The Skinny On Happiness ( Or How Breitbart Slimmed Me Down and Shaped Me Up)

Resolution last year:  January 2012, after a year of watching friends get laid off and local stores with "Going Out of Business" multiply   I made a resolution to pay attention to just what the hell was happening in America. I started watching  the FoodNetwork and Bravo less and reading and watching all the news channels.

January 2nd 2013

I wish I remember the day I discovered Andrew Breitbart, but I probably noticed him on Twitter - and loved that he was outrageous and so NOT boring. I was so intrigued by Breitbart, I decided to kick off my resolution by starting with his book: Righteous Indignation - which explained (very entertainingly) how he went from elite Liberal to Conservative Warrior.
Of course, in my resolution, was also a goal to lose weight and get back in shape. In December of 2011 I realized that while I'd been fantastically in love for almost 7 years (or something like that, I'm horrible with dates) - I'd gotten too comfortable in my skin and after the holidays (of course!) I was going to shed the love pounds (but keep the guy!).
So in January 2012, I started both my resolution of losing weight and paying attention to WHAT THE FUCK was causing the decline of jobs and businesses.

Breitbart's book was fabulous. I specifically remember telling John all about him on a trip to Wegmans one cold day in January.
The next few months I would blab about "Breitbart this, Breitbart that." I know John usually tunes me out, but he must have been paying attention occasionally  because on March 1st he came into my office and said, "Did you hear? That guy you like died."

"Who?"
"That Breitbart guy."
"What?" I thought for SURE he must have the name wrong or I misheard.
"That guy you always talk about - the crazy guy? With the white hair?"
I checked online and sure enough (I'm getting goosebumps as I write this) it was all over my Twitter timeline. I couldn't believe it. I cried. I bawled. I'm not a crier.
And being a former medic, I KNOW that life is fucking short, I would say 70% of the time I lived my life balls out, but Andrew's death made me step into the political arena. For 3 months I'd been re-familiarizing myself with the Constitution, I'd been trying to understand how we got from 1776 to 2012. Breitbart's death made me realize I needed to dive in.
Ok - so, what does this have to do with losing 40 pounds?
Because I realized that the key to life is freedom.

It seems to simple, and who wouldn't agree with that? However, once you've experienced real dependence, you realize how dangerous it is to your confidence, your spirit.  I knew this, because I'd been in an abusive relationship that started off great - but by the end, I'd lost all my independence and actually had to plan my escape - which took 6 months (another story there.)
But I'd NEVER made the connection of power and dependence to government.
Breitbart gave me that "AH-FUCKING-HA" moment and
I wanted to wake people up who were like I used to be prior to my wakeup call - just happily floating along in life - the only drama I knew of came from the Real Housewives.

March 1st, 2012 was my turning point in life - it's where I went from crawling to sprinting. Though I've pretty much always been myself, Breitbart gave me that little extra courage to embrace my craziness.
 "Apologize for what?"

I didn't lose my weight by exercising (though previously I've tried that: I've had gym memberships to just about every local place - and workout videos and even the Total Gym which I finally sold!) or by cutting out carbs or sugar or gluten (tried all that too at one point or another - watch Fathead the movie - it is an eye opener!) - I simply ate smaller meals and walked dog Jack almost every day in the summer. I did actually cut down a bit on alcohol (nothing too crazy! Still drank once or twice a week!).
Looking back, 2012 was a year full of sadness; we said goodbye to our police K9 Thor - who was such a fucking warrior! Breitbart died. The country re-elected a president who, with the help of media, has the majority of America believing that dependence on Government is the New American Dream.

January 2nd, 2013

2012 was also the year I realized it's true when they say: Do What You Love and success will follow. The more passionate I became about waking up people- the more I met fabulous people who inspired and encourage me...C.L. Bryant for one (of many!) and wonderful opportunities came my way. And we introduced a new police K9 into our family. And I bought a gun.
Breitbart was the match that put me on my path to empowerment - and his untimely death set me on fire.
In 2013 - my goal is to wake up more people and empower them to realize the difference between dependence and Independence - (dependence gives your power and confidence away and Independence gives you power and confidence)
To have bigger balls than boobs this year...heh heh...
and finally, my goal is to NOT BE BORING.
I didn't lose weight by starving myself - just the opposite - I feasted on passion, on freedom, on living with a purpose.
The only thing you should ever take off your plate is Big Brother Govt and media trying to make you swallow  crap disguised as "something that's good for you."
Thanks to Breitbart - I've got the skinny on happiness; and I'm not afraid to fly my #fearless freedom flag.