What to Cook Wednesdays (Side Dish Version)

Homemade Mash Potatoes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of baking potatoes (peeled and diced)
2 table spoons of Salt
1/2 cup of Milk
Butter (margarine would do)
Black or Cayenne Pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan cook potatoes in salted water (Use one tablespoon) (Add a couple of cloves of garlic if you want garlic mashed potatoes).  Cover for about 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain your potatoes . Mash with a potato masher or a fork and spoon (This may require a little more elbow grease but it gets the job done) . Add butter, Season to taste with salt and pepper (Add cheese if you want to go for cheesy mashed potatoes) . Gradually beat in enough milk to make mixture light and fluffy and creamy (Remember it's easier to add milk a little by little adding to much milk can turn it into cream of potato soup). If desired, serve with butter and garnish with scallion if you want to add a kick of onion flavoring plus it a beautiful garnish.

Extra Tips

Mashed Potatoes are a forgiving recipe you can play around with the garnishes, the extra flavorings and even make it as a part of a casserole. You can never will go to wrong with mash potatoes trying different variations of mashed potatoes. Put you chef hat on and experiment after all that's how recipes are created.

Love you Guys!!!

Petals Falling Until Next Time! xoxoxo!

Sexual Education (Should it be taught in public schools)

 

 

 

Sexual Education in Public Schools

 

American children are more vulnerable to sexual transmitted diseases and early parenthood than generations before them. According to The Center of Disease Control and Kaiser Family Foundation  approximately 65% of STDS contracted in America will occur in people under 25 years of age and 1 out of 4 new cases of H.I.V infections occur in those under the age of 22 (Masland,2014). These statistics stress the importance of educating our youth about tools that effect their daily lives such as what is the meaning of consensual sex, what is sexual abuse, how to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexual transmitted diseases. However, there is an on-going debate about this particular biology lesson and how it should be taught. Some questioned the importance of sexual education being taught in schools, liberals have their views that lessons taught should be in full details, and conservatives believe that such an intimate topic should be taught by parents in a moral manner.  Each party have valid reasons for their belief but which one seem to be more effective.

Sexual education is a crucial lesson that should be taught to our adolescents. Children today are more inquisitive about sex than their predecessors. Elementary students are realizing the difference between male and female anatomy and how it affect them sexually. Richard McCarthy have experienced this when a teacher reported catching a girl preforming oral sex on his five year old son in an unlocked bathroom at First Lutheran Church/Carson School in Los Angeles, California (CBS-Los Angeles,2013).  Middle school students are experimenting sexually for various reasons feeling pleasure, to improve their relationship, and for popularity or their reputation (Child Trends Data Bank, 2013). By the time most American teenagers reach high school over 50% of them are having sexual relationships. Our children, preteens, and teenagers are being influenced by their peers and the highly sexualized media such as erotic novels, music videos, sitcoms, reality television shows, X-rated movies and gossip magazines. According to Psychologist David Walsh, the brain is wired to develop intense physical and emotional attraction during teenage years more than during the maturing process. He also stated his disruption on how casual sex is portrayed in the media and he claims that this distort the views of true intimacy (Jayson, 2015). This maybe the reason why many parents stress the importance of having a responsible adult who can educate their children with everything they need to learn about sex. Although, sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancies are the two most popular reason why sexual education is important. Consensual sex and learning how to approach a situation where sexual abuse or assault is taking place is also essential. Child molestation has been on the rise for the past few decades and so are the growing population of child molesters within the database. Learning about consensual sex can help lower the rates of sex crimes against children. They’re many reasons why sexual education is considered beneficial, but we still have opposing views which have spilt this debate into two parties the liberals and conservatives.

Liberals believe generally that sexual education is the only way to effectively improve how American youth approach sex responsibly. Like physical education sexual education should be mandatory in all public schools. We trust our educators to teach and prepare our children for a brighter future academically, professionally and socially, but how is this possible when we shy away from educating them on the pros and con of sexual topics. Liberals stress the importance of these lessons being taught with detailed information within their syllabus. They also believe that sexual education would prevent the negative outcome of engaging in sexual activities and effective teaching can develops negotiation skills, decision-making skills, assertion and listening skills (Walkins, 2014). Although they are not opposing abstinence, they do stress the importance of sex education being taught effectivelly and that learning abstinence isn’t enough to keep our curious youth from engaging in sexual acts and they need to know how to make decisions regarding their sexual tendencies wisely.

