South Carolina Politics

So as a resident of South Carolina I am beginning to wonder if anyone takes us seriously? And really, how could they? Let's see. We had the 2007 Miss Teen USA contestant that could not produce a coherent statement if her life depended on it. VIDEO HERE. Way to go SC Educational System, way to go.

Recently we have had our Governor disappear only to be found in the arms of an Argentinean woman - Guess that could have been OK, had he not been married and publicly touted his religious and moral beliefs as the basis for his political career in SC. So now he is divorced and there should be no reason to "go missing" and yet. Poof. He was gone again, and where-o-where was he found? You guessed it Argentina. For goodness sakes. He's not even smart enough to know he doesn't have to hide...

Now we have the militarily discharged, unemployed (receiving unemployment benefits), living at home with his parents, criminally charged Alvin Green as the democratic hope for the US Senate. Are you serious? So what, do you ask, are his plans for SC should he win the November 2010 senatorial race? This is do good, I'm surprised no one has thought of it before... His grand idea on how to turn around unemployment (which he is a part of mind you) and to bring back to glory our sad economic life, is to - get this - sell action figures of himself. Yep. Mini Alvin Greenes. Can't you just hear your kids now as they make out their Christmas lists?

Dear Santa,
I have been a very good boy/girl this year and I think that I have earned any of the stuff I am going to list here:
A Pony
a nicer big brother
a bb gun
world peace

Oh and if you can swing it, can I get an Alvin Greene Action figure? I don't want the one with the AF or Army uniform, not even the senator's suite, but I would love the one of him in the orange jumpsuit from when he was arrested for showing a young girl porn on a public library computer!!! Please, Please, Please, i promise I won't ask for anything else!

Love,
Johnny/Susie

Anyway, if you want more details on the absurd plans for the dolls, Here ya go...

Alvin Greene Announces His Economic Stimulus Plan for South Carolina - Alvin Greene Action Figures

To Kill a Mocking Bird Renewed

CLICK HERE to read a wonderful story and remember why this books is still around and considered one of the best pieces of literature ever written.

Absent

For those of you that have checked in here and not seen anything new for a while, I have been working on a freelance project that took me far and away from my personal writing endeavors. The project was much more than I had expected and it took much, much longer than I had anticipated. 


So it's now complete and I am going to take a few days to enjoy myself and my family before I return to doing the kind of writing that I want to do. The type of writing that is appealing to me and other readers and not that dictated by others and held within specific guidelines and boundaries. 


To all of you that sent me a personal message, thank you for your care and concern. My Blog family may be small but it is clear that we are caring. I am thankful to have each of you as a part of it. 

Published Photos

I normally only list my published works on my Freelance Obsession page, but I love these pictures and wanted to let everyone have access to the link. CLICK HERE to see the slideshow, and if you are interested, here is the link to the article that accompanies the photos.


Thank you to all of you who show your support of my budding freelance career by reading or viewing my articles. I welcome all comments and feedback both here on the blog and on all my articles and photos.

Foods for thought

Ok, so it is no secret to all that know me: I am not a small woman. I'm not excessively large by any means, but I have a more robust appearance that I would like. It is because of this that I have been watching more of what I eat and attempting to increase the amount of physical movement that I do each day. So far so good, and I do feel better, both mentally and physically. The hardest part of my attempt at transformation has been the food issues.

So this has got me thinking about what each food may do for me.

I find that if I eat protein (eggs, chicken, etc) that I have more energy almost immediately. Ok, no shocker there. We all know from junior high health class that protein = energy, but some of the other things I've noticed about food, I don't remember being told about in any class.

Milk, cheese and other dairy after a work out prevents cramping in my muscles.
Citrus fruits eaten before I sit down to write articles seams to promote creativity and the flow of ideas.
Mint, lavender, and rose smelling and tasting foods (or naturally flavored foods) relax and settle my mind - allow my to sleep more restfully, limiting the need for sleep aid medications.
Caffeine and Chocolate make me feel more run down, something that I would have never thought. Especially b/c they promote caffeine to keep people up and wired. The only real great thing that I have found with the two is their ability to get rid of a headache. I thought I would miss them when I cut them out of my diet, but really, I haven't. Like I said the times that I have had them, I just feel crappy.
I've started to eat a lot more fish (which I should have been doing all along given that I live on the east coast of SC), and I have found that my hair has a lot more body, softness, and looks all together more healthy.
I've cut out almost all salt and butter, and I will admit that I taste foods more. What I mean is there is a natural flavor to certain foods that I had never tasted before simply because it was being masked by all the butter, salt, pepper, ketchup, etc. I have become more of a fan of the natural flavor of foods. A good example of this was when I made green beans the other night - my normal routine would have been to blanche them in a salt water solution, then saute them in butter and salt. This time I simply washed and steamed them, the favor was very basic, but the point is, I could taste the vegetable - not the butter and salt. I guess another benefit of cutting out the butter has been that foods don't taste, or feel as heavy. Grant it, you can still get that overly stuffed, unbuckle your pants, feeling if you eat too much of anything (steamed green beans included) but if you stop with your preset amount of food, or even when you are simply full, then I have noticed that there is almost no slug like feeling that overcomes me.

