A Blip about Gun Control

So, usually I am pretty quiet about my personal opinions on "hot" topics on Facebook*. However, for some reason I am feeling a bit... intense about the gun control debate that will come up even stronger now after the events of yesterday.

Many people claim that the United States violent crime rate is largely due to the easy access that U.S. citizens have to guns. They say that when you look at other countries, you do not see the violent crime rate and this is because of their strict gun laws. Sounds reasonable, right? Honestly, it kind of does. Until you start to look at more numbers and really understand things. Most people do not look at other information, they simply look at violent crime rates and gun laws and make this decision. They then decide we would be "safer" if we had much stricter gun laws, that this would make all of those violent crimes go away.

Let's make guns illegal? Let's make it so that only the President's guards can have guns? Let's make it so only officers can have guns? Will that make our country a better place? Let's say that guns are "done away" with. So no more mass killings, no more serial killers, no more shootings. Obviously guns are the only problem. Right?

How about we compare the number of serial killers that the United States has to the the rest of the world. The numbers, by decades according to the FGCU serial killer database, 1900: U.S. has 19 , Internationally 13. 1910: U.S. 34 Intl.16. 1920 34/29 1930 39/24 1940: 37/40 1950 50/35 1960: 168/65 1970: 512/145 1980: 680/192 1990:572/269 2000:318/229 As of a yearish ago 2010:73/53. The first decade, not a bad difference in numbers, unless you remember, this is 1 country versus the rest of the WORLD. How about the 70's? 512 in the United States alone versus 145 in the rest of the world. A bit scary. All total, the United States has had 2,625 serial killers. The next highest? England with 142.

Well, if we got rid of guns, you say, that would have not happened. Well, what if I told you that most serial killers did not use guns to commit their murders. I am not saying that few, or no serial killers killed their victims by shooting, I am saying that less than half, the highest percentage I have seen is 41% used a gun as a method of killing their victims. This is still a lot you say? It is, i agree. But that means that 49% of serial killers in the United States did NOT use a gun to kill their victims. Do you know what the next highest method of killing was? Strangulation. Are going to ban hands, ropes, and other objects that can be used to strangle someone next?

My point here is that while guns are often used in violent crimes, they are not the CAUSE of violent crimes, they are simply the tool used. I believe that the numbers of incidents in the United States shows that even if guns were banned, we would still have extreme violent crimes, and more issues than other countries. There is a deeper issue here, and until that we figure that out, we will continue to see this type of violent crime in our country.

*Note that this originally started as a Facebook post.

Glock Videos

Looking through my YouTube videos and rediscovered some old videos of Glock.

My Foray into Yoga/Letting Go

Here is another little bit I wrote last month, on the 23rd.

"So, with my foray into yoga I have found myself doing more introspection. I wish I had written this down last night when it came to me, but I was so tired I went straight to bed.

I feel like in some ways my issues with my body, i.e. feeling fat, or like I have fat is because my body is holding onto things because I am holding onto things and  not letting go. Until I am able to let go of these things I am not sure I will be able to either be where I want to be or feel happy/comfortable with where I am .

Now, I know physical condition is not what life is all about and that there is no right shape, size, etc. It is just that I think for me, these extra pounds are like the physical manifestation of those things that are weighing me down and holding me back from progressing in my life. I feel like once I am able to let go of these things and move past them, I will be able to feel more accepting of myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and I will be lighter in all ways.

I am still not completely sure what it is that I need to let go of, as I feel like I have already let go of everything I need to let go. I feel now, that maybe I have not fully let go of some, even though I have tried.

So, my goal is to find a way to truly let go of these things and move forward with my life."

After reading that, I find it interesting, because although I have not lost any weight, I feel better about myself. I just started the 30 Day Yoga with Adriene challenge over again, I'm on Day 5 today. I feel stronger, I feel like my muscles are evolving and developing, and I'm feeling more comfortable in my own body. Definitely all good things to realize!

While I don't know for sure how much I have let go of yet, I do feel that I am on the right path, headed in the right direction.

Looking Forward- Career Path/Remembering Who I Am

So, I have this nice bound notebook, like a journal that I write various thoughts and lists and things down in. Some parts are more journal like, some parts are simply lists of things I want to research, there are some quotes, etc. The front of it has the following quote stamped on it, "Live the life you've always dreamed of. Be fearless in the face of adversity. Never stop learning. Be true to who you are. Recognize the beauty that surrounds you. Be the architect of your own destiny. This life is yours to create."

I LOVE this, and it is the reason I bought the journal, even despite the fact that it is pink!! ;) I am not a huge pink fan. 

