If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right ;)

"All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

-Charles M. Schulz

Today, September 13th, is National Chocolate Day, do you know where your dessert is? LOL. I have to admit, I probably don't have as strong a love for chocolate as most folks, but I also have to admit that there are times when nothing else will compare. Since being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last year, I have made the nutritional changes to my diet into a bit of a game. I have tested the affects of different foods on my blood glucose levels, and experimented with different ways of tweaking recipes to help in managing and meeting my dietary goals. I saw my diagnosis not as a setback in life, but rather a new way to take care of myself, and a new way to channel some creativity.

Today, my doctor is thrilled with me, and my ability to keep my blood glucose numbers in what she calls, "the fantastic range." Most of the time, I register numbers that would be considered good for non-diabetics. All the time I invested in myself has paid off in the form of being able to be a little nutritionally naughty on days like this. NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY! I am planning a nice healthy dinner tonight, to be followed by a slice of Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. The one you see in the above photo to be exact. Dark chocolate is good for you, and it is good for the diabetic, when enjoyed in the proper portions. It's fun being a little naughty once in a while, especially if I know that along with the thrill, I am also taking care of myself.

So tell me, will you celebrating National Chocolate Day? And if so... how? What is your favorite chocolate indulgence? Do you prefer white chocolate, dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Tell me everything... you know you want to!

Dark Chocolate Makes Your Heart's Blood Flow (Diabetes Health)

-OndineMonet
"An Assortment Of Sins"
Berkeley, California
September 13th, 2008
Morning

Carly's Hawaiian Ribs

"Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can't taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie."

-Astrid Alauda

With all this talk recently of "pigs" I found myself with a serious hunger on for pork ribs! LOL. So, what's a girl to do, but yield to her hunger by making some in her handy dandy crock pot! What a fabulous invention that little darlin is. The most difficult part of the recipe process, is waiting the 5 hours for the ribs to reach their maximum tender juiciness. Oh my, the house smelled so good, and my goodness how my stomach roared. I LOVE cooking. I LOVE channeling my creativity toward recipes, when I am too sore to do my photography the way I would like to. And as we inch ever closer to autumn, my mind is swirling with ideas for recipes I have been inventing. I think for my next trick, I will be making some Creamy Pumpkin soup for dinner next week. We'll see, but for now, here's how I make my Hawaiian Ribs...

Carly's Hawaiian Ribs

1 med. Rack Pork ribs, (bone in) cut into individual ribs (about 8)

1 can Pineapple chunks, in light syrup, (drained w/syrup reserved)

1/2 sm. package Baby Carrots

1 tbsp. Hot Mustard (dry or prepared)

2 cups Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

On the night before you make the ribs, add the Yoshida's sauce, hot mustard, brown sugar, and pineapple syrup into a large Ziploc bag. Add the ribs to the bag (divide the recipe and use two bags if necessary) and toss well to coat the ribs on all sides. Allow to sit overnight in the marinade. Next day, place the ribs, carrots and pineapple in the crock pot, and cover with the marinade. Cook on high, 4 - 5 hours or until the pork reaches 170 degrees.

Enjoy!

See, couldn't be easier! So tell me, do you use a Crock Pot? What is your favorite meal to make in the autumn? If you do use a Crock Pot, what is your favorite recipe to make in it? Tell me everything?

-OndineMonet
"YUM... Ribs"
Berkeley, California
September 11th, 2008
Evening

911 Once Again

"Tears are the safety valve of the heart, when too much pressure is laid on it."

-Albert Smith

Well, as of today, it has been 7 years since the worst terrorist strike on American soil occurred. I hear a lot about how safe George Bush has made us, but has he really? Yes, it's true we haven't been struck again, and some efforts to do so have be thwarted, but I have to continue to ask one question... WHERE IS BIN LADEN AND WHY HASN'T HE BEEN BROUGHT TO JUSTICE? Is there any real excuse, or reason that actually makes sense? Do you think he will ever be caught? Will Bin Laden ever be made to pay for what he did? I wonder.

-OndineMonet

Applauding The Vagina or The Woman Who Wouldn't Be President

"My idea of feminism is self-determination, and it's very open-ended; woman has the right to become herself, and do whatever she needs to do."

-Ani DiFranco

A couple of weeks ago, I paid a visit to the Rosie The Riveter Memorial in Richmond, California. As far as I know it is the only such memorial in honor of the idyllic WWII icon. It might be small in size, but it packs a punch by way of the powerful images of real women who did more then their share for America. My mother was one of those ladies. She didn't talk much about that time of her life, but I know she counted those years among her most rewarding, both for supporting her country on the home front, and handling herself against the gender discrimination of the men working alongside her.

As I looked at the photos that were displayed in the memorial, of WWII women working in all kinds of industries, I wondered how those women got up every day and went off to the shipyards and the airplane hangers and faced making a much lower wage then the men who had occupied the same jobs in the months before we were plunged into war? It was socially demanded to expect hard work and patriotism from those ladies, and it was taken for granted that if she was both, she would accept the lower pay with supreme gratitude. It wasn't wonderful, but it was expected, and to a certain degree it worked for those of that era.

