Dear Future Me

Dear Future Me.... A subject very close to my heart - my daughter Kobi, at the time of creating this video she is 4 1/2 years old. The date is December 2011. I will pull this video out again when Kobis around the age of 30 and show her. A great memory for everyone.

"Discovering Your Smiling Soul"

When you shift into spiritual awareness, you may appear to be living the same life as before, with the same ambitions, joys, and sorrows as before. However, inside, you have a radiant smile that may or may not be visible to the world. Your spiritual soul smiles through the good times and the bad. In fact, as your smiling soul shines more and more into the world around you, the world also begins to reflect your smil back at you. Do you ever find yourself smiling even when no one else is around? If not, try it! Smile to yourself. Smile at being alive. Smile to the Universe, which is always present where ever you are – closer than your own breath. I go out of my way everyday and smile smile smile and everyone, and I look at the frown and the creases they have and hope that I get a smile back to clear them away! OK, so some people have a reason not to smile at the precise moment as something terrible may have happened to them, but 9 times out of 10 its the smile I throw at them that may just make there day! I get hasseled at work some times because I just smile at people and my work mates don't get it! I will walk around for a minute with a smile on my face and god it makes me feel good! So today Sunday to me a favour and SMILE at everyone you see today! I call it...THROW A SMILE THERE WAY!

Choose Your Thoughts Carefully

These beautiful thoughts have been sent by a Friend and I wanted to share them with YOU ALL!

Thoughts are the seeds which we sow every moment of our Lives. Apple Seeds will grow Apples & Cactus seeds will grow Cactus.

So choose Your Thoughts carefully as Every Thought Conscious or Unconscious resonates Energy & that Energy exudes itself in different forms on different aspects of our Lives; Knowingly or Unknowingly!

1. Even with a small bank account, the one, who is contended, finds himself with great wealth.

2. Freedom starts in the Mind, not by cutting ropes.

3. To give happiness to others is a great act of charity.

4. Cheerfulness keeps up the spirit of the one who possesses it and brings a smile to the lips of others.

5. A smile can make short work of any difficulty.

6. Give a lot of time to the improvement of yourself, then there is not time to criticize others.

7. To taste the sweetness of Life, you must have the power to forget the past.

8. Waste work will make your heavy and tired and positive work makes you happy, light and refreshed.

9. Those who remain very happy will never internal laziness. Laziness is a great vice.

10. Balance is the real foundation of a blissful life. Keep this always in mind and your present and future will always remain bright.

11. Contentment and bliss go hand in hand. These qualities create great fascination for you among others.

12. If every step is taken in the remembrance of God, just imagine how much fortune there is in every moment.

13. If through some error yesterday was lost in grief, don’t lose today by keeping it in your memory.

14. Cheerfulness is the beauty of the face. He who is sullen is really ugly.

15. Life is like a drama. If I understood the plot, there is great happiness.

16. The more you enjoy putting in good efforts, the greater will be your happiness on receiving the fruits of those efforts.

17. When you smile, not only do you feel happy but you bring a ray of light into the lives of others.

18. Many people will want to quarrel and fight with you; realize that the only weapons you need are a smile and a loving nature.

19. To have balance in all situations is the key to happiness.

20. Sometimes a smile can be like a drop of water in the desert.

21. You must enjoy yourself and have recreation, but check whether it enriches your life internally.

22. If I make THIS MOMENT happy, it will increase my chances of having the next moment happy also.

23. The wealth of a rich man can be stolen or burnt, but the happiness and wisdom of the wise remain.

24. In the world of sorrow, what brings greater wealth- money or happiness?
25. A person is pronounce great when he can face a difficult situation with happiness and laughter.

26. Physical beauty can be lost with marks of age or through accident. Spiritual beauty cannot be destroyed.

27. The fool wants others to see him; the wise man smiles in the audience.

28. The one who is honest and has a true heart will always feel light and tension-free.

29. True victory means complete control over your sense-organs.

30. If you mind is caught in bondages and problems of the past, you will not experience the joys of the present.

31. If you want to advance in life, make sure that your wants don’t advance.

32. To forget your troubles, remember your Angels are there.

33. If you wanted and didn't get, may be you don’t need.

34. Condition your mind and remain cool under all conditions.

35. In the long run the most difficult thing is to search for an easy way out.

36. Nothing is just coincidence. Every tree in Life’s garden bears significance.

37. The one who knows how to adjust is the one who knows how to survive.

38. If others are against you, don’t put your back against the wall, see what you can gain from the company of the universe.