So there are many other foods that I have found there to be a benefit for, and I think that they are pretty much the things that most people know - heck most may even know about the ones that I have listed here, but I thought I would share and see if there were any suggestions, agreements, or comments about foods. I'm always open for ideas on how to continue my journey to a better, healthier me!

Hypocrite or Hippocratic?

Today I completed my article about the debate and controversy stemming from the differences of traditional medicine and that of alternative, homeopathic treatments. (CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE) What spurred me to write it was the report by the source The Telegraph in the UK about the medical community passing a blanket ban on all homeopathic and holistic teaching. One chairman actually called homeopathy "witchcraft".


Being a part of the traditional medical field, I am not one that subscribes to the healing powers of crystals and electromagnetic therapy, but I do not fault others who do. In researching and writing the article, I found that there are more techniques that the commonly known practices of homeopathy. Some of the practices I myself do on a daily bases: Meditation, Yoga, etc. I do them because I know from my previous psychology training that these are ways to focus the mind and body are good for mental health as well as physical health.


Even with this information, I still would not describe myself as a homeopathic believer or follower. I would sill not choose to seek medical advise from someone other than an MD. Heck, I have trouble just seeing a resident when I go to the Medical University Of South Carolina. So I ask this - Since I practice homeopathic techniques at home in my private space, but would not recommend them to a person in my public life, does that make me a hypocrite?


While I am not a medical doctor myself, I do strongly believe in the ethics set forth by the hippocratic oath, which in summation states to do no harm. I try to bring this philosophy into my professional life as I work with patients, my public life when I am out with family and friends, and my private life when I am at home with husband and child. Perhaps it is this respect for life, and the other people in it, that has me so angered by the statement of Dr. T. Dolphin. He is the British MD that declared homeopathic practices to be "Witchcraft". I feel that it flies in the face of the impartial opinions that a medical physician should hold while addressing the public, but hey, maybe they do things different in the UK.


You know, the more that I think about it, I am not sure that Dr. Dolphin has any idea about "witchcraft" anyway. Most, albeit not all, people who practice witchcraft as a religion are earth based people who believe that life and the environment are precious. Giving the term witchcraft a negative connotation is unfair and ignorant of the religion behind it. Perhaps this is where I am a hypocrite again... I have studied and researched Wicca and other religions that practice some form of witchcraft. I find their beliefs to be very sincere, their views defendable, and will continue to advocate for their rights to practice a religion that is not in the "mainstream", however, I am a Christian and can not believe that there is not one omnipotent and powerful God.


Ok so is there a middle ground that I could be considered a part of? How about Hypo-cratic? I think that is along the lines of a republicrat...Oh man, politics are best left for another entry. I'm not sure I want to make that leap.

Thank You!

Thanks to all those that visited my blog and especially those that have chosen to follow me. The Blog Jog was absolutely successful and I received many page views on my freelance articles. Since I am only a few paces off the starting line in my writing career, the support of my friends, family and followers (and visitors) means so much!


Again, Thank you to all and I will have some new material on here soon!

Blog Joggers...

Welcome!! 
Please take a moment to look around my blog and read a few of the things that I have floating around!

If you are a seasoned blogger, then you know how to find your way around, but for those that are just becoming a part of the blogging world: Don't forget to use the archive navigation tools on the right-hand side and the list of pages above!!  If you like some of what you see, please become a follower! This site is still in it's infancy, but I hope to continue to grow with the support of visitors and followers like you! 

Once You have taken a look around, Jog on over to the next site by 
CLICKING HERE

Thanks and please enjoy The Orbs Of Wonder!

Separation

"If I could sleep then I could dream and live a life that is unseen. Away from stress and separation across the ocean's wide partition." ~MLH~


This was written while Matthew was serving in Iraq (2006), and while I realize this is old, it is one of my favorite short poems I have ever written. I found it today when I was looking for some papers in the mess that is my office. I am usually terrible at poetry, but this is proof that if the subject is worthy, the muse will make herself known. 

New Design

TWS has a new look! I had a little too much fun with a photo program for the background, but I am completely happy with the result!


Hope you take a moment and check it out!

Click Here To Read The Wandering Soul

New Addition To TWS

The next installment of The Wandering Soul has been posted. You can click on the link in this post or use the the page link in the navigation links on the right hand side of this blog. Again keep in mind that it is unedited and is in no way a finished product. As always, I welcome feedback.

New Story Blog

So I started this project a while back as a writers challenge, and have done nothing with it, so I am going to add it here and just write it as a short story collection. See how that goes.


Here is the link
The Wandering Soul
Only the newest story will be present on the home page, but if you look to the right there is a list from oldest to newest. If you just starting to read the story, you will want to start with the "introduction".


There is also a link to the site under the Page section of this blog. I hope you take a min. to look at it and I hope that you enjoy it. Remember that it is very raw and unedited. It is simply a way for me to continue to write on it and not care about perfection.

Do Ghosts Have Sex?

