Farewell 2012...

2012 was a crazy year - maybe that's what everyone says at the end of a year, but I certainly do feel that way about the past one. The end of the year is always such a bittersweet time - looking back on past events (both good and bad), and looking ahead and setting goals.

Here are some highlights from the past year:

Starting in the upper left hand corner and going clockwise:
1. I bought my first baritone saxophone! I played one all through high school, but never owned one. I started playing in the community band again this summer - it felt great!
2. I learned how to shoot a gun this year. E and his dad helped me out a lot.
3. I "came out" as an atheist last January. This was a big step for me, and has really felt good.
4. E and I went to the Reason Rally in Washington, DC. This was my first trip to DC. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many people that believe the same way that I do.
5. This is just a picture of E & I that I really like. We were at Stone Park in Sioux City, IA.
6. Soggy Doggy - the pool had a fundraiser for the Humane Society where dogs could come swim at the pool. I had some moments geeking out over my fur-baby's first swim.
7. Autism Speaks Walk - my team raised over $13,000 for Autism Speaks! Amazing!
8. E & I volunteered for Spooky Science Night - a night that incorporated two of our favorite things - science and Halloween. Kids came through and learned about science and did science experiments, all the while in costume. It was an amazing time and I look forward to doing it again!
9. Adopt-A-Highway: Our secular group adopted a highway and it was very exciting when our sign was erected!
10. E & I attended a Nascar race in Kansas City in October. We usually go once a year, and it is such a great time. I can't explain the excitement and energy there is at one of these races.
11. A picture of E in DC. I think this photo is hilarious - it totally looks photoshopped, but it isn't!
12. Midwest Freethought Conference in Omaha - this is always a great time. E & I attended this in August.
13. I held a falcon! This might not seem like a huge deal, but I'm afraid of birds, so this was HUGE!
14. My niece, Zoey, was born. I love this little monkey!
15. Front and center - this is one of my favorite pictures of E & I. I think it shows how goofy and odd we are. :)

So that was 2012. With the end of the year comes planning ahead for the next year. Here are some things I plan to accomplish:

• I want to cook more. I absolutely love cooking, and I want to branch out and try new things. I also want to cut down on eating out quite a bit.
• I want to make our house more of a home, rather than just a place where we keep our stuff. This place needs to be E & M-ified - see my post about my home decor ideas here. 
• I want to participate in the Sioux Glow 5K event. It's a 5K at night, where everyone decks out in glow in the dark gear!
• As always, E & I hope to expand our family. However, with our difficulties, this does seem somewhat out of our hands, but we will do everything in our power to make this happen. I'm really hoping that 2013 is the year.

Here's to 2013! Cheers! <3 M

Cheezy Hashbrowns... Nom, Nom, Nom!

Cheezy hashbrowns are such a staple here in the midwest - they work for breakfast, lunch, or supper! I've had good, I've had bad, and I've had ZOMG amazing cheeziness. These about do the trick for the latter.

Here's what you need:

1 lb Frozen Hashbrowns (thawed)
1 c. Sour Cream
1/2 can Cream of Chicken Soup
8 tbsp. butter
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup cornflakes (crushed)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 6 tbsp. melted butter with hashbrowns. Add in sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, pepper, and cheese.  Mix together thoroughly and pour into a casserole dish. Mix together the crushed cornflakes with the remained 2 tbsp. butter (melted). Top casserole and put in oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

And there you have it - ooey, gooey, cheezy, crunchy, yummy goodness. Enjoy!

<3 M

Kitchen Aid Cinnamon Rolls

The hubs knocked it out of the park with my Christmas present this year...

This is one hot piece of metal

Beautiful, right? The night that I got it I whipped up some orange cupcakes. It worked like magic. I've been anxious to try something else with it.

Homemade cinnamon rolls it is.

I've never made bread before (other than banana bread, which hardly counts). This should be interesting. I found a recipe at The E-Wife Blogs Again that was specially designed for using the Kitchen Aid and gave it a whirl.

