DEDICATIONS or NOMINATIONS

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I was Nominated for the Liebster Award (again)!

I am honored to say that Girl for Animal Liberation was nominated by News for Animal Welfare for the Liebster Award (Thank you NFAW!).   🙂

Now, to be honest, I’m probably not going to nominate anyone because I am almost 100% certain  (even without fact checking) that every blogger I follow doesn’t qualify for the Liebster because they have mucho followers and have already received this award. Unless, hey, you want me to then I’ll nominate you. Just say the word.   🙂

Liebster Award RULES:

  1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
  2. Answer the 11 questions made by the person who nominated you.
  3. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.
  4. Choose 11 bloggers to pass the award to and mention them in your post.
  5. Go to their blogs and let them know that they have been nominated.

11 Random facts about Girl for Animal Liberation (a.k.a GiRRL_Earth)

  1. The older I get (I’m currently 46) the more Goddamn snarky and cynical I become.  But what do you expect? I wasn’t born this way, mkay?
  2. I think people who harm animals should be executed – no talking your way out of it.
  3. I love-LOVE living alone with my six cats.
  4. I prefer animals to people.
  5. I don’t mind finding cat hair in my food, but Lord help the restaurant if I should find human hair in something I’m eating!!!!
  6. Being a vegan is as natural to me as breathing.
  7. I’m addicted to Breaking Bad (no pun!)
  8. I lost 11 lbs just by giving up oil in my diet (and yes that includes: Olive Oil!).
  9. My favorite movie is Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.
  10. When I go to bed, I like to spoon with my 22 lb Seal Pointe Siamese cat named Seti
  11. I think people who lie and deceive should be drawn and quartered! And I’m not talking about the kind of lies like, “Does this dress make me look fat?” and you lie and say, “No.” I’m talking big-time lies like who you are. What you’re doing. Where you grew up. Etc… lies that are so egregious, they are unforgivable and text book pathological.  As in Pathological Narcissistic.  
  12. BONUS:  I wish the world would come to an end so I can start smoking again.

Questions from NFAW:

  1. What is your favourite childhood memory?  I don’t have one. I’m trying to block those years out. 
  2. What is your inspiration behind your blog? The inspiration came after a health crises — two major fucking surgeries in one year I decided it’s time to rid my body and home of anything unnatural. Initially I started blogging about living green until I realized I needed to be the voice of the voiceless. 
  3. If you had 1 million dollars what would you do with it? Pay off my mortgage, buy a small house for my mom and invest the rest and then donate some of the return to various animal welfare organizations. 
  4. What is the one piece of advice you would, or have given your children? I don’t have children.  My advice? DON’T HAVE CHILDREN. 
  5. What is your favourite book?  I don’t have a favorite.  I have read and loved countless books over the years (and no, the Bible is not one of them).
  6. If you had one wish what would it be?  For a pandemic that wipes out all of mankind but spares the animals. 
  7. Where is your favourite place? My home – I am a complete and utter unabashed homebody.
  8. What is something amazing you have seen on a blog? Too many to list. I have been inspired, saddened, encouraged, as well as had some serious belly aching laughs over some of the blogs I follow.     🙂
  9. What do you hope to achieve by writing your blog? To open people’s eyes and make them aware of the egregious acts taking place towards animals and to show them they have other choices.
  10. If you had the opportunity to go into space, would you? HELL NO!
  11. What is your favourite song on your iPod right now? You mean my iPhone? A meditation my life coach made for me.  I use it twice daily in conjunction with my Mindfulness App.

🙂

 

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Receiving and Giving the Shine On Blog Award

Girl for Animal Liberation has been honored with the Shine On Award courtesy of: Paula’s Pontifications. 

Rules for accepting the award:

  • Link back to the person (or people) who nominated you.
  • Add the award logo to your blog.
  • Share seven things about yourself.
  • Nominate 10 – 15 bloggers, and link to them, and tell them about their nomination.

Seven things about Girl for Animal Liberation:

 1.)  I have been a vegan for exactly 2 years and 4 months and instead of human children, I have furry children and their name are: Seti, Sammy, Aziz, Anubis, Mother Teresa and Buddy

2.)   I have been rescuing animals since I was a little girl (along side my dad) and my first foray into animal rights was in high school when I stumbled upon an issue of The Animal’s Voice Magazine

3.)  I prefer the company of animals to people.

