FFN Aftermath: Convenience vs. Conscience

           Fast Food Nation has completely made me re-think of my preference for fast food when eating out.  The new information, which I have learned from this book, made me look differently at a hamburger.  After reading Chapter 5 and onwards, I actually have not ordered a hamburger since.  Since I don’t know how to cook, I have told my husband that we must buy our ground beef and make our own patties, if we must eat burgers.  Home-cooked meals are now encouraged in my household.

            The horrendous conditions concerning high school student-workers in fast food chains and of the workers in the slaughterhouses and meatpacking companies were still vivid in my memory.  The infection of cattle and the outbreak of E. coli are conditions that should call for the government’s stricter enforcement of food safety laws.

            Our eating habits have been molded by the proliferation of the fast food restaurants.  These habits, however, have resulted in serious health risks – obesity, cancers, heart conditions, diabetes and strokes.  As I have now become aware of these issues, I am making a conscious decision to vote on any bill, proposition or measure to address them.  Come election time, I will now pay more attention to the candidates who places the fast food industry and all the concerns discussed in the book as a major component in their political agendas.

            Overall though, I still think it remains a choice.  It is up to us, adults, to protect our children from the hazards of the fast food movement.  And every choice has its consequences.

For me, it is a battle of convenience vs. conscience and I choose the latter.

So far...

The ONE truth from my 6 statements is... Next year, I will be celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary.  Most of you got it right.  Kayla, you are right, the other lies could be truths but not mine however.  Ms. Croker, swimming with the dolphins could remain in my dreams for now.  I am praying it can be my truth... someday.  Yup my 25th anniversary is coming up next year.   Now, now, don't be counting the years.  Let's just say I got married when I was 2!  Ahahahahaha!

English 101 is the only class I am attending this semester.  I knew that I will really enjoy the class but I didn't realize how much reading and writing we have to do!  For me, it has been quite a while since I had to do so much reading and writing.  I do like to write, but lately it has been mostly "social writing" (if there is such a thing.)  Just how other students have 4-5 classes while working full-time amazes me.  When I start to complain about how I am having a hard time reading and writing for English 101, I just think about them and tell myself that I don't have the right to complain.  I do have a special admiration for their commitment to getting a good education even if they already have jobs... not to mention taking care of their families too.  Whew!  Just the thought of it exhausts me already.  To all those who are doing it, I salute you and hang in there.

Fast Food Nation is now getting to be such an interesting book.  I am now wanting to read on and on until the end.  I actually think twice or thrice before eating fast food now.  After this book, I probably have to re-think about how dependent I have become on fast food.  After this book, perhaps I will promote healthier alternatives to my family as well as my co-workers.

We are on the homestretch in our class.  I don't know how I am going to finish my final paper though.  I am actually so nervous about it that I get the "shakes" when I try to work on it.  Hopefully, Essay #4 would ease my anxiety.

So far... everything is GREAT!

Spot the 1 Truth

1.   On my 8th birthday, a fairy came to visit me.

2.   It is difficult being blonde.

3.   My pet snake swallowed a monkey.

4.   Next year, I will be celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary.

5.   On a cruise, I jumped off the ship to swim with the dolphins.

6.   I spent my first paycheck on a Dolce & Gabana couture gown.

Manhattan Transfer Birdland

Manhattan Transfer Birdland

I just wanna share this video of my favorite band of all time -- The Manhattan Transfer!  Last Friday, October 15, I got to watch them perform live at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.  I enjoyed the show tremendously together with Imelda, my sister, Bob, her boyfriend, and Marianne, my best friend at work.  The four of us had a blast!

Follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1nj6Yla_Vg

Enjoy!

Should marijuana laws be relaxed? (CQ Researcher)

Which position on this debate do I choose?  I choose the "con" side.

Paul Armentano presented a very compelling argument in his "pro" article.  He had mentioned of the dollar amounts costing the government to arrest and prosecute people involved with the use and sale of marijuana.  His story of Scott Bryant being shot and killed in front of his 7-year old son was a horrific scene in my mind.  I disagree though on his view that Bryant was a victim of marijuana prohibition.  I must say that he was a victim of police brutality being shot and killed unarmed.

However, we cannot overlook the powerful presentation of Dr. Robert L. DuPont of the harmful effects of marijuana use to the user, and more so to the public in general.  To a user, there are the health risks of cancer, schizophrenia, anxiety and panic attacks, paranoia and breathing problems.  To the public, in addition to health hazards caused by inhaling marijuana smoke, second hand, marijuana intoxication can cause more accidents and some, if not most, might end in tragedies.

From a personal view, I know first hand, that prolonged marijuana use has long-lasting effects on an individual.  Behaviors are altered for the worst and judgments are negatively affected.  It is an addiction that I have seen my cousin go through...

More than 10 years ago, I was an active participant in an "intervention" planned out for my cousin.  He needed help to fight his marijuana addiction.  It was a moving experience for me and I was touched by the outpouring of love for him.  His daughter, ex-wife, dad, mom, 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 5 best friends, and 25 cousins showed up to this "life-saving" event.  Everyone of us read letters of love and how afraid we all were for his health and welfare.  But the effects of marijuana have made him ignore ALL of us and he blatantly denied his addiction and refused rehabilitation.  He had broken our hearts and we all felt helpless.  We were all so sad that day.  For me, he was like a totally different person from the sweet, loving and caring cousin that I knew for more than 30 years.  Three weeks later, I was informed that he was arrested for mail fraud.  He had engaged in this criminal activity with his so-called "friends" just to fund and maintain his marijuana addiction.  He was released on probation after a year of serving his 2 year sentence.

My cousin's addiction had started from just a brief experimental session with marijuana when he was younger.  That brief session turned into regular pot sessions and ultimately into a full-blown addiction.

Ask me again... should marijuana laws be relaxed?  ABSOLUTELY NOT! 

Spotlight: Family Values

So, which family values are important in your lives?  Unity, honesty and respect... these are the values I treasure most.

Thanksgiving Day and Christmas were, and still are,  always cherished holidays in my family.  It has been our long-standing tradition to celebrate in a family member's house.  Lately, it has been in my eldest sister's house where my mother lives too.  Celebrations would always be potluck and they would always turn out to be big feasts that everyone enjoyed.  These events made it possible for all the members of our family to bond and get together.  Even though we live in different states and countries, these holidays make us all feel close together, united as one big happy family.

I have been in many situations wherein I made the wrong decisions.  I felt that my friends may not have been totally honest with me because they were scared to hurt my feelings.  My family, on the other hand, had always confronted me with these wrong decisions and had urged me to consider them and learn from them so that I will not repeat these mistakes.   I knew that whenever I was in doubt, I could always seek their opinions and guidance.  They had always kept me grounded.

An equally important value is our respect for each other in the family.  We may not totally agree with some decisions, but we all understand that we lead different lives and our situations may not always be similar to each other.  We assure each other of our support and tell each one how we love them and that we will always be there for them if they will need us... in any way.

I have three boys and my husband and I have made sure that they all grew up with these family values.   Now that they are on their own, I am assured that these values will help them in their relationships with friends and relatives.

There may be misunderstandings, quarrels, even prolonged disagreements among members of the family.  But there is one thing I am most certain of -- the values we share will make us all become better forces of society.  With good family values, the generations ahead of us are assured of a good foundation for their own families.

Unity, honesty and respect… keep it in the family.