Liz LaPoint

What It's Like

2012-02-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

This is what it's like to be an atheist in a world where religious beliefs prevail. Imagine for a moment that you visit a country that still believes in the Greek gods that most now call Greek "mythology". You find yourself ostracized for not believing in Zeus and Aphrodite, and worse, the believers assume you must be amoral and/or evil for refusing to follow their beliefs. The believers try to enact laws based on the "teachings" of these gods, raise their children to follow these teachings without questioning them, and politicians believe in the gods or risk not being elected. Many of the teachings are evil and many cause wars, but these are what the gods want, the believers argue, or we could end up in hell.

You could insert almost anything in place of the Greek gods. Unicorns, Bigfoot, Santa Claus, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster. As someone who prefers to use reason and logic to live by, as opposed to superstition, you feel like you are surrounded by delusional people. Seriously, it feels like everyone around you is suffering from either a mental illness or stupidity. To continue to believe in archaic superstitions well after scientific discoveries and developments have proven some of those beliefs incorrect is weird.

The United States is the only developed nation that has religious beliefs that are in line with the most under-developed nations. In other words, in cultures that are the most scientifically advanced, religion isn't as prominent, except in the U.S.

Wtf, America?

More Online Coverage, Yay

2012-01-25T04:39:00.000-08:00

Good day everyone! More online sites have posted pics of our recent photo shoots and written wonderful things. Of course, anytime you do work that puts you in the public eye in any way you are bound to deal with some naysayers from time to time, and I am no exception. Some sites that pick up my images ignore the shots of me clothed and may even mischaracterize me as someone who is putting nude pictures out there as an attempt to gain fame. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm not one of those fame whores trying desperately to get her 15 minutes; I despise those narcissists.
Before I met Terry, I was a psychology student, considering a career as a forensic psychologist.

The online exposure is great for selling our books and lizlapoint.com memberships, but I would prefer to be humbly known for the art, not for being associated with sites that feature pornography. Which brings me to another concern. Nudity does not equal porn, but for some reason Americans seem to have a more difficult time discerning between the two. Europeans, however, get it. French Marie Claire magazine has featured topless models on the cover, can you imagine that happening here? Unfortunately, Americans are still affected by our Puritan roots and currently religious zealots heavily influence our nation's sexual attitudes and mores. There's this weird, childish attitude toward the human body. Adults seem to be very repressed, which is sad because everyone should live life to its fullest.

I'd also like to mention Terry is a great photographer whose work goes beyond lizlapoint.com. He has a varied and beautiful collection of photography that includes landscapes and head shots. You can see more of his photos here: www.digitalfantastique.com

To everyone who likes our work, thank you! Your support has been appreciated ;)

Sign up or you'll get the belt ;)

2012-01-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

New year, new photo projects! There's always something new that inspires me and inspires my photographer. I really love how these images turned out.

This new set will be up in a couple of days, so become a member of lizlapoint.com ;)

If you haven't "liked" my page on Facebook yet, please do! I like to get your opinions.

A Naked New Year

2012-01-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hello, beautiful people! This year will be exciting and fun; I can feel it. I plan on hitting up some nearby cities for inspiring photo shoots and new vegan restaurants to try. Chicago, here I come ;)

Happy new year, my friends!

Happy Holidays ;)

2011-12-19T08:13:00.000-08:00

Want to preview lizlapoint.com for free? Anybody who purchases my book "A Year With Liz" by New Year's Eve 2011 will get a 30-day membership on me!

You can get my book here: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1969065

Just email me at lizlapoint@me.com for details and spread the word to friends!

Nude Drawing

2011-12-15T17:17:00.000-08:00

In the early spring of 2010, a friend of mine who is a brilliant artist told me he was going to have some of his work displayed in a major art show in NYC. He said he needed models for nude drawings he wanted to create for the show and asked me to be one of the models. Eric crafts moody, interesting sculptures and paintings also. You can see the drawing of me and the other models here http://ericsonntag.blogspot.com/

I Love My Job!

