I grew up in the LDS church where things like food storage, emergency preparedness, and even basic first aid training were natural parts of life and topics of conversation. I make a point of having food (and water) storage and can feed 12 people with a half hour's notice at all times. I live in an area where, in a 365 day period, we can receive any kind of extreme weather warning from baseball-sized hail to flash floods to blizzards to tornado warnings to wildfires. So you'd think I would have something as simple as a basic first aid kit and a basic 72 hour kit.
You would be wrong.
Back in July, this became painfully obvious to me. I went and watched World War Z (yes, that's right, a zombie movie), and found myself horrified by 1.) the part of the movie where Brad Pitt and his family are fighting for supplies in a grocery store and nearly get murdered in the face over things like medication and water bottles, and 2.) the prospect of having to do something similar if I were ever in a disaster situation (likely, it will not be a zombie apocalypses, but that doesn't make the scenario of me getting murdered in the face in a grocery store any less likely). So, thanks to a zombie movie, I started the project of getting together my 72 hour kit.
I consulted a lot of sources (listed below) and complied a list that makes sense for my situation (single, in Idaho, female, no serious medications or health conditions, with a vehicle and at least half a tank of gas and with at least two separate "rendezvous with apocalyps survival group" options). I got several items on Amazon, others from Walmart and walmart.com, and a few I already had lying around the house. For anyone who does something similar, I highly suggest the Prepared LDS Family blog (for well-rounded 72 hour kit advice) and the Self Reliant Sisters blog (for good discussions about food, especially); Mormons know their stuff when it comes for planning for disasters beyond guns and MREs.
One thing that I was concerned about was getting food that would cover basic nutrition needs in terms of calories, nutrients, variety, and portability. I decided the best thing to do was to get foods that I would also be likely to eat during finals week. There are three basic reasons for this: 1.) they're easy to eat and don't require water to cook, 2.) I KNOW they keep me both full and not bored, and 3.) I can easily rotate them twice per year.
Another thing I had to be aware of is that, as a single person, I only have me to carry stuff. I can't divide things among the packs of several people. Which means I have to take less of some stuff, or different kinds of stuff, than I might if I could divvy up stuff that didn't need to be duplicated for each person (like a first aid kit, a tent, a radio, etc.). This SUCKS. Even splitting the survival basics with one other person would significantly lighten the load. But I'd hate to get to a survival camp and not have any of this stuff.
Anyway, here are the links to the spreadsheets for my 72 Hour Kit. THIS ONE is the list I came up with for the actual kit, and THIS ONE is a detailed list of my First Aid kit. There are several theories on how to pack stuff, but I just ended up using a duffle bag. I totally encourage you to get at least some kind of emergency plan together, even if it's not as extensive as this one. Good luck!
Alright guys, so here it is: I'm going vegetarian (or possibly flexiterian). There are a lot of reasons why and a lot of conversations and moments and thoughts that have influenced the decision, but there are essentially two main things going on.
First,I'm doing it for health reasons. While I realize it's not unhealthy to eat meat (never mind what all the crazies say), I personally feel better when my diet consists of primarily plant-based food sources. Additionally, I'm becoming more and more aware of the dangers of eating processed foods, primarily because of the added sugars that go into all kinds of foods (according to National Geographic's August 2013 issue, about 1.77 tsp of sugar per 3 tbsp of ketchup, for instance), and I'd like to cut as much of that as possible out of my diet.
Second, I'm doing it for sustainability reasons. Meat-based diets require more land, water, and fossil fuel resources than lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets, and it's something that I find I can't do anymore. I've been striving to be more "green" in my everyday life already (from turning off lights to putting a water bottle in the toilet tank to seeking out local sources for milk, eggs, and cheese), and cutting out meat consumption is just another logical step in that process. It might be a small impact, but so are most of the things I've done. Consider it a starfish thing.
