Where Purple_Kangaroo is From

I am from the teakettle simmering on the back of the stove, from homemade Butterfinger ice cream, and tea parties with Holly Hobbie and Raggedy Ann.

I am from the brown two-story house my father built, wrapped in a broad porch and shadowed by the hill, with frogs croaking at night and Ramblin' Creek bubbling and laughing below.

I am from blackberry vines, wild roses, evergreen trees; tall grass, gerilliums, and koi eating duckweed in the pond.

I am from potlucks at the park and softspoken people who are small spitfires; from Jennie Squires and a Moravian prince who eloped with the milkmaid, and the seven Swift brothers who came on a ship when the land was new.

I am from strongwilled and stubborn, deeply loving and fiercely protective.

From "Don't let that stop you!" and "Your sisters are your best friends;" from Dad taking us fishing and chanting "They're Coming to Take me Away, HaHa" and mom showing us how to do the Charleston and saying, "Look, girls! Isn't the mountain pretty?"

I am from non-denominational evangelical faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior; a relationship not a religion; asking questions and searching the Scriptures, solid on the basics but knowing that there are some things we can't know and it's OK to disagree.

I'm from lumberjacks in the Pacific Northwestern USA; from immigrants and pioneers; from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, The Netherlands and Czechoslovakia, but adopted Latin America; oven pancake and lemon meringue pie; poppyseed kolache and roast beef empanadas; pan-fried grasshoppers and oven-fried chicken.

From the little green man under the stairs, Uncle Ned's Fox and Coyote stories, Grandpa smiling and saying "Yes, Yes" in Spanish while revolutionaries waved weapons and threatened to kill him, the beaver trap we almost stepped in, and the time Sis ate dirt cookies that I made.

I am from yellowed photo albums, pictures lined up on the shelf in the old farmhouse, the scrapbook of letters from loved ones, the hand-knitted hats and mittens tucked away in the closet, the opal earrings in the treasure box, and the framed picture of the bridge over Multnomah Falls where my grandparents got engaged.

I am from roots run deep in generations of grit, spunk, perseverance in hardship, and love.

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I got this from MysteryMommy, who got it from Magpie and Crunchy Granola.

This exercise is based on a poem by George Ella Lyon called "Where I'm From."

The template is here if you'd like to join in. Schmutzie is compiling a list of links to different bloggers' versions of the meme.

Dietary/Health Update

In my last post, I invited requests for topics to cover as I (hopefully) start blogging regularly again. Liz requested an update on our family's food issues. I'm going to broaden it a bit to make it more of a general health update. :)

Warning: This may be a long, boring post.

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In a nutshell, we're all doing pretty well.

Ebee is doing great, and seems to have completely grown out of all her food intolerance issues. She still isn't having reactions to corn or soy derivatives, and it's so nice not to have to worry about that any more. Her dietary fructose intolerance has also improved. She can even eat moderate amounts of apple and pear now without getting diarrhea and a tummyache.

She's really growing up, and is reading fluently now. I love watching kids get to the stage where they devour pretty much any book they can get their hands on. She's even reading chapter books now, and is very excited about that. She'll be 6 next month--can you believe it?!

M&M just turned 9, and is such an active, happy kid. She and Ebee are both in gymnastics and loving it, but M&M is really gifted at it. They're taking a break at the moment as all three kids are taking swimming lessons this summer instead of their regular activities.

M&M still avoids eating large amounts of milk, but doesn't seem to have much of a problem with lactose intolerance these days.

She does still have days where she hurts all over and is very tired, especially for several days after a greater-than-usual exertion, which concerns me a bit given the family history, but the pediatrician isn't worried about it. She has very flexible joints (can bend her elbows partially backwards and has mad skillz with her finger joints, etc.) and is more prone to sprains and things like that than the other kids, but she hasn't subluxated (popped out of joint) either elbow again recently, after having it happen about 3 times when she was younger. I think the flexibility really helps her in gymnastics. :)

AJ at 10 is still her quirky, unique, wonderful self. She really loves to sing and has been in a children's choir for the past 3 years, and has gotten to sing solos at their recitals. The teacher said that she feels AJ is ready to move on/up to more focused training and has probably outgrown this particular choir, so we're looking into doing either private voice lessons and/or letting her join a drama team or children's theater.