2011-11-29T12:53:00.000-08:00

I'm excited for an upcoming art show that a few of my pics may be displayed at and Sex in Art.net featured my website this week, so that's really cool! Sign up on LizLaPoint.com and see the uncensored versions of photos like this:

How I Keep Model Fit :)

2011-11-21T12:15:00.000-08:00

I was a skinny kid all through childhood and didn't even reach 100 pounds until I was almost 18. In my twenties I gained some pounds due to eating a lot of the standard American diet of meat and potatoes. Then I took it upon myself to do a little research into why someone would become a vegetarian. I was studying nutrition, biology, and anatomy at the same time. I was so moved emotionally and intellectually by the flood of new information and philosophical discussions involved that I decided to try it one morning. I quit eating animals cold turkey (no pun intended!) and never felt better! The first change happened within a week. I gained a ton of energy. You don't realize how unhealthy you are or out of shape you are until the changes take place. Before, I thought I was perfectly healthy just because I didn't smoke and didn't suffer from a major illness, but after I also started dropping pounds (45 in total) I realized I was unhealthy before my diet change. Another major bonus: I didn't catch a cold or flu for 6 years. Before, I was always sick. If there was something going around, I was bound to catch it. At the time, you think that's normal. But after 6 years went by before I was sick again, I realized that it was a sign of how my poor diet was suppressing my immune system. Consuming more plant foods boosts your immune system. Anyway, a vegetarian diet has kept me slim ever since, and it's especially benefited me with the modeling that I do :)

It drives me crazy when I hear someone say "So and So can eat whatever they want/eats like a pig/eats dessert every day and doesn't gain any weight" or "I don't know why So and So is overweight because they don't eat a lot". The truth is, we aren't around this So and So all day every day, so we don't really know how much or how little they eat. We see what they eat in one sitting once a day or once a week and assume that's how they eat even when we are not around. In other words, you don't know if that skinny person who just downed a burger and fries went home and didn't eat anything else the rest of the day and you don't know if that obese guy who just ate a Greek salad didn't go home afterward and spend the rest of his evening polishing off a large pizza and gallon of ice cream. With the rare exception, how much we weigh boils down to how many calories we consume and how many we burn. People who want to blame it on metabolism are lying to themselves because it makes them feel less responsible and therefore less guilty.

I encourage everyone to try a meatless diet for a week or two and see how much better your body runs. Seriously, it was one of the best decisions I ever made!

PS: The best thing about a meatless diet is the absence of disgusting gristle, fat, and bloody veins in your food. Yuck!

Lizlapoint.com Is Ready For Members

2011-11-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

The new site will feature tons of images from past photo sessions and never-before-seen pictures, as well as new pictorials every week! My photographer Terry Osterhout and I have been very busy putting together Liz LaPoint.com and it is now ready to accept members.

There is something for everyone on the site! We like to tell stories with the photography; our work is full of conceptual imagery. We recently shot a pictorial for Halloween that was inspired by 70s and 80s slasher films, and there are even experimental sessions.

It is all available to members only ;)

If you like what you see, please pass it along to friends!

New site launching soon!

2011-10-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

I love the photo art Terry and I produce and now Liz LaPoint.com will showcase all of our work together. There are galleries of images that are both whimsical and fun, while still balancing sex appeal with creativity. Members will get to see every new session as it debuts, and there will also be outtakes and bios with some of the galleries. I hope it will be well-received! Just a reminder: some images feature nudity so it is an 18+ site ;)

Life Lessons From TV Land

2011-07-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Who says you don't learn anything from watching television? Here are just some of the things I remember from my fave t.v. shows growing up.