  Conservatives don’t agree with these views. They believe that lessons on such an intimate topic should be taught in a domestic environment by parents. That parents are the best educators of sex and they are responsible for teaching moral values to their children. These beliefs stem from religious views on purity and on the many claims of teachers who caters to their own personal belief by handing out inappropriate materials to their students. Materials that contain explicit contents geared around homosexuality, bestiality, BDSM, and sex crimes.  Like in two recent cases one in Pembroke, North Carolina where a substitute teacher allowed a class of ninth graders watch the sexually explicit film “Fifty Shades of Grey” based on the trilogy by E.L James (Willets,2015). Another happened in Gilford, New Hampshire were William Baer a father of a ninth grader at Gilford High School was arrested during a school board meeting for protesting the required reading of  “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult, which contain events geared around student violence, bullying, and sexual aggression ( Bamforth,2014). These cases have made clear the concerns of many parents.  It provides evidence why many want to take such lessons into their own hands, but it is not enough to prove that teaching such lessons are the sole responsibility of parents. With some children living in an unstable household with one parent and others with two parents who aren’t stabled enough to teach their children such lessons. We cheat these children on how to make healthy choices regarding sex after sexual education is discontinued in schools. Children minds are like sponges and tend to soak up everything around them and like teachers, parents tend to teach based on their own personal views. Some avoid teaching their children because they are uncomfortable or in denial of the possibility that their child could be interested in such a topic. Others engage in negative sexual relationships in the presence of their children that may contradicts the positive lessons they try to instill in them. However, many parents and faith-based households stress only the importance of waiting until marriage and by doing so that child would have a beneficial, meaningful, and loving relationship with their significant other that isn’t based on carnal pleasures.

Abstinence is an important lesson and have been proven to be the safest form of safe sex practices but when abstinence becomes the only route in educating our youth it could become detrimental to their health. These teaching don’t prevent the wide-spread sexually transmitted diseases or teenage pregnancies and children who do succumb to their sexual urges often feel shameful and condemned.  Nicholas Ducote, a former homeschooled Christian have spoken out about his experience growing up in and abstinence taught household and stated that there were extreme views on purity and lust and to have sexual thoughts about someone is shameful lusting after that person. When taught about STDS he was told that you can’t get a disease from your wife as long as you’re in a Godly monogamous relationship and nobody cheats. If you are promiscuous, you will ruin this immunity and get cancer. (Kutner, 2015). Some children growing up with such views often stray away from sexual actions because of the fear of being punished because they have lusted or fornicated, but this fear don’t stop the urges in the majority. Nicholas talks of his struggles with masturbation and the guilt behind it believing that the devil was trying to tempt him. He also speaks of his friend, a fellow homeschooled student who had urges to prey on under aged girls and how there’s was no conception of levels when it came to sin (Kutner,2015). This proves that teaching a child about abstinence isn’t enough to ensure positive sexual decision making and growing up with such views could result to an unstable relationship with sex in the future.

Regardless of what side, this debate seems to be more effective.  We can all agree that sexual education is important and should be taught rather it’s inside or outside the home. Parents may want to protect the innocent minds of their children by controlling the levels of sexual content  being taught within sexual education curriculums, but in this advance generation our youth is becoming more knowledgeable a lot sooner and making their own decisions a lot sooner than expected. Rather you agree or disagree with the liberals/conservatives, or you are still stuck somewhere in between. As a nation it’s our responsibility to provide knowledgeable information to ensure that our youth make decisions safely and wisely and the way to give each and every child the opportunity to equally do so is to make sure sexual education classes are mandatory within all schools in America.

 

Citation Page

·        Masland, Molly “Carnal Knowledge, The Sex Debate” www.Msnbc.com, 1 July 2004

·        "Sex Education Should Be Taught at Home as Well as in Schools." Do Abstinence Programs Work? Ed. Christine Watkins. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. At Issue. Rpt. from "Sex Education that Works." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 3 June 2015.