This recipe has 3 parts - the dough, the cinnamon filling, and the icing. Here's what you'll need for the dough:

• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2 packets of active dry yeast
• 1/3 c. warm water
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 5 1/2 - 6 c. flour

Put milk, sugar, salt, and butter into a small saucepan and heat over low until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in the mixer bowl. Add butter mixture, eggs, and 5 c. flour. 

Using the dough hook, mix for 2 minutes on speed 2. The dough should cling to the dough hook and come away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is sticking to the sides, slowly add more flour until it no longer is. Mix for an additional 2 minutes.

This is what the dough should look like - clinging to the hook, not the bowl.

Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. 

Before

After 1 hour. Boom!

Now, you're going to want to mix up the cinnamon filling. You're going to need the following ingredients:

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter (softened)
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon

Mix on low until mixed thoroughly.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a long rectangle. Spread the cinnamon filling across the dough.

Roll the dough into a long roll. Pinch the end shut to seal the roll.

Using a piece of string, cut the roll into individual rolls. This should make 12-16 rolls, depending on how thick you cut them. Place rolls in a 9x13 pan, cover with a dish towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Once they've risen and are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put rolls in to bake for 15 minutes. You don't want to overbake these, because they'll dry out. While they're baking, whip up the icing. You'll need:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 4 tbsp. butter, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Mix together until smooth. Ice rolls when they come out of the oven for maximum ooey gooeyness.

Sweet success!

Dig in and enjoy!

Lesson learned: Good cinnamon rolls can not be rushed - but ZOMG is it worth it!

<3 M

Home Decor Goal for 2013

I just hosted Christmas with my family yesterday, and it made me realize that my house is very... blah. Let's just say there are a lot of neutrals going on here. Which doesn't reflect my style at all - I love bursts of color, retro style, and artsy things. I've decided that one of my goals for 2013 is to really put some personality into our space and make it a relaxing haven for E and I, rather than just a place to put our stuff.

My biggest inspiration is the decor section of A Beautiful Mess. I am so in love with this blog - everything is so bright and feminine and adorable... seriously, check it out.

Here are 5 ideas I have to E&M-ify our place:

1. Paint furniture for a bright color pop. I have a rocking chair I'm planning on painting either a bright aqua or a mustard yellow.

2. Find a vintage chrome and formica dinette set.

3. Use bright printed fabric for fun curtains.

4. Paint a statement wall.

5. Find a bright vintage couch.

A lot of these will be found thrifting and rummaging - I guess I have something to look for now! 

I'm really excited about this project. I can't wait to make our house into a home.

<3 M

Glittery Blue Apocalyptic Jell-O Shots

It's been a few days - I have been busy celebrating the holidays with the in-laws over the weekend. Friday night, my friend hosted a Mayan Apocalypse Party. It was a blast, and although the world didn't really end, we partied like it was going to.

I made two things for the party: some fantabulous spinach dip (I'll share that recipe later) and glittery blue apocalyptic Jell-O shots. How did I arrive at glittery blue Jell-O shots for this party you may ask? Well, I sat there racking my brain for quite awhile to figure out a kind of Jell-O shot that made sense. For some reason, when I thought of an Apocalypse party, I pictured glittery blue or purple shots. I decided to ask a friend what kind of Jell-O shots she would bring to an Apocalypse Party. She said glittery blue ones. Hence, it was decided.

I didn't have any edible glitter on hand. I also live in a small-ish town where the chances of finding something like that aren't great. I checked Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee, and finally our party store. The party store had 2 similar options: cake shimmers and edible pixie dust. I picked up both in blue.

Now... into the kitchen to play with glitter, Jell-O, and vodka. :)

I boiled 1 cup of water (per the package directions) and dissolved the Jell-O in, according to the directions. Instead of the cold water, I added 3/4 cup of Vodka and 1/4 cup of cold water. If you're wondering about different Jell-O shot recipes, or how much alcohol can be added, I recommend checking out myscienceproject.org.

