Artgurliee

Your zodiac sign and if you think it fits your personality.

Gemini

I think the zodiac is a bunch of bullshit and that psychics and astrologers should only be used if you realize that it is just for fun and like buying a lotto ticket a GIANT waste of money.

I think that the zodiac signs are very generic and are designed to fit everyone.

Write 30 interesting facts about yourself.

1-I love baseball.  It’s mostly the stadium atmosphere that I absolutely love, but I also really like the sport.

2-My first and only camping experience was with my Dad on a beach in the Hamptons when I was around five.  I know it sounds posh but it wasn’t.  We had a big thunderstorm that night and the tent tried to blow away and of course I had to run to go to the bathroom right in the middle of it.  It’s still one of my favorite memories.

3-I am afraid of heights.  This includes flying, hills, mountains, high buildings, and elevators just to name a few.

4-I have been biten by poisinous spiders at least seven times.

5-I love seaweed salad.

6-My first nonfish pet was a male hamster named Violet.  I was around 21 when I got him.

7-I am allergic to strawberries but I love them.

8-I can roll my tongue.

9-I love water slides and water parks.

10-I hate rollercoasters and refuse to ride them.

11-I used to work for the government as an intern.

12-I got to meet Bill Maher, take a picture with him, and get an autograph at one of his shows in Boston.

13-My uncle was a music reviewer but is now an editor for a major newspaper in Boston and used to hook me up with free tickets to concerts.  I got to see Coldplay, Badly Drawn Boy, and The Wallflowers to name a few.  He also would give me all the CDs he didn’t want that I liked as he got a ton for free.  He and his fam were super nice to me in college.

14-I am addicted to Treasure Isle.

15-I am seriously thinking about going to Grad School for a Masters in Library Science with an emphasis on Youth Services and I am super excited about it.

16-I love my MAC and I hate PCs.

17-I try to do a mitzvah every day.  It doesn’t have to be something big even opening a door for a person in need counts in my book.

18-I love football.  I love it when they fumble and when they get touchdowns.

19-I would love to go to the Olympics someday to see an event.

20-I have been to Wimbledon during the famous tennis tournament.  Btw the food looked delicious but it was terrible and incrediby expensive.

21-I got a promotion last year.

22-My best friend has the two most adorable twin boys you have ever seen.

23-I want to have a boy and a girl.

24-My first car payment was $620.  I quickly learned that was a huge mistake.  I have now pretty near halfed it on my second paid for by me car.

25-We have three cats and do not plan on getting anymore.

26-I love reading.  I go through reading phases and will read romances for a month, then horror, then mystery, then historical etc. etc.  

27-I learned Hebrew for years as a kid and I completely forgot it six months after the ceremony.

28-I am a very high functioning dyslexic.  

29-I would love to relearn to play the piano.

30-I was born in NYC, NY.

A time you thought about ending your own life.

When I was very, very ill around 5 1/2 years ago.  We went six months without knowing what was wrong with me.  I felt miserably ill.  We later found out that I had been having vertigo 24/7 for six months or more from my illness.  I was prescribed the wrong meds numerous times.  One that people still recommend to me (trust me if there is one way to piss me off repeatedly recommond that medicine it’s called meclizine sorry I can’t spell it but that is how it sounds) the medicine made me so ill that I literally had to crawl around my mother’s house.  I was so sick some nights that my mother or my boyfriend would sleep next to me to make sure I was breathing.  During this time I also could not drive.  I was taking a very heavy course load around 19 hours (I managed to get a 4.0 that semster and they were very hard classes don’t ask how I did that).  I had to move back in with my parents and spent nights sleeping in bed with my mom, on the couch, and in my brother’s bed when he was gone.  I didn’t care as long as I was near my mom and felt safe.  I literally felt like a five year old and I was in pain pretty much all the time.  A constant headache.  I had to take valium every night and day just to sleep bc my illness, especially if untreated, triggers panic attacks.  I felt like I was going to die numerous times and went to the ER at least three times from panic attacks.  The first time I went was bc of a panic attack but also bc i had inhaled plaster they prescribed a steriod, bc they had to I would have been able to breath otherwise but either that or something else trigger my illness.  I was diagnosed after approximately six months with vestibular migraines.  It was such a relief to finally have someone believe me and offer me an option to help fix the problem.  I seriously felt like I was going to cry from joy, but then also I was worried when they first told me bc I was worried it was just going to be another misdiagnois and my hell was going to continue.  

