Published: Condom education in the military

…if you’re going to spread the fruits of your genital love, be smart about it.

February 14th, 2013 one of the military publications I read, The Herald Union, printed a half page article on sexual responsiblity (page 15) and health through the use of condoms. I was floored! Like, holy cow wow, really? I’d never see this in the American South because of the region’s ultra conservative perspectives about sex. (and yet I’m moving back so go figure) I’m thrilled that the military took steps in educating (and/or reminding) soldiers about condoms. Sure, the men and women who serve our country probably already know about condoms but like good manners, a reminder doesn’t hurt.  It’s just smart and why be anything less when you don’t have to be?

Below is a photo of the comment I made which made it into print! (page 2) I’m a bit ear to ear smiles on it and very grateful the editor choose to publish it along with an opposing comment. These two different perspectives on the same topic are as diverse as can be.  Yet, I feel it’s important to stress that Planned Parenthood is not – and I repeat “is not”- an abortion clinic but a place women go to plan their parenthood options - opposed to just getting knocked up and claiming God wanted them to have babies. Pregnancy must be created more responsibly than that.

Planned parenthood also provides basic healthcare to women who cannot afford it.  If they cannot afford to care for their own healthcare, how are they going to afford the cost of parenthood?  Planned parenthood shouldn’t even be considered a “controversial organization” as healthcare for women shouldn’t sit on a controversial throne!  Try the banks, Congress, auto industry, pharmecutical companies, and the producers of chemicals which go into our foods.  Now those are are controversial organizations, not Planned Parenthood.  Take a look at the extensive services PP offers, including a section on men’s sexual health. That’s excellent and deserves extra noting.

I, of course, did an oversell on the article’s positivity. This is because 1) I mean every word and 2) if you’re going to spread the fruits of your genital love, be smart about it. If you’re going to be chaste, keep the condom education out of your life but not out of the lives of men and women who serve our country in order that anyone may enjoy the freedom to state an uneducated opinion and create controversy where none logically need not be.

Be smart and use condoms. Be smarter and use other forms of birth control with it.  Then have great sex and enjoy.

The link to Herald Union is in the text.

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Politics: How Many Women Rule the World?

The fact that the United States of America has not yet had a woman leading our country is so many negative things I can’t even list them. But here’s a list of women who are/were power leaders in the world, all 18 of them. 7 billion people in the world, ALL DELIVERED BY FEMALE BODIES and we have 18 women as world leaders. Really think about this fact. This is a great disappointment.

The upside is, now that you know there are only 18 women who have served as country leaders, you can help your children understand why this is absolutely unacceptable* and lead them to greater heights.

Source: http://www.globalpost.com/photo-galleries/5710071/women-rule-18-female-leaders-worldwide-photos?utm_source=taboola

*update: I can’t believe no one I know noticed that “unexceptable” was incorrect! Or told me! OMG I really AM tired! Please pardon.

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Philosophy: Discipline and the sex drive

Did you hear about the 9 year old girl who gave birth in Mexico? Crazy and so unfortunate.

I can’t help but go back to sexual philosophy as it triggers that part of my mind… and society and the absolute power the sexual drive has over people while various institutions try to mold and control it, make it into something which appeases their own fears. In the Mexico case the perpetrator is suspected of being a 17 year old, hardly an age where self control sits. For these young men (boys, really, in my mind), a penis is the disco stick while sex is the John Travolta moves. So, I wonder why this is so, this lacking self control when it comes to sex for many people because it’s not just a young male problem.

Discipline is the mighty key to pretty much everything. Of course, this is also among the hardest to practice and everyone reading this, as me, is equal enough in the sense that we struggle with some kind of discipline in our lives. Society makes sex complicated because it is so attached to the man-made morality created by religious teachings.

If you control the sexuality of another, you control their very core. We are sexual beings first and foremost. We are not born to live to learn lessons or to appease God. We are here to reproduce, evolve. Everything else just gives us purpose for our purposelessness. The cause which brings us purpose becomes our loyalty and so we create meaning where there was only potential at its essential form.

Going back to 9 year old mothers… remember too that centuries ago it was acceptable to rape a teen girl and impregnate her and claim her as wife property. In our day and age we understand its ill-effects and so we’ve evolved through the very nature of our humanity, our progression and the lessons learned along the way so we can make them better (hopefully) for future generations. So in essence, we’ve done exactly what we needed to do: reproduce and evolve (cliff notes). Everything else is a time filler (novel).

Morality is complex. Love is complex. Sex is not. It is very sad children must deal with any horrors but let’s not forget about the many 13-20-something year old girls in all sectors of culture, social and economic status who get knocked up and made to give life in exchange for theirs. We might as well throw the girls into the volcano, yet we find ways to cope, to accept and even to justify such action because after all, we create worship in the very potential of giving new life a chance even if the sacrifice is depriving females healthier, more sound options.