Now... the glitter. Hmmm...

I decided to try the cake sparkles first. I tried mixing them in right away, but as the solution was still hot, they dissolved right away. I decided to try letting the Jell-O solution thicken to a jelly consistency, then mix them in so they wouldn't dissolve and would be suspended in the Jell-O, rather than sinking to the bottom.

This kind of worked...

It kind of worked in that the sparkles were suspended throughout the mixture and didn't dissolve. However, they didn't look shiny once they were in the Jell-O, rather they just looked like blue pieces of... something. Also, the Jell-O shots that I made this way were lumpy on top instead of smooth once they had completely set.

For the second batch, I decided to prepare the Jell-O the same way, but pour it directly into the shot cups. Once they were set up, I took a paint brush and swirled the edible pixie dust on tops, creating a sparkling effect.

These turned out pretty well! They weren't my original vision (of glitter suspended throughout), but they were eye catching! I'll have to attempt suspending glitter in Jell-O shots again, perhaps when I have the time to really find some edible glitter. If anyone has had any luck in creating this effect, let me know.

Until next time...

<3 M

Coconut Toffee

Now that Nascar season is over, the hubs and I are at a loss for what to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Usually we end up on Food Network - I like to cook, the hubs likes to eat; it's a win, win. One of the shows we really like is "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," which is basically a bunch of Food Network stars describing the best things they've ever eaten. For the holidays, they had them do a twist on it and share "The Best Thing I Ever Made" - but it was all holiday related. The hubs and I were watching and he saw Aarti Sequeira make "Coconut Toffee" and he was in love. I knew I had to attempt it.

Now this toffee isn't toffee in the way that we think of it. It is more of a sweet coconut candy, but hey - I didn't name it.

I found the recipe on foodnetwork.com and got to work.

Here's what you need:

• Baking spray
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut (also called finely grated)
• Pinch ground cardamom
• Drop pink food coloring, optional

Note: Ground Cardamom is expensive. Like $10 for a small bottle. But you could actually taste it, and I think it would be noticeable without it. I don't think that I've ever used another recipe that called for cardamom.

Spray an 8x8 square baking pan with the cooking spray and set it aside. 

Next combine the sugar and water in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat. This mixture is going to go through some textural stages and you're going to want to keep stirring it so the sugar doesn't crystallize along the sides of the pan. 

Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball consistency or 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer. 

Unless you're magic, you're going to actually need the candy thermometer. On my first attempt, I thought I could just eye ball it - what resulted was a jelly mess that wouldn't set up. I went and got a $4 candy thermometer and the result was pink crystal perfection. Once it has reached 235 degrees, mix in the coconut, cardamom, and a drop of pink food coloring. Stir and pour into the baking pan, pressing firmly into the corners. If you've done it correctly, this mixture will immediately start to thicken.

If it sits there like a soupy pile (like my first attempt) then you didn't heat it to a high enough temp. Let your toffee harden (this takes a few hours), then cut into delicate little pieces and enjoy!

Overall, this recipe was simple, but attention to detail was necessary (the candy thermometer)! It was also really fun because watching the sugar and water solution go through different stages was like performing a science experiment. Also, the finished product looked just like the finished product on Food Network. Plus, the hubs approves. :)

<3 M

Simple Color Pop Picture Frames

Lately, I've been very into bright pops of color and contrasting colors. Color definitely perks up the place, and adding color is also a great way to give something old some new life. I've seen some adorable brightly painted picture frames at Hobby Lobby, however the price was definitely not adorable. I decided to create some of my own.

I started out with some ugly  picture frames that I had found on rummage sales. I'm pretty sure I paid 50 cents for the gold one and 75 cents for the other one. You'll want to find frames that have some carving or design imprinted on them.