The Facts of Life: Jo and her boyfriend, both around18 years old, decide to elope, and Mrs. Garret tries to talk her out of it. Then, just before the lovebirds sneak out the door with bags packed, Jo has an epiphany. She says to her Romeo something along the lines of, "What's the rush? If we plan on being together for the rest of our lives, why do we have to get married now? If it is meant to be, we will get married when it's the right time." Life Lesson: marriage is something to be taken seriously and should not happen when you are still waiting for your chest to fill out.
Three's Company: Jack is constantly hitting on the girls and they are constantly fighting him off. Jack and Larry are always lying and conniving their way into their date's skirts. In one particular "very special" episode, Janet is sexually harassed by her dance instructor and she quits. Life Lessons: Men are horny toads. Men are willing to do anything for sex. And women put up with a lot of b.s.
Little House on the Prairie: They had to hand-wash everything, ride horses and wagon-wheel carriages, have one "Doc" for the whole town, and women gave birth at home with no pain relief. Life Lessons: Life was hard back in the day. There was no such thing as a "simpler time". Appreciate medical and technological advances because without them you'd be having a lot less fun.

Contests Are Fun!

2011-04-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have never won a contest in my life. Not once. Not even that time back in the 90s when a local radio station in Minneapolis randomly called my job and I happened to be the employee who answered the phone. Apparently, the person who answers the phone was supposed to say something specific that only that station's listeners would know to say. So the DJ excitedly asks me "what do you say when you answer the phone?!" to which I answered "uhhh...hello?" Silence. A few seconds of dead silence and then the DJ decides to give me another chance, but I was seriously confused and had no idea what I was supposed to say. I would've won something major, too, not like concert tickets but more like a trip somewhere awesome. And the kicker was, I listened to that radio station all the time! But I hate listening to any talking, so whenever radio ads came on or the DJs started ranting, I would change the station. Thus, I missed when they talked about the contest.

Even all those times when a raffle ticket is handed out at events and I have six and someone who had one wins. Or those times when you drop your business card into one of those jars labeled "Win a FREE LUNCH!" at your favorite eateries. I have never won a free lunch.

So now that you've heard my sob story, vote for me at this contest! I want to go to Hawaii!!

http://features.peta.org/Sexy-Veg-2011/Contestant.aspx?cid=5490&r=1&f=0&m=0&t=female&s=3&k=liz

Myth Busting

2011-03-16T15:01:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to dispel some myths that linger on, myths that are damaging and annoying, to say the least. While it is understandable that some of these myths haven't died yet, other myths are just downright idiotic.

I will begin with some vegetarian myths. When you decide to buck the standard American diet for one free of dead animal parts, you need to become a walking encyclopedia on the whole subject because not only will you be bombarded with questions and falsehoods, but you will be verbally attacked by those who feel instantly defensive in your presence. Knowing your facts will better prepare you for these times. Here are some common questions that every vegetarian hears:

Myth #1: "Don't you need to take lots of vitamins? How do you get your protein?"

No, you do not need to down extra vitamins as a vegetarian. On the contrary, it is those who eat meat and dairy who need to make up for the lack of fruits and vegetables in their diet with a multivitamin. When you eschew animal flesh at your meals, you substitute it with vegetation that is rich in minerals and vitamins. For example, dining on Vegetable Fajitas instead of Carne Asada not only cuts out a ton of fat, cholesterol, and calories, but you are loading up on those nutrients necessary for a long, healthy life. There's a reason vegetarians live 10 years longer than meat-eaters, on average.

Also, there are many other sources of tasty protein, like Black Beans and Rice or Boca Burgers. By the way, you don't need as much protein as you think you do; most Americans get waaaay too much, which contributes to fun ailments like kidney stones, gallstones, and diverticulitis. When you get your protein from vegetarian sources you also get fiber, which is something that meat and dairy are completely devoid of.

Myth #2: "It's too expensive to be a vegetarian."

What? You're kidding, right? Only someone completely oblivious would think that vegetation is more expensive than meat. Don't believe it's true? Take a look at every menu at the restaurants you frequent. You will find that the LEAST expensive items are always the vegetarian ones. Even if you count fast food places, the french fries, baked potatoes, and meatless salads are cheaper. At the grocery store, proteins like beans, peanut butter, whole grain bread, and tofu are lower in price than meat. I know because I have comparison shopped in the past and recorded what the price differences are.

