%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |   Here you will find my daily journal of small stones and inspiration! |
|
I hope you will take the time to enjoy my blog! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
  I'm tired.... I'm tired of working a dead-end job. I'm tired of being micro-managed. I'm tired of feeling taken-advantage of. I'm tired of having a husband who, because of being disabled, sleeps all day and then stays up all night. I'm tired of hearing my mother in law complain every time I go upstairs. I'm tired of her complaining (silently) about the food I make (when she doesn't buy any of the food). I'm tired of not being able to go out without explaining where I am going. I'm tired of everyone else running my life. I'm tired... and sad. |
| http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2016/02/02/reports-house-explosio... It was a rather shaky start to this morning. I live a street over from where the explosion happened. I had just finished my shower and was getting dressed when there was a terrible boom! When I say terrible I mean it, like the worst thunder,ever, x100! The house shook and some pictures fell off the wall. Papa Panda went upstairs to investigate. When I came upstairs there were flames up over the house behind ours. Thank God, no one was hurt! Scary to think those firefighters just went to work expecting a normal day, and the volunteers just responded to a call... |
| You've gathered a small group of the favorite people in your life together, (Your closest family members and most beloved friends.) You've finally been able to gather them all together, and treat them to a meal at your favorite restaurant, (The restaurant you've raved about to them for the past many years.) When you all arrive at the restaurant you're horrified to discover that ... ... ... Fivesixer  , Brother Nature  , and Mitchopolis are all at the restaurant, too. Now this isn't a normal, run-of-the-mill, cheap-o restaurant, this is a high-end $100 a plate, fancy-smancy restaurant. I quietly guide my upscale friends and family to our table, thankfully, far away from the guys but to no avail. Brother Nature sees me! Oh no! He is waving to me across the room! Fivesixer now is standing up, yelling to me! I am HORRIFIED! That is when they start pulling out their wallets and gathering singles! Brother Nature starts calling out, "Hey, Dipsy Doodle, start showing your moves!" No one in my family, except Papa Panda, knew I was a pole dancing panda. Someone has a great deal of 'splaining to do..... https://youtu.be/zXuLCJ4yL3M |
I few days ago I answered a prompt from the 30 Day Blogging Challenge about potluck dinners, ("Invalid Entry"  ) I said that they used to have fundraisers for work by having potluck dinners but it has been a while since they did it. Well, on Saturday Feb 13th we are having a potluck for one of the guys at work. His wife has been rather ill and is at the point of losing her job. So, we are having a potluck dinner with everyone bringing food and dinner costing $5. Our store manager has put me in charge of wrangling the food. We have a sign up list and I am approaching everyone who isn't signed up to bring something. Even if it is just some sodas or a bag of chips. I am going to bring my Pistachio Fluff (see blog entry) and a jell-o salad. For the jell-o salad I take a package of any flavor jell-o and make it according to the package and I let it slightly gel and then I fold in an 8oz package of thawed Cool Whip. Make a mousse instead of just a gel. One of the guys I work with isn't going to be at work that day, but he will bring some kind of food. He also said he will donate. I am thinking that I will start collecting donations from people who want to donate as well. |
| Invent a club that you think would be popular, but that you also wouldn't want to participate in. Oh, it can't be over.   Okay, my club will be The OverWeight Men who Love Football club. They will meet every Sunday during Football Season and occasional Thursdays and Mondays. The men will each take turns hosting the get-together and the host's wife will spend the evening at one of the other wives' house. While at the other houses the wives will exchange recipes and take part in Pampered Chef online parties and such. I won't be invited into the club because I am not male. This club will be only for men. I will, however, cater all the events, at the expense of the host male. I will never have to work another day of my life because of all the food these men will eat! I will charge extraordinary prices for the food but, being hungry overweight men they will just order the food and then eat. Each one will feel obligated to out-do the party before and I will make more money each week. Then the Super Bowl, where all the families of all the men will show and I will make $$$$$$$$. (If the food thing doesn't work out, I can always find a pole-dancing Panda). I will make even more money through the women gathering and spending money while their husbands are rooting for their teams! Sounds like a plan, no? |