She's doing much better with her anxiety/OCD-type issues, but still struggles with reading social signals and sometimes knowing how to determine appropriate interactions for a given situation or level of relationship.

We're working with her to help her learn things like choosing to put a hot pack on her head for the heat and pressure she craves rather than trying to push her head under a person or dog when she's overwhelmed or overstimulated. She's working on learning how to learn to read facial expressions and body language better, understanding and respecting others' personal space, and that sort of thing. Lots of coaching and practice, mostly.

She is still seeing a therapist occasionally (although much less frequently now) who helps us with ideas for things like that, and helps her brainstorm things to do to calm herself when she's upset and work through issues she's worried about so she isn't as likely to dissolve into full-scale meltdowns or long-term panic. She has really improved dramatically, and is enjoying life a lot these days.

AJ still sleeps poorly, is having recurrent intestinal issues (diarrhea, stomachaches, gagging sensations and occasional vomiting), and has been sleeping sitting up in bed lately due to how much her reflux is bothering her. The pediatrician said she probably has IBS, but since he didn't really do anything to rule out other causes, I'm wondering if we should pursue that further or not. With her, it's really hard to know how much is actually a physical issue and how much might be related to her tendency to overstress and worry about things.

We've tried a few different reflux medications that the pediatrician prescribed, and he's ready to prescribe something different if the current one doesn't help more than the others have. We've tried taking her off gluten for a few weeks to see if that helps, but it hasn't really seemed to make a difference. She is still lactose-intolerant and avoids most dairy products, but will occasionally make exceptions for small amounts of foods she feels are worth the discomfort. :)

At the advice of the research scientist from the study I was in (on the effects of excitotoxins on fibromyalgia and IBS symptoms) and with the approval of the pediatrician, we are trialing all 3 kids on going off excitotoxins for a few weeks, to see if it makes any difference particularly in AJ's IBS symptoms and M&M's aches and pains.

Since there is such a strong history of people in our family having trouble with excitotoxins and getting intestinal and/or fibromyalgia-type symptoms from them, it seemed wise to try to figure out whether the kids are sensitive to them or not. So we're making sure they don't eat any excitotoxins for at least 4 weeks, and then we'll try giving them something with MSG in it (ick!) 3 days in a row while closely monitoring the effects on them. I was able to get copies of the symptom-charting forms that were used in the study to use in evaluating data for the kids. This should give us a pretty good idea whether they have an adequate blood-brain barrier to tolerate normal amounts of excitotoxins, or if they have inherited the family difficulty in processing them.

Other than that, the last few years we've just basically tried to eat a well-rounded, healthy diet at home with as many whole fresh unprocessed foods as possible, avoid excessive amounts of things like lactose for those we know don't digest it well, and not stress out about what the kids eat otherwise. :)

DH eats whatever he wants, but he is trying to work on eating/drinking a bit healthier and getting more exercise.

For myself, I'm still avoiding excitotoxins. It really makes a big difference in my symptoms and functionality, and whenever I've cheated it has made me so sick that I've decided cheating isn't worth it for me.

I recently had a couple of months of feeling a lot worse, and finally figured out that it seemed to be correlated with eating xylitol. I'm feeling much better after having cut that out.

With having our college student helper move out and life getting considerably busier this year, I haven't been able to pace myself as well or rest as much. A somewhat constant level of "overdoing it" built up over the course of the year to the point where I was struggling quite a lot physically again.

Now that the pace has slowed for the summer (and I figured out the xylitol thing), I am starting to feel better. I'm happy about that. :) We're brainstorming ways to help me pace myself better on a continual basis, including maybe hiring more help with household tasks and changing what we're doing for schooling the kids.

We are still trying to get our house decluttered and organized, get non-essentials packed and put into storage, and get some minor repairs and sprucing-up done so that we can hopefully put our house on the market soon. Our hope is to move to a place slightly farther out in the country with some acreage, a barn, and hopefully a second residence or apartment in case a parent or sibling needs a place to live, since our parents are getting older, DH's mom has early stage alzheimer's, and both of my siblings have disabling health issues.

We've also been researching schooling options, and have finally decided what we're going to do about school next year. But this is already long enough, so I'll leave that for another post.

At a Blogging Crossroads

I haven't blogged much recently. Part of that is because my energy levels and mental liveliness have been so low lately. I have come to the blog numerous times only to open a new post, stare blankly at the screen wondering what to write about, and then decide I'm too tired and give up.

