Things are changing again here. Mostly my point of view is changing and DAMN! Does it feel good!!! I spent 3 days at a seminar, which could be described better as an experiential learning weekend. My husband went as well. Now, that might seem like a logical thing for a husband and wife to go learn together, especially when it’s learning how to break through the road blocks we set up for ourselves as we travelled through our lives. But, I’m fairly sure he just thinks I’m a tad whacky and he wanted to make sure he knew what he was in for when I got home. Now he’s pretty sure I’m just nuts and he’s refused to go back to the second part of the seminar. Oh well. He’s not ready but I am…we’ll see what that means to our relationship when we get there.
Ok, I have a meeting to get out of here for…I’ll catch up and blab more when I return.
See ya!!!
:)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
I’m not going to get to watch the Belmont!!!!
I’m sure as hell going to try to find a TV I can commandeer, but I have decided to go to a seminar this weekend and I have no idea what the schedule is. The race is at 6:25pm, so if I plot this right I can find a bar or an electronics store…ooooo…wow, what a thought. Watching Big Brown canter his way into history on 25 tv’s at once! The thought gives me goosebumps. I’ll settle for any tv though.
I’m going to be in the middle of horse country, in Ocala, so the odds of finding a tv with the race on are good. Real fucking good actually.
You know, last time I was in Ocala (aside from driving through to get to Jacksonville or Gainesville) was when we were looking at the town to find a realtor…and about 5 minutes after driving into Ocala, I got a phone call from my mom telling me Seattle Slew had died. I can’t pass the Dunkin Donuts I was pulling into at the time without remembering that day in vivid detail. If Big Brown wins Saturday, I’m driving across town to the Dunkin Donuts and buying a coffee on a day that can at least even out the memories there. It might take more than Big Brown winning the Triple Crown to even out that day (it’s also when hubby got away with never even looking at Ocala because I was so distracted by Seattle Slew dying - by the time I really started focussing again we were half way to Punta Gorda)
I actually had something else to say and now I can’t remember. I hate that. Um…horses, ocala, horses, belmont, horses…oh, wait, it might have something to do with horses…LOL
actually there are two things.
one, I’m so excited about the idea of Big Brown winning that I actually get all teary. Why is that? I have nothing to do with the Big Brown camp. I don’t even have anything to do with the horse racing world right now. I’ve never met Big Brown. So why does it just make me feel like I’d be so happy I’d burst into tears? I might as well just accept it and warn anyone who happens to be near me when that bell rings…
and the other thing, I’m going to a seminar that is very likely going to change my outlook on life. and….hubby has agreed to go with me! He’s actually going for three days of retraining the way you look at things. Today he started to panic and got all bent out of shape and told me that he better not have to do anything embarrassing. And I was totally freaked, like…I’m going to be so preoccupied with whether he’s mad at me for them making him do something that I won’t get what I’m supposed to out of this. But then mom had to be all rational and say THAT was what I was going to do this for.
I’m going to change the way I react to life as it happens around me. And he is going to do the same thing. If he doesn’t get anything good out of this, that is HIS problem, not mine. I’m there to learn as much as possible. And dammit, I’m gonna freaking do it!
I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon so if you don’t see me til Monday, you know why.
Happy Belmont Day to all….have a great weekend!!
:)
I’m going to be in the middle of horse country, in Ocala, so the odds of finding a tv with the race on are good. Real fucking good actually.
You know, last time I was in Ocala (aside from driving through to get to Jacksonville or Gainesville) was when we were looking at the town to find a realtor…and about 5 minutes after driving into Ocala, I got a phone call from my mom telling me Seattle Slew had died. I can’t pass the Dunkin Donuts I was pulling into at the time without remembering that day in vivid detail. If Big Brown wins Saturday, I’m driving across town to the Dunkin Donuts and buying a coffee on a day that can at least even out the memories there. It might take more than Big Brown winning the Triple Crown to even out that day (it’s also when hubby got away with never even looking at Ocala because I was so distracted by Seattle Slew dying - by the time I really started focussing again we were half way to Punta Gorda)
I actually had something else to say and now I can’t remember. I hate that. Um…horses, ocala, horses, belmont, horses…oh, wait, it might have something to do with horses…LOL
actually there are two things.
one, I’m so excited about the idea of Big Brown winning that I actually get all teary. Why is that? I have nothing to do with the Big Brown camp. I don’t even have anything to do with the horse racing world right now. I’ve never met Big Brown. So why does it just make me feel like I’d be so happy I’d burst into tears? I might as well just accept it and warn anyone who happens to be near me when that bell rings…
and the other thing, I’m going to a seminar that is very likely going to change my outlook on life. and….hubby has agreed to go with me! He’s actually going for three days of retraining the way you look at things. Today he started to panic and got all bent out of shape and told me that he better not have to do anything embarrassing. And I was totally freaked, like…I’m going to be so preoccupied with whether he’s mad at me for them making him do something that I won’t get what I’m supposed to out of this. But then mom had to be all rational and say THAT was what I was going to do this for.
I’m going to change the way I react to life as it happens around me. And he is going to do the same thing. If he doesn’t get anything good out of this, that is HIS problem, not mine. I’m there to learn as much as possible. And dammit, I’m gonna freaking do it!
I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon so if you don’t see me til Monday, you know why.
Happy Belmont Day to all….have a great weekend!!
:)
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
I can’t be the only one who noticed that there is more than two political parties..
I keep seeing people commenting on voting for someone because they don’t want the other, or voting for someone just because they are “their party” but that they still don’t like that person.
In case you weren’t aware…there are more than two parties.
AND in case you feel like using this excuse, keep it to yourself please….voting for one of the minor parties does not help the lesser of two evils win an election. Voting for one of the lesser parties takes balls…and frankly most people just don’t have those when it comes to voting. So what if you don’t think that the party has a chance to win. What are you doing? Voting for how you want your country run or voting so you can be on the “winning side”?? Vote your conscious people, things will turn around faster than you think if everyone does that.
