Catching Up

Read...Job...Life

So I realize that it has been awhile since I have posted anything. I have just had a serious case of writer's block followed by a massive period of laziness. I know... I know... that's no excuse to leave you wonderful people hanging. I promise to try and post something everyday. 

"So" you ask "What have I been up to?" The answer is not a whole lot. I got to go see my family and friends in Tulsa from May 31, 2014 - June 10, 2014. That was fun though I wish I would have had more time to see everyone and do more with them. 

I have started avidly reading fanfiction again, and toying with the idea to try and write some (not sure how well that will turn out). I promise to let you know when I go through with it and where you can find it. 

I have had some break-throughs with what I believe, however I will post about that later, along with how I am doing exercising. 

The main thing I have been doing since I got back is trying to find a job, and that is almost impossible out here. I either don't have the necessary qualifications or they are not hiring. It sucks. 

That's a little bit of what I have been up too. I promise to post again tomorrow. 

Blessed Be,

Ash

Beliefs

Dark...Rebirth...Magick

Charge of the Dark Goddess

Hear me child, and know Me for who I am.

I have been with you since you were born, and I will stay with you until you return to Me at the final dusk.

I am the passionate and seductive lover who inspires the poet to dream.

I am the One who calls to you at the end of your journey.

After the day is done, My children find their blessed rest in my embrace.

I am the womb from which all things are born.

I am the shadowy, still tomb; all things must come to Me and bare their breasts to die and be reborn to the Whole.

I am the Sorceress that will not be ruled, the Weaver of Time, the Teacher of Mysteries.

I snip the threads that bring my children home to me.

I slit the throats of the cruel and drink the blood of the heartless.

Swallow your fear and come to me, and you will discover true beauty, strength, and courage.

I am the fury which rips the flesh from injustice.

I am the glowing forge that transforms your inner demons into tools of power.

Open yourself to my embrace and overcome.

I am the glinting sword that protects you from harm.

I am the crucible in which all aspects of yourself merge together in a rainbow of union.

I am the velvet depths of the night sky, the swirling mists of midnight, shrouded in mystery.

I am the chrysalis in which you will face that which terrifies you, and from which you will blossom forth, vibrant and renewed.

Seek me at the crossroads, and you shall be transformed, for once you look upon my face, there is no return.

I am the fire that kisses the shackles away.

I am the cauldron in which all opposites grow to know each other in Truth.

I am the web which connects all things.

I am the Healer of all wounds, the Warrior who rights all wrongs in their Time.

I make the weak strong.

I make the arrogant humble.

I raise up the oppressed and empower the disenfranchised.

I am Justice tempered with Mercy.

Most importantly, child, I am you.

I am a part of you, and I am within you.

Seek me within and without, and you will be strong.

Know me.

Venture into the dark so that you may awaken to Balance, Illumination, and Wholeness.

Take my Love with you everywhere and find the Power within to be who you wish. 

I first found this poem while reading a book to see if the pagan path was right for me. As I was reading this poem, I heard a voice say "You have always belonged to the dark." Since then I have been searching for my particular path. I have found only  a little more about the left-handed path of the pagan community. I still seek more. 

There are only a few things I have come to know since:

*I believe my goddess is Heakate, specifically her crone aspect.

*The panther is one of my totems.

*It feels at times that I have come home.

I believe a part of me has always known that this is was for me, but as I grew up in a christian household it got suppressed because it wasn't "right." 

As I continue to piece together my beliefs and find myself under the direction of my goddess and god, I will continue to post what I discover. 

Blessed be,

Ash

Trip

San Diego

This last weekend my husband took me away to San Diego for a mini-vacation. We were only there to what amounted to a day, but we had allot of fun. 

I can understand why the citizen's of San Diego, and other big cities, like to use public transportation and other means of travel other than driving a car. Trying to find a parking space was a mad-house!

We didn't do a whole lot of exploring, however we did go to the San Diego zoo, and the beach. Putting my feet in the ocean was a first time experience for me. I am a girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the lake just isn't the same thing. It was an amazing experience and I will one day own a house on the beach. :) I hope to return and fully explore what the city has to offer before I return home.

Crafting

Glue....Glitter...Fun

So as you have probably read on my "About Me" post, I am interested in getting into crafts. Well tonight I begun the journey by trying my hand as coloring mason jars. The colors didn't come out deep enough for what I wanted, however they are perfect for Easter. 

What I did...

I bought paper plates, mod podge, food coloring, and popsicle sticks at Wal-Mart. When I got home, I put the jars through a few cycles in the dishwasher. After they were completely clean and dry, I put enough mod podge in the bottom to cover the whole jar. Next I added a few drops of the food coloring I wanted, and stirred it with the popsicle sticks making sure to get out as much as the white as I could. I, then, moved the jar clockwise until it was coated with the mixture. After I coated the insides completely, I turned them over onto the paper plates to drain the excess glue out. I will let them sit there for 24-48 hours to dry. 