Even if it was true, wouldn't it be wiser to spend a little extra on foods that give you health and energy? Taking care of yourself now means fewer expenses down the road on things like cholesterol-lowering medications and triple-bypass surgery. Where are people's priorites? The same person who claims it is too expensive to be a vegetarian is the same person you see buying a Prada handbag or blowing 500 bucks at the casino. Give me a break.

Times Like These...

2011-03-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

It's times like these you know who your real friends are. It is a common mistake we make when we think our good friends are the ones who are there when we are down, or when life is especially hard. But the truth is your real friends are the ones who can be happy for you when life is great.

It is easy to be the one who is there to cheer you up, all the while feeling good that they are not the one experiencing your pain. It is easy to be there for the friends who are unhappy because their discord in life is nothing to envy. Misery loves company; the ones who are unhappy with themselves and their lives are the ones who are unable to be there for you when life is going your way. Love is not envious or judgmental. Your true friends are not the ones who become distant when your life is getting better or become negative about your success or happiness. Your true friends show excitement and support for you when you are happy.

I have had "friends" who only reach out during times of hardship, but retreat or dig for any sign of stress when life is actually pretty great. I've had "friends" completely ignore me when times are bad, show no signs of support or excitement over my book's release and exposure, and then have the nerve to post that they "miss me" on facebook. Really? When you miss someone you make an effort to see them and be involved in their life.

I have come to a point in my life where I have no patience for counterfeit people and so-called friends who can't be happy for me when I'm happy. It is important to surround yourself with positive people who love you and want to see you thrive, and let the negative, judgmental people go.

Fine Art Nudity

2011-02-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

Since our book "A Year With Liz" hit the web, we've received a lot of positive attention and exposure! We are excited and proud of it. Sites like Sugarcut and Egotastic covered our work and have written awesome things about the book. With new exposure comes the need for me to clarify my thoughts and feelings about it all.

I just want to make sure it is known that I am proud of the images and had and continue to have fun shooting and working with the magnificent Terry Osterhout. I do not see what we do as pornographic, while to some that may be debatable. We see these images and Terry's style as fine art nudity; tasteful imagery that even exudes romantic and sweet tones, while still being erotic. At least, that what we hope the photos communicate!

Some sites that display our work may be associated with more hardcore nudity and sexuality. We are okay with that as long as our photography is recognized as more subtle and (hopefully) artistic.

If you like our photography you can "Like" my Facebook page to the right ;;)

Thank you to everyone who has been supportive!

For Lovers of Photo Art

2011-02-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

Terry and I are excited to announce our first photo book collaboration is now for sale on blurb.com! We are proud of the work and have been receiving positive feedback so far. It is NSFW, so be warned ;)

Life can continue now...

2011-02-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

Two days after my most recent blog entry my grandmother was killed in a car accident when the other driver ran a red light and broadsided her car. The morning of January 18th, I had called her to chat about my upcoming baby shower and other news, ending the call with a cheery "talk to you later, grandma!" By 2:30 that afternoon I got the dreaded call that she had passed away from the accident.

The following weeks were a whirlwind of emotions and family members and planning her funeral. Exhausting enough for most people, but I had the added concern of being pregnant. Everyone worried, telling me not to stress, and I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am for Terry's care and protection of me during the ensuing days.

My grandmother was still youthful and healthy; she could have easily lived another 20 years. Her husband had just passed away 9 months ago and she was learning how to get on with her life, enrolling in college courses to better her computer skills and making new friends. It breaks my heart that she was robbed of a longer life because some jerk decided to run a red light.

I lived with her for a number of years while I got my life and finances together. We had a lot of good times and great talks, getting to know each other better since the distance between California and Minnesota kept us from frequent interactions before my move here. She was smart, patient, supportive, and friendly to everyone. She was a progressive woman, and stood by her values with conviction and integrity. Everyone who met her liked her.