So here's the deal, friends. My goal is to be meatless by August 25 (the day before school starts) and, like any long-term friend, I feel like I need to make a few good memories with meat before we go our separate ways. Which means, naturally, getting all my favorite meat-based meals one last time. If you're interested, I'd love some company. Just let me know which restaurant seems appealing (by blog comment, fb message, text, etc.) and we'll go!
Red Lobster - because lobster, duh
Texas Roadhouse - goodbye steak
The Portneuf Brewery - Canadian Dreaming pizza, I will miss you
Pizza Hut - one last Meat Lovers
Goody's - Western pizza bombs, you will be missed
5 Guys - because burgers, duh
Jimmy John's - the Italian Nightlife is where it's at
Sumisu's or Blue Hashi - unagi, you have been good to me
your place, if you have a grill - because I make better pork chops than a restaurant
I'll cross these off the list as people volunteer to by my dining companion or as I go by myself. You don't have to eat what I'm having (obviously), and you don't have to agree with my choice, but I'd love the support!
tl;dr - I got a new duvet and cover, and I'm pretty excited. Scroll for pictures.
So anyone who knows my sleeping habits well (roommates, family, etc.) knows that I HATE top sheets. I'm the kind of person who untucks the sheets at hotels (because sleeping without them, just under the unwashed hotel comforter, is icky), and I haven't used a top sheet on my bed in at least half a decade. But what that means is that the I end up with a comforter covered all the things normally absorbed by the top sheet. And that's just gross. But washing comforters makes them all kinds of sad...
What's a girl to do?
Oh, right. She takes a page out of the rest of the world's bedding solutions. Enter duvets.
I liked them a ton in England, because I could wash the cover like a sheet, but the selection in the US wasn't great when I got home and the duvets (the main comforters) were really expensive. However... Ikea isn't a US company. And Ikea sells duvets and duvet covers for really reasonable prices. Which means that, not only is it nearly as economical to buy a duvet and cover as it is to buy a regular American-style comforter, but now I can switch up the cover for cheap when I start to get that "need a change of bedroom style" itch.
So on my trip to Utah last week, we stopped at the Ikea in Draper and I played around with the bedding until I found both a duvet and cover that I liked. When I got home, I washed the cover (new sheet smell is gross), made my bed, and slept in it. I'm in love. The duvet is the perfect warmth, making the bed is simple, and everything looks super cute. And in the winter it'll be easy to add a heated blanket in the mix. I'm SUPER pleased with how this all turned out.
And now for some pictures.
Just the bed. Cover is reversible to match the white pillows.
Room view. Hoping the white/black color scheme means the floral and zebra prints won't clash too badly. I like it anyway.
The red pillows (both the ones at the back and the accent pillows) are some I had from the last set of bedding. I also had king sized pillows, so I bought some cheap black cases to match the rest of the pillows. The koala is my heating pad.
Ok, so the short story of this post is that I've been doing the Oil Cleansing Method for about 2 weeks now, and my skin has never been happier. Huzzah!
Recommended Reading
Rather than spending hours typing out instructions and suggestions and whatever, I'm going to instead point you all in the direction of the posts that got me to where I'm at, and then we'll reconvene after you've read them and have a discussion.
THIS POST from Crunchy Betty is all about how to get started, including a "how to do it" and "why you should do it" and is a great jumping off point. (Crunchy Betty is the source I've been using most often for OCM help; there's a great OCM community discussion happening on her page, and I find her posts to be easy to understand and pretty frank while still tactful.)
THIS POST from Crunchy Betty addresses some of the problems people were having (including using olive oil; I stayed away from olive oil because it's rarely as pure as packages claim it is, though pure olive oil is supposed to have a nearly identical PH level as skin).
THIS POST from Crunchy Betty is about essential oils add ins (if that's your thing; I personally left my oils as-is, though I'm not opposed to experimenting in the future). I personally don't mind the smell of the sunflower oil I'm using and haven't don the research to justify adding in any extras.
THIS POST gives you an idea of how comedogenic (acne causing/pore clogging) different oils are supposed to be. DEFINITELY give this a glance before deciding which oils to use; I'd recommend those with a 1 or a 0 rating.