Do you know that some people don’t even know what they are voting for! I see a lot of political comments, hear people defending their political choices, and I just wonder…did these people learn politics from the Clintons? Nothing makes sense. It’s just blah, blah, blah…it means nothing and goes nowhere. Hell, I hear people talking about how the candidates promise to do things that they won’t have the authority to change nor are they likely to even influence those who can change it. I find it disturbing that people think the president is like the boss of a family business…the ultimate authority on everything.
My opinion is that the country is a big freaking mess because people don’t do their part. People don’t take responsibility for their actions. They don’t even take action. They usually prefer to sit around and complain about it. IF you asked your neighbor, who might be complaining about one issue or another, what they have done to change it…chances are they’d stare at you like you were an idiot, OR they’d start ranting about how it can’t be changed because government can’t be fought, it’s too big, etc. etc. People have no idea that there are ways to participate in our government! Hell, there are ways to keep an eye on what is going on and voice your opinion right from your home computer! You can influence government in your jammies!! If you think you can’t, then you are part of the problem.
Anyway, I seem to have gotten off the point. The point of this post was to point out that there are multiple parties. Stop voting for the ones with the most money, start voting for the ones who reflect the ideals that you want instilled in our country. This is the only way to have our government reflect the wishes of our people. Voting for the Republicans or Democrats (if you aren’t really committed to their cause) is like voting on which schoolyard bully you’d prefer to have beating up on you. The most obvious solution to the problem is to vote for someone else that really works for you.
Make our founding fathers proud and vote for what you stand for!
Not sure what you really should be voting? Try this quiz today: The Worlds Smallest Political Quiz
In case you weren’t aware…there are more than two parties.
AND in case you feel like using this excuse, keep it to yourself please….voting for one of the minor parties does not help the lesser of two evils win an election. Voting for one of the lesser parties takes balls…and frankly most people just don’t have those when it comes to voting. So what if you don’t think that the party has a chance to win. What are you doing? Voting for how you want your country run or voting so you can be on the “winning side”?? Vote your conscious people, things will turn around faster than you think if everyone does that.
Do you know that some people don’t even know what they are voting for! I see a lot of political comments, hear people defending their political choices, and I just wonder…did these people learn politics from the Clintons? Nothing makes sense. It’s just blah, blah, blah…it means nothing and goes nowhere. Hell, I hear people talking about how the candidates promise to do things that they won’t have the authority to change nor are they likely to even influence those who can change it. I find it disturbing that people think the president is like the boss of a family business…the ultimate authority on everything.
My opinion is that the country is a big freaking mess because people don’t do their part. People don’t take responsibility for their actions. They don’t even take action. They usually prefer to sit around and complain about it. IF you asked your neighbor, who might be complaining about one issue or another, what they have done to change it…chances are they’d stare at you like you were an idiot, OR they’d start ranting about how it can’t be changed because government can’t be fought, it’s too big, etc. etc. People have no idea that there are ways to participate in our government! Hell, there are ways to keep an eye on what is going on and voice your opinion right from your home computer! You can influence government in your jammies!! If you think you can’t, then you are part of the problem.
Anyway, I seem to have gotten off the point. The point of this post was to point out that there are multiple parties. Stop voting for the ones with the most money, start voting for the ones who reflect the ideals that you want instilled in our country. This is the only way to have our government reflect the wishes of our people. Voting for the Republicans or Democrats (if you aren’t really committed to their cause) is like voting on which schoolyard bully you’d prefer to have beating up on you. The most obvious solution to the problem is to vote for someone else that really works for you.
Make our founding fathers proud and vote for what you stand for!
Not sure what you really should be voting? Try this quiz today: The Worlds Smallest Political Quiz
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Goodbye, Lila :(
You’ve made this world a better place to live in. And it’s not just me, our friends that met you only last week thought you were just the most interesting woman they’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. The nurses at the hospital adored you. You were a truly unique lady. I am going to miss you so much. The girls are having a hard time comprehending the idea that you won’t be back. I am just having a hard time believing that I won’t get to hear about your interesting life, or that we won’t get to draw the violets together (the girls will actually be drawing the violets tomorrow while I’m cleaning out the refrigerator).
Life is just so unfair! There are so many people out there that cause other people pain or that are just so miserable and hate life. You were so giving and loving. You had so much to offer the world. And you are gone.
I will always consider myself lucky to have been your friend, even if it was for such a short portion of our lives.
The memories and happiness will always live in my heart. You’ve made a difference in the way I look at life and how I plan on living it from now on.
But I still miss you so much it hurts.
:(
Life is just so unfair! There are so many people out there that cause other people pain or that are just so miserable and hate life. You were so giving and loving. You had so much to offer the world. And you are gone.
I will always consider myself lucky to have been your friend, even if it was for such a short portion of our lives.
The memories and happiness will always live in my heart. You’ve made a difference in the way I look at life and how I plan on living it from now on.
But I still miss you so much it hurts.
:(
I’d like to share my friend Lila Klute with the world
Lila is my neighbor and she’s a wonderful, kind woman. She is an artist that has lived all over the world, and was taught by some very famous people. She’s been teaching my kids art for a while. They are already budding artists but we love spending time with her and you really can never learn too much.
She had a heart attack last week and we spent a few days at the hospital. She came back home over the weekend and holiday and then we had to go back to the hospital again last night.
Well, it seems that the damage done during her heart attack is not repairable, and she is not expected to make it much longer.
I’m sure her sons are really trying to get here to be with her. At least I hope they are. She had been looking forward to it so much.
I am taking care of her house and cat until someone else from her family can get here. I am going to take some pictures of her paintings so that the world can share in her joy. Maybe I’ll even share some of her adventures that she liked to tell about.
And now I’m off to the hospital…
She had a heart attack last week and we spent a few days at the hospital. She came back home over the weekend and holiday and then we had to go back to the hospital again last night.
Well, it seems that the damage done during her heart attack is not repairable, and she is not expected to make it much longer.
I’m sure her sons are really trying to get here to be with her. At least I hope they are. She had been looking forward to it so much.
I am taking care of her house and cat until someone else from her family can get here. I am going to take some pictures of her paintings so that the world can share in her joy. Maybe I’ll even share some of her adventures that she liked to tell about.
And now I’m off to the hospital…
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Winter needs a new home!