Another part has been that it often seems redundant. I have a Facebook account now, and post status updates and links fairly frequently.

But I miss the blog. I have spent quite a bit of time recently going back and re-reading old blog posts, often laughing at my kids' antics or shaking my head at the craziness of life. I like having those moments chronicled here, where I can go back and read them easily.

It's very interesting to see the change and growth that has taken place since I first started blogging.

(click below to continue reading)

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I first started keeping a blog on Xanga in July 2004, almost exactly 7 years ago.

It started out as very much a personal journal, read by only a few family and friends.

Then, especially when I was having to take it easy and spend time on bedrest during my pregnancy with Ebee, I became very interested and active in political and social issues, especially Terri Schiavo. For a long time, my blog was basically about that. I gained some regular readers who were also highly involved in discussing and researching that and similar topics.

When I switched to Blogger in May 2005, I was pregnant with Ebee, and my posts became more eclectic again.

I actually started getting involved in the blogosphere, on blogs that were more personal blogs and not geared toward discussion and debate of specific issues. I had some trial and error learning blogging etiquette, and committed some rather huge social faux pas such as posting links to my own blog in comments on someone else's blog, and posting comments vehemently disagreeing with a post the author hadn't intended as an opening to a discussion or debate. :) I've learned a lot over the years, I hope.

My blog became mostly a chronicle of our daily life--cute things the kids said, our struggles with life, kids and health issues, and just random stuff.

While Ebee was young, I wrote most of my posts while she was nursing. Once she was weaned and I no longer had that excuse to sit at the computer so often, and especially after we added the rabbits and some other new activities to our lives, my blogging dropped off significantly.

I did start a food blog called Restricted Gourmet to stash all my recipes on. That's been fun. And, there are a couple of other blogs I've contributed to occasionally as one of multiple authors.

Here on the Purple Puzzle Place, I've written a bit about parenting, a bit about political issues, a few posts that were book or product reviews, and a few updates on daily life. There hasn't really been any consistent theme or consistent anything, really. :)

In the past year or more, I've posted very little. I'd like to get back to writing more. I feel I've gotten rusty, and I miss it. But I'm not sure what to write about, and finding the time and energy is always a challenge. I'm a little afraid I've lost my mental edge, my way with words, and my sense of humor. :)

I'm also not sure what to write about. It seems most of my writing energy gets used up by posting on Facebook and online communities I participate in, and then anything I think to write about is redundant because I've already posted about it elsewhere. Facebook updates are perfect for chronicling those cute and funny things the kids say. But they are much harder to go back to and read again later.

I've thought about dropping the blog completely, but I'm not sure I'm ready to do that. I think maybe I'd like to start up with it again; give it another try. Maybe if I start blogging regularly, I'll find my groove and the creative juices will get flowing again.

I think there are about 3 or 4 faithful readers who still actually have me in their newsfeed; I'm grateful for the undeserved loyalty from these precious people.

I'm curious: If I were to start blogging regularly again, what sorts of things would you particularly enjoy reading about? Do you have any favorite posts or types of posts from the past that come to mind, that you'd enjoy reading more of?

Independence Day 2011

I've felt better the last few days than I've felt in weeks (maybe months). Had a fabulous, memorable day with the girls today. I'm praying that I didn't overdo it too much and won't end up in Post Exertional Malaise tomorrow.

Meanwhile, DH is absolutely miserable with the flu (respiratory/aches/fever version). Poor guy. I hope he feels better soon!

Here's what the girls and I did today:


• We rested and took care of DH (the girls love playing nurse); cleaned up the kitchen and took care of the animals; did laundry (Ebee asked me to teach her how to wash her own load, and M&M folded and put away a load of towels along with my running a couple of loads today);


• Went shopping for fireworks (I gave the kids a $20 budget and picked out one other thing myself) and marked-down 4th-of-July outfits ($2.50 total for each top/shorts set at half off the clearance price);


• Had yummy spaghetti squash with meat sauce, fresh green beans and watermelon;


• Discussed (and used the globe to visualize) how the tilt of the earth in conjunction with its rotation around the sun affects the length of days in summer vs. winter, and why it wouldn't get dark early today in honor of the 4th of July to make the fireworks visible earlier;


• Set off our fireworks; hooted and hollered and cheered; shared our sparklers with the neighbors;


• Walked up to the top of the hill and sat under the water tower to watch fireworks going off for miles around; sang the national anthem and talked about the story of its writing;


• Made a vinegar pie with a recipe from an audiobook we're listening to (The Wonder of Charlie Ann, set in the depression era) and ate it (it was delicious!).