Family flew into town for her memorial and her daughters bore the brunt of the difficult decision-making and planning process. I am still in awe of my aunt Renee, who was able to gather herself enough to sing a hauntingly beautiful song at my grandmother's memorial service. I was feeling too overwhelmed to speak at the service, so my brother recited a poem in my place. I was afraid I would just fall apart standing up there in front of the whole church. But Renee is a much stronger person than I am, and her singing was perfect.

Our baby shower was postponed, and Terry's birthday was the next week too. Needless to say, January was an extremely difficult month.

It's Just Wrong, People

2011-01-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

Terry and I discuss all the time what kind of parents we want to be, what kind of life we want to give Remy, and where we want to raise him (stay here in sunny CA or move back to the midwest?). One of the ideals we both plan on practicing with Remy is disciplining him without violence. No spankings, no hitting, no screaming at him.

I grew up in a chaotic, dysfunctional household, where yelling and abusive tactics were commonly used. I know firsthand the long-lasting effects this kind of home environment creates with children. The devastation can wreak havoc right away but become buried as the child represses anger and sadness as a coping mechanism; the child tries to forget and move on, but the subconscious doesn't allow that to happen.

Psychological studies have shown over and over how physical punishment and emotional abuse can affect children. Children who are spanked and/or hit are more likely to have lower IQs, behavioral problems at school, and emotional problems as adults. It does no good to inflict pain on your child in moments of frustration; it is not (contrary to popular belief) "for his/her own good." The only person it has fleeting benefits for is the abusive parent: they get to release their anger and show the child who's "boss". It is bullying, plain and simple.

So Terry and I are coming home the other day and stopped to check the mailbox near our apartment. While standing there we heard a man (through his apartment window with the blinds mostly shut) smacking his small child as he yelled at him in some foreign language. It wasn't once or twice, it was repeatedly and very loud. The child, of course, is crying hysterically. Terry and I looked at each other in disbelief; we were so disturbed.

We went up to our apartment and sat in silence before I burst into tears. I was so tortured by the sound of that small child's cries and the horrible sound of the hitting. We decided that the wrong thing to do was nothing. So Terry called Social Services and they instructed us to call the police. We watched inconspicuously from our window as the cops showed up to their door and walked in. We will probably never know what happened as a result of our actions, but we felt some relief in knowing that we didn't do nothing. And hopefully the police showing up sends the message that caring people will not just sit back as you abuse your child, and it is not acceptable behavior.

The Book

2011-01-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

As many of you have figured out by now, my fiancé Terry is a fine art photographer and we are working on a photo book together to be released sometime this year. We are excited about it and can't wait to see its debut! We have been creating images since early last year, many of them nudes and conceptual images. When we discovered we were expecting little Remy we decided to include photos of the pregnancy and the book's theme will evolve as you go through it. I am truly proud of Terry's skills and ambition; he puts his heart and soul into everything he works on.

Here is a preliminary peek at the cover of the book:

NYE in 29 Palms

2011-01-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever visited the city of Twentynine Palms, CA? For those who have never been there, it is out in the desert, close to Joshua Tree Park, about 3 1/2 hours from the OC. Terry and I decided to get away from home for NYE weekend, spend it having fun in a town far from the hustle and bustle, intimate and romantic. We planned a photo shoot in Joshua Tree and thought we would enjoy a cozy dinner out on the 31st at a nice restaurant. 2010 was a year to celebrate for us and we both look forward to the new year (Remy's arrival!).

29 Palms is a sleepy little town, full of mountains and desert wasteland and coyotes. We got a hotel room and spent the first day shooting in the park. This will surprise a lot of people, but it was freezing! Seriously, it felt like the windchill was 20 below! It can be shockingly cold in the desert during the winter months. I would take that over dealing with snow and ice though.

