The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (currently being hosted by John Oliver) aired a segment last week on “Blowing the Whistle on Whistleblowers“.  It’s about the ridiculous attempt at big ag to stop animal rights groups from filming the cruelty that happens at factory farms.  I was so excited to see them cover this, as it is incredibly important for people to know what is happening to the animals that eventually show up on your plates.

But Al Madrigal has it right in this segment when he points out that Americans just don’t care.  So the battle for animal rights activists is not just showing people the atrocities that occur at factory farms (and at testing facilities, circuses, zoos, kill shelters, etc), but we also need to get the average person to CARE about what is happening there as well.  And that is the true challenge we face:  getting someone to choose the inconvenience of caring over the convenience of being naive.  It’s definitely achievable, but animal activists need to realize that it’s not just about showing what is wrong, but also about why the average person should care as well.  And that’s not a bad thing.  It just needs to be recognized and addressed when choosing messaging.

Gandhi had it right when he said “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” and despite some setbacks thanks to corporate greed and ignorance, we are moving in the right direction.  So keep pushing and keep fighting – eventually, we will be a great nation that respects all that live here.

Life in general is such a roller-coaster.  Each month, year, and decade has its ups and downs.  With some serious “downs” that have happened in my life, I have luckily learned to truly appreciate the “ups” when they happen.  This past weekend was one of the best ups I have had this year… I am incredibly exhausted, and sore, and so very happy; basking in the glow of an amazing experience spent with beautiful people.  I am fairly certain none of them will ever see this, but I feel compelled to put it out into the universe (and let NSA know, too.  Ha!).

From the kick-ass members of Austin Motorcycle Riders Group who made me feel so safe and welcome at the ROT Rally (these people ROCKED my world!), to my awesome sitter who helps care for my babies, to the wonderful ladies at Zoom Room who accommodate my crazy schedule, and the beautiful women of my choir who give me something to look forward to each Sunday night (trivia!).  And, of course, the rock star who let me hop on the back of his bike and join the revelry of the weekend and is the perfect person to both party hard and chill with.  (and I should also put a shout out to Vince Neil and Twisted Sister for such an incredible show – those men still look and sound damn good!)

The memories created during these amazing, wonderful “ups” are what get me through the less than amazing times.  Life is never easy, and we all have our own demons to battle, but my ammo is the pure joy my heart feels from moments like this past weekend.  THANK YOU to all those who made it so remarkable.

Those who know me well are fully aware of how much I LOVE turtles.  I grew up surrounded by them in my parent’s house and formed a very strong bond with our red footed tortoise, Fred, who knew my voice and would come over to me if he heard it.  Turtles are such awesome, intelligent creatures – so incredible that they have barely evolved over the centuries.  So you can imagine my despair upon learning about the snapping turtle who was attacked by some individuals that hit her repeatedly with their golf clubs.

You can read the full story here (warning, they post the pre-treatment photos of the poor turtle, so it’s graphic).  Updates are showing the turtle did not survive and I am both saddened and furious by this entire situation.  This was a mother turtle who was out of the water to lay her eggs.  She meant absolutely no harm.  Whoever was involved in torturing this innocent animal is a sick and perverted individual who most likely abuses other living things, including humans.  I urge the police to take this case seriously, get the records of the tee times that day to narrow the suspect list, and charge these individuals to the full extent the law will allow.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -Mahatma Gandhi

So word has broken out that Austin will soon have a for-profit aquarium to add to the list of attractions the city offers.  I am beyond saddened and disgusted by this news (my feeling for zoos, circuses, and aquariums are no secret).  The two owners of this upcoming aquarium are already in legal trouble for their other ventures.  The Austin Aquarium Facebook page claims no connection to the Portland or Idaho Aquariums, but, pardon the pun, this is very fishy since all three are owned by the same two people.  Complaints about the Portland Aquarium abound, and there is even a Facebook page to boycott:

“The one in Portland is atrocious. It is too small for animals and visitors. Staff do not have to have a background in marine biology and they don’t care how people treat the animals.  A hammerhead shark pup was already killed by kits grabbing it and picking it up out of the water. And you can’t even wash your hands after touching the animals.”

We have no right to imprison these animals in an environment in which we profit.  Would the world really suffer if there were no Circus, no Sea World, no Zoos?  You take an animal from a home where the boundaries are endless and place them in a tank to simply put on a show for you?  How dare these places profit from a wild animal’s captivity.  In the wild, sea creatures can swim hundreds of miles a day in the open ocean, can have complex family networks, and enjoy their specific ways of hunting/interacting/living.  In captivity, their natural instincts and ways of being are completely suppressed, their life expectancy is much shorter, and their quality of life is abysmal.  The same can be said for all the species of animals kept in captivity at zoos, circuses, aquariums, and places like Sea World.

I’m sickened by the excitement of those who want to take their children to see what is really nothing more than a disgusting freak show of abused animals in tiny jail cells.  Children learn nothing of value by seeing the row after row of tanks filled with depressed fish and animals.  If you wish to have a day out with your children and enjoy nature, visit a local park or volunteer at the local animal shelter.  If you are at all concerned for the treatment and  welfare of fish and animals, please make a point to boycott this upcoming Austin Aquarium and help spread the word about this disgusting venture.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

Many believe Memorial Day is just a three-day weekend that signals the unofficial start to summer, where one goes out to the lake on a boat, bbq’s, and drinks a few beers.  Truth is Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.  At the very least, please take a moment during your holiday to reflect and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for you and our nation.

I am honored that both my grandfathers served our country.  My Grandpa Fred Riedi was a marine and my Grandpa Al Loper was in the army.  I am beyond proud to be their granddaughter and truly wish I could have known them.  Happy Memorial Day.

Yep, you guessed it – the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area nominated me to represent our organization at a charity bowling event.  Probably because I’m a northerner and they believe all Wisconsinites are good bowlers.  Oh how wrong they are!  So the event is July 13th and I am looking for sponsors to support me.  Until then, I’ll be looking for anyone and everyone to bowl with me so I can try my best to get over 100…

Please visit my fund raising page and consider supporting me in this embarrassing endeavor. 🙂

Nothing is scarier to me than the thought of indirectly bringing harm to one of my pets.  This can obviously happen multiple ways, but the one I think about the most is the food I give them.  If you are a pet owner, I am sure you have seen at least one of the many pet food recalls that have occurred over the past few years.  It’s a terrifying situation, learning that the food you have been giving your pet may be killing them.

So I have tried my best to research the food options out there and find something both safe, affordable, and healthy for my pets.  This is definitely harder than I originally expected it to be!  This picture offers a great start to finding a safe and healthy food for your pets.  I currently feed Loki Blue Buffalo canned with Castor & Pollux dry and Monty gets both wet and dry Blue Buffalo.  What do you feed your fur babies?

“How long should you try?  Until.”  ~Jim Rohn

You are not good enough.  I have literally heard this, in one form or another, in all aspects of my life.  And lately, I have been hearing it with much greater frequency.  It stings and definitely messes with my personal and professional goals when it comes from someone I care about and respect.

So you would think this would deter me in my goals.  But it does quite the opposite.  Because I am a stubborn bitch.  I have that blind, raging stubbornness that drives me to prove others wrong.  A few times along the way, it has gotten me into trouble but overall it’s more than worth it in the end.

I’m not writing this for a pat on the back.  I’m saying it because we should all strive to push past the “you are not good enoughs” and use it as fuel for our fires.  I’m also writing this so I can read it from time to time when I need to be reminded to never give up.  If someone ever says that you aren’t good enough, prove them wrong.  It makes the successes that much sweeter.