Women. Woman.

So I have two pet peeves that I just feel the need to blog about today. I guess I can go ahead and name them, then get on to blowing people's minds, right? haha Here goes nothing, hot dog.

First...I can't stand when women teach their daughters to 'hide' when they start their periods. [Yes, ladies and gentlemen - although I'm sure the gentlemen probably left after seeing the word 'period' - this blog is about the cycle of a woman. Deal with it. Grow up.] Why is it so shameful to be a woman? STILL in today's society most people get super uncomfortable when they have to talk about their cycles. WHY? This is nature at it's best. When you have that cycle every month it is saying that you can produce children. Who doesn't want that reassurance? There are ladies out there who are having serious issues and cannot get pregnant, then there are some who have had to have surgeries [due to cancer, etc.] and will NEVER be able to carry a child of their own. Shouldn't we teach our daughters to be proud of being women? Shouldn't there be pride in being a creator/bearer of LIFE? I don't understand this. I truly don't. Sometimes I feel more like a woman during my cycle. I definitely felt amazing during my entire pregnancy. I had, literally, never felt more beautiful. Being a mother has opened up this whole new blissful experience for me. I feel so much more connected to the Earth, the planets, a higher consciousness. Most women do not know that we as women are connected to the Moon. I'll quote a small section from Wiki and another informative website... :

The word "menstruation" is etymologically related to "moon". The terms "menstruation" and "menses" are derived from the Latin mensis (month), which in turn relates to the Greek mene (moon) and to the roots of the English words month and moon. The synodical lunar month, the period between two new moons (or full moons), is 29.53 days long. This corresponds to the true average menstrual cycle length of 29.50 days, particularly typical of women in peak reproductive years.


Not from Wiki : Human beings are affected by the moon. Women especially are affected by the moon and their menstrual cycle is intimately linked to this celestial body.
The moon:

■regulates your menstrual cycle,

■can trigger ovulation and fertile times,

■affects your emotions and

■affects the way people behave and view the world.

Women are connected to the moon by our blood, our hormones and our souls.

In myth the Moon is a primary female archetype travelling the great round of Birth, Maturation, Death and Rebirth each month. This is a primal fundamental cycle of the universe of which every single living thing participates.

When we realize just how much Earth and celestial energies affect our bodies and daily lives, it's amazing. I've researched this for years. It harkens to the 'String Theory' also known as the 'Web Theory'. Basically, it's this... We are all connected to everyone and everyTHING, by a series of so-called 'strings' throughout the cosmos. It's a fascinating theory. One that Native American Indians knew about BEFORE modern science. That, my friends, has been proven through creation stories, etc...PLUS cave/rock paintings.

Before I go off on this scientific tangent [which is really not what this blog is about..] I'd like to get to my point, which is this... Men and women together create LIFE. Women nurture and 'feed' that life until it is ready to be born. Then women give birth to that life. It is one of the most magical experiences in this life. And it all starts with a monthly 'period'. I find everything about life beautiful. This is why I just can't imagine feeling weird or ashamed of being a woman. I'm proud.

Now. Let's move on to the second pet peeve I'd like to mention: One-upping. This can go in many different directions, but for this blog it's about women. Mainly women having children.

I know women [and young girls] who are popping out children just to one-up other women. I loathe this. More than I can ever express in typed words. I know a couple of them personally. Which drives me nuts. Who cares if you can pop out 10 kids to my one? I sure don't. Go ahead and have a million for all I care. I will have another child when I damn well feel like it. I, personally, think children should be spaced a decent amount so that the first born doesn't feel like you are replacing him/her. We want to enjoy our daughter for awhile and then we'll think about having another, at some point. Like I have said a million times, and I will say it a million more: Children are not things. They are gifts. The ultimate gift. The best gift I've ever received. :)


On a very happy note: 2011 is upon us. I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year. 2010 was amazing for me, so I am thinking 2011 will be even better, if that's even possible [because it rocked]. I have my amazing husband and our perfect little baby girl. That's all I need.

Happy New Year!

There is no wife, like a military wife.