| On this day in 1996, Garth Brooks refused to accept his American Music Award for Favorite Overall Artist, saying that Hootie And The Blowfish had done more for music that year than he did. Have you ever, or would you consider, turning down an award of any sort because you insisted someone else was more deserving? Yeah, probably not. I would love to think that I would be so magnanimous. I would like to think that I would ascend the stairs to the stage, in my long Vera Wang gown, and approach the podium with grace and finesse. I would graciously receive the award for Whatever and then call the more deserving party to the stage. Saying that this Award for Whatever really belongs to X and this is why...blah blah blah. What would really happen would be... I would be sitting in the audience as they announce the nominees. As they show each person on the large screen I would politely clap for the other nominees. The presenter opens the envelope and announces me as the winner. I would jump from my seat and hug those around me! I would then ascend the stairs in one large unladylike leap. Grabbing the award from the presenter and waving to the throngs of admirers who sit in the 'cheap seats'. Grabbing the microphone, I would remove my speech from my brassiere and I would begin to thank everyone from God to the boy at the grocery store who took my groceries to my car. Somewhere along the line the exit music would begin, but I would remain at the podium swept up in the moment, with mascara tears lining my cheeks. So yup, I'd consider turning down my award, for a nanosecond... maybe longer... |
| Describe the last time you were moved to tears by something beautiful. I just love it when I change the prompt to what I want to write about, don't you? I can't think of the last time I was moved to tears by something beautiful but I can remember the first time I was. I was eight years old, and my parents drove to Niagara Falls for the day. We were renting a cottage at Long Beach, Ontario, Canada, and my parents decided a day trip to the Falls would be fun. My dad dropped my mom and I off and went to park the car. As Mom and I approached the Falls I could see the mist and hear the roar of the mighty Niagara River pouring down the embankment. I remember stopping dead in my tracks. I was shaking and crying, I don't know whether it was from the beauty or the power, but we never made it to the brink of the Falls. My father caught up to us and we approached the railing, far away from the actual brink of the falls. We could see them but no where near where you could have seen them from. Since then I have been back many, many times. I have been on the Maid of the Mist, where you take boat ride in the Niagara River, and approach the base of the Falls. I have explored the base of the Falls on land by touring The Cave of the Winds. I have been on the Niagara Overlook and looked over the railing at the thundering falls. Yet, I will never forget the overwhelming awe of experiencing the Falls for the first time! I hope everyone gets a chance to see this Natural Wonder of the World! |
| Are you an optimist, pessimist or realist? Explain why you think so. Do you think your friends and/or family would agree or disagree with you? I have always considered myself an optimist. I thought I always saw the good that could come about in a situation. I am not so sure anymore. My husband says I am a pessimist. That I always see negativity and the bad in a situation. I disagree with him. But maybe it is true. Can a person ever judge their own personality? Wouldn't we all paint ourselves in the best light? So I thought I would do a bit of research.    Full Definition of optimism 1 : a doctrine that this world is the best possible world 2 : an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimism Well, I certainly don't fit the first definition. How could anyone believe that THIS world is the BEST possible world. There is too much strife and abuse to think that this is utopia. Now, the second definition seems to fit me better. I believe that there is always a way out of a situation that is bad. That being said, I often will see how people are being used and abused in situations and such.   From the same website... Full Definition of pessimism 1 : an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome 2 a : the doctrine that reality is essentially evil b : the doctrine that evil overbalances happiness in life I KNOW I am not a pessimist... that everything is evil and everything will turn out bad. I can't even imagine living life like that. That everything is evil...   Full Definition of realism 1 : concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary 2 a : a doctrine that universals exist outside the mind; specifically : the conception that an abstract term names an independent and unitary reality b : a theory that objects of sense perception or cognition exist independently of the mind — compare nominalism 3 : the theory or practice of fidelity in art and literature to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization Well, that doesn't fit at all... SO I HAVE DECIDED- I am a pessimistic optimist. (Mostly, optimistic, but enough pessimism to keep it real) |
| Oh! How fun is this! Pick three of your fellow challengers this month, and come up with a word, phrase, or saying you think they would wear on a t-shirt based on what you've read of theirs so far. At first I thought this was going to be super easy. I then realized that I hadn't read as many of the blogs as I thought I had.  I hope y'all enjoy your t-shirts- Prosperous Snow celebrating  - front- I'm a poetback - and I know it Cinn  - TechGeekBonnie14222 - I  BuffaloBonus - Fivesixer - I Don't Do Mornings (just for fun) (no reason) |