I had been to numerous doctors over this more than six month period.  My primary care even tried to tell me that it was all just anxiety (full disclosure I do have a pretty severe anxiety problem that has gotten worse over the years but it was not the cause of these symptoms).  Even my mother started to become convinced that it was all in my head and started making me feel guilty about having to be driven around by her everywhere.  She wanted me just to get over it and drive (btw when you have vestibular migraines and you are not on meds any type of movement will make you very ill that is a big reason why I couldn’t drive and obviously bc of the vertigo).  My parents took me to every kind of doctor to try and figure out what was wrong.  I got an MRI (brain tumours run in my family), had a sleep study done (found nothing), went to all kinds of specialists, and finally the audiologist figured it out.  He is my saviour.  I am so grateful to him for listening to me and perfroming the right tests and answering all of questions.  I got put on verapamil and zoloft as it is the only avaliable treatment for my type of migraines.  When I was diagnosed with the migraines the diagnoissi had only been around for 5 years so I was very lucky that I got it at the right time and there was a treatment.  I can’t imagine the horrible quality of life others had to deal with for years going untreated.

The reason I say that this was a time when I thought about ending my life is because it was.  I mean really if you had felt the pain, despair, and hopelessness that I had during this time period it would have crossed your mind too.  Going that long and having it feel like no one believes you and having no end to your suffering in sight is incredily painfully on top of the physical pain.  Fulling like an invalid who has to rely on their mother for everything at the age of 21 when you were really starting to feel independent.  Going from having some anxiety to tons of anxiety and being afraid of everything.  Not being sure if you are going to die, if you are going to wake up the next morning.  Feeling worthless and good for nothing.  Don’t forget the pain the horrible mind numbing 24/7 pain.  Oh course it crossed my mind.  I think anyone would be lying saying it wouldn’t in that situation.  Would I ever have actually ended my life or would I ever Hell No!  I love life.  My even if I was missing limbs and had to live in a hospital bed forever it’s better than being dead.  I’ve got to tell you though sometimes when you are in that much pain all you want to do is rest.  You wish for the sweet relief of a coma just so you can feel at peace again for a moment.  I used to go to bed every night and hope if was a dream and wake up every morning to realize it wasn’t and the pain was going to start all over again.  

I think everyone has thought about suicide at least once in there life, but I think there is a big difference about thinking about it and actually thinking about following through with it and planning it and stuff.  I’ve got to be honest suicide is one of my greatest fears same for my brother.  When I walk across a bridge or I’m in a tall building I’m always afraid my body is going to go all crazy and make me jump off.  The idea of suicide scares me.  The idea of death scares me.  Life is incredibly painful sometimes, but it is better than spending an eternity in a hole every time.

Your Views on Religion.

I am an atheist humanist.  I do not believe in god but I feel like it would be a lot easier if I did.  It’s depressing believing that when you die u are like a flame being extinguished.  It would be so much easy to believe in heaven, but honestly I can’t I just don’t think it exists.  

I don’t know if I am right and I don’t know if anyone else is right.  I don’t think religon is something you can know a 100% about either way.  

I do think that religion is the opiate of the masses mainly because I think it can be very calming for a lot of people.  I think that people who are closed minded about religion are the most dangerous type of people because my dad always said that stupid people are the most dangerous.  What I mean by that is that you should always question everything.  It may be uncomfortable to do so but it is way more dangerous not to.  Blind faith isn’t something you should be proud of educated and well thought out faith is.  Ignorance is never bliss it’s just laziness of the mind.  

I will never say that I am 100% right.  If an angel drops out of the sky or buddha, mohammad, or jesus give me a phone call I would be more than happy to have them prove to me that they exist and their form of religion might be something to look into.  I’m pretty sure that is not going to happen so I just try to think about my choice every once in a while to make sure that I am still comfortable with it and go over my reasoning again.  

I do not think that all religious people are kooky nor do I think they stupid.  I feel like that is a mispercetion some people have about athiest that we are somehow thinking bad things about religious people.  In all honesty I just don’t think about it that much.  Maybe twice a month.  Religion is not a part of my life and I’m happy with that.  It is a part of my partner’s life so I go to church services with him when he wants to go and I support him in that.  He also prays over before eating and I sit quietly while he does.

One thing that really bothers me is when people who are religious think that in order for a person to have good morals they must be religious.  I am very, very moral and I have not had religion in my life in a major way since I was fourteen.  I think you can be a good person without religion.

It also bothers me when people question me about my belief in an angry tone.  I don’t think i’ve ever questioned a person of another faith or nonfaith in a rude way but I have had some very combative questions and interrogations thrown my way.