·        Jayson, Sharon. "USATODAY.com - Teens Define Sex in New Ways." USATODAY.com - Teens Define Sex in New Ways. N.p., 19 Oct. 2005. Web. 12 June 2015.

·        Kutner, Jenny. "Former Homeschooler on the Duggar Family’s Horrifying Fundamentalist “education”: “It's Literal Rape Culture”." Saloncom RSS. N.p., 8 June 2015. Web. 12 June 2015

·        Willets, Sarah. "Students View Sexually-explicit Film Parents Angered; Sub Teacher Taken off Call List - Robesonian." Robesonian. N.p., 08 May 2015. Web. 13 June 2015.

·        Bamforth, Annebelle. "Exclusive: Father Arrested For Speaking Out Against Sexually Explicit Book As Required Reading (Graphic Content)." Ben Swanns Truth In Media. N.p., 6 May 2014. Web. 13 June 2015.

·        "Children Allegedly Engaged In Sex Acts With Each Other At Carson Preschool." CBS Los Angeles. N.p., 05 Feb. 2013. Web. 24 June 2015.

·        "Oral Sex Behaviors among Teens." Child Trends. N.p., 23 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 June 2015.

 

Why haven't I been blogging? (The secret event I've been keeping for months)

For some people who may be wondering where have I been in the blogging world this one is for you guys.

Since March, 9, 2015 I have been blessed with the opportunity to continue my education. It have been something that I've been wanting to do for years and it seemed like for the longest time there were road blocks in the way of me accomplishing this particular goal. Every since I received my acceptance email (Modern Technology) and official documentation. I decided to take a break from almost everything within the first few terms so I can focus on warming myself back up as a student.

This time around I'm so excited about being a college student for the simple fact that the first two times I basically went to college to jump start my professional life. Therefore, I took quick courses I wasn't really interested in just to meet the requirements for the largest job market available at that time. Now I'm actually going for my psychology degree which have always been my dream major. Recently I've added sociology as a minor. How typical huh? I was going to do creative writing but I can accomplish so much more in life with sociology after all I'm all about helping people make their lives better.

Some of you guys are probably like "Why would you keep that a secret?" and to be completely honest about it. I've made that decision based off of the simple fact that for the past few years I've been through my number of struggles and a lot of people have said and done some hateful things and being that it seemed like I was a target for cruel assumptions and nasty rumors. I just didn't want to hear negativity from anyone about my future. Believe it or not people tend to be shocked when learning about my major and prior to enrolling in school some very lovely individuals kindly made smart remarks about how I should focus on something else because they couldn't see me doing such a thing in the future. So the only way I was able to keep a clear mind was to keep my academic life a secret for a little while.

I'm now going into my third term and it seems to be going by so fast. For those wondering am I an online student. Yes, I am the community college where I live have never been some where I wanted to attend. I did my research for the prefect school for me and I decided to apply to University of Phoenix , Liberty University, and University of Southern New Hampshire. University of Phoenix  contacted me first and the other contacted me a bit later but my heart stuck with SNHU simply because of how they make you feel like family. It was like being adopted into a family who makes sure everything is just right for you and your future goals in life.

The real purpose for this blog is to let some of you guys know that everything happens in Gods time. I applied to these same schools last year and the year before and something always seemed to prevent me from enrolling and yet this time everything went through perfectly. Don't give up keep trying it will happen.  Those who are  thinking about online college my advice for you is to do your research I love my school but you might not be looking for what I was looking for in a school. Just keep you head up and keep pushing forward.


Love You Guys!!!

Petals Falling til Next Time xoxoxo!

Does it seems like "Your Moment" is taking way too long?

Many of us get into a runt of trying to make other people proud. It’s normal we have a lot of people wanting to see us succeed in life. This is sometimes the reason why we set our standards so high when it comes to our lives. We often times feel like we aren’t doing enough because someone else always seems to be doing better than we are and in world where success is limited to material things not having stability can make us feel like failures in life. We tend to forget that everyone has their time, never to lose faith, and keep on pushing when those around you seem to push you down. If you feel like your moment is just taking to long to get here, hopefully this would help you keep it together when you don’t see that light at the end of the tunnel.