4.)  My family hails from the old country: Italy – Acquaro, Calabria and Mecina, Sicily.

5.)  Most people don’t realize this about me, but I am primarily an introvert (however, I recently read that even introverts have some extrovert qualities in them as not everyone can be all one or the other).  For most of my life I have been misunderstood and labeled any one or all of the following: Snobby, Self-Centered, Strange, Standoff-ish and the like.  I am not a snob, or self-centered; however, sometimes I can be standoff-ish, especially if I am not comfortable (feeling comfortable is a big thing with introverts).  Generally, I take time to warm up to people as I do not make fast friends. I do not trust easily so if I do happen to trust you, consider it an honor – seriously, I’m not kidding nor am I trying to be snarky.  Also, despite my tendencies towards introversion, I love to give hugs.  Go figure.

6.)  I hate talking on the telephone, unless it is with someone I am really comfortable with and have known for a long time.

7.)  I suffer from social phobia and more often than not I will decline an invitation to a social event. It usually takes some serious cajoling from friends to get me to change my mind.

Bonus:

8.)  I cannot wait to ditch my ex-married last name and go back to my maiden name that literally DRIPS olive oil! 

My picks for the Shine On Award!!

I do not follow a lot of bloggers; however, the ones I do follow are special to me.  I am going to omit any bloggers I follow that have already received this award and focus on those who have yet to receive it.

1.)   Blue in This Light.  Blue and I have become quite close over the past month or so.  He and I share the same passion for animals and disdain for the human race.  If it wasn’t for Blue, I would have never learned of Amand Lollar and Bat World Sanctuary.  Which he wrote about in this post Juggernauts versus Underdogs. Blue is also a very  talented writer

2.)   Exposing the Big Game Jim Robertson of Exposing the Big Game has written a book (of the same name) and is a brilliant wild life photographer.  Since discovering Jim’s blog, I have learned that animals have very little rights or protection and if hunters had their way (and they pretty much do) the earth would void of  all animals, except humans!  Noodle on that the next time you dismiss hunters and/or protection for endangered animals.  If Jim taught a class in college I’d be in the front row and if he ran for office I’d give him my vote!

 3.)   Teeny Bikini a.k.a. The Jiggly Bits What can I say about TB/TJB other than when I need a good gut wrenching laugh, I nav on over to her site.  She says it like it is and what she does say, most of us are thinking but are too afraid to say out loud.  Teeny you are my hero!

 4.)    I thought I knew everything there was to know about animal exploitation until I stumbled across  the following Bloggers: 

  1. Our-Compass;
  2.  Florence Eaise;
  3. Ann Novek-with the sky as the ceiling and the heart outdoors;
  4. Fight for Rhinos;
  5. Animals Deserve to Live 

5.)    When I need a break from all things “animal rights” I love to nav on over to World in Motion.   Scott Erb’s Blog is always an education on all that is going on in the world.  Like Exposing the Big Game, if Scott taught here in Boston, I’d be in the front row of his class.

6.)    3 Kids 2 Cats 1 Divorce just Like Teeny Bikini I can always count on her for a good laugh at the things  most people take far too serious.

Shine On bloggers!         🙂

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Oh and is anyone watching/following Mr. Selfridge?  It’s finally starting to get goooooooooood!  🙂

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Five Questions for NittyGrittyDirtMan (based on his nomination by moi for the Leibster Award)

Last week I nominated NittyGrittyDirtMan for the Leibster Award.  He responded back asking if I was supposed to come up with 11 questions.  

Here is a copy of our conversation:

____________________________________

Hey there!

I nominated you for the Liebster Award. Please don’t kill me for doing so (ha-ha!) and don’t feel like you have to respond.

