From the day that I was born, I never imagined that I would have a deep a love for anything in the world. I'm a bit of a downer at times but my parents have been my saving grace time and time again through the periods of my life that I thought I would not be able to make it through. From the perils of my authority issues in high school to exploring the darkness of my mind in the Army, I have never been so sure in my life that I have ever had a deeper love for anyone in my life besides my parents. Even when I fell into bad habits and a river full of blackened excuses in my teenage years, my parents helped pick up the pieces of my soul to construct it back together so that I could become the man I am today and have experienced some of the best experiences I could have ever asked for. I've been in FFA/4H and garnered massive awards, become a multi-instrumentalist, have had a fascination with paleontology and astronomy enough to garner education credits and even become a 35G through their assistance and I personally feel that I would have not been able to accomplish these feats without their assistance. From a young age, I've always had a deep seated fascination with accomplishing anything I could of importance because I didn't want to become stuck in the mud of life with nowhere to go and nothing to do but my monotonous 9-5 and the same delegated meal structure that the world had intended for a large populous of humanity. Even with my dark thoughts and subjection to a suicidal trepidation, my parents looked past my dark theology on the world and its suitors and found a bright light that could thrive. My dad, technically my step dad but he has been my dad since I was 2 years old, inspired a thriving imaginative yearning for me to follow to get out of the dark threshold of my young mind and to dedicate myself to become exactly the person I wanted to be...outside of the box that had been dedicated to many out of complacency and ill fated designations to the valley of death. My mom inspired me to love the ones that stood by me because even though I might feel as if I was destined to be the one in the rain by himself, a self designated loner, that I could count on the people closest to me to assist me to my dreams of grandeur and self love. They reminded me that even though there will be dark times and that some things in life seem to only present a wall of obscurity and hatred, there is always a way to break through the wall and to become victorious of the mission it just took time to "embrace the suck" in order to find another system that could correlate a better future for myself and my younger siblings. Being the eldest of my siblings is sometimes the most difficult feat I have ever had to accomplish because even though I sometimes feel like I'm the worst ever at this(imagining me having children is a nightmare to me), my parents remind me that I have the capability of being the best role model to them and eventually an even better parent because these kind of theologies require trial and error with a pretty large handful of sometimes absolutely screwing it up. Therefore, I could not be the person that I am today without them and their lessons. I was an idiot teenager that thought that I knew everything but now that I've grown older, and hopefully smarter, I've taken note to their charismatic lessons and realized that they carry much more weight in my life than I could ever properly explain. There's no way I could ever explain how truly thankful I am to have them in my life because they saved me. They saved me from my bad habits, they saved me from being the worst version of myself, and most of all...they saved me from ending myself and giving in to the demons that have encompassed the deepest chasms of my soul. I will never accept defeat and I will never quit and I have my parents to assist me to this goal of living my life to the fullest so that I can escape my deepest fears and truly succeed. Thank you for reading my story I hope that you too have someone to save you like I have had in my life.
About the Creator
Jess Allen Gribnitz
I'm a simple individual with simple needs, a place to love & a place to be. I seem complicated and mysterious, but most do not see, that I truly enjoy love and everything that is free. The simple thing that I love to say is I love to be me.
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Chase and I
What seems like a love story from the start, began with a Facebook story that would change my future. For the past few weeks before Chase came into my life, I was looking for a potential pup to be my emotional support pupper to be my companion because even though I'm in the military, I've never felt like I truly fit in with humanity and I adore animals. Therefore, I was on all of the Facebook groups, shelter pages, petfinder.com, etc. to find the perfect dog to suit my needs. I've always adored the big macho breeds like Rottweilers, Staffordshire Terriers, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Doberman Pinchers, etc. because of their macho look but also their lovely attitudes and their great personalities. In which case, those were the exact breeds that I was looking for and even though I had found a few pups that would have made great companions, I had found that many of them had been adopted or were no longer available in the system. Just about the time that I wasn't sure I would be able to find one of my closest friends, my mom forwarded me this post on Facebook about this lovely pupper that I had instantly fallen in love with when I saw the pictures. Chase was on a euthanasia support page and did not have much time left before he was on track to be put down via their schedule. He had been picked up by animal control because he had fought for his life when a German Shepherd had attacked him, and Chase was defending his property. Yet, I didn't see a vicious killer in his eyes, I saw a soul that just wanted to be treated with respect and loved just like any of us would want the same. Therefore, I saw the information for the shelter and immediately called to reserve a reservation to meet my future fluffer boy. My family and I then traveled to Tyler, Texas where Chase was held and when he was brought out for us to meet him, I immediately knew that I was meant to bring him home. He was an immediate lovely soul to me, my youngest brother, aged 5, and my niece, aged 18 months, and just wanted all of the love of the world. I finished his paperwork and listened to the droning arrogance of the animal control officer that picked him up of just how "aggressive" he was and even as annoying as she was, I didn't care because I knew I just found my best friend in dog form. (Note: she received one of the biggest eye rolls that I have done in the history of my life. Luckily for me, that old wife's tale of how your eyes will get stuck at the back of your head wasn't true because my eyeballs definitely were staring at the back of my skull.) We climbed in the van and headed back home and the entire time, Chase watched cartoons with my youngest brother and I and I knew it was a match made in heaven. Chase now resides in my home and is the most spoiled pupper that can be with his wet food cans and toys galore. We spend time snuggling together and being absolute smushes just because we can (plus I found out that he is an amazing friend to read with/listen to some great tunes with hint: he loves chill hop) and I can't imagine a better dog friend to be my emotional support pup then Chase. I should be able to bring him with me everywhere I go, and I believe that we will both adore just being in each other's company. I absolutely adore him and look forward to our years together endearing the world with our presence one paw/one foot at a time.