Ugly right? :) 

I then took them apart - removed the back and the glass and spray painted the frames. I chose a bright aqua color. I didn't use a primer, and the paint on the frames has held up. I did choose the $5 spray paint over the cheapy 97 cent spray paint - in the past I've found that the cheap kind doesn't really cover  much of anything well.

 

Here's how they looked after the spray paint - the color is kind of washed out in these photos - it's much brighter in real life. I used 2 coats of spray paint on these.

After they've dried completely, add photos and enjoy!

I chose to use black and white wedding photos in mine. After doing these, I really want to do a variety of black and white photos in colored frames - I'm thinking a mustard yellow, hot pink, and orange! I'll definitely be on the lookout for more ugly frames at yard sales and thrift stores! You could also do chalk board or cork board in the frames. 

Simple, cost-effective, and adorable. Win, win, win.

<3 M

On Guns, Rights, and Responsibilities

Friday, December 14, 2012 marks a terrible day for our nation. The loss of so many innocents (the majority of which were children) is a tragedy.

I really should stay away from Facebook, because I just keep seeing things that piss me off. The majority of which are people that are blaming anything except anything to do with guns for this incident. And yes, I realize this may be more of a rant than anything, and it might be fueled by emotion. No one reads this blog anyway, so at least maybe it will make me feel a little better.

Let's be clear: I DO NOT want to take away people's guns. I enjoy going to the range and shooting. The big argument is that it is our right to bear arms. With any right comes responsibility. The lack of responsibility required with owning or using a gun is absolutely appalling. In life, when you want to do things, there are steps you need to take. There are licenses or certifications you need to get. Some examples:

• If you want to purchase a car, you must license it and register it. 
• If you want to drive a car, you must complete a series of tests to get a license. Once you have a license to operate a motor vehicle, you must also renew that license periodically.
• I listened to a lecture from a falconer yesterday. You need a license to have a falcon and practice falconry.
• If you want to drive a bus, you need a special license.
• In Memphis, you need to purchase a $10 permit to panhandle.
• Some city require permits for residents to hold a rummage sale. Some cities have limitations on how many rummage sales one person can have in a period of time.
• Most cities require you to register your dog. We have to purchase new dog tags every year.

This list could go on and on... one obvious thing missing? Owning a gun. Really, all you need is some dough. If you go to a public dealer, you'll need to go through a background check (which, unless you're a felon, you're good). If you go through a private dealer, all you need is the dough.

WTF people? You have to go through more hoops to adopt a dog from a shelter - are you going to spay or neuter the dog? No? No dog adoption. Do you have a fenced in yard? No? No terrier adoption. A lot of shelters do home visits to ensure the dog is in a good home. 

There are public records of many things in a person's life - birth, marriage, death, titles, etc. But no gun registry. Why is that? Because Hitler did it, it's an invasion of privacy, (insert some other stupid reason), etc.

Do I want to take away guns in general? No. However I do think that in order to operate a gun, you should have to pass a gun safety course and get a license (much like learning to drive and getting a drivers license). I think that in order to own a gun, you should be mentally stable (to the best of anyone's knowledge), you should need to have a background check done (regardless of where said gun was purchased), and your gun should be registered with the state. Owning and operating guns should be no different than owning/operating cars. 

I'm all for people having guns - sane, mentally stable people that can pass a background check and don't purchase their guns at Wal-Mart.

<3 M

Santa Maybe...

Today one of my friends posted on Facebook that they can't believe that people lie to their kids about Santa Clause. Their main point was that it is never okay to be that deceitful to anyone, at any age, so why is it okay to do that to your kids. Many people agreed with this post and said that they never did the Santa stuff with their kids. There was a lot of passive aggressive comments about how they are honest with their kids and don't want to teach their kids to be deceitful.

Although I see their point, the post made me really sad. The belief in Santa is such a magical thing, at least it was for me. I actually clung to the belief in Santa long after I knew the truth, because I wanted to believe it so badly. Losing Santa was like losing some part of my childhood. I never saw it as my parents lying to me, or being deceitful. Even at the time, I thought they were just trying to keep the magic alive, and they in turn asked me to keep it alive for my little sister. I was sad, because I wanted Santa to be real, but never once was I upset or mad at my parents about it.