The Backstory
So now that you have an idea about oil cleansing, let's get down to business. I've struggled with a variety of skin problems for most of my life. My cuts and scrapes heal slowly. I've had dandruff problems for years that is really only kept at by thanks to Head and Shoulders. I still have acne at 26, and it doesn't confine itself to my face. I have really bad reactions to most facial cleansers; I'd finally resorted to a $50/bottle cleanser that can only be purchased at a limited number of spas (they used to carry it at the spa my mom worked at in IF, but it closed a few years ago; thank goodness they carried it in Las Vegas because it meant that I could still have access to it) and even then my skin was still upset at times. Buying moisturizer is a total nightmare (looking back, I should have realized much earlier that my skin responds to oil well; the only moisturizer I've liked has a mineral oil base).
I know, I know #FirstWorldProblems
After exhausting the chemically formulated skin care options, and after being occasionally "enlightened" on my fb wall by vegan friends about natural alternatives in skin care, I finally decided to start looking in to natural alternatives. I immediately skipped anything that looked like it belonged in a "make your own face goop from your kitchen" article in a teen magazine. No egg yolk or toothpaste on my face, please and thank you. Some alternatives seemed to complicated, and with my lifestyle I needed something I don't have to keep refrigerated. It was at this point that three or so separate people mentioned oil cleansing to me (or everyone on their Facebook wall, I guess) seemingly at random. One person even linked the Crunchy Betty original Oil Cleansing Method post. So I decided to give it a try. (Side note: asking the universe for an answer to a problem and then keeping your mind open and ears alert really DOES work).
Explaining the "Science" As already addressed in your reading assignment, the idea of PUTTING OIL ON YOUR FACE seems pretty darn foreign at first. I mean, that's precisely what you want to get rid of, right? And, after all, it's oil that clogs pores and creates zits and makes the whole world a less awesome place, right? Wrong. There are a lot of reasons your pores get clogged (dead skin cells, dirt, and (yes) oil), and lots more that might cause acne (internal problems like hormones or skin infections, for instance).
Assuming you've addressed medical considerations, though, it might just be that your "super duper oil-removing zit-treating cleanser-of-awesome is causing the problem. Or that you live in a dry climate. Or both. (One thing I noticed while I was recently in Hawaii (oh, hey, I went to Hawaii and haven't blogged about it yet) was that most of the people who actually lived there seemed to have pretty clear skin, regardless of their racial ancestry/age/gender. And while I was there I just used water and a washcloth and my skin was healthier than ever and stopped producing tons of its own oil after about 5 days.)
The idea behind oil cleansing is twofold, and pretty simple. First, like attracts like (hello science! and psychology! and... well, the universe!), so it makes sense that oils are attracted to other oils. Using oils (like castor oil) that have antibacterial properties and are also cleansing is a great idea because the bad oils are attracted to the good oils and then everything gets washed off. Viola! Second, the drier your skin is, the more natural (clogging) oil it produces. And the more you strip off that oil, the more your skin over-produces it. Want to stop the whole nasty cycle? Stop stripping off bad oils and leaving nothing in it's place (chemically-based moisturizers don't count, no matter how "natural" the ingredient list is). Enter oil cleansing.
How It Went for Me
I decided in late May to try oil cleansing, but that I wanted to wait until I got back from being in Hawaii because traveling with oil in my carry on just sounded messy. I intended to use my mom's cleanser (we use the same spa stuff) and call it a day. But my skin responded so well to the heat and humidity (and 3+ times per day of washing the sweat off with a damp washcloth) that I didn't need to use cleanser. So, luckily for me I got to skip the "hang on while your skin adjusts to this" step. I might not have survived otherwise.
