This is who I am: Category Various and Sundry

The Enduring Spirit of Freedom

Rebecca — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:50:00 -0500

A Miracle Worker

Rebecca — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:33:00 -0500

For my whole adolescent and adult life I’ve had fairly clear skin, up until last August.

I switched from my regular Proactiv regimen (which I was on to control menstrual-related break-outs) to something cheaper, thinking that since my skin had never had any real severe problems, I could go off Proactiv, save a little money, and have no troubles.

I was wrong. Within a few days my face broke out all over. I was encouraged to stick with my new face wash because when you switch products, it generally takes time for your face to adjust. Mine never did, so I switched back to Proactiv.

It was too late, the damage was done.

I hit a particularly stressful period in my life and started having break-outs regularly. And I wasn’t breaking out with little tiny bumps, I was getting huge blisters all over my face, in places where I had never broken out before, like my cheeks and nose.

I was afraid to switch products again because that was what had initially started the problems, so I stuck it out with Proactiv, waiting for the day when it would kick in and work. That day never came.

A good friend then directed me to this site.

I read through everything, but was still afraid to try something new, so I sat on the info. for two months.

Finally, frustrated and tired of not getting anywhere with the expensive Proactiv I was using, I went back and looked over the site some more. This time I read the founder’s story and decided to take the plunge. I ordered a three-step kit and started on it as soon as it came in the mail.

Within two weeks of use, my face was clear. That was three months ago. I haven’t had a break-out since, even during those difficult weeks of the female cycle. I still have some red spots from old blisters, but they are flat and will fade with time. My skin, however, is completely smooth and beautiful again.

A few good things about the site I mentioned above:

1) You can order your products on the site and get them delivered quickly to your home, and even with the shipping charges it costs a lot less than Proactiv.

2) There are forums on the site where you can talk to other people about their experiences with the product, with other products, and about practices that have worked for them and things that haven’t. This played a critical role in my decision to use the product.

If you’ve been banging your head against the wall because you have this problem and can’t get rid of it, or if you know someone in that situation, then you should direct them to the site. It’s the best product I’ve come across. It is gentle, affordable and doesn’t stink.

It has worked wonders for me.

Update

Rebecca — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:51:00 -0500

I turned my final paper in for my summer class this morning.

Four classes to go.

I Love My Mother But I Swear She Will Be the Death Of Me...

Rebecca — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:24:00 -0500

I’m sitting at my computer, head aching as I plod through the piles of work all over my desk. The fall semester starts in two weeks. Orientation is next week. I’m busy.

My cell phone vibrates in my pocket. I look at the screen. Mom.

I’m ignoring the call, thinking I can return her call when I get home.

Then I get a single vibration. A message alert. She left a voice mail. It’s important.

I’m listening to the message. “Rebecca, this is your mother. Call home as quickly as possible.”

My blood pressure rises, my pulse quickens, and a thousand million bad thoughts rush though my head. Is something wrong with dad? Is my brother ok? What about his wife? Their kids? What happened? Did my dog finally die?

So I call home. My mother relays this breaking news.

My mother’s urgency is due to the fact that, and I quote my dear mom, “The democratic chairman was the younger son of the brother of the father of the neighbor boy you grew up with.”

Glad I about had a heart attack over the crazed shooting of someone I never met before in my life. Not to trivialize the seriousness of this incident or the value of a human’s life, but seriously. Not the kind of scare I need right now, or ever, really.

Dear Uncle Sam

Rebecca — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:51:00 -0500

Dear Uncle Sam,

You suck, sir. Suck. I’m an American, true blue and I can say whatever the hell I want. I’m still American, bite me.

You suck because you are chicken shit. Yep. You are. Afraid of ideas. Big hulking scary ideas. They hide under your bed at night, listening to you breathe. Once your breathing changes into that of precious REM sleep, they climb out, drooling their contagious communist ooze all over your room before gobbling you up and turning you into idea poop.

That means you’ve got to get the jump on them. These idea monsters have got to be stopped. They can’t go breed more. We just can’t let it happen.

So you plot and plan and appeal to the poor and the rowdy and convince them, force them to go kill your monsters with guns and gunnies and grenades. Napalm. Dioxin. Kill the monsters and take out the innocent you protect and your men who protect them. You chicken shit bastard.

Homesick boys. Bring the boys home, sick. Legs blown off and deaf, mysterious burning rashes and chronic nightmares. Bone degeneration and nerve damage. Box up the rest and ship them U.S. Mail. Postage is cheap.

That’s the price for what you call freedom. Freedom for who? Freedom from what? You, sir, are a fat ass coward.

Let me ask you this. What is the price of man? What of his mother, father, brothers, sisters, wife, children, grandchildren? What of their years on earth? What do they cost you?

Nothing. You spend them like pennies - too many to count and kind of a nuisance to keep up with anyway.

Forty-one years in a war that was never won. Forty-one years, ka-POW in the brain, stuck in the jungle, can’t get home.

Now I am the enemy. My name is Charlie. See? I look just like him. Don’t spill the milk on the floor, or you’ll get a grenade for your birthday. Eat all your dinner, or get the M-16 for dessert. Senseless and thought it was my fault.