I’m not sure how many people outside of the Tampa area have really been paying attention to her, but Winter is a young dolphin that was rescued off the coast of Florida after being caught in a crab trap. Despite all of the odds being against her, and the fact that her tail had to be amputated, she is thriving! She is also getting too big for her current tank. She’s also been fitted with a prosthetic tail which allows her to swim faster and farther…so she NEEDS a bigger place to live.
She is at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and they are asking for donations to get a larger holding tank up to par for Winter to live in. This tank will have windows for viewing, so you can see how this amazing dolphin can swim with her prosthetic tail.
You can read the details here, and see some video about this amazing little dolphin.
She is at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and they are asking for donations to get a larger holding tank up to par for Winter to live in. This tank will have windows for viewing, so you can see how this amazing dolphin can swim with her prosthetic tail.
You can read the details here, and see some video about this amazing little dolphin.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
OH MY GOD! Are we gonna have a Triple Crown Winner???
I am soooooooo excited! Big Brown totally kicked ass today. And he wasn’t even trying!!!!
I’m very excited!! I was actually jumping up and down trying to make sure he ran fast enough. You never know…it COULD help! LOL
Time for me to start planning a Belmont party. Too bad I won’t be up there to see it in person. Although, I imagine Elmont, New York is gonna be a total madhouse on that day.
Oh…I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait! Big Brown so reminds me of Secretariat. Could we dare to hope that he can pull off all three of the Triple Crown races? The anticipation will be tremendous. The papers will go nuts. I think something like this, especially with the stories surrounding Big Brown’s team…oh the hope it would bring! (I’ll go in to the stories when I’m not exhausted beyond description
)
Ok, enough for one day, I am so beat it’s not funny. I’m going to get some sleep
See ya’ll tomorrow!!
:)
I’m very excited!! I was actually jumping up and down trying to make sure he ran fast enough. You never know…it COULD help! LOL
Time for me to start planning a Belmont party. Too bad I won’t be up there to see it in person. Although, I imagine Elmont, New York is gonna be a total madhouse on that day.
Oh…I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait! Big Brown so reminds me of Secretariat. Could we dare to hope that he can pull off all three of the Triple Crown races? The anticipation will be tremendous. The papers will go nuts. I think something like this, especially with the stories surrounding Big Brown’s team…oh the hope it would bring! (I’ll go in to the stories when I’m not exhausted beyond description
)Ok, enough for one day, I am so beat it’s not funny. I’m going to get some sleep
See ya’ll tomorrow!!
:)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
I’ve found where I want to be buried!!
This is so incredibly awesome!!
I want to be part of a reef and support ocean life forever after I’m gone…check it out here!
:)
I want to be part of a reef and support ocean life forever after I’m gone…check it out here!
:)
Monday, May 05, 2008
While I believe that people should watch out for one another…
and help out when someone or something needs help, I also believe that people should mind their own business when they don’t know what they are talking about.
Two athletes got hurt this week. One got hurt bad enough to end her life. If these weren’t highly trained athletes that had been conditioned to be able to handle their sport, I’d say these were avoidable injuries. BUT these athletes got hurt just like others get hurt. Just like basketball players, gymnasts and runners get hurt. The only problem here is, human athletes can get hurt and go lay on their backside or front or side or upside freaking down if need be, and not die from it. Equine athletes can NOT lay down after an injury and recover. It would kill them. They can not put all their weight on anything less than all feet, or they risk laminitis setting in. Equine athletes are not built like we are. Period.
Some people claim that horse racing is barbaric. And I’m not going to say it’s not a bit warped to have horses run like mad for a mile and then give money to who ever guessed the winner. I have only bet once in my entire life. It was $2 on Hug A Slew at the Meadowlands in New Jersey a long time ago. I vaguely remember her not finishing the race or coming in like 40 lengths behind the rest of the pack. I decided that betting was really a waste of time, I was there for the horses, pure and simple.
But, betting pays the bills for a lot of people. It provides an income for the track families. The jockeys, grooms, stablehands, trainers, owners, concession workers, betting window clerks…it’s income and it’s not going to go anywhere real soon.
What the naysayers and screaming whiney people don’t realize is… 1. they are bitching and not making a difference in an effective way. Which means they are wasting their time and getting in the way of real change by annoying the crap out of those who are doing something to make a difference and 2. They have no clue what really goes on. If they did, they’d not be bitching. If they cared enough to put some effort into it, they’d be making changes that are effective.
While making a difference in track surfaces, medication and schedules won’t bring back Eight Belles or make Chelokee’s leg heal magically overnight…it does keep this from happening in the future.
Screaming, pointing fingers and making blatantly incorrect comments about horse racing does no one any good, now or in the future.
I’m sure the loud opinionated jerks out there don’t know that Barbaro’s breakdown and then his death has contributed to more synthetic track surfaces being used (are they safer? that i don’t know but it seems that the people who know these things think so. I am guessing we will find out in time), to advancements in finding a cure for laminitis (which, by the way, effects horses AND cattle, not just race horses).
Here are articles and whole websites that outlines the incredible things that people have done in the name of Barbaro:
So, you can sit there and blubber on about how horrible the sport is and do nothing about it (in other words be a really noisy annoying good for nothing)…or you can get educated about the problems (real education, not one you got reading the newspaper) and make changes that help everyone.
Bottom line? Shut up! OR Do Something About it!
Two athletes got hurt this week. One got hurt bad enough to end her life. If these weren’t highly trained athletes that had been conditioned to be able to handle their sport, I’d say these were avoidable injuries. BUT these athletes got hurt just like others get hurt. Just like basketball players, gymnasts and runners get hurt. The only problem here is, human athletes can get hurt and go lay on their backside or front or side or upside freaking down if need be, and not die from it. Equine athletes can NOT lay down after an injury and recover. It would kill them. They can not put all their weight on anything less than all feet, or they risk laminitis setting in. Equine athletes are not built like we are. Period.
Some people claim that horse racing is barbaric. And I’m not going to say it’s not a bit warped to have horses run like mad for a mile and then give money to who ever guessed the winner. I have only bet once in my entire life. It was $2 on Hug A Slew at the Meadowlands in New Jersey a long time ago. I vaguely remember her not finishing the race or coming in like 40 lengths behind the rest of the pack. I decided that betting was really a waste of time, I was there for the horses, pure and simple.