Here we are, 60 some years later, and women are still making much less then their male counterparts. In fact, women make only about 77% of what men do. Why is that? I can remember the bra burning, and NOW posters of the late 60's and 70's. The debate continued somewhat into the 80's, but by the time the 90's rolled around, you really didn't hear too much about it anymore. Why did the push for equality lose steam? Did we give up? And here's a question for you... are all vagina's created equal?

It disturbs me that there is such a push to put a woman in office, that we will consider voting for any woman who might end up on the ticket. I am hearing on the news, and from other sources, that women in this country will vote for the Republican ticket for no other reason then there is a woman on it. Somehow, to me, that takes all the hard work that women have done since the beginning of the Women's Suffrage Movement, and turns it to something a lot less powerful... something almost trivial.

It seems to me, the push for equality meant more then just putting a woman into a position traditionally held by a man, it meant showing the world that a qualified woman could not just hold those positions, but indeed excel in those jobs. I don't personally believe that Sarah Palin is qualified for the office of vice president. I believe that voting for her would mean a serious setback for the woman's movement in general, in that she is against not just Roe v Wade, but she is also against abortion even in cases of rape or incest. It makes no sense to me.

It shocked me when I heard on World News Tonight the other evening that women showed up for a John McCain rally simply because Sarah Palin was there. They wouldn't have come to hear anything from the contender for president, but they would to hear from the woman. The woman who wouldn't be president. And the really strange thing is, to date, she has said very little about what she stands for outside of Alaskan politics. In fact, more false rumors have been circulated about her, rather then the truth, because she has refused interviews. Although she has agreed to an interview with ABC's World News Tonight anchor, Charles Gibson, for tomorrow, Thursday, September 11th. I have to wonder about the timing.

Look, here's the thing. If we (women) vote this lady into office for no other reason then she is a woman, we will be setting ourselves back 200 years. The war in Iraq is not "God's will" as she asserts, anymore then WWII was. That isn't just a stupid notion, it is a deadly one. War is pretty much mankind made. She grins and waves her NRA card with such glee, and then preaches family values while combining the two into a family activity by shooting animals for sport with her children. When some nut goes on a rampage with a gun and kills an innocent person, is that "GOD's" will also? And while she didn't actually engage in book banning, she posed the question to the librarian in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, and isn't that sad? There is one other thing about her that really disturbs me. You know that rumor about her belonging to a group that sought to succeed from the union? Well, she never belonged to that group, but her husband did. Sigh.

When you add it all up... is that really who you want in the White House? As I stood, looking at the photos of women who weren't defined by their politics, working side by side for a greater good, I felt inspired, but when I go home, and listen to women of my own generation willing to throw all that hard work that came before us away, I just feel empty. And to a certain degree... embarrassed that we would follow in the steps of some men, who would vote for someone solely because of their gender. It's a waste of the privilege of voting.

Interesting Reading...

Votes For Women Timeline

Why Do Women Earn Less?

-OndineMonet
"Rosie The Riveter Memorial"
Richmond, California
September 3, 2008
Afternoon

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #2: Water In Motion

"A strong man and a waterfall always channel their own path."

-Unknown

EMPS #2: Water In Motion.
For this assignment, any type of moving water will be perfect. Let your imagination out to play. Photograph a waterfall, a fountain, the ocean moving in and out, raindrops landing in a bucket, a lawn sprinkler watering the yard, water being poured into a glass, even water running under a tap will do nicely. You get the idea, WATER IN MOTION.

**After you post your photo shoot entry, come back here and leave me your complete link with all the information. NO HYPERLINKS PLEASE.

**Please check your link carefully, it is your responsibility to submit the information correctly. The link you leave me, will be the one I post!

** You have until next Sunday evening, at 9:00 PM Eastern time, to submit your entry for the assignment.

LINKING LIST FOR EMPS #1: "Let's Say Hello" 9/1/08

NOW CLOSED!

1. Karen, says hello in a series of photos, some of which are Dr. Who inspired!

2. Gattina sends out a little hello from Belgium.

3. From Singapore, we have Jama smiling for the camera.

4. Kiva, poses for the camera in a some different hats.

5. Our new friend Greg says hi, with some gorgeous mountains in the background.

6. Martha, and friends, wave hello to us from an AOL Journal's get together.

7. Laura shares with us, both a lovely self-portrait, and a nifty photography tip as well.

8. Nancy shows us a a self-portrait from a "different perspective." Shiny!

9. Wammy, who hails from Cincinnati, shows us her lovely smile, and a little black camera!


Thanks for playing along with my first photo shoot assignment, because of you, it was a success! Now I want to see more! So GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS, go get the photo, and come back here with your link, ready to show me some WATER IN MOTION!

Photo Tip #2: Look For Crisp Clean Backgrounds.
Try to avoid backgrounds that are too cluttered with objects which might distract from your subject.

-Carly