Resolution means: Solving or determining; the act of analyzing a complex notion into simple ones.
So basically when we make a new years resolution we solve our problems and simplify our lives.
To simplify is to reduce to basic essentials.
Hmm, so after buying all that stuff for Christmas we are supposed to turn around and simplify our lives. No wonder western civilization is confused.
My goals sound similar to last years because I didn’t meet my expectations. Did I set goals that were too high? No, I mostly just got sidetracked which happens to many who make a pact with Father Time.
1) I made another blog over in Hub Pages but soon neglected it. Three blogs is a lot to keep up with but I can do it if I don’t have so many outside distractions. This next year I will work on that blog. It is a more serious informational page and sometimes being serious is a challenge for me.
2) I am going to finish and edit my latest novel, which is not the same one I was working on at the start of this year. I know, I have ADD and get sidetracked a lot.
Last year I had three things on my list in fact making lists was on my list. This year I’m not going to write a schedule for everyday because that in its self takes time I could be writing. I am simply going to write.
Looking back I did accomplished some things this year even though they weren’t on my initial itinerary. Some are very important and even though I don’t post them here it has made my life better and after all that is what making resolutions is all about--- improving our time on this planet.
December 29, 2010
December 18, 2010
Indifference-The Quiet Critic
When you write you sometimes get reviews or at the very least a comment telling you what they think about what you have to say. Only the people who strongly dislike or enjoy your stories mention what they think. Those individuals in the middle seldom say anything.
It’s been my experience over the years that you can’t please everyone but it is important to insult as few people as possible otherwise your ratings fall. Unless you are going for shock factor and then you get a lot of people tuning in for a very different reason. They only show up to argue and tell you how terrible you are and if you piss off the wrong group of people you can be fired like Howard Sterns found out. Or if you are self employed you will be shunned which is the same thing.
I prefer to be a peacemaker ruffling as few feathers as possible. Oddly enough being a pleaser upsets some folks so like I said you can’t please everyone.
Watch television or movies for very long and you will realize that people’s taste change over the years. What was popular in the 70’s are not necessarily interesting to anyone now. Even people who grew up during that era may not find that type of story to their liking. We grow, evolve and our taste change. That is why redoing a movie from that era doesn’t always have the same popularity the original did.
Be brief: People don’t have a lot of time and those stories that go on and on repeating what you have already said in previous paragraphs bore a reader. They will soon move on.
Be accurate: If you aren’t sure of information say so. Nothing worse than posting a story only to find out later that your facts were wrong.
Edit, edit, edit: Read your work, let it lie for a few days or weeks and then reread it. We are too close to our articles and stories to see every error. Computer tools only catch so much. If you spell a word correctly but use it in the wrong context spell check won’t underline it.
Write what you want, what you know and what makes you happy and if you are lucky someone will enjoy reading what you have to say.
Ricky Nelson- Garden Party:
It’s been my experience over the years that you can’t please everyone but it is important to insult as few people as possible otherwise your ratings fall. Unless you are going for shock factor and then you get a lot of people tuning in for a very different reason. They only show up to argue and tell you how terrible you are and if you piss off the wrong group of people you can be fired like Howard Sterns found out. Or if you are self employed you will be shunned which is the same thing.
I prefer to be a peacemaker ruffling as few feathers as possible. Oddly enough being a pleaser upsets some folks so like I said you can’t please everyone.
Watch television or movies for very long and you will realize that people’s taste change over the years. What was popular in the 70’s are not necessarily interesting to anyone now. Even people who grew up during that era may not find that type of story to their liking. We grow, evolve and our taste change. That is why redoing a movie from that era doesn’t always have the same popularity the original did.
Be brief: People don’t have a lot of time and those stories that go on and on repeating what you have already said in previous paragraphs bore a reader. They will soon move on.
Be accurate: If you aren’t sure of information say so. Nothing worse than posting a story only to find out later that your facts were wrong.
Edit, edit, edit: Read your work, let it lie for a few days or weeks and then reread it. We are too close to our articles and stories to see every error. Computer tools only catch so much. If you spell a word correctly but use it in the wrong context spell check won’t underline it.
Write what you want, what you know and what makes you happy and if you are lucky someone will enjoy reading what you have to say.
Ricky Nelson- Garden Party:
December 13, 2010
Ways To Stop Bullying On The Internet
A cyber bully or troll is a sad lonely individual who tries to make others feel emotionally insecure by defaming their character. Some were bullies in school but most were overlooked insecure individuals who have found the anonymity of the Internet gives them the power to be anyone they want, something they have never had in real life. That is until they are caught and punished.
Bullying is unhealthy. The bully's behavior interferes with his learning, friendships, work, intimate relationships, income, and mental health. They are harming themselves more than they are others but most do not realize this. They lack the social skills and confidence to make friends in person and spend hours hiding behind a monitor. Although I say his, bullying isn't only a male sport. Many females indulge in this behavior also.
Some are obsessed with another individual due to jealousy of that person’s popularity and number of friends. They want the same amount of attention only they don’t have the ability to go about it the proper way so they decide to either pretend to be the other person or try to defame his or her character.
Those who are gay, of another race, or have different religious or political views are also targets of abuse. If they can find a few other people who are more than likely also cyber bullies that agree with them, they will gather momentum and increase their mud slinging.
In most cases simply ignoring them is the best method of getting rid of them. You don’t have to respond to everyone who makes a comment to you or about you in a forum. When you ignore them they eventually lose interest and find someone else to torment. I’ve even seen situations where the trolls have turned on each other and it resembles piranha who lose their prey and feed on each other.
Remember the words of the great Dr. Seuss:
Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter.
Your friends know the truth about you so no matter what silly things these trouble makers come up with most people aren’t going to believe them and in fact once they see the troll's avatar or name most won’t even read what they have to say because it’s just nonsense.
If you haven’t already, you need to protect your children from these predators. Don’t allow your kids to post pictures of themselves in public forums. Monitor computer usage and know who their friends are. If someone joins his group of friends and you feel uncomfortable about them send a message asking what motives they have. Only allow your kids on sites that monitor and protect them from bullying. Many websites that allow teenagers have security and privacy features that allow you to delete and block anyone causing problems.
If you find you have a person cyber stalking you or your child, posting threatening remarks, using your photos without permission or leaving defaming comments there are laws set in place to protect you. Depending on the severity of the situation you can go to the police or the forum and get results.
Put in a search for your state plus cyber or Internet laws to find out your rights. Keep records and copies of any correspondence you have with the website to resolve any issues you have as well as all posts by the perpetrator. If the forum and or the bully do not comply within a reasonable length of time you have legal rights and depending on your state some could face jail time-- they don’t even have to live in your state to be prosecuted.
Here is an article helping you resolve cyber bully issues. This is written to help kids but some of the same laws apply to adults.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/technology/personaltech/19basics.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=Use%20technology%20to%20stop%20cyberbullies&st=cse
If you can’t get the address and phone number of a website on the forum, do a search and you can usually find them. Send a letter that requires a signature so you have proof it was received.
Here are a few of the popular sites addresses:
Topix
1001 Elwell Ct
Palo Alto, CA 94303-4308
1.650.461.8300
Yahoo, Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Tel: (408) 349-3300
Fax: (408) 349-3301
Craigslist
1381 9th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
Phone 415 566 6394
Bullying is unhealthy. The bully's behavior interferes with his learning, friendships, work, intimate relationships, income, and mental health. They are harming themselves more than they are others but most do not realize this. They lack the social skills and confidence to make friends in person and spend hours hiding behind a monitor. Although I say his, bullying isn't only a male sport. Many females indulge in this behavior also.
Some are obsessed with another individual due to jealousy of that person’s popularity and number of friends. They want the same amount of attention only they don’t have the ability to go about it the proper way so they decide to either pretend to be the other person or try to defame his or her character.
Those who are gay, of another race, or have different religious or political views are also targets of abuse. If they can find a few other people who are more than likely also cyber bullies that agree with them, they will gather momentum and increase their mud slinging.
In most cases simply ignoring them is the best method of getting rid of them. You don’t have to respond to everyone who makes a comment to you or about you in a forum. When you ignore them they eventually lose interest and find someone else to torment. I’ve even seen situations where the trolls have turned on each other and it resembles piranha who lose their prey and feed on each other.
Remember the words of the great Dr. Seuss:
Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter.
Your friends know the truth about you so no matter what silly things these trouble makers come up with most people aren’t going to believe them and in fact once they see the troll's avatar or name most won’t even read what they have to say because it’s just nonsense.
If you haven’t already, you need to protect your children from these predators. Don’t allow your kids to post pictures of themselves in public forums. Monitor computer usage and know who their friends are. If someone joins his group of friends and you feel uncomfortable about them send a message asking what motives they have. Only allow your kids on sites that monitor and protect them from bullying. Many websites that allow teenagers have security and privacy features that allow you to delete and block anyone causing problems.
If you find you have a person cyber stalking you or your child, posting threatening remarks, using your photos without permission or leaving defaming comments there are laws set in place to protect you. Depending on the severity of the situation you can go to the police or the forum and get results.
Put in a search for your state plus cyber or Internet laws to find out your rights. Keep records and copies of any correspondence you have with the website to resolve any issues you have as well as all posts by the perpetrator. If the forum and or the bully do not comply within a reasonable length of time you have legal rights and depending on your state some could face jail time-- they don’t even have to live in your state to be prosecuted.
Here is an article helping you resolve cyber bully issues. This is written to help kids but some of the same laws apply to adults.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/technology/personaltech/19basics.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=Use%20technology%20to%20stop%20cyberbullies&st=cse
If you can’t get the address and phone number of a website on the forum, do a search and you can usually find them. Send a letter that requires a signature so you have proof it was received.
Here are a few of the popular sites addresses:
Topix
1001 Elwell Ct
Palo Alto, CA 94303-4308
1.650.461.8300
Yahoo, Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Tel: (408) 349-3300
Fax: (408) 349-3301
Craigslist
1381 9th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
Phone 415 566 6394
December 7, 2010
Who Are We?
We need titles and names. It’s what makes us who we are and defines us. Sometimes choosing one is not easy. I even had trouble naming this blog and may change it before it posts.
I’ve heard some women get offended over being called ladies. Personally, I consider it a compliment because where I come from only well bred women with manners are referred to as “ladies.”
We’ve changed the titles of employment to include women. We no longer have secretaries and in their place we have Administrative Assistants. Funny thing is in the beginning all secretaries were men.
When I was a little girl we had Trash Men but that no longer sounds nice so we moved on to Garbage Collectors and even further to Sanitation Engineers. I don’t feel very sanitized after they’ve been by but we won’t go into that.
Nationalities are a tricky group to name and we have changed most several times over the course of the years mostly due to people turning their titles into something ugly.
The way you say a word, tone and facial expressions can greatly change the meaning. Some words are just plain mean no matter how nice you try to make them sound.
Native Americans are a group that has had trouble with names over the years. We started out being called Indians because some poor lost man thought he was in India. That one stuck for hundreds of years until someone one day decided it didn’t make sense and decided to call us Native Americans or American Indians. In my opinion neither one fits us still.
Anyone who was born in America is a native American. Native means being such by birth or origin.
American Indian doesn’t work because if a person of Indian decent, meaning whose ancestors come from India is an American citizen he is an Indian American so you see how that can be confusing.
Another title that fits best, until some smarty-pants anthropologist comes along and proves different is “First People.” Indigenous Americans also works but is difficult for small children to say.
African Americans have had many names some very rude and derogatory. Most recently they were called black, which doesn’t fit because most are not black. They come in many lovely skin tones from high yellow all the way up to cocoa.
I always thought colored was the best description but that one didn’t work either because a few decades ago everyone who was not white was filed under the category of “colored.”
Funny how Caucasian people have always been called “white people” and that one never seems to change.
I don’t think we should worry about what to call each other and just remember we are all people. We bleed red, we cry tears and we love our families and friends. That’s all we really need to know.
Morandi - Colors
I’ve heard some women get offended over being called ladies. Personally, I consider it a compliment because where I come from only well bred women with manners are referred to as “ladies.”
We’ve changed the titles of employment to include women. We no longer have secretaries and in their place we have Administrative Assistants. Funny thing is in the beginning all secretaries were men.
When I was a little girl we had Trash Men but that no longer sounds nice so we moved on to Garbage Collectors and even further to Sanitation Engineers. I don’t feel very sanitized after they’ve been by but we won’t go into that.
Nationalities are a tricky group to name and we have changed most several times over the course of the years mostly due to people turning their titles into something ugly.
The way you say a word, tone and facial expressions can greatly change the meaning. Some words are just plain mean no matter how nice you try to make them sound.
Native Americans are a group that has had trouble with names over the years. We started out being called Indians because some poor lost man thought he was in India. That one stuck for hundreds of years until someone one day decided it didn’t make sense and decided to call us Native Americans or American Indians. In my opinion neither one fits us still.
Anyone who was born in America is a native American. Native means being such by birth or origin.
American Indian doesn’t work because if a person of Indian decent, meaning whose ancestors come from India is an American citizen he is an Indian American so you see how that can be confusing.
Another title that fits best, until some smarty-pants anthropologist comes along and proves different is “First People.” Indigenous Americans also works but is difficult for small children to say.
African Americans have had many names some very rude and derogatory. Most recently they were called black, which doesn’t fit because most are not black. They come in many lovely skin tones from high yellow all the way up to cocoa.
