School, Glorious School!

• In May 2017 I graduated from Cuyahoga Community College! Now I'm attending Ohio University through their online program and it is interesting and difficult but at the same time quite gratifying.

• I haven't been making kombucha because ... thanks, depression and anxiety.

• Why am I taking some of these classes that I am taking? Sound Design? What?

• I decided to take the month of March (2018) off from Facebook. I am unhappy with the level of data collection and the Russian trolling - I was relieved to learn I hadn't friended or linked to any fake sites or pages.

• The novel I started writing and lost after I had four completed chapters I've started re-working on the full outline.

Kombucha Tea: 3 Joys to Fermenting at Home

  I love kombucha. Let me just start with that. And when I discovered this delicious beverage, I determined to make it a staple of my diet. But that can be expensive. A 12 oz. bottle of it generally starts at $3.50 and that’s too rich for my blood. I live with disabilities that make it difficult for me to work, so I took a look online and discovered three reasons to ferment at home: Consistent quality, economics, and your own favorite flavor profiles make fermenting at home your best (and least expensive) option to good kombucha for daily consumption.

     The best resource for home brewing I’ve found so far is Kombucha Kamp. The self-proclaimed “Kombucha Mamma” and her partner have been working with kombucha for over a decade and have a lot of good information alongside their shop. It’s a large site, with youtube video links, a blog, and a moderated forum for people at all levels of knowledge to learn from one another’s wisdom. She writes about the ease of brewing at home, and the desirability, here.

                                                                                          kombucha with fruit

     The next best resource I’ve found is Kombucha Home. This article breaks down exactly how much a person needs to do kombucha at home, with relevant links and great infographics. It discusses the different outlays a person does if they buy kombucha every day versus regular costs of home brewing, but then the author does their article one better by explaining how a person can brew on the cheap.

  The message is clear: Do It Yourself! With a little investment, you too can be brewing delicious, inexpensive, and high-quality kombucha at home.

I live in Cleveland with my fiancée, our two dogs and one cat. I started fermenting in earnest when I decided to make my own pickles and branched out into vegan kimchi and gallons of kombucha. In 2016 I started taking social media marketing classes through Coursera, along with going back to Cuyahoga Community College to complete my A.A. with a focus in Journalism. You can reach me via Twitter and Instagram @mollyblack

Things I'm considering writing about in the future:

1. Kombucha hotels: how to keep them viable and thriving
2. How to make a good tea blend: where to buy good tea and different flavor profiles
3. What to use for second bottling ferments: different bottles to use and how to burp them
4. Ideas for alcoholic mixed drinks using kombucha: bourbon and rum ideas for mixed drinks
5. How to create your own signature vegan kombucha kimchi shot: hint - the umami isn’t fish, but still comes from the sea).

THE BALLAD OF RUSSEL & JULIE LYRICS

If you’ve never heard the song, or seen the video, YouTube search for the title... 

[John Barrowman] Julie and Russell sat one night, Russell sparked up a Marlboro Light. Julie’s eyes were all ablaze, As Russell tried to shun her gaze. He knew the look, he knew the score: It seemed more manic than before. Russell cringed in fear and dread As Julie pulled him near and said: 

[Catherine Tate] Let’s do it, let’s do it, I’ve had a really good idea. We’ll re-vamp, make more camp A sci-fi show from yesteryear. I’ve had banter with Tranter, Your written word will be hailed in the ming mong mantra. Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight.

[John] But he said:

[David Tennant] I can’t do it, I cant do it, You’re asking far too much of me. I’m harasssed, embarrassed, I’ve watched the show since I was three. Don’t choose me, don’t use me, My mother sent a note to say you must excuse me. I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] So she said:

[Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it, Make a brand new Doctor Who. We’ve got Chris in, all’s missing Is a sidekick and an all-Welsh crew. It’s not silly to ask Billie, We’ll film in every quarry from here to Caerphilly. Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight.

[John] Ooh, then he said:

[David] I can’t do it, I can’t do it, The pressure of the BBC. I must e-mail some young male To alleviate the stress on me. I can’t block out, please lock out Images of Johnny B getting his cock out. I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] She replied:

[Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it, Phil okayed my offer to produce. We’ll get Trac to take flack When he lets his raging temper loose. My decision; use your vision, We’ll make the show the best thing on the television. Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight.

[John] And he squawked:

[David] I can’t do it, I can’t do it. Chris is giving up his role. No Time Lord? Oh good Lord, How we’re gonna fill this hole? It’s too complex, we’re all wrecks, My brain is overflowing with a bloody Dalek! I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] She excitedly said:

[Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it, We’ll get another Time Lord in. Don’t sweat it, you can’t let it Make you sad and maudlin. It’s not over, and moreover, We’ll get the lovely fellow in from Casanova. Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight.