We made the best of it by stopping at one of those roadside shops that usually sell junk and getting this really cool, bohemian dress and scarf for the shoot. They kept me warm while we scouted for good shooting spots among the giant rocks. Being pregnant meant I had to interrupt the shooting to go "number one" several times in an area not easily seen by the road. Thank goodness we had a roll of toilet paper with us.

Then we went to a drive-in movie theater that night to watch a double feature of Tangled and Burlesque for only $5 each. Nice. We were thinking it would be great to not have to deal with annoyances like people who talk too loud or whip out their cell phones, but alas, we could not escape them even at the drive-in. This stupid bitch parks her vehicle backwards in front of us, so that her clan can sit at the rear of the car to watch the movie, but like an idiot keeps her headlights on, so they are shining right at us. We patiently wait to see if they go off on their own, but nope. I hate it when people put you in a position to have to confront them. So Terry heads up to the car and asks her "do you know your headlights are on?" to which she rudely snaps "yes, I know". So he asks "well, do you plan on leaving them on?" and she ignores him! He stands there waiting for her to go turn them off, and she finally does. Unbelievable! But because she wasn't rude enough before, she went to the front of her vehicle and turned them on a couple more times before the movies ended.

We figured that since it is such a small town we could just show up to the only nice restaurant they have and get a table for dinner NYE, but we were wrong. We walk in to Bistro 29 and notice a ton of empty tables, thinking we were in luck. They said they were booked for the night. There were literally no other nice places to eat. None. It was either the bistro or dive bars and fast food.

So we made the best of it and went to the grocery store and got a bunch of yummy snacks and a cute mini chocolate cake and went back to our room, spending the intimate evening with each other instead of rude locals and drunks.

It was a beautiful time together, laughing and relaxing and telling each other what we want for the new year. That's one of the ways we are so compatible; no matter where we are or what happens, we still have fun together.

The Holidays

2010-12-25T14:17:00.001-08:00

I live in beautiful southern California with my fiancé Terry and have an aunt and my paternal grandmother close by too. My grandmother moved here from Minnesota back in the mid-80s for her job, and my aunt (her daughter) also got out of Dodge a short time afterward, leaving the blustery cold behind. So when I decided to relocate myself back in '02, I had some comfort in knowing I had some family nearby to help with the transition and spend the holidays with.

My other paternal aunt now also flies out with her cheery husband from the land of 10,000 frozen lakes to catch up and play games and laugh and give cool gifts. And I love that Terry and I aren't the only vegetarians at these family affairs. Minnesota Aunt has been veg for eons, since like, 1980 or something like that, and California Aunt has been veg off and on for years too, making her familiar with and open to eating foods that don't require heartless killing. For me, the thought of being grateful and wishing peacefulness onto the world while ignoring the immense suffering of non-human beings would be wrong. If most people recognized how barbaric it is to senselesslly use animals in a way that can only be classified as cruel, would that awaken a deeper kindness among fellow humans too? If we taught our children to be empathetic and extend compassion toward all beings on Earth, would that reduce human suffering as well?

Terry and I had a great time chowing down Tofurkey Roast (it is dee-lish, so stop being a baby and try it) with the whole family (who also loved it) and I made a vegan chocolate cake with raspberry and cream (I love you, SoyWhip!) filling that also got rave reviews. Yay!

A little self-awareness, please...

2010-12-13T18:38:00.001-08:00

You know, life is really good right now. I am with an extraordinary man whom I love coming home to, we have a little boy set to be delivered to the world sometime in April, the bills get paid, and we are surrounded by friends and family that extend themselves to us and whom we are grateful to. It's the little people I come in contact with in everyday life, however, that have inspired this latest blog.

How To Be an Annoying Person:

1) When someone near you who is older than 8 accidentally drops something, tell them to "be careful". Because accidentally dropping something isn't annoying enough, they need to hear something condescending and pointless too.

2) Ask complete strangers "how are you?" but don't wait for a response, or you can just ignore their answer. Even better, don't answer them when they return the question. It's always charming to be counterfeit.

