Living the Bohemian Life...Random Tidbits From the Past Few Days

I feel like I am such a downer... even though I am grateful for what I have and I still have hope that the future will be better, right now... I just feel... down.  My unemployment is being held up again.  Why?  I don't know.  I don't know what else I need to do to convince them that I have nothing.  But, oh well.  If I can't get unemployment, I will just have to make money somehow myself, and more than the $30-$40 a month I make with my online writing right now.  But how?
I don't know.  But here's what I would like to see happen:

*More royalties from eHow.com (My average right now is $10-$30 a month...)
*Write more articles for List my Five and have them bring in at least $100 a month (this is possible, right?)
*Make more money off of my blog. (Right now, I haven't even reached the payout with my blog advertising... and the payout is only $10!  After almost 2 years, I have made $7.09 off of my blog... wow...)
*Write more articles for Hubpages, Squidoo, Bukisa, and The Examiner and somehow drive lots of traffic through so I can make some real money off of them.  (I've made $0.75 on Squidoo, plus some money for charity, a couple bucks on Bukisa, and a big $0 on Hubpages and The Examiner.)
*A part time job!  (I AM willing to work out in the "real world" too.)
*Get paid to sing, teach, act, write, perform, inform, help, craft, create, or even babysit!  I feel like I have a lot of talents that people could make use of.
*Become rich and famous and never have to worry about money again (This is probably the least likely thing on this list, but I don't want to count it out...)

We'll see how it goes...
But I have to rant a little before I continue.  What is the deal with unemployment!!??!?!?  I understand that there are people who cheat the system, but I am not one of those people.  So why is it so hard for me to get them to help me?  I just don't understand.  Am I an idiot?  Do I not know how to do something I'm supposed to be doing, and if so, couldn't they just TELL me, so that I could get some money to actually eat a decent meal?  (The most food I've eaten in two weeks was at my sister's rehearsal dinner and wedding!)  And what about a "bridge card" (food stamps)?  Why am I not getting that?  When I know people better off than me that have it?  People who don't need it!  People who have jobs, people who have people to pay for stuff for them, or students who have no cares in the world.  Why do they have this help and I don't?  I just don't understand...

Alright.  End Rant.  It won't help anything to be upset.

So let's look at the positives:

My sister got married this past weekend.  Both the ceremony and the reception were amazing and my sister looked SO beautiful! She and her man B. got married at the Bridge Street Wedding Chapel in Grand Ledge, MI and then had a great reception at Walnut Hills Country Club in East Lansing, MI.  It was magical.  Walnut Hills even made sure that I had all gluten-free food.

Speaking of gluten-free food... the restaurant that we had the rehearsal dinner at in Grand Ledge, Cugino's, did NOT have a gluten-free menu.  HOWEVER... a nice gentleman at the establishment (Chef, perhaps owner?) helped me out over the phone and in the restaurant, checking labels with me and everything, to make sure that I had a gluten-free experience.  I can't tell you how grateful I was for that.  So, if you are ever in Grand Ledge and are feeling hungry, please visit Cugino's.  The amount of attention, respect, and compassion that they showed me makes them very deserving of some extra business. (My food was really yummy too.  When I couldn't use the margarine spread or sour cream on my baked potato, we even got inventive with some cheddar cheese and real butter, and it was delish!)  So yeah.. go there.  Eat.  And enjoy!

Other positive things...

Let's make a list:
1. Over 100 fans on Facebook for PonchoMeg: The Modern Bohemian.  I will be having a contest soon to celebrate!
2. New friends!  I have made some new friends around the web and have a lot of new followers on Twitter.  Yay!
3. A donation to my blog was made by msfullroller, a blog follower of mine and a super nice person, who told me not spend the money on blog costs or charitable donations as I normally would but instead she said "Please use this for yourself."  Amazing.  To her I say: Thank you, thank you, thank you!!  Your level of compassion for those who are struggling is inspiring.
4. Fun/Interesting/Important stuff I have found online recently and/or long ago and want to share with you:

Rusty Zipper - Vintage hippie clothes abound.  I love it. Too bad I can't afford it! haha

New friend Hunter Pecunia's website: Hunter Pecunia

To Where Now - Just check it out.  This is another new friend's page.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Just in case you know someone who is struggling and contemplating suicide.  (Note:  I am not one of these people.  I may be struggling, but I'm not really into "death," so... I don't think about suicide as a way out.  I thought that was important to note.)