__________________________________

Soooooooooooo without further adieu, here are NGDM’s Five Questions:

 

  1. At what point in your life did you realize you had a talent for gardening?
  2. What is the hardest plant you have ever grown and did it live or die under your care?
  3. What were you feelings when a newly remodeled, reshaped, totally buff, tragically blonde Madonna hit the scene with her new Album: True Blue?
  4. While attending a party of friends and acquaintances, and you happen to overhear someone make a derogatory remark about LGBT, how would you handle that situation? Would let it slide or would you call that person on the carpet?
  5. And lastly, if you were granted a super power, which power would you choose? Why? And what would you do with this power? 
  6. Bonus Question: Do you follow Downton Abbey? If so, who is your favorite Character? 
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Leeb-stir Award

Last week, this lovely lady at Post Grad Problems nominated me for the Leibster Award. Say what? Yep, that’s right Leeb-stir Award.  Due to the fact I am a blog noob and an old dog, I hadn’t a clue as to what this is, nor do I have any idea as to how to tell how many followers a blogger has. Evidently, a blogger must have under 200 followers in order to meet the criteria of a nomination.   Under 200 followers? Yep, that sounds about right.  I think I have about 20 followers, if that… maybe 5 and I’m just hoping for 20.  😐

liebster

If I may nick what Post Grad Problems wrote, here is the gist of the Liebster Award, in her eloquent, young words:

“Liebster (pronounce: leeb – stir) means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.  The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The rules for accepting are as follows:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.

3. Choose 11 people you think deserves the Liebster award and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them.”

*******

So in accordance with the Liebster Rules, I am supposed to answer Post Grad’s Questions as well as post new questions for my nominees. However, seeing as I am at work, I am going to use Post Grad’s questions rather than take the time to come up with my own.  Sorry Post Grad.

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1. Which art form offers you the truest expression for yourself? Pencil/charcoal. I’m an art school drop out but when I used to draw/sketch, I preferred only two mediums:  pencil or charcoal.

 

2. In that art form, what is your most honest piece of expression? Back in high school, which was the 1980s, that’s right I said EIGHTIES!  I had done some YSL fashion illustrations — to this day, I still have them and had I followed through with art school, fashion illustration would have been my career objective.

 

3. What always makes you laugh?

My cats, Azz and Eddie Izzard — the absolutely funnies fucking comedian on the planet.

 

4. What always makes you cry?

Egregious animal abuse — all animals, including farm animals.

 

5. What is one thing that you can’t do that you’d love to be able to do?

Oh boy, I am only allowed to name one? Yesh! Let’s see… ok, well for the sake of snark, how about pee standing up like a man.  Sorry, this is the best I could come up with.

 

6-7. What is your favorite book? Why does it affect you so?

Only one?  Again: Yeesh!  Hmmmmm,  ok, well the one book that had the greatest impact on me was:  The Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer — it enabled me to do the work I needed to move forward and be a better person.

 

8-9. What is your favorite movie or play? Why does it affect you so?

Favorite movie:  Rear Window — I can and do watch this movie over and over and over…

 

10. If you were given the opportunity to spend one more day with a friend or family member who has passed away, what would you do?

My Nonna, on my mother’s side. I would spend the entire day cooking and baking.

 

11. If you had won the $580 million Power Ball jackpot last night, what would you be doing today?

Ooooh good question because I know exactly what I would do:

  1. Call my financial planner
  2. Pay off the mortgage on my house and condo
  3. Give a million or two to: my dad, mother, brother and Azz
  4. Give a some to the Farm Sanctuary and my local animal chapters
  5. Go back to college and finish my art degree
  6.  Open a vintage shop
  7. Make sure I invest wisely so as to not lose it all  in five years, which I read (thanks Scott) is what often happens

 

My nominations are….

…um… I’m drawing a blank.   I have to be honest, because I haven’t a clue as to how to go about figuring out how many followers a blogger has, and based on their popularity, I’m going to fetch a guess that all of the blogs I nominate, have blogs that exceed the <200 follower requirements — oh well, what can I say except: shoot me!

