Wednesday, January 24, 2024

The American Dream Is Dead: Pursue the American Wet Dream

The Traditional American Dream Is Dead

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In his 1931 book, The Epic of America, James Truslow Adams coined the term “The American Dream,” as being - “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to his or her ability or achievement…”


Furthermore, he writes, [it is]“...a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”


While many have debated, argued, defended, and even defied the concept of the American Dream or declared that it is dead, the ideal of it still boils down to the belief that the acquisition of money equates to happiness; therefore, money is the attainment of this dream.


And while lavish homes, superfluous accessories, and the acquisition of personal trains, planes, and automobiles is sought after, it is far less likely these will be attained by those “according to his or her ability or achievement….” 


The American Wet Dream: Far More Attainable


In our current society, individuals “recognized for who they are…regardless of circumstance” have the freedom and “opportunity for each” to achieve the American Dream more so than perhaps any other generation.

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How is this possible? Simple… pursue the American Wet Dream.

The nouveau riche in today’s society include digital creators, social media influencers, anyone with dexterity operating a camera phone, and those whose predominant skill is undressing.


Want to teach macrame? Awesome! Start a web page, social sites, and post a how-to video! It’ll be a fun pastime or hobby for you.


But if you want people to actually watch it and maybe even pay to see it? Macrame WHILE NAKED!


Close up of lesbian couple Sexy legs on lesbian couple in the bed sexy stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Easy Sleazy


If attaining the American Dream is making money, and the age-old adage of “sex sells” has always driven the force of commercialism and capitalism, then it appears the accessibility of the American Dream is actually far more attainable in today’s world than it has been for the past 80 years.


Despite the fact that the economy has tanked, and the prices of everyday household elements have skyrocketed, fruitless spending has yet to decrease for the average American.


EVERY SECOND, approximately “$3,075.64 is being spent on pornography on the internet”. You know someone who would forgo a necessity due to the cost, yet still pay for their vice or form of entertainment.


If it’s something that people will always pay for, then why not choose your profession accordingly? Many people have quit their 9-5 jobs in order to pursue a career in pornography online.


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Booming Business


We can give another nod of appreciation to Covid for the role it played in destroying jobs and small business owners.


The UK couple, Bonnie and Tommy, lost so much money in their small business during Covid, they folded up shop, started an Only Fans page and now rake in 10k a month making videos of themselves having sex.


Check out the article with their interview. Bonnie explains how they plan to be transparent with their children about being sex workers. They also aim to challenge the stigma attached to it.


Many Americans are following suit. Revered educators, coaches, businessmen and women, and others are leaving traditional careers and jobs and throwing in the towel on their pursuits of higher degrees and education, in order to go online, make lascivious posts, attract a fan base, sit back, and make bank.


young multiracial young couple in black clothing on sofa young multiracial young couple in black clothing on sofa sexy  stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images


Limited Skills, Unlimited Exposure


Long gone are the days of stashing away dad’s magazine - boys (of all ages) who have access to the Internet can find any content.


If you are a content creator and have a pay site, make sure you use other platforms like social media to advertise your site.


Don’t show it all, of course, but make your posts just mouth-watering enough to get the credit cards from the adults.

Smart young white boy using tablet in casual outfit isolated over white background Smart young white boy using tablet in casual outfit isolated over white background boys stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images


If you are a parent, think of the insane amount of money you can accrue and place in a college fund - or better yet - the money you'll save not needing to bribe Harvard.

Imagine all of the possibilities that await you and your family due to the increased income. If your kids choose to skip college and go right into the family business, then those savings aren’t wasted, it’s perfect start-up money for their own camera.

If they are bullied or teased or abused because of their friends and their families disapproving of your choices, you can use the money to relocate or change schools.

Remember that in time, the values of society will continue to decline and eventually everyone will be on the same page. Or Site… As Bonnie says, “...It's going to be so different when they grow up because loads of Mum's and Dad's are going to be making this kind of content or on OnlyFans.”


Do not let the stigma, negativity, or haters in society stifle your pursuit of this country’s most coveted goal - the opportunity for wealth and happiness - as it could be yours as easily as waking up tomorrow morning.




Thursday, May 18, 2023

Pennsylvania's PITA Frost

The Fear is Real, but more so a PITA

While it might not be so much a "fear" of frost, we PA gardeners know it is definitely a PITA for us. We hit May and Mother's Day and feel we're in the clear, only to have one last late May frost come down and disrupt the garden high we're on this time of year.


