Friday, December 25, 2015

The Tallest Candle on the Tree

And today for my Christmas poetry musings, here's my newest work, "The Tallest Candle on the Tree" - I speak from the unconventional Christmas views and experiences of not really having a blood family to want to talk to, my roommates are with family, my sister is with her boyfriend, I'm off work, etc. Instead of dwelling about being alone on Christmas, I decided to use it as a day to celebrate myself instead (I never grew up celebrating Xmas either). So Merry Holidaymas to everyone and with that, my poem is below!


It’s Christmas! 
When I woke up in the morning, 
There were no bells singing,
Reindeers running through my apartment,
Or Santa answering to milk and cookies at my doorstep.

Everyone’s either with family or their partner.
Love is in the air,
As we all want to catch a stare at this holy point in the year.
Here I sit on my big blue comfy couch,
With my laptop blocking the view of the holiday bush in my apartment,
Writing this poem in the same solitude I see from 9-5 in my grey box with no windows.

Oh how I yearn to have a clan to spend the holidays with,
Dress up nice,
And share a victory feast with.

Only this year is different than other years.
If fifteen was my lucky number,
Why would I be alone on Christmas?

Only this year is different than all other years.
It’s a common cliche only until it’s actually true!
Because this year, the Shamash candle, the central and highest-standing candle in a Menorah, has been lit every day for all of December
To signify the creation of a new beginning and newly found sense of self worth.
The Shamash candle also acts the keeper for the core central flame gathered when I visited my other star warriors, aka my second family.

Instead of feeling the need to celebrate with others all the time,
How about taking this day to celebrate myself on the only day of the year I’m not tied down to 8000 commitments or people because everything is either closed or canceled.
Or how about telling myself, “hey, you’ve worked your ass off for the past 350 something days and your roommates are gone for a few hours, go relax and have some me time because you’ve definitely done way more than enough to deserve it!”

People should take more days to honor themselves
And appreciate each day spent on earth,
Not in a hospital bed.
I don’t need some day in the calendar dictating when I’m supposed to see my loved ones just because I never grew up celebrating Christmas, I dumped a boyfriend for being a douchenwaffle and value my dignity and finding myself over being in a relationship, and these communities I have become a part of in my adult life are more my family than my blood family;
It’s better to be surrounded by your own warmth and knowing you’re loved than to be in an environment clouded by toxicity!
That way, you can realize the only way to see the light on the tree is to take your laptop off your lap!

If fifteen is my lucky number,
I can surely name 15 people I’ve helped this year and 15 things I’ve accomplished this year!
Here’s to everyone being happy and healthy on this extra warm holidaymas!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Never Ever Give Up Pride

I have a bunch of song lyrics I wrote within the past few years (not too many new ones currently), and this is one of them. I generally write songs for metal music. All words enclosed in caps, **, and !!!!! mean the word is meant to be emphasized and screamed. Enjoy the more harsh side of me!

======================================

Dear God,
Please hurry up!
Just make this world a better place to live in.
Open your eyes and see what people are suffering through!
This pit of pain needs to go away!

Is change as difficult as it seems?
While trying not to give up,
It’s difficult to overcome the feelings of being on a sinking ship
As life and time turn the page.

Why do people seem to never understand
Who us “different people” are trying to represent…
However, challenging society as one of those “different” people
Comes with a large price and an even greater reward.

The evil spirits are terrorizing us,
Causing countless casualties to the colored.
Bliss seems to be in distant lands.
Some may even be crazy enough to embark on these journeys alone while never giving up

*PRIDE!!!!!*

It’s what we see in our minds.
Everyone wants a glimpse of this beautiful victory.
Sometimes there are people down on their luck
*screams* Look past it,
Get over it,
It will be over soon.
*Never let those fuck ups pry into and destroy your glorious chant*
We all analyze society
And how much of a hot mess it is,
But we continue to roll along in lala land
On the painful march towards the glory road of life
*AND LOVE!!!!!*

Throughout our youth,
We’re oh so sheltered and think our destiny is as small and direct as an acorn.
I was told you need to do xyz, go to school, get a job, and off you go goodbye!
It’s such a bust…
When the adventures take shape,
The field of vision morphs from an acorn to an ocean!

Some wonder why
People want to toss the towel in so soon.
All it does is hinder your life.

Patience is your ultimate virtue
Don’t rush into the current of the tide
Or you will drown.

When you’re stuck on the ground,
Don’t frown
Because there are always ways around.
Once you make it to the top, 
People will see you as a guru and use you as an example.
Keep your head in the game
And be the one to go out of the line to get straight to the top.

While society brainwashes itself with excuses,
There is a select few who decide to look for the secret levels across the fire pit.
It’s scary,
Be wary,
Keep going… and never ever give up

*PRIDE!!!!!*

It’s what we see in our minds.
Everyone wants a glimpse of this beautiful victory.
Sometimes there are people down on their luck
*screams* Look past it,
Get over it,
It will be over soon.
*Never let those fuck ups pry into and destroy your glorious chant*
We all analyze society
And how much of a hot mess it is,
But we continue to roll along in lala land
On the painful march towards the glory road of life
*AND LOVE!!!!!*

It’s scary,
Always be wary,
But keep on going… and never ever give up

*PRIDE!!!!!*

(This was written in August, 2013 and revised January 6, 2016)

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Mom's Easy Recipes

I found these old things on one of my flash drives. My mom made these dishes all the time. They're not the most healthy, but they're super tasty. Here are the recipes:




Toffee Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 c(ups) sifted flour
1 tsp vanilla
4 hershey bars (king sized)
1 bag chopped nuts

Cream butter and add sugar. Add beaten egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Add flour, beating well. Add the vanilla and then spread the batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and once heated, put the cookie sheet in the oven for 25 minutes. Once ready, put the chocolate on top of the hot cookie and spread it around the cookie to melt it. Then sprinkle the nuts on top and cut cookies into whatever size you want



Green Bean Casserole
2 9oz packages of frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained (OR 2cans (16oz each) cut green beans, drained
3/4 cup milk
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup (Campbell’s brand)
1/8 teaspoon (Durkee brand) Ground Black Pepper
1 can (2.8 oz) (Durkee brand) French Fried Onions

In a medium bowl, combine beans, milk, soup, pepper, and 1/2 can french fried onions, pour into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30min or until heated through. Then top with remaining onions, bake uncovered for 5 minutes (or until onions are golden brown). Makes 6 servings



Rice Pilaf 
1 stick butter
2 bag extra fine egg noodles (Manishevitz brand)
1 cup minute rice (Uncle Ben’s brand -- maybe -- a red box)  optional
2 cans of 98% fat free chicken broth (cottage inn or Jewel/generic brand)
1-2 chicken flavored bullions (bullion cubes)
1/4 cup water

On the side, boil the water and the bullion cubes. In a large pan, put the butter in it to melt it. Cook the egg noodles until browned in the pan. Add the cup of (dry) minute rice over the noodles. Carefully dump in the chicken broth. Simmer everything (on 10watts or low setting) in the covered pan for 20-25min. Then, dump the bullion water on top and recover and continue to cook (the same way) for 20-25 more minutes