Rebecca Kay Bright, Author

                                    The Compassionate Outsider “ Fill your mind with compassion” – Buddha     Sometimes being compassionate is the hardest thing that one can do. I was raised in a family that is like most American families…rather negative. I was not raised to be compassionate to others or even animals. I used to long for an older brother. I have no siblings at all, but now in my thirties when I look back at it I am glad I don’t have any siblings. Not that I got what I wanted or all the attention, the opposite really, but that I don’t know how likely a boy would have been able to turn out as opposite of my parents as I did. I was born in a small town in Texas and lived there until I was about seven when we moved to the Austin area. When I was in elementary in Austin my parents had me in religious private schools until fifth grade when I finally went back to public schools. The little private schools I went to were nice enough; I did like how small the class

                                      We Get Treated The Way We Allow You may spasm when you read this but from personal experience,  friends experiences, and just common sense this is my opinion, like it or not.  Everything one does, says, wears, how they act, etc is a message even if we don't think it should be, it is. Yes some women look at a guy in the Ren 'tights' and go all pervy on him just as some guys look at a woman in a belly dancer or wench costume and go pervy. Is the man meaning to say 'look at my privates' any more than the woman is likely to be meaning 'look at my breasts'?  No not necessarily. Regardless of their intent that's the message that they are saying to the world. For example I altered a dress of mine and meant to just drop the neck enough to NOT feel like I was being strangled when I wore it. I am very new to alterations and managed to drop the neckline too much in front. Though it isn't distasteful per say I do plan t

                          Food Demo Girl Turned Foodie I worked for about two years for the food demo company that services Wal-Mart, Sams’ Club, and many others. I worked mostly at my local Wal-Mart and occasionally in other Wal-Mart’s and a Sam’s Club. I had already stopped eating a lot of processed foods but definitely not all. Most demos I did were food products-or food like food products. I demoed everything from Slim Fast, Clamato, juice, Greek yogurt, ice cream, pizzas, frozen foods, snack food, sodas, and on rare occasions I would have actual food; typically fruit and once chicken cooked with some ‘meal in a box’. After a few months I was very well and bored. I was able to set up, train someone, and still have time to go stir crazy…so I started reading the labels on what we were serving as well as exercising behind my cart. (Yeah I can’t stand not being mentally active) I was not surprised, but non the less very disgusted, by the horrible things that even I, with a

                  Cooking For Diabetics and Those At High Risk I don’t know how many of you are diabetic, cook for a diabetic, or are just concerned with limiting the amount of table sugar (Sucrose) in your diet. But both of my parents are diabetic, making my risk for diabetes sky high and my son’s only slightly less so. So when I cook any kind of treats like cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, etc I try and make it low sugar or no sugar added. I know you are thinking “that’s not possible!” It is tricky but doable. In place of (regular) maple syrup use agave nectar or dark maple syrup…I try not to make anything that requires this because both of these still react very similar to sucrose thus defeating the exercise. When something calls for brown sugar use the brown sugar/Splenda mix you can buy at the grocery store. When something calls for regular sugar, use Splenda. I know, I know…Splenda is altered and sorta man made; thus basically a processed food. I agree. BUT if you are d

I' m  Just  So  Tired  I' m  not  physically  tired  but  tired.  You  see  I  have  Bipolar  I  with  psychosis,  PTSD, and  General  Anxiety  Disorder.  “Wow  you're  nuts!”  you  are  thinking.  I  probably am!  Of  the  three  the  bipolar  is  the  worse  and  longest  running.  My  depression episodes  run  so  long  and  are  so  severe  I  was  originally  misdiagnosed  with  Major Depressive  Disorder  for  nearly  thirty  years!  “Why  are  you  sad?  Whatcha  got  to be  sad  about?  Just  think  positive,”  you  are  probably  wanting  to  tell  me.  Let  me stop  you  right  there.  You  may  use  the  words  “sad”  and  “depressed” interchangeably  but  sadness  doesn't  even  come  CLOSE  to  what  depression  feels like.  People  thinking  sadness  equals  depression  and  thus  discounting  what  we  go through  on  a  daily  basis  is  where  a  large  part  of  the  stigma  surrounding depression  comes  from.  Both  major  depressive  disorder  

Bright & Sheppard Diabetic Friendly & Wholesome Family Recipe Book   Diabetic Friendly, Heart Healthy, delicious family recipes. Are you or a loved one diabetic or at high risk for diabetes or heart disease? Then you will love my recipe book!! I have converted my families favorite and original recipes into diabetic friendly and heart health versions without sacrificing flavor! Kindle available here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XARH4PO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_VkPDzb29X9MXD Paperback available here:  https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Sheppard-Diabetic-Friendly-Wholesome/dp/148390685X/ref=la_B00BO9PS80_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500942979&sr=1-2 Our Star Crossed Love Affair (Poetry Emotion Book 2)   A volume of poetry about a star crossed love affair that developed from a friendship of over thirty years, to a committed relationship, to an engagement that ended in betrayal, to the loss of a lifetime friendship. Kindle available here: https://www.ama