I always thought colored was the best description but that one didn’t work either because a few decades ago everyone who was not white was filed under the category of “colored.”
Funny how Caucasian people have always been called “white people” and that one never seems to change.
I don’t think we should worry about what to call each other and just remember we are all people. We bleed red, we cry tears and we love our families and friends. That’s all we really need to know.
Morandi - Colors
November 27, 2010
Overused Words
Have you noticed how Americans will take a word and use it to death? Then by the time they’ve finished with it no one can stand to hear it anymore so it gets retired and everyone says, “No one uses that word anymore.”
People need to realize there is a thesaurus. It sounds like a dinosaur and unfortunately has become one in many homes but it is a very useful tool. They even have free online versions of the paper and board tomes.
You don’t have to wear out a word spreading it so thin it no longer resembles its original meaning.
Here are some “for instances” I can hardly stand to hear come out of people’s mouths because they have been used to death:
Space: We no longer have a living room, kitchen, bathroom, house, building or even a church, everything is a space. Home improvement shows have run this one into the ground and broke it off. (I no longer use this word and cringe when I hear others use it.) Give a room a name for God’s sakes everything deserves a name and no matter how small a “room” is it deserves the same respect. Even the tiny walk through between my dining room and garage that holds my washing machine and dryer has a name: Utility Room. See how easy that was. Now go give the rooms in your home a proper christening.
Awesome: This used to have a tremendous meaning but now days can be an exclamation for something as trivial as “dinner is ready.” Surely we can be more inventive with the English language.
Random: There are other words that will work for this one. I’m sure you can find them it’s not hard, really it’s not. Various, different, aimless, unorganized, unplanned or even slapdash (my personal favorite) will work.
Cool: I’ll admit I still use this one quite a bit out of habit but it’s been around for years and trying to replace it with awesome only gives us a new word to cringe at hearing. How about trying words like great, fantastic, terrific, wonderful or magnificent. Originally this word had to do with the temperature of something and if things were truly cool we would need a sweater unless you are warm natured.
Lame: I think this one has finally gone out of fashion and I’m truly glad because I got tired of hearing things needed crutches.
Retarded: This one is offensive on so many levels I don’t really know where to begin. If you don’t realize why it’s considered bad form to use this one then I probably can’t help you.
What are some words you are tired of hearing and wish would retire to the great dictionary in the sky?
People need to realize there is a thesaurus. It sounds like a dinosaur and unfortunately has become one in many homes but it is a very useful tool. They even have free online versions of the paper and board tomes.
You don’t have to wear out a word spreading it so thin it no longer resembles its original meaning.
Here are some “for instances” I can hardly stand to hear come out of people’s mouths because they have been used to death:
Space: We no longer have a living room, kitchen, bathroom, house, building or even a church, everything is a space. Home improvement shows have run this one into the ground and broke it off. (I no longer use this word and cringe when I hear others use it.) Give a room a name for God’s sakes everything deserves a name and no matter how small a “room” is it deserves the same respect. Even the tiny walk through between my dining room and garage that holds my washing machine and dryer has a name: Utility Room. See how easy that was. Now go give the rooms in your home a proper christening.
Awesome: This used to have a tremendous meaning but now days can be an exclamation for something as trivial as “dinner is ready.” Surely we can be more inventive with the English language.
Random: There are other words that will work for this one. I’m sure you can find them it’s not hard, really it’s not. Various, different, aimless, unorganized, unplanned or even slapdash (my personal favorite) will work.
Cool: I’ll admit I still use this one quite a bit out of habit but it’s been around for years and trying to replace it with awesome only gives us a new word to cringe at hearing. How about trying words like great, fantastic, terrific, wonderful or magnificent. Originally this word had to do with the temperature of something and if things were truly cool we would need a sweater unless you are warm natured.
Lame: I think this one has finally gone out of fashion and I’m truly glad because I got tired of hearing things needed crutches.
Retarded: This one is offensive on so many levels I don’t really know where to begin. If you don’t realize why it’s considered bad form to use this one then I probably can’t help you.
What are some words you are tired of hearing and wish would retire to the great dictionary in the sky?
November 22, 2010
Fair Weather Friends
They are insecure individuals who only feel significant when following someone of importance. They want to be part of the popular crowd and being your friend gives them that standing in society.
Some are more obvious than others and it takes us a while to see through their game but unless you are really naïve you pick up on it in time.
Usually, I’m pretty perceptive of people and I’m better in person because I’m an expert body language reader but online it gets a bit trickier. You don’t have eye contact to help you see if they are sincere or not.
The best way to find out if these people are truly your friends or not is to lose status. Either you lose your job, you no longer belong to a certain important group or you no longer hold that important title you once had. Suddenly these “friends” move on to the next leader.
I’ve seen this with cheerleaders. You have to try out every year and it can be grueling especially in competitive cities like the one I live in. I’m not giving the name but we have frequently been national champions.
As long as you make the team and are one of the girls you are popular. The guys all want to date you, every girl wants to be your friend and dress like you. But say next year you don’t make the team or worse, you do something to tarnish your reputation like get pregnant. Suddenly you hardly have any friends at all and you are lucky if anyone wants you to sit at their table at lunchtime.
That prom night date turned into a bit more than she bargained for.
No, this isn’t my story. Heck I was never a cheerleader. I couldn’t get my long legs over my head, at least not for an acrobatic stunt.
What do we do about these friends? How do we know if they are real friends?
In most cases you won’t be able to find out but if you have a ton of friends and you are in a popular position, a celebrity or political figure I can guarantee you that most of those people are not real friends. It’s kind of like friending people on a social networking site. Sure your status says you have a thousand friends but you don’t really know most of those people nor do they know you.
While you are at the top they will give you the shirt off their backs but if you lost everything and needed a place to stay or money. That’s when you find out who is really your friend.
Most people are aware of this in the back of their minds but yet they are still very shocked when it happens and the first words you hear are, “I thought they were my friends.”
Some are more obvious than others and it takes us a while to see through their game but unless you are really naïve you pick up on it in time.
Usually, I’m pretty perceptive of people and I’m better in person because I’m an expert body language reader but online it gets a bit trickier. You don’t have eye contact to help you see if they are sincere or not.
The best way to find out if these people are truly your friends or not is to lose status. Either you lose your job, you no longer belong to a certain important group or you no longer hold that important title you once had. Suddenly these “friends” move on to the next leader.
I’ve seen this with cheerleaders. You have to try out every year and it can be grueling especially in competitive cities like the one I live in. I’m not giving the name but we have frequently been national champions.
As long as you make the team and are one of the girls you are popular. The guys all want to date you, every girl wants to be your friend and dress like you. But say next year you don’t make the team or worse, you do something to tarnish your reputation like get pregnant. Suddenly you hardly have any friends at all and you are lucky if anyone wants you to sit at their table at lunchtime.
That prom night date turned into a bit more than she bargained for.
No, this isn’t my story. Heck I was never a cheerleader. I couldn’t get my long legs over my head, at least not for an acrobatic stunt.
What do we do about these friends? How do we know if they are real friends?
In most cases you won’t be able to find out but if you have a ton of friends and you are in a popular position, a celebrity or political figure I can guarantee you that most of those people are not real friends. It’s kind of like friending people on a social networking site. Sure your status says you have a thousand friends but you don’t really know most of those people nor do they know you.
While you are at the top they will give you the shirt off their backs but if you lost everything and needed a place to stay or money. That’s when you find out who is really your friend.
Most people are aware of this in the back of their minds but yet they are still very shocked when it happens and the first words you hear are, “I thought they were my friends.”
September 27, 2010
Autumn Pondering
I haven’t written in a while. Basically, I’ve been goofing off. There’s no better excuse for it but with November hovering close by I am thinking about writing and that makes me think about my office/sewing room, which has been a mess so I have been cleaning, clearing and reorganizing.
I don’t know about you but it feels good to declutter my life. According to Feng Shui I need to get rid of excess stuff so my creativity can come through. Too much junk clogs up the ol’ brain as well as the counter tops and that isn’t good.
Oh and I found stuff that has been missing for years. I was so excited. I don’t even remember how many years a go I lost a little bag of quilting tools that was quite dear to me partly because the bag itself was irreplaceable, I know because I have tried for years to find one like it or at least close enough. Inside was a wooden needle case from the 30’s or 40’s they don’t make anymore. It was my Granny’s and I kept my needles in it. Also there was a pair of stork scissors that was also irreplaceable I’ve had them since *cough* 1980 so they are practically antique, certainly older than any of my children. So… I had my own little celebration, drank some wine and did a happy dance.
Straightening my room has revealed a few unfinished projects, yes, I have a problem with that in sewing and crafts too. There are many pieces that have made it to the finish line but twice as many are still sitting on the worktable waiting to be turned into a quilt, picture or tea towel. One such project is a quilt for my daughter. Bless her heart the girl loves purple--- and I don’t so I haven’t been able to get motivated to work on it past embroidering the butterflies. I finally talked her into adding another color so as not to be overwhelmed by lavender. With the walls the same color it’s all I can do to walk into her room without getting a severe headache. Had she chosen red it would of course already been bound and on her bed.
A cool front came through today reminding me that even though technically it’s fall and even though the weather has been in the eighties it is really autumn and soon the cold temperatures will be here which is officially baking and soup weather at my house. Nothing like a great bowl of pho, soup or stew to warm our bones. The crock pot will soon be busy.
Pondering whether or not to do NaNo again, this will be my fifth year, I have decided to go ahead, what the heck. I have a perfectly good idea. It seems I never lack for those it’s the finishing and editing that holds me back. Plus I can go to the group meetings, which I dearly love and see my good friends that keep us going and cheer each other on. How cool is that?
I am a writer therefore I write. It might not be what you want to read, it may not be worth buying but it’s what I do and it makes me happy.
I don’t know about you but it feels good to declutter my life. According to Feng Shui I need to get rid of excess stuff so my creativity can come through. Too much junk clogs up the ol’ brain as well as the counter tops and that isn’t good.
Oh and I found stuff that has been missing for years. I was so excited. I don’t even remember how many years a go I lost a little bag of quilting tools that was quite dear to me partly because the bag itself was irreplaceable, I know because I have tried for years to find one like it or at least close enough. Inside was a wooden needle case from the 30’s or 40’s they don’t make anymore. It was my Granny’s and I kept my needles in it. Also there was a pair of stork scissors that was also irreplaceable I’ve had them since *cough* 1980 so they are practically antique, certainly older than any of my children. So… I had my own little celebration, drank some wine and did a happy dance.
Straightening my room has revealed a few unfinished projects, yes, I have a problem with that in sewing and crafts too. There are many pieces that have made it to the finish line but twice as many are still sitting on the worktable waiting to be turned into a quilt, picture or tea towel. One such project is a quilt for my daughter. Bless her heart the girl loves purple--- and I don’t so I haven’t been able to get motivated to work on it past embroidering the butterflies. I finally talked her into adding another color so as not to be overwhelmed by lavender. With the walls the same color it’s all I can do to walk into her room without getting a severe headache. Had she chosen red it would of course already been bound and on her bed.
A cool front came through today reminding me that even though technically it’s fall and even though the weather has been in the eighties it is really autumn and soon the cold temperatures will be here which is officially baking and soup weather at my house. Nothing like a great bowl of pho, soup or stew to warm our bones. The crock pot will soon be busy.
Pondering whether or not to do NaNo again, this will be my fifth year, I have decided to go ahead, what the heck. I have a perfectly good idea. It seems I never lack for those it’s the finishing and editing that holds me back. Plus I can go to the group meetings, which I dearly love and see my good friends that keep us going and cheer each other on. How cool is that?
I am a writer therefore I write. It might not be what you want to read, it may not be worth buying but it’s what I do and it makes me happy.
August 6, 2010
The Importance of Fathers
It’s a shame how many kids grow up without a paternal influence in their lives. I think we have forgotten the little things that father’s give to their offspring.
While driving on the highway the other day I saw a young man that had a flat tire. He was sitting on the hood of his car waiting. Maybe he didn’t have a spare or perhaps he didn’t have a tire iron but it is just as likely that he didn’t know how to change his tire.
When my sons were in high school they often got calls from friends that had a flat or other car trouble. My sons knew how to help them out because their dad had taught them basic car maintenance and repairs. Their friends didn’t have a father around to help them. They were being raised by a single mother.
Now I realize that not all men know these things and it is just as likely that the young man on the highway has a father who doesn’t know how to change a tire either. There are also the rich people who rely on repair shops for all their technical needs. Had he been driving an expensive model car that might have gone through my mind but since he was driving an older model inexpensive automobile I don’t think this was the case.
I know there are the rare few women that know how to do car repairs and have no qualms about getting under the hood of a car but I don’t know any.
Sometimes relationships don’t work out and people part ways but the kids shouldn’t be forgotten in the process.
Girls learn their first love from their dads. If they don’t have a healthy father/daughter relationship they lose out on a very important connection and many look for it in teenage boys. Unfortunately, as we all know, adolescent boys are only interested in one thing when it comes to girls. That isn’t the kind of love these girls need and most get hurt because they are too young.
Girls first learn about men from their dads, so when they get married they will be better prepared.
I understand that sometimes the clock is ticking and women want to have children before their time runs out but at the same time they need to remember the importance of a father in their children’s lives.
I haven’t seen this movie but it looks cute.