The sexual drive is incredibly strong. You know this. The only force that can stop it is discipline.  The more aware we become of our conscious mind, the more potential there is at becoming disciplined and then we create self control. We often react to another’s lack of it; however, self-control is a gift. If you didn’t get that gift, you have to work for it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

However, the good news is that the best solutions begin with the self. You have to know your weakness in order to create a strength instead, or the weakness becomes the standard. As a humanity our greatest weakness is a standard lower than what can in reality be achieved because humanity in general lacks its own self-control. But, as long as we practice various methods to discipline intentionally, consciously and authentically, we will get there and evolve.

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Breast Cancer, Art and Awareness

In the U.S., today marks the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness month. One in 8 women develop breast cancer. Chances are you know someone right now dealing with it. If you walk into an American store in October, virtually everything is pink or has upon it a pink ribbon. Women have done this; they’ve created such huge impact on breast cancer awareness wherein, the entire damn country turns pink! (One must stop to wonder why the hell men are running the world but that’s another post.)

Two years ago I had the greatest pleasure of working with a group of women in Savannah, Georgia to create The Art Cure project. Its basis was to collaborate with local organizations to bring art into the local breast cancer awareness efforts. My intent wasn’t specifically for the organizational benefits by charitable dollars raised through the art action of the survivors’ artworks created for this event, but for the survivors’ and patients’ themselves for whom the artistic process could offer so much more than yet another fundraiser, respectfully. Art was introduced as a coping and emotional expressionistic mechanism.

Sure, there’s a lot of events out there to raise awareness, but I wondered at that time, how many existed which focused on providing benefits to the patients and survivors through means that provided teaching something they could hold on through various times in life. For some of these women, their first introduction to art has brought a new avenue of expression, understanding and learning about oneself and/or breast cancer.

Conception to completion took three months and at our end we raised about $2300, all of which went to two organizations in Savannah. I specifically contacted Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the Young Survival Coalition, local chapters, and requested the funds stay within the community.

This is important: I don’t much care for charitable organizations but my time is my heart when I can reach people themselves. That’s where the differences stick. That’s where the memories, imprints and deep etchings are created. There’s a permanence there I like better than a check.

So, I salute the wonderful women of The Art Cure. I created The Art Cure Diaries to document their artistic process. In spirit, they’ve helped me along quite a bit over the course of my international relocation and discovery of an autoimmune disease myself. Funny how life works. Give a heart somewhere, find a hand to help out of quicksand when you need it. That’s the exchange in life. Karma maybe. Each time I draw or paint, I think of my experience with The Art Cure ladies, my good friend who inspired the project and I give thanks. If they survived cancer, well… we can all survive life, then.

xoxo,

Tatiana

Help support breast cancer awareness. Buy The Art Cure Diaries for $3.99 now and I’ll donate $1 from each sale to charity.

This month, $1.00 from each sale of The Art Cure Diaries Ipad version book goes to the community which helped make it all happen. Purchase your copy here right now and make a small difference. They add up.

View the official website which has The Art Cure’s full history, survivors’ stories and artwork. Pass it on to others touched by breast cancer.

**I’ll have the Kindle and print versions out shortly. Contact me if you need further information.

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Can Mary Jane Heal?

Isn’t this great? Find the pot in the sun.

Sooo, my newest debate with Dr. Nick is up and I’m pretty excited to share that this week we’re taking on the topic of medical marijuana: is it medicine or not?

Find out which take I have on the debate… I can’t believe Dr. Nick forgot to post the photo above that I supplied for our Left Brain/ Right Brain blog! I’ve got first dibs now.

A little sunflower and some weed…great pic, eh?  It’s totally real and I found it sometime in June, I think… grown  just within one of the flowerbeds in a public park here near our flat.  When I first saw it, I thought, noooo, A MIRAGE!   (jk)

We wondered how long it would be before it was torn out and it turned into quite a few weeks.  That plant grew about 3 feet tall!  We’re not sure if it was secretly transplanted through the night just before it began to bud as I speculate it was getting close, or if it was torn out and killed, poor plant.  At least I got a great pic out of the discovery.

So, can Mary Jane heal?  Join the debate here!

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Politics: Looking at America’s freedom through expat eyes

Life has granted me some good fortune whilst the slips and slides.  One such was meeting the editor of The Legal Satyricon, Marc J. Randazza.  As far as “freedom fighters” go aka First Amendment attornies, he’s on the frontline to guarantee America’s First Amendment rights, and always tries (to my knowledge anyway ) to stay faithful, true and honest to the visions of our forefounders.  For this reason, and many more, I feel really lucky to know him, his family and to have been asked to write for his straight up and honest blog through the years.

My international audience sometimes doesn’t realize why America is still a great country despite its capitalistic and political ends (I sometimes forget!) but, as I’ve written before,  people like Randazza just make me rethink the whole American dream into something worthy in itself; to visualize it in its authenticity and not by what it’s become as a result of human error and lacking education or reasoning awarness.

There’s a spirit of dreamers along the roads of America and I’ve never known how not to be a dreamer myself.  Individuals can achieve almost anything when freedom is guaranteed as this lifts them to action from a place of goodness rather than fear. For so long Americans took their freedom for granted and now in our post 9-11 era, much has changed.