But, betting pays the bills for a lot of people. It provides an income for the track families. The jockeys, grooms, stablehands, trainers, owners, concession workers, betting window clerks…it’s income and it’s not going to go anywhere real soon.
What the naysayers and screaming whiney people don’t realize is… 1. they are bitching and not making a difference in an effective way. Which means they are wasting their time and getting in the way of real change by annoying the crap out of those who are doing something to make a difference and 2. They have no clue what really goes on. If they did, they’d not be bitching. If they cared enough to put some effort into it, they’d be making changes that are effective.
While making a difference in track surfaces, medication and schedules won’t bring back Eight Belles or make Chelokee’s leg heal magically overnight…it does keep this from happening in the future.
Screaming, pointing fingers and making blatantly incorrect comments about horse racing does no one any good, now or in the future.
I’m sure the loud opinionated jerks out there don’t know that Barbaro’s breakdown and then his death has contributed to more synthetic track surfaces being used (are they safer? that i don’t know but it seems that the people who know these things think so. I am guessing we will find out in time), to advancements in finding a cure for laminitis (which, by the way, effects horses AND cattle, not just race horses).
Here are articles and whole websites that outlines the incredible things that people have done in the name of Barbaro:
- article: Barbaro’s Legacy Continues
- article: Barbaro’s Legacy: Better Life for Horses
- article: Breyer Donates Portion of Sales to Barbaro Fund
- New Bolton Center: http://www.vet.upenn.edu/barbaro/index.html
- Tim Woolley Racing: http://www.timwoolleyracing.com
- New Jersey Equine Clinic: http://www.njequine.com
- National Thoroughbred Racing Association: http://ntra.com
- Breeders’ Cup: http://breederscup.com
- Angel Acres: http://www.angelacreshorsehavenrescue.com
- Fans of Barbaro: http://www.fansofbarbaro.com
So, you can sit there and blubber on about how horrible the sport is and do nothing about it (in other words be a really noisy annoying good for nothing)…or you can get educated about the problems (real education, not one you got reading the newspaper) and make changes that help everyone.
Bottom line? Shut up! OR Do Something About it!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
I was going to run right in here and write about how exciting that was
then I noticed Eight Belles laying on the track and suddenly it wasn’t so exciting. My heart goes out to her people, that has got to be the hardest thing to do. She ran an incredible race, she really had me thinking she was going to take it when she went blasting after Big Brown, and then she suddenly slowed down (at least it looked that way to me). I’m not sure if the breaks occurred there or after the finish, I just hope she wasn’t in pain for very long. She had the Champion Spirit she needed to go all the way.
I don’t feel much like writing now, I think I’ll go make dinner and see if Meg calls me.
Later all!
:(
I don’t feel much like writing now, I think I’ll go make dinner and see if Meg calls me.
Later all!
:(
It’s officially DERBY DAY!!!!!
Are ya excited? HUH? HUH? Well…I AM!!!!!
Told you I was a horse nut. There is one thing I enforce around here: I get approximately 6 guaranteed minutes of silence in this house every year. 2 minutes for the running of the Kentucky Derby, 2 minutes for the Preakness and 2 minutes for the Belmont. Those are approximate. I know the actual averages and records and for this purpose…2 minutes works just fine.
So…I was searching for TV schedules so I wouldn’t miss the damned race…at some point, the post time changed from around 5:38 to closer to 6:04…of course, this was a while ago but after actually MISSING a freaking race one year…I’m totally paranoid now. I happened to have found some incredibly awesome videos of past races on YouTube. Check these out:
SECRETARIAT - 1973 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby 132 - Barbaro (2006) (ok, this one had me crying…he was such an amazing amazing horse - and I’m NOT linking to his breakdown video cause I just can’t bear to watch Edgar Prado reacting to the situation or Barbaro holding up his leg)
2007 Kentucky Derby - Street Sense This was such an amazing trip for Street Sense and Calvin Borel - Watch the rail just open up for them as they work their way from the back of the pack to the front position!
There are a ton more and I’m tired, so….I’ll probably look through more tomorrow, but you can always just check out the related videos yourself
Going to dream of Twin Spires and Post Parades…nite!!
:)
Told you I was a horse nut. There is one thing I enforce around here: I get approximately 6 guaranteed minutes of silence in this house every year. 2 minutes for the running of the Kentucky Derby, 2 minutes for the Preakness and 2 minutes for the Belmont. Those are approximate. I know the actual averages and records and for this purpose…2 minutes works just fine.
So…I was searching for TV schedules so I wouldn’t miss the damned race…at some point, the post time changed from around 5:38 to closer to 6:04…of course, this was a while ago but after actually MISSING a freaking race one year…I’m totally paranoid now. I happened to have found some incredibly awesome videos of past races on YouTube. Check these out:
SECRETARIAT - 1973 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby 132 - Barbaro (2006) (ok, this one had me crying…he was such an amazing amazing horse - and I’m NOT linking to his breakdown video cause I just can’t bear to watch Edgar Prado reacting to the situation or Barbaro holding up his leg)
2007 Kentucky Derby - Street Sense This was such an amazing trip for Street Sense and Calvin Borel - Watch the rail just open up for them as they work their way from the back of the pack to the front position!
There are a ton more and I’m tired, so….I’ll probably look through more tomorrow, but you can always just check out the related videos yourself
Going to dream of Twin Spires and Post Parades…nite!!
:)
Tornados and “Holy shit!”
I just took a look at the news, and HOLY SHIT. The headline “Terrifying night gives way to ordeal of cleanup after storms” on KansasCity.com got my attention. I glanced through the article and right away I saw Gladstone was hit by a tornado…I grew up in Gladstone….so I kept reading…Euclid and 77th? Crap! I think that was what used to be the old horse farm behind the first house we lived in in Gladstone. So I google mapped it…and sure enough, that sucker blew up a whole neighborhood less than a mile from my old house. Wow. And the damage was major. It’s heartbreaking to see what it did.