While driving on the highway the other day I saw a young man that had a flat tire. He was sitting on the hood of his car waiting. Maybe he didn’t have a spare or perhaps he didn’t have a tire iron but it is just as likely that he didn’t know how to change his tire.
When my sons were in high school they often got calls from friends that had a flat or other car trouble. My sons knew how to help them out because their dad had taught them basic car maintenance and repairs. Their friends didn’t have a father around to help them. They were being raised by a single mother.
Now I realize that not all men know these things and it is just as likely that the young man on the highway has a father who doesn’t know how to change a tire either. There are also the rich people who rely on repair shops for all their technical needs. Had he been driving an expensive model car that might have gone through my mind but since he was driving an older model inexpensive automobile I don’t think this was the case.
I know there are the rare few women that know how to do car repairs and have no qualms about getting under the hood of a car but I don’t know any.
Sometimes relationships don’t work out and people part ways but the kids shouldn’t be forgotten in the process.
Girls learn their first love from their dads. If they don’t have a healthy father/daughter relationship they lose out on a very important connection and many look for it in teenage boys. Unfortunately, as we all know, adolescent boys are only interested in one thing when it comes to girls. That isn’t the kind of love these girls need and most get hurt because they are too young.
Girls first learn about men from their dads, so when they get married they will be better prepared.
I understand that sometimes the clock is ticking and women want to have children before their time runs out but at the same time they need to remember the importance of a father in their children’s lives.
I haven’t seen this movie but it looks cute.
July 26, 2010
It's Flour, I Promise
While baking and cooking I can be quite messy. I do clean up after myself but during the process I tend to get ingredients all over. My dog helps with the floor but the counters have to be washed down pretty good when I’m done.
Sunday I made biscuits and had flour from here to Texas cutting out doughy circles and placing them in a pan. (I’ll give y’all my biscuit recipe just in case you want to give it a try.)
Today, Monday, my daughter had a dentist appointment and when I took my wallet out of my purse I noticed white powder all over it… even inside where the money and cards go. I’m thinking what the heck is all of this? Then I remembered I had my purse on the barstool while I was slinging flour Sunday.
I noticed the woman at the counter kept giving me weird looks while I’m wiping dust off of my medical card but she didn’t say anything. Later I was thinking and wondered if she thought it might be something other than baking ingredients?
Anyway when I got home I took the vacuum cleaner to my purse and cleaned it all out. Next time I won’t put my purse in the kitchen.
I think I need to do like those construction guys that hang tarp over doors to keep the dust enclosed. Just kidding, I’m not quite that bad.
Biscuits
5 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 pkg. yeast
2 T. water
3 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Put yeast and water in a cup or small bowl stir with fork until dissolved.
Sift dry ingredients in large bowl, cut in shortening with pastry cutter or fork, add buttermilk and yeast together. Mix well. Use fingers to make sure you get all the dry ingredients mixed with the moist.
Sprinkle flour on counter top and fold twice. The key to good biscuits is not to over knead them. Just fold it over once and then one more time. This will make those flakes you see in good biscuits. Either roll or mash dough out to about ¾ to an inch thick.
Cut with biscuit cutter or glass. Place on greased or sprayed baking pan with about a little space in between.
Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes. You want them to be golden brown.
If you don’t have buttermilk, and I almost never do, you can take a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar for part of the milk amount. This will give that tart taste without having to buy a container of buttermilk no one drinks anyway.
Sunday I made biscuits and had flour from here to Texas cutting out doughy circles and placing them in a pan. (I’ll give y’all my biscuit recipe just in case you want to give it a try.)
Today, Monday, my daughter had a dentist appointment and when I took my wallet out of my purse I noticed white powder all over it… even inside where the money and cards go. I’m thinking what the heck is all of this? Then I remembered I had my purse on the barstool while I was slinging flour Sunday.
I noticed the woman at the counter kept giving me weird looks while I’m wiping dust off of my medical card but she didn’t say anything. Later I was thinking and wondered if she thought it might be something other than baking ingredients?
Anyway when I got home I took the vacuum cleaner to my purse and cleaned it all out. Next time I won’t put my purse in the kitchen.
I think I need to do like those construction guys that hang tarp over doors to keep the dust enclosed. Just kidding, I’m not quite that bad.
Biscuits
5 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 pkg. yeast
2 T. water
3 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Put yeast and water in a cup or small bowl stir with fork until dissolved.
Sift dry ingredients in large bowl, cut in shortening with pastry cutter or fork, add buttermilk and yeast together. Mix well. Use fingers to make sure you get all the dry ingredients mixed with the moist.
Sprinkle flour on counter top and fold twice. The key to good biscuits is not to over knead them. Just fold it over once and then one more time. This will make those flakes you see in good biscuits. Either roll or mash dough out to about ¾ to an inch thick.
Cut with biscuit cutter or glass. Place on greased or sprayed baking pan with about a little space in between.
Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes. You want them to be golden brown.
If you don’t have buttermilk, and I almost never do, you can take a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar for part of the milk amount. This will give that tart taste without having to buy a container of buttermilk no one drinks anyway.
July 8, 2010
Blogs Are Not Always Reliable Sources for Information
It concerns me that so many people, mostly young, accept anything in print as fact.
I have had discussions with people in forums who are seriously misinformed and when I ask for a source to back up their information they give places like eHow, Ask.com or Yahoo answers (which completely fits it’s title) or other opinion sites. When I pull up the link the individual gives links to other blogs as referance sources like Blogger.
Anyone can write a blog and tell you this is the way it is. They don’t have to be knowledgeable or accurate in the least. It is their opinion the same as the guy on the bus sitting next to you spouting his ideas.
Opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one and some of them stink.
Recently Google has had to clean up their act. People no longer want advice from people who sound like kids using text speak, they want medical advice from reputable sites like the Mayo Clinic, not someone with a keyboard who happens to use the right search words to get his blog at the top of the list.
Don’t get me wrong, there are good sources of information out there and if you know what to look for you can find some good ones, but don’t count on a blog about prostrates being accurate just because someone calls themselves a doctor unless you know who they are and that they do in fact have a medical degree.
Double check everything you read before trying or believing it.
Also don’t take everything you see on YouTube as accurate. I’ve seen a few nuts giving relationship advice or heaven forbid, medical help when they aren’t in the least bit qualified to do so. Just because someone takes the time to make a great looking film clip doesn’t mean they know what the heck they are talking about.
If I give you advice I try my hardest to find reputable web sites to back up my findings and let you make your decision whether you want to believe me or not.
Here are a few web sites that I feel are a good source for answers to questions many of us have.
Medical Advice:
http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/
Consumer Advice:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm
Do not take advice from:
Yahoo Answers
Wiki Answers
Yelp
Topix
eHow
Ask.com
These websites have answers from random people that post their opinions. They aren’t qualified to give advice and in many cases don’t know what they are talking about. They use SEO and other tactics to get their blogs foremost in the search lists. Many of them are making a lot of money and that is why they continue to do it.
If, however, on the rare occasion they give a reputable website you might believe what they write but don’t expect too much from them.
The Hollies- Listen to Me:
I have had discussions with people in forums who are seriously misinformed and when I ask for a source to back up their information they give places like eHow, Ask.com or Yahoo answers (which completely fits it’s title) or other opinion sites. When I pull up the link the individual gives links to other blogs as referance sources like Blogger.
Anyone can write a blog and tell you this is the way it is. They don’t have to be knowledgeable or accurate in the least. It is their opinion the same as the guy on the bus sitting next to you spouting his ideas.
Opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one and some of them stink.
Recently Google has had to clean up their act. People no longer want advice from people who sound like kids using text speak, they want medical advice from reputable sites like the Mayo Clinic, not someone with a keyboard who happens to use the right search words to get his blog at the top of the list.
Don’t get me wrong, there are good sources of information out there and if you know what to look for you can find some good ones, but don’t count on a blog about prostrates being accurate just because someone calls themselves a doctor unless you know who they are and that they do in fact have a medical degree.
Double check everything you read before trying or believing it.
Also don’t take everything you see on YouTube as accurate. I’ve seen a few nuts giving relationship advice or heaven forbid, medical help when they aren’t in the least bit qualified to do so. Just because someone takes the time to make a great looking film clip doesn’t mean they know what the heck they are talking about.
If I give you advice I try my hardest to find reputable web sites to back up my findings and let you make your decision whether you want to believe me or not.
Here are a few web sites that I feel are a good source for answers to questions many of us have.
Medical Advice:
http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/
Consumer Advice:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm
Do not take advice from:
Yahoo Answers
Wiki Answers
Yelp
Topix
eHow
Ask.com
These websites have answers from random people that post their opinions. They aren’t qualified to give advice and in many cases don’t know what they are talking about. They use SEO and other tactics to get their blogs foremost in the search lists. Many of them are making a lot of money and that is why they continue to do it.
If, however, on the rare occasion they give a reputable website you might believe what they write but don’t expect too much from them.
The Hollies- Listen to Me:
July 2, 2010
My Daughter Got Her Green Card
This summer a lot of kids around here take driver’s education class. They have more time since school is out and the weather is usually good so they don’t have to worry about trying to maneuver through ice and snow.
It’s amusing to watch them behind the wheel with serious expressions, both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. In a few months they will be multitasking texting friends and putting on make up while drinking a coke forgetting the rules of summer driver’s ed.
After finishing two or three days of classroom instruction they receive a temporary paper card showing they are now qualified for instructions with a licensed driver. My daughter came home all excited and called everyone she knew to tell them she got her “green card.”
One of her friends whose parents are first generation Americans said, “I thought you were born here.”
Her first day of driving she sends me a text:
“OMG hearts racing just finished driving I think I did OK.”
Then a couple of days later she texts me with this message:
“I drove the highway!! And I didn’t go over lines.”
You would think I would be used to this and not nervous since I have two grown sons that were once teenagers but it doesn’t seem to work that way. They will both tell you they didn’t like driving with me in the car because I made them nervous. I think they are exaggerating. I don’t remember gasping, grabbing the dashboard and pressing my foot into the floorboard looking for the brake near as much as they let on.
I’ll let her daddy ride with her for a few months until she’s mastered the wheel, then maybe I’ll be ready to sit in the passenger’s seat.
It’s amusing to watch them behind the wheel with serious expressions, both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. In a few months they will be multitasking texting friends and putting on make up while drinking a coke forgetting the rules of summer driver’s ed.
After finishing two or three days of classroom instruction they receive a temporary paper card showing they are now qualified for instructions with a licensed driver. My daughter came home all excited and called everyone she knew to tell them she got her “green card.”
One of her friends whose parents are first generation Americans said, “I thought you were born here.”
Her first day of driving she sends me a text:
“OMG hearts racing just finished driving I think I did OK.”
Then a couple of days later she texts me with this message:
“I drove the highway!! And I didn’t go over lines.”
You would think I would be used to this and not nervous since I have two grown sons that were once teenagers but it doesn’t seem to work that way. They will both tell you they didn’t like driving with me in the car because I made them nervous. I think they are exaggerating. I don’t remember gasping, grabbing the dashboard and pressing my foot into the floorboard looking for the brake near as much as they let on.
I’ll let her daddy ride with her for a few months until she’s mastered the wheel, then maybe I’ll be ready to sit in the passenger’s seat.
June 25, 2010
Hurrah For The Pencil
I have always loved pencils, probably because I like to write. It was difficult for me to graduate to the ink pen because I like being able to edit my words at any given time. I grew up in the era of no computers so the eraser was the first delete button.
My very favorite pencil was made by a company called, The Empire. They had wonderful square erasers and I haven’t been able to find them in years. I have half of one that I have saved mostly so I can show people trying to find more of them. The reason they are so wonderful is because the eraser is a bit bigger than the regular cylinder shaped ones you mostly see so they last much longer.
Perhaps they went out of fashion because the fit on erasers don’t work with them. In most cases you didn’t have to have them anyway because they last longer. Maybe the price of rubber went up. Who knows? And seriously, they have made the fit on erasers so inferior they crack down the side and don’t stay on anyway.
Here are some pictures of cool pencils with larger eraser:
http://www.brandnamepencils.com/types/oversized_ferrule.shtml
I prefer to write with pencils when the tip is slightly rounded, about half way down. Too sharp and it pokes holes in your paper. Too flat and it doesn’t work so well either.
I carry a short pencil in my purse at all times to write in my date book. I know some of y’all have moved on to the electronic gadgets and I do use my cell phone for reminders but one time my PDA bit the dust and ate all my data so I no longer trust electronic gadgets to store all of my information.
I tried carrying a mechanical pencil and do have some I keep at home but find the points a bit too sharp for my taste.
You are probably asking yourself, “Is she really writing an entire blog about pencils?” Actually… yes.
And just when you thought I had said all there was to say about the wooden writing tool, here is more. Did you know you can do an eraser transplant? Yes you can. You will need a pair of needle nose pliers, a pencil that is too short but has a good eraser and a long pencil with the eraser down to the nub. I should really do a video for this to show you properly but oh well.
With the tip of the pliers pull the metal away from the bad eraser all around until it falls out. Do the same with the good one. Match up the good eraser with the good pencil, squeeze the metal closed with your pliers and voila you have a good pencil.
If you find a pencil under the couch and the eraser has dried out and not working anymore, take an emery board or piece of fine grade sand paper and gently rough up all sides. It will now work good as new.