So. There's this YouTube video causing quite a buzz around Facebook lately. It's this very nice lad who just so happens to truly understand the plight of us military wives. It's extremely rare for anyone to get a grip on what us spouses do, so it's almost sort of shocking. I have to admit, when I first watched it I cried. For many different reasons, but mainly because this guy GETS IT. He gets the pride we have. The absolute excitement in knowing our soldier is about to come home. The loneliness and heartache and absolute terror associated with deployments and the knowledge that we could [we just might] lose the person we love most. Civilian wives hardly ever know that sort of feeling. Sure there are dangerous jobs out there that obviously deserve respect [I.E. Police Officers, Fire Fighters, etc], and I salute their spouses as well in this blog. It's a very hard life. Well, let me rephrase that. It's a very easy life, when they're home. When they're gone, it's hard. Most people do not get just how hard it is. Psychologists have compared the feeling a spouse and children go through during a deployment to the death of a close loved-one. If you've ever lost someone close, you'll know the feeling. It's...I almost have no word to describe it.

Then there's this pride that I also can't describe to you. We are a huge part of history. Our husbands [and in some cases, wives] literally put their lives on the line to defend every US citizen. It takes a special person to do that sort of thing. A selfless person. To know you are married to such an amazing person is amazing in itself. It's akin to that feeling you feel when you see your child walk for the first time by themselves. There's just nothing like it.

Let's not forget love. I, of course, can't speak for every military spouse. There are some spouses that see early on they cannot handle military life, and they remove themselves. That's fine, not everyone can. It's better you realize it early. Then there are other wives who seem to be in this life for the money. However, for wives like me this is just our way of life. My personal feelings are as follows: I love my husband. I love my husband more than anyone or anything in this world, except for our daughter. Those two are LITERALLY my entire world. I will follow him to the ends of the Earth. No questions asked. No doubts. I am his, he is mine...always and forever.

There are endless poems dedicated to the military spouse, so I won't rehash any of those but I will include a link to this fantastic YouTube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWPtmq52OJE&feature=player_embedded

If you know a military spouse, PLEASE show respect. You never know what she [or he] is going through. Because believe me, the military can throw some serious stuff at you. This life is not for the faint of heart. We are strong. We are proud. We are in love. HOOAH!

Victory: DADT is signed into history! / Aging

WARNING: Strong language is included in this one. I tried hard not to use it, but I can't always be perfect. lol

What an amazing thing to behold on this day, December 22, 2010; DADT is FINALLY signed into history by President Obama. I am very happy for our fellow Americans who can now be themselves, although they will still, I'm sure, endure hate crimes and such at the hands of bigots the world over. Unfortunately, this cannot be changed because these bigots will raise their children to become bigots and so forth. Hopefully, the chain can be broken and parents will start to raise their children to be intelligent compasionate people. That's my personal hope for future generations. I know my husband and I will NEVER teach our daughter any form of hatred. It still makes me sick to think of the double standard that goes along with this: lesbians are okay because they are a form of sexual entertainment, but gay men are not because...because...they touch men parts together. Rubbish! Complete, absolute, idiotic rubbish.

Before I go further I want to include the link to the DADT article HERE :
http://www.military.com/news/article/dadt-signed-into-history.html?ESRC=sm_mil.nl

Now, back to my thoughts. Bigotry is so idiotic I can just see some "man" telling his wife their child or children cannot have a Cheer Bear Care Bear [the one with the rainbow on the tummy] because it may make their child or children 'turn gay'. Because, after all, everyone knows the rainbow is the international sign for gay people. [Now, here is where the naughty language comes in...] Where the hell do people get off telling others how to live? How in the hell is a rainbow going to make a child gay? Sad part is, I've heard of instances where someone has actually said that! Seriously! And it makes me sick. Mostly for those children who have to grow up in families like that. Those poor babies would be better off adopted than to have to live with bigotty idiots. Yes, I made up 'bigotty'. It's my blog, I can do that. Welcome to Nikki's world. lol

I just don't get it. I mean, there was even a comment under this DADT signing story from a man appoligizing to his son because 'he'll have to serve with butt-lovers'. How mature of him, right? When it comes to religion, sexual orientation, or just plain anything 'outside the box' people suddenly turn into four year olds. What exactly are they afraid of? Is it just that people are afraid of things they do not understand? I'm forced to throw up everytime I hear of someone being the victim of a crime or discrimination simply because of their religion, race, creed, sexual orientation, etc. This is freakin' two thousand and ten people. But, apparently, to most living in the good ole US of A, it's still around 1920. Which is disgusting. Where would we be today if we had not waged a war against society? A society that stated different races couldn't even go to school together, much less marry and have children. A society that said women couldn't vote or be heads of household, much less be in the military and be allowed to voice their opinions freely. A society that says only a Christian is worth fighting for, other religions are on the 'dark side' and must be exterminated.