[John] And he yelled:

[David] I can’t do it, I can’t do it. I really think that I can’t cope. More rewrites, no respite, I think I’ve given up all hope. It’ll get canned, it’ll be panned, Lou says there’s no costumes in the whole of England. I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] Then she proclaimed: [Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it. Martha Jones is Freema Agyeman. We’ll bring back Captain Jack To fight against the Cybermen. We’ll cast a great Master, He can plunge the planet into global disaster. Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight.

[John] And he screamed:

[David] I can’t do it! I can’t do it! You’ve cast Australia’s pop princess. It’s madness: my sadness Will make this episode a mess. My panic is manic, The uproar when I kill her off on the Titanic! I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] And she expelled:

[Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it. The Doctor needs a brand new mate. Don’t linger, go ginger: I’m gonna bring back Catherine Tate. I wanna, you’re gonna, Reunite the Doctor with the fabulous Donna! Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight!

[John] He punctuated: 

[David] I can’t do it, I can’t do it. I’ve got obsessed with E4’s Skins. Writer’s block; please don’t mock, It takes my mind off other things. It’s so lame, I must blame dirty thoughts I’m having about midshipman frame. I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] Excitedly she said:

[Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it, To film abroad will get my vote. I promise, Ed Thomas can bring Ancient Rome to Upper Boat. It’s D-Day in Pompeii, The forums will be buzzing on Outpost Gallifrey! Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight.

[John] And he roared:

[David] I can’t do it, I can’t do it, The studio in Rome’s ablaze. On fire, it’s dire! How the hell are you not phased? It’s mental, be gentle, They say the cause of fire was a Berkeley menthol. I can’t do it, I can’t do it, tonight.

[John] So she roared:

[Catherine] Let’s do it, let’s do it, We’ve got kids back behind settees. Our mission, ambition, Was a show for all the families. We should try as our goodbye, A hassle-free excursion to sunny Dubai. Let’s do it, let’s do it, tonight!

[John] But he shouted:

[David] Oh, let’s do it! Let’s do it! I feel like I’ve been set free! I won’t sweat it, now Moffat Is taking up the reins from me. I can’t wait, it’s just great! I’ve got a cracking way for Dave to regenerate. Let’s do it! Let’s do it, tonight!

[John] Guess what?

[John, Catherine & David] They did it! They did it! They opened up the TARDIS door. They’re terrific! Prolific! Made it better than it was before! A thank you from your crew, We crown you both the King and Queen of Doctor Who. You did it! You did it, Tonight!

Photo Book

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This is the "old" me. Scrawny, perhaps; fitiing into my 22" custom made corset, definitely.

How does this make me feel? This is so painful and so very sad that I just can't explain what it's like to lose everything due to steroids. My health has suffered in as much that hydrocortisone is keeping me ailve due to the Addison's Disease. But I'm totally bummed. I found this because I'm having Will design my coverup since my ex-husband has utterly cut me out of his life to the extent that I was in a hospital and nursing home for nearly a total of a month and he never once wrote, texted, called, nothing ... even on my birthday (spent in the nursing home). I'm bitter and so absolutely devestated. Oh well, right?

Sore and ... (I love PJ Harvey)

I just posted a widget from Amazon just in case anybody who ever comes across this feels like making a disabled woman who went from near death at 110 pounds (I'm 5'8" - I have not weighed that little since high school) to not fitting in my clothes that I've had for over fifteen years.

So my wish lists are the thing that make me have hope that gifts shower down on me in a way that gets me to making more prints.

Heck, I'll trade gifts for photos of mine printed professionally in exchange. Now that should give me incentive to shoot more nature and nudes. Right?

I think I know who I want to vote for

Here are just a couple links to things that might help detonate the idea that Obama is less experienced than Hillary or Edwards:

Via my friend "fightingwords" on LJ here are two great takes on why this is bull:

What Makes Obama Run?

Lawyer, teacher, philanthropist, and author Barack Obama doesn't need another career. But he's entering politics to get back to his true passion--community organization.

By Hank De Zutter
December 8, 1995

which I read ages ago and have meant to transfer to here this whole time from her post on January 8, 2008 at 4:32 p.m. - Note the date of the article. 1995.

I have more that I think about all of this that I will save for my site, AF, but I thought I should check in here and let the world know that for every person who thinks Hillary Clinton has more experience, they should maybe read a little more.

Of course I could have it all wrong. But I know where my votes intend to end up.