Here’s an entire forum just for pencils:
http://www.penciltalk.org/comments-and-questions
If you think I’m obsessed, this guy writes every blog about pencils. He is truly a pencilphile. If that isn’t a real word it should be. Write that down.
http://www.pencilrevolution.com/2006/01/
My very favorite pencil was made by a company called, The Empire. They had wonderful square erasers and I haven’t been able to find them in years. I have half of one that I have saved mostly so I can show people trying to find more of them. The reason they are so wonderful is because the eraser is a bit bigger than the regular cylinder shaped ones you mostly see so they last much longer.
Perhaps they went out of fashion because the fit on erasers don’t work with them. In most cases you didn’t have to have them anyway because they last longer. Maybe the price of rubber went up. Who knows? And seriously, they have made the fit on erasers so inferior they crack down the side and don’t stay on anyway.
Here are some pictures of cool pencils with larger eraser:
http://www.brandnamepencils.com/types/oversized_ferrule.shtml
I prefer to write with pencils when the tip is slightly rounded, about half way down. Too sharp and it pokes holes in your paper. Too flat and it doesn’t work so well either.
I carry a short pencil in my purse at all times to write in my date book. I know some of y’all have moved on to the electronic gadgets and I do use my cell phone for reminders but one time my PDA bit the dust and ate all my data so I no longer trust electronic gadgets to store all of my information.
I tried carrying a mechanical pencil and do have some I keep at home but find the points a bit too sharp for my taste.
You are probably asking yourself, “Is she really writing an entire blog about pencils?” Actually… yes.
And just when you thought I had said all there was to say about the wooden writing tool, here is more. Did you know you can do an eraser transplant? Yes you can. You will need a pair of needle nose pliers, a pencil that is too short but has a good eraser and a long pencil with the eraser down to the nub. I should really do a video for this to show you properly but oh well.
With the tip of the pliers pull the metal away from the bad eraser all around until it falls out. Do the same with the good one. Match up the good eraser with the good pencil, squeeze the metal closed with your pliers and voila you have a good pencil.
If you find a pencil under the couch and the eraser has dried out and not working anymore, take an emery board or piece of fine grade sand paper and gently rough up all sides. It will now work good as new.
Here’s an entire forum just for pencils:
http://www.penciltalk.org/comments-and-questions
If you think I’m obsessed, this guy writes every blog about pencils. He is truly a pencilphile. If that isn’t a real word it should be. Write that down.
http://www.pencilrevolution.com/2006/01/
June 21, 2010
Native Little People
Most have heard of the Irish Little People but did you know that the Native Americans also have small folk?
When I was a little girl, maybe about four or five I would spend hours in the bathroom talking to my imaginary friends. Some children have one, most have none but I had three. Three has always been my favorite number, not sure if it is due to my amount of friends or if I had a trio of them because of loving that digit.
At any rate my friends were not your ordinary mates. My best buds were small, maybe about a foot tall; hard to say since I was knee high to a grasshopper at the time.
One was an old man with long gray hair, one was a woman and the third one I don’t remember as much but I think he was a younger man. I mostly remember the elder one. I don’t remember what they said but I recall having many conversations with them.
At bath time I would stay in until my fingers and toes looked like raisins because I was having long discussions with my neighbors that lived in the toilie room. My grandmother would ask, “Are you ready to get out yet?”
“Not yet.”
One day my grandmother asked me who I was talking to in the bathroom and why I was in there so long. I’m sure she’s thinking I might need medical attention or at the very least a remedy for constipation.
I told her that I had friends in there that I talked to. She asked me about them and I described my wee pals that lived in the bathtub.
She told me I was truly blessed to have a visit from the little people.
Here’s a link if you want more information about the native forest folk:
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheLittlePeople-Choctaw.html
When I was a little girl, maybe about four or five I would spend hours in the bathroom talking to my imaginary friends. Some children have one, most have none but I had three. Three has always been my favorite number, not sure if it is due to my amount of friends or if I had a trio of them because of loving that digit.
At any rate my friends were not your ordinary mates. My best buds were small, maybe about a foot tall; hard to say since I was knee high to a grasshopper at the time.
One was an old man with long gray hair, one was a woman and the third one I don’t remember as much but I think he was a younger man. I mostly remember the elder one. I don’t remember what they said but I recall having many conversations with them.
At bath time I would stay in until my fingers and toes looked like raisins because I was having long discussions with my neighbors that lived in the toilie room. My grandmother would ask, “Are you ready to get out yet?”
“Not yet.”
One day my grandmother asked me who I was talking to in the bathroom and why I was in there so long. I’m sure she’s thinking I might need medical attention or at the very least a remedy for constipation.
I told her that I had friends in there that I talked to. She asked me about them and I described my wee pals that lived in the bathtub.
She told me I was truly blessed to have a visit from the little people.
Here’s a link if you want more information about the native forest folk:
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheLittlePeople-Choctaw.html
June 14, 2010
My Ghosts Like To Smoke
My sons swore up and down we had a ghost in our house when they were growing up. Maybe I’m just too busy or spirits only talk to children but Mr. Ghost hasn’t shown himself to me personally. Thank God. I’d probably pee my pants if he did and perhaps he’s a considerate fellow and realizes this. Hey, it could happen.
Before we bought this house it belonged to a suicidal young man who apparently had a drug problem. Perhaps he still does… sort of.
On occasion I smell the faint aroma of cigarette smoke in the two back rooms of my house. I thought it was my next-door neighbor smoking outside but we have new windows and I’ve actually gone out to check and don’t see anyone lighting up. Early on I also thought it was lingering odors in the carpet but that has been replaced and the walls have all been repainted.
As far as cool breezes I am cold natured and feel them all the time so if a spook is visiting I wouldn’t know the difference between a cold flash and a spirit. I know at my age I’m supposed to be having hot flashes and not cool snaps but my body didn’t get that memo.
I’ve heard of deceased family members coming to people in their sleep to give them advice but if my grandparents are trying to give me guidance I’m not getting the message. It’s usually silly stuff going on that doesn’t make any sense. Oh and in one dream my grandmother was smoking a cigarette and she didn’t do that while alive. Not sure what tobacco has to do with my poltergeists but they all seem to have that nasty habit.
Being dead probably gives you an advantage in that you can puff away to your heart’s content without worry about getting cancer since they are already ashes themselves in many cases.
Which brings me to another thought; I read that some religions, including protestant, didn’t/don’t believe in cremation because of the whole rising from the dead thing and if your body was burned and especially if it were sprinkled willy-nilly how would Jesus gather you up and take you to the Pearly Gates?
Some folks truly have too much time on their hands if they are worrying so much about their bodies after they have passed on. I guess they didn’t think about the fact that they would be decomposed by then and not in the best of shape to meet their maker anyway. I think they need to watch a few zombie movies to fully appreciate that thought.
This makes me think of another story. My mind is truly rambling today. I promise I didn’t make this one up it was in a newspaper a few years back. An elderly woman was upset because the cemetery accidently buried her husband in the wrong plot. It seems they put him next to another woman and Mrs. Dismayed was all a twitter saying that Mr. Dismayed was unfaithful during their married life and now he’s lying with another woman even after death. Bless her heart.
Before we bought this house it belonged to a suicidal young man who apparently had a drug problem. Perhaps he still does… sort of.
On occasion I smell the faint aroma of cigarette smoke in the two back rooms of my house. I thought it was my next-door neighbor smoking outside but we have new windows and I’ve actually gone out to check and don’t see anyone lighting up. Early on I also thought it was lingering odors in the carpet but that has been replaced and the walls have all been repainted.
As far as cool breezes I am cold natured and feel them all the time so if a spook is visiting I wouldn’t know the difference between a cold flash and a spirit. I know at my age I’m supposed to be having hot flashes and not cool snaps but my body didn’t get that memo.
I’ve heard of deceased family members coming to people in their sleep to give them advice but if my grandparents are trying to give me guidance I’m not getting the message. It’s usually silly stuff going on that doesn’t make any sense. Oh and in one dream my grandmother was smoking a cigarette and she didn’t do that while alive. Not sure what tobacco has to do with my poltergeists but they all seem to have that nasty habit.
Being dead probably gives you an advantage in that you can puff away to your heart’s content without worry about getting cancer since they are already ashes themselves in many cases.
Which brings me to another thought; I read that some religions, including protestant, didn’t/don’t believe in cremation because of the whole rising from the dead thing and if your body was burned and especially if it were sprinkled willy-nilly how would Jesus gather you up and take you to the Pearly Gates?
Some folks truly have too much time on their hands if they are worrying so much about their bodies after they have passed on. I guess they didn’t think about the fact that they would be decomposed by then and not in the best of shape to meet their maker anyway. I think they need to watch a few zombie movies to fully appreciate that thought.
This makes me think of another story. My mind is truly rambling today. I promise I didn’t make this one up it was in a newspaper a few years back. An elderly woman was upset because the cemetery accidently buried her husband in the wrong plot. It seems they put him next to another woman and Mrs. Dismayed was all a twitter saying that Mr. Dismayed was unfaithful during their married life and now he’s lying with another woman even after death. Bless her heart.
June 11, 2010
What's That Smell?
My husband can douse himself in gasoline, kerosene or any of the other toxic petroleum products men use in garages and it doesn’t bother him a bit, but let me use fingernail polish remover or paint my nails and he can’t take it.
I can give myself a manicure three hours before he comes home and he’ll be frowning at the front door, “What’s that horrible smell?”
“I’ve been delousing skunks dear, I hope you don’t mind.”
It’s one of life’s great mysteries. One person’s foul is another persons normal.
Funny thing is he doesn’t mind it quite so much if I mention going to the salon to have them done to save him from the ghastly fumes. Suddenly he doesn’t mind so much.
Did I mention my husband is a tightwad of the first degree?
He’ll just go to his workshop and swab turpentine on his clothing to mask the aroma. Then I’m the one holding a handkerchief over my nose.
“What’s that smell?”
I can give myself a manicure three hours before he comes home and he’ll be frowning at the front door, “What’s that horrible smell?”
“I’ve been delousing skunks dear, I hope you don’t mind.”
It’s one of life’s great mysteries. One person’s foul is another persons normal.
Funny thing is he doesn’t mind it quite so much if I mention going to the salon to have them done to save him from the ghastly fumes. Suddenly he doesn’t mind so much.
Did I mention my husband is a tightwad of the first degree?
He’ll just go to his workshop and swab turpentine on his clothing to mask the aroma. Then I’m the one holding a handkerchief over my nose.
“What’s that smell?”
February 19, 2010
What's New?
I’ve been a bit busy lately so I’m just going to give you a blog of what’s going on in my life.
I took Jennifer to the eye doctor because she hasn’t been seeing so good and now she is sporting dark purple frames making her look totally different. It’s like having someone else in the house. She can see much better so I probably look different to her as well.
My husband’s blood pressure has been dangerously high and they keep changing his medication. He’s now on four different ones all with various side effects that are fun to work with. The latest one can cause him to grow man boobs so we have to keep an eye on that one. I told him I’d loan him some of my bras.
I also took my daughter to a new psychologist. She has some social issues that have been a challenge her whole life and various counselors have worked with her but no one has really helped her. Most just attributed it to her ADHD and just wanted to put her on drugs. This latest doctor is pretty sure she has Asberger’s Disorder. I pulled up the website and it sounds just like my daughter. I had heard of Asberger’s but never really read up on it. Here’s the website if you are interested:
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome
I’ve been watching the Olympics some and last night I came back in the room and asked Mark what country the male figure skater was from. He said I think Switzerland. I said, “He has dark hair. I thought Swiss people have blond hair.”
He said, “It doesn’t matter anymore, the Canadian is Chinese, the American is Russian, the French is Spanish and this Swiss guy has dark hair.”
We are all just one big happy family these days aren’t we?
Enigma - TNT for the brain
Uploaded by bobpac. - Watch more music videos, in HD!
I took Jennifer to the eye doctor because she hasn’t been seeing so good and now she is sporting dark purple frames making her look totally different. It’s like having someone else in the house. She can see much better so I probably look different to her as well.
My husband’s blood pressure has been dangerously high and they keep changing his medication. He’s now on four different ones all with various side effects that are fun to work with. The latest one can cause him to grow man boobs so we have to keep an eye on that one. I told him I’d loan him some of my bras.
I also took my daughter to a new psychologist. She has some social issues that have been a challenge her whole life and various counselors have worked with her but no one has really helped her. Most just attributed it to her ADHD and just wanted to put her on drugs. This latest doctor is pretty sure she has Asberger’s Disorder. I pulled up the website and it sounds just like my daughter. I had heard of Asberger’s but never really read up on it. Here’s the website if you are interested:
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome
I’ve been watching the Olympics some and last night I came back in the room and asked Mark what country the male figure skater was from. He said I think Switzerland. I said, “He has dark hair. I thought Swiss people have blond hair.”
He said, “It doesn’t matter anymore, the Canadian is Chinese, the American is Russian, the French is Spanish and this Swiss guy has dark hair.”
We are all just one big happy family these days aren’t we?
Enigma - TNT for the brain
Uploaded by bobpac. - Watch more music videos, in HD!
February 15, 2010
Happy Chinese New Year
It’s the year of the Tiger so if you were feeling like roaring or eating a bowl of frosted flakes when you woke up Valentines morning that could be why.
I’m not really a sports fan, okay, I’ll level with you I don’t like sports at all but I’ve watched a bit of the winter Olympics for lack of anything better on and I’ve learned a few things.