39. If you give your heart to someone they might break it. If you give your heart to your Angels, it gets strengthened.

40. If you beat your head against the wall when problems come, your intellect to decide will be messed up.

41. When the world becomes like a wild storm- the most beautiful shelter are your Angels.

42. If you do everything with the feeling of happiness, there will be no task too difficult to perform.

43. When you try your best and your best is not good enough, leave it in the hands of your Angels.

44. Remember you are very special. NO ONE can play your role better than you.

45. Loneliness comes when I forget that the universe is my Supreme companion.

46. Pin all your hopes in the universe, then you will not be pinned down by man.

47. To age does not matter, but by taking on matters you will age.

48. If there is no filament in a bulb, there is no light; If there are no Angels in your Life, there is no Life.

49. The more you understand yourself, the easier it is to remain happy and peaceful.

50. When all your attachments are with the Universe, then your achievements are many.

Good Ole Smiggles – Who Would Have Thought

I have bought the new Samsung Galaxy S2...

And do you think I could find a hard cover for it so I could just chuck it in my bag, throw it around at work, or the real reason was when I take it to the beach and sand would not get into it!

Also the bright colour tells me exactly where it is in my handbag which is practically a home, housing so many items that I can never find anything in there.

Trolling the shopping centres for a couple of days I could not find anything, then as we walked pass SMIGGLES, Kobis favourite shop as we always go to the Gold Coast Airport for a coffee now and then and she has purchased a few items at SMIGGLES there herself – she dragged me in the shop once again and there starring at me, this bright green case!

BINGO! There it was the something I was looking for to put my phone in. These are NOT marketed to phones, but I did a dam good job telling the chick at the counter to market them also for the smart phone!

So there you have it. If you’re looking for a case for your smart phone, but in my case for my Samsung Galaxy S2 SMIGGLES is the place to go!

Emotional? Me?

So there I was, I’d walked in at 11pm last night from work and on the table a big envelope from Currumbin Primary School stared at me!

Excited I was to see what teachers had Kobi and to see what side of the school she will be in. I opened the letter from both her teachers and all of a sudden my heart started pounding and my chest kind a hurt and I was blinking to hold back tears???

OMG, I was getting sad that my little girl was growing up and going to Big School next year and I felt like I was losing her!

I know I’m not loosing Kobi but it was freaky seeing my emotions just take over like that. I paced the lounge room reading that she was going to be in class PE and on the BIGGER SIDE OF THE SCHOOL. Arrrgggggggggggggg........

There are 4 Prep classes across the road in a nice little quaint area just for them and on the bigger side 2 Prep classes and this is where Kobi will be. Turning up for morning orientation not long ago to experience the whole school vibe took me back to when I started at Maclean Primary School. As I stood in the quadrangle a class of 8 year olds walked pass, no smiling, just staring us all up and down so in my own little head there I was playing a 5 year old looking at the older kids just staring me down, not smiling, walking with attitude, waiting for my mummy to walk out the gate so I could get picked on! I was looking at Kobi when this movie was playing in my head and straight away I could see myself putting Kobi into Self Defence classes, Karate classes, Kung Fu classes, just so she knew how to stick up for herself and stand strong.... Then I came back to reality, gulped and moved on...

The list of items needed comes to $177.80 – most of these I can see getting lost, left at school or the dog will probably eat! Then the uniforms... Of course these are going to be real expensive because NO price list was attached for this one!

I know Kobi will be fine. She has been attending Kangas since she was 8 months old, being surrounded by strangers most of her life. We have no family to help, no family to call on for ½ a day or a full day while we have to work ( no say in this one) and that thing we all have called a ‘Mortgage’. The only choice was this.

But I look at everything as a POSITIVE. In any situation that does not agree with me, I always see the POSITIVE SIDE.

Kobi loves people, very much a people person. Has wonderful manners, is polite and knows how to act around a bunch of strangers. Has learnt to stick up for herself at an early age. Being hit in the face by a stranger baby has made this cherub a little bit stronger in personality.

She will be FINNNNNEEEEEEEE at school I know. I have many wonderful friends who’s’ children have gone through the same thing, not once but even 4 or 5 times! First day at school photos I still have with me of some of my friends or in my mind I remember seeing the photos of their precious cargo all ready for big school. This comforts me.

So bring on 23rd January for I am ready for you!