Everyone has their own time. You have to realize that life is unpredictable and just because it’s raining in the morning doesn’t mean that it’s going to be raining all day long. We all have good times but how do we know what good if we never go through the bad? There’s a balance of them both and without those struggles can you imagine how you would end up? I know it sounds crazy but my struggles in life have taught me to be humble. I was never a mean person but let’s just say I took a lot of things for granted until I was placed in a situation where I had to do without them. Not only did I learn to improvise but the value of those things really projected as I started to miss them being right there. So instead of being negative in your situation or beating yourself up being Cindy down the street that’s the same age as you seem to be more accomplished. Take the time that you’re in your struggle to evaluate your life. What do you need to learn from your situation, Who should you let into your circle during this situation, and What survival skills should you pick up while improvising? The most important thing is to study yourself throughout our lives we tend to pay so much attention to everyone around us. Our friends, family, co-workers, classmates, and the list goes on we focus so much on others when being left by ourselves we often find out that we are a familiar strangers.

Never lose faith no matter what happens. We all know the feeling of applying for jobs and it seems like your phones isn’t ringing as frequently or quickly as you hoped it would. It’s discouraging especially when it seems like all your peers are employed and your still pounding the pavement without success. Don’t give up on your goals whatever your goals maybe. It might not be a job it can be starting an online business, meeting the woman/man of your dreams, attending church more often, losing those 50 pounds that seem to always be at the top of your resolutions at the beginning of every New Year. You have to stay positive and carry on because trust me there’s going to already be enough negativity in your life.

Which brings me to the next topic. Those people around you that call themselves having your “best interest” at heart. People can be so negative at times. During my struggles adapting to a new environment I naturally wanted to work and save up so I can return back home and soon discovered that without transportation in a rural environment you’re screwed. I didn’t have a car and couldn’t afford to pay someone $15 dollars a day for gas money not talking about them expected extra stuff on the side just for taking me somewhere. I was stuck in a situation where I really couldn’t do anything. Instead of people offering to take to look for a job or enroll in school they rather walk around talking about “You need to get your s*** together”, “What’s wrong with you, why can’t you get a job?, “You just don’t want to do s***” and my favorite “You need to get a crazy check”. I’m not going to even lie it got to me and mentally tore me down and broke me into piece. I was angry for a long time with everything I almost lost it. That’s why I’m telling you to shake those darts off. The people around you can literally cause more damage to you when you aren’t what they consider successful. Think I’m lying? I bet you had more friends when everything was good and only have a few if any now that things are a little harder. You have to sometimes dislocate yourself from negativity and it’s everywhere.

The question I often have when it comes to expectations on young adults is who told us that if we don’t have our own car, house, and bank accounts filled with loads of money by 25 that we are failures. Who set those standards for us? Many people feel like if they don’t accomplish these things by a certain age they’re worth less. Some have committed suicide and others have turned to illegal hustles trying to keep up with the Jone’s. When all you have to do is keep the faith, be humble, shake off negativity, and keep trying the same way it’s happening for someone else it would happen for you too.

 

Love You Guy! XoXo!

Petals Falling Until Next Time!

 

What To Cook Wednesdays

Tomato Basil (All Natural Salad Dressing

 

 

This is a dressing that is refreshing, tasty, and the best part is no preservatives.

 

Ingredients

1 Pint of Cherry Tomatoes

1 Teaspoon of Honey

3-4 Leaves of Fresh Basil (Dry Basil would do)

1 Cup of Olive Oil

Garlic or Garlic Paste

Vinegar (White or Apple Cider)

Salt

Pepper

Directions

This is almost as simple as it sounds. You can double the ingredients for larger batches and save it in the fridge for later.

 In a blender add your cherry tomatoes and honey then pulse for a few minutes until it’s broken down.

Add your basil and a few cloves of garlic or garlic paste . (I personally use garlic paste because it’s already broken down). Continue pulsing the mixture.

