Rockin Wellness

I was pleasantly surprised to receive my newest protein shake in the mail today. I'd only ordered it yesterday and shipping is FREE. Yet, here it is! I had my first shake for lunch. It did catch me off guard the first few sips. There's an underlying taste I can't pinpoint. It's either the Stevia (I will elaborate on this), or the cacao. I m leaning toward the latter. Additionally, I don't eat a ton of sweets and am used to vanilla shakes sweetened with fruits, not the rich chocolate punch packed into Rockin Wellness.

No, I'm not paid to endorse them in case you were wondering. I'm not affiliated with them at all. I'm just a customer. After the first few drinks, I was fine with it. It's good. Since I am not a fan of really rich chocolatey stuff in large amounts (8-16 oz), I am going to experiment with turning mine into more of a "shake" by adding ice, or also altering and complementing the flavor by adding fruit like bananas, strawberries, raspberries, etc. Everything is good with chocolate, right?!

Helpful hint: My mom tells me her shakes are smoother when the banana used is frozen. I'm going to try this out!

Soooo, Rockin Wellness is Vegan, Organic, Non-GMO, No Artificial Sweeteners, and all that jazz.

Yes, that's right. No Artificial Sweeteners. Some people get confused as to what sweeteners are considered to be artificial and which aren't. Additionally, not all that "aren't" are necessarily advisable for consumption. If I had to pick any sweetener on the market outside of truly natural products like maple syrup and honey, it would be Stevia. That being said, I only advocate the use of Stevia when it's in whole, raw form. Breaking it down, processing it, and turning it into some powder you dump into your coffee is no different than breaking down sugar cane and processing it.

Rockin Wellness uses a minimal amount of organic cane sugar and raw, whole Stevia.

You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rockinwellness
and online at http://www.rockinwellness.com

Alright, aside from taste, I honestly DID have more energy today and a decreased appetite. That was with having only an apple this morning and then my 8 oz shake (I used coconut water) at lunchtime. I wasn't terribly hungry for dinner, but did eat some. Could be a placebo effect of course. We'll see how things progress, but I am pleased for today. I also started packing up my apartment out of nowhere, even though I'm not moving for six weeks! On top of that, I'm still awake, and it's past ten now, and I'm usually yawning by 9 and passing out by now. Hoping for good thing to come!

You put the lime in the coconut...

Alright, a brief blog this evening. It was HOT out today. The first we've had in the 80's. Yes, that feels hot in New England right now LOL.

So, onto important matters... coconut oil. How many of you are using it? I've been using it for cooking for a bit now. I'm anxious to try out some recipes for baking this summer! But tonight was a first for me as a moisturizer. My dry skin is creeping back up on my face (likely due to not eating avocado the past two or three days, yikes!). Also, I've admittedly been using cheap razors. Gasp! So my legs and face are a bit oily right now.

I'm not sure if I like how it feels. Maybe it would be better to melt it down a bit, I'm just not sure. It does melt pretty quickly in your hands. It smells good, obviously. It is a little gritty though. I wasn't expecting that. I like the sheen it gives my legs. It's been more than an hour though and my legs are still oily so I'll need to wipe off some I guess. My bad.

I'm going to moisturize daily. My biggest hopes are banishing razor burn (which never shows up til a day or two post-shaving for me, and only on my calves and skins), eliminating dry skin on my face, and also decreasing the appearance of my first wrinkle (the dreaded forehead).

I'll let you know how it goes!

An Update on Penpaling

So, I did join a penpal site or two and have found them to be quite an experience. Yes, there are a slew of people on some just wanting a marriage of convenience to become an American. Yes, there are also just creepy people out there wanting to see your pictures. In between all of that, there are some real charmers and some friendships that are budding into successful, lasting ones, if I do say so myself (and I do).

I've connected with both males and females all over the world, but predominantly Europe for the time being since that is where my trip is taking me next year. It's interesting to hear the opinions others have of America, and how unaligned they are with my own. Likewise, their tiny Irish and English towns are nothing special to them whereas they present such great beauty to me.

I've met a few folks from right here in the U.S. too. It really takes the pressure off of trying to meet new people locally. Sure, you can't go hang out with these people, but that's kind of the point. Deeper connections seem to be made when one writes; I've always known that though :)

My favorite site thus far is www.Interpals.com

Check it out. You won't be sorry.

XO

The Purpose of a Penpal

Alright… anyone who knows me is well aware that someday, mark my words, I’m moving to Europe, maybe lol. My obsession with the European culture is just short of a diagnosable illness. It routinely causes disorder in my life, causing me to engage in abrupt outbursts over things like genetically modified organisms and narrow-minded people who’ve never left their hometown, let alone the country. Don’t get me wrong, America is all fine and good for some things and I can appreciate the patriotism, but my soul has been in Europe my entire life. 