The girls said it was "the best day ever." I was so happy to be well enough to really engage and enjoy the day with them, and not have to spend most of the day in bed and/or walking around in a fog of pain and fatigue fighting an uphill battle just to function and keep everyone fed and basic needs cared for.

It was a day full of the types of moments I wish I could bottle up and keep forever. May there be many more of these kinds of days in our future!

Animal husbandry and farming threatened

There is currently a bill on the books in California that could have a huge impact on farmers and breeders of any animal in California, and could potentially impact the availability of meat also.

It would criminalize any sale or transfer (including giving away or exchanging transport) of most animals on public property or in any public place (including at rabbit shows, transfer of animals in relays to get them to their new homes, etc.) within the state of California, and also is written vaguely enough that any dispatch of animals, including humane dispatch for food, could be criminalized as well.

What happens in any one state can affect the entire nation, so it's important to speak out even if you're not from CA.

There are many other organizations besides the ARBA opposing this bill--I just happen to have this info. from the ARBA because I am a member. :)

Read below for more info . . .

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I've made some minor corrections to typos.

Official Call to Action from ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association)

Below is an official plan of action released this evening by the president of ARBA- Mike Avesing. He has sent out the following information (see below) and has urged every single member of ARBA to take action immediately to oppose SB 917.

Please do the following:

1.) Cross post this official ARBA call to action alert to every single rabbit owner and raiser you know. There are over 1,700 members of ARBA. They all need to see this message as soon as possible. Encourage cross posting to as many concerned citizens as possible nation wide. This message needs to go viral within the next 24 hours to be effective. It is up to each and every single person receiving this email to step up and to send it on to as many folks as they can. We all need to do this if we care about the future of rabbit raising and preserving animal farming interests in California and Nationally.

2.) Please either fax or send your opposition letter as soon as possible to Senator Ted Lieu, Governor Jerry Brown, and all members of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee. All of the necessary contact information is contained within the ARBA action plan below. Also attached and embedded below is a sample letter that can be used. Just fill in your information as appropriate. Please feel free to edit to better convey your opposition message. Remember to include this phrase at the top of your letter: (name of organization or individual) strongly oppose SB 917 as amended and in any an all forms. This is so your opposition to this bill will not be dropped should it be changed or amended.

3.) Next, get as many people as you can to likewise fax or send in their opposition letters. Remember that simply calling or emailing will NOT assure that your opposition will be heard and added to the official file. Have every single member of your family, your friends, co-workers, fellow farmers, etc. fax in their opposition individually. All animal husbandry will be ended in California should this bill pass. We want to literally melt down their fax machines and make it difficult for them to conduct their business as usual. Past experience has taught us that this is the only way to get their attention so they will hear us.

4.) Please, all of you from out of state, please join our opposition effort and fax in your opposition letters ASAP. As the saying goes “So goes California , so goes the nation”. The animal rights operatives behind this monstrous bill will replicate it across the nation if they are successful in passing it in California . This is their tried and true mode of operandus. YOU CAN BANK ON IT!

We all should extend a big thank you to Mike Aversing for his invaluable help in this effort.

ARBA Action Plan ” CA Senate Bill 917″

The ARBA is very concerned with the potential impacts of SB 917 on our hobby and our members in CA. With that in mind, we are urging that every one of our 1731 California members contact their elected state officials to express their concern about the negative impacts of SB 917. Target the elected officials that represent you. Encourage your family and friends fax letters of opposition to the bill. 4H or FFA groups would also be impacted by this bill and would also we a great place to get additional support.

To make it easier for everyone to do that, we are providing the following to as many members as we can:

*
A sample letter that can be sent to your elected state officials. (Separate email attachment) The letter should be useable by anyone. If you raise cavies, just substitute “cavies” for rabbits in the letter. Opposition letters can be faxed to 916-319-2181 to be reviewed by the individual who will be writing the analysis for the Appropriations Committee. Additionally, it is a good idea to fax opposition letters to each Assembly person on the appropriations committee to convey your position and how this bill will adversely affect you, your organization, and animal husbandry in general.

