At the time, I didn’t have a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and didn’t know  there were many “schools of thought,” one of which was Freudian, and one of its basic principles was for the therapist to act detached, as a “blank wall.” When he refused to answer, I simply stood up and left the room.

Looking back from the perspective of a ature woman who raised two children and chose to try and understand the winding path of the human mind for as long as I could remember, I  admit  my first  “qualifying” question should have been, “Have you helped other parents with this type of issues,” or, ” Have you had specialized training in this area?”

Why didn’t I ask those questions? I could come up with many answers but the truth is parenting two children, twenty two months apart, had nothing to do with logic and a lot to do with emotions and the need to be validated, understood and  reassured that what I FELT was “normal.”  I was not the only  mother to feel  confused after a sleepless night,  that the focus of my universe  shifted from ME to THEM, my daughters, and no matter how much I wished to  shift it back to what it  used to be, that was unlikely to happen! Little by little, with the help of  my mothers’ neighborhood support group, we, together re-balanced our lives to fit the needs of our newly created “Suns” and “Stars.”

If you are still reading this article, you might ask yourself, where is she going with this…the title suggests death bringing us closer to life, not thoughts on motherhood!

If that’s what you are thinking, you couldn’t be closer to the truth, yet further from it!

They say, we are our thoughts but let’s explore what happens when what we take for granted, our capacity to think clearly, vanishes!!!

Close your eyes, take a deep breathe in and an even deeper breathe out and imagine… your brain as a shinny golden bubble, inside,  there are small drawers and by God’s design, we know which drawer to open  when and let out the right letters which instinctively know how to form the right words to take the correct actions at the most appropriate time.

Let’s go back to “what is the connection between motherhood and the title:

I chose the task of mothering as an example, because in my experience, there is no other more complex task in the world and it involves opening and closing so many drawers, I am in awe of all the millions of mothers who manage to juggle lives keeping some kind of order in their unique “bubbles,” as the balance of their Universe changed forever from “ME to THEM!

To accomplish this most difficult task of  motherhood, our brain, our “bubble,” must be kept functional.

Now imagine, without a cautionary sign, the very mechanism which controls our actions,  is shuttered! It happens so fast, you don’t know it is happening. Your “control panel,” doesn’t age slowly, it doesn’t change from gold to silver or cooper or rusts…It’s not one drawer which refuses to open, or some open, some don’t or they open half-way letting out meaningless crumbs.

In that moment, my world exploded! NO brain, no thoughts, only a billion pieces of particles, letters which desperately tried to get together and form words, meaning, to communicate! Instead, they floated around disoriented, unable to make a decision: Which way to look? 

I was having a stroke!

I sat at the edge of reality not certain whether I should look down, in the sewer or up to the stars.

The sewer was closer, I could smell the odor of my own human despair and there was no fear, as I had no thoughts and all was instinct.

I was on the edge and my comfort zone was to let go and dive in the unknown, walk on the shifting sands and sink deeper and deeper until I were no more…

In that crucial moment, it wasn’t my brain, as there was none, that ordered me to look up and  TRUST!

God was not done with me in this dimension, we call life! I didn’t THINK IT, I KNEW IT!

I trusted, looked up where GOD told me to look and live to tell  how it feels to have a stroke and  I ask you to trust in God and always look up!

Author’s note:

This is a true story.

On September 19, 2016 I had a stroke. They say, when it comes to strokes, “TIME IS BRAIN!”  My symptoms started as I was driving down a familiar road and I wondered why, at 2:30 PM on a Monday, there were so many bad drivers on the road. I barely drove myself home but when I tried to get out of the car, I fell. My neighbors and friends ran towards me and I attempted to tell them I needed help but although in my rapidly deteriorating “bubble,” words were forming, they didn’t come out, just sounds of despair.  They were enough and my neighbor took me to the hospital which was 5-minutes away from y home.  The right side of my face was already paralyzed. I WAS BROUGHT INTO THE Emergency Room 20 minutes from when my symptoms started. Because of the timely arrival, the doctors were able to use a clot buster called tPA.  Following the procedure I was in Intensive care for three days. 

ALL MY SYMPTOMS WERE REVERSED!

I hope if you read this article to the end, you see the connection and why

I BELIEVE DEATH BRINGS US CLOSER TO LIFE AND TO GOD!

 

TO VOTE OR NOT TO VOTE!!!! This IS the Question! USA Elections, 2016 fast approaching!

I’ll put it upfront:

There is still  time to register online and vote in this historic election!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!!!

GO right NOW to: https://iwillvote.com/register/PA  (or the state you reside in) and register by  Tuesday, October 11, 2016!

Elections are on  TUESDAY, November 8, 2016!

Why should we ALL vote and why not voting does NOT give you the right to complain whoever you wanted in the office lost!

YES! LOST BECAUSE OF YOU and everyone who doesn’t understand that by not expressing our opinion and right to vote, we actually  support whom we might not want in the office! 

