My Thoughts On... Food Stamps

     I worked at one particular grocery store for 6 years where I witnessed first hand how much food stamps are used and abused. I have no problem whatsoever with using food stamps, no problem at all,but I do have a problem with people abusing them, especially when there are people out there who really do need every penny.

     You can find on the Food and Nutrition Services website that the "food stamp program was designed to help struggling families put food on the table" and that they "put healthy food on the tables of 46 million people a month"

     It's not even called the Food Stamp Program any more; it's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Supplemental, doesn't that mean to furnish what is lacking or missing ? Lacking or missing

     Here's what you can buy with food stamps:
Breads, cereals, fruits and veggies, poultry, meats, fish and dairy products. Also seeds and plants that produce food for the household to eat. Normal healthy sounding foods right? How about soda, cookies, ice cream and birthday cakes? Yup! Even candy and certain energy drinks are allowed! Click here to see for yourself if you don't believe me :)

     Here's what you cannot buy with food stamps:
Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco. Any nonfood items like soaps, paper products, pet foods and household supplies. Hot foods and foods that are to be eaten in store are also on list.

     Here's what I've personally seen bought at the grocery store that I worked at:
Starbucks, lobster, filet mignon, specialty  birthday cakes and yes even wedding cakes! (More then one in the last year alone!!)
     Those things are lacking and missing from my diet ...

     Why aren't there better regulations for this!? Well that would be "administratively costly and burdensome". Wait isn't that someones job?? We wouldn't want any to like, actually have to work now would we? In case you haven't noticed people need jobs around here!

     WIC, if you don't know is like food stamps but only for pregnant women and their kids up to age 5. You receive a check or vouchers to purchase specific foods and they are specific! They tell you excatly what you can or can't get with it. It gets broken down from the flavor of apple juice, to how many ounces of milk or Cheerios you can buy.

     Now why are there such strict limits on little babies and growing pregnant bellies but not on grown ass adults who know damn well what is good for them or not?

Like I said before I am definitely not against food stamp users, just the abusers and you should be to!  In some areas people even trade food stamps for money so they can buy drugs or alcohol- what the hell!? Is that how you want your tax dollars spent?

My Thoughts On... Job Applications

     Today My Thoughts On was inspired when filling out job applications recently. They all ask the same normal questions: name, work history and experience to have you ever been a felon or what interested you in this job? uh, having money? Mostly but there are some that I just don't get...

       One of them being, 'Do I have transportation to and from work?' I mean, really? I do understand why but, would I still get the job if I said, 'yea,my legs!'? I don't have a car all to myself (fiance and I share)  and I feel that it isn't any of their business how I get there, as long as I get there and do my job should be all that should matters,right? Okay, maybe I get that one but still!.

      *I should note here that I have only had a car for about 1/2 the time I've had a license (more then 10 years now) and that has never once stopped me from showing up to any job on time and if you know me, you know I am always early.

      On to the next thing I don't understand -Why, oh WHY, did I work so hard, for so long in high school to get that ever so important diploma when it kinda doesn't matter. Using that loosely -I know it matters! But tell me, why it is it when you get to the education section that high school diploma and GED are on the same line?
      I mean don't get me wrong, if you are smart enough to take and pass the GED, go right ahead; but in my experiences the GED test takers I have known didn't go to school every day, do homework every night or study the night before on the weekends like I did just to get that diploma.
     I'm not trying to say that people with a GED aren't as smart as those of us with a diploma but is it to much to ask that we get some sort of recognition for putting in four, whole years of schooling rather then just taking some test? Am I alone here or does any one else feel like this?
      This last thing I really don't understand and makes me wonder how private our privacy really is. Has an employer ever asked for your Facebook password? Me neither, but I have recently noticed in the news that others have been. What is up with that and what's next? You Tube, Instagram and Twitter logins?
      What I do off the clock and in my free time -when you ARE NOT paying me doesn't matter!! So if I'm ever asked I will gladly give it to them -after they give me all their personal passwords as well, which I'm sure they would do right?