Faxing letters is preferred to calling since the fax is a hard copy of your opposition and must be included in the file. Calls are not recorded as such.

Contact information for the members of the Appropriations Committee is also included in this document.

*
Contact information for CA State Assemblymen (Separate email attachment)

*
Talking points that you can use in discussions on the bill (See below)

Melting down the fax machines at the capitol was a very successful tactic we have used in the past to defeat other bad animal rights bills. WE NEED LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE sending in their opposition. At the bottom of this email is the contact list for the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

When you have completed your opposition effort then it is imperative that we get others to do the same. These can be family members, neighbors, friends, fellow farmers and rabbit breeders, co-workers, etc. Please have those who reside out of state that you know do the same.

SPREAD THE WORD QUICKLY. It is especially important to fax opposition letters to Governor Brown’s office and Senator Ted Lieu’s office.

Here is their contact information:

Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento , CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-2841
Fax: (916) 558-3160

Senator Ted Lieu

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4090

Sacramento , CA
95814
Phone: (916) 651-4028
Fax: (916) 323-6056

The information we are providing has been supplied by many individuals within our membership. I don’t want to mention names for fear of forgetting someone. I’d sincerely like to thank them for their assistance and support.

Mike Avesing

Talking Points:

BENEFITS of the rabbit and cavy fancies:

*
the productive contribution the hobby makes in the lives of young people
*
community service
*
wholesome food
*
the green movement/sustainable agriculture
*
agribusiness/retail economy
*
promotion of responsible rabbit ownership that ARBA members support

Committee Members District FAX E-mail

Felipe Fuentes – Chair Dem-39 (916) 319-2139

Assemblymember.Fuentes@assembly.ca.gov

Diane L. Harkey – Vice Chair Rep-73 916) 319-2173

Assemblymember.Harkey@assembly.ca.gov

Bob Blumenfield

Dem-40 (916) 319-2140 Assemblymember.Blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

Steven Bradford

Dem-51 (916) 319-2151 Assemblymember.Bradford@assembly.ca.gov

Charles M. Calderon

Dem-58 (916) 319-2158 Assemblymember.Calderon@assembly.ca.gov

Nora Campos

Dem-23 (916) 319-2123 Assemblymember.Campos@assembly.ca.gov

Mike Davis

Dem-48 (916) 319-2148 Assemblymember.Davis@assembly.ca.gov

Tim Donnelly

Rep-59 (916) 319-2159 Assemblymember.Donnelly@assembly.ca.gov

Mike Gatto

Dem-43 (916) 319-2143 Assemblymember.Gatto@assembly.ca.gov

Isadore Hall III

Dem-52 (916) 319-2152 Assemblymember.Hall@assembly.ca.gov

Jerry Hill

Dem-19 (916) 319-2119 Assemblymember.Hill@assembly.ca.gov

Ricardo Lara

Dem-50 (916) 319-2150 Assemblymember.Lara@assembly.ca.gov

Holly J. Mitchell

Dem-47 (916) 319-2147 Assemblymember.Mitchell@assembly.ca.gov

Jim Nielsen

Rep-2 (916) 319-2102 Assemblymember.Nielsen@assembly.ca.gov

Chris Norby

Rep-72 (916) 319-2172 Assemblymember.Norby@assembly.ca.gov

Jose Solorio

Dem-69 (916) 319-2069 Assemblymember.Solorio@assembly.ca.gov

Donald P. Wagner

Rep-70 (916) 319-2070 Assemblymember.Wagner@assembly.ca.gov

Sample Letter :

I (name of organization or individual) strongly oppose SB 917 as amended and in any and all forms.

Dear Esteemed Assemblyman: ,

I would like to convey my strong opposition to bill SB 917 pertaining to the topic of “animal abuse”. I ask to be included in the count for the opposition to SB917.

This proposed law is a direct assault on animal husbandry in the state of California including, but not limited to, those who raise rabbits. SB 917 constitutes a direct assault on small farmers and intends to criminalize them simply for their responsible and ethical pursuit of animal raising. Those who raise rabbits and other animals will be forbidden to sell them anywhere except on private property. This requirement will inevitably impede both interstate commerce as well as live animal trade within California ‘s borders. Selling at shows and on public property, giving away animals as pets, and transporting them to be picked up anywhere on public property will be considered an act of “animal cruelty” complete with fines, seizure of private property (animals), and arrest as a misdemeanor offense. Furthermore, the natural and time honored farming practice of harvesting animals for food will be now be criminalized and potentially be classified as “cruel and intentional killing”, an act of animal cruelty, and, according to this law, a felonious crime.

