Oh Nuts

  A Very Short History of the Israel–Palestine Conflict  by   Ilan Pappé Book 71 of 100 Rated: 4 stars Dates Read: June 1-3, 2025 "We Should be careful to differentiate Christian Zionism from Jewish Zionism." - Ilan Pappe For being such a short book, there is a lot of information packed into it. Two words that stood out to me while reading are "Ethnic Cleansing." They are words that are repeated thought the book because it is part of what happened between Israel and Palestine. Especially since history likes to repeat itself.

  An Indigenous' Peoples History Of The United States   by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz Book 13 of 52 Rated: 4 stars Dates Read: January 25th thru 30, 2025 "They did not settle a virgin land. They invaded and displaced a resident population. This is so simple a fact that it seems self-evident." - Francis Jennings, historian It's been a few years since I last opened a history book for school, from what I remember of them, I feel like they don't tell the full story of how the "Europeans created the 'Doctrine of Discovery' to justify their takeover of any territory they "discovered" regardless of whose home it was. From an Indigenous perspective, European claims to Indigenous lands were not legitimate."  After reading through this book and learning more information, the history that I remember learning now feels a bit sanitized and white washed in the way that it is presented.  Part of what I learned in this books was the fact that the word, ...

In no particular order, here are the books that I finished for the month of December and the year. Rated: 4 stars Dates Read: December 1-13 2024 While it took me a while to start reading and get into the book, I had heard about the series and the author in November of last year on Tiktok. Once I started reading and got into the book, I did enjoy it and found the characters to be very lovable, though sometimes annoying. When it comes to reading fantasy books, it is kind of a hit and miss for me as far whether or not I will enjoy the book or not. But this is one of the books that I did enjoy and I liked the cozy aspect of it as well. Rated: 4.75 Dates Read: December 6-11 2024 "When a plague isn't all that kills..." While it has been a while since I read a book that is considered teen fiction, I did enjoy reading "The Scourge." It was entertaining and I enjoyed seeing the friendship of Weevil and Ani change and grow. What happens in the book with the scourge can al...

  Rated: 5 Stars I had heard of code talkers before but didn't really know much about them until I read this book. It was very insightful and informative but what was happening on the Pacific front during World War 2. While reading I also enjoyed learning more about the Navajo Nation since I didn't know much beforehand. Rated: 1 Star While I appreciate the setting and struggles that the characters are going through for the time period, it felt a little flat and slow for me. I also felt bored while reading it. Rated: 5 stars It was eye opening to learn more about what it is like to live in North Korea. Especially since it is different that what we learn in school and through social media and the news. Rated: 5 Stars Having not read anything by Kristin Hannah before, this was a good starting point for me. While I don't really get emotional while reading, I can understand why people are saying to have a box on tissues on hand because it is an emotional rollercoaster. The endin...

  The other day at my job, a coworker taped a note to the office door with " 3 boxes of pink lemonade, had wrong attachment to the hose" written on it. I don't know if anyone figured out what it was supposed to mean, but I thought it sounded like a funny short story prompt. Since I sporadically poke around at the AI stuff, I decided to put it through ChatGPT to write a story and what I was given is below. Photo by Jarritos Mexican Soda on Unsplash Once upon a summer afternoon in a small town, a cheerful lemonade stand was set up by Lily and her little brother Sam. They had three large boxes of pink lemonade ready to quench the thirst of their neighborhood. The stand was brightly decorated, and the lemonade was chilled and ready for customers. However, an unexpected hiccup occurred: the hose meant to dispense the lemonade had been accidentally attached to the wrong boxes. Instead of connecting to the lemonade boxes, it was attached to a couple of old water tanks that had ...

I don't remember what website I originally found this recipe on, but I wanted to share it here. So far, I have only made this recipe once, but it is very easy to make. The cookies are amazing, and I haven't made more yet.  Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash Italian Christmas Cookies YIELDS: 30 | PREP TIME: 10 mins | TOTAL TIME: 45 mins FOR THE COOKIES 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened 1 c. granulated sugar 8 oz. ricotta 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional) 1 egg FOR THE ICING 1 c. powdered sugar 2 tbsp. whole milk 1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional) Sprinkles Directions Step 1: Adjust an oven rack to center position and preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, c...