The day after I got home, I started oil cleansing. I'm currently using about 2/3 sunflower oil (with a comedogenic rating of 0) and 1/3 castor oil (rating of 1). I need a little more castor oil though I think because my face is a touch more oily than I'd like after I'm done. Of course, it might also be that I haven't gotten the whole "how to wash it off properly" thing down yet. It's only been a couple of weeks, after all. What I've found is that my skin LOVES oil cleansing, but that I still have a need for some kind of spot treatment on my forehead (which comes from having bangs and therefore hair product on my forehead all the time). I thought about doing something like apple cider vinegar (which is, apparently, all the rage in some circles), but it just seems so harsh and I'm not sure I want to smell like it all the time. I couldn't find any other suggestion for a natural toner that I particularly liked either. So instead I went and got the Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner today; we'll see if that helps at all (and, if it does, I'll do a quick review on it in a later post).
Pros and Cons So Far
I've only been at this for a week or so, so there's more to come I'm sure, but this is what I know so far.
Pros
It's SO CHEAP compared to what I was using before. Like, I seriously walked into a grocery store and got both oils for under $15 (the sunflower oil is in a large bottle, so that was kind of my only option) and they'll last me for a long time. And since it's cheap, I don't feel like I have to ration myself to little tiny pumps, I can just go crazy with it.
My skin is so much softer and less greasy already. I feel like I have the kind of skin other people wish they had.
My cheeks, which have been red and irritated for as long as I can remember (thanks Idaho dry, windy, bad-for-your-skin conditions!), are getting to be SO SOFT and happy and non-irritated. Even with my pricey spa cleanser this problem never went away.
It's pretty adaptable. Right now, I'm using a 3 oz. bottle left over from Hawaii to store my premixed oil in, so it's easy to just dump into my hand. But if I feel like I need some extra grease-cutting help, I just add a little more castor oil to my palm before washing. If my face feels a little drier or more irritated, the just a little extra sunflower oil. And, as the seasons change and therefore my skin's needs change, I can adjust the base mix accordingly. This is WAY more cost efficient and instantly responsive than owing multiple products. because making changes is literally in my own hands.
Even though I still have some acne on my forehead, the rest of my skin really is clearing up. It's like a miracle. If you switch to the Oil Cleansing Method, DON'T GIVE UP for at least a month. Your skin takes some time to adjust from over-producing oil to compensate for your old cleansing method. I believe in you! It's not the OCM that's causing the breakouts (probably; be sure you use hot enough water to wipe the oil off or it WILL stick to your skin more than it's supposed to), it's your own skin adjusting to a new regimen. Remember how your skin did this the last time you switched face products? OCM is no exception to that.
I don't feel like I have to oil cleanse every day. I use it when I'm wearing full face make up (not just concealer and eyeshadow, my normal fair) obviously, and on nights when my face feels extra gunky (I'm hoping the toner will help cut back forehead grease). I use it every time I shower though, which is about every other day.
Cons
More laundry. Probably the biggest con there is for me. Thank goodness I already had a set of six washcloths so I didn't have to buy more. Once you've used a washcloth once with oil cleansing, it's time to move onto another. Crunchy Betty suggested using laundry soap additives to combat the problem of getting oil out of cloth, but probably I'll just use Dawn dish detergent. If it works on my dishes and on penguins, it'll be just fine on my face, I'm sure.
I don't have that nice "skin and nothing else" feeling that comes from totally stripping the oil off my face. I'm a little OCD, and it was hard for me to get used to having my face still feel like it had oil on it AFTER washing it. I just have to remind myself that I'm combining the washing and moisturizing steps that are normally separated out, and that usually helps.
It can be a little messy around the sink. I mean, it's oil. But it usually wipes off with the washcloth I just used, so it's not a huge deal as much as something to be aware of.
Final Thoughts
I really don't know if it's more "green" to oil cleanse or to use regular cleansers. What's the carbon footprint for oil processing as opposed to chemical processing? But as I'm striving to get "closer to source" when at all possible, I really feel like oil cleansing is WAY more in line with that than traditional store- or spa-brand cleansers. And really, my cheeks are the biggest indicator of success.
I'm still trying to figure everything out, but I feel like I'm making some serious progress towards happier skin. My next goal is to get some vitamin E oil in there and start healing acne scars, but not until I've done some more research. Wish me luck!