I can’t say I know what it’s like to lose everything like that. I know what it is to be terrified by a tornado. I know what it is to be terrified by a hurricane (or five) and to have had significant damage from hurricanes. But to have your home turned into toothpicks in a matter of seconds…to have your whole world ripped out of your grasp and thrown back at you in a convoluted pile of debris…that is totally inconceivable. How do you make that better?
Here is the article I found, in case you are interested
I can’t say I know what it’s like to lose everything like that. I know what it is to be terrified by a tornado. I know what it is to be terrified by a hurricane (or five) and to have had significant damage from hurricanes. But to have your home turned into toothpicks in a matter of seconds…to have your whole world ripped out of your grasp and thrown back at you in a convoluted pile of debris…that is totally inconceivable. How do you make that better?
Here is the article I found, in case you are interested
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I’m so tired lately
My kids are acting tired and whining a lot too. I thought it was due to exhaustion from going to State for gymnastics this weekend, but now I’m wondering if we really aren’t getting sick here. I guess I’ll find out soon enough, huh?
Speaking of State…I am soooo proud of my girls!! The oldest got 2nd Place on Beam, 2nd Place on Floor, 3rd Place on Vault and 6th Place on Bars (we gotta work on that one! LOL). Her All Around for her age group was 3rd! The youngest got 1st Place on Beam, 1st Place on Floor, 2nd Place on Vault and 4th on Bars. Her All Around was either 2nd or 3rd…I kinda go soo excited I totally missed what number they said she was. Her coach has details, I’ll get them at the next practice.
They are also practicing Level 3 routines now…they are just so ecstatic! Of course, that means more practice time each week…but you know what? I don’t mind one second of driving them 40 minutes to practice when I see them accomplish something like this. They saw what practice was for this weekend.
Oh yeah, did I mention that we have officially decided to sell the house. There will be relief and sadness once it does sell…but the relief will be longer lasting, I am sure of that. We just have to get the foreclosure slowed down enough to get this thing sold. It’s going to be hard, but I gotta have faith that it will happen.
We have a few options we are working on for where to go after it sells and if it doesn’t sell. We’ll be staying in the area, but my goal is to start heading towards more open land, I need horses. Horses might not be an option in this move, but maybe the next one… we’ll see.
Some jackass is blowing his boat horn. It’s after midnight! I might have to go kill someone if he wakes up the kids.
>:(
Now I’m annoyed. I think I better get going to go work on some projects so I can get to bed sometime before the sun comes up. See you all later!
:)
Speaking of State…I am soooo proud of my girls!! The oldest got 2nd Place on Beam, 2nd Place on Floor, 3rd Place on Vault and 6th Place on Bars (we gotta work on that one! LOL). Her All Around for her age group was 3rd! The youngest got 1st Place on Beam, 1st Place on Floor, 2nd Place on Vault and 4th on Bars. Her All Around was either 2nd or 3rd…I kinda go soo excited I totally missed what number they said she was. Her coach has details, I’ll get them at the next practice.
They are also practicing Level 3 routines now…they are just so ecstatic! Of course, that means more practice time each week…but you know what? I don’t mind one second of driving them 40 minutes to practice when I see them accomplish something like this. They saw what practice was for this weekend.
Oh yeah, did I mention that we have officially decided to sell the house. There will be relief and sadness once it does sell…but the relief will be longer lasting, I am sure of that. We just have to get the foreclosure slowed down enough to get this thing sold. It’s going to be hard, but I gotta have faith that it will happen.
We have a few options we are working on for where to go after it sells and if it doesn’t sell. We’ll be staying in the area, but my goal is to start heading towards more open land, I need horses. Horses might not be an option in this move, but maybe the next one… we’ll see.
Some jackass is blowing his boat horn. It’s after midnight! I might have to go kill someone if he wakes up the kids.
>:(
Now I’m annoyed. I think I better get going to go work on some projects so I can get to bed sometime before the sun comes up. See you all later!
:)
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
How to Be Happier - 7 Steps to Contentment
(This isn’t mine…I just found it on a site I frequently visit, the Good News Network, and wanted to share it with you)
If happiness is the currency of life — the true measure of success, how hefty is your happiness account? How abundant is your contentment? How much happiness can you afford to give? Do you hoard or hide your true desires? Do you resent others for their happiness and curse their rose-colored glasses? Here are seven ways to boost your levels of happiness, and therefore, your success.
1) It’s Not the Goal that Matters
The purpose of naming long-term goals is to facilitate the enjoyment of the process. The journey on our way to the goal is made happier when we’ve envisioned our destination clearly in mind. Goals keep us from feeling aimless. But achieving the goal does not necessarily provide the happiness. Enjoy the journey — including the struggles. Become WHO you want to be along the way so that the achievement of the goal isn’t the most important effort, and doesn’t leaving you feeling empty once the goals are in the past.
2) Happiness is the measure of success, but struggle is essential, too, as a catalyst for our growth. Give yourself a license to be human.
Fighting against the Law of Gravity does us no good. It’s an immutable natural law. Likewise, we will only create unnecessary frustration for ourselves if we don’t accept that struggle is a fact of life. Make a decision to change your life and the lives of your entire family by accepting your own painful emotions as human. Emotions come and go, like disappointment, anger, and sadness. Give yourself and others the permission to be human and experience these emotions as an important part of life, rather than resisting them with a fight.
3) When you feel a touch of depression coming on, the first step is to accept it.
Most often it is appropriate, after accepting the feeling, to try to turn our focus to the positive. What is going well in your life or in the world? What is easy for you to do right now that can calm you or cheer you. Maybe tidying up a corner of the house for ten minutes will make you feel the positive sense of accomplishment. Maybe the memory of an accomplishment from earlier in the week can bring a sense of fulfillment — when you cleverly helped your child to overcome frustration, when you made that healthy choice to walk instead of taking the elevator, when you genuinely felt happy about anything.
4) Simplifying your life can bring more satisfaction to your day.
Can you think of a way to simplify your life and quiet the cacophony of modern life, which often distracts from the simple things that could otherwise bring happiness (like making a tent out of blankets with your kids)? After you identify the most important things in your life, try to find ways to eliminate the others — through delegation, hiring help, or cutting down on outside activities or volunteer work.