It also bothers me when people who are close to me act like they have forgotten my nonreligious preference.  I mean if you are a strict Muslim I’m not going to send you a Christmas card and vice versa.  I mean you could at least remember to send me the happy holidays card instead or even a happy hanukkah card as I grew up Jewish and am still pretty jewish by tradition.  I also can not stand it when people forget both that I am not religious and am not christian.  I am not Catholic.  I don’t understand how anyone thought that.  I mean I’ve never mentioned church.  Also, could try and remember that a temple is not a church.  I mean it’s really rude after the fifth time or more of correcting you.  I have never called a church a temple not even by accident.  It’s not so hard.  I mean Jesus was a Jew maybe you should learn something about his actual religion.  Grrrr.  Sorry want off into a rant.  Years of friends and my partner’s relatives completely ignoring my choice in regards to religion when I done nothing but be understanding about theirs.

It seems so wrong to me that some people think that athiests are hateful and that we are going to badger them about their religion or try to change their minds or something.  I mean really that’s like saying that every Muslim is an underwear bomber or every Christian is a Tea Party looney tune who only believes Rush Limbaugh.  You can’t lump everyone all together.  Every person on this planet is an individual and it would be nice if people who remember to treat everyone that way.  You can’t let one bad apple determine your view of the whole bunch.

I think it is incredibly inappropriate to tell someone that they are going to go to hell.  I think you should real question your character when you let something that vile come out of your mouth.  I have had multiple people tell me that over the years.  Seriously if you have that thought that’s fine.  If I ask you what you’re thoughts are on my soul’s state than I would love to hear your honest opinon.  Otherwise shut the fuck up and think about doing something productive with your day rather than spewing unkind words into the world onto an uninquiring public.

I think religious people need to have a better sense of humour about religion too.  I mean religion is flippin’ funny when you really think about it.  I mean a bunch of people walking around a block waving palms, or shaking rattles every times some ancient bad guys name is said, or the fact that your women have to sit in the back or attend seperate service bc you don’t trust yourself enough to look at their backsides.  I mean come on it’s funny sometimes.  Relax a little.  I mean it’s so annoying how family guy can make a joke about Jesus but when I point out that Jesus could have gotten a better rider than a donkey that’s rude.  I mean I’m just being playful.  I mean come on you’re supposed to be the lord and savior and you ride in on an ass you could have borrowed a horse.  Also, the fact that people always find Jesus in jail like he hides behind a certain portion of bed spring in each cell.  I’m sorry but that is funny.  Mormonism is really funny.  I have some very nice Mormon friends and I have been to a mormon service and they are soooo nice but some of their beliefs are funny.  Some of every religions beliefs are hillarious.  I think you should be able to laugh at yourself more.  

Also I hate that we still have in god we trust on our money.  I don’t believe that is what the founders would have wanted.  We put it on their during the cold war well the cold war’s over let’s take it off.

I don’t like that we have to say the pledge of allegiance in schools.  They say that you can leave the room now not when I was a kid, but don’t you think that’s going to make kids feel ostracized?  I don’t see why this is a part of the school day.  Whatever happened to the seperate of church and state.  How about we completely seperate and stop blurring the lines.

I also think that prayer circles, prayer groups, prayers before games, basically anything that involves prayer or religion should not be allowed to take place at a public school.  If you would like to send your child to a private school that incorporates religion that’s fine but please keep it out of public schools.

Let’s stop pretending that intelligent design is a theory that should be taught in schools.  Evolution should be taught in schools.  If you would like to learn more about intelligent design than you should be learning about that at a religious instution.  I think it should be mentioned that some people believe that, but I think that will take all of one to three paragraphs and less than two minutes of schooling as it is not a hard theory to grasp.

Let’s do teach the history of religion early on like at least in high school.  Religion is so interesting.  It’s influence on art, architecture, and history in general has been amazing.  School children should know about the positive and negatives that it has brought to our world.  I think art is the biggest positive for me.  I mean art would exist and flourish without religion but the pieta is flippin’ amazing and so is the hagia sophia amongst thousands of other pieces that I could not live without, don’t even get me started on Titian (I love the guy).  It has also brought so many negatives the biggest one for me is war.  I mean the crusades alone but then you look at Iraq and Afganistan and I think that has a lot to do with religious and cultural intolerance.  I don’t think you can change a country’s mindset through war.  Any who, that’s a whole different thing.