  Here are 5 lessons from the book Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That's Beautiful Again by Lysa TerKeurst: 1. Forgiveness is a journey , not a destination. It takes time to heal from painful memories and to let go of resentment. Don't be discouraged if you don't feel forgiven right away. Just keep moving forward and trust that God is working in your heart. 2. Forgiveness is not about excusing the other person's behavior . It's about releasing yourself from the burden of anger and bitterness. When you forgive, you're not saying that what happened was okay. You're simply saying that you're not going to let it control you anymore. 3 . You don't have to forget in order to forgive. In fact, it's often helpful to remember what happened so that you can learn from it and grow. But you don't have to dwell on the past or let it define you. 4. Forgiveness is a gift yo...

  Too often, we get caught up in this need for perfection. It comes to a point where everything has to be in specific spots or look a certain way. With every I dotted, and T crossed, with every strand of hair in place. If that doesn't happen, then it is considered disorganized and messy. But what we forget is that there is no such thing as perfect.  Because of our need for everything to be perfectly ordered, we forget that it is okay to have things get messy. When we have everything in perfect order, it can often feel like a sterile environment where nothing wants to grow. Leaving the occasional mess by the kitchen sink or toys thrown across a bedroom floor is a sign of life.  Oftentimes, I think constant perfection is also a need for control. Because if we can control the environment around us, we can live the way we want. But what we need to do is r elease the need for control. Life has its own set of twists and turns, and not everything can be controlled. We need to em...

  Have you ever been told not to read a certain book because it might influence your thinking? Or have you been discouraged from reading a particular author because of their controversial ideas? If so, then you may have encountered a common fear that many people have: the fear of thinking. Photo by Laura Kapfer on Unsplash In reality, books should be celebrated for their ability to challenge our beliefs and broaden our perspectives. As the famous quote goes, "If you're afraid that books might change someone's thinking, you're not afraid of books. You're afraid of thinking." The truth is that reading books that challenge our existing beliefs is crucial for personal growth and intellectual development. Exposing ourselves to different ideas and perspectives makes us more open-minded and capable of critical thinking. We learn to question our assumptions and opinions and become more empathetic towards others who may hold different views. Of course, it can be uncom...

  Growing up, we are often taught the importance of respecting those around us. This is because respect is vital to building strong and healthy relationships. It is crucial to treat others with kindness and understanding; in the same way we want to be treated. By practicing respect, we can create a more harmonious and peaceful world, even when it seems challenging, or someone appears unworthy of that respect. Integrity is another critical aspect of building strong relationships. It means being honest and truthful in our words and actions. When we act with integrity, we earn the trust and respect of others, and our relationships become more meaningful and enduring. Therefore, striving to act with integrity in everything we do is always important. Having courage is also important in life. It means having the strength to face our fears and take risks, even when difficult. When we have courage, we can accomplish things we never thought possible. So, we should not hesitate to step out o...

  See your goal - This goal can be different for everyone. Sometimes people can have the same goal or it can be complete opposites. The point is that you can see your goal and know what it is that you want to do. Understand the obstacles - Obstacles are a part of life that we all face at some point. What those look like will change over time. Especially when we jump from object to object. But they are something that can be understood and worked through to make us stronger and better people.  Create a positive mental picture - Once we see our goal(s) and understand the obstacles that go with them, we can create a more positive picture and mindset. If we don't work on being positive, then it can be a lot harder to reach our goals.  Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash Clear your mind of self-doubt - Like creating positive mental pictures, clearing the self-doubt will help us all in the long run. Because self-doubt is that nagging voice that we hear in our heads. It's oft...

  "Let Them”  Author: Cassie Phillips Just Let them. If they want to choose something or someone over you, LET THEM. If they want to go weeks without talking to you, LET THEM. If they are okay with never seeing you, LET THEM. If they are okay with always putting themselves first, LET THEM. If they are showing you who they are and not what you perceive them to be, LET THEM. If they want to follow the crowd, LET THEM. If they want to judge or misunderstand you, LET THEM. If they act like they can live without you, LET THEM. If they want to walk out of your life and leave, hold the door open AND LET THEM. Let them lose you. You were never theirs because you were always your own. So let them. Let them show you who they truly are, not tell you. Let them prove how worthy they are of your time. Let them make the necessary steps to be a part of your life. Let them earn your forgiveness. Let them call you to talk about ordinary things. Let them take you out on a Thursday. Let them talk...