5) Does it take a terminal illness to begin to appreciate life? For many people, it does.
Pretend you were just told that you had six months to live. Close your eyes and name three things in your world right now that you can be really grateful for. (Go ahead and name them right now, and feel how grateful you are.) Plan on feeling more thankful for these three things in the coming days, while remembering that life doesn’t last forever.
6) Try Happiness Boosters
Making changes is sometimes hard, even if our goal is to become more joyful. For instance, when we are unhappy in our work and want to change careers, but are fearful of drastic steps. We could instead take small steps that could provide measured happiness in the meantime. Try a part-time position as a tutor instead of switching to teaching; volunteer or take up a hobby that gives a similar “boost” in happiness, before making drastic changes. If you want to make a big change in your life, try to identify 2 ideas that you could implement in the meantime to boost your happiness levels for an hour or two each week:
7) How to Deal With Negative Situations
With as little as three deep breaths we can reverse a stressful situation* (see resource below to learn how). Consider reminding yourself to take three deep breaths whenever you reach a red light or whenever you arrive at your desk or pull your car into your driveway at night. Deep breaths can instantly relax and reduce your stress. Additionally, keeping a gratitude journal can help diffuse the day’s stress. Record in the journal a list of five things (no matter how big or how small) that you are thankful for every night. And, finally, remember to choose to focus on the positive each day. Positive people look not only at the trouble but also look at the positive in each situation. Identifying the strengths and opportunities in the world, coupled with an acceptance of the hardship and negativity, produces a more balanced view of life that can serve us well.
Remember, the world today gives wider publicity to the negative and so it becomes more important for us to be diligent to train our focus regularly on the positive. Listening to the news or reading the news in the morning, if it is filled with terrorism, fraud, and murder, can potentially start us on a downward spiral. It wires our brains in a certain way. Whereas, if we start the day reading uplifting and inspiring news stories, like those in the Good News Network website, we can launch a positive upward spiral that will impact the rest of our day and help us to stay happier and more contented.
Written by Tal Ben-Shahar and Geri Weis-Corbley
If happiness is the currency of life — the true measure of success, how hefty is your happiness account? How abundant is your contentment? How much happiness can you afford to give? Do you hoard or hide your true desires? Do you resent others for their happiness and curse their rose-colored glasses? Here are seven ways to boost your levels of happiness, and therefore, your success.
1) It’s Not the Goal that Matters
The purpose of naming long-term goals is to facilitate the enjoyment of the process. The journey on our way to the goal is made happier when we’ve envisioned our destination clearly in mind. Goals keep us from feeling aimless. But achieving the goal does not necessarily provide the happiness. Enjoy the journey — including the struggles. Become WHO you want to be along the way so that the achievement of the goal isn’t the most important effort, and doesn’t leaving you feeling empty once the goals are in the past.
2) Happiness is the measure of success, but struggle is essential, too, as a catalyst for our growth. Give yourself a license to be human.
Fighting against the Law of Gravity does us no good. It’s an immutable natural law. Likewise, we will only create unnecessary frustration for ourselves if we don’t accept that struggle is a fact of life. Make a decision to change your life and the lives of your entire family by accepting your own painful emotions as human. Emotions come and go, like disappointment, anger, and sadness. Give yourself and others the permission to be human and experience these emotions as an important part of life, rather than resisting them with a fight.
3) When you feel a touch of depression coming on, the first step is to accept it.
Most often it is appropriate, after accepting the feeling, to try to turn our focus to the positive. What is going well in your life or in the world? What is easy for you to do right now that can calm you or cheer you. Maybe tidying up a corner of the house for ten minutes will make you feel the positive sense of accomplishment. Maybe the memory of an accomplishment from earlier in the week can bring a sense of fulfillment — when you cleverly helped your child to overcome frustration, when you made that healthy choice to walk instead of taking the elevator, when you genuinely felt happy about anything.
4) Simplifying your life can bring more satisfaction to your day.
Can you think of a way to simplify your life and quiet the cacophony of modern life, which often distracts from the simple things that could otherwise bring happiness (like making a tent out of blankets with your kids)? After you identify the most important things in your life, try to find ways to eliminate the others — through delegation, hiring help, or cutting down on outside activities or volunteer work.
5) Does it take a terminal illness to begin to appreciate life? For many people, it does.
Pretend you were just told that you had six months to live. Close your eyes and name three things in your world right now that you can be really grateful for. (Go ahead and name them right now, and feel how grateful you are.) Plan on feeling more thankful for these three things in the coming days, while remembering that life doesn’t last forever.
6) Try Happiness Boosters
Making changes is sometimes hard, even if our goal is to become more joyful. For instance, when we are unhappy in our work and want to change careers, but are fearful of drastic steps. We could instead take small steps that could provide measured happiness in the meantime. Try a part-time position as a tutor instead of switching to teaching; volunteer or take up a hobby that gives a similar “boost” in happiness, before making drastic changes. If you want to make a big change in your life, try to identify 2 ideas that you could implement in the meantime to boost your happiness levels for an hour or two each week:
7) How to Deal With Negative Situations
With as little as three deep breaths we can reverse a stressful situation* (see resource below to learn how). Consider reminding yourself to take three deep breaths whenever you reach a red light or whenever you arrive at your desk or pull your car into your driveway at night. Deep breaths can instantly relax and reduce your stress. Additionally, keeping a gratitude journal can help diffuse the day’s stress. Record in the journal a list of five things (no matter how big or how small) that you are thankful for every night. And, finally, remember to choose to focus on the positive each day. Positive people look not only at the trouble but also look at the positive in each situation. Identifying the strengths and opportunities in the world, coupled with an acceptance of the hardship and negativity, produces a more balanced view of life that can serve us well.
Remember, the world today gives wider publicity to the negative and so it becomes more important for us to be diligent to train our focus regularly on the positive. Listening to the news or reading the news in the morning, if it is filled with terrorism, fraud, and murder, can potentially start us on a downward spiral. It wires our brains in a certain way. Whereas, if we start the day reading uplifting and inspiring news stories, like those in the Good News Network website, we can launch a positive upward spiral that will impact the rest of our day and help us to stay happier and more contented.