On the subject of sunday school.  I do not want my future children to go to only one Sunday school.  I feel like that is indoctrination.  I don’t feel like a child under the age of 9 has the skill set necessary to determine their views on religion.  I feel like the child goes along with what mommy and daddy want bc it’s easy, avoids argument, and they don’t know any better.  I think it is better to let your child experience all religions and non religion too.  I would never try to make my child become an athiest (that is another misconception) nor would I make them choose any other religion.  I think the child should have the opportunity to exaime all of their options and then in their teenager years he/she can decide for him or herself.  I realize some people see that as radical, but honestly I feel like educating your child in only one religion is bordering on child cruelty because you are not giving your child one option.  Anyone who thinks that a five year old only going to a Christian sunday school is going to have the free will and mental capacity to make a voluntary choice to become a Buddist at six is kidding themselves.  They are going to be a Christian at least for show until they are old enough to come to a different conclusion themselves.

I started doubting early even when I was young but I didn’t know too much about the other options.  I basically knew about Muslims and Christians everything else was kind of a mystery or history to me.  I really started questioning if there was a god when I was in seventh grade.  I believe I formally became an athiest in late eight or early ninth grade.  I took a religion class at my Sunday school that explored all of the world religions (okay not all but most major one).  I even toyed with looking into Hinduism more.  I think I just really liked their stories though.  I love the story of Rama and Sita.  I loved world religions and as I am a very avid reader I read a lot about them during that time.  Made trips to the library to get more books and had my dad take me on buying trips to Barnes and Noble.  I tried mediation, which didn’t really work for me it just always made my legs numb.  I tried mantras which also had no effect.  I tried to read every thing I could find and I asked my rabbi lots of questions.  I wanted to know more.  I wanted to know more about angels.  I found out about Lilth during that time and thought she was pretty cool which only spurred my desire for more knowledge.  After my Bat Mitzvah I was supposed to take more continuing hebrew classes and by that time I was just done with it.  I knew that I did not want to pretend anymore that I believed in religion.  I wanted to spend my Sundays studying for school which I felt was much more productive and I still stand by that decision.  I told my rabbi my decision right after the first continuing hebrew class about my choice.  He tried to stop me but I explained to him that I had been thinking about this for a long time and that try as he may my mind was made up.  I have stayed friends with my rabbi and we would still go out to lunch together and email each other.  I still volunteered for the temple with my mom when she wanted support.  My rabbi was even my religion teacher in college and I got one of the best grades if not the best in the class.  

The biggest negative to not believing in god at least for me is not having the comfort of believing there is a heaven.  I have a terrible fear of death and not existing.  

I do pray on a plane or in any situation where I am incredibly stressed/scared.  I don’t just pray to god though i pray to fairies, mother earth, buddha, basically anything that will listen.  I figure it’s better to be safe than sorry.  I think i have even prayed to clouds on one plane ride.  

One last thing my favorite service that I have attended was definetly a Hari Krishna (probably spelled that wrong sorry) service in London with some friends.  The inside of the building was so beautiful.  There was no pressure to convert or anything.  It was a lovely experience.  I highly recommend it.

Sorry this is really long I could probably go on and on about religion forever but this is all I am going to post as I’m sure only a couple of people are going to read it anyways.  Sorry for the many spelling, puntucation, and grammatical errors.

Your views on drugs and alcohol.

I have never done drugs or smoked cigarrettes.  I do not drink alcohol anymore.  I have probably had around 20-30 drinks or less in my life.  I didn’t have my first alcoholic beverage until I was maybe around 20 like six months before I turned 21.  

I think that all drugs and the over use of prescription drugs should be illegal.  I think that ciagrettes should also be made illegal as they have no benefit and a lot of risks to the users and innocent bystanders.  I really do not like alcohol.  I do like some white wine, but even then I would never drink more than half a glass.  I think that alcohol in moderation is okay like one a month, but that should be it.  I believe that it should only be for special occasions.  I think that alcohol is way to harmful and the harm overwhelms any minimal benefit.  

I am very conservative about alcohol and drugs.  I realize that a lot of other people aren’t.  I have seen a lot of people waste their lives and underachieve due to alcohol and drugs.  The thing that pisses me off the most is when people use drugs or drink while they are pregnant or around their kids.  I think if u do choose to do drugs or alcohol u should do it far away from your kids and take every procaution to keep yourself safe.  I’m way more concerned about the person’s kid than i will ever be about the voluntary user, just to be honest.

Where would u like to be in ten years?

happy, married, kids, in love with my husband, great job that makes me feel fulfilled and lets me help others while using my intellect and creativity, more money and less debt, same car w/ no repair work needed, healthy myself and all my family too, getting to take more vacations, still loving disney…

Day 01 - Your current relationship, if single discuss how single life is.

I have been with the same man for six years and one month.  We have lived together for around 5 years.  We have a house together and three cats.  If u want to know more u will have to ask.