Now, let me make this abundantly clear. I am a proud American. I'm a ever-lovin' Army wife for goodness sake, and I am extremely proud of my husband. BUT America lately has made me want to live elsewhere. Would you like to know why? Actually, you already know. Look at these poor sweet kids committing suicide because they are being bullied by idiotic kids [who no doubt hear these things from their parents], just because they are gay. Hate crimes against people with different religions. Babies being born and then murdered all because the mom may not get her welfare check so she's worried she may not be able to feed herself, so she gets rid of the baby. Catholic priests molesting THOUSANDS of children WORLDWIDE. See what I'm saying? I can't blame America, and I'm really not. BUT so much hypocrisy happens in the USA that it makes me feel ashamed. The world is going nuts. And those nuts are rotten and flowing with maggots. It's sickening. I imagine a world of peace, or at least a 'live and let live' attitude. We, as human beings, have no right to tell anyone else how to live, what to think, what to believe, what to wear, what color your hair must be, what to weigh, what to eat, what tv shows to watch, etc. WAKE UP and be a part of the change that must happen NOW. NOW. That's right. NOW.

Ahem. Moving on...

I also came across another article entitled, 'Old Woman, Wise Woman, Powerful Woman: The Beauty of Aging' . HERE's the link :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-daley/old-woman-wise-woman-powe_b_798942.html

I am so curious what's so bad about aging. It's the most natural process in life. It's also extremely inevitable. No one, and I mean NO ONE is going to live forever. Now, I believe our 'spirit' lives forever but our physical bodies do die. We all age. I see grey hair as a mark of wisdom, not ugliness. I watched my grandmother age until she passed and she was still beautiful. I've watched my mother age and, to me, she's just as beautiful [although she's not old, at all..lol]. I've aged, and my husband finds me more and more attractive as the years go by. So I ask again, what's so bad about aging? Our society has very effectively brainwashed people to believe beauty only lies in youth. Which makes absolutely no sense. I have no clever antidote for this, because it completely escapes me at why society is trying so hard to alienate our older generations. I do not want to become plastic, or a robot. So I'll stick to this graceful aging process. Thank you very much. I'm human, and that's the way I'd like it to stay.

What really burns my buns though, is that this whole aging thing is mainly directed at WOMEN. What's hilarious is that it was prompted by something Rush Limbaugh said about Hillory Clinton. Now, let's be honest here. Mr. Limbaugh looks like a swollen dolphin. He's no prize catch himself.

DADT / Bret Michaels getting married?

I just read this article and it burns my buns to hear this Tony Perkins guy saying someone who is homosexual could not defend our country. He considers them a 'distraction'. What exactly does he think these people are going to do? Walk around in stiletto heels wearing a lacy bright pink bra and thong? Good lawd! Use some common sense here. Here's my opinion, and you can take it for whatever it's worth. How about we get an Army of just lesbians? Do you know how much business they could take care of? I know a lady who is tougher than most guys, she could seriously kick some butt and take names. Some of the soldiers [guys] I've known act like little four year old boys, and according to my husband, they do this even during a deployment. I say we get a few lesbians with Aunt Flow visiting, throw them in the area we need to protect or in a Special Ops situation and let 'em loose. They would wipe out everything! haha Seriously. Any ladies reading this will know I'm right. I, at least, think it would be interesting.

Homosexual men and women are just as capable of doing anything, than any of us heterosexual men and women. They are not distractions, they are not a waste of human being. They are wonderful beautiful people and it makes me sick that this sort of hatred still exists in 2010 against anyone who is so-called different. Since it's the holiday season, I say BAH-HUMBUG to this crap.