So, it's the new year, and I guess I'm supposed to write a blog about the "New Year's Resolutions" that I've set for myself. That's what all good bloggers do, right? (Not that I'm a "good" blogger... I don't even know what that means...)
But to be honest, the whole notion of setting a bunch of personal goals just because I have to buy a new calendar has always seemed strange to me, not to mention non-productive. My sister and I talked about it once, and both she and I prefer to set goals based around something more realistic, like new job, or new semester, or whatever. Not to mention that the kinds of things people set their goals about (here's a list of the Top 10 Resolutions for reference) don't really apply to me. I enjoy my life. I don't smoke. I'm never going to join a gym just because it's January and I certainly have a personal thing about dieting.
However, I do have a goal this year. Not necessarily because it's a new year or even because of the new semester. It's something that's been building for a while, and something that I feel pretty good about.
To be honest though, in some ways I feel like I'm going about it the wrong way. Not my goal, but setting my goal. I'm a big fan of setting "SMART goals" because I think they're a great thing: they're clear, they're organized, and they work. (SMART goals are goals that are "set" within a framework: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Resource-using, Time-bound). HOWEVER, this particular goal doesn't really fit into that framework, because it isn't specific or measurable or time-bound. It just IS.
My goal is to take care of my body. Of course, there are a few things that go into that, but because of the mindset behind what I'm doing none of them are specific or measurable. I'm not looking to lose a certain amount of weight. I don't have a specific fitness goal like running a mile under a certain amount of time. I definitely don't have a goal about wearing a certain pants size. I just want to feel like I'm taking care of my body. Like I said, not exactly SMART Goal material.
While it might be difficult to set anything specific with this goal, there are a few components that I can put into list form:
Regular medical check-ups (both illness- and wellness-based)
Getting more movement into my day
Listening to my body (instead of my taste buds) about what food my body is craving
More fruits, veggies, and whole grains
Avoiding processed foods
Enough restful sleep
Vitamins
Regular skin maintenance (facials, pedicures, SPF, etc.; skin is the largest organ of the body)
LOTS of water
Attention to mental health, especially stress
Cosmetic care (hair cut/color, make up, clothing, etc.)
More exposure to natural sunlight
It's not a complete list, obviously, but it hits a bunch of key components. I really am focusing on whole-body wellness (physical and mental), and I really do care about my body because of all the things it does for me and gives to me. I'm grateful for my body, and it's time I started treating it like the beautiful thing it is. So that's my goal for this year: take care of my body. It's the only one I'm going to get. And I'm falling in love with it one day, one green bean, one nap, one walk, one strawberry at a time.
***This post is meant to be both silly and serious. I will probably offend several of you. I'm in the kind of mood where I don't really care if you choose to be offended, take things out of context, etc. You're probably an adult (legally, if not emotionally), so act like it, mmkay?***
1. Do not feel good about yourself just because you're buying organic food.
Let me say right off the bat that some organic food is awesome. I swear that the organic tomatoes at Fred Meyer are the best in Pocatello. I think farm-raised chicken eggs taste better and I'll buy them (or steal them from my parents' fridge) whenever I can. I swear my allergies have gotten better since I started eating raw honey from a local bee farm. It's an accepted "fact" that most stuff grown in your own garden and eaten as soon as you've picked it is healthier than buying it at the grocery store fresh, and definitely better than frozen or canned (though in some cases it's apparently better to cook certain veggies... admittedly I haven't done any kind of cursory research there).
HOWEVER. Just because it says "organic" on the label doesn't mean you should trust it. Same goes for "made with real juice" (check the content list on the back), "green" products, and a host of other claims. From what I understand, the FDA's requirements on companies being able to use those kinds of claims are pretty lax or convoluted, so unless you know where your food is coming from (like, seen the farm, garden, orchard, etc.) and feel like you can trust the farmer/rancher selling you the stuff, don't pat yourself on the back for feeding you or your family better just because your carrots are uglier.