Reasons not to vote:

I don’t like either! (neither do I, but pick the lesser bad!)

I don’t trust them! (Neither do I but pick the one less dangerous!)

She seems “fake” (She is! )

He might press the button and start the Third World War! (Would a Third Nuclear War option better than “she is fake”)

He is a businessman who didn’t seem to have paid federal income for 18 years and IS PROUD OF IT!!! Which makes everyone else who did pay an idiot?

She didn’t leave her husband when he cheated on her! (Let’s be serious and move on! Stale news!)

He married three times and at least wife number 1 and number 3 are beauties from Europe with sexy accents and perfect bodies. However  he wants to build a WALL between the USA and Mexico to keep foreigners out??? As IF NO one ever thought of TUNNELS!!! As if we are not a country of immigrants!

He thinks he knows more about ISIS than our Generals. (Good luck with our foreign policy!)

She had her share of mistakes and didn’t use the email system as she should have. This is bad, but how bad compared with Trump’s statement” “WOULDN’T BE NICE TO GET ALONG WITH THE RUSSIANS!!!  And his admiration for PUTIN who “admires Trump! Really, wasn’t Putin head of the famous KGB? They would say anything to flatter you and get what they want!

Well, Mr. Trump these statements alone show you understand NOTHING about how Russians think and their actions and how FAST they “liberate neighboring nations!”

I LIVED in one of these “liberated nations!” I was forced to learn Russian. I could NOT travel outside of Romania and had to defect to FREEDOM to express MY OPINIONS and I DO because I paid for these freedoms so many take for granted!

You, Mr. Trump would like to NOT invest in NATO?

IT IS NATO keeping the Russians in check!  In short, your understanding of foreign policy is ZERO!!!! It is dangerous!

I  asked recently on a Linkedin conversation,  about unnecessary shootings, why the cop didn’t shoot in the leg and NOT to KILL? First, I was told, “they” are instructed to NOT shoot in limbs.”

Should I understand the Police is instructed to shoot to kill? I doubt! Then, just because I asked the question, a man accused me of being a LIBERAL!!! As if being anything but a hard-core Conservative is CRIMINAL!!!

We are a FREE country, Mister!!! I do not attack you for your believes, do not attack me! Let’s just have RESPECT for our freedoms of thinking and expressing our thoughts!

Until that moment I never thought of my self as a Liberal or Conservative, but a PERSON WITH HER OWN JUDGEMENT!!! I still DO and am proud of it because I use MY BRAIN not others!

I still consider myself just a normal, at times confused person, who tries to UNDERSTAND and CHOOSE THE BETTER OF THE TWO CANDIDATES!

WE HAVE NO THIRD CHOICE, SO CHOOSE THE BETTER OF THE TWO AFTER YOU, YOU AND NOT YOUR FRIENDS, MEDIA OR FAMILY TELL YOU WHOM TO VOTE FOR!  Use your good judgement, look BEYOND POMPOUS promises when reality shows the opposite!

 

REGISTER NOW AND EXERCISE YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT ON NOVEMBER 8, 2016!

If you don’t… don’t complain!

Fried, Green Tomatoes! Get them Before The Mystery Critters!!!

How to cook fried, green tomatoes! Yummy!Planting tomatoes must be among the easiest gardening activitIes because it seems all beginner gardners claim success based on their crop of tomatoes. This  beginner Group included me, until this year when some critters ATE most of my tomatoes before they were ripe!

In that emergency situation, my only alternative was to make fried green tomatoes! It was green or nothing!!!

How to make fried green tomatoes!

Ingredients:

3-4 medium size green tomatoes, sliced

1-2 beaten eggs , add salt and pepper

Flour – 1 cup

Bread crumbs or fine yellow corn meal ( palenta)

1 cup vegetable oil, to fry ( you could also bake at 350)

Harvest the tomatoes before they are ripe, so the critters don’t eat them before you do!

Cut them in round, same width slices.

In three dishes pour:

In dish #1 – flour

In dish #2 – well beat eggs, salt and pepper

In dish #3- yellow corn meal or bread crumbs. Personally I LOVE palenta!

An empty plate to place the prepared tomatoe slices.

A pan with heated vegetable oil, or an oiled oven tray, if you bake, so the slices don’t stick to the tray.

Place each tomatoe slice first in flour, then in eggs, then in the yellow corn meal.

Place on  the plate.

Preheat oil in pan on, lower heat to medium, fry prepared tomatoe slices. Turn them on  both sides so they are cooked equally on each side.

When  they are done, place them on a plate, on top of paper towels, to absorb any excess  oil.

Serve hot on their own or as a side dish to fried chicken or anything your heart desires!

The point is you enjoy your tomatoes and not the critters!!!:)

If you prepare fried green tomatoes in a different way, please share with us!

Have a nice Sunday and let us know if you find ways to improve this recipe!