To that end, I nominate:

VedgeOut 

NittyGrittyDirtMan

BookPeeps (my first follower)

iRuniBreath

DispatchesfromtheGypsyRoller

KnockedoverbyaFeather

3kids2cats1divorce

Scott Erb

FrugalFeeding

Morning Warmup

Congratulations all, please don’t kill me for nominating you…

liebster-award

 

liebster

 

 

 

 

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Nitty Gritty Dirt Man

Beautiful Blogger Award 

A few weeks ago,  the very kind and sweet NittyGrittyDirtMan sent me a message to say he nominated me for The Beautiful Blogger Award and I failed to make mention of. What a bitch, right? I had intended on mentioning it, I pinky swear, but one thing led to another and it fell to the way side. (Shame on me!) When I received NGDM’s note, I was touched (awe).  Honestly, I was. Never in a million years would I ever consider my blog worthy of such recognition, especially by someone whose blog is levels above what my blog could ever hope to be.  Sounds pathetic but I’m serious. My blog has been morphing since it’s inception in 2011 and lately it seems to be all over the map.

So how did I get here from there? Well kids, my blog journey began July 2011.  I was riding the commuter train home from Boston one evening reflecting on my life.   Health-wise, I lived through what I like call, a shit-storm, especially during the latter part of 2010.  Kiddies, the fact I’m still standing is a fucking miracle. That’s right, I said, MIRACLE!  When I think about what my poor body has been through, I am amazed.

Inspiration comes from the strangest of places.  For some, it takes a wake up call and as a result, I became a vegan. This is also the reason why harsh chemicals no longer reside in my home.  I couldn’t help but wonder if what happened to me was due to environmental contaminates in my food, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies.  It was during this time, I discovered Ask a Broke-Ass Grouch’s blog. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Reading through her blog made me realize she was living a defacto green lifestyle.  Suffice it to say, I was in awe (she had me at: “Let me put it in fucking perspective for you”)  Further inspiration came from the death of my brother. His death, my health, Broke-Ass Grouch’s blog and Voila! GiRRL-Earth was born (Waaaaaaa!).  [Would you believe, the acronym came to me as I was washing dishes (go figure).]  GiRRL_Earth:  Grow it. Re-use. Recycle. Love our Earth.  Ooooooooooh two snaps and a circle, uh-huh, that’s right.   The initial platform of my blog was to write about living a green lifestyle: ixnaying chemical cleaners, reducing one’s carbon footprint, growing vegetables… etc. Or so I thought. Little by little, vegan consciousness started creeping into my blog…and then stories about the egregious treatment to farm animals; recipes, and then, well… vintage slipped in and before I could see what was happening, my blog morphed into a ‘mashup’ of all the things I am passionate about: Green Living; Vegan Living; Food; Animal Rights & Abuse; Cats; My house; Ballet; Blogs who inspire me; and all things 1950s vintage.

I don’t know how it happened, but I began to attract followers to my blog. [Miracles do happen ya know.]  I can recall a time when my blog was like a fart in the wind. No one had heard of it.  Now I have some really groovy, talented, inspiring followers whose blogs totally rock.  I am in such awe of these people that I have a feeling most if not all of them have been nominated a hundred times over already so my nominating them will probably feel like this:  Again?! Jesus, not another nomination?!?!  “…Fucking nuts! I long for a grapefruit! – He seemed to say.” – Sorry I couldn’t help myself but to throw in an Eddy Izzard reference.

In accordance with the beautiful blogger award parameters I am supposed to reveal seven things about me, as well as nominate other bloggers. 

Seven things about me:

1.)   For the past two years I have been a vegan (former vegetarian). My health. A death. Alicia Silverstone’s book: The Kind Diet and Forks over Knives all inspired me to become a vegan. Despite the fact I was a vegetarian, I was still eating dairy and occasional fish. About six months after becoming a vegan, 15 lbs melted off my body and I feel so much clearer.  It is difficult to convey but since abstaining from all things animal, I feel a sense of clarity I never had before. Becoming a vegan has been a win-win for me.

2.)   I am an animal rights volunteer/activist (and the property of five fury felines). I have always been an animal lover/rescuer but now I give more of my $$ assisting local shelters as well as The Farm Sactury –most recently I adopted a turkey named Gable.

3.)   Seven years ago, I got back into ballet and have been faithfully dancing since.

4.)   I believe in a power greater than myself. I do not subscribe to organized religion or an Omnipotent God, but I do believe in energy, karma and spirituality.