| Mouth Watering Monday! You're attending a Pot Luck lunch (or dinner)...what dish are you bringing to share with everyone? We used to have Pot Luck dinners all the time on December Saturdays at the store. Employees would donate a couple bucks (for a charity) and everybody (or almost everybody) would bring a dish to pass. We would sign up for what we could bring so that there were entrees, salads, and desserts. It was a great way to promote camaraderie and during the busiest weekends the employees didn't need to go to the food court and waste part of their lunch hour (half hour) in lines. We had been known to raise a couple hundred dollars each weekend. If there were leftovers we would pay half as much on Sunday. That was years ago, between staff cuts and increased hours, the Pot Lucks have gone the way of other 'perks'. We just don't have enough staff to be able to have these luncheons anymore. But when we did have these I had a go-to recipe that was sure to be gone before the lunch was over.  Pistachio Delight 1 small box instant Pistachio Pudding 1 large can Crushed Pineapple, drained 1 medium can Mandarin Oranges, drained 8oz Sour Cream 8 oz Cool Whip Fold ingredients together. Chill. I have started making a different recipe for more 'elaborate' Pot Luck dinners. The only issue with this recipe is having access to an electrical outlet because it is kept warm in a crock pot. Crock Pot Crab Rangoon Dip 2 8oz Cream Cheese, softened 1 pound Imitation Crab (flaked) 1 can Cream of Shrimp soup 1 Green Onion, chopped 1t Lemon Juice 2t Soy Sauce 1t Worcestershire Sauce optional 2T Sugar Combine all ingredients. Cook on Low 2-3 hours. Serve with crackers. |
| Several media outlets have reported that 2015 was globally the warmest year in history. How does it make you feel when someone with limited scientific or meteorological knowledge tells you that climate change isn't real or shouldn't be a legitimate concern? It worries me terribly. Most of the politicians, with their hands in big businesses pockets, are the ones who say there is no global warming. These are the same politicians who tell us not to worry about what is in our water and air. They worry more about supporting large businesses and money hungry business men than the health of our planet and its inhabitants. We need scientists in government! Not just handpicked scientists who are yes-men for the government, but we need honest to goodness scientists who will tell us the facts not just some watered down half-truths that we are brainwashed to believe. |
| You have a choice between building a giant snow fort or sand castle...big enough to live in. Which one would you pick, how would you do it, and what would it look like? I would have to choose the giant snow fort. Except my snow fort would be a beautiful shimmering ice castle. The ice would reflect the sunshine and have a blue tint to it. All the furniture would be ice blocks with fur (no animals have been harmed during the writing of this blog. There would be fireplaces in the large room. The heat would be enough to take the edge off the cold but would not be enough to melt my palace. The bedrooms would be cozy. Ice blocks for beds with wood supports and large fur comforters. (I know I got some of my ideas from the website listed below). I wouldn't want the sand castle because it would be too close to the water and when the tide came up my castle would wash away. It also would be hard to set up individual rooms in a sandcastle. Usually, when you build a sandcastle they are totally full of sand. My ice palace would be built like an igloo and would have spacious areas within its walls. Please take a look at this website to see what my palace would be like... http://www.hoteldeglace-canada.com/360/index.html http://www.hoteldeglace-canada.com/ |
| On this day in 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII. Personal computers have revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives...in what ways have they been most important to you? I fear I have become a slave to my laptop. The first thing I do after I give the dog his meds is turn on the computer. I check weather.com, and I move on to my yahoo email account. Then I click on Facebook to see what my friends are up to. At last I go to WdC. I come here last because I know I will be on this site the longest. I begin by checking my emails, I move on to Simply Positive to credit reviews, and then I start with my blog. Already, this morning, I have been on the computer for 2 hours! That is two hours I could have spent doing actual activity. Of course, it is winter, and it is not like I would be going outside to do any gardening or sunbathing. I did most of my Christmas shopping online, despite the fact that I work in a store! It was so much easier than going back out to shop after work. I use facebook to keep in contact with my sister in Texas. It is easier to just message her than to call. But when does all this time on the computer become too much? When does the computer begin to replace real relationships? Don't get me wrong, I love you guys on WdC. I have made many friends on the site. But can these online friendships be that real? Can they replace face to face intimate relationships? How many of us use the internet to create our personas? Am I really the person you know as PandaPaws? How can you tell? Yet, despite all this, I continue to type away!      |
| Tell us about your latest act of random kindness. Last Tuesday I went to the Mall Food Court to grab a Powerball ticket and my lunch. As I was walking through the mall, I noticed two Navy Personnel at a recruiting table. After I purchased my tickets, I walked over to Subway and bought three cups of coffee. I grabbed a bunch of creamers and sugar, and I walked over to the Navy table. I put two of the coffees on the table and thanked the men for their service. The guys were surprised, but they took their coffees and struck up a conversation. I was so happy that I had done this and they were too. I went back to the store smiling and one of the bosses asked me why I was so happy. I told him what I had done and when he came back to the store after his lunch, He told me he passed the table and the Navy guys were drinking their coffees! It was just two cups of coffee, but to me they were way more than that!    |