Where I Came From

     Today I finally found out what time I was born! This might not be a big deal to some of you, but I've gone 27 years without knowing where or what time I was born at.  (4:24 PM at the Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis which is located in Tacoma, Washington if anyone was wondering!) Well, I have always known I was born in Tacoma but never knew where.
      How could I not know? I was adopted. To me they will always be Mom and Dad because they are the parents that raised me but, when I was about 4-6 months old I went to live with my Aunt Bobbie (birth dads sister) and Uncle Mark; who officially adopted me when I was 6. It took six long years to complete the process because they had to ask permission from everybody in the Eskimo Indian tribe I belong to. Why or who exactly they had to ask I'm still not quite sure about but I'm working on it!
 I have always known I was adopted; from the very beginning my parents had always told me. I guess so that one day there wouldn't have to be some sort of crazy reveal of some sort (which did kinda happen to a half brother of mine!)
     I never really felt like I didn't belong because the people I was seeing on holidays, like my grandma, were my actual blood relatives, so there was no weirdness there. Although I do remember one particular holiday -Christmas? a birthday? not exactly sure- where I thought it was soo weird that my birth dad was there but not really acting like a dad. Enter the best Auntie in the world. She took me aside and told me something like "we are all family and we all love you and not to worry because  she loves me so much that he should be jealous of all the love I'm getting." Not her exact words but I do remember it was her words and her words only that made me feel better that day! (RIP Auntie I ♥ and miss you so much)
     Anyways, when I was 15 and trying to get my driving permit I needed a birth certificate. Well, I didn't have one so I went looking for my adoption papers, figured next best thing right? While looking threw them I found an interesting bit. My birth mother (Debbie) had checked yes to a box that read: when Britney reaches the age of 18 would you want her to contact you? Me being me I was like," yeah cool lets try". So now I was on the hunt for a birth certificate and my Debbie. I made all kinds of calls to the city of Orange; where I was officially adopted; Washington state; where I was born and even Alaska, because that's where Debbie is from. I was starting to think all the phone calls I made were for nothing because I was getting nowhere. Getting nowhere and getting discouraged.
      Come to find out my adoption papers were acceptable for my permit so I kinda forgot about the birth certificate. Didn't forget about Debbie though. I wasn't hearing anything from anyone and I was starting to think that I would never find her.
     One day when I came home from school my mom said,"Britney, your sister is on the phone hurry up and get in here!" I thought she was tripping because both of my sisters were out in the yard playing so I said,"What do you mean they're right here?" Then she said," No, your real sister! And Debbie!" What? How could this happen? Just randomly one day I get a call from them after months and months of searching?!
     Apparently all those phone calls to Alaska paid off. One lady, and I feel bad for not remembering her name, that I called just happen to know my Grandpa Bob. Well, I guess she told him that I called and he got in contact with Debbie then her and my sister (Kristy) called me up!
     After a few phone calls back and forth to my Grandpa I was on a plane to Alaska!! Technically I was on my way to Seattle but from there Alaska :)
     Even though I was 18 the airline asked if I would like a chaperone since it was my first time flying. I said no of course, but thinking back I should have said yes. I mean, at this point in my life the farthest I went with out my parents was Big Bear for ski club, so flying 2,000+ miles to meet people I've never even seen was a pretty big deal. I didn't know where to go to the bathroom or how to get my luggage after landing in one of the busiest airports in America. Oh, and wait I still had to find someone I had never met before!!
     During our phone conversations we shoulda said what we would be wearing the day I arrived; red shirt, pink hat, a sign with my name -something! Nope not us, we just wandered around the luggage claim until there was no one left but us looking awkwardly at each other. Finally after walking by each other a few times Debbie finally asked, "Are you Britney?" The instant I said yes it was hugs and tears everywhere. Then all of a sudden some guy comes outta nowhere and starts with the hugs and the tears as well. Turns out he was Debbie's brother, my Uncle. So after our mini reunion we were off to the hotel to meet my sister Kristy and brother Kyle.
      I don't really remember to much about Seattle except it was so cold! Remember now, I'm from sunny southern California where it's barely 60 degrees in the winter so the whole its 60 or below everyday here thing was a hard adjustment. And I haven't even gotten to AK yet!
     Now, there are no words that can describe Alaska; pictures don't do it justice, not even close. But when the flight attendant said "welcome to AK it is currently 27 degrees outside"  I knew I was in a whole different world then what I was used to.

     And, thats the story behind why I had no birth certificate and why I'm just getting it now at 27 years old. There's no weird feelings or anything like that, and I like telling people my story so if anyone has any questions, please ask!

