Magnablend is all your fault.

Yes you. You sitting there with a smirk on your face saying "Magnablend isn't my fault!" Oh yes, yes it is. I am sorry to say but it is. You are fighting it NOW but maybe this is too little too late. I am just a person. I don't know much about much. I am directly affected by this move. I see that building every time I walk out my front door. I just moved to this house too.

My last house, was about a block away from the other plant. I lived there when I was 8 months pregnant and it burst into flames. I lived there when the acrid smell of burning chemicals filled the air. I lived there when the nauseous smell of dead fish from the pond across the street from my house started to permeate the air.

The thing is... it's my fault too. It's my fault that the commissioner's are laughing behind our backs at the thought of us believing we can make a difference about what happens. It's my fault that company is walking around with it's check book open writing checks to open doors that SHOULD be closed to them. It's my fault and it's your fault. Not all of you, but most of us.

We are complacent. Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned. Does that describe you before all "this" happened? Before "this" how many of you knew the name of ONE commissioner? How many of you voted in a SINGLE county election? Not me. And you know what, when you become complacent with your government, they will walk all over you. This is proof. This is just them showing you the fruits of you labor, or lack thereof. They quietly went about doing whatever they wanted to do because they knew by the time we were ready to stop them, it'd be too late.

I am saying this and I know it is going to make some of you mad. The truth can be one of the most painful things to hear. Here is another truth for you to sink your gnashing teeth into, no matter how mad you are now, how many threats to toss them from office you make... they DO NOT CARE. They are relying on the same level of complacency that got them here to carry them through. They are depending on the fact that YOU are gonna forget, get over it, and move on. They are relying on the fact that you are NOT going to vote them out of office because they are relying on the fact that we care as little about our government now as we did before all "this" started.

I am saying this because I WANT to make you mad. I want that anger to boil over and seethe to the point that you DON'T forget. You do vote them out. It may not change "this" but it might keep us from getting obliterated in the future. You have always had these rights, they weren't taken away, they just weren't used!

Don't give up on this fight. I may say it's too little too late but I pray every single day that it is not. If it is though, I hope you allow those trucks roaring down our little street, your decreased property value and your toxic surroundings to be a constant reminder to NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN become complacent in local or national government. Despite the fact that government is FOR US, we can not trust them. Power breeds immorality and WE are the people who are in charge of keeping those in power in check.

KEEP FIGHTING!

That is all.

Financial Peace Uni-torture

Okay, I have only been to ONE class but still... It's like eating a salad instead of a cheeseburger, or going running instead of having an all day ice cream and moviethon (Neither of which I would actually do but I am trying to make a POINT). Where was I? OH yes, it's like theoretically doing either of those things, you know it's good for you, you know the benefits will be great, but it's never very fun.

We just started Financial Peace University (FPU from now on). I WISH someone would have told me it was 13 weeks... oh ma gee... that is one big commitment! For anyone with three children, two of which are small, you gotta know that it is HARD to be somewhere, on time, at night during prime dinner hours, for 13 weeks straight.

Now, having been to all of ONE class and not really knowing much about anything so far, I do know that I'm going to have to stop spending lots of money. I do know that we already cut out going out to eat COMPLETELY (unless it is an invite from someone on their dime or a birthday celebration). UGH! I want a TATER TOT! I want some lemonade from Chickfila... sweet (well sour) sour, sour lemonade... not made in my kitchen from a Country time container. The good stuff, poured straight from the teet. I want to sit in my "regular" spot at CFA and drink coffee while my kids play and don't bother me for hours on weekday mornings. I want limeades. I want to NOT cook three times a day. I want to not do dishes.

But I also want out from under debt. I want to take some great vacas with the kiddos and pay cash for cars. I want to retire and know that I can pay my bills (which will be few and far between because I will not have debt). I guess I want all that more than tater tots... most of the time.

But not right now.

That is all.

New Year, New You?

I am not really a New Year's Resolution kind of person. I think of New Year's like a birthday, it is really just another day. It is special in a way that it marks time, but nothing MAGIC happens on that day. Because it is now 2012, I will not instantly become a person that can overcome all the things I couldn't yesterday. You don't magically become older on your birthday either. Every single day of life counts and you (we) should all strive to make it do so.


In saying that, I have had some things on my heart for some time and in the spirit of the new year, I will share them.

I have thought of a lot of things I'd like to change about me lately. My life is great, but I am not really allowing it to live up to its full potential. I have a list of things that I think I need to work on but it all really boils down to one thing. I want to live a more purposeful life. To be more engaged in the every day. To be gentle with my children, understanding with my spouse, responsible with my finances. To create lasting relationships. To get on the floor and play, run in the yard, and roll in the grass. To make memories with and for my children everyday. To spend less time on my (gasp) computer and in front of my (double gasp) television.

Lately I feel like I have been sitting back watching life happen to me and others. Well, it is time to get my hands dirty and dig in because if the Mayans were right, I want to get my money's worth.

That is all.