What you can do with them....

You can pretty much do anything with them after the process is done. A few words of caution though: 1) Do not put any food or drink inside of them 2) Do not run through the dishwasher or hand clean them. However, there are plenty of ideas you can do with them.

• Pen or pencil holder
• Candle jar
• Wrapped Candy jar or gift
• Cotton Swabs or Q-tips holder
• Make-Up brush holder
• Much more

Water

Cold, Wet, and Satisfying 

*Disclaimer- I am not getting paid to advertise anything you see in this post. 

We all have been told that we need to drink more fluid and in particular water, however no one really says why. Now I have been all over the internet researching this, and what I will share with you is found on almost every site I visited. At the end of this blog I will share the links I used for this information, along with where to find certain recipes that will also be included. 

Why should I Drink water?

According to the Mayo Clinic "Water is [our] bodies principal chemical component and makes up about 60% of [our] body weight." From lubricating our joints and hydrating our muscles to flushing toxins out of our system and keeping us regular, all of our body's systems depend on water.  

How does water help me lose weight?

Water can help you reduce calories because your body often confuses your hunger and thirst impulses. If you drink a glass of water before meals, it acts like an appetite suppressant and you eat less. Drinking water also helps prevent fluid retention because your body won't store fluid if it is fully hydrated. Water also helps your body burn stored fat by freeing up your liver to do it's job properly instead of helping your kidneys filter toxins.

If you're anything like me drinking plain water is a chore. It's just so tasteless or worse just plain gross. Well, I may have some suggestions that, if they don't change your life, may very well change your opinion.

One of my first suggestions is the flavored, carbonated waters. While they taste good and are pretty cheap (Clear American brand at Walmart is just 1.00 a bottle), I find that they leave me thirstier than when I started. 

A second option that I personally use and love is MiO. Not only does it add good flavor to your water, but most, if not all of the bottles, add absolutely no calories to your water. You almost can't believe it!

A third option you have is infusing your own water with fruit and herbs. There are plenty of recipes on the internet for this, and there are special canisters that you can get (though they aren't required). One recipe that I can't wait to try is apples and cinnamon. What you do is put your fruit of choice (apples, lemon, lime, strawberries, orange, etc.), and if you want your choice of herbs/spices (Ginger, mint, vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks) in the bottom of a pitcher and fill half way with water. At this point, you add ice and then more water. You then put it in the refrigerator and let it sit for about a day.  You then have tasty flavored water that have no harsh chemicals or artificial flavoring. 

How much water should I drink?

Most of you have heard that you should drink eight glasses of fluids a day. However, according to the mayo clinic females should drink at least 2.2 L or about nine cups. Males should consume 3 L or 13 cups of fluids. This, of course, should go up if you are doing lots of strenuous activity (i.e. intense work outs or manual labor) or if it is exceedingly hot. While water is the best option to drink, you can still get the fluids you need by consuming beverages or foods that contain water. However, you should avoid soda and alcoholic beverages. 

For more information about the affects of water, and for more recipes for infused water follow the links listed below.

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/water.html

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7487832196410678250#editor/target=post;postID=8040103667772306673

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-little-known-benefits-of-drinking-water.html#b

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/07/17/wondrous-ways-that-water-can-improve-your-health?page=2

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/flavored-water-recipes/#slideshow=slide2

http://fruitinfusedwaters.com/  

Weight Loss

EVIL...DREADED....EXERCISE

"Pain is weakness leaving the body." -Tara Lynn Childs

"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." - Jillian Michaels

"Squats are a form of torture designed by people who don't need to do squats in the first place." - Nora Roberts

We all hear about how being at a healthy weight, eating right, and exercising is not only good for our bodies, but also our mood and soul. So why is it so hard to get there? 

I don't have the answer to that question, however I know that my weight is something that I struggle with though most of you would probably disagree if you saw me. I am barely 5'3 and weigh about 155 lbs. Unlike most people most of the fat is in my thighs and butt though some of it has traveled to my stomach.  My goal is to be 115 lbs by September, and if not then, by this time next year. 

However, I am a girl who's bottom of the food pyramid used to be desert. Granted, I have cut down ALLOT over the years, but I still haven't been able to completely give it up. Also, being born and raised in Oklahoma, I have an addiction to sweet tea that I also cannot seem to break. Now I know that I don't have to completely give them up, but keeping myself to moderation is hard.