By Jess Allen Gribnitz2 years ago in Petlife
8 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRINKS to enjoy for health & wellness
I did a video on anti inflammatory foods that I eat every week and with over two and a half million views now, I'd say it's been quite popular. So today I thought I would follow that video up with one on anti inflammatory drinks that I enjoy drinking and I think you will too. These drinks deliver a variety of nutrients, antioxidants and free radical fighting compounds to keep inflammation at bay and give our immune systems a little boost. And I think that we could all use that, especially this year. I've got a vibrant assortment of drinks today, but you'll certainly notice several orange colored drinks and that's because turmeric is the star ingredient in several of them from warm teas to cooling smoothies. Now before someone mentions that I forgot golden milk in today's video, I've purposefully left it off because I've already done a separate video on it and I thought I would give you some new fresh recipes today but it is absolutely a classic anti inflammatory drink. One last thing and that's a quick reminder that you can find the printable versions of all of these recipes and more over on my website. So without further ado, let's get started. The first drink we're gonna make is this deep and dark elderberry tea. You've likely heard of elderberry before because it's the immune boosting fruit that's used in many over the counter cold and flu treatments like lozenges and syrups. But today we'll avoid any added sugars, colorings and other ingredients with a simple three ingredient tea and get those health benefits directly from the source. So add two cups of water to a pot along with two tablespoons of dried elderberries. And you'll notice the berries instantly start releasing their inky color. Then add one cinnamon stick which not only infuses a lovely flavor but is also anti inflammatory. Bring the pot to a boil then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Once the tea has finished simmering, turn off the heat and let it rest for five minutes then strain it. I usually strain it into a larger measuring cup first because I'm prone to spilling then I'll pour it into a cup. This quick and easy tea is warming on a cold day but if it's hot where you live, just chill this tea once you've made it and pour it over ice for a refreshing iced tea option. Next on our list is a drink I learned how to make when I spent two months in Indonesia and that's jamu. Unfortunately, I was accidentally glutened in Bali and had a horrible autoimmune flare and this traditional jamu drink was definitely my savior. While there are variations to jamu, the key ingredient is usually turmeric and for this I do recommend purchasing fresh turmeric root if you can get it. Turmeric root is similar in size and shape to ginger root but if you break it open, it's a vibrant orange color whereas ginger is a light yellow color. And both of these together make for one powerhouse anti inflammatory drink. To make it you'll need approximately one cup of roughly chopped turmeric and one finger sized piece of ginger. Because we're going to strain this at the end you can actually skip the step of peeling if you prefer not to stain your fingers, just give your turmeric and ginger a good scrub. I fluctuate and sometimes I peel it and sometimes I don't. Slice it into pieces about a quarter inch thick or so and measure that out and then add it to your blender. To that sprinkle a little black pepper as black pepper can help to increase the absorption of curcumin from the turmeric. Pour in four cups of coconut water which has antioxidants and electrolytes and then blend it up on high speed for about a minute or until it's fairly smooth. Pour that into a pot and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. After it's done simmering, turn off the heat and add the juice from one lemon and two tablespoons of honey and give it a stir. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a nut milk bag, but just be aware that it will be definitely stain your nut milk bag along with your clothes, countertop and anything else that comes into contact with so do be careful. Again I strain it into a much larger measuring bowl with a pour spout for less spills and then pour that into a glass jar that I keep in the fridge. You can enjoy jamu, chilled or warm and it will last for about a week in the fridge, just give it a good shake before serving. And I'll usually enjoy about a half a cup at a time. For the next drink, it's sort of a combination of the first two because it's a turmeric tea and it's really easy to make. Just add two cups of water to a pot and this time we'll use ground turmeric rather than fresh turmeric just to provide some options. So add a half a teaspoon of ground turmeric along with a quarter teaspoon of black pepper and two tablespoons of lemon juice, which is about the amount you'll get from one lemon. Bring that to a boil and once it's boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Once the tea has finished simmering, turn off the heat, add a little honey if you'd like, give it a stir and let the tea cool for a minute or two. Pour the tea into a mug through a strainer to remove the black pepper and again try not to spill because of the turmeric. If you do have any spills just make sure to wipe them up right away. For a little extra lemon flair, I always like to add a few fresh lemon slices. And I will say that this tea while delicious was still piping hot so I took a very little sip. You guys have been asking for this next recipe for the last year and that's ginger shots. Store bought ginger shots are crazy expensive and this tastes exactly like core brand wellness shots. So now you can make them at home. For this recipe you'll need a quarter cup of roughly chopped ginger root and again you can peel or not peel the ginger. You'll also need a third cup of lemon juice which is about three to four lemons