I guess if I had never known about Santa, maybe I wouldn't have missed him. If my parents had raised me all along knowing that Santa is make believe, I wouldn't have experienced the let down when I found out the truth. I think I would have felt left out when my friends talked about Santa, and I probably would have spoiled that magic for them with the truth.

But I wouldn't have experienced the magic. I wouldn't have felt that excitement when Santa had eaten the cookies we left out, or took the carrots for the reindeer. I wouldn't have wondered how Santa could have possibly snuck in our house without anyone hearing him. I wouldn't have almost wet myself because I thought I saw Santa's sleigh and reindeer in the sky (while listening to the radio that was tracking Santa's movement), and I wouldn't have felt that thrill when Santa "accidentally" dropped one of our packages outside.

When the hubs and I have children, Santa will visit our house. We will leave out cookies and carrots, we'll listen for hooves on the roof, we'll write letters to the North Pole, and we'll listen to the radio and Santa's whereabouts on Christmas Eve. When it's time, we'll explain to our children that although we are the ones leaving presents, that Santa lives in everyone, spreading magic and Christmas cheer.

<3 M

Revamped Vintage Christmas Lights

A fairly productive stay at home day - some Christmas shopping, wrapped 12 presents, picked up my bonus check, paid 2 bills, and I revamped some vintage Christmas bulbs. I had seen this project on Pinterest and I decided to give it a try.

Here's what you'll need for this project:

Mod Podge, an old paint brush, glitter, vintage Christmas lights, and something to dry the bulbs on - I used a paper plate. I also have paper to try to contain the glitter mess. :)

I started out with some old vintage Christmas lights that I had laying around. These belonged to my grandma, and although I didn't want to part with them, I also didn't know what to do with them.

I started out by applying Mod Podge on the bulbs with the old paintbrush.

I then spooned glitter over the Mod Podge. Note: If the bulb is a different color than the glitter, you're going to have to go over some spots twice.

 Then I let the bulbs dry for a little while - this didn't take too long, maybe a half an hour.

I then put them in a jar, tied on a bow and enjoyed the new addition to my holiday decorating!

This picture doesn't do it much justice, but it really is cute in person (I promise)! Overall, this project was super easy, a bit messy, and the finished project actually resembled the finished product in the original tutorial. <3 M

All I want for Christmas...

The hubs tends to forget to get my Christmas present until the 23rd or 24th. He's then rushed and ends up shopping in town, and usually ends up with a gift card or something that is maybe more of a gift for him than for me. I used to hint at things I liked, but eventually realized that was futile. I then started flat out telling him things I liked. However, he usually forgets. Back in the day though, he used to put quite a bit of thought into it and kind of rocked out in regards to gift giving. So here it is, my Christmas wish list... although I'm sure even this won't help.

1. Women's Columbia Bugaboo Jacket... b/c hey, it's freaking cold in South Dakota.

2. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (white)

3. Sexy Little Things Noir by Victoria's Secret

4. Mint Green Fossil Maddox Flats

5. Canon Powershot S110 (yeah, this one's not happening... spendy, spendy)

But honestly, I'd be just as happy with a hand written love letter and a day with his full attention. :)

<3 M

It's the Most Wonderful Time...

So, believe it or not, sometimes I do other things besides atheist related stuff. Especially now that it's Christmas time.

Wait... what? I'm an atheist - I can't celebrate Christmas, right? Wrong. I love this time of year. For some reason, I'm feeling especially Christmas-y this year. I don't know what it is this year but the songs sound better, the holiday smells are more aromatic, the Christmas tree is more magical, the lights are sparklier... even the hubs has caught the Christmas spirit this year (that Grinch's heart has grown 2 times bigger already this year). To clarify, I'm not into the baby Jesus stuff or any of that, but I enjoy the music, the baking, the gift wrapping, the decorating, and spending time with family. To be fair, most of the Christians I know don't really do anything different, other than dragging their ass to church on Christmas Eve. Oh, and make corny references to Jesus being the reason for the season. Wrong bitches - axial tilt is the reason for the season.