Sunday Shout Out - Vicki James Creative Imagery - Yamba

Vicki James – Photographic extraordinaire, captures what we at times can only dream about.

Vicki is a young Yamba lady who specialises in wedding and portrait photography. Her work is breathless and every detail will be captured to precision.

Below is an excerpt taken from Vicki’s Blog....

Hello and thank you for visiting the Vicki James blog. I’m Vicki, it’s lovely you have stopped by to check out who I am and what I do. I specialise in Wedding and Portrait Photography. I’ve photographed hundreds of families and couples around service Northern NSW and the Gold Coast for quite a few years now. I am also available for interstate travel.

Before we meet, you might like to know that:

The following list may be a bit tedious, so if you only read this point, please know that while this page is all about me, when I photograph, it is all about the person in front of my camera. This page is to help you decide if I would be the right photographer for you. Writing my own story does not come easily……….

To read the rest of Vicki’s story, click on the click below and see how it ends!

http://www.vickijames.net/blog/about/


With a professional, fun and happy personality you will not be disappointed by inviting Vicki James to be your next photographer at your wedding or your family portrait.

You will find Vicki at:

Vicki James Creative Imagery
Yamba, NSW 2464
Clarence NSW, Far North Nsw Coast, Mid North Nsw Coast
P: (02) 6646 9589

http://www.vickijames.com.au

Places Ive Worked All Over The World

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

My father told me along long time ago... "Jecca, keep a record of all the places you will ever work, so you can look back on and see how far you have come". And so I did.

Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.

A lot of people prefer the road less travelled because it means less change and less change results in less conflict. So many make choices that are safe and comfortable so they avoid the road less travelled because its the safer path. However, at the age of 16 I knew I WAS NEVER going to take that path....

One of my favourite quotes by Robert Frost, around the year 1920, wrote the quote called

'The Road Not Taken'...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

By ― Robert Frost


Below from the age of 16 to 41 are places I have worked - I loved moving about. I guess thats just me!

AUSTRALIA
Channel 9, Sydney NSW
Fishmongers Restaurant, Manly Sydney
Hamilton Towers, Hamilton Island, QLD
Denny’s Family Restaurant - Broadbeach Gold Coast
Chloe’s Restaurant, Quality Inn Hotel, Gold Coast QLD

Seaworld Theme Park Gold Coast
Perisher Valley Chair Lift Restaurant – Perisher Valley
Pacific Hotel, Yamba NSW
Australian Hotel, Mackay QLD
Travelodge Hotel, Surfers Paradise
Centrepoint Motel, Lismore NSW
Yamba Bowling Club, Yamba
Castalia Restaurant, Yamba NSW

Kern Consulting Group (Financial) - Cairns

CBC Staff Selection Cairns - Assignments Completed:
Petersen McCullough Robertson Lawyers
Department of Environmental Heritage
Department of Tourism, Sport & Racing

Bay Village Tropical Retreat Resort – Cairns
Tax Refund Centre – MGI Cockrell Reese Chartered Accountants - Cairns

Kosciusko Thredbo Resort – Thredbo
NSW Sugar Milling Cooperative – Harwood

RQ’s Tavern, Robina, QLD
Atkinson Gore Group / WPS V8 Supercar Racing Team – Gold Coast
Velocity – Gold Coast Airport
Hill View House - Administration
Solomons Flooring Tweed Heads

Tweed Heads Hospital, Sterilisation Technician – Tweed Heads


NEW ZEALAND
Carlton Hotel, Auckland NZ
Park in the Bar, Auckland NZ
Poenamo Hotel Auckland NZ
Autowash Company, Glenfield Auckland NZ
New Zealand Spirit Merchants – Browns Bay NZ

USA
Camp Counsellors USA - Full time Life Guard, Swim Instructor


ENGLAND
Harrods - Harrods Restaurant England

Cook Dennehy Recruitment London - Assignments Completed:
Frogmore Real Estate - London WC2B 6AA
HSBC Holdings Banking – Midland Bank
Merrill Lynch – Merchant - London
ABN AMRO – Dutch Bank – London

Devonshire Art Publishers - London
Medical & General Employment Agency - Temping
Prudential Assurance - PruTech Limited, 250 Euston Road London
Marler & Marler Surveyors & Estate Agents – Knightsbridge London

Today the Funeral of Daniella Louise Meads-Barlow will be held - 14th Nov 2011

Daniella Louise Meads-Barlow, aged 17 years old.