So I started thinking… if I were to up and transplant myself into European society right now, today, what would I be missing? Ummm… smaller furniture, an accent, shit— friends, mates, pals, chums! Admittedly, I know a few people in the EU scattered about from one country to the next, but not many, and none personally. Okay, maybe that’s not so true either. I know a few quite personally, due to regularly blasting our very private lives in our super-secret support groups and chat rooms online. That being said, I’ve still never met them in person, and wouldn’t recognize any of them if they were walking past me on the street. 

Point blank-I have a strong interest in other cultures, specifically European. Thus, I’m tackling a few websites today, scouring them for the potentially perfect long-distance chums for me. I need something new in my life. Being a busy working mother heading back to school, I haven’t much free time to go on grandiose adventures, so I look for them in flexible forms. I think getting to know someone new, who is alike to, but also different from me, might be just what I need. Wish me luck!

A further introduction

I’d like to ask about you, because I’m more comfortable with that. But part of this “project”, that is, the blogging experience, for me is stepping out of my comfort zone and talking about me. I’m a blonde, naturally, and have always much loved that fact. Underneath the exteriour though, I’m fairly healthy, a sufferer of PMDD, a mother, and a nomad—I include the latter two because they really are a part of the “internal me”. My genetic code seems to be invariably programmed with traits I wasn’t even aware I possessed until I reached a point in my life where I wouldn’t know who I was anymore if I was a Mommy and a wandering soul. Digging even deeper, I’m spiritual to my core.

I like everything. No, really. Okay, not really. I don’t particularly care for rhubarb or okra. That being said, I like just about every other food I’ve ever tasted. I like to change things up in the kitchen. Weekly meals in our household are usually a complex mix of a few staples, something new, and something re-done. Now you might be wondering who I’m implicating with that “our house” statement. Currently, it consists of myself, two wonderfully rambunctious kids, my boyfriend, his dog that I try to love, and a sweet little doggy girl.

My career. Well, I’m a writer. No, not just a blogger-by-night hobby writer, and actual get paid for it writer. I love it. I actually started college as a Journalism major, and somehow finished as a psych major. Regardless, I’ve been a writer at heart for years, even an editor for my school newspaper. I know, bravo right? Actually, I give myself more credit for it now than I ever did then. Before I ever graduated though, I found myself fielding job offers in the writing field and somehow it worked out. I’m grateful every day. A telecommuting job is a mom’s dream after all, isn’t it? Regardless of the passion I have for my career, I still want to be the mom that is home after school. Still, I plan to attend graduate school in the near future and enter the medical field, but I will always be a writer.

On a more relaxed note, as much of a wandering soul as I am, I’m also quite the homebody. I love to travel. Ask anyone who knows me and they’d tell you I am always planning a trip or counting down the days to one. But when I’m home, I like to be home. Nothing is better in my opinion than a calm evening at home with the family or a lazy Saturday spent in sweats watching movies. Now, don’t start thinking I’m lazy; that’s the furthest things from what I am. I am most definitely a worker bee.

So, here I am, slightly vulnerable and a little bit bitchy on this particular evening. I’m wondering how this blogging experience will pan out for me, among everything else going on in my life right now. I hope you’ll join me.

About Moi

You might be wondering who the hell I am. Get in line; so am I. Who is the person that stares back at us in the mirror each day? How are you different from me? Maybe you’re not. Maybe you’ll read on and find that you and I have far too much in common to ever part ways now that we’ve stumbled across one another. Perhaps you’ll find that you don’t care for my vulgar attitude, witty banter, and severe honesty. That’s okay too. I bet you still come back at some point to see what I’m up too though. Because I’m that woman… the one with plenty to say, that makes a statement even when she’s silent, and no sir, I do not apologize.  That being said, I’ve been a writer for well, a very long time. I’ve just kept my talents (as some call it) behind closed doors for, well, a very long time.

That being said, I’m unleashing everything I’ve wanted to say to you. All the things I’ve been telling my closest friends for years that need to be pushed further out into the world. But that isn’t all...

 I’m female, so it’s only natural that some days I want to complain, rant, ask for opinions, and ramble to my heart’s content. In return, I hope I’ll hear from you from time to time as well. It is not my intent to educate and inform others every day of my life, but I do think it’s a small purpose we all carry through life. I do feel I’m supposed to tell you the things I know, what I’m sure of, and what I’m not, and I think I’m going to learn something from this process as well. I don’t believe I’m all-knowing or superior in any way to others. I feel that attitude or perception often gets in the way of the lessons we should be learning. As humans, we’re just so damn proud. Still, I bet I know a thing or two that might save you a tear or a heartbreak down the road… something perhaps that could just make your life easily, your soul lighter, your smile wider. Maybe you’ll do the same for me. Maybe we’ll be friends.  Please to have crossed your path either way darling. Let the games begin.