One of the things I love (and hate) about this time of year is the music. If it's done well, I'm aces and you'll find me singing and bopping along in no time. However, a lot of it is awful. Awful, awful, awful. Do you know what's not awful (and coincidentally is also one of the best Christmas albums I've heard)?

A Very She & Him Christmas

This album is fan-fucking-tastic. The combination of Zoey's vocals, the ukelele, and M. Ward's guitar = AMAZING. I've listened to this album 4 times in the past 24 hours. I'm sure I will be listening to it many, many, many more times before Christmas. Added bonus - it's a totally secular album. Check it out. Now!

<3 M

There are A-holes in all Groups of People

By now, most of you have probable heard about the controversy concerning some cheerleaders in the Kountze School District holding up large signs with Bible verses on them for the football team to run through. If not, this article from the Friendly Atheist will get you up to date.

As far as all the atheist arguments about how this doesn't belong in public schools, I fully agree. The use of Bible phrases at a public school event promotes one religion over all religions (or lack of religion), which is not okay. 

This is the picture of the cheerleaders and one of their signs which has been making its rounds on the internet; I've seen it posted in several places. What bothers me the most are the comments that I've seen underneath of it. Of course, there are several Christians posting that they feel they are being persecuted, and how these gals have the right to pray in school. There are plenty of people that simply state they are either for or against this display of devotion and state why. Then there are these kind of comments:

"Maybe those cheerleaders should spend less time in church and more time at the gym."

"Hmmm how ironic... Cheerleaders pretending to be good Christians... We all know what happens after the game." 

"It looks like the red parts are made in period blood." 

 "How many of these girls are having premarital sex? You should worry more about that and being sure all those kids do not spread disease with their sex parties."

We feel that the law concerning separation of church and state should be upheld so we... resort to calling these high school girls fat sluts (who apparently are so stupid and/or disgusting that they use their periods to paint signs)? Come on guys! We have the law on our side, we have the constitution on our side, we do not need to resort to name calling and unproved accusations towards a bunch of teenagers! I'm sure that those cheerleaders, being teenage women, don't have enough self-esteem and body issues without your stupid remarks. Are they wrong for promoting their religion in a public school - yes! Leave it at that! Use your facts, use your reason, cite the law, but do not resort to being a name calling, insulting, sexist a-hole. 

This is my problem with a portion of the atheist movement - they sit there with their reason and knowledge, but they don't do anything. They resort to name calling, and sitting around drinking and complaining about Christians. For me, my Atheism needs to be about something bigger, or else its no better than religion. 

Jamie Kilstein's set at the Reason Rally summed up my views in this area quite well, especially the last 4 minutes or so. 

"Everyone already knows that Pat Robertson's an asshole!"

Do good, don't be a-holes, peace, love... I'm out.

<3 M

All Hail the Queen

On the outskirts of Kansas City, MO at Park Hill South High School, a homecoming queen was crowned last Friday night. The new queen, nineteen year old Allyssa Brubeck, is a popular teenager who is on the Panthers Cheerleading Squad. Allyssa also has Downs Syndrome. Read the full story in the Kansas City Star here.

"And perhaps the best part of the whole experience, say some of the adults who watched it unfold, is that all those high school teenagers behind the Allyssa-for-Homecoming-Queen phenomenon don't seem to understand what all the outside attention is about."

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

<3 M

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/19/3823947/new-homecoming-queen-prompts-cheers.html#storylink=cpy

Arkansas isn't Missouri

I came across this article on Fox News' website today: Breaking: University of Texas in Austin Orders Evacuation Due to Threats on Campus.
While the bomb threats are unfortunate, what struck me was the map that Fox News used:

Well, at least they got Texas right.