I, also, cannot cook much, and what I can cook isn't all that healthy (mainly grilled cheese, tomato soup, spaghetti and mac and cheese). My husband, when he's home, is the cook. I feel like I should put a disclaimer here in regards to my husband. He loves me and thinks I am beautiful just as I am, however he also supports me trying to do this because he wants me to be happy with me. I am trying to eat better, and am trying to cut out the desert and sweet tea because I know that half the battle is eating right.

It's the other half that most people hate. Exercise, while good for you, is hard because it makes you feel sweaty and gross, and it HURTS. I have to keep reminding myself that the soreness I feel just means I am doing something right, and allot of times that is not enough. I find myself not sticking to what I say I am going to do. I have to force myself to get out there and do SOMETHING. 

When I have been exercising, it has been to watching the Jillian Michaels videos on YouTube (no I am not getting paid to advertise). Now, I haven't been able to make it through a whole video because I am that outta shape, however after I turn the video off I try and supplement by doing squats, lunges, and bicycle crunches. Some nights I just skip the video and do the other exercises. The main thing that helps me do anything is the thought that nothing will change if I don't try. If I hate the way my body feels, and how tight my clothes are then I better go and do something about it. 

I am proud of myself because tonight I got up and did 40 lunges on each leg and 60 bicycle crunches. I will do more tomorrow and the day after and the day after that until I hit my goal, and to make sure I keep to this I will try and put a note in all of my post to let you know my progress. If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below, and I promise to answer each one individually. 

Blessed Be, 

Ash Wood  

About Me

Crazy...Quirky...Fun

      My name is Ash, and I am 25 years old. I am newly married to a wonderful marine who spoils me. I don't have any children, unless my 6 month old pittbull puppy, Niki, counts. I am also attending college to become a nurse. I am in the process of completing the required courses before I can attend nursing school. As you can tell by the blog name, this blog will mostly be about my life. I am currently living away from my home town and state, and have little to no friends where I am living. My friends at home are all very busy living their lives, and so, we don't have allot of time to talk. I currently concentrating on school, and am letting my husband (who prefers it this way) take care of me. I grew up Christian, however I find that I have allot of questions that don't seem to have concrete answers. I have switched to Wicca/pagan (I don't know which yet), and am currently in the VERY beginning of my path. 

Besides doing school work, I spend allot of time watching Hulu and Netflix. There isn't allot to do where I live so I don't really get out much. I am finding it hard to meet people to become friends with where I live because of my shy nature, and also, because I don't know where to meet them. I am trying to lose weight, for me, because I am not happy with the way I look, and want to be more healthy. I won't be able to tell my patients to lose weight to be healthier if I am not myself. I have a realistic goal and the motivation to get healthy, however I am finding it hard to get my ass up and actually do the work out.  

Some of my favorite t.v. shows are: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Doll House, Castle, Supernatural, Lost Girl, Lie to Me, Angel, Xena, Hercules, Highlander, Blacklist, Once Upon A Time, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Sleepy Hallow, Witches of East End, Heart of Dixie, 2 Broke Girls and Star Crossed to name a few. 

Some of my favorite movies are: Serenity, The Crow, The Boondock Saints, P.S. I love you, Turbo, Almost anything Tyler Perry, Avenger movies, Iron man movies, Captain America, Thor movies, Disney (Belle and Beauty and the Beast is my favorite princess and movie), Freedom Writers, Four Brothers, and many more that I cannot name. 

I have allot of different genres of music I like (I am coming around to country). I am mainly rock based though. Some of my favorite bands/artist include Disturbed, Apcalyptica, Backstreet boys, Carrie Underwood, Christina Perri, Ed Sheeran, Eminem, Evanescence, Hunter Hayes, In This Moment, Katy Perry, Korn, Tech N9ne, Prozak, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Within Temptation, and Three Days Grace.  

I only play one online game, and that is League of Legends. I love Sivr, and Ashe. On my phone I play a variety of different games like Hayday, Draw Something, Clash of Clans, Solitaire, Bingo Bash, and Plague inc. 

I LOVE to read like allot. I could name some of my favorite books, but I think I will just name a few authors. To name a few, I like Laurell K Hamilton, J.R. Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kim Harrison (though I have to start that series over), Tamora Pierce (it takes forever for her to get her books out), Janet Evanovich (babe all the way), Patrica Briggs, Jenna Black (Morgan Kinsley series), Amanda Hocking, Amanda Stevens, and Rachel Vincent. 

I am currently looking into how to make things to sell. I would really love to learn how to sew and make blankets, bags, and other stuff, but currently can't. I am toying with the idea to make my own candles and sugar scrubs, and maybe some jewlery. I can also make tie blankets, but those can get expensive to make.

Blessed Be,
Ash Wood