Anyways, as I went to write some things down today that I want to make into a blog post I looked back at the last few things I have written down. I haven't written much over the past month, but it is amazing the way I feel like I have progressed in my thoughts and convictions about some things in just a month. On the 5th of July I wrote this, I am not going to include everything as my notebook is personal, and this is public! I said,

"In some ways I feel like it is simply ridiculous the way I have been feeling lost and confused about my career these many years. I have always known, deep down inside, what I want to do with my life, what I feel I am supposed to do. It is as if something has been feeding me lies inside that this isn't a possibility. That i should ignore my dreams and look elsewhere.

Somehow though, I feel as if I have suddenly kicked all of these lies to the curb. I know what I am supposed to do and it makes so much sense now! It is going to take hard work, time, research, and some creative problem solving, but I know I can do it.

I am trying to not do wishful thinking about wishing I had stuck to my guns when I had graduated high school. I could be so much further ahead than I am now with this. I have to remind myself that everything happens for a reason. I would not have had the experiences I have had or met the people I have met if things had been different."

Now, I feel like while, yes, things may be very different if I had taken a different path, that I have learned so much about myself and gained so many good experiences on this path, that ultimately will help me on my career path, that this is the way it was supposed to be. It is going to take me some time and some work, but I have already made so much progress, at least I feel as though I have, and I am rediscovering who I am.

Update on Raw Feeding

 So we are about three and a half weeks into the switch to a raw diet. So far so good!! We started out on chicken drumsticks and leg quarters. With leg quarters he got one in the morning and one in the evening. While the bone to meat ratio is slightly higher than what most people recommend for the normal ratios, I found it to be perfect for the switch as it helped with any.... loose stools he might have had with a diet switch.

Since Glock was doing so well on the chicken I decided last week that it was time to add in a second protein source. I started adding in a bit of pork with his leg quarter and he has been doing great on that!

Saturday I went to the store to pick up some split chicken breasts and also got some chicken liver. Saturday was three weeks in and he was doing great on chicken and some pork that I figured it was safe/time to start adding in some organ. He gets a piece of liver every evening feeding. There haven't been any issues with that either!!

I have to say that so far I am feeling really good about this change. I am keeping my eyes peeled for great sales on meat, and am excited about adding in other protein sources. I think that it is most likely that his raw meaty bone portion of his meals will continue being chicken, either split breast or leg quarters, simply because they are so inexpensive. Obviously other raw meaty bones (RMB) will be added in if I find them at a great price. Pork and turkey will probably be a main portion of his diet as well with beef organ and muscle meat (heart), as I can get those for a decent price.

So, how is he doing? Well his ear infection seems to be doing quite a bit better these last few days. I have also started adding in a bit of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar to his water to help and heal it as well. I figure hit it with everything to heal it as quickly as possible! He LOVES his food, gets super excited for dinner time and always wants more. He took to the liver immediately, apparently some dogs don't like it at first, and has loved everything he's gotten so far (not that that has been a terribly big variety).

Portioning out liver to bags!

A New Day Bakery

Maybe I am a glutton for punishment, but oh well! I have decided it is time to set up an etsy shop for gluten free baked goods. A way to lose money? Perhaps, I hope not, but one never knows!! I feel like it is time to take the plunge, a first step into something else. If you want to take a look, and I don't know maybe buy some *wink wink* you can do so here!! I have only done the cookies that I feel are stable and delicious, not ones that I am still trying to perfect. Okay, I am always trying to PERFECT all of them, but these ones are pretty dang delicious!

Gluten Free Snickerdoodles- Xanthan Gum Free!

So, I have decided to try and not use xanthan gum in my gluten free cooking. Now, if you are a gluten free baker you may know how common xanthan gum is and how useful it is. Instead of xanthan gum I have decided to use psyllium husk. It is a bit of trial and error to find the right amount of psyllium husk to replace the xanthan gum. Some sources I have seen say you can substitute it 1:1, others 1:2-3 (xanthan to psyllium). So, I have made cookies a few times using psyllium husk. The first time I did chocolate chip cookies with a 1:1 ratio. They turned out flat and crumbly. Next time I did peanut butter cookies with a 1:2 ratio. After the dough had sat in the fridge for a day it produced pretty darn good cookies! The first batch I baked after just a couple of hours in the fridge were a big thin. Today I did snickerdoodles with a 1:3 ratio ( a HEAVY 3, maybe closer to 4). They held their shape beautifully, but were crumbly once you bit into them. Le sigh. It looks like somewhere between two and three is the magic amount.

Although they were crumbly they were still melt in your mouth yummy!