I’ve stayed away from politics this American election season because my health can’t handle the stupidity.  I’ll vote but since I know who I’m voting for, I’m not into the game this time.  I was so disappointed with the Republicans’ display of sexism on Hillary Clinton, then using gender with former Alaska governor, Sarah Palin, as a carrot for female voters, and I was pretty saddened by the stone throwing onto Obama as though being the first American black president doesn’t make him especially susceptible to stress and ridicule.  For some, very sadly, his color makes him incapable.  For others, a vagina does that trick.

Politics could be changed but we, the people, are fed the same crap every election and yet we cheer for hope of change.  This isn’t just a past Obama slogan.  This is exactly what every election aims to do, to reignite hope collectively into believing – manifesting - a reality that a new candidate will do better because of changes he impliments. We want change but yet, do we seem to be exhibiting behavior that we, on average, want the government to make the changes?  Then, a year or two in, we complain politicians are liars.  As though we not need change ourselves at all!

Despite this public display of idiocy, the reality of freedom is always a fine line of give and take with constant need of vigilance.  And remember, as U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Robert H. Jackson stated in 1950,

It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.”

I’m not quite sure the last time Congress listened to the people but one day they’ll be forced to because in the United States, it’s only because of the spirit of the People, that anything great has been achieved.  I loose sight of that greatness but people like Marc Randazza manage to ignite my patriotic passions.

As a global citizen like Anastasia Ashman, it’s hard to go home and not have been changed by each experience as an expat.  On top of it, I’m first generation immigrant so it’s heart-tearing to “take sides” when you love both, America & Europe.  It’s not a choice of which is better though.  It’s a choice of existing within a specific envirnoment which directly affects your experiences and who you become for various periods of your life.  I thrive on this adventure and must have accessibility to such freedom.  It is not for everyone… and not accesible in all lands.

Through the years my maturity has taught that each domain has its sacrafices and rewards and so my expat life satisfies my various tastes… and it’s because of America’s offer of “equal opportunity to all” that I’m even living a dreamy life.  For the opportunity to explore past the horizon, I must always be grateful, as we all must be if we are to evovle into a more  equal and loving species.  (Is this possible?)

Anyway… here’s an article Marc J. Randazza wrote for CNN about the Chick-fil-A protest to homosexuality.  Happy to share it!  Hope it expands a horizon for you.

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Marriage & affairs

My current debate with Dr. Nick attempts to answer “Can a marriage survive an affair?Join the debate here. It’s already very interesting.

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New Exciting Blog...Left Brain, Right Brain.

Reblogged from Boundaries of the Soul:

• 

Along with my good friend, Tatiana von Tauber, I am pleased to announce our new blog project..Left Brain, Right Brain. We are two friends who are passionate about the things we believe in except we look at them from different sides. The only real thing we agree on is that we disagree on most things. Join us   HERE  as we debate life’s issues.

Read more… 118 more words

I'm very excited to share I have a new writing venture to add to the many lives I lead. :) This one happened rather quickly so I didn't have time to tease you it was coming. Dr. Nick & I just started this Left Brain, Right Brain blog and the response has been great so have a peek and contribute your thoughts. If you have any topics in mind you'd like to see debated, please leave us a comment or write to suggest one. Our first post is about vegetarianism, yes or no? You all DO know I prefer meat, right?

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Remembering a princess

15 years ago today, Princess Diana died. I’ll never forget that day because it was the day I realized we are all equally human.

Princess Diana has inspired me many times, mostly for her courage and authentic expression of love. The summer of 1997 was memorable: first, the fashion world lost Giani Versace, then Princess Diana and lastly, Mother Theresa. Positively influential and authentic people they were.

We do have choice, by the way, in how we are remembered.

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Feminine Superheros

I absolutely LOVE this magazine spread  by W Mag with Linda Evangelista, my all time favorite supermodel from the authentic days of supermodels.

Linda Evangelista for W Magazine

Of course Photoshop makes her look like a doll for the closeups and one couldn’t tell the difference between her youthful photos of the 90s versus her 47-year-old current self and this is of course, disheartening.  However, let’s focus on the good side. These photos are reminiscent of modern femininity translated as feminine sexuality and heroism.  “You’ve come a long way baby” gets taken to the next level with each generation of women.

The photos depict a woman (Linda) as a modern-day superhero and rightfully so.  Modern day women ARE in fact superheros with little power than their brains and their sex; and most women do in fact use both brains and sexuality to get what they want.  Some call it motherhood, others call it career.

Be a politician, an artist or a porn star, you can’t become a “star” unless you have a brain.  Sex alone cannot give you success, power or happiness.  It can take you to the door but there’s a lot more behind it.  Many women will knock the idea of using one’s sexuality for gain but truthfully, it guarantees little in the end so it’s a useless debate and judgment.  Longevity of superheroism is created by the character within the gendered body, not necessarily through the body’s use.

This photo spread is art.  Absolutely gorgeous in every way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2188866/Linda-Evangelista-goes-naked-latex-bodysuit-superhero-inspired-shoot.html

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