depending on their size. Add the ginger and lemon juice to a high powered blender along with a quarter cup of coconut water and a pinch or a little sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Then add the lid, blend for about a minute or so on high or until the mixture is smooth. Once it's blended, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. You also wanna press on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Pour the strain liquid into a shot glass and drink all at once. And yes, these are just as intensely flavored and spicy as the store bought ones. Next on our list is a cool and refreshing pineapple turmeric smoothie, that's perfect for when the weather is hot outside. For this recipe I'll grate about a tablespoon of fresh turmeric and one teaspoon of fresh ginger. And for this drink because we're not straining it at the end you do wanna peal both the turmeric and ginger. In your high powered blender add one cup of dairy free milk, two cups of frozen pineapple chunks which are loaded with enzymes and antioxidants, one banana that's high in potassium and will help to make this smoothie creamy and the grated turmeric and ginger. Then blend that until it's nice and smooth. If you want a mild turmeric drink with a sweet tropical flair that will have you feeling good from the inside out this is the drink for you. For an anti inflammatory smoothie that doesn't include turmeric, but it's still loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, I've got this luscious blueberry smoothie. Add two cups of coconut water to your blender along with two cups of frozen blueberries, one frozen banana, half a cup of yogurt or kefir for beneficial probiotics and you can use dairy free as well. And one tablespoon of flax seeds which are high in healthy omega three fats and will help to thicken the smoothie. Then add the lid, blend that together for about 30 seconds or so or until it's beautifully creamy and beautifully purple. Pour the smoothie into a glass, pop in a straw if you'd like and sip on this deliciously sweet and power-packed drink. You know I love green smoothies and I have several recipes on my website but today I wanted to show you how to make green juice and this is a copycat of one that I used to buy at Pressed Juicery. To make this you'll need two tablespoons of lime juice which will usually get from one juice lime, one cucumber that sliced and we'll add some natural liquid to our green juice, three stalks of celery that you've roughly chopped, and one apple that you've cored and sliced into pieces and you can use any variety of apple that you'd like. Pour the lime juice into a blender along with the cucumber, apple, a small chunk of fresh ginger, celery, three kale leaves and you can just tear the leaves from the stems and one cup of spinach. Your blender will be pretty full at this point and because we're not adding any water to this recipe, you'll need to use your tamper to push the ingredients into the blades. And to make things easier on your blender make sure to add the ingredients that contain more water like the cucumber and apple to the blender first. But after a minute or so this should blend on its own just like any other green smoothie. Of course you can drink it thick and full of fiber but I know some people have a hard time digesting fiber so to turn this into a green juice, pour it into a nut milk bag and bring it out over a bowl, then pour it into a glass. This is one nutrient packed green juice with a hint of natural sweetness from the apple. And if you've ever wondered how to make green juice without a juicer, well this is how you do it. The last anti inflammatory drink on our list today is this apple carrot beet smoothie. And you can tell it's brimming with antioxidants from its vibrant red color. I always say this smoothie is the equivalent of drinking your veggies and it starts with three carrots that you've peeled, trimmed and cut into two inch chunks. You'll also add one medium beet, and to peel or not peel the carrot and beet is up to you. I tend to do just a rough peel on both of these and then slice the beet into large chunks. For natural sweetness core slice one apple, whichever variety you'd like and then juice one large orange. Add the orange juice to your high powered blender along with one cup of water, the sliced apple, carrots, beet and a small chunk of fresh ginger. Add the lid, blend it on high for about a minute or until the veggies are broken down and smooth. There's so many vitamins and nutrients loaded in this smoothie and it's nice and thick. But now that you know how to make juice from a smoothie, you could always strain this one as well if you'd like. We all have different tastes and texture preferences and I am all about giving you options. I hope you guys enjoyed all of those drink recipes and as a reminder, moderation and variety are key. So have fun switching up all of the different healthy foods and drinks that you enjoy weekly. If you like this video, let me know by giving it a thumbs up and feel free to share in the comments below your favorite anti inflammatory drinks.
By umar farooq5 days ago in Families
Peaceful Purpose
I have noticed that in the professional sphere, as far as I have noticed, that many people choose to come to work, mainly with the intention of collecting a paycheck, which I completely understand, unfortunately, we all need money to survive in this world. I also feel very strongly about the fact that if you are going to work in a profession, you should certainly treat that profession, whatever it may be, with the dignity that its purpose entails, whether you are working in the medical field, or working at a fast food restaurant, you should do you best to do the best job you can, because when it comes right down to it, we are all humans, going through the trials, and challenges that this life can bring us, by working together.
By Kaylon Forsyth6 days ago in Humans
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