I’m in the mood for some animal stories.

We are an animal-loving family with five kitties and two guinea pigs. We have a full house and our pets are family. I know people judge us for the amount of pets we have because we don’t have a lot of money. The truth is, they’re a huge monthly expense but we couldn’t imagine life without our animals so we make it work. One thing that has really helped us is we found a nonprofit community vet where the cost of services is a lot lower. I am so grateful that they are making pet ownership more affordable for people in our city. They really saved our butts when one of our kitties needed her leg amputated.

I grew up out in the country with a dog and a million cats. My sister even had a horse for a while. I’ve always been around animals and I can’t imagine life without them.

It’s surprising how expensive guinea pigs are. They eat so goddamn much! In addition to hay and pellet food, they require fresh fruits and veggies daily. Our piggies are particularly fond of carrots with the greens still on them, basil, and yellow bell peppers. Recently we discovered that they also like dandelion and cilantro. Thankfully, we have found a local fruits and veggies store that sells produce really cheap. We can buy a mountain of food there for twenty bucks! Happy piggies!

This is Nugget. He’s the more outgoing one of our two piggies. He has two different colored eyes — one blue and one brown.

I really like talking to our piggies. They make the most interesting sounds. I talk and they squeak back. They stare at me and I really feel a connection with them. It’s so cute!

 

I want to hear about your pets! Are you like us and can’t imagine life without animals around?

Is atheism motivation to live a healthier life?

As an atheist, what is your attitude towards your health? 

Do you pay attention to what you eat or how much physical activity you get? Be honest — do you get a yearly physical? Do you go to the dentist?

What about mental health? Do you practice self-care? Do you get enough sleep? Do you show kindness and compassion to yourself and others?

Can “YOLO” push you to better health because you know this is it – there’s nothing after this life? Are you determined to live each moment to the fullest? Does “living to the fullest” always require a healthy mind and body?

As far as mental health goes, I feel atheism has given me a sense of clarity. I feel grounded knowing everything has an earthly explanation. This has been hugely beneficial to my recovery from schizoaffective disorder.

But right now, I kind of feel like a blob. I have a knee injury and spend a lot of time lying around the house. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get better. I am seeing an orthopedic surgeon on Monday and hope to have some sort of resolution soon.

Despite my setbacks, I do believe knowing I’ve got this one life to live has been motivating, although I think I’ve shown that more through being ambitious rather than health-conscious. I’d like to change that or at least find some balance.

I am definitely a “YOLO” person and I hope I have a lot more life left to live.

Can you relate? What defines living life to the fullest? Is it ambition, health, both, or something else? Has atheism motivated you to live a healthier life?

My artwork is now for sale at The Gilded Exchange! Thank you for your support!

If you are in the Northwest Ohio area, my flower finger paintings and drawings are now for sale at The Gilded Exchange in Perrysburg, a local furniture and home decor store and consignment shop. These are the pieces I dropped off yesterday. Fingers crossed I sell some!

It’s really hard to put yourself out there as an artist and so many of you have been really supportive. Thank you for that; I really appreciate it. You’ve given me the strength to keep going! With my current health struggles, sometimes all I can do is hide and paint. My artwork is a way I can still stay connected to the world and that has been really motivating to me. It’s how I’m turning a negative experience into a positive one and I’m so happy you’ve supported my journey.

What is the central theme of the Bible?

I don’t really know a whole lot about the Bible. I know the basic stories like the Garden of Eden and Noah’s Ark, but not much more.

I was raised in rural Ohio in a conservative community. While my family didn’t go to church, many people around me did, and unfortunately, there was peer pressure. When I was in middle school, I decided I would try to be a Christian. I was determined to read the Bible from cover to cover, but I didn’t get too far. I got to this part that was like, so-and-so begot so-and-so who begot so-and-so who begot so-and-so, and I gave up.

I now live in Toledo and sometimes local churches will leave letters or pamphlets on our door or mailbox. I do read them out of curiosity. The latest was a pamphlet from the Jehovah’s Witnesses, “How do you view the Bible?” It claims we can believe what the Bible says because of its “amazing harmony, honest history, and reliable prophecy.” 

Amazing harmony? It states, “The Bible was written over a period of 1600 years by some 40 different people. Most of them never met one another. Yet, the entire book is harmonious, with one central theme!”

Do you agree? Is the Bible harmonious? Is there one central theme? All I could think of for a theme is something broad and generic like, “god is a powerful god” or something to that nature. I’m sure many of you have read more than I have. What do you think? What’s the central theme of the Bible? Is there one? Obviously, I’m not a Christian, but that doesn’t stop my curiosity.

I’m Still Here! Let’s Bitch About American Healthcare!

Hi guys! I’m alive!

I’ve had a few weird moments, definitely a little up and down, but I have not relapsed. I’ve been hiding because I didn’t think I could trust myself going through med changes, but I’m not going to wait around any more. I’ve been nervous thinking the shit is going to hit the fan at any time, but I know that’s no way to live. I need to enjoy the good days and be grateful that I’m doing so well despite all the shit I’ve been through. 

Whew. It’s good to be back.

Now I need a moment to complain about the American healthcare system. While dealing with my mental health issues, I have also been dealing with physical issues. I’ve had knee pain for months. Some days are better than others, but it always hurts. 

After a few doctor’s appointments, I was referred to physical therapy even though we really didn’t know what was wrong. My health insurance made me go through several weeks of physical therapy before they would pay for an MRI. It was really painful. 

Three weeks ago I finally got the MRI and there are several things wrong with my knee including a meniscus tear. It felt like physical therapy made my problems worse and I was really angry that I had to jump through hoops just to get an MRI – to finally get answers. It just all felt unnecessary. Had my insurance covered an MRI earlier, I could have been feeling better by now. 

I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon on the 26th.

Dealing with insurance companies is absolute shit, and it’s not just my insurance company, my doctor said any insurance company would have made me go through the same thing. 

Are you up for a bitch fest? Tell me your American healthcare horror stories. I’m injured, I’m broke, I’m running out of patience, and I know I’m not alone.