Here is the link to the DADT article I mentioned earlier :

http://blog.au.org/2010/12/21/unleashing-leviticus-religious-right-rants-over-change-in-military’s-dadt-policy/

Although, I'd love to stay and have a true rant on this DADT stuff, I am still in shock from another piece of news I happened upon tonight as well. Bret Michaels [frontman of Poison, star of Rock of Love, etc] has finally decided to settle down with one lady. He decided to SETTLE for his girlfriend of 16 years [and the mother of his two children]. When I say 'settle', I mean he has literally man-whored around for the last two, three, four years on Rock of Love with nasty gold-digging women. Of course this lady must know this, everybody under the sun knows this. I'm wondering how the hell she's just okay with it? Maybe she has her own motives. Either way, whether he's serious or not, she does have his two children, and well, she's the one who'll be laughing...all the way to the bank.

B-log. Yes, it's informative. Sort of.

I was just listening to a podcast [which is also a nationally popular radio show] called Darkness Radio. The newest episode featured this lady who claimed to have been 'cursed' by a Clairvoyant [look it up if you don't know what it means]. Now, first thing. Just because this lady happened to have been Clairvoyant does NOT mean she's a witch of some sort OR into some sort of 'black arts'. Most true Clairvoyants are pretty natural. As in, they don't know they have any extra senses until something dramatic happens to them and it shows up. Which, actually, I believe we all are because our brain is capable of many many things that we can only dream about currently. Some people just happen to be able to tap into those capabilities easier than others. Simple as that. Now, she went on to blame this 'C' for ALL of her problems for like years after the incident. Really? Seriously? I won't deny there are people out there, who are more than willing to put curses on people and send 'spirits' after them, etc. BUT she had no proof this lady even did this. She just assumed. As my old Geometry teacher used to say: Assuming makes an ass out of you and me. When asked if she had proof, she replied with: Her kids were always crying at night when she put them to bed. Um, excuse me lady...have you ever been around children before? Most do cry when they are being put to bed, for various reasons. [Separation anxiety, they want to stay up and play, etc.] That doesn't mean their mom is a demon because they cry. Can I call her an idiot yet? Please, oh please? No? Alright, I'll wait until I finish then. To really put a long story short there is absolutely NO proof this "C" was any sort of Wiccan, Witch, demon worshipper, etc and yet this lady STILL insists she was cursed by this woman. She stated things got so bad for her that she renounced god and started becoming very withdrawn. Now. If you are so worried about being plagued by demons [which is one of her claims btw], wouldn't you want god to protect you? Alright, moving on. She said she had dreams at night consisting of these little imp like creatures surrounding her bed and chanting. Uh huh. Then she goes on to say that one night, after weeks of this dream, she heard the voice of an angel. It told her Gabriel was coming. She felt relief and then saw a bright light and never had any problems after that.



Yea. Now. I believe in paranormal, supernatural, whatever you phrase it as. BUT I am skeptical about other people's experiences because the paranormal is so diverse, it's the healthy thing to do. She may have very well been cursed, but instead of blaming it on someone who read palms, tarot cards, crystal balls, etc...how about look at yourself. Look at your own life. What did SHE do to invite these beings to her? 99% of demonic type activity [which I do NOT believe in] is proven to have been invited in somehow. Is she just blaming the "C" because she doesn't want her own past revealed? She then started talking about how Harry Potter, Twilight, and countless other films/books are ruining today's children. She said it's encouraging them to blood-let [cut themselves] and get into witchcraft and blah, blah, blah. Alright, that's where it really got me. I've been into the "occult" and witchcraft since I was about 15 years old. I've read satanic bibles, I've done spiritual rituals, played with Ouija boards, held seances, investigated haunted places, etc. I have NEVER once been afflicted with any type of demonic anything. I've never been cursed, I've never been harmed in any way. I have been a self proclaimed 'witch' for about 8 years now, and my spirituality has gotten a lot more positive since I was a teen. And my views on life and such have changed dramatically as well. I have also contemplated suicide, and I have cut myself. [All in my teen years.] I did this stuff BEFORE Harry Potter, BEFORE Twilight, BEFORE it was popular to be all Emo and crap. Take in mind I am NOT saying this to get attention or for people to feel sorry for me. I am attempting to make a point. This lady, because of her Christianized view of the world, thinks everything that is not Christian, is evil. Period. End of story. Vampires, werewolves, fairies, etc are making children want to go to the dark side. NO Ms. Lady, that's not what is making them want to experience other things. And for your info there cannot be a light without the dark. If there is no balance, the world goes nuts, much like it is now. I have a suggestion for this lady. You stay in your little cage you call a world and I'll be out here having the time of my life, honouring the people I love, as well as the Earth and all of her beauty. When you do have children you can teach them what you want, but don't you dare tell my child that her mother is 'evil' just because I am a Pagan.