5.)   I learned to forgive; to take the high road; and to not become tangled up in insipid drama. Life’s too short – if you feel the need to sling mud and cause trouble, do yourself a favor, take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself “What is missing from my life that I have to create such trouble for others?”

6.)   December 2004 I quit my corporate job to attend culinary school with a focus on pastry arts. Although I am no longer working in the field, this was the best experience ever!

7.)   I am a fan of Hitchcock, Bogie & Bacall, Edith Head, Mad Men and 1950s vintage

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And now for the nominations: Below is a list of bloggers/blogs that inspire me and therefore I must nominate.

First and foremost: Ask a Broke-Ass-Grouch [Full Disclosure: I inadvertently left her out when I initially posted this! How could I have done that when she is/was the inspiration for this blog?!?!    😦

BookPeeps BP & I found each other because her blog was Freshly Pressed  after writing about the death of Helen Gurley Brown and I had literally just read a post by another writer about the very same topic (Barbara Lippert’s Mad Blog” http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/180868/helen-gurley-brown-polarizing-mix-of-mad-mens.html (normally I would link you to BookPeeps post about HGB but I cannot find it.)

Next is Somer, of VedgedOut.   I honestly do not know how Somer and I found one another – had she commented on something I had posted or vice versa.  Oh wait, perhaps we found each other via her other co-blog:  http://goodcleanfood.wordpress.com/  Either way,  I find inspiration from Somer almost every single day.  This girl is my hero. 

NittyGirttyDirtMan.  NGDM blogged about 9/11 on the anniversary of 9/11 and as a result was Freshly Pressed. Had his blog not been FP’d, I may not have discovered him.  I have a feeling, if NGDM and I lived closer, we would be friends as we seem to be of the same generation and have the same interests in music, books and movies. Of course, putting myself in the same playing field as NGDM could be viewed as an insult. Not only is he a beautiful, inspiring writer but an incredible gardener!  Have you ever seen the movie A Fish Called Wanda when Wanda’s “brother” Otto tells Wanda  not to call him stupid and she says,  “Oh, that’s right because calling you stupid, would be an insult to stupid people.” Well I feel, putting  myself in the same playing field with NGDM would like that… an insult.

Thanks to my adorable, young, brilliant, talented, graphic designer co-worker Erica, I learned of Manhattan-Nest.   When I am having a bad day or in need of a good guffaw, I nav on over to MN.  This kid is funny as shit and a true hero in my book because he saved a homeless dog from the streets of NYC http://manhattan-nest.com/2012/07/31/linus/ Anyone who follows my blog clearly knows my stance on animals.  They rule!

Irunibreath How did I discover iRuniBreath? Was she FP’d like so many others? I honestly cannot recall but this girl is a riot. She writes about stuff we all think but don’t dare say, or if we do muster the courage to say what we are thinking, we only do so in selected company.  iRuniBreath throws balls to the wall and says what we all wish we could say.  I have a feeling IRIB and Somer of VedgedOut are kindred spirits. These two women are amazing – they are doing it all:  wife, mother, career, blogger, athlete, vegan cook – and they make it look so darn easy!  Argh! I hate them in a love kind of way…    😉

ElroyJones this woman took the time to blog about a very painful experience that happened to her when she was in her 20s, while staying in Italy.  To blog about something so painful takes a tremendous amount of courage.

BipolarBlogging  BPB was recently FP’d because he wrote about his decision to end it all and then managed to write (or blog) himself out of the abyss.  BPB wears his disease like a 2nd skin – he says the disease and he are one. I disagree. I think there is the man and then the disease.  BPB comes across as downtrodden. He has a very low opinion of himself, but I can see through is writing that he is so much more than he gives himself credit for.

MorningWarmUp   MWU fuond me because I had left a comment on Somer’s blog asking about running.  Seeing as I had just taken up the sport, I needed some guidance.  MWU’s blog is a wealth of info regarding running, health & fitness.  Coincidence that I have attracted three runners into my life: Somer; iRuniBreath and MorningWarmUp? I think not.