The terms cruelty, abuse, and neglect are not well defined by this bill. As written, they are ambiguous terms subject to the conjecture and whims of the enforcer. Who is to determine what is cruel, neglectful, and/or abusive and what is not? What criterion will be used? None are set forth in this bill. Normal farming practices may seem cruel to someone who has always resided in a city and has only owned pets that live with them inside their homes as many animal control investigators have. Because this law is so badly written and poorly defined, its enforcement will cause the inevitable abuse of power by those who choose to do so.

Clearly, this bill will unavoidably lead to the criminalization of innocent farming and animal raising California citizens.

Families will be prohibited from raising rabbits and other animals for food. Children participating in 4H and FFA will become instant criminals upon their 18th birthday simply because they raise animals. Small farmers, under the weight of such a draconian and ill-conceived law, will be forced to abandon farming in California and flee the state resulting in a massive loss of tax revenue and a vital food supply.

All wrongly convicted farmers and animal raisers caught in this ill-conceived dragnet will be incarcerated in California‘s already over-populated penal system. Rest assured, there will be legal challenges to this law which again will be borne by the California taxpayer. Additionally, this is an unfunded mandate whose implementation will be paid for by already critically cash-strapped local governments. .

During these fiscally challenging economic times, California simply can not afford to make SB 917 a law. Please stand with our innocent farmers and animal raisers of California by opposing this draconian legislation.

The last thought I would like to leave you with is- what will happen to California‘s meat supply should this bill go into effect? We are one of the largest food producing regions in the world. How many people will be adversely affected by this law when the cost of meat escalates beyond affordability? Already cash-strapped families will no longer be able to provide their children with meat-based protein which is absolutely essential for normal human development. The ultimate costs of SB 917 are grave and far reaching.

Thank you so much for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

(Your name/ position and/or organization here)

More on Dressing Your Truth

We are really enjoying our Dressing Your Truth trials. We bought several copies of the $1 trial so that we'd have the information for all 4 types since we have all four in our family.

I thought I'd share some of the things that have been helpful for us in deciding between one type or another, in case you're taking the course and having trouble deciding.

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3 and 1 actually have a lot of similarities in their features, but the main difference is that the 1 has a lot of upward, light movement and the overall impression they give is "cute" and "fun", while a 3 comes across as more intense and dramatic.

From what I have been reading/hearing, though, a 4/1 or 1/4 combination where both elements are coming across really strongly can look a lot like a 3 in the way it expresses in a personality.

Ultimately you really have to go with what seems right to you, I think. You know yourself best. But remember that often we have tried to change or squelch who we are, so that's why the physical traits and body language can be especially telling--sometimes even more than behavior, which is easier to alter.

I also had some doubt about the strength of the connection between physical traits and personality. But as a rabbit breeder I've come in contact with quite a bit of scientific and experiential evidence that there are or at least can be some strong genetic links between physical and behavioral/personality traits.

For instance, if you get a chance to read about the fascinating study where groups of foxes selected solely on the basis of temperamental and behavioral traits actually developed consistent physical traits in each line (with the tamer foxes looking more like domestic dogs), it's very interesting. Here's an article by Temple Grandin that includes some information about genetic links between various characteristics, and mentions the fox study.

So far, the connection between physical and personality traits that Carol makes in her program really seems to hold true for the most part in our family. Although DH points out that "The [Family Name] Nose" in his family appears to be a strongly hereditary trait independent of personality. :)

So don't forget to look at your facial features, hands, movement, doodling and body language as described in the videos, along with your internal feelings and tendencies.

Carol Tuttle has also written a couple of books on energy profiling. Both books have a lot of the same information in them, but It's Just my Nature is more general about the personality types and applicable to everyone, while Dressing Your Truth-Discover Your Personal Beauty Profile is more geared toward women and has more info. about the fashion industry and why it's not helpful for most women. I haven't actually read either book yet, but I have one on hold at the library and will probably buy the other.

They are running a special deal right now for a package with a book, audiobook, and the energy profiling online class that you can check out here if you want more info, or to see the individual books you can go to the store at the Dressing Your Truth website. The books don't teach you how to dress your truth, but they do teach the personality and facial profiling.