3) When someone is staring off into the distance, minding their own business, wave your hand in front of their face to break the spell, especially when you have no reason to get their attention.

4) When you are out to eat, ignore your server when they greet you at your table and tell them you are ready to order when you're not. Make them stand there as you debate what to order. Bonus points if you ask for something new every time they bring you the last thing you asked for.

5) The next time someone is legitimately upset about something and passionately talks about it, don't diffuse the tension by listening to them, simply incite anger by telling them to "calm down."

People: can't live with them, can't live without them ;)

3)

The Ostrich Syndrome

2010-11-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

I am always disappointed by someone who prefers to stick their head in the sand rather than live honestly and consciously. I am saddened by those who would rather live ignorantly than hear facts and information that may make them want to change in some way. And I lose a little respect for people who believe that "ignorance is bliss." Bliss for you, maybe, but not for the rest of the world that is negatively affected by your decision to live selfishly.

Imagine telling someone all about blood diamonds, and then watching them purchase said diamonds. Imagine educating your best friend on our pet overpopulation, and then watching them breed dogs.
Even worse, imagine they put their hands over their ears and blurt "I don't want to hear it!" before you can even talk about it.

Those scenarios have happened to me whenever the subject of my diet is brought up (and it's always, and I mean ALWAYS, brought up by someone else). It's disgusting. I can't relate to that mentality. I find it very important to be open to new information, use your critical thinking skills to weigh this information, and then make appropriate changes if need be. I stopped buying bottled water by the boatloads when I read articles detailing the dreadfully inadequate recycling in the facilities, with photos of giant piles of crushed plastic bottles filling up these warehouses. Most of these bottles end up in the ocean anyway.

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:

"Until mid 2002, I was a meat-eater. I have always instinctively been opposed to cruelty to animals, as all decent and sensible people are... I assumed humans had always eaten meat because it was natural for us to, and that food animals were raised on farms where they were fairly oblivious to their surroundings and only moderately inconvenienced until their swift and humane execution. Nothing could be further from the truth." Dan Piraro, genius artist of Bizarro comic strip

"Those who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests... When non-vegetarians say that 'human problems come first', I cannot help wondering what it is that they are doing for human beings that compels them to continue to support the wasteful, ruthless exploitation of farm animals." Peter Singer, author

Have times changed?

2010-10-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ugh.... home with a nasty cold and watching more television than I really care to, I am noticing commercials that display traditional gender roles. The women/mothers take care of the kids, cook, and clean up after everyone else while the men/fathers relax with some reading material or the television set.

Now, I get that marketing research can lead advertisers to aim a cooking/cleaning/kid's product at women and mothers if they discover it is mostly women who still purchase these products. But why do the ads need to be sexist?

A few examples:
1) In an ad for 5-Hour Energy, we see a mother walk in the door with 2 bags of groceries, to be greeted by her rambunctious children running around the house, as she talks about how beneficial this product has been, while her husband is sitting on his ass reading a newspaper on the sofa.

2) The commercials for Bounty paper towels frequently piss me off. In one, a young boy spills his drink on the ground, and he and his dad just look at it like a couple of dimwits. Who enters the picture to save them from the horrid experience of wiping up a spill? The mother, of course. She happily cleans up the mess, because clearly fathers and children are incapable.

3) In an advertisement for a health insurance company (I wish I could remember which one) a voice-over informs us of its plans and services while we watch some kids play around in the backyard while their father completely ignores them by reading a magazine. We see the mother call them back into the house (presumably to have the supper she has been slaving away to make).

Do these ads represent the reality that gender roles have not changed? Do they make the ads sexist because most families are still headed by the detached, emotionally unavailable father and the over-worked mother? I do recall a little something called the "2nd Shift" from my sociology classes: after the women's lib movement in the 70s got women into the workplace, men didn't pick up more responsibility in the home, leaving women who work outside the home to come home to a "2nd shift".