<3 M

My First Skeptical Thought

Prior to the age of 6, I had never heard of god or church. Then I went to 1st grade where I found that all of my classmates went to church. I started going to Sunday school at the local Methodist church. I was thrilled because a few of my friends went there AND we got to color. It's kind of ironic that the first time I questioned god was at this very same place.

We were learning about the creation story - Adam & Eve & that damn talking snake. Of course, we were coloring pictures of them & the Garden of Eden while we learned about them. I was puzzled because I thought that cave men were the first humans, and Adam & Eve in the picture did not look like cave men. They looked like modern humans, only naked. So I asked the teacher why, if Adam & Eve were the first people, then why weren't they cave people, because they were the first people. The teacher looked flustered and told me that Adam & Eve were NOT cave people, and that they were definitely the first humans; cave people came later. Although my 6 or 7 year old brain did not fully understand evolution at the time, I remembered from looking through the encyclopedias at my grandma's house the picture of primates gradually becoming more human like until they became modern man. I was thoroughly confused and flustered, but being the shy kid that I was (and wanting desperately to fit in) I kept this thought to myself. 

The thought that Adam & Eve must have been neanderthals haunted me for quite some time. Eventually that turned into the thought that the creation story was a bunch of BS, but that's a story for another time.

When/what was your first skeptical thought? When was the first time you questioned religion?

<3 M 

5 Must Haves for the Fashionable Atheist Gal

Today I'm going to share my 5 fashion must haves for all you awesome atheist/skeptic gals out there. This also serves as a wish list for yours truly (hint, hint). :) These are in no particular order.

1. Atheist hair clips from Surlyramics created by Surly Amy of Skepchick. These hair clips kick some serious ass! And while you're at it, you can check out all the other wearable art in Surlyramic's Etsy store.

2. Stronger T-Shirt from Skeptical Robot. Wear this and be like Rebecca and show those haters what you're made of! 

3. God hates Bags tote to carry around all of your Carl Sagan and Christopher Hitchens books. This tote can be purchased at Revel & Riot.

4. Flying Spaghetti Monster necklace from MirielDesign on Etsy. Get touched by his noodly appendages on a daily basis!

5. Now atheists can have a sole too with Atheist shoes! The soles of these shoes have phrases (either "Darwin loves" or "Ich Bin Atheist") imprinted in them so that wherever you go, you'll leave a trail of atheist pride! These shoes can be found at www.atheistberlin.com.

So there you have it - 5 must haves for the fashionable atheist girl (all of which will look wonderful paired up with your favorite plastic framed nerd glasses and a kick ass cardigan). 

<3 M

9/11

Today is 9/11, no doubt a day that will not, and should not, be forgotten. 

When I logged onto my Facebook this morning, I was appalled. My entire newsfeed was littered with the following kinds of posts:

• Pictures of flags, the twin towers, and "god bless America" slogans
• Religious quotes
• Stories regarding the cross beam being exhibited at the museum
• Atheist memes regarding 9/11
• People making flat out offensive statements about 9/11 (ex. how we deserved it)
• Truthers making posts about the alleged conspiracy theories surrounding the events

This morning on my way to work, the local radio station was playing sound clips from that day: clips of news stories, people crying, people screaming.

Here's the deal: 9/11 was tragic. It was awful. It divided us as members of the human race.  People lost their husbands, wives, parents, children, and friends in the days events.

So why can't we all just show a little respect? Why does every politician or interest group have to use today to promote their agenda? Why does everyone with a Facebook account have to post something to promote their beliefs on the event? Why do I have to hear the sounds of people dying on my way to work? Why can't everyone take a break for one day from all of the arguing, theories, agendas, and lawsuits and just respectfully remember. Fly your flag at half mast, attend a memorial, watch a documentary about it, do what you need to do personally - just stop being insensitive, disrespectful, and self-promoting.