When I was questioning my type, I watched the "extra help" profiling videos again, and then watched the energy profiling video again. The first time through I sort of skipped past the sections re-showing images that convey each type, because it seemed redundant and I wanted to get to the point. (Type 3s tend to skip ahead or skim to get to the point.)

The second and third time through, I realized that the videos with images relating to each type in the "what type are you" section are really masterfully done. The images not only convey the types, but the music, the speed and even the direction and way the pictures move from one to the next fits each type very well.

I think that if you relax and watch those videos in a fully engaged way, paying attention to how you feel with each one, the one you resonate the most with and that feels like you will give a huge clue to which type you are.

I didn't particularly *like* the Type 3 video in the sense of feeling comfortable with it--it certainly wasn't relaxing! But I recognized myself in it.

When watching photo slide shows I inevitably feel like they're taking too long and going too slow; I don't need *that* long to look at a picture and am ready to move on to the next one way before it switches.

The Type 3 video was, in spots, too fast even for my comfort level. But it was dynamic and active and fast. It was hard to keep up with and at times made me feel a little uncomfortable--which is exactly how my Type 2 husband sometimes feels about my movement and energy. He loves me and the way I am, but I make his head spin. :) So I didn't find it pleasant in a soothing way at all, but I found it exciting and stimulating and resonated with it, if that makes sense.

On the other hand, there are some quality flaws in the energy profiling video itself, as well as some slightly inaccurate scientific claims (i.e. a simplified and not completely accurate description of elements).

DH and I were joking that the company should add that to their summary at the end to help people decide what type they are: "Do the minor flaws and unprofessional quality in this video bother you so much that you want to fix it or think judging thoughts about it? Or do you think, 'This is stupid,' and become tempted to dismiss everything else Carol has to say because of the flawed video quality, in your black-and-white thinking? If so, then you might have a 4 as either your primary or secondary leading.

"If it makes you feel angry that you're paying good money for an inferior product, or you have a drive to take action and do something about it, you might be a 3. If you noticed but didn't feel strong emotion about it or feel compelled to do anything about it, you may be a 2. If you didn't really notice, or noticed but then didn't give it a second thought or found it amusing, you may be a 1."

I'm glad I pushed through and gave it a chance anyway. :)

I went ahead and signed up for the Type 3 course, and the more I watch it the more I resonate with it and am sure I picked the right type for me. I so much enjoyed watching the videos, and laughed out loud at things that Carol said like, "Dainty is not our thing," and ""That's too neat and tidy for us--we move through life way too quickly to be tucking in our shirts."

Remember that you don't necessarily have to like the particular clothing items in order to understand the design principals from looking at them. Everyone's interpretation of a Type 1, Type 3, etc. will be different--you can combine the design elements in almost infinite ways.

They will also be affected to some extent by your culture and preferences, but they can apply in any situation.

For instance, in a group of nuns in a convent they will have only the option of very small variations in the way they wear their habits and drape their rosary beads to express their individuality (and, really, the whole idea of the habit is that they're all supposed to be the same and not express individuality or distract from spiritual things).

But a Type 1 might allow a few curls to escape from her coif, while a 2 might drape things more softly, a 3 might wear hers slightly asymmetrically and tie her belt or rosary beads at an angle, and a 4 might wear her habit and headdress in very severe and symmetrical lines. In a group of women who are all wearing the same colors and clothing items, those subtle differences will express their personalities even though it won't be as dramatic an expression as if they could vary their colors and styles.

Carol's Dressing Your Truth class teaches you to use colors, textures, lines and other elements together to most effectively complement and support your personality and unique features.

Overall, most of it just plain makes sense.

I think I will end up keeping the course after the trial. It's not something we would normally spend that kind of money on, and being a one-income family we have to carefully consider expenditures, but DH is on board with it and especially with the 30% discount they are offering I think it will be worth it to me. There are ongoing new resources being added all the time that I'll have access to, and I've found the information so very helpful.

I signed up for the trial fully intending to cancel it before the 5 days were up. Especially since I'm T3 with a secondary T4, my initial reaction was a very strong, "Who do she think SHE is to be telling everyone how to dress?!?!" But my 3 frugality and wanting to get a good deal and get my money's worth won out long enough to make me really give it a chance and go through the information.

I've found it surprisingly valuable.