  I don't know who needs to hear this, but you are not broken. There is nothing wrong with you. Unfortunately, there is a lot wrong in the world, and it's normal to recognize those things. Often times we feel broken, or something is wrong with us because of something that happens to us. And it can affect us down the road as we move through life. Because of this, we have a hard time asking others for help. Through our life experiences, we often think that we need to do something alone and that no one will want to help us. But don't be afraid to ask for help. Because we don't have it all together like we might think we do. While it might be easier for some people, we all need to learn that having help is okay. There is nothing wrong with needing or asking for help. When saying things like "it takes a village," some people don't have a village. Because of that, they have to figure it out on their own. And that can be hard to do, feeding into feeling like they...

When we hear the word modesty, the first thing that comes to mind is clothing that covers everything or the majority of your body. Dressing modestly is something I have grown up with and have been around my entire life. And it can be considered a "hot topic" regarding what girls and women wear. Especially when it comes to places like schools and the workplace. But most people don't realize that modesty isn't just about what you wear; it is also about how you act around others and toward yourself.  Photo by Amanda Canas on Unsplash I am talking about this because I read an article on my Facebook feed the other day about a father who posted a picture with his two daughters in their homecoming dresses. And it was talking about his response to the people commenting on the style of the dresses. I don't remember the article's name, but I do know that it mentioned "girls to dress, so they don't distract boys," as well as saying that they are "aski...

  When words fail, don't say anything.  Sit in silence and listen.  Really listen. Sometimes what we listen to is what we need to hear. But it won't be the same for each person. What one person hears as positive, another could hear as a negative. But we are all in the same storm together, just different boats. When words fail, listen to what others have to say. They may share experiences that you might not have. Words are powerful things and can be used for good or bad. Words are something that we learn from. In good times and in bad,  words are something that we turn to every time. So when words fail, stop and listen. Sit in silence and remember the words that you hear.

  Sometimes you just need to go visit a castle. Especially when it has a nice view of the ocean. *All photos were taken by me.

  More often than not, I feel like many phrases have been ingrained in our society for a long time. A good example is a common phrase, "Boys will be boys." But what is that even supposed to mean?  Photo by Ben Sweet on Unsplash Quite often, the phrase is used to explain the behavior of men and boys when they do something that other people disagree with. Unfortunately, it has been like that for a long time, and it doesn't seem like much has changed, especially when you look at current politics, sexual harassment, etc. I don't know what others think about the phrase. Still, I believe that it needs to leave our vocabulary and that people need to work on themselves and how they respond and react to different topics where that phrase is used.  A current example of how the phrase "Boys will be boys" could be used is the recent Johnny Depp/Amber Heard Trial. While I didn't follow any of the hearings, it shows how the phrase could be used to throw the blame on ...

  What if today we were just grateful for mornings. Photo by Sharon Pittaway on Unsplash  and edited by me What if today we were just grateful for nights. What if today we were just grateful for the food on the table.  What if today we were just grateful for a bike to ride. What if today were just grateful for a game to play. What if today we were just grateful for the friends we make. What if we were just grateful for a roof over our heads. What if today we were just grateful for our family. What if today we were just grateful for another day to be alive. What if today we were just grateful for everything.

  Is the customer always right? Some people out there would answer that question with a resounding yes. Others might answer it with a hard no. But which is the correct answer to that question? Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash . Edited by me It would seem like yes, and no is the correct answer. Part of this is because some people like to create a scene and use their emotions to make people feel sorry for them. Since it is a bit of a classic question, it seems like it will be around for a while. Often the phrase is used by customers when they claim that something was entered wrong during a purchase, whether at the grocery store or a restaurant. But whatever the case may be, the customer isn't always right unless it is a legitimate claim.  Although I have rarely come across "Karen's," and their need always be correct, I know they are out there since I work in retail and have encountered some annoyed/upset customers. Of course, no one is perfect, but we still need ...