For instance, I kept seeing South Korea but they were only calling them Korea. So I was wondering if North Korea wasn’t participating and if not why? The Internet isn’t very clear on this but the best I could gather is that they were participating together until things starting getting a bit strained between them. As far as I can tell North Korea is competing I just haven’t seen them yet.
The two countries aren’t getting along too well after a few incidents that occurred so now we just have to look at the flag on their uniforms to see which country is competing. I wish the reporters would say North or South for those of us that have a little trouble keeping up with those fast athletes.
Here’s a story about the two countries feud:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/11/world/fg-koreas11
North Korea’s flag is mostly red with a red star and South Korea is white with a happy red and blue yin yang symbol. In case you didn’t know.
So here’s a question for those of you that are sports fans and keep up on all of this stuff. I know this is probably a dumb question but have they always just referred to them as Korea or is it a new thing?
Part of the reason I am not a good sports fan is because I’m worrying about everyone getting hurt. After that Japanese girl fell in the skiing event (sorry, I don’t remember the proper name.) I couldn’t get past feeling sorry for her and hoping she was okay. Then I couldn’t watch those guys going down that chute after that Russian boy got killed.
My sons were never much into sports and it’s a good thing. They wrestled for a while in junior high and I had to stop going to their meets because I was a nervous wreck. A couple of mothers made me feel bad for not going but I just couldn’t do it. Their daddy always went so it’s not like they didn’t have a parent there. How do parents do that? Luckily they took up drums and guitar and became musicians. The likelihood of them getting injured is pretty slim.
I’m not really a sports fan, okay, I’ll level with you I don’t like sports at all but I’ve watched a bit of the winter Olympics for lack of anything better on and I’ve learned a few things.
For instance, I kept seeing South Korea but they were only calling them Korea. So I was wondering if North Korea wasn’t participating and if not why? The Internet isn’t very clear on this but the best I could gather is that they were participating together until things starting getting a bit strained between them. As far as I can tell North Korea is competing I just haven’t seen them yet.
The two countries aren’t getting along too well after a few incidents that occurred so now we just have to look at the flag on their uniforms to see which country is competing. I wish the reporters would say North or South for those of us that have a little trouble keeping up with those fast athletes.
Here’s a story about the two countries feud:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/11/world/fg-koreas11
North Korea’s flag is mostly red with a red star and South Korea is white with a happy red and blue yin yang symbol. In case you didn’t know.
So here’s a question for those of you that are sports fans and keep up on all of this stuff. I know this is probably a dumb question but have they always just referred to them as Korea or is it a new thing?
Part of the reason I am not a good sports fan is because I’m worrying about everyone getting hurt. After that Japanese girl fell in the skiing event (sorry, I don’t remember the proper name.) I couldn’t get past feeling sorry for her and hoping she was okay. Then I couldn’t watch those guys going down that chute after that Russian boy got killed.
My sons were never much into sports and it’s a good thing. They wrestled for a while in junior high and I had to stop going to their meets because I was a nervous wreck. A couple of mothers made me feel bad for not going but I just couldn’t do it. Their daddy always went so it’s not like they didn’t have a parent there. How do parents do that? Luckily they took up drums and guitar and became musicians. The likelihood of them getting injured is pretty slim.
February 12, 2010
YouTube and Stupid Signs
If you have an account with YouTube they try to guess what you like and recommend videos they just know you’ll be tickled to death to waste time watching. Sometimes they are spot on and you think, “Cool, I really like that.” But most of the time I find myself wondering, “What were they thinking?”
I watched this group:
So YouTube thought because I listened to them I would want to watch the movie Twilight. I’m trying to figure out the connection between this band and a vampire movie? Don’t get me wrong, I love Twilight it’s the connection that confuses me.
So then I get another one that says because I watched Joe Wong on Ellen Degeneres I might want to watch Taylor Swift on Ellen. It is both Ellen but…
Here is another one YouTube recommended for me. It doesn’t have a darn thing to do with what I was watching but this guy cracks me up.
I already mentioned that I traveled down to Dallas Sunday and it’s truly amazing how screwed up some road signs are. We were going around a curve and the sign said left lane ends up ahead. I noticed most of the cars were in the left lane but I thought maybe they either didn’t see the sign or thought they had plenty of time. Turns out it was my lane… the right lane that ended up ahead. Those crazy Texans are just trying to trick out-of-towners.
Oh but Oklahoma can’t measure distance so we are no better because I got back over the border and see a blinking sign that said roadwork four miles ahead. I drove and drove and no roadwork so I thought maybe that sign was from a previous job and they just forgot to remove it. Nope, I see another blinking sign that says roadwork four miles ahead. Whoa, deja vu. So I look at my odometer and watch. I go six miles and there’s another sign, roadwork two miles ahead. So I watch again and this time it really is four miles. Ah, they just misplaced a sign… maybe.
I pass another sign that says restrooms closed. I never did figure out what restrooms they were talking about because I was in the middle of nowhere and didn’t see an exit for several miles. The next exit had a Braum’s, a McDonald’s and a couple of gas stations. Surely they didn’t close all of their rest rooms. I didn’t stop to find out.
Oh, they have a store in Dallas called, “Condoms To Go,” I guess that’s all they sell and you have to take them with you. Don’t try to use them there.
I watched this group:
So YouTube thought because I listened to them I would want to watch the movie Twilight. I’m trying to figure out the connection between this band and a vampire movie? Don’t get me wrong, I love Twilight it’s the connection that confuses me.
So then I get another one that says because I watched Joe Wong on Ellen Degeneres I might want to watch Taylor Swift on Ellen. It is both Ellen but…
Here is another one YouTube recommended for me. It doesn’t have a darn thing to do with what I was watching but this guy cracks me up.
I already mentioned that I traveled down to Dallas Sunday and it’s truly amazing how screwed up some road signs are. We were going around a curve and the sign said left lane ends up ahead. I noticed most of the cars were in the left lane but I thought maybe they either didn’t see the sign or thought they had plenty of time. Turns out it was my lane… the right lane that ended up ahead. Those crazy Texans are just trying to trick out-of-towners.
Oh but Oklahoma can’t measure distance so we are no better because I got back over the border and see a blinking sign that said roadwork four miles ahead. I drove and drove and no roadwork so I thought maybe that sign was from a previous job and they just forgot to remove it. Nope, I see another blinking sign that says roadwork four miles ahead. Whoa, deja vu. So I look at my odometer and watch. I go six miles and there’s another sign, roadwork two miles ahead. So I watch again and this time it really is four miles. Ah, they just misplaced a sign… maybe.
I pass another sign that says restrooms closed. I never did figure out what restrooms they were talking about because I was in the middle of nowhere and didn’t see an exit for several miles. The next exit had a Braum’s, a McDonald’s and a couple of gas stations. Surely they didn’t close all of their rest rooms. I didn’t stop to find out.
Oh, they have a store in Dallas called, “Condoms To Go,” I guess that’s all they sell and you have to take them with you. Don’t try to use them there.
February 8, 2010
Snow, Snow Go Away
I’m so tired of snow. This is the most snow I’ve ever seen in my life. If I wanted this much of the white stuff I’d have moved to Colorado.
We had a blizzard Christmas Eve and another big snowstorm in January and it’s doing it again this morning.
I drove to Dallas yesterday to see my new great nephew that was just born and one of the relatives said the Farmer’s Almanac predicted the last two big storms and says that somewhere between February 21-23 Oklahoma will have the biggest snowfall we have ever seen in history.
I sure hope they are wrong. There are towns that still don’t have electricity from the last storm; we can’t afford another one. The schools have already used up all of their snow days and are going to have extended hours to make it up. They talked about taking away Spring Break but some people already have travel plans. My daughter has a Branson church trip. Kids always get excited when the news reports that schools are closed but don’t realize they have to make those days up. They aren’t really gaining anything.
A couple of years a go when we had that big ice storm and power was out all over the state the kids had to go past the last day of school. This messed up a lot of people’s travel plans. Some just pulled their kids out anyway because they had plane tickets bought and couldn’t change their plans.
Even the White House had a huge snowstorm causing them to close down early one day. People were out on the front lawn throwing snowballs at each other. The President called it Snowmageddon. You have to have a sense of humor about the whole thing. It doesn’t do any good to get mad about it.
Oklahoma’s barometric pressure, humidity and temperatures are almost never right for making snow. We go some winters without any at all. We’ll have some freezing rain or sleet but hardly ever snow. This has been a very weird winter for sure.
We had a blizzard Christmas Eve and another big snowstorm in January and it’s doing it again this morning.
I drove to Dallas yesterday to see my new great nephew that was just born and one of the relatives said the Farmer’s Almanac predicted the last two big storms and says that somewhere between February 21-23 Oklahoma will have the biggest snowfall we have ever seen in history.
I sure hope they are wrong. There are towns that still don’t have electricity from the last storm; we can’t afford another one. The schools have already used up all of their snow days and are going to have extended hours to make it up. They talked about taking away Spring Break but some people already have travel plans. My daughter has a Branson church trip. Kids always get excited when the news reports that schools are closed but don’t realize they have to make those days up. They aren’t really gaining anything.
A couple of years a go when we had that big ice storm and power was out all over the state the kids had to go past the last day of school. This messed up a lot of people’s travel plans. Some just pulled their kids out anyway because they had plane tickets bought and couldn’t change their plans.
Even the White House had a huge snowstorm causing them to close down early one day. People were out on the front lawn throwing snowballs at each other. The President called it Snowmageddon. You have to have a sense of humor about the whole thing. It doesn’t do any good to get mad about it.
Oklahoma’s barometric pressure, humidity and temperatures are almost never right for making snow. We go some winters without any at all. We’ll have some freezing rain or sleet but hardly ever snow. This has been a very weird winter for sure.
February 5, 2010
Go With The Flow
Change is inevitable; even if we sit where we are doing nothing it happens all around us. There is nothing we can do about it.
Some people embrace it while others fight it; they are most comfortable when everything remains the same.
It can be a good thing if it’s what you expected or looked forward to but sometimes it comes in a form we don’t want making the process hard to accept.
Loss can be devastating but afterwards there is often something even better that comes along. I look around my neighborhood at the devastation caused by the firestorm last year and now see new bigger homes in place where smaller older ones resided previously. I’m sure the people who live there miss their burned possessions but are enjoying their new homes.
During the 80’s recession many people lost their jobs and even their homes. I knew a family that had to move in with his parents for a while until they got back on their feet. He decided to open a mail center store with UPS pick up. They borrowed money from family since banks frowned on the foreclosure in their credit rating. Their shop sells boxes, gift cards and anything you might need to send a package. The business has thrived and they now own a much bigger house than the one lost a couple of decades a go. He is much happier working for himself and has risen above the change that occurred in his life. Would he have opened his own business if he hadn’t been laid off? Probably not: it’s not always easy to make huge changes in our lives unless forced to.
Some people remain stuck and can’t seem to move on. There is a woman that lost her son in the war and because she felt she has been wronged this person goes around to military funerals picketing with signs disrupting and causing trouble. She is so obsessed with this mission her husband has divorced her. Now all alone she only has one goal in life and that is chaos. This woman could have done so much with her life and for the good of others but instead she is cemented in the past and cannot move forward.
I know a woman that was married to a man that suffered from depression. She met him in college. He was a serious melancholy man but he intrigued her and she fell in love with him. There were days when he couldn’t function and she had to take care of him as well as their two little boys. One day he couldn’t take it anymore and committed suicide. She was very sad for quite a while but had to move on and deal with the changes life had dealt. A few years later she met another man and remarried. Her second husband is so different from the first. He’s full of life and even ran for political office. She is happier than I’ve ever seen her.
Change is what you make of it. It’s not always easy but in the end things have a way of working themselves out.
Some people embrace it while others fight it; they are most comfortable when everything remains the same.
It can be a good thing if it’s what you expected or looked forward to but sometimes it comes in a form we don’t want making the process hard to accept.
Loss can be devastating but afterwards there is often something even better that comes along. I look around my neighborhood at the devastation caused by the firestorm last year and now see new bigger homes in place where smaller older ones resided previously. I’m sure the people who live there miss their burned possessions but are enjoying their new homes.
During the 80’s recession many people lost their jobs and even their homes. I knew a family that had to move in with his parents for a while until they got back on their feet. He decided to open a mail center store with UPS pick up. They borrowed money from family since banks frowned on the foreclosure in their credit rating. Their shop sells boxes, gift cards and anything you might need to send a package. The business has thrived and they now own a much bigger house than the one lost a couple of decades a go. He is much happier working for himself and has risen above the change that occurred in his life. Would he have opened his own business if he hadn’t been laid off? Probably not: it’s not always easy to make huge changes in our lives unless forced to.
Some people remain stuck and can’t seem to move on. There is a woman that lost her son in the war and because she felt she has been wronged this person goes around to military funerals picketing with signs disrupting and causing trouble. She is so obsessed with this mission her husband has divorced her. Now all alone she only has one goal in life and that is chaos. This woman could have done so much with her life and for the good of others but instead she is cemented in the past and cannot move forward.
I know a woman that was married to a man that suffered from depression. She met him in college. He was a serious melancholy man but he intrigued her and she fell in love with him. There were days when he couldn’t function and she had to take care of him as well as their two little boys. One day he couldn’t take it anymore and committed suicide. She was very sad for quite a while but had to move on and deal with the changes life had dealt. A few years later she met another man and remarried. Her second husband is so different from the first. He’s full of life and even ran for political office. She is happier than I’ve ever seen her.