Sunday, 19 June 1994 - Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Bright young and full of aspiration, she had already lived a full, loving life with so much energy and pizzaz!


Below is the poem I wrote for Daniellas family.....

DANIELLA MEADS –BARLOW

Our Beautiful Daughter

You came into the world one day
A few short years ago
We wrapped you up in arms of love
And you began to grow

You learned to walk, and then to talk
When you were very small
We watched you dazzle with a smile
you gave to one and all

You learned to care about others
And often showed them how
We saw with joy and pride so great
and often remember now

You worked so hard at your books
Because they were so tough
We tried to help you as we could
And hoped it was enough

You treasured every single friend
Be they young or old
We could not help but think
You had a pot of gold

You filled the world with sunshine
With your beautiful voice
We held you high for all to see
and knew that you were right.

You left us on the 8th of November
When you were just half grown
We knew God sent an angel down
To take you to his home

You could not ever be forgotten Danni
As if we'd ever try
We try to see the love you left
Even as we cry

You will always be Mummy & Daddy’s little girl and big sister to Josh and Codey

Now we will look up in the sky to see the stars shining brightly, and there we will find you winking and smiling

Below is how you can donate towards the memorial fund established in Daniella’s name. - WRITTEN BY DANIELLAS MOTHER DONNA......


Donna, Brian Meads-Barlow and their family extend their gratitude for the enormous support and condolences they are receiving from friends, family and the community.

They have expressed a desire for this support to be channelled towards a memorial fund established in Daniella’s name. The funds will be used directly in the development of an appropriate alarm device for the pump used by Diabetics approaching Hypo-glycaemia. The alarm will send an urgent alert, not only should the pump malfunction, but in its design, will alert of a pending emergency of the sufferer of this dreadful disease.

Brian and Donna will continue to lobby in Daniella’s name this device onto the PBS in Australia to prevent this occurrence taking another life.

In lieu of sending flowers please help them take up this cause by donating to;

"Danii Meads-Barlow Memorial Fund"

By direct deposit: Australian Diabetes Council - Danii Meads-Barlow Memorial Fund
BSB: 062284 ACCOUNT: 10331874

Cheques F/- 'Australian Diabetes Council - Danii Meads-Barlow Memorial Fund'
GPO Box 9824
Sydney NSW 2001

Your contributions are greatly needed and shall assist in preventing another tragedy such as that which took our beautiful Daniella.

Danni looking up lovingly at her mum and dad...

SUNDAY SHOUT OUT - Smith & Brown Boutique, Yamba

Owner Kelly Smith has lived Yamba most of her life and in 2009 started up Smith & Brown Boutique in Yamba introducing many new styles of fashion and flair.

If you always wanted to look stylish and beautiful you may want to browse Smith & Brown Boutique in Yamba for high quality fashion that can be customized according to your taste which is the latest word in fashion today.

Although the task might seem simple, finding the perfect dress for a particular event is actually more challenging than you think. The combination of elements used on a dress and other fashion pieces you plan on wearing must blend perfectly to create a balanced look. Luckily, if you visit Smith & Brown Boutique you are guaranteed to find that perfect creation.


Click on the link below to find out more:

http://www.smithandbrownboutique.com/about-us

SUNDAY SHOUT OUT - EMERGE ON COLDSTREAM

Today's SHOUT OUT goes to a beautiful shop in Yamba called: EMERGE ON COLDSTREAM.

I was in town this week and Kobi always makes me visit this wonderful kids shop and not to mention adult apparel also.

This shop is a success in Yamba and the owner Leanne Spears is one Super Woman thats for sure.

I was in there Melbourne Cup day and Leanne was here there and everywhere, working to help everyone that came in and not to mention the people ring up at the same time!

The balancing act was perfect, with a smile and politness you can never forget.

This makes me come back to EMERGE ON COLDSTREAM time after time.

The kids clothes and toys are AMAZING!

Emerge offers a stunning range of clothing and accessories from 0 - 16years through to ladies, plus a huge range of delightful wooden, tin and creative toys for all ages. Shop for yourself whilst the kids are happy playing in the enclosed kids area.

Please pop on in and say hi to leanne from me (Jess Jantzen) and feel the happiness when you walk in.

You will find EMERGE ON COLDSTREAM AT: Shop 3/32 Coldstream St, Yamba, Australia 2464

Phone: 0266463008

Website coming soon: http://www.emergeoncoldstream.com.au

SUNDAY SHOUT OUT!