* I'll save the Alaska adventures for another time though -longest post ever, I know! *

NaBloPoMo

     NaBloPoMo. National Blog Posting Month. I know some of you were thinking what the..??  Seems like it's a good way to find new blogs to read and a challenge to try and write something everyday. It says the theme for November is "blogging for blogging's sake" so, here we go.
      Now, don't tell my fiance, but I may be wrong *gasp* Well, not necessarily wrong, just not completely sure if this is the only site participating, I mean just Google national blog month and I betcha a million things will pop up. But, I dig  this site a lot so this is the list I'm stickin' with! Click here to find a list of the 1800+ blogs that are participating. I found out the littlest bit to late to participate -damn you eastern time!- but still going to challenge myself to do this. Even if I can't win any prizes or the chance for thousands of people to see my perceptive, challenge accepted!! Lucky(?) me- I have two blogs, this one and my wedding blog so I'll be able to switch it up a little.
      Here's to trying to think of something to write every single day being inspired to be a better writer!

In Between

     I've kinda been feeling like I'm 19 again. No, not the late night partying or having no real responsibilities but that awkward feeling of not fitting in. That feeling that there's always something but nothing going on. To old to hang out with the younger teens and to young to hang out with any one over 21. Well, that's how 27 is feelin' right about now.
     Except now I'm stuck in between college students and parents. College kids seem to have a one track mind -partying or studying, one or the other. I'm all down for partying but now I'm old and like to get started early and not get so wasted I pass out and get my shoes taken or drawn on. -If you don't know about this, don't ask lol- Drinking used to be all about getting drunk and doing silly (stupid?) things. Now I just like to chill and get a buzz- no drama, no hangovers!
     And parents, well, parents are on a whole different level. Have you ever tried planning something with some one who has kids? Not easy. It's all about the kids schedule. If it's not school or some sort of appointment there's meeting or play-date with other monsters, I mean kids. When they are not running around doing mom stuff I'm sure the first thing they wanna do is hang out with someone who has nothing but free time to brag about! I will never talk about the long, uninterrupted baths I take or the fact that I sleep till noon everyday with a mom. Ever. Just doesn't seem fair. *I'd like to take this moment to give some props to all the moms out there who never get breaks, especially the single moms -you guys rock and are amazing!! Woot! Woot!*  So, yeah, point being it's hard to hang out with friends and their kids if you have no kids yourself.
      What I guess I'm trying to say is that I feel like I have this hole inside I can't fill. I mean, I am engaged and currently living with my fiance, which is awesome, but I want our family already! I feel like once we get a house and have a little baby the hole will be filled. This may sound weird but I just can't wait to show them what life is all about. Laughing, learning, loving and having fun with friends and family. So until then I guess I will just continue to enjoy my free time and sleeping in with my fiance ;
     
    

Here We Go... Again!

     Okay, so I know I write one post then disappear. Not this time. It's different this time. This time I'm 27 and still happily engaged but  this time I am also jobless.
     I was recently laid off  :( It's only been  about 2 weeks- I haven't even gotten an unemployment check yet.  I've never not had a job, it's kinda weird to get used to. Yes, I've applied to a few grocery stores and Starbucks, and plan on applying to more but until what else to do?
     My apartment is spotless and everything has already been deep cleaned. Only thing left to tackle is the closet. Oh, lord the closet. That's gonna be a mission.
     With my fiance starting his new job, I've got even more time on my hands. So why not start blogging? I love writing and my dream would be that someday people actually want to hear what I have to say. So like I said before, why not?
     I'm really gonna put effort into this blog, and my wedding blog -cause that's a whole 'nother time-waster I mean, project in itself! And I actually like doing it! Feel free to leave comments if you like what you see or happen to want my opinion on something! And I hope someone can find some entertainment in the little thing called my "life" and this blog lol! ** I feel this blog is named appropriately ;)

Long Time No See...

So it's been a long time. Put on hold but not forgotten. I've been busy living my little life. I'm now 26 and have been engaged for almost two months now!! I have created a blog just for this momentous occasion in my life. Check out my Bride-to-Be Point of View here. My love for writing has been re-ignited and I'm hoping to be able to continue with both blogs! For tonite this is gonna be it. It's late and I've been on the computer all day researching wedding. Thanks for your support and stopping by! You'll hear from me again  once I get some sleep and then coffee!!