Reduced Fat.

So due to my GERD/acid reflux/ulcer/my stomach is trying to kill I'm changing my diet in hopes that I won't feel like throwing up stomach acid all day long. This new diet requires me to avoid acidic foods/drinks, eating before bed, and high fatty food.

Lucky for me, you can find a lot of things at the grocery store that are "reduced fat." I can still have my bagel and cream cheese and I even found Reduced Fat Chips Ahoy. Well, I figured out why people who eat a low fat diet lose weight.

Low fat or reduced fat is disgusting. It completely kills the desire to eat food at all. Fantastic. I'm at the most stressful time during the semester and I can't eat any of my comfort foods. Boooooo.

Where I Come From

I am from stories
From Berenstain Bears and Little Critter
I am from imagination and play
From avoiding the sharks in the pool
And naming myself royalty
I am from playing in a mud pit
Covered in bug bites, swallowed by an oversized t-shirt

I am from biscuits and gravy
From the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky
I am my mother's voice and my father's eyes
From Down in the Valley and You are my Sunshine
I am from singing and dancing in front of the camera
And playing crocodile in the living room, trying not to get snagged
I am from home movies and annual family portraits

I am from coloring in a pew
From ringing brightly colored bells and
Standing on stage dressed like a donkey
I am from slicked back ballerina buns
From lost jazz shoes and attempted flexibility
I am from not reaching the pedals and the
Never ending scoot up to the piano

I am from bright lights and opening lines
From in-depth monologues and moments of blank
I'm from Henry Higgins house and the haunted hotel on the corner
From Wounded Knee and the excursion out West
I'm from ugly costumes and unplanned bursts of laughter
From wearing stage makeup in public
And resentment towards the final curtain close

Threads of stories weave in and out of who I am
An expanding quilt of life, legacy, and love
Begun by my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles
Now continued through my hard work and persistence
Working to find myself, using past patterns to create new ones
Keeping memories in mind but ever moving forward
I am from stories

I wouldn't say

That my boyfriend is better than yours. I don't know your boyfriend, so to say that would be outrageous and unfair. But I will say that mine is pretty fantastic.

 I loved my beautiful flowers. It's one of my favorite things to watch the flowers bloom and trust me when I say they smell as good (if not better) than they look. :)

Bitsy

I hate Bitsy the Boot. I'm almost mad that I gave her a name. I name things that I like. I don't know why I thought I would like this. The good news is that I'm FINALLY getting my hair cut tomorrow. What a nice way to start my weekend full of homework.

In just about two weeks I get to see this little darling and I could NOT be more excited.

The Challenge

So here's the challenge. Take this rough sketch and turn it into a painting. A painting that could be an acceptable gift to someone I care about. Updates will be coming. Wish me luck. And if you have any advice on how to make this project more successful please let me know!

Not a crazy cat lady...

but if it has four legs and a tail there's a good chance I'm going to fall in love with it.

I mean, could they be any more adorable?