HOWEVER. Ways you can pat yourself on the back? Making your food from raw ingredients when you can afford to. Skipping frozen dinners, sweet snacks, high fructose corn syrup in all it's forms, and fast food. Balancing your food intake so that you're getting a nice variety of foods (the USDA's Food Pyramid might not be 100% perfect according to the most recent study you've read, but it's a lot healthier than an All Carbs All the Time diet). Controlling portion sizes and caloric intake. Those are going to make a bigger impact on your health than buying something labeled "organic."
2. Do not open this inside your house.
Yes, that's a picture of 9,000 lady buys in a jar. Good for your garden. Bad for your house.
3. Do not get stupid tattoos.
So I get that it's your body and you can do what you want with it. And I get that this includes getting dumb tattoos. BUT, stupid tattoos are stupid.
Not all tattoos are dumb. This one is pretty cool. This one belongs to a friend of mine. This guy is freaking awesome, and I'm half tempted to get this one. I mean, I guess the thing that gets me is that this stuff is basically permanent (blah, blah, blah laser treatments, I know), and why would you want some of it on your body forever? How do some of these "canvases" expect to be taken seriously? Like this guy:
Oh, wait. Apparently there's Dermablend for that now.
Well then, mark up your body however you want. Carry on.
4. Do not assume your friends have your quirky sensibilities when you make, buy, or give them stuff.
Personally, I find the idea of making one of these for all my girlfriends insanely hilarious:
It's a purse shaped like a uterus and ovaries. Get it?
Says the creator of this lovely crochet pattern: "Perfect for storing feminine hygiene products while on the go (Tampax Pearl Shown), or as a gag gift for new or expecting mothers!" I'm not sure how it's perfect for new/expecting mothers (condoms, maybe?), but I sure as hell know that none of my friends would find this as adorably woman-positive as I did. I imagine our taste differences don't end here.
5. Do not press.
6. Do not dress up to fly.
Or travel at all unless you're commuting to work/school. Seriously. There is no point.
Every. Damn. Time.
7. Do not judge an entire breed of dogs just because a few of them have been beaten and starved into being vicious.
Also, do not let me ever catch you abusing your dog. I will end you.
8. Do not show up at my house and knock on my door without first calling and telling me you're coming.
Seriously, that is one of the rudest things. Ever. I'm a large-chested gal, and I like to run around without my bra on because it's much more comfortable. However, I don't like to answer my door without it on. It's much too personal, and we don't have that kind of relationship. Or what if I'm in the bathroom? Or avoiding you? If I'm interested in entertaining you, I'll answer my phone and prepare to receive guests. If I don't pick up, there's usually a reason why. Call first (or text, or fb, or send me an email... I'm flexible).
9. Do not body shame.
Yes, there is an ideal weight range that the majority of healthy people fall within. Yes, there are examples where people outside of this ideal weight range should be working with their doctors to lose or gain weight in order to put their bodies in a healthy place along a variety of indicators. No, neither you nor I have any right to comment on someone's BMI like we've read all the details of her or his medical chart.
Everyone deserves positive feedback. Maybe you find someone's physical features unattractive; compliment their shoes or the color of their shirt. TELL PEOPLE when they look good (or when you notice that they've put some effort into their look - everyone likes to know they've been noticed). Compliments don't cost you anything. Give them away as freely as you possibly can. The more you do it, the easier and more natural it gets. Make someone's day a little brighter and give them a sincere compliment.
A friend of mine just posted a link to this article about a picture of breastfeeding mothers. Two of the mothers are in their military uniforms (see below).
(Photo Credit: Brynja Sigurdardottir)
My friend's comment on the article was "Very interesting. It amazes me that feeding babies is such a social taboo... I hate to be obvious, but that's what breasts are FOR."
As a third wave feminist (Wikipedia basics), I've got a lot to say on the topic of breastfeeding in public. Apart from the biological pros (some decently skewed articles here and here), there are a bunch of social issues to consider.