Moral of the story? Maybe there isn't one. I'm truly not trying to judge, but it is so hard to keep my mouth shut and my fingers held down when something like this comes to my attention. Not all "C"s are evil, not all witches are 'witch trial material', not all Christians are hypocrites, not all Satanists believe in an actual Satan [don't believe me, look it up]. So my main point, although I took FOREVER in getting here] is that parents are no longer parents. Most of them want to be friends with their child instead of trying to actually teach them things. If you are concerned with what your child is reading or doing, GET INVOLVED. Don't criticize, that only makes things worse. Just BE there. Stop putting your jobs first, stop putting your boyfriends and girlfriends first, STOP STOP STOP sucking as a parent. Tired? Worn-out? TOO BAD. Protecting our children is a parent's JOB. You don't protect them, you don't make them feel wanted/loved/needed/valuable. Guess what? Bad things happen. They turn to things that may not be so safe for them. But they do it BECAUSE they need to feel SOMETHING. So, yes, to me, it comes down to parents need to start being parents and stop sucking at life.



Will I let Cambria watch vampire and werewolf movies? Yes. Will I support her in any religious choice she makes as she becomes older? Yes. Will I be happy if I happen to raise a beautiful, intelligent, open-minded, tree-hugging hippie who thinks fairies exist and live in the tree stumps? Yes. But I do refuse to make her think everything is evil. I refuse to put her into a cage away from the world and make her think being strong is stupid. Stupidity is stupid. And this, my friends, leads me to the thing I've wanted to do this entire blog. Call this woman an IDIOT. Because she is truly one of the many who still populate this wonderful world we live in.


P.S.

Any Witch, Wiccan, etc... worth their weight will tell you plain and simply that they do not, will not, have never cursed anyone. We believe that whatever you put out [may it be bad thoughts, anger, etc] will come back to you three times more intense than what you sent. Also called Karma. And believe me, when Karma comes-a-callin' you don't want to answer.

A blog about marriage.

Marriage was originally created to join families of power together, for monetary reasons or for power reasons. Usually it was both. There are still arranged marriages to this day. I, personally, find it a horrible concept. I could never be with someone I didn't love.

I was recently watching 'Charmageddon' by Hal Sparks on YouTube and he was expressing his view that marriage was outdated and has outlived it's purpose. Which I admit, I have to agree. We no longer need to unite families of power, or unite two families so that we own certain land. In this day and age we marry because of LOVE. Some people may say because of religion and love. But for me it's not about anything but love. I found my soul mate, so I chose to be his wife. We were married in a Christian fashion, because sadly, it's the only ceremony legally recognized in the US. Since we are Pagan, we had to perform our own handfasting ceremony ourselves, because it is so hard to find someone who is willing to do it. This is what we felt best for US. Not everyone wants to be legally married, and honestly, that's perfectly fine. I know couples who are happier just being 'engaged' or what not, than most married couples we know. Matter of fact out of the couples who were married in Chad's old unit we are one out of 15 who are still married. Insane? Yes. Sometimes people feel forced into marriage, and that doesn't make for a happy life. BUT, and this is where my rant kicks in, I have a situation that is one of my biggest pet peeves. If you are a guy, who just so happens to care for a lady, she gets pregnant, they stay together, but he gives her nothing. Let me give you a hint guys: If a woman will have a child for you, she is most probably willing to do just about anything for you. Having a child is nothing to sneeze at. These couples will stay together YEARS and still they do not progress toward anything. That would drive me NUTS. You have to give your lady something to hold onto when things get rough. This also goes for the ladies. I have a solution to this. Three words: A. Promise. Ring. It's not a wedding ring. It's not a legal contract binding you two together, it's a promise. A promise to love one another. A promise that you will be true. A promise that when things get rough, you will fight to keep the love alive. That is what we [Chad and I] see our wedding rings as. An everlasting promise to one another, through thick and thin, that we'll always be US. And I can't stand guys who will not make that promise, whether married or not. If you've been together more than four years in most states you are 'common law' married, so why is it so hard to just make a promise? Like I said, give her something to hold onto. But I must say, what annoys me even more than that are the women who stay and waste years in hopes that someday he'll marry her. More likely than not, he won't. That's just the way it is.