InPursuitofMore (while living with a lot less)  Somer led me to IPM’s very touching blog about shopping addiction.  InPursuit was a woman who had it all, and yet still felt empty. She tried to fill the void with shopping, until she realized, she had a problem. Admitting you have an addiction takes strength, no matter what the addiction is and to share it with the world takes true courage.

TheFrailestThing   if Michael Sacasas was a college professor here in Boston, I would sign up for his class in a heartbeat. Most of what Michael writes about is so over-my-head that it leaves a part in my hair as it flies over – seriously, this guy can write!

In his own words: “Currently, I’m a working through a PhD program vaguely titled “Texts and Technology,” so much of what will pass through these pages will relate in some way or another to the interaction between technology and culture. My aim in thinking and writing about technology is, so far as it is possible, to achieve the critical distance necessary to make wise and humane use of technology; and neither unbridled optimism nor thoughtless pessimism regarding technology foster the sort of critical distance required to live wisely with technology. Before beginning my present track of study, I earned an MA in Theological Studies. And so another theme you will find running through this blog is the exploration of technology’s influence on communities of faith, particularly within the Christian tradition. Ultimately, I am interested not only in living wisely with technology, but also in living faithfully with technology.”

And last but not least importantly:

My best (and long time) friend Wheeza (nickname), started a blog: stupes_insips_rants   Sadly, Wheeza hasn’t had much time to devote to his blog because during the day he whiles away the hours as a corporate accountant; and during his off hours he writes movie and music reviews for Edge Magazine in Providence while patiently (and secretly) waiting for Pat Benatar and Neil Gilrado to adopt him.

So there you have it folks…

🙂

-GE

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My brother died on Halloween

The anniversary of my brother’s death is approaching. I am reminded of this every Halloween because he passed away on October 31, 2010.

My brother had a hard life that started from a very young age.  He had a learning disability but people didn’t know about those things back then. He was born in 1959 and grew up in the 60s and 70s.  Back then, issues such as my brother’s were ignored.  [If I had to guess,I would say he suffered from a form of what is now known as Asperger  Syndrome or something along those lines. ] Adding to this, he was also nearly blind. He wore the traditional “coke bottle glasses”. His eyesight issues went unrecognized until 1st or 2nd grade(?).  Imagine? Poor kid.  He had a hard time right out of the starting gate.  My parents were ill-equipped to handle my brother’s issues.  They paved a road to Hell with my brother.  Had he been raised by Mrs. Forrest Gump, there’s no telling how his life may have turned out. I suspect a heck of a lot different than it did.  “You’re no different. You’re just like everybody else.”  Sadly, my mother didn’t subscribe to this philosophy.  When your kid was different, you ignored the problem.  My brother was different. As a teenager and young adult, he got into a heap of trouble. Scratch that — heaps of trouble.

His life turned for the better when he got married and became a dad.  If there is one immutable truth about my brother it is: he wanted a family and stability – it was something he always craved because growing up, we never had it. Say what you want about my downtrodden brother but he loved his kids – loved them.  There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them.  Most people who knew my brother hated him. That was pretty apparent at his funeral too. Those who showed, did so out of respect for my parents, checking their issues with my brother at the door.  Those are good people.  The assholes who couldn’t be bothered to show up (and you know who you are), well you can go *&^%$#@!~^&**%$

My brother was a heavy smoker. I believe he started when he was 13(?).  That’s what killed him, well sort of.  He was diagnosed with lung cancer but it spread to his brain.  Of course, had he had health insurance, he may have been able to receive better care, but he didn’t.  He also didn’t have a home. He was homeless.  He wound up getting divorced, and lost his home to his wife and 3 kids.  He didn’t earn enough money to support 2 households so he lived out of his truck.  We did what we could to help him but the thing about my brother was, if you helped him, you enabled him and he would stop trying and essentially that’s what he did, he stopped trying and gave up.  It wasn’t long after that when he was diagnosed with lung cancer which then spread to his brain. He was dead a year later.