I have no fashion sense at all, and had actually already been considering hiring someone to help me go through my wardrobe and do some shopping because I was tired of feeling like I looked frumpy, old and weird. So the timing was good for me.

And, I'm having so many new amazing insights into who I am, and in understanding my family better. Plus, I absolutely love my new look. So does DH.

I truly do think it's going to save me a lot of time, money and frustration in clothing shopping. And the amount of benefit we've already gotten out of it as a family in understanding each other has got to be worth at least the cost of a session or two of family counseling a few years down the road. :)

M&M was smiling ear to ear last night as she did her chores and got ready for bed, saying, "I like to say my words that go with Type 1 over to myself. I'm exuberant, light, bouyant, fresh, crisp and fun!" I think it's really validating to her, especially since she so often gets told to "settle down" in her life. :)

I do keep reminding the kids that they have elements of all types in themselves and it's fine to be other ways too . . . I don't want them to take this as a box to confine themselves into, but I like the part about it validating the value of who they are and the beauty in everyone's differences too.

Now, if I can just figure out what to do about a Type 3 hairstyle that would work with my wave and texture, but not go overboard with the movement and edginess to also honor my secondary 4, that would be great.

Dressing Your Truth

Today is the last day to sign up for the Dressing Your Truth special promotion to get full access to the Dressing Your Truth course to try it out for 5 days for only $1.00

So far I've watched the Energy Profiling Class and am just starting into the actual Dressing Your Truth class, but what I've learned and gleaned already is already well worth more than $1.

The Energy Profiling stuff does have some hints of philosophy I don't personally agree with, but overall I'm highly impressed with the materials. It's not completely unique in that people have divided up personality traits and connected them with different elements, shapes, colors, parts of nature, etc. for generations.

But Carol Tuttle presents it in a unique and highly accessible way, that pulls parts of different ideas together with her own twist to make a rather unusual approach to understanding both the physical and personality traits that are inherent to you, and working with rather than against them in the way you live and even the way you dress.

She really encourages you to enjoy and appreciate who you are, and that what you might view as your weaknesses may actually be your strengths when used appropriately. She also teaches women how to dress and wear colors, lines and textures that convey and support their personality and natural beauty rather than fighting against it.

The 4 types are Type 1, the bright animated person; Type 2, the soft subtle person; Type 3, the rich, dynamic person; and Type 4, the bold, striking person.

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I'm a Type 3, but for most of my life I've dressed (and often tried to act) like a Type 2 or Type 4, which gives people a mistaken impression of who I am and doesn't always predispose them to respond as well when my true personality unexpectedly pops out. When I dress like a soft, subtle woman, people often get surprised, taken aback and maybe even a little unsettled when they suddenly get jolted by the fact that I'm actually quite a fiery, active, high-energy, intense person.

I'm also already finding that learning more about my kids' personalities is helping me parent better and helping the kids understand and get along with each other. There are also some great free videos on marriage relationships between the different types on Carol's Blog (they can also be found on YouTube). DH and I laughed all the way through the two videos on Type 2/Type 3 combos since they described us so well (he's a Type 2).

There are also some videos with great tips on parenting and motivating children of different types, also available free online.

Carol also has a couple of books out on the energy profiling and personality components of her ideas.

But the actual information about colors, lines, textures, and even hair and makeup techniques that flatter and complement each type is only available in the Dressing Your Truth course. This is really valuable information especially for someone like me who is style-challenged. :)

There is also extensive information (available only through the course) on learning facial profiling and being able to tell what Types others are likely to be by their features, body language, habits, and even things like how they doodle. If you take the course, the videos with further resources on learning facial profiling in the extra resources section give a lot more in-depth information than the basic course video. There are lots of extra resources available, including access to previous club nights talking about things like how to bring your secondary type into the way you dress, also.

I'm really excited about this special offer, because I think it's well worth more than the $1.

Full Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in the sense that if you click through the links in this post, http://purplekangaroo.dressingyourtruth.com/coursetrial#main_navigation

I do get a kickback from whatever you buy now or in the future . . . they do that as a thank-you and incentive for anyone who has bought something who wants to share with others about their products. It is not a multi-level-marketing type of thing or something they heavily promote, but I thought in the interest of full disclosure I should mention that I do receive some benefit if you purchase through these links. You can also bypass that by going directly to the Dress Your Truth website without using my links if you prefer.