I get a real sense that the extreme right and left ends of the political spectrum are starting to crumble. By no means do I think we are close to any normalcy but I do see some hope. Like a cookie whose edges have been exposed to too much heat, and become flavorless and boring, the progressives and the far-rights aren’t worthy of much attention. The moderates are making some headway and it is stemming in large part from my fellow Substack writers over at The Free Press. Read about the impact their reporting is having in the real world.
We will not have accountability from our government if we do not have unbiased reporting, which is why the journalists who moved away from big name publications like The New York Times to write independently on Substack are so important. Once accused my MSM to be fringe, dodgy and only in it for the money, media outlets like The Free Press started by Bari Weiss, Public compiled by Michael Schellenberger and Leighton Woodhouse and Racket News written by award-winning journalist Matt Taibbi are becoming the new, trustworthy mainstream. Be sure to check out these publications.
In his latest piece, Schellenberger describes the “working-class, working-middle-class, and politically moderate professionals who value law and order, meritocracy, cheap energy, and free speech,” as normies. I like to think of us as the warm gooey center- the really good part. Free from the burned edges- where all the delicious, interesting, sought after people can be found.
Warning: if you are prudish about bowel movements and blasts of gas from the backend, you may want to skip this section. Or ask yourself why? Do you only have sex with the lights off and do you think women should have to breastfeed in the moon pods placed in malls and airports by some secretly deviant male bureaucrat?
The fact is, your poop can tell you a lot about the health of your gut and the wind emitted from down below is a testament to what foods you should and should not enjoy. A close look at what comes out tells you everything you need to know about what’s going on inside.
Farts are funny but not on Valentine’s Day. My husband bought me something special in honor of the day of love, in hopes of making some. You can read more about the gift and my take on marriage on my IG post, which seemed to resonate with everyone. But thanks to vegan chocolate caramel chips, we kept our heads far above the covers instead of rolling around under them.
As the room filled with the stench one might expect if a dying muskrat was under their bed, we both began to gag and giggle. As the sounds caught up with the smell, we erupted into laughter like two twelve year old boys putting one another in a dutch oven. “Why are farts so funny?" my husband asked. I’m not sure but I’m grateful that after 25 years of marriage, we still share the same juvenile humor. Maybe that’s why we’re still married after 25 years.
Gas isn’t normal, nor is it something you should ignore or take over-the-counter drugs to suppress. It’s a sign your body doesn’t like what you put in it and it’s causing abnormal bacterial production. When your body talks to you (literally), listen. Gas following a meal means you ate something inflammatory. The usual suspects include: seed oils, legumes, dairy, raw vegetables, artificial sweeteners, wheat and processed foods. Notice that a good deal of items on this list make up the bulk of a vegetarian or vegan diet. For us, vegan baked goods cause Hiroshima type explosions in our guts. Which is how we ruined the Valentine’s Day romance - cookie bars eaten on Super Bowl Sunday made with Lily’s Chocolate Caramel chips! They were low sugar and gluten free but the chips are made with Erythritol, Soy Lecithin and Stevia leaf. A reminder that just because something is marketed as healthy, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.
And speaking of warm gooey centers, it’s important to get over your reservations about talking about your bathroom habits. Recognizing irregular stool can be an early indicator of health issues. You’d rather learn about an issue by looking in the toilet than by a diagnosis during a wellness check. Paul Chek’s book, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy is a great starting place.
While we’re on the subject of shit, we might as well talk about dog do-do too. I recently switched Sydnee to a whole food diet from The Farmer’s Dog and we’re seeing amazing results. She has allergies so we were reluctant to try it but figured we could always switch her back to a Rx food if this didn’t work out. She loves the food (like she broke her food dish devouring it), she has trimmed down and her poop is all the proof we need. Without the added fillers found in dry dog food, is now leaving turds the size of cigarettes instead of cow pies.
I’m very impressed with the customer service and the products from The Farmer’s Dog. They even sent Syd a fancy scarf with her third shipment. It’s a subscription based program which makes it very convenient but the only drawback is the cost. But if you’re like me, who likes my dog more than I like other people’s kids, it’s well worth the investment.