Thought it was daddy’s fault.

Your fault. He pays. Did time. Lost love. I pay. A lot. You took his youth and mine you selfish son of bitch.

The war rages on. It is not my war. It never was. But I have no choice but to fight it. Every damn day I fight it. I hope you burn forever.

Babies sitting on hills of stinging, biting ants. The screams. Their screams. Listen. Listen to them screaming! See their red faces. Drink their tears. Watch them die. Watch them get eaten.

Can’t help them. Booby trap.

Headline: U.S. invades life of twelve year-old American girl, innocence confiscated. Experts say she will never be the same again.

You took our lives before we drew breath, because you took his.

How do you sleep? He doesn’t. Put him prison, he doesn’t do his job. He doesn’t do anything.

We are out of ammo. Our radio is busted, no air support. The enemy surrounds us. Who will kill our monsters?

Where are you, Uncle Sam? Why have you abandoned your red, white and blue friends? Why have you left us alone?

Bitterly,

Your niece.

Good Morning America Interview of Chapman Family

Rebecca — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:58:00 -0500

You can read the transcript here.

If I can find a video later, I’ll post a link to it. The interview was just this morning so I don’t know how long it will take for the GMA website to post it.

The Isle of Ice Cream, or What I Talk About With My Friends When I'm Bored, or It's Too Damn Hot In Texas

Rebecca — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:47:00 -0500

Caroline: Scrubs apparently gives her dog a treat just for going to the bathroom.

Becks: Wow. I can’t believe she gives her a dog a treat for normal bodily functions.

Caroline: Exactly! Her vet told her that her dog is overweight, and no wonder! She always gets treats.

Becks: Haha, same problem with Americans. They are all overweight because they get too many treats.

Caroline: Right. You peed, here’s a burger!

Becks: Or in my case - It’s Thursday, time for ice cream. It’s Friday, time for ice cream. It’s Saturday, time for ice cream….

Caroline: lol, I’m having to stay away from stupid Amy’s.

Becks: It’s tough. I’ve discovered HEB Creamy Creations Chocolate Chip ice cream, and damn, it’s good. And cheap.

Caroline: Oh no!

Becks: Yeah, very bad

Caroline: That sounds amazing

Becks: I’ve pretty much learned that if I even walk into the ice cream isle at the store I will get ice cream, so I have to stay away from the isle.

::Pause::

Becks: aisle. sheesh. But an Ice Cream Isle would be pretty cool. The Isle of Ice Cream.

Caroline: Indeed! I’m imagining it right now….

Becks: I see…upside down waffle cones with waterfalls of hot fudge streaming out of them….the sand on the shore is colored sprinkles….the boulders are scoops of different flavors……what do you see?

Caroline: lol now that you’ve described that delectable scene, it’s all I can think about

Becks: ha ha ha. well, Marci would love it. It would be really cold.

Caroline: The cliffs would be made of chocolate chip cookie dough chunks. So that I can just walk up to them and grab a bite.

Becks: ooooh, good addition.

Caroline: You’re right, Marci would die happy there.

::Pause::

Caroline: Something needs to be made of dark chocolate. The tree trunks? The tree leaves can be mint chocolate.

Becks: I foresee a blog entry in the making….

Caroline: lol, such a refreshing post it would be!

Becks: Indeed.

Picture of GMa When She Was Young

Rebecca — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:57:00 -0500

I got her dark hair. My sister got everything else.

School

Rebecca — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:10:00 -0500

School started yesterday. I think my class is going to be really good. My professor has an excellent sense of humor.

I don’t know how this will affect my posting. Don’t be worried if you don’t hear from me for five weeks. I’m about to be buried under a massive pile of work.

Peace out.

A Great Weekend

Rebecca — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:44:00 -0500

I had a great weekend this weekend. It is the first weekend in a very long time that has been great. I’ve spent so much time giving my time away to other people that I have neglected to care for myself and as a result I’ve been a ticking time bomb ready to explode all over the next person who looked at me the wrong way.

Friday I helped Dom finish priming his house. I was very happy to have that behind me - it’s progress and now we can move forward on getting the house up to speed.

Saturday I spent the day getting an oil change for my car, cleaning my bathroom and getting it set up (finally), cleaning my room and unpacking, and taking stuff to the dumpster and to goodwill. I am now down to only 2.5 boxes that I need to deal with. In short, my room is set up and everything that I needed to finish before school starts on the 14th is done.

Sunday I rested. I slept in, went grocery shopping, rented a movie, watched it, played video games, and ate a good meal for dinner.

Monday I finished cleaning my room which only took about 45 minutes, played some more video games, and went kayaking on the Colorado River with Dom. The weather was perfect - overcast and windy which made for an 85 degree day on the water. We raced, we coasted, we traversed Class negative 1 rapids (haha) and we beached and relaxed. We finished our trip with excellent burgers.

Today my attitude is 900 times better than it has been since I can remember. I helped someone, I took care of myself, I rested and I played all in one weekend. I’m doing so much better today that I’m not even annoyed by the most annoying people that I work with. It’s great. I feel more like myself again.

Now, the key is to figure out how to keep this going so I can be myself all the time - not just in between bouts of severe stress and mild depression.