Milestones~milestones!!!

I cannot believe so many years have passed by since these decisions were made....no cheating went down either on my quest....I'm enjoying this journey even with all the craziness that comes with being ME:)!

So, it was 19 years ago as a middle school-er that I decided to stop eating meat; and 10 years ago as a senior in college (on the Tuesday before Easter) that I decided the piece of chicken in my hand would be my last eaten. And more recently, 3 years ago this past March, I decided to stop eating fish along with the few by-products consumed and become a vegan and natural (chemical free) lady. I was thinking about it for years and saw it as one of my life long goals so I made it a reality right after my 29th birthday (sooner than later). The goal was to become vegan by birthday but fish was consumed while celebrating in Florida so it became official March 2009. As it relates to partaking in social and work related gatherings, it has been very challenging but I've stuck to my values and got through it. Many have not and will not be accommodating but it's become a more known and/or respected lifestyle; hence many reputable restaurants' customer driven are trying to appeal to every potential patron. With that being said, vegans will always have home cooked food within arms reach even when they have called ahead. I find it refreshing to know we all have that same thing in common (LOL). The journey thus far has made me a stronger person, more accepting of others overall and it has forced me to connect more intimately with the world and all of God's creations. What intrigued me? I really wanted to see if living off of God's green earth was truly possible and went for it after doing some research. And for the past thirty-six months, that has been my mission and my recent nutritional analysis panel concluded I'm in great health and NOT deficient which is usually the sermon preached by non vegans about vegans (sounds crazy, huh?).  I've always loved a challenge and this is surely a keeper for many reasons. As I live to find myself, I also seek to be a greener being with little carbon print on our planet for the generations behind of me. Ironically, green has always been my favorite color and now, it's awesome to color my life "greener".

Cheers to staying true to thy self (regardless of what the naysayers yell from the mountain top).

LIVE*GROW*LAUGH

Lawd Have Mercy on us with Student Loans!!

I finally decided after 12 days to find out how much, if any my LS's actually moved and it instantly depressed me. I got sick to my stomach knowing that after doubling my payment not the entire second payment went totally to the principal.Thankfully, majority of it did while the regular payment was devoured by interest.

Yeah, yeah it will get better over time but "good God almighty" this is totally unbearable. It's so bad that some days I wonder if going to college was even worth all this headache. You know they say higher education will ensure a higher salary than those with only a high school diploma, right? Well, right about now with the economy the way it is, the educated folks seems to have the wrong end of the stick.

Don't believe me, look at it this way then; if one person from each world gets laid off, who has more debt to pay? Who may have more bills left over once the unemployment income finishes? Who may have to cut more extra curriculum activities to survive? Let's face it, traditionally, people tend to spend more as their income increases; hence they will have a more dramatic fall than others in "my" opinion. I intentionally excluded the notion that they have savings or emergency accounts since most Americans do not and yes we all should.

Now back to the ridiculous things many people have which, by the way, may be twice there income. I'm shouting it loudly, I hate having student loans and by God it's turning my stomach as I compose this post. I know my AP and I just had a chat via text to bring me back on the bright side and I said it was time for bed; however, I had to get this foolishness off my chest until next month. And ironically, I was so excited about throwing two payments at it and did up until I decided to see what if any difference it made. I made those payments on the tenth of February and I finally checked the difference tonight hence this post.

What is my solution to paying off my student loans currently? Well, eating as much bean, veggies and drinking plenty of water because everything else might just be a treat.

Yes, I am Earth Vibez and SL's payments should be forgiven and/or the payees should get tax breaks like the Wall Street greedy Corporations.

What about 2012?

Every New Year, each person has an opportunity to throw in their gloves and start all over again from scratch with million others. Now, two weeks into January 2012, I'm checking out the year as I go along my merry way. Sitting here in my comfy space, I'm curious about the possibilities to grow, share, love and be a blessing as the weeks turn into seasons.

So, again I say, what about 2012?

You ARE the boss?

Life’s choices, ultimately, we are the boss of what we do with our daily 24 hours granted to us. God is fair; we are all given the same amount of time everyday. Unfortunately, procrastination is rampant and over rated just like multitasking or busyness in our Western Culture. We all have certain responsibilities that must be done on a daily basis, but in the midst of it all, there is something quietly being overlooked and it is called "YOU", self. Whether you have a family or not, it is imperative for everyone to carve out some time for “themselves” daily to truly be able to live in the moment and give of ourselves freely-intentionally.

Where are you this beautiful fall season? Stagnant!!! Rolling the wheels to no where!!! Progressing!!!
Do you see the cup half full or half empty? If it is half full, you're ahead of 85 percent of everyone else. If not, you're actually within the majority; however, this is not where anyone of us should strive to be. Thankfully, this can be easily turned around with our constant thoughts, attitude, perceptions and appreciation for life.

Don’t allow life's hiccups to be more than a commercial or even an infomercial. If you remain tuned in, avoid finding another program and recognize it as only a temporary setback, everything being attempted will have a better chance of evolving successfully. At the end of the day, the BOSS is who makes the final decision of what will be important for the next day’s agenda and how it will be executed; hence readjust your way of thinking, make the decision today to get back on track, make a list, prioritize your life, set attainable deadlines, get an accountability partner, expect commercials and infomercials along the way and then get moving-productively.

It’s a NEW season. It is a NEW month. It is the RIGHT time to get back on track.
WILL~~YOU?  


Can you relate to this blurry clock photo? Your life can move beyond this point as well.