Add in your vinegar but not to much you don’t want to overpower the taste of your tomato and basil, you also don’t want an over load of oil either (Vinegar thins out oil when both is ingested together).

Add in your Olive oil and continuous blend for 5-10 minutes.

Remember it’s a salad dressing the more broke down it is the better.

Place a bowl under a mini strainer and strain your dressing through stirring out all the liquid.

Unless you like thick, pulpy dressing. Season with salt and pepper and let it sit in the fridge and marinate for 30 minutes to a hour before using it. Enjoy!  ( If you want to make this dressing more fattening you can add some parmesan and romano cheese while blending)

 

Love You Guys!

Petals Falling Until Next Time! XOXO

What to Cook Wensday! ( Easy Food Prep Edition)

 

3 way Spiced Pork

 

What you will need:

2 Pounds of Sliced Pork Shoulders (Optional)

2 Large Onions

Curry Powder or Paste

Chili or Cayenne Pepper

Seasoning Salt or Regular Salt

Black Pepper

Herbs of your choice

Vinegar

Cutting Utensils

Basic Cooking Utensils  

 

Directions

 

Trim the fat off of your pork then wash your meat with water and vinegar. (This does not have to be made with pork (beef, lamb, deer or goat  it all about what you like) would do as well. Chicken would also do but you have to keep in mind that pressure cooked chick tends to shred if you like your chicken that way by all means do you) Lightly season your meat with salt and pepper (Do not forget to massage your seasoning in your meat trust me it does make a difference) Let your meat sit for about 30 minutes then finish seasoning it with chili, curry powder, herbs of your choice (I use a melody of rosemary, thyme , basil, parsley and oregano) Massage your meat again and let it rest for about a hour. Slice up two large onions place half at the bottom of your pressure cooker add your meat and place the other half on top. Set it for 45 Minutes and start it.  If you decide to use a oven and roast your meat. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, Line the bottom of your baking dish with your onions and put your meat on top cover with aluminum foil. Want something that doesn’t require a lot of energy consumption you can simply saute your onions with a touch of oil in a frying pan, place you meat on top and pan fry your pork. If your using the pressure cooker when the timer goes off on the timer check your meat it should be tender then your done. If your roasting rotate our pork ever 10 minutes after about 20 minutes and the meat is golden brown move your onion from under the meat to caramelize on top give this 10 more minutes then your done. Pan frying is excellent because you can do one at a time and store the rest for later on. When pan frying you might have to babysit because its fairly quick to cook this way depending on the amount your cooking it is finished when it’s golden brown and tender.

 

This is prefect for meal prep because you can make a lot at once and place in your weekly containers. (if your decide to cook goat, deer,or lamb with this recipe I suggest you pressure cook it or roast it) Beef Steak or Lamb Steak can be pan fried. If you want a sauce you can simple dilute curry paste and on the stove with water, coconut milk or broth but remember   to reduce the amount of curry and if you use broth the amount of salt in your seasoning process.

What do you consider success?

Many people confuse success with having a lot of money and flashy material things. Is this truly success? Being able to live good yet be empty on the inside? Are we really admiring the right people?
These are the questions one should asks oneself.

In my opinion success is to live comfortable life where you have all of your needs and never losing sight of what really matters in this world. How many of the people you inspire to be like have reached out to those struggling? I'm not one to talk about conspiracy theories,  truth be told we don't actually know if there's truth behind the claims but I have witness the change in people once they become rich. They seem to gain everything that money can buy but they also seem to become more cold hearted and less grateful for the blessing that comes from God.

Many actually tend to forget that there is a God. They become so wrapped up in self worship. Is this true success? Are material things worth losing your soul? People have failed to realize that when this life is over you can't take your worldly earnings along with you. The amounts of things you acquired during the duration of your life would not buy you a place in heaven.

True success to me is going through hardship and trails in life. Yet, being able to remain humble, loving, and grateful for all of your blessings. Getting to a place within your life were you are happy with who you are and what you have. Being okay with not having the best car, clothes, electronics or whatever.

Don't let money become your God, Don't let material items become your God.  Remind Grateful rather you have a little  or a lot


Love You Guys! xoxoxo!

Petals Falling Until Next Time!