Throughout college, I was hungry for something bigger and better.
I knew I needed to travel outside of the Great Lakes area. I escaped my close-knit and safe hometown and decided to go off on my own adventure. I accepted a position as a Nanny for a family in Colorado. Miles away from the warmth and protection of loved ones. It was nerve wrecking (and a little bit crazy) to move in with complete strangers. But, I knew nothing would become of me if I never stepped outside of my comfort zone. The house was an immaculate ranch on the top of one of Colorado's biggest mountains. I've never felt more on top of the world. While teaching the child about the simplest things in life, I too was learning. I helped raise puppies, learned how to irrigate pastures, and run multiple businesses. Working with children and aiding in their development has always been one of my biggest passions. The little boy and I became best friends and spent everyday and night together. Unfortunately, the position was only seasonal, as the family owned several hunting outfitters.
During the "off season" I worked as a butcher's assistant at the family's meat shop.
The gruesome mornings began at 5AM. Trekking through tons of snow and shielding my face from the blistering winds as I entered the meat shop. The smell of blood, bleach, and bone marrow filled the air. Hanging from the ceiling were electric saws to cut through backbones of cows that I would later package for delivery. The sound of muscle and fat grinding into burger is still fresh in my memory (I'll keep this short in case you are enjoying a nice breakfast like I am). First task was to unload thousands of pounds of meat into a deep freezer. The air catches your breath as you enter. Your muscles barely even work at that temperature, so lifting heavy bags of frozen meat was a challenge. I handled beef tongue and liver and hearts. Working for minimum wage and for what felt like decades is what made me the strong woman I am today. To supplement my low salary, I was gifted steaks. All the steak I could ever want, plus some. I had steak for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time.
Don't take this the wrong way. I have never been a meat person and was always turned off by seeing tendons in the piece of steak I was eating. I love animals and eating them always felt so harsh to me. The pigs on the farm became my friends and it was always amazing to see how intelligent they are. The pigs were the hardest for me to accept slaughtering. Naturally, this turned me into a vegetarian. I ate only veggies and fruit for a year and a half. I moved on from the meat shop and became a teacher. I needed to take a break and try to forget the horrible winters I spent up there in that meat shop. I still open packages of meat and am reminded of the bloody war-like position I once held. After my herbivore phase, ironically enough, I started craving bacon of all things. Bacon and eggs was the first meal I had that broke me as a vegetarian. Today, I eat beef but with much more respect for the animal and the process of food gathering.
I learned so much about myself and about life through this adventure. I thought my previous position as a butcher's assistant would come as a surprise to many of you. I felt it was necessary to share this side of me after hearing what assumptions were made about me after my makeup tutorial. Some of you guys have me all wrong. I am independent and an extremely hard worker. I am too smart to pray for material things and I am not afraid to shed blood, sweat, or tears. I am thick-skinned and determined to be successful in life. Easy money is something that I am not familiar with. I do not come from a well-off family and I have always had to make my own way in life. Especially being on my own and 1000+ miles away from family my entire adulthood.
Steemit has been a blessing and nothing short of a dream come true. Though I have been quite busy starting a new career and tackling the latest obstacles in my life, I am determined to provide Steemit with the quality content it deserves.
Yes I enjoy dressing up and getting my hair done and shopping and many other girly things, but I can also identify every cut of beef and skin an elk.
How's that for your beauty girl, Steemit.
All of the photos you see on this post were my own work. If you would like to stay connected with me in between my posts, follow me on Instagram 