<3 M

Slacktivism in the Atheist Community

You know those people - they post 15 different pictures a day that they've stolen from Working Class Atheists or Sexy Atheists, they upvote everything they see on Reddit r/Atheism, they are constantly posting articles about atheism in their (private) Atheist group, and they "like" every every apathetic post about Atheism that they see. 

They do not, however, volunteer to stand along side you while you're having an open display of Atheism. They don't volunteer for philanthropic events where your freethinker group is proudly wearing their group shirts. They don't write letters to the editor. They don't volunteer to organize or help out with any group activity that isn't firmly wedged into a closet. 

My friends, these people are slacktivists. Their whole existence in the Atheist community exists on the internet. If they're a really brave slacktivist, they might go out and join you for a beer (if and only if it is a closeted event where no one is wearing their bright red A pin). 

Wikipedia describes slacktivism like this:

Slacktivism (sometimes slactivism or slackervism) is a portmanteau of the words slacker and activism. The word is usually considered a pejorative term that describes "feel-good" measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have little or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it feel some amount of satisfaction. The acts tend to require minimal personal effort from the slacktivist. The underlying assumption being promoted by the term is that these low cost efforts substitute for more substantive actions rather than supplementing them, although this assumption has not been borne out by research.

Here's my message to all you slacktivists out there: think about all the time you spend on the internet and on your phone doing your "work" for the atheist movement. Now take that time and cut it in half and devote half of it to getting out there and doing something. You can start small - write a letter to the editor, volunteer for some activities your Atheist group is putting on, go volunteer for a philanthropic event while flying your Atheist colors high. Get off your computer, go outside, and get involved. It's important, and it's bigger than you think. 

<3 M

An A+ for Atheism Plus

I realize that I am a little behind on blogging about Atheism+. I blame this on my recent switch to Blogger - while I was in the process of switching blogs, Atheism+ was being created. 

What is Atheism+? According to the Atheism Plus website:

"Atheism+ is a safe space for people to discuss how religion affects everyone and to apply skepticism and critical thinking to everything, including social issues like sexism, racism, GLBT issues, politics, poverty, and crime."

Jen McCreight, of Blag Hag describes it as: 

"We are…Atheists plus we care about social justice,Atheists plus we support women’s rights,Atheists plus we protest racism,Atheists plus we fight homophobia and transphobia,Atheists plus we use critical thinking and skepticism.It speaks to those of us who see atheism as more than just a lack of belief in god. "

Atheism+ is something that I can really get behind. For me, my Atheism is important, but I feel that as Atheists, we also have a responsibility to our Earth and our fellow humans. We have a responsibility to fight against the censorship and hatred towards other groups of people as well, since we know what it feels like and we know that it's not okay. I've never understood how someone can use reason and logic to get to the point where they can say that there isn't a god, but then turn around and express homophobic, sexist, bigoted views. 
Now of course, there's the argument that this is no different that Secular Humanism. I disagree, although there are similarities between these two schools of thought. According to Wikipedia:

"The philosophy or life stance secular humanism (alternatively known by adherents as Humanism, specifically with a capital H to distinguish it from other forms of humanism) embraces human reason, ethics, social justice, philosophical naturalism, while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, pseudoscience or superstition as the basis of morality and decision-making."

Ok, so far so good. However, Atheism+ takes all of that and pairs it with the "A-word" that so many secular humanists avoid. We are Atheists PLUS we care about (insert humanistic causes here). Atheism+ is a more amped up, in your face, not afraid to confront the religious, version of secular humanism. 

For me, this new wave of Atheism, Atheism+ is the way to go. I think that my friend Josh sums it up best:

"Call it what you will, but if you're a racist, misogynistic a-hole, or in general a terrible person, you're probably getting kicked out or dis-invited from whatever I'm a part of organizing. Maybe Atheism+ is just recognizing that there are jerks within our own ranks and just because we agree there is no god doesn't mean we want assholes to be associated with our movement." 

And with that, I bid you adieu.
<3 M