Todays Sunday Shout out I'm Shouting out to: THE YAMBA PHOTO SHOP


You walk into the shop and you are greeted warmily by Tania and her team.

Tania always has the time to help and even show you how things are done on the computer.

I always make sure that when I am home that i pop into THE YAMBA PHOTO SHOP and say HI!

The team know everything about cameras, printing on canvas and its a pleasure to know you are in good hands.

You will find The Yamba Photo Store at: Shop 7- 8 Yamba Street, Yamba NSW 2464, Phone: 02 66461983

A Positive Inspirational Story

When you thought I wasn't looking is a message every adult should read, because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favourite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influence the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today?

Written by a former child
Author Unknown

Work Place Headaches

A lot and I mean ALOT of people in my workplace suffer from migraines and headaches. I came across this excerpt from ‘The Secret’ today which reminded me of what I do daily when this problem occurs.

When someone is always talking about their bloody headache and making sure 20 other people around them know about it too? I well talk about how healthy I feel and fit and how I jumped out of bed at 5am in the morning. What’s the difference? NOTHING... You want us to know about your headache, and I want YOU to know about my HEALTH!

When you focus with someone on a problem they are having, you are not helping them or you, because you are both adding energy to the problem. You are also both attracting more “Like’ problems to you. Knowing this, it’s very important for you and the other person to focus on what you both want. The person with the problem should be encouraged to speak about what they want instead of about the problem, which is what they don’t want. The problem arose in the first place from the person thinking or talking about what they didn’t want, so the chain reaction must STOP.

Help those close to you be encouraging them to speak the words of what they want. That is always the solution.

Sourced from: The secret

HELPFUL WEBSITE FOR HEADACHE SUFFERS: http://headacheaustralia.org.au/headache-management/6-workplace-management

Two People I Would Love to Meet - FOODIES

I’ve been doing a whole load of research lately and I have stumbled across two amazing women! Sarah Wilson and Samantha Gowing.

Both their approach to food is amazing, healthy and inspiring. I have downloaded Sarah's E-Book called "I Quit Sugar" for only $15 and I have benefited so much from this. Sarah is an Australian media personality, journalist and blogger with an integrated voice across television, radio, magazines, newspapers and online. She’s the former editor of Cosmopolitan magazine and was the host of the first series of Master Chef Australia, the highest rating show in Australian TV history. She’s now the host and program developer for Foxtel’s Lifestyle YOU, writes a weekly column for Sunday Life magazine about how to have a better life, and is a regular guest on Channel 7′s Sunrise.

Ok, so its not for everybody, but I'll tell you that MY body is loving this way of life as much of it as it can take. I’m not religious about this in anyway but when the opportunity is around for me to SWAP it I do and I have more energy, I’m a happier person to be around and people who whinge and whinge at me about trivial stuff, I don't give them my energy but quiet nods and then more on along my day!

I can not afford to give my energy away to people with high opinions any more. I am more sensitive than others and find these people grab my energy levels and then they get all topped up and ready to find the next person to have a whinge to about, well, really, NOTHING!!!

Then there is Samantha Gowing a therapeutic chef, an award-winning clinical nutritionist and a renowned teacher of FOOD AS MEDICINE. Born, bread and raised in the inner city of Melbourne, Sam now lives in Byron Bay, New South Wales where she enjoys the beautiful beaches, great surf and revered produce and lifestyle of the Northern Rivers region. She writes a popular gluten free recipe blog called Bitter Sweet Sour and is enjoying her new role as Head Chef at the brand new Cabarita Ocean Retreat.

Having a father as a Chef I have always been intrigued with food and the benefits it has. Its just sad that the big companies are injecting our food with Fructose, preservatives, additives and alike that our.. well MY body cannot handle anymore...

If you would like to pop on over to them and say Hi, please do so:

http://samanthagowing.wordpress.com/home/

http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/

Excerpt from 'Skinny Bitch in the Kitch'

By Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Introduction
What's better than eating? (If you say "sex," you're either a liar or a pervert.) The answer is: Nothing! There's nothing better than eating! We're total pigs and eating is, without a doubt, our favorite thing to do. We love eating so much, it makes us mad. We have, like, a violent passion for food. When we go out to eat, if something we order is really good, we talk about killing the chef. Or our pets. Or ourselves. Good food makes us want to die.. .you know, like that expression, ".. .to die for." But ironically, we also care about our health.