Minecraft - Amazingly addictive simple game of building stuff with blocks.  I am obsessed! haha  I've built a giant castle, a "hippie den," an underground tunnel system under a theatre, and some sweet walkways and gardens.  I love it.  You can play for free or buy it.  I play for free right now.  So fun!!

Erica.biz - She seems very helpful and nice.  She has some good (free) online advice.

This is not fun, but important.  I found real people's stories of hard times on this Oprah forum.  They made me cry.  Some of them hit home pretty hard too.  Check them out here: Oprah.com Community Forum

And... that's about all for now I think.

Peace and Love,
Meagan

PonchoMeg: The Modern Bohemian's Great Glorious Gluten-Free Day!

Every day is filled with gluten-free food for me, but some days, I get super excited... because some days I discover new, delicious, gluten-free food and I don't feel so restricted anymore!  It's the feeling of freedom.  Of pure joy!

Okay... I know I sound a little overly dramatic, but you have to understand... I ate food with gluten in it for 25 years!  And food, just like music, clothing, art, movies, etc., brings with it special memories, feelings, and traditions for me.

For example, Fall weather is perfect for cider and donuts.  Except traditional donuts are like Gluten Monsters; filled with gluten and ready to sicken. ( But oh so tasty. ) I can't eat those!  And gluten-free donuts?  Just not quite the same... at least, I haven't found any as tasty as the Gluten Monsters out at the Cider Mill.  I haven't found any that even come close!  So disappointment sets in.  Cider and donuts is a part of family tradition.  So I'm left out a little, and it makes me sad.

But yesterday, that DIDN'T happen.  And we were kind of afraid it would.  I'll explain.

Will and his family took me with them to Frankenmuth yesterday and we went to the Bavarian Inn for an early dinner.  Now, at Bavarian Inn, you can get an amazing family style meal to share, but of course, it is filled with gluten.  You must imagine my joy then at discovering that the Bavarian Inn has a fairly extensive gluten-free menu that includes salads, beer, wine, at least 5 entrees including chicken, fish, and steak, and even dessert! I was thrilled!  I was able to celebrate a special event (Will's uncle's birthday) with people I care about and not feel left out (or hungry!).  I also got to enjoy the awesome atmosphere of the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, Michigan, one of my FAVORITE places to go in the Fall.  But it gets even better.

Later that night when Will and I were back home, I tried Ian's Wheat Free, Gluten Free Cookie Buttons (Chocolate Chip).  Will's mom bought them for me, but I was hesitant to try them because I have had a LOT of bad, packaged, gluten-free cookies.  But I tried them.  And WOW they are amazing!  I mean... they are really yummy AND gluten-free AND they are really not that bad for you!  Really!  One bag is less than 150 calories (and for people on Weight Watchers, I saw somewhere online that it was only 2 points.  But don't quote me on that, I only saw it at one source.  You may want to research it yourself.)

How exciting is that?  Two gluten-free moments of pure happiness and satisfaction!  What a great, glorious, gluten-free day.

While we are on the gluten free subject, here are a few gluten-free lists I've published on List My 5:

The Top Five Gluten Free Recipes for Thanksgiving

The Top Five Foods for a Gluten Free Thanksgiving

The Top Five Gluten Free Candies for Halloween or Anytime

The Top Five Somewhat Healthy But Yummy Gluten Free Snack Foods

If you had a great, glorious, gluten-free day where you discovered and enjoyed something new, please share it!  Leave a comment. :)

Peace and Love,
Meagan