Admittedly, my first response to my friend's comment was "by that same logic, I ought to be able to have sex, urinate, or defecate in public because that's what those body parts are FOR." Not one of my most enlightened thoughts. However, it touches on one of the main issues (in my mind) about breast feeding: why do many people find it so disturbing?
One of the easiest (and culturally-influenced) explanations is that breastfeeding might have something to do with modesty. After all, whipping boobs out in public is generally considered immodest (to put it mildly), and in our Puritanical society "good, honest, sweet women just don't do that." (For my LDS friends, the general definition of modest living, not the screwed up version that obsesses about the length of shorts, naked shoulders, and "sexy" babies, is what I'm talking about - helpful articles that give some context here and here.) Since the right kind of women don't do that, then a woman who does must be the wrong kind of woman, right? So any time a woman shows off even part of her breast, she must be a tramp. Ok, fine, we've defined modesty.
Except that breasts don't always serve a sexual purpose. To an infant, breasts are just as innocuous as a fork or a cup. Unfortunately, our poor, brainwashed social selves are often unable to see past the social definitions we've grown up with, and we fail to see it from the infant's perspective. So, for better or worse, the general consensus in American culture is that breastfeeding is complicated, but still kind of dirty, and since it mixes sex and motherhood, it makes us feel weird. Especially when the mother is a "good, honest, sweet woman" by all other counts. Perhaps women who are still breastfeeding ought to take that into consideration and stop being so incensed by the reactions they get from doing so in public venues; parading your alternative lifesyle choices in front of people who prefer that everyone follow social norms has its consequences.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being more open-minded about breast feeding and not forcing babies to effectively eat their meals in public bathrooms. In fact, in relatively private settings or appropriate settings (your home, homes of close friends or families, nursing lounges, nurseries, etc.), I'm all for doing whatever it is that works for your situation. By all means, don't even bother covering up with a blanket if that's what floats your boat. When it's appropriate.
BUT that doesn't mean you should be doing it where ever and whenever you want. When you choose to have a child (not "choose to get pregnant" because even birth control + condoms can fail; I'm talking about choose to keep your baby, to adopt, to foster, to date/marry someone with kids, etc.) you understand that you're making certain sacrifices in the way you live your life. One of those sacrifices for a while is that you have to be aware of your baby's feeding schedule and then adjust your personal life accordingly.
I think it's a double standard to be upset with one mother because she chooses to go out and leave her child frequently with a sitter but not chastise another for bringing her child to inappropriate venues. Fact of that matter is that both women are acting selfishly. I refuse to applaud a mother for bringing her small child to a nice restaurant (or other non-child-friendly locale). I don't think she's crusading against social norms and refusing to be confined to a set definition of femininity and motherhood; I think she's selfishly potentially ruining the expensive dinners of nearby diners. Not just by breastfeeding, but because of all of the realities of babies - smelly diapers, crying, using walking space for highchairs, obnoxious baby talk... It's not like the child is getting anything out of dinner. More often, it's because the mother has something to prove.
Which brings me to the image from the original article. Fact of the matter is that the women photographed breastfeeding in uniform know what the standards ought to be while wearing said uniform. So while practicality might call for them to pump in the locker room in uniform while on active duty away from the public eye, arranging to be photographed participating in something that is clearly a physical sign of affection violates the spirit of the rules they agree to adhere to. They're making a statement, and inappropriately using their uniforms to do so.
The photographer is quoted in the article saying "These women just happen to be in the Air Force, in their uniform, breastfeeding their babies" as though she innocently had no idea what was going on. But the old adage is true: a picture is worth a thousand words. Regardless of the personal opinions of anyone involved about breastfeeding and uniforms and whatever else their campaign is trying to encourage, fact of the matter is that they're selfishly making a statement that has nothing to do with their babies and everything to do with the women involved.
Being a mom isn't "convenient" for anyone. Being a parent is about making sacrifices. Sometimes that means putting off your social life for a little while, or altering it to a more socially acceptable location or activity. Is proving a point really worth putting your baby in the center of a storm of negative reactions? If so, you maybe ought to rethink your priorities.