It was these two things—our obsessive passion for food and our concern for health—that led us to write Skinny Bitch. If you haven't read Skinny Bitch yet, get your head out of your ass and go buy a copy. It will change your life. Seriously. Don't be fooled by the title; it's not some dumb, fluffy, weight-loss book. It's a comprehensive guide on how to eat well and enjoy food. But it's also a well-researched exposé documenting the shady business surrounding what we eat.

Much of what we learned while researching Skinny Bitch blew our minds. So we've made it our personal mission to share this information. We wanted to reprint Skinny Bitch in its entirety right here in the introduction, but our whore publisher wouldn't let us. So we're gonna give you the Cliff Notes.. .


Meat:
Hmm.. .dead, rotting, decomposing flesh of carcasses. Doesn't sound like something you'd want to eat, huh? Not to mention the pesticides, hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. Oops! We almost forgot mad cow disease, bird flu, salmonella, E.coli, trichinosis, and mercury. Well, no wonder Americans are suffering from obesity; cancer; liver, kidney, lung, and reproductive disorders; birth defects; miscarriages; and nervous system disorders.

You can call it steak, tuna, bacon, or chicken. No matter how you slice it, it's a piece of decaying, decomposing carcass. We know you like the taste, but there are other foods out there that mimic the flavor of meat but don't come with the same side effects. Smarten up, bitches.


Dairy:
Got osteoporosis? Researchers at Harvard, Yale, Penn State, and the National Institutes of Health have studied the effects of dairy intake on bones. Not one of these studies found dairy to be a deterrent to osteoporosis. On the contrary, a study funded by the National Dairy Council itself revealed that the high protein content of milk actually leaches calcium from the body. These findings are consistent with many others that blame milk not only for osteoporosis, but also acne, anemia, anxiety, ADD, allergies, asthma, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, and multiple cancers.

Just like human milk is for baby humans, cows' milk is for baby cows. We're the only species on the planet that drinks the milk of another species We're also the only species on the planet that drinks the milk as adults. It's not only gross, it's creepy. We've been totally duped by the dairy industry and their hundreds of millions of advertising dollars. And now we're totally addicted to their disease-causing products.
There's no need for any of them. It's the new millennium. There are so many awesome alternatives to dairy products. Get with the program, bitches.


Carbs:
There is so much bullshit around carbs now; we've got to set the record straight. There are two types of carbs—simple and complex. Complex carbs are not only good for you, but they're a vital part of your diet. They consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and they should be eaten all day, every day. Simple carbs suck and should be avoided: white bread, white flour, white pasta, white rice, and white sugar. Most cookies, cakes, snacks, and processed foods are simple carbs.
So what's a pig to do? Have her cake and eat it—just make the cake with good ingredients. Duh!

Whenever we do interviews promoting Skinny Bitch, we're always asked the same questions: "What do you do when you get cravings for cookies? Or does that never happen to Skinny Bitches?" Um, we're Skinny Bitches, not aliens! Of course we get cravings for cookies. And when we do, we eat 'em!
Unfortunately, most people have no idea that they can truly enjoy food without getting fat, sick, or sad. So it's our pleasure (oink, oink) to educate and feed the masses. We hope you'll love these recipes as much as we do. If you don't, go have sex, you pervert.

Bitchclaimer:
There's nothing more annoying than recipes with a million obscure ingredients. So we tried to make all our recipes as "normal" as possible. However, there are a few products we insist on using, despite their potential to peeve you. You may not have whole wheat flour lying around in your cupboard, but too bad. White flour is crap for your body and should only be used when absolutely necessary. Whenever we can, we use products that are as pure and healthy as possible. And we want the same for you. We want you to replace your old, shitty ingredients and start eating better.
Now granted, there's nothing wrong with olive oil. In fact, we love it. But did you know that when you heat most oils at high temperatures, you change their molecular structures, causing free-radicals? And that free radicals have been linked to heart disease and cancer? Well, we knew that (we're really smart), so a lot of our recipes call for coconut oil instead. Yeah, you may have to go to the health food store to buy it, but isn't a trip to the health food store better than a trip to the Emergency Room?

So if you come across a few ingredients that irritate you: Don't hate. Appreciate. We love you and we want you to enjoy food and be healthy. We have a glossary in the back to explain some of the funky stuff. So quit your bitching, restock your cabinets, and get cookin'.

(Don't worry though—there are some naughty, crappy ingredients in here, too.)