OK, this is an odd topic, I will admit, but Sherry and I were brainstorming writing ideas the other day and somehow got on this topic...

There is so much media attention on "other world" things right now. Vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, even witches, and they are all getting a lot of press and a lot of action in the lovin' department. Just walk down the book isle of your local Walmart and you can not find less than 5 books related to one of the previous mentioned "beings". Most of which have descriptions of them getting into some pretty steamy adult situations. Then there is the movies and TV shows: Twilight, New Moon, Underworld, etc. Oh and let us not forget the hot and sexy HBO hit True Blood based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charleen Harris. Whew! They tend to leave nothing to the imagination. If you haven't seen it or don't get HBO, season 1 is out on DVD and season 2 is scheduled to be out be May 2010.

Don't get me wrong, I love all the movies, books, and I can't get enough of True Blood (mainly because I have read all the books and think the actor that plays Eric is one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen on screen), but it makes wonder why they are not including ghosts in the mix. I live in Charleston, SC, easily one of the most haunted cities in America. The battles fought in and around this city played major roles in many historic wars. The blood spilt in the harbor alone could feed a entire coven of vampires for at least a century. Our tourism department prides itself on the many tours of local haunted buildings, so we at least think they are here.

We have all heard the accounts of people who are haunted by an angry spirit, or teased by a playful one. There is even a ghost in Charleston who has taken up residence in a local bed and breakfast. He has been seen by guests (women only) laying in bed next to them - So is he horny? Anger, playfulness, horny, these are all human emotions and/or states. If they do feel them, it would be safe to assume that when we die we do not lose our humanity. We carry it with us to where ever we are headed.

Which brings me to my question and wonder for day: if they exist and continue to have human emotions and urges - Do they (cue some Barry White) "...get it on"?

We have (or at least I do) the idea what ghosts are human spirits that have some kind of unfinished business here on earth. Spirits, obviously, if they exist, are on another plane of energy which is not able to be seen by living, human eyes, and if we take our lead from movies like Ghost with Patrick Swayze, or even the TV show The Ghost Whisper, we can maybe think that a spirit can focus enough of that energy to move physical things. Could that power be harnessed enough to maybe caress a living human?

I think an even more viable option would be for a spirit to find another partner. One which finds themselves in the same particular state of existence; i.e.: another ghost. After all they would have a lot in common as far as where the best haunts to hang out would be and what local cemeteries the young kids are hanging out in - I would think that if I were a ghost that would be one of my favorite things to do you know scare the pants off the hotshots that take their new girlfriends to a cemetery at night to show how macho they are, but I digress...

Lets assume that boy ghost meets girl ghost and a spark were to ignite. They are energy, the sparks might even be real, who knows - maybe like touching the ends of jumper cables together. So we have two new souls in love, quite literally floating above it all. Would they be able to hold hands, or better yet other more exciting parts? Or would their phantom hands simply pass through the targets of their admiration? How awful for the lonely ghost that can not find his spark!

What about the physical act of sex? Would one just sink into the other becoming a completely merged mass of energy? Perhaps with a merging such as this, the connection would be quite intense...Or maybe just confusing as you may not know which hand belongs to who.

One last question - If the living feel earthquakes, and see fireworks at the height of pleasure, what would a spirit feel/see? It seems to me that since they could no longer feel physical pleasure, due to lack of nerve endings, that the feelings would have to be emotional. This could be very difficult and eye opening for the ones who were very closed off emotionally when alive. As far as what they see, my guess would be the many layers of bedding, flooring, concrete, earth, etc as they would not be able to physically stay on top of a bed.

So this is what I am wondering...

Freelancing it....

I've now begun my journey into what I hope to become a fun and creative way for me to express myself through writing ( and maybe get paid a little something for it). For the longest time I have been writing for others and not for myself. This is what I hope to change, not only with this Blog, but with the articles I write and submit for publication.

Along with my best friend and co-hort, Sherry, we hope to bring to you works of both a fictional and non-fictional nature. Please take note of the name that is signed under each entry to see to whom each blog post belongs. While we have similar interests and writing styles, and between the two of us you will find a wide variety of topics, we do want to make sure that credit is given to the correct creative genius.

Please be patient as we update and create this blog. Click on the "follow" tab so that you will be notified of any updates and postings.

We hope you enjoy The Orbs of Wonder Blog!

Explanation of Blog Title...

This title is actually the brain child of my best friend Sherry - She noticed some time ago that men (and some women) are very attracted to the busty attachments found on the human female. In an attempt to find a way to talk about the appealing appendages, she came up with the term Orbs. Since the Orbs seem to be a fascination of millions, we figured that those that stare must also wonder...What they wonder about the Orbs would be subjective the specific person and too many possibilities to list here, so use your imagination. So we took the next natural step and combined both the Orbs and the wondering that goes with them, and thus, The Orbs Of Wonder was born. 

Genesis

every day is a new beginning and other crap! However, this blog hasn't actually begun yet. We are still figuring out how to work this complicated BLOG technology. WE SHALL RETURN! (cue spooky music!) (mel has cued up carnival music. wrong button!)