What the hell? Why do women continue to be in relationships with men that can't take care of themselves? I personally have always avoided men like that; if you can't do simple things like your own laundry and have no interest in cleaning the toilet every now and then, forget it. I am not your mother. Mama's boys need not apply. Grow the hell up. And mothers who continue babying their sons--knock it off. You are not doing your son or his future mates any favors by crippling your son into being dependent on someone else.

This is an outrage.

2010-10-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

It is beyond ridiculous and unacceptable that anti-gay crusaders are still tolerated and allowed to spread untruths in their agenda.

Listen to this bullshit:

1)The American Family Association on a proposed anti-bullying act in Michigan: "it legitimizes homosexual behavior" which is "a practice scientifically proven to result in a dramatically higher incidence of domestic violence, mental illness, illegal drug use, promiscuity, life-threatening disease, and premature death."

Whaaat?? Absolutely ludicrous! As if "legitimizing" homosexuality would be a bad thing. And where the hell is that "scientific evidence"? Idiots.

2)The Minnesota Family Council advised legislators to veto the Safe Schools For All bill (an anti-bullying bill) in 2009 because it would "promote acceptance of homosexuality."

Imagine someone getting away with saying that but substitute a different minority group. "Veto the bill because it would promote acceptance of women/African Americans/disabled people/etc." Inexcusable.

All those morons against gay marriage (*sigh).... there was a time when interracial marriage was illegal as well... then people came to their senses. I'm tired of hearing boneheads say they are against it because "marriage is about procreating" or any number of other asinine excuses for being a bigot. The elderly can't procreate but we allow them to get married. Enough! Don't insult my intelligence.

And to everyone who uses "gay" in reference to something that is bad/in poor taste/silly: knock it off. It is derogatory and it only serves to announce your ignorance. It is an outage that we have allowed that usage to flourish.

What we need more of in this world is love, not hate. If two people want to love each other and happen to be of the same sex, so fuckin' what. Leave them the hell alone.

The article...

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/02/anti-gay-bullying/

What to be when I grow up...

2010-09-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

At various times in my life I have worked in:

1) Retail (Express, Abercrombie and Fitch)
2) Restaurants (pastry chef, server)
3) Administration (dental office)
4) Modeling (photographic arts)

And so on and so forth (*sigh)...

Like most teenagers, I thought I had my future tightly mapped out. Also like most teenagers, I was naive and ill-informed of how difficult the road ahead would be. I look back now and wish I had done things differently, of course, because I am nowhere near where I envisioned myself being by the age of 35. And when I say "done things differently" I am referring to how I handled my money and time. Blowing every paycheck on crap I didn't need and opening up 4 credit cards (it took me 7 years to pay them all off), I had to learn the financial lessons in life the hard way. And I wish I had focused on a career path, instead of spending my 20s having fun and working odd jobs that only served to make me hate the general population.

Here's my problem: there were just waaaay too many career paths I was interested in and couldn't decide on one! I was afraid I would choose one, just to find out after years of schooling and student loans up the booty that my chosen field made me miserable. But after years of putting this decision off, I finally entered the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school to become a pastry chef, just to discover after only a year working as one that I was miserable! Miserable! Alas, my fear had come true anyway.

I am a social person, who needs some sort of friendly human interaction during my day (sometimes I think that may be too much to ask), and when you are slaving away at the speed of light in a kitchen to churn out a gazillion desserts and breads, like creme brulee and chocolate souffle cakes, and Paris Brests and Sacher Tortes (mmmmmm....), you don't have much time for any friendly human interaction. Not to mention it is a high-stress job for low pay. You don't really make the big bucks until you're slaving away as an executive pastry chef in some pretentious hotel restaurant.

I have always found forensic psychology fascinating. I have read more books written about the field and serial killers than I care to mention, lest you think less of my emotional and intellectual stability. But do I really want to go through so many years of schooling and student loans up the booty just to find out it makes me miserable?