Written by Tal Ben-Shahar and Geri Weis-Corbley
My Alzheimer’s Post…not to be outdone by Meg…
We now have our own Alzheimer’s experiences. And this is really nothing compared to Meg’s experiences…so she is still the Queen of Patience and Understanding…
Yesterday our neighbor banged our door. He said he wasn’t feeling well. He’s in his 70’s or 80’s so we assumed he was out for a walk and started feeling ill. We brought him in, put up his feet, gave him some water and then my husband sat there chatting with him. He seemed really disoriented. Hubby kept asking if we should call his wife and let her know where he was. He kept saying no. Then hubby asked if his wife was ok? Did we need to check on her. He just said “she’s not ok”. Then he started having problems finishing sentences.
So, I put the kids in my office, got then set up on Webkinz and ran over to the neighbors house. She was just driving in and was frantic. I told her he was at our house and she had to run in her house and call her daughter to tell her that he was ok. They also had to call the police to let them know they found him. Apparently there were LOTS of police looking for him. This is when I learned he has Alzheimer’s. I called hubby real quick to tell him since he was patiently at home trying to follow the conversation with the man.
His wife and I got back over here, and he was adamant about not going home. There were too many people in the house. I was just in the house…there is no one but her and him. She said he’s been doing this the last few days. She said he suddenly just got so much worse, can’t remember common words, etc. And he runs off when she does things like take a shower (that was when he left and ended up here yesterday). She seriously having a hard time. I can’t even imagine having to keep an eye on him 24/7 and then some. The police showed up to verify that he was ok. The sheriff said there were literally 20 cars out looking for him. Since our neighborhood is all waterfront, they took the fact that he was gone very seriously. He actually has an ankle bracelet on that has a transmitter on it. But they kept saying it hasn’t gone anywhere…well, he was 100 ft from the house so maybe it wasn’t far enough to pick up any change? Or maybe they thought he was in the canal? OR they thought he’d managed to get it off… The sheriff was very patient and wonderful about it all. He kept making sure everyone was fine with the situation and then he chatted a few minutes to calm down the neighbor…it was very nice to see someone so patient and compassionate working for the Police department, it gives you a new perspective compared to the crap you see on the news (so thanks Officer/Deputy/Sheriff Cain!!)
So, this morning…who is knocking on our door again? The neighbor. This time he wants to talk to my Dad (I’m guessing he means hubby) and I go tell hubby his new best friend is here to see him. Today he’s brought hubby some pictures from the war for “safe keeping”. I motion to hubby to just take them (I’ll get them back to his wife in an hour or so when he’s forgotten he even came over). And then he walks him home.
An hour later…he’s back. He got in trouble for bringing the pictures. But now he’s got booze. Hubby takes him home again.
I’m wondering how often we should be expecting our new friend. And I’m wondering how long his wife is going to be able to deal with this new habit of his. She looks to be at her wits end.
This really is such an ugly disease. I feel so bad for everyone who has to live with it.
:(
Yesterday our neighbor banged our door. He said he wasn’t feeling well. He’s in his 70’s or 80’s so we assumed he was out for a walk and started feeling ill. We brought him in, put up his feet, gave him some water and then my husband sat there chatting with him. He seemed really disoriented. Hubby kept asking if we should call his wife and let her know where he was. He kept saying no. Then hubby asked if his wife was ok? Did we need to check on her. He just said “she’s not ok”. Then he started having problems finishing sentences.
So, I put the kids in my office, got then set up on Webkinz and ran over to the neighbors house. She was just driving in and was frantic. I told her he was at our house and she had to run in her house and call her daughter to tell her that he was ok. They also had to call the police to let them know they found him. Apparently there were LOTS of police looking for him. This is when I learned he has Alzheimer’s. I called hubby real quick to tell him since he was patiently at home trying to follow the conversation with the man.
His wife and I got back over here, and he was adamant about not going home. There were too many people in the house. I was just in the house…there is no one but her and him. She said he’s been doing this the last few days. She said he suddenly just got so much worse, can’t remember common words, etc. And he runs off when she does things like take a shower (that was when he left and ended up here yesterday). She seriously having a hard time. I can’t even imagine having to keep an eye on him 24/7 and then some. The police showed up to verify that he was ok. The sheriff said there were literally 20 cars out looking for him. Since our neighborhood is all waterfront, they took the fact that he was gone very seriously. He actually has an ankle bracelet on that has a transmitter on it. But they kept saying it hasn’t gone anywhere…well, he was 100 ft from the house so maybe it wasn’t far enough to pick up any change? Or maybe they thought he was in the canal? OR they thought he’d managed to get it off… The sheriff was very patient and wonderful about it all. He kept making sure everyone was fine with the situation and then he chatted a few minutes to calm down the neighbor…it was very nice to see someone so patient and compassionate working for the Police department, it gives you a new perspective compared to the crap you see on the news (so thanks Officer/Deputy/Sheriff Cain!!)
So, this morning…who is knocking on our door again? The neighbor. This time he wants to talk to my Dad (I’m guessing he means hubby) and I go tell hubby his new best friend is here to see him. Today he’s brought hubby some pictures from the war for “safe keeping”. I motion to hubby to just take them (I’ll get them back to his wife in an hour or so when he’s forgotten he even came over). And then he walks him home.
An hour later…he’s back. He got in trouble for bringing the pictures. But now he’s got booze. Hubby takes him home again.
I’m wondering how often we should be expecting our new friend. And I’m wondering how long his wife is going to be able to deal with this new habit of his. She looks to be at her wits end.
This really is such an ugly disease. I feel so bad for everyone who has to live with it.
:(
Monday, April 07, 2008
Freedom, Jeff and some inspiration for all
If I’m going to get better…I need to be inspired. We all do.
My mom often sends me blurbs and emails about things that she thinks will inspire me. For the most part they do.
I’m going to start sharing them here with you.
This is one that I guess she saw on snopes.com (since I turn everyone onto that site who sends me forwarded emails) and it is pretty damned awesome.