Change is what you make of it. It’s not always easy but in the end things have a way of working themselves out.
February 1, 2010
Buried Under Our Treasure
We all collect things some more than others. You’ve seen the women scrambling for Beanie Babies or the latest “it” toys. Then you have to store those treasures and what can you possibly do with five hundred miniature, stuffed critters anyway?
Some of our homes are bulging at the seams with treasures and we think if I just had a bigger house all my troubles would be over. That doesn’t work because no matter how big our space is we fill it up.
When my sons were babies we lived in a small two-bedroom nine hundred square foot house and needed more room. We moved into a 1700 square foot four bedroom with a very big attic and I thought to myself, “We will never fill this house up.” Now I only have a daughter left at home and we don’t have enough room. What happened?
I’ll tell you what happened. My mother and father in law passed away and we inherited some of their stuff. My husband’s grandmother died leaving us a few more heirlooms and when my boys moved out they left behind a lot of their stuff and that’s not counting all the great junk I’ve collected over the years.
I used to have a bad habit of frequenting estate sales, antique shops and tag sales for treasures. I collect jewelry and books. I used to collect tea pots until a cat we had helped me thin out my collection and I decided to put the best ones in the attic and let someone else enjoy the rest.
We reach a point when our belongings are no longer a blessing but become a chore. You have to find a place for them and keep them dusted and eventually they become more of a job than an enjoyment.
I saw a man on television that has collected Bart Simpson memorabilia since the shows beginning. It is an obsession with this guy; he has to have everything that was ever made. His house is literally a Bart Simpson museum. His wife left him because she couldn’t take it anymore so now it’s just him and Bart. I guess without her stuff he now has more room for his hobby. You can hardly move in his house for all his toys.
It’s no longer fun when your possessions have taken over your home. Some people even pay to store their things in buildings. What good does it do to have those things if you never see them or use them?
I’m just as guilty. When I go in my attic I seriously don’t know half the stuff I have up there. I’ve been known to buy something because I couldn’t find the one I have stored.
We don’t have cable but I’ve heard there is a show on television about this situation called, “Hoarders.” These people are an extreme case of this disorder but it makes us take a look at our own homes. I am nowhere near this bad. Good grief! They can’t even see the floors or kitchen counters. I would go nuts.
http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/video/
Some of our homes are bulging at the seams with treasures and we think if I just had a bigger house all my troubles would be over. That doesn’t work because no matter how big our space is we fill it up.
When my sons were babies we lived in a small two-bedroom nine hundred square foot house and needed more room. We moved into a 1700 square foot four bedroom with a very big attic and I thought to myself, “We will never fill this house up.” Now I only have a daughter left at home and we don’t have enough room. What happened?
I’ll tell you what happened. My mother and father in law passed away and we inherited some of their stuff. My husband’s grandmother died leaving us a few more heirlooms and when my boys moved out they left behind a lot of their stuff and that’s not counting all the great junk I’ve collected over the years.
I used to have a bad habit of frequenting estate sales, antique shops and tag sales for treasures. I collect jewelry and books. I used to collect tea pots until a cat we had helped me thin out my collection and I decided to put the best ones in the attic and let someone else enjoy the rest.
We reach a point when our belongings are no longer a blessing but become a chore. You have to find a place for them and keep them dusted and eventually they become more of a job than an enjoyment.
I saw a man on television that has collected Bart Simpson memorabilia since the shows beginning. It is an obsession with this guy; he has to have everything that was ever made. His house is literally a Bart Simpson museum. His wife left him because she couldn’t take it anymore so now it’s just him and Bart. I guess without her stuff he now has more room for his hobby. You can hardly move in his house for all his toys.
It’s no longer fun when your possessions have taken over your home. Some people even pay to store their things in buildings. What good does it do to have those things if you never see them or use them?
I’m just as guilty. When I go in my attic I seriously don’t know half the stuff I have up there. I’ve been known to buy something because I couldn’t find the one I have stored.
We don’t have cable but I’ve heard there is a show on television about this situation called, “Hoarders.” These people are an extreme case of this disorder but it makes us take a look at our own homes. I am nowhere near this bad. Good grief! They can’t even see the floors or kitchen counters. I would go nuts.
http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/video/
January 29, 2010
Death, Divorce & Disease
I talked to a woman recently that stopped going to her church because after her husband died she felt abandoned. Hardly anyone would talk to her and she felt like she was being avoided.
People don’t know how to act around surviving families after the death of a loved one. Knowing the right thing to say isn’t always easy. There really aren’t any “right” words.
It made me think about other times that make us feel uncomfortable.
Divorce is a tough one because people always feel like they should take sides. Which person am I friends with now? Should I hide the fact that I’m still talking to John when I see Mary? I’ve had a couple of really close friends divorce and this one is tough. I’m still friends with both of them but unfortunately no longer as close to either of them as we once were.
Any kind of drama or loss that goes on is hard to deal with and we want to keep it at a distance as if it might be contagious. If I stay over here I won’t be involved. If I don’t get too close I won’t have to deal with it.
I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else. I look back and friends and family that needed me and I should have been there more. We get busy and overlook people in their greatest time of need.
Certain illnesses make us uncomfortable like cancer and AIDS. It’s much easier to avoid the issue.
But what does that say to the people that are involved? They don’t have a choice but to be in the thick of it.
I thought about the most popular phrase people say, “I’m sorry.” This one works but almost implies we are somehow at fault and apologizing. Then what do you say to that one? “Thank you.” It does have another meaning of, “I feel sorry for you.” This makes more since but no one ever says that because it doesn’t sound too great either even though that’s what we mean when we say, “I’m sorry.”
“You’re in my thoughts and prayers,” is a good one if the person is a Christian but what if they’re an atheist?
If the person is a close friend or relative you can hug them but even then some people don’t like hugs. I know a few. You don’t want to step over a person’s line of comfort even in times of sorrow.
Another popular saying is, “let me know if you need anything.” Most people never actually takes you up on this one even though they do need our help. It can be awkward to call someone and tell them, “I’m too depressed to clean my own house.”
Here are the seven stages of grief. You don’t have to have a death in the family to go through them. The loss of a marriage or our health can also trigger them.
1. Shock and denial
2. Pain and guilt
3. Anger and bargaining
4. Depression, reflection and loneliness
5. The upward turn
6. Reconstruction and working through
7. Acceptance and hope
There is no particular schedule in which people go through these steps. Some hurry through them in a matter of short months while others take years. If the loved one had a terminal illness some of these steps happen before the funeral.
I know a man whose wife was dying of cancer for several months. By the time she passed away he had already gone through most of the stages of grief and a few months later remarried. A lot of people felt he wasn’t very considerate of his wife but he was an older man and not used to taking care of himself. He had eight months to grieve before she died. Did he love his first wife? Of course he did. Did he forget her when he took another spouse? No.
Here’s what we should do:
1. Don’t forget your friendship. Treat them the same way you always have. If you and your spouse did things with them as a couple change it up a bit. Instead of a couples outing make it a one on one outing between the same gender spouse and the bereaved person.
2. If they have children offer to do things with their kids especially if you have any the same age. If you are taking your kids to the park ask if their children would like to come along.
3. We inundate them with casseroles in the beginning then tend to back off forgetting them. If you look at the signs of grief, depression comes later on. When you start noticing the blues show up with food. Here’s my favorite line that works for me, “I always make too much food and thought I’d share with you.” Don’t call first just show up. When people are depressed they will make excuses for you to not come over because the house may not look great and they aren’t really in the mood for company. You don’t have to stick around, just drop off the food and go.
4. Listen. This one is hard especially if it includes complaints about the estranged spouse or ailments. Part of being a good friend is being there for them even when it’s just nodding your head and saying, “Uh-huh” on occasion.
5. If you are a close friend or relative show up during the blues phase and clean something. Dishes, vacuum or laundry. Bring along some upbeat music or a comedy video for them to listen to while you clean.
6. One of my friends that went through a divorce was depressed so a few of us chipped in and paid for a massage. We all went so it was a fun day out and lifted her spirits.
One of my sisters suffered post partum depression pretty bad after her second child. I ran her a bath, took care of her baby and did some laundry. A few times I showed up with food.
People need each other, even the ones that seem completely content alone. Don’t forget to reach out to them, it will make you feel better too.
James Taylor knows all about depression.
People don’t know how to act around surviving families after the death of a loved one. Knowing the right thing to say isn’t always easy. There really aren’t any “right” words.
It made me think about other times that make us feel uncomfortable.
Divorce is a tough one because people always feel like they should take sides. Which person am I friends with now? Should I hide the fact that I’m still talking to John when I see Mary? I’ve had a couple of really close friends divorce and this one is tough. I’m still friends with both of them but unfortunately no longer as close to either of them as we once were.
Any kind of drama or loss that goes on is hard to deal with and we want to keep it at a distance as if it might be contagious. If I stay over here I won’t be involved. If I don’t get too close I won’t have to deal with it.
I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else. I look back and friends and family that needed me and I should have been there more. We get busy and overlook people in their greatest time of need.
Certain illnesses make us uncomfortable like cancer and AIDS. It’s much easier to avoid the issue.
But what does that say to the people that are involved? They don’t have a choice but to be in the thick of it.
I thought about the most popular phrase people say, “I’m sorry.” This one works but almost implies we are somehow at fault and apologizing. Then what do you say to that one? “Thank you.” It does have another meaning of, “I feel sorry for you.” This makes more since but no one ever says that because it doesn’t sound too great either even though that’s what we mean when we say, “I’m sorry.”
“You’re in my thoughts and prayers,” is a good one if the person is a Christian but what if they’re an atheist?
If the person is a close friend or relative you can hug them but even then some people don’t like hugs. I know a few. You don’t want to step over a person’s line of comfort even in times of sorrow.
Another popular saying is, “let me know if you need anything.” Most people never actually takes you up on this one even though they do need our help. It can be awkward to call someone and tell them, “I’m too depressed to clean my own house.”
Here are the seven stages of grief. You don’t have to have a death in the family to go through them. The loss of a marriage or our health can also trigger them.
1. Shock and denial
2. Pain and guilt
3. Anger and bargaining
4. Depression, reflection and loneliness
5. The upward turn
6. Reconstruction and working through
7. Acceptance and hope
There is no particular schedule in which people go through these steps. Some hurry through them in a matter of short months while others take years. If the loved one had a terminal illness some of these steps happen before the funeral.
I know a man whose wife was dying of cancer for several months. By the time she passed away he had already gone through most of the stages of grief and a few months later remarried. A lot of people felt he wasn’t very considerate of his wife but he was an older man and not used to taking care of himself. He had eight months to grieve before she died. Did he love his first wife? Of course he did. Did he forget her when he took another spouse? No.
Here’s what we should do:
1. Don’t forget your friendship. Treat them the same way you always have. If you and your spouse did things with them as a couple change it up a bit. Instead of a couples outing make it a one on one outing between the same gender spouse and the bereaved person.
2. If they have children offer to do things with their kids especially if you have any the same age. If you are taking your kids to the park ask if their children would like to come along.
3. We inundate them with casseroles in the beginning then tend to back off forgetting them. If you look at the signs of grief, depression comes later on. When you start noticing the blues show up with food. Here’s my favorite line that works for me, “I always make too much food and thought I’d share with you.” Don’t call first just show up. When people are depressed they will make excuses for you to not come over because the house may not look great and they aren’t really in the mood for company. You don’t have to stick around, just drop off the food and go.
4. Listen. This one is hard especially if it includes complaints about the estranged spouse or ailments. Part of being a good friend is being there for them even when it’s just nodding your head and saying, “Uh-huh” on occasion.
5. If you are a close friend or relative show up during the blues phase and clean something. Dishes, vacuum or laundry. Bring along some upbeat music or a comedy video for them to listen to while you clean.
6. One of my friends that went through a divorce was depressed so a few of us chipped in and paid for a massage. We all went so it was a fun day out and lifted her spirits.
One of my sisters suffered post partum depression pretty bad after her second child. I ran her a bath, took care of her baby and did some laundry. A few times I showed up with food.
People need each other, even the ones that seem completely content alone. Don’t forget to reach out to them, it will make you feel better too.
James Taylor knows all about depression.
January 25, 2010
Earthquakes in Oklahoma, Tornadoes in California
Most of y’all may not have heard about the earthquakes we’ve had in Oklahoma lately because there has been much bigger news like the huge one in Haiti so I thought I’d let you know about the excitement going on in my little world.
It started about a couple of months or so a go as a loud boom similar to the sound of a trash truck dropping one of those large receptacles. I looked outside, couldn’t see anything unusual so figured perhaps it was one of those pilots from Tinker AFB breaking the sound barrier again although I didn’t hear a jet going overhead.
Later during the weather report I found out it was an earthquake just a couple of miles north of me in a town called Jones. At the time I didn’t think too much about it but they have been getting more and more frequent and more intense. You folks in California won’t think it’s a big deal but around here a 4 point earthquake is something for everyone to talk about.
One time I was on the treadmill when two happened ten minutes apart. I stumbled a little and grabbed the rails because the house jerked. It felt and sounded like a big truck hit the side of my house. That one startled me pretty good.
I guess all those people that moved here from California due to the economy will feel more at home. And speaking of them, I saw on the weather last night that San Francisco had a tornado. It was a small one and never touched ground but I’m sure there were people that were just as frightened as I was over my little ground movement.