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Friday, March 24, 2023

Early Spring in the Garden and Chicken Coop

A Gardener's Early Spring

"Mud, flood, blossoms, and babies signal the arrival of spring..." is an excellent way to anticipate and welcome the start of every gardener's favorite season. 

Welly boots - enjoying wet weather Close-up on a pair of feet protected by welly boots as their owner steps enthusiastically through a muddy puddle. mud stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Quote and info adapted from one of my favorite sources, The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner: What To Do & When To Do It by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Parenting Fails 101: Mythical and Magical Creatures

Leprechaun Loser

Empty boxes, stacked across the kitchen floor, are strewn with blankets and towels, and I believe one of my sweaters. They are filled with candy and gold painted rocks intended to deceivingly trap an unknowing leprechaun.

The disappointed look on my son's face in the morning when he discovers that the leprechaun has not wreaked havoc in the house to his expectation instantly tells me I have once again failed at bringing mythical creatures to life in the house.

Tooth Fairy Forgiveness

My daughter who lost her tooth in the morning before dashing out to the bus, inserts newly excavated tooth into a sandwich baggy and deposits it somewhere in the kitchen. The following morning she remarks how the tooth fairy never came and brought her cash.

We must not have left her a note. We must not have placed the tooth under your pillow. She must be running low on cash! The plethora of reasons for the pathetic excuse of a fairy that she is, come spilling out of my mouth at rapid speed. An immediate plan for the next night is quickly put into place.

Elf on the Shelf, Oh Sh*t

And who doesn't know the magical morning moments of realization that nobody moved the Elf to his new household lodging and then is faced with two options: sneak around the house like a stealthy ninja warrior performing acrobatics or spin a believable tale of bad snowstorms at the North Pole, of dirty room reporting, and thanks to 2020, in need of quarantine time!

Elf, Elf On A Shelf, Christmas, Ornament

Self Sabotage and Auntie's Antics

We as parents need to ask ourselves, why? Why do we see the story books and stuffed creatures and somehow believe that starting cute little traditions will provide joyful memories and never-ending adventures! 

What about the family's favorite aunt who surprises everyone at the holidays with a friend, pet, or outfit change for our magical or mythical creature?!

Band of Parents

Aren't we as parents supposed to stick together and support one another? Time to take back our homes and stop encouraging the propaganda and riotous shenanigans of mythical creatures in the wee hours of the night.

Time for fully rested nights of sleep - free of panic and fear of failure and forgetfulness! Band of parents - unite!


Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Farm Girl Fit Check! #shackets

While the fashion world may not address the various styles that are seen on the farm, we farm girls know that we have a variety of shoes, boots, undergarments, pants, shirts, belts, hats, gloves, and scarves within our closets.

When choosing the perfect outfit(s) for the day on the farm, we not only need to consider how we look, of course, we need to consider biosecurity measures when dealing with various animals, the time of year and weather, the chores and tasks at hand, and the insurmountable laundry pile we will inevitably face at the end of the week.

Farm Girl Fit Check! 

What are the things we need to consider when choosing proper attire for our daily work?

The question seems simple, but here are a few things that non-farm living folks need to consider:

Boots / Shoes

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- how deep is the mud / poop / snow?
- are they waterproof?
- will I need to drive or operate machinery in them?
- will anyone notice if we mix black and brown colors?
- will I lose a toe if a 1000 lb. animal steps on it?
- will crocks suffice?

Pants

Young confident female farmer or worker of farmhouse crossing arms on chest Young confident female farmer or worker of farmhouse crossing arms on chest while standing in long aisle between cows farmer overalls stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

- how accessible is the bathroom / bush / outhouse?
- are the pants going over the boots or being tucked  into them?
- do they have waist adjustment or overalls?
- how much can we layer under them or over them and maintain mobility?

Hats

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- baseball hat, beanie, ski mask, or straw hat weather?
- sun protection necessity?
- wind protection necessity?
- when was the last time we washed our hair?

Belts


- do we need to hold up our own pants or our husband's?
- do we to tuck in one or four shirts?
- will we need to do a quick costume change from one job to another?

Gloves


- will we be in garden with pickers?
- moving wood with splinters?
- milking cows and avoiding stains?
- getting our nails done any time soon? (insert laughter)
- do we plan to feel our fingers later in the day?