I finished up part one of The Matter With Things last week and moved onto Part Two, which focuses on the metaphysical aspects of our brain hemispheres. Chapter 10 starts with a discussion on truth. What it is, what it is not and how to define it. I was alerted to the overly simplistic definition I have personally been applying to truth and found myself thankful I renamed my podcast. Goodbye Talking Truth, hello Unapologetically Evie.
Truth is something I value beyond much else and therefore want to get it right. In the book, truth is defined by Dr. McGilchrist as something that will stand the test of experience. Jaw drop. Truth isn’t something “out there” for us to discover, but something that will reveal itself, a process not a thing and not revealed in time, but through experience. Reality will eventually either prove something to be true or disprove it altogether.
We are seeing truths surface all around us. The truth of the Covid vaccine side effects, with the NFL being urged to screen for heart issues in their athletes. After all, you can only ignore sudden adult deaths, mass numbers of people missing from the workforce, insurance actuaries and coincidences for so long before there is nothing left to do but let the truth unfold.
The truth of natural immunity is finally surfacing as well, with The Lancet siting a study and suggesting “….those with a documented infection should be treated similarly to those who have been fully vaccinated with a high-quality vaccine.”
I also took time to contemplate how this definition of experience unveiling truth has played out in my own life, and I find it extremely accurate. The lies I tell myself, disguised as truth, eventually reveal themselves as such through experiences.
The takeaway being that truth will unfold through experience. You can only disguise it or cover it up for so long. There is great comfort in that.
Is it just me, or did the Super Bowl feel like a much needed dose of camaraderie? Nobody kneeling in protest of unprecedented privileged oppression. Everyone on the field, beaming with pride and emotion as Chris Stapleton sang an uncorrupted National Anthem. The game was a shoot out and ended with The Chiefs coming out on top - in a fair test of athletic performance. We don’t see this enough in sports anymore.
The half-time show gave the Conservative Right (of which I openly fall just left of) an opportunity to prove themselves out to be the far-reaching half-brains they are often accused of being. Their first mistake was they couldn’t figure out what side of the performance to be on (cuz ya know, even Super Bowl half time shows have deep, subliminal and political messages hidden in them.) Social media accounts lit up on Monday morning with accusations of the white figures “worshipping” at the feet of evil, represented this week as Rihanna dressed in red instead of the less subtle Sam Smith as Satan. But Liveaction.org praised Rihanna for rubbing her pregnant belly saying, “ I’m alive.” So which is it? Was the show evil or a testament to life? I’m just hoping someday soon we can move beyond having to read something into everything.
I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t add that I am a strong supporter of Liveaction.org and their cause. In a world where the reality of abortion has been reduced to a watered down, inhumane battle cry of women’s rights, this organization brings much needed truth to the discussion. A discussion that needs to be had.
If you’re looking for entertainment that will make your spirit soar, and remind you of what is possible, watch True Spirit on Netflix. Excuse the first few minutes which feel like a low budget Hallmark movie and you’ll be glad you stuck it out. It’s the true story of the amazing 16 year old Jessica Watson, the youngest person to sail across the world - solo. As I watched her pull away from the dock, I was already in tears. I don’t really cry, so this is saying a lot. Her story was a reminder to me of just how powerful each of us can be, when we are throwing caution to the wind and following our dreams.
Consider how you spend your time. How much of it is spent behind a screen and how much of it is spent interacting with real people?
About 6 months ago I vowed to spend more time with people face to face. I made a plan to set aside one hour per week to meet someone for coffee. I schedule the dates a few weeks in advance and mix it up between old friends, people I do not know but who ask me for a slice of my time to discuss their business ideas, or bigger life questions and those who I know slightly but would like to get to know better. This practice is greatly enhancing my life.
I’m creating moments. Moments that matter to me and moments that matter to them. Ultimately, moments that will make an impact on the world.
Take time to create moments in real life. Step away from your screen and step into the real world.