It’s funny the things you get used to and don’t think much about it. Around here we are used to tornadoes. We still get scared, don’t get me wrong, but if they tell me there is one in the town north of me in the spring I will carry on with whatever I’m doing because all Okies know that twisters almost always head northeast. Now if you told me it was in Moore I’d take notice.
Am I alarmed that we are having earthquakes in Oklahoma? Do I think it’s the end of the world? Heavens no. The earth moves all over we just don’t know about it most of the time. Anyone that has studied any geology knows this. It’s not the first event of this kind nor will it be the last.
Here’s a website with information on Oklahoma’s earthquake history. As you can see it can get worse and probably will that’s why I now have earthquake insurance.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/oklahoma/history.php
And here’s a website giving a list of tornado activity in California since they have had the technology to keep track.
http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/catorn.htm
And here’s a video of a tornado a man took in California. The woman’s questions are kind of funny. No there doesn’t have to be any wind to have a tornado and yes it makes a sound. Usually they sound like a train rumbling down the tracks or a roaring sound. Unfortunately if you can hear it you are probably too close. If that tornado had been a bigger one she could have been carried off but most of the ones on the west coast are pretty small.
Some people think Oklahoma has the worst tornadoes but according to this website it's not as bad here as it is in other areas.
http://www.livescience.com/environment/050322_tornado_season.html
It started about a couple of months or so a go as a loud boom similar to the sound of a trash truck dropping one of those large receptacles. I looked outside, couldn’t see anything unusual so figured perhaps it was one of those pilots from Tinker AFB breaking the sound barrier again although I didn’t hear a jet going overhead.
Later during the weather report I found out it was an earthquake just a couple of miles north of me in a town called Jones. At the time I didn’t think too much about it but they have been getting more and more frequent and more intense. You folks in California won’t think it’s a big deal but around here a 4 point earthquake is something for everyone to talk about.
One time I was on the treadmill when two happened ten minutes apart. I stumbled a little and grabbed the rails because the house jerked. It felt and sounded like a big truck hit the side of my house. That one startled me pretty good.
I guess all those people that moved here from California due to the economy will feel more at home. And speaking of them, I saw on the weather last night that San Francisco had a tornado. It was a small one and never touched ground but I’m sure there were people that were just as frightened as I was over my little ground movement.
It’s funny the things you get used to and don’t think much about it. Around here we are used to tornadoes. We still get scared, don’t get me wrong, but if they tell me there is one in the town north of me in the spring I will carry on with whatever I’m doing because all Okies know that twisters almost always head northeast. Now if you told me it was in Moore I’d take notice.
Am I alarmed that we are having earthquakes in Oklahoma? Do I think it’s the end of the world? Heavens no. The earth moves all over we just don’t know about it most of the time. Anyone that has studied any geology knows this. It’s not the first event of this kind nor will it be the last.
Here’s a website with information on Oklahoma’s earthquake history. As you can see it can get worse and probably will that’s why I now have earthquake insurance.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/oklahoma/history.php
And here’s a website giving a list of tornado activity in California since they have had the technology to keep track.
http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/catorn.htm
And here’s a video of a tornado a man took in California. The woman’s questions are kind of funny. No there doesn’t have to be any wind to have a tornado and yes it makes a sound. Usually they sound like a train rumbling down the tracks or a roaring sound. Unfortunately if you can hear it you are probably too close. If that tornado had been a bigger one she could have been carried off but most of the ones on the west coast are pretty small.
Some people think Oklahoma has the worst tornadoes but according to this website it's not as bad here as it is in other areas.
http://www.livescience.com/environment/050322_tornado_season.html
January 22, 2010
Less Salt, Less Sugar Costs You More
I’m going to gripe a little bit today about the foods we buy.
I saw on the news last night that if we cut out 3% of the salt we ingest it would greatly reduce our risk for heart attack.
My husband has high blood pressure and high cholesterol so we have to watch the amount of salt and fat I allow in the foods I prepare. Recently I discovered that sugar can also increase a person’s blood pressure so now I also keep a close eye on this one.
I spend half my grocery shopping time reading labels. I knew some foods were very salty and we expect some like chips to taste that way but I was really shocked at the amounts in some box entrees and soups. Some have as much as 40%. That means almost half of what you are buying is salt. That’s ridiculous.
Some companies like Campbell’s have come out with reduced salt and low fat alternatives but you have to pay a lot more for them.
Why do they charge more when they put less of an ingredient in? It should cost them less to produce this item. I can kind of understand charging more for a low fat alternative because they have to take extra measures to drain it off or use another product all together that may cost more but charging more for less sugar and less salt products is a conundrum to me.
You have to watch these guys too. I’ve noticed if they put in less salt they add more fat. Don’t they realize if a person has high blood pressure their cholesterol reading are more than likely also an issue?
I think the FDA needs to make stronger guidelines for the food industry. My husband is an unusual case. He’s had high numbers since he was in his early 30’s and has always ate right and been thin or at the right weight. People typically assume if you have these health conditions you must be big and don’t exercise. That’s not always true.
My biggest concern is for senior citizens on fixed incomes. Many of them have to watch these levels as well and can’t afford to buy the healthier products they need. It’s all they can do to buy their prescriptions much less high dollar food.
It shouldn’t cost us more to eat healthy.
I saw on the news last night that if we cut out 3% of the salt we ingest it would greatly reduce our risk for heart attack.
My husband has high blood pressure and high cholesterol so we have to watch the amount of salt and fat I allow in the foods I prepare. Recently I discovered that sugar can also increase a person’s blood pressure so now I also keep a close eye on this one.
I spend half my grocery shopping time reading labels. I knew some foods were very salty and we expect some like chips to taste that way but I was really shocked at the amounts in some box entrees and soups. Some have as much as 40%. That means almost half of what you are buying is salt. That’s ridiculous.
Some companies like Campbell’s have come out with reduced salt and low fat alternatives but you have to pay a lot more for them.
Why do they charge more when they put less of an ingredient in? It should cost them less to produce this item. I can kind of understand charging more for a low fat alternative because they have to take extra measures to drain it off or use another product all together that may cost more but charging more for less sugar and less salt products is a conundrum to me.
You have to watch these guys too. I’ve noticed if they put in less salt they add more fat. Don’t they realize if a person has high blood pressure their cholesterol reading are more than likely also an issue?
I think the FDA needs to make stronger guidelines for the food industry. My husband is an unusual case. He’s had high numbers since he was in his early 30’s and has always ate right and been thin or at the right weight. People typically assume if you have these health conditions you must be big and don’t exercise. That’s not always true.
My biggest concern is for senior citizens on fixed incomes. Many of them have to watch these levels as well and can’t afford to buy the healthier products they need. It’s all they can do to buy their prescriptions much less high dollar food.
It shouldn’t cost us more to eat healthy.
January 18, 2010
Games I Like To Play
These are a few games I like to play around my house. They only require one player but you can add people if you want to make it a whole party.
Hide and go seek:
This is when you put something in a safe place and forget where that secure location is. You can spend hours playing this one depending on how good your memory is and how good you are at hiding things from yourself. The older you get the more fun it is because it takes less time to forget the location of the treasure. It’s most exciting when you are trying to find your car keys and have an appointment.
Name that person:
You see a face and you are pretty sure you know them but can’t place who they are or from where you know them. This can kill many hours while you rack your brain trying to remember. What’s really fun is when you forget a few important items on your shopping list because you were trying to recall a name. Which brings us to our next game…
Retrack your steps:
In this game you go back to where you were earlier to retrieve the items you forgot. It could be a grocery item from the store, your mislaid cup or your cell phone from Penney’s dressing room way across town. Always a lot of fun when you have time to kill.
Miss your exit:
This is especially fun if you are on a turn pike with limited exits because it could be miles before you are able to get off and you just never know where you might end up. Plus, and this is the bonus, it costs more to get back on and the people in those little huts don’t care that you missed your stop and look as if to say, “pay more attention next time.” What? And miss all this fun, I think not.
So what games do you enjoy playing?
Hide and go seek:
This is when you put something in a safe place and forget where that secure location is. You can spend hours playing this one depending on how good your memory is and how good you are at hiding things from yourself. The older you get the more fun it is because it takes less time to forget the location of the treasure. It’s most exciting when you are trying to find your car keys and have an appointment.
Name that person:
You see a face and you are pretty sure you know them but can’t place who they are or from where you know them. This can kill many hours while you rack your brain trying to remember. What’s really fun is when you forget a few important items on your shopping list because you were trying to recall a name. Which brings us to our next game…
Retrack your steps:
In this game you go back to where you were earlier to retrieve the items you forgot. It could be a grocery item from the store, your mislaid cup or your cell phone from Penney’s dressing room way across town. Always a lot of fun when you have time to kill.
Miss your exit:
This is especially fun if you are on a turn pike with limited exits because it could be miles before you are able to get off and you just never know where you might end up. Plus, and this is the bonus, it costs more to get back on and the people in those little huts don’t care that you missed your stop and look as if to say, “pay more attention next time.” What? And miss all this fun, I think not.
So what games do you enjoy playing?
January 15, 2010
The Sister in the Kitchen
I’m the oldest of seven kids and that’s just from my mom. My dad remarried and had some more but for this story we’ll just focus on the ones my mother gave birth to.
There are five girls and two boys. Looking at old pictures it became clear that I’m always in the kitchen or taking care of kids and they aren’t always my children either. We hardly have any pictures of me posing and actually looking at the camera. In one I’m grabbing one of my sister’s baby’s arm before she tumbles off the couch while her mother smiles for the photo. I won’t say which one but if you were in my family I wouldn’t have to tell much more than that for you to figure out exactly which sister.
You have a poser in every family. I don’t mean the modern definition of that word, which is a fake person. I’m talking about the ones always smiling and hamming it up when a camera is present. My oldest son is one of them. I can remember him running over if someone was taking a picture of me, “I don’t want you to be lonely in the picture, Mama.” He’s such a thoughtful child.
Then you have the one that doesn’t want their picture taken and they try to hide. I didn’t purposely hide I was just busy. Someone had to feed the kids and make sure the little one didn’t take a nosedive off the sofa.
Some of y’all may remember the story about the two sisters in the Bible; one was in the kitchen cooking while the other one was sitting on the floor listening to Jesus tell stories. I’m pretty sure I’d be the sister in the kitchen. I couldn’t let Jesus go hungry after all. Telling stories is thirsty work so he’d need his wine glass kept full.
It always amazed me how some of them wouldn’t even think about food until the kids started whining about being hungry. I had it figured out hours before the dinner hour.
I wonder how much I’ve missed being in the kitchen? One time the family was telling a story and I asked, "When did that happen?” One of my sisters said, “You were probably in the kitchen. That’s where you always are.”
I was worried my house might smell like my Boston Terrier during a family gathering and asked one of my sisters about it. She said my house always smells like food and she didn’t smell anything else. I guess I don’t need to burn any incense then, I’ll just whip up a batch of cookies.
Oddly enough, most of my sisters are terrible cooks and don’t enjoy it. One of my sisters tries but just never got the hang of it but at least they know what’s going on.
I come from a long line of good cooks it just seemed to miss my mother and sisters. If you’ve ever read an Oklahoma newspaper and seen a column by Melba Lovelace, she’s my cousin.
When my great Aunt Ollie passed a way an in law grabbed several of her cookbooks thinking to find her secret recipes hidden between the covers. I just laughed. Most of her recipes weren’t written down but were in her head. I was lucky enough to learn many of them.
For years I didn’t think cooking was any big deal and thought anyone could do it. I just thought people were lazy if they didn’t cook but apparently there is more to it than that. There really are people who just can’t get the hang of it no matter how many lessons they have. This became evident when I’d give people a recipe and it didn’t turn out. One of my sisters thought I purposely changed the recipe so she couldn’t copy it. I went over it step by step over the phone and it turns out she used tub margarine instead of the stick kind to make chocolate chip cookies. She didn’t know there was a difference. It was still my fault because I didn’t specify stick margarine was required. I shook my head and told her you always use stick margarine in recipes. All she said was, “Oh.”
For some reason this is the only song that came to mind for this blog. lol
There are five girls and two boys. Looking at old pictures it became clear that I’m always in the kitchen or taking care of kids and they aren’t always my children either. We hardly have any pictures of me posing and actually looking at the camera. In one I’m grabbing one of my sister’s baby’s arm before she tumbles off the couch while her mother smiles for the photo. I won’t say which one but if you were in my family I wouldn’t have to tell much more than that for you to figure out exactly which sister.
You have a poser in every family. I don’t mean the modern definition of that word, which is a fake person. I’m talking about the ones always smiling and hamming it up when a camera is present. My oldest son is one of them. I can remember him running over if someone was taking a picture of me, “I don’t want you to be lonely in the picture, Mama.” He’s such a thoughtful child.
Then you have the one that doesn’t want their picture taken and they try to hide. I didn’t purposely hide I was just busy. Someone had to feed the kids and make sure the little one didn’t take a nosedive off the sofa.
Some of y’all may remember the story about the two sisters in the Bible; one was in the kitchen cooking while the other one was sitting on the floor listening to Jesus tell stories. I’m pretty sure I’d be the sister in the kitchen. I couldn’t let Jesus go hungry after all. Telling stories is thirsty work so he’d need his wine glass kept full.
It always amazed me how some of them wouldn’t even think about food until the kids started whining about being hungry. I had it figured out hours before the dinner hour.