Then there are the people who whine about their relationships all the time and then you tell them they should probably leave because it just seems like a not-so-great situation, and they tell you, "I'm staying because of the kid [or kids]." REALLY? I'm sorry but I don't think you are. I think you are staying because you feel you can't find anyone better than what you have, and in most cases that's a horrible perception. It usually means your self esteem is extremely low and you're not really loving yourself. Rise above that and know your soul mate is out there and it doesn't have to be the person that 'knocked you up'. I say constantly how parents are the first teachers for children. What would you rather teach your child? - A) It's better to be a strong independent intelligent person who is capable of being an adult and making adult decisions, no matter how hard they may be at that time. In other words, BEING HAPPY. B) Be in a situation because you are lazy or completely delusional about what exists and what doesn't. In other words, not being true to yourself and BEING UNHAPPY. Would you rather your child see you happy than to see fighting all the time? If you are a woman who has a daughter, would you want her to grow up and stay in a situatioin just because? I would think you'd want her to be a strong intelligent woman, instead of someone who ends up some sort of slave. The same goes with having a son. Would you want him to treat his future girlfriends/wives in this way? Most people the answer will be, no. BUT yet, they will do absolutely nothing to help their situations. It's frustrating when you try to help someone who has no interest in helping themselves. So then, what exactly do you do? Nothing. I do absolutely nothing. Everyone has to learn the hard way a time or two, and this is their time. My time has passed and I have one amazing life now. One that I am thankful for every single day, every single second.

I have to add this in because it's something else I feel VERY strongly about. Same-Sex Marriage.
Who are we to tell a person who she/he can or cannot love? Who are we to tell someone they cannot get married just because most of society sees it as 'an abomination'? Love is love. Love knows no gender, race, creed, or distance. What are people so afraid of? Are they bitter because they themselves cannot find true love and these couples have? It just sparks so many questions in me. I can't comprehend it. And it also breaks my heart. BUT lately we have seen an uprise of society standing up and supporting Same-Sex Marriage. As well they should. These nay-sayers, however, seem to think if they can prevent their marriages that maybe they can stomp out their being homosexual. Yea, I don't think so. Unless you can go back in time and keep their mother from conceiving, I don't think you can prevent anything. Being gay is not a disease. It's not a mental condition and it's also not a choice. It's who they are. Period. End of story. End of rant. Accept it or get out of their damn way.

Happy Winter Solstice!

Today is the Winter Solstice. I couldn't be happier because I LOVE winter. I dig all the snow we get here in Germany, as I've never experienced actual snow before. I'm also Pagan, so today is a huge thing for me. The Winter Solstice is also known as 'Yule' for my people and we celebrate the re-birth of the year. Early Christians took our traditions and incorporated them into their practices, calling it Christmas. For more info, please consult these links I have provided. Happy day!! =)

http://http//www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/wintersolstice.shtml

http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

http://http//www.suite101.com/content/the-winter-solstice-wicca-and-pagan-festival-a133046

You can be the man of your house. Well, maybe not.

I sort of stole this from my friend, Sarah, so I hope she doesn't mind that I post it. I found it extremely hilarious and I have to share. I also think it's hilarious because the wife's reply would be exactly mine. HA!

"The husband had just finished reading a new book entitled, 'YOU CAN BE THE MAN OF YOUR HOUSE'. He stormed to his wife in the kitchen and announced, "From now on, YOU need to know that I am the man of this house and my word is LAW. You will prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, you will serve me a sumptuous dessert. Afterwards, you are going to draw me a bath so I can relax. You will wash my back and towel me dry and bring me my robe...Then, you will massage my feet and hands. Then tomorrow, guess who's going to dress me and do my hair?" Without even looking up from her morning paper the wife replied, "The funeral director would be my first guess."

Right on! =)