Strategic Living | Page 2 of 5

A Nod to Personal Independence and the Protection of Individual Rights

There was a time in the not so recent past when I had a lot of angst. I wrote about the need for personal independence and the protection of individual rights under what I perceived as big government and tyranny. It may surprise you to learn that those thoughts have not changed and if anything, have accelerated in light of our current divisive political climate.

Today I feel I can no longer remain quiet. This week is Independence Day in the United States and I for one, am fearful of what we may become. I am full of angst.

Let me explain.

Since I began blogging in 2010, I have championed our right to freedom, free speech, and independence from cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary use of power or control. That is, by the way, the definition of tyranny. In support of that, I have done my best to stay focused on what we as individuals can do on our own to become self-reliant and prepared for the uncertain times that we face.

There have been the expected bumps along the way, including a change in my perspective on certain aspects of prepping that no longer seem relevant. Likewise, there have been the ebbs and tides of the risks inherent in my personal situation.

All that being said, one risk I have personally prepared for is the dismantling of one of the basic tenants upon which our nation was formed, namely the Declaration of Independence. That brings me around to Independence Day and the 4th of July.

I have shared Independence Day sentiments in the past and quite honestly, nothing much has changed since my first Independence Day article in 2011. The bag of woes we face as a nation still weighs a ton with the only difference being the contents of that bag.

What I Learned Using CBD Oil

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I am on a mission to learn and understand more about CBD oil. Is CBD oil a modern day equivalent of snake oil? Based on my experience this past month, I think not.

As I have previously written, my original intent when embarking on this journey was to see if CBD oil would work for my husband’s chronic back pain. I also wanted to see if by taking it myself, I felt anything at all, good bad or indifferent given I did not think I had any specific ailments to address.

To that end, those of you that follow me on Facebook know that I have been providing weekly FB updates relative to my personal use of CBD oil. It has been an interesting experience, filled with unexpected surprises.

In this article, I share what I have learned so far while using CBD oil in my own household. As you read this, however, be aware that CBD works differently on different people and that what is working for my husband, Shelly, and myself, may be different for you.

Putting a Priority on Self-Care is Not Being Selfish

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If there is one thing I have learned since entering retirement, it is that demands for my time and attention have not changed. If anything, armed with the knowledge that I have time on my hands, the demands have seemed to escalate. If I am being honest, some of these demands are coming from within but others are coming from well-meaning but misguided acquaintances. Take note that I did not say “friends” but rather acquaintances. More about that in a moment.

So here is the thing. Saying yes to every request is exhausting. Whether it is an invitation to a social event or a request to serve on a committee, the never-ending list of demands on your time can turn you into a rat on a treadmill. Without adequate time to stop and catch your breath, your sleep suffers as does your health, and even though you otherwise have a healthy lifestyle, your immune system becomes compromised. Heck, even rats need to rest!

In this article, I am going to reaffirm nine things we all need to embrace in order to maintain our sanity in this crazy mixed up world. Some will call this self-care, while others will call it mindfulness. The ignorant will call it selfish. But trust me on this: putting a priority on self-care is not being selfish. Instead, it is an important component of living a strategic life.

Doing Thanksgiving Your Way

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This is not going to be your traditional Thanksgiving message. Instead, I am going to share my personal feelings about this time of year and buck the trend to stuff your inbox with “deals of the day” just so I can make a buck or two.

Thanksgiving and this time of year, in general, is not an easy one for me. There are many reasons that lead me to dread the frantic effort to bring people that may not like each other together, prepare meals that give you indigestion and make you feel ill, and, of course, rack up debt by purchasing gifts that may or may not be welcome.

For me, it is all too much. That doesn’t mean that I am not thankful for many things, but rather that I make Thanksgiving and the holidays more personal, with a private bucket list of things to do and to be grateful for.

For that reason, I tend to hunker down on this day and spend time on this day doing things I love and to heck with obligation and tradition. But that is just me. Perhaps your circumstances are different.

Does this make me antisocial? Perhaps, but read on.

Cook a Moist and Delicious Turkey in 2 Hours or Less

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For most of my adult life, my eating habits have been simple: real food, unadorned, and prepared well. This gets me into a lot of trouble when the eating out or at someone’s home. Usually, I use my fork to chase food around the plate, without really eating much.

Case in point is Thanksgiving. I am happy with a few slices of turkey, steamed green beans, and a baked sweet potato. No gravy, no marshmallows. and definitely no green bean and mushroom soup goop. So yeah, this puts me in an awkward situation but I deal because eating this way causes me no bloat, no indigestion, and no lethargy from carb overload.

That brings me to the topic of this article, namely how to cook a perfectly moist, delicious, and unadorned turkey or turkey breast in 2 hours or less.