During the funeral, it was gut-wrenching to look at my parents. I swear they both aged 20 years in just a few days.  My father and brother never got along — too much anger and resentment. Sadly, they were never able to clear the air.  The week my brother went into hospice, my dad stood by his bedside every single day. My 82-year-old Korean War Veteran father stood next to my brother’s bed, with his hand on my brother’s forehead as if he was trying through osmosis to have a conversation with my brother — who drifted in and out of consciousness. It was almost as if my father hoped via his touch, he could clear the air between the two of them. A conversation they should have had a long time ago.

The day I received the news my brother was going into hospice, was two days before I was scheduled to have major surgery.  I wound up in the ER, not once, not twice but three times in less than 2 weeks. Two days before my surgery, my brother goes into hospice – can you believe the timing?  Upon waking in recovery (after a five-hour surgery) I learned I needed to have another operation – great. [I’ll spare you the details of my health crisis in 2010.]  I didn’t tell my parents what was going on with me; I couldn’t. They were about to lose one child due to cancer. Imagine if I told them they might lose another? It would have been cruel. So as I said, my brother died on Halloween 2010 and I stood at my brother’s grave, three days post-op on a cold, miserable, rainy November day. It was awful. Not because of my condition but because I had to watch my mother, father, my other brother, an ex-sister-in-law, two nephews and one niece bury a son, a brother, an ex- husband and a father.  Brutal!

I made a promise to myself that every year on the anniversary of my brother death; I would write a post in his memory so as to remind myself that none of us knows how much time we have on this planet. We all think we have oodles of time and often live for the future instead of enjoying the present. Some people sadly enough, live too much in the past. Since my brother’s death and my health crisis I try to focus on the now. I no longer put things off for the future.  If there is something you want to do/try/experience, you should do, whatever it is, NOW – don’t wait. And lastly, if there is someone you want to clear the air with, you should definitely do that now. Don’t put it off, for you may not get the chance. Learn from my father and brother.

GiRRL_Earth October 28, 2012

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Seven Things About Me Award

I was nominated by bookpeeps  for the Seven Things About Me Award. (Thank you BookPeeps!) please be sure to check out her blog.  Because I enjoy her blog as well as spreading the news about other terrific bloggers. I would like to nominate the following bloggers for the Seven Things About Me Award as follows:

 

Do you enjoy reading blogs by people who are brilliant writers (to which I am not)? If so, then check out these fantastic bloggers:

 

Do you enjoy a good laugh, snark and sarcasm by an amazingly creative and talented decorator/DIY-er? Well then please check out:

 

He hasn’t blogged in a long time but my aspiring writer friend Kenny (a.k.a Wheeza) has a blog:

(I’m hoping sending traffic to his blog will inspire him to write again.)

 

Although, she has taken a break from blogging, I find myself turning to this spectacular woman when I need inspiration or advice on all things vegan and/or green living.  Allow me to introduce you to:

 

Because Somer “liked” my recipe for Vegan Polenta Seitan Casserole, I am now following her collaborative informative blog called:

 

And lastly,  allow me to introduce you to the woman who was not only the inspiration for my blog, but is also a writer, (published a fantastic book entitled: In spite of Everything: A Memoir, by Susan Gregory Thomas Random House July 2011).

 

And now for the Seven Things About Me:

1.)   For the past two years I have been a vegan (former vegetarian).

2.)    I am an animal rights volunteer/activist (and the property of five fury felines).

3.)    Seven years ago, I made a promise and commitment to myself to get back into ballet and I have been faithfully attending classes ever since.

4.)    I believe in a power greater than myself.

5.)    I learned to forgive and to not respond or react to hateful people.

6.)    December 2004 I quit my corporate job to attend culinary school with a focus on pastry arts.

7.)    I like to pursue things that interest me. You only get to go around this ride called life once, so you might as well get the most out of it.

 

In closing, here are the rules:

  1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
  2. Tell everyone seven things about yourself.
  3. Choose other blogs that you think deserve the award, and post a comment on their blog to let them know they have been nominated.

Thanks you again, BookPeeps!  🙂

 

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In Memoriam: my brother Michael

In memory of my brother Michael, who passed away one year ago today (October 31, 2010) after having lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 51. I am writing this post, in his memory. I hope my brother is in a better place, watching over his kids, chatting it up with both sets of Nonni, my Aunt Pat, and many many other relatives who have since passed on.