Fashion Trends?

Have you been following some of the fashion trends the past couple years? There are some really eye-catching flannels and fleeces out there to turn a cowgirl's head.

Shackets on the farm?

The Shacket - a combination of the words shirt and jacket - is a hybrid crossover, oversized, flannel (sometimes with a hoodie) pop-culture, trendy take on a modern classic overgarment. Some confusion arises as to whether it derives from a late 20th century grunge era style or a long-time farm-girl's midwinter milking attire.

So - Who Wore it Better?

Picture courtesy of Amazon. This is how I like to THINK I look when I'm headed out to the coop and garden and barn; adorned in a trendy shacket and slick pair of jeans and pretty nails and hair.

SCUSTY Flannel Jackets with Hood for Women Casual Button Long Sleeve Plaid  Shacket Jacket(Khaki-S)

However, this is often more on par for how I ACTUALLY look.




This article was just for fun. I adore all trends and fashion styles! I may even have to embrace some of them when I leave my house.

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Sunday, March 5, 2023

Sore Muscle Syndrome: How Early Spring Gardening Gets Us!

One of the most relevant aspects pertaining to the start of gardening season that we rarely discuss is "Sore Muscle Syndrome!"

We Should Know Better

As seasoned gardeners - we should know better! But those warm days in early spring call to us like sirens to sailors, and they know we won't stay indoors and safe on our sofas.

Smiling Woman Carrying Gardening Equipment in Rural Scene - Stock Photo Smiling Woman Carrying Gardening Equipment in Rural Scene. winter gardening with a shovel stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

It happens when we least expect it, because we're not thinking about it at all.

When we're armed with a rake and shovel, donning a hoodie and beanie, oscillating between tool cold or too hot, we leap into garden work like a child into a ball pit.

Smiling child playing in a colorful ball pit Smiling child playing in a colorful ball pit jumping into a ball pit stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Only we discover hours later after a warm shower, that every muscle in our neck, upper back, middle back, shoulders, and arms are so sore, that we cringe at the thought of pulling a shirt over our heads and desperately search for our button up flannel.

Monday, February 27, 2023

Should Parents Choose Their Child's Sport?

I never thought I'd be jealous of a soccer mom until I walked out of the ice rink in the super-sized sports zone to warm my frozen extremities. I glanced over at the indoor turf field and saw the soccer players in shorts and t-shirts and their parents not wrapped in coats, beanies, or gloves, or shivering.


Now That I Have Your Attention

So, now that I have your attention, please know, I have never really been jealous of soccer moms! I have many friends whose kids play soccer and have sat outside at 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and weathered temperatures ranging from 90 degrees to 20 degrees! And that can be said for all parents whose children are in outdoor sports.

Why Hockey?

However, on that first day of ice hockey for my son, I discovered that I was not properly attired and prepared for the cold rink temperature, and this is when I began asking myself, "why has he chosen hockey?"


I am more than excited to watch my son truly in love with what he is doing. He lives on his roller blades playing roller hockey in our driveway and our pole barn. He watches hours of hockey and how-to videos on slap shots, plays, and teams. He has hockey sticks taped up and hockey vocabulary down to a memorized science. He talks to us about it every-single-day. 

While knowing how much he loves hockey brings me joy, there are other factors that weigh on my mind. Things such as the cost, the distance, the schedule, the possible injuries, and so on.

Why NOT Baseball?

His love of hockey has existed for years, but sadly, it never worked out for our schedule, so he has played baseball since t-ball and done both fall and spring ball. In fact baseball has been his second love, or at least the love he could focus on if he couldn't play hockey.


Baseball is easy - easier for mom and dad (this statement does not pertain to all moms and dads, especially those of travel players, but is relevant to my personal story). Baseball is much closer. It is more affordable. It runs fall and winter. It requires less equipment (for the most part), and it is a sport that can be played and practiced in our backyard.

When Should Parents Make the Decision for Kids?

I have asked myself this question in a somewhat serious manner, even though it makes me feel sort of awful at the same time. Is it ever my place as the parent to determine in which sport or activity my child partakes?

Does money play a factor?

Does age play a factor? Is there an age where children are too young to truly know they want to do until they've tried it? Do we as parents know better based on our own experiences?

Does having multiple children play a factor?