| If you had to choose one city to live in for the rest of your life, where/what would it be and why? I choose Galveston Island, Texas. My sister has a time-share and a house there. My nephew is a member of the sheriff's department, as well. The island is about 14 miles long and maybe three miles wide but has everything you need. There is a Walmart and a Kroger's. I don't think I would ever need to leave the island. Even if I had a medical emergency there is a state-of-the-art Hospital in the city. The hospital has a helipad so that if you were injured on the other end of the island there would be a helicopter available to transport the victim quickly. The only thing that would worry me about living there would be the threat of hurricanes, however statistics show they hit the island once about every hundred years. One hit the island in 1900 and devastated the entire city. More than 6,000 men, women and children died during the storm. http://www.1900storm.com/ More recently Hurrricane Ike hit the island in 2008. This hurricane was not as deadly but still caused major damage to the island. It would be easy to assume Galveston will be spared another major hurricane in the near future, but we all know what assuming can do. Despite the hurricane threat, I would find Galveston a pleasant place to live. Warm coastal breezes and Pina Coladas would more than make up for the rains. |
| Share with us your favorite inspirational or motivational quote, passage, or song lyric. With the passing of Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, I am going to reflect on a few of my favorite lines from Eagles songs. I find myself more effected by his death than by Bowie's, even though David Bowie would be the more profound musician. In no particular order, I present my favorite lyrics, with their song in parenthesis. And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device" (Hotel California) Now it seems to me, some fine things Have been laid upon your table But you only want the ones that you can't get copyright <a href="http://elyrics.net" rel="nofollow">http://elyrics.net</a> (Desperado) City girls just seem to find out early How to open doors with just a smile copyright <a href="http://elyrics.net" rel="nofollow">http://elyrics.net</a> (Lyin' Eyes) Take another shot of courage Lyrics from <a href="http://www.elyrics.net" rel="nofollow">eLyrics.net</a> (Tequila Sunrise) There's talk on the street, it's there to remind you That it doesn't really matter which side you're on You're walking away and they're talking behind you They will never forget you till somebody new comes along Lyrics found <a href="http://www.elyrics.net/read/e/eagles-lyrics/new-kid-in-town-lyrics.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> (New Kid in Town) Take it easy, take it easy Don't let the sound of your own wheels Drive you crazy Source: <a href="http://www.elyrics.net/read/e/eagles-lyrics/take-it-easy-lyrics.html" rel="nofollow">click here</a> (Take it Easy) |
| Mouth Watering Mondays. Time to go out to eat...chain restaurant, local establishment, or fast food? State your case. My husband and I usually go out to chain restaurants when we go out to eat. We don't go out often but when we do we go to some kind of steak house. Outback or Texas RoadHouse. We have gone to local places, Delmonicos and Sticky Lips BBQ. I like going to chains because you pretty much know what you are going to get. The food is good and the prices aren't bad. Now, a place like Delmonicos has great food but can get really expensive. Macaroni Grill is another favorite of mine! |
| The Sunday News! Pick a news story, and talk about it. I know this occurred earlier in the week, but I found it interesting. I also find it interesting that the story seems to have disappeared as quickly as it happened. Ten United States Navy Sailors were detained by Iranian Reactionary Guard. The United States military states that the two small boats ended up in Iranian waters because of a navigational error that was not communicated to commanders. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that the information came from the debriefings of the sailors following their release. http://news.yahoo.com/pentagon-u-sailors-made-navigational-error-iranian-waters-... This information is contradicted by an apology offered by one of the sailors identified by the Iranians, as one of the commanders. It has not been confirmed whether the apology was coerced. This is a slippery slope, which is why I personally think the story has fallen quiet. With the Nuclear Deal between the two countries coming to fruition the timing of the sailors being detained could not have happened at a worse time. This could have quickly become a terrible International Incident, but thankfully diplomacy won the day, and our sailors have been returned. http://www.stripes.com/iran-video-shows-detained-us-sailor-apologizing-for-mista... I wonder if this incident would have ended the same way if Donald Trump was president? |
| Can you write an autobiography using just six words? One of many, she dreams alone. |
| On this day in 1913, the first telephone line between Berlin and New York was inaugurated. Are phones a necessary evil? Could you get by without one for a month? I am pretty sure I could live without a phone for a month, but don't take away both my computer and my phone. I use my smart phone for a great many things. I even use the "Wegmans" app (grocery store chain) for my store list. I input the items and it organizes the list by aisle. Oh, where has paper and pen gone? I am pretty sure I could get by without the phone. Someone would have to hold on to it for the month because if it is there taunting me then I am going to use it. I realize I don't talk on my phone much, most of my friends are either at work, on Facebook, or are here at writing.com. I have ways to stay in contact with them. You can take my phone, you can take my computer, but I beg of you, DON'T TAKE THEM BOTH! |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