I wonder how much I’ve missed being in the kitchen? One time the family was telling a story and I asked, "When did that happen?” One of my sisters said, “You were probably in the kitchen. That’s where you always are.”
I was worried my house might smell like my Boston Terrier during a family gathering and asked one of my sisters about it. She said my house always smells like food and she didn’t smell anything else. I guess I don’t need to burn any incense then, I’ll just whip up a batch of cookies.
Oddly enough, most of my sisters are terrible cooks and don’t enjoy it. One of my sisters tries but just never got the hang of it but at least they know what’s going on.
I come from a long line of good cooks it just seemed to miss my mother and sisters. If you’ve ever read an Oklahoma newspaper and seen a column by Melba Lovelace, she’s my cousin.
When my great Aunt Ollie passed a way an in law grabbed several of her cookbooks thinking to find her secret recipes hidden between the covers. I just laughed. Most of her recipes weren’t written down but were in her head. I was lucky enough to learn many of them.
For years I didn’t think cooking was any big deal and thought anyone could do it. I just thought people were lazy if they didn’t cook but apparently there is more to it than that. There really are people who just can’t get the hang of it no matter how many lessons they have. This became evident when I’d give people a recipe and it didn’t turn out. One of my sisters thought I purposely changed the recipe so she couldn’t copy it. I went over it step by step over the phone and it turns out she used tub margarine instead of the stick kind to make chocolate chip cookies. She didn’t know there was a difference. It was still my fault because I didn’t specify stick margarine was required. I shook my head and told her you always use stick margarine in recipes. All she said was, “Oh.”
For some reason this is the only song that came to mind for this blog. lol
January 11, 2010
Weird Stuff to Waste Your Time
While strolling through cyber land I ran across some fun sites I thought I’d share with you.
This poor guy can’t get a break.
http://pascalcampion.com/door.swf
Here are some crazy pictures of people on roller coasters.
http://www.slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/2009/rollercoasterfunnies.htm
This site is pretty cool. You draw lines and make a little ball do all sorts of fun things. At one point I had several of them caged in.
http://balldroppings.com/js/
These are really neat. I’m impressed with the talent that went into each of them.
http://acidcow.com/pics/5231-sharpie-art-on-styrofoam-cups-79-pics.html
Here’s a fun test that tells about your personality using colors.
http://current.com/1l8qe4c
This one is kind of creepy. There are no instructions but put your cursor anywhere on the screen and the box creatures will follow it.
http://bestiario.org/web/media/19/preview/index.php?id_proyecto=19
This one has an Edgar Allen Poe feel to it.
http://leogeo.com/28_timebeat.htm
And last and most important here are some Albert Einstein quotes. I like the second one, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” That is good to know.
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html
Keep an eye on these guys they are really good and I expect great things from them.
This poor guy can’t get a break.
http://pascalcampion.com/door.swf
Here are some crazy pictures of people on roller coasters.
http://www.slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/2009/rollercoasterfunnies.htm
This site is pretty cool. You draw lines and make a little ball do all sorts of fun things. At one point I had several of them caged in.
http://balldroppings.com/js/
These are really neat. I’m impressed with the talent that went into each of them.
http://acidcow.com/pics/5231-sharpie-art-on-styrofoam-cups-79-pics.html
Here’s a fun test that tells about your personality using colors.
http://current.com/1l8qe4c
This one is kind of creepy. There are no instructions but put your cursor anywhere on the screen and the box creatures will follow it.
http://bestiario.org/web/media/19/preview/index.php?id_proyecto=19
This one has an Edgar Allen Poe feel to it.
http://leogeo.com/28_timebeat.htm
And last and most important here are some Albert Einstein quotes. I like the second one, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” That is good to know.
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html
Keep an eye on these guys they are really good and I expect great things from them.
January 8, 2010
Nonsense and Stuffing That Fell Out of My Head
Welcome to the forest, sit down on a mushroom, drink from a tulip and listen to the ripples of sunshine dripping from the leaves.
Walk a mile in my mittens because I’m using my moccasins.
It’s like this where I come from.
Diaries are for writing your innermost thoughts and getting you in trouble.
We ate those tomorrow so we should have them again today.
They aren’t leftovers, they are fix aheads.
Snow is a beard for the grass and a cap for mountains.
If life is a bed of roses why doesn’t it smell better?
Light fills all the dark corners of reality but sometimes you need a flashlight to find it.
Look for it and it won’t come,
Wait for it and it takes forever,
Listen for it and you hear everything else.
If I knew I was going to be a leader I’d have been a better person. Maybe.
Women were put on earth to wipe away the tears but sometimes it’s on our own faces.
Wake me when it gets better.
It’s much easier to see the fault of others.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but he charges rent.
If you don’t like the music it’s only noise.
We are all perfect: convincing others is the hard part.
Come ride my train to Neverland. Sorry, I can’t promise you’ll see Peter. Wendy, however, is always there.
Weekends go by very quickly but the weekdays crawl.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder but Holidays makes you wonder why.
I don’t want a spot of tea I want the whole pot.
Kids can only be as good as their ancestors.
Anyone can write but convincing someone to read it is the tricky part.
I’ve looked at all sides and still can’t make heads or tails of it.
It only makes sense in the other person’s head.
When you find an alternative to the problem somebody changes the equation.
Gravity is only good when you want to stay on the ground.
We are all the same really: we just see things differently.
Eyes are the windows to the soul and mouths are the doors that let all our thoughts escape.
Weeds are flowers in their own garden.
Coasters only work if people use them.
We already have time in a bottle, we just spell it differently: thyme.
The word “up” is used an awful lot but people’s spirits have not followed.
Walk a mile in my mittens because I’m using my moccasins.
It’s like this where I come from.
Diaries are for writing your innermost thoughts and getting you in trouble.
We ate those tomorrow so we should have them again today.
They aren’t leftovers, they are fix aheads.
Snow is a beard for the grass and a cap for mountains.
If life is a bed of roses why doesn’t it smell better?
Light fills all the dark corners of reality but sometimes you need a flashlight to find it.
Look for it and it won’t come,
Wait for it and it takes forever,
Listen for it and you hear everything else.
If I knew I was going to be a leader I’d have been a better person. Maybe.
Women were put on earth to wipe away the tears but sometimes it’s on our own faces.
Wake me when it gets better.
It’s much easier to see the fault of others.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but he charges rent.
If you don’t like the music it’s only noise.
We are all perfect: convincing others is the hard part.
Come ride my train to Neverland. Sorry, I can’t promise you’ll see Peter. Wendy, however, is always there.
Weekends go by very quickly but the weekdays crawl.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder but Holidays makes you wonder why.
I don’t want a spot of tea I want the whole pot.
Kids can only be as good as their ancestors.
Anyone can write but convincing someone to read it is the tricky part.
I’ve looked at all sides and still can’t make heads or tails of it.
It only makes sense in the other person’s head.
When you find an alternative to the problem somebody changes the equation.
Gravity is only good when you want to stay on the ground.
We are all the same really: we just see things differently.
Eyes are the windows to the soul and mouths are the doors that let all our thoughts escape.
Weeds are flowers in their own garden.
Coasters only work if people use them.
We already have time in a bottle, we just spell it differently: thyme.
The word “up” is used an awful lot but people’s spirits have not followed.
January 4, 2010
I Want To Live In A Tree House And Swing From My Tail
I know there is that little discrepancy of a missing tail but I have always thought it would be cool to live in a tree.
When I was a little girl a friend and I took boards and nails and made a platform in a tree and we would sit up there looking across the neighborhood watching the world go by.
Climbing trees was one of my favorite things to do. Oddly enough, one of my brothers fell off the house and one of my sisters fell off the monkey bars at school, both breaking collarbones but I never fell out of a tree even though my mother swore up and down I would.
I was born in southern California and many of the trees were of the palm variety but I still managed to climb them. You have to take your shoes off and use your toes.
Here is a cool website that shows some awesome tree houses. The one in Viet Nam is really cool looking.
http://weburbanist.com/2008/02/10/10-amazing-tree-houses-from-around-the-world-sustainable-unique-and-creative-designs/
I have never been there but Eureka Springs has tree house cabins you can stay in. It’s on my list of things to do.
http://www.estreehouses.com/groups/
I love this one. Did you see the birds having sex? Too funny.
They kept messing up this song so here it is untarnished.
When I was a little girl a friend and I took boards and nails and made a platform in a tree and we would sit up there looking across the neighborhood watching the world go by.
Climbing trees was one of my favorite things to do. Oddly enough, one of my brothers fell off the house and one of my sisters fell off the monkey bars at school, both breaking collarbones but I never fell out of a tree even though my mother swore up and down I would.
I was born in southern California and many of the trees were of the palm variety but I still managed to climb them. You have to take your shoes off and use your toes.
Here is a cool website that shows some awesome tree houses. The one in Viet Nam is really cool looking.
http://weburbanist.com/2008/02/10/10-amazing-tree-houses-from-around-the-world-sustainable-unique-and-creative-designs/
I have never been there but Eureka Springs has tree house cabins you can stay in. It’s on my list of things to do.
http://www.estreehouses.com/groups/
I love this one. Did you see the birds having sex? Too funny.
They kept messing up this song so here it is untarnished.
January 1, 2010
Happy New Year
It’s time once again for them to drag that poor old man out of his recliner, prop him up and poke him once in a while when he falls asleep. Yes, boys and girls it’s time for Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year.
I mean no disrespect to Mr. Clark, but does anyone else have trouble understanding him? Being an icon is cool, I get it, really I do but there comes a time when a person needs to retire.
That was tacky. I apologize. Lord, forgive me for being disrespectful of my elders. Granny, don’t come back and haunt me I know how much you love Dick Clark.
Some of y’all will be making resolutions and that’s great. I don’t do one as a rule but this year I have a list. I goofed off this year taking a much needed break from the submission and nail biting rat race but really need to get back into the game.
1) I’m going to start making lists. I’ve done this in the past and it does make me more productive but what often happens is that I under estimate the amount of time it will take me to do a project or task and it throws my whole schedule off. So to help with this problem I will allow more time than I think it will take and hopefully it will work out.
2) I am going to finish editing my novel I wrote during NaNoWriMo. I didn’t plan to start revision until the beginning of the year but I found a bit of extra time after taking a break from a certain forum and began the rewrite last week.
3) I am creating another blog. I realize I already have two but I have decided to make one based on my non-fiction book I wrote and rewrote a couple of times already. I’m going to polish it up once again and during that process I will add tidbits to my new blog which if you are interested in homemaking or cutting corners you can find here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Cut-Corners-Round-Out-Your-Life
It will be different than what I usually blog about being of a more informative and serious nature however there will be some humor from time to time.
It won’t be officially up until January 5, 2010. I am planning to post a blog at Hubpages on Tuesdays but we will see how it goes. Depending on how busy I get with my other projects I might go twice a week posting one on Thursdays as well.
For now I will continue to blog here three times a week and also on MySpace but if traffic doesn’t pick up on my Wednesday blog I may eliminate it. I quit my sex blog a few months back and had requests that I bring it back. If you have any suggestions for ways to improve it and increase readership I would appreciate any input. I don’t want to waste my time and yours. Many of the Humpday blogs consist of links to other sites but I have written my own missives from time to time. Give me your opinion on what you prefer to see. All ideas will be welcome.
I hope you all have a great New Year and all your goals are successful.
Peace, Love and Hugs.
I mean no disrespect to Mr. Clark, but does anyone else have trouble understanding him? Being an icon is cool, I get it, really I do but there comes a time when a person needs to retire.
That was tacky. I apologize. Lord, forgive me for being disrespectful of my elders. Granny, don’t come back and haunt me I know how much you love Dick Clark.
Some of y’all will be making resolutions and that’s great. I don’t do one as a rule but this year I have a list. I goofed off this year taking a much needed break from the submission and nail biting rat race but really need to get back into the game.
1) I’m going to start making lists. I’ve done this in the past and it does make me more productive but what often happens is that I under estimate the amount of time it will take me to do a project or task and it throws my whole schedule off. So to help with this problem I will allow more time than I think it will take and hopefully it will work out.
2) I am going to finish editing my novel I wrote during NaNoWriMo. I didn’t plan to start revision until the beginning of the year but I found a bit of extra time after taking a break from a certain forum and began the rewrite last week.
3) I am creating another blog. I realize I already have two but I have decided to make one based on my non-fiction book I wrote and rewrote a couple of times already. I’m going to polish it up once again and during that process I will add tidbits to my new blog which if you are interested in homemaking or cutting corners you can find here:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Cut-Corners-Round-Out-Your-Life
It will be different than what I usually blog about being of a more informative and serious nature however there will be some humor from time to time.
It won’t be officially up until January 5, 2010. I am planning to post a blog at Hubpages on Tuesdays but we will see how it goes. Depending on how busy I get with my other projects I might go twice a week posting one on Thursdays as well.
For now I will continue to blog here three times a week and also on MySpace but if traffic doesn’t pick up on my Wednesday blog I may eliminate it. I quit my sex blog a few months back and had requests that I bring it back. If you have any suggestions for ways to improve it and increase readership I would appreciate any input. I don’t want to waste my time and yours. Many of the Humpday blogs consist of links to other sites but I have written my own missives from time to time. Give me your opinion on what you prefer to see. All ideas will be welcome.
I hope you all have a great New Year and all your goals are successful.
Peace, Love and Hugs.
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