Here is a direct link to the story: http://www.sarveywildlife.org/Story.aspx?id=7
I’ve always teared up while watching Bald Eagles fly over the house…not sure what it is, it’s sort of like there is a enormous amount of awe inside me and the only way I can release it is to shed a few tears. I’m not sure that’s exactly it, but it’s close enough for now. We do have a few Bald Eagle families living near us. They hunt across the street from us and they will spend a few hours a week in a large tree that gives us a great view.
If you enjoy reading about Freedom and Jeff…there is at least one other story on the site about Freedom (Birthday Bash) and then more stories about other people and animal “guests” that are there. Enjoy!!
I’m off to work now…have a great day everyone!
:)
My mom often sends me blurbs and emails about things that she thinks will inspire me. For the most part they do.
I’m going to start sharing them here with you.
This is one that I guess she saw on snopes.com (since I turn everyone onto that site who sends me forwarded emails) and it is pretty damned awesome.
Here is a direct link to the story: http://www.sarveywildlife.org/Story.aspx?id=7
I’ve always teared up while watching Bald Eagles fly over the house…not sure what it is, it’s sort of like there is a enormous amount of awe inside me and the only way I can release it is to shed a few tears. I’m not sure that’s exactly it, but it’s close enough for now. We do have a few Bald Eagle families living near us. They hunt across the street from us and they will spend a few hours a week in a large tree that gives us a great view.
If you enjoy reading about Freedom and Jeff…there is at least one other story on the site about Freedom (Birthday Bash) and then more stories about other people and animal “guests” that are there. Enjoy!!
I’m off to work now…have a great day everyone!
:)
Thursday, April 03, 2008
There are ducks in my pool!!!
That might be a sign that it’s time to clean it out. What do you think? We just let it go because it’s too expensive to keep going during the winter when no one can use it anyway…but now I can’t really afford to start it up so it’s been getting greener and greener…and now there is a pair of ducks swimming in there. I keep trying to take a picture but they are crafty little buggers…when I come out, they go around to the side of the pool that I can’t see from the lanai. I’ll keep trying.
Wow! I am so totally and completely depressed right now
I woke up with this unshakable misery stuck to me today.
My kid is off in Harrisburg, PA getting sworn into the Army this morning and I could not avoid the article about the 23 year old who lives in my town that got killed a week before coming home from Iraq to get married. So now his family is planning his funeral instead of his wedding. That was disturbing but I kept shutting it out. Maybe it got back in while I was sleeping?
I also woke up to hubby storming around huffing and puffing about how miserable he is. Well, that could have rubbed off on me.
He also made the most hideous pot of coffee ever this morning so I’ve not had coffee. He just left so I may dump it and make my own. Or I’ll just drink Red Bull.
He’s back to running on pure emotion and it’s bad. This is where things go terribly wrong. Like we got a letter from the power company a few days ago. He didn’t bother to open it. It’s a shut off notice. For today. So if I disappear, you know where I went. He does this though, and now I’m also stuck here with no food because he’s so absorbed in his misery that he’s failed to notice that I said we were out of vitals a few dozen times. So the girls are eating Ramen and dry cereal.
We also have to go to the dentist and the vet today. I have NO money. I was working all freaking day yesterday on quotes for people but no one ever wants to commit. People don’t get it. A quote takes time. That is non-billable time if they don’t want the job. But they keep asking for more and more things, then sit on it for weeks. I don’t mind them doing their research, shopping around, but it’s frustrating when they never intended to spend money in the first place. I get, “Oh! I wasn’t going to spend THAT much!” alot. I have a price list online…why are they shocked when I give them a quote?? And my prices are very reasonable. I should be charging twice what I do. Maybe I just need to stop giving quotes and send them to the price page of my site and tell them to add it up themselves. And anything extra that is not listed…well, I’ll figure that out after I get a deposit.
It’s really not my clients faults that I’m broke. I’m just being bitchy today. I should be charging twice what I do. That is my own fault.
Ok, gotta get the kid to dentist. See you all later!
My kid is off in Harrisburg, PA getting sworn into the Army this morning and I could not avoid the article about the 23 year old who lives in my town that got killed a week before coming home from Iraq to get married. So now his family is planning his funeral instead of his wedding. That was disturbing but I kept shutting it out. Maybe it got back in while I was sleeping?
I also woke up to hubby storming around huffing and puffing about how miserable he is. Well, that could have rubbed off on me.
He also made the most hideous pot of coffee ever this morning so I’ve not had coffee. He just left so I may dump it and make my own. Or I’ll just drink Red Bull.
He’s back to running on pure emotion and it’s bad. This is where things go terribly wrong. Like we got a letter from the power company a few days ago. He didn’t bother to open it. It’s a shut off notice. For today. So if I disappear, you know where I went.
He does this though, and now I’m also stuck here with no food because he’s so absorbed in his misery that he’s failed to notice that I said we were out of vitals a few dozen times. So the girls are eating Ramen and dry cereal.We also have to go to the dentist and the vet today. I have NO money. I was working all freaking day yesterday on quotes for people but no one ever wants to commit. People don’t get it. A quote takes time. That is non-billable time if they don’t want the job. But they keep asking for more and more things, then sit on it for weeks. I don’t mind them doing their research, shopping around, but it’s frustrating when they never intended to spend money in the first place. I get, “Oh! I wasn’t going to spend THAT much!” alot. I have a price list online…why are they shocked when I give them a quote?? And my prices are very reasonable. I should be charging twice what I do. Maybe I just need to stop giving quotes and send them to the price page of my site and tell them to add it up themselves. And anything extra that is not listed…well, I’ll figure that out after I get a deposit.
It’s really not my clients faults that I’m broke. I’m just being bitchy today. I should be charging twice what I do. That is my own fault.
Ok, gotta get the kid to dentist. See you all later!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
the funk is sort of gone
I sat down this morning around 8am and started working…and I’m only just now realizing that my behind is hurting from sitting here so long. I think it’s time to go finish reading Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus so I can get on to his next book. I’m learning so much from this! I’m very happy with it.
See you guys tomorrow…gonna go read and relax for the night!
:)
See you guys tomorrow…gonna go read and relax for the night!
:)
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