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 |  A collection of words... |
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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** "pfffffffft......." I'm not sure what he was responding to, but since I took the pic I know it wasn't directed toward me.  Did the recipient of this "gesture" feel "told!" or "owned!" as the kids would say? Nope...I think it went by unnoticed...until the picture came back...nobody could remember who he was looking at, but they did enjoy a laugh over how the dog chose to express himself. That front paw position...eeeeek... I've woke up some mornings with my wrists bent like that and they bothered me the rest of the day.  But that's ok, I can hold a utensil and he has to stick his face in a dish...I guess we all have our own unique set of capabilities.  Have a fun day! |
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Is it the fallen bike, or the temporary tattoo? or a squished mudpie? a bug? a lost toy? a tv show? something beyond adult comprehension? What is she thinking? We never really know what goes on in the minds of others.... and mine certainly doesn't bear much looking into. Have a thoughtful day! |
| Sometimes it's just opening a package of those little orange crackers with the peanut butter in them and realizing they still taste like they did when you were little. Happiness takes many forms... for some... BREAD AND SESAME SEEDS! Together in one! They are VERY happy... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** even if their nose is dirty! Sometimes all it takes is an "atta boy!" to feel really happy... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** It occurs to me, these things don't MAKE them happy...the happiness is not in the thing...it's in them. If I were to say "atta boy" to the groundhog it would just look at me, like "where's the food?"...and "hey, I'm a girl...but whatever." If I were to give the dog a piece of bread he would just look at me like "what else ya got?" Hope everyone has a happy day. |
| The next few weeks are normally very busy ones at work, particularly so after a week's vacation...and particularly when the 3 of us in this division haven't been together all at once for over 4 weeks. I have some stuff to do to finish my son's financial aid/registration stuff at college, and stuff to do for the twins' schooling...both of which start next week. We had a 3 hour meeting today, resulting in me be given a promotion and even more reponsibilities...particularly over the next few weeks. Then we went out to lunch, not like there was really time for that. lol Our big databases where we do our work are all switching over to "PeopleSoft" (anyone who's used this should know that "soft" does not mean "easy"...all the budget work I do is already in PeopleSoft and it's 10 times more cumbersome than the old program...so, we're not exactly excited about the rest of our stuff moving over to that.) Oh! I sure hope I don't forget to drop off that "MUST be returned in 5 days" jury duty form I received in the mail Saturday. Top all that off with what it takes to get through a day anyway...and what I'm thinking is...I sure could use some more responsibility. I'm behind on blogging, but the phone won't stop ringing long enough for me to finish the simple task of opening the envelopes that stacked up in my mailbox while I was gone. Perhaps if I close and lock my office door and forward the phone to my voicemail.....nah, better not, that will just be that many more phone calls to return. lol Have a peaceful day! Well, it's the end of the day, and I've not been able to retrieve all my phone messages yet...AND, I just remembered the security guard stopped by earlier to tell me I had a flat tire! LOL |
| A man is walking down the street and notices an attractive woman with a voluptuous chest. He approaches her, "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful you are." She smiles and thanks him, continuing on her way. He adds, "I'll give you $10 if you let me bite your breast." "@*#@%" she responds, taken aback. "I'm sorry," he replies..."I'll give you $100." The woman is indignant, "Get away from me you pervert before I call the cops!" He apologizes again, "it's just...you're so beautiful...I'll give you $1,000 if you let me bite just one." The woman pauses, thinking what that money could buy...sizing up the gentleman and deciding he seems harmless enough...she relents. They walk over to a side alley and he lifts her shirt...he starts fondling, kissing, nuzzling her breasts. She says "c'mon, are you going to bite one or what???" He thinks a moment and says "nah, too expensive." Have a great day! |
| I'm on vacation this week and slept in this morning. When I got up, I got my coffee, turned on the computer and logged into WDC to see what was happening in Blogville. Not having any prevailing thoughts of my own this morning, reading others quickly occupies my mind. Mid-afternoon I go out for lunch. I was going to go to the grocery store, but realized once I'd bought everything it would be more expensive than to just pick up something. I notice at the gas station, there's an air pump for tires...it's 75 cents for "Fresh Air". "Fresh"?? Is that a selling point? Is someone concerned about the freshness of air they put in their tires? That distracts me for a minute, but what I'm still thinking about is the things I've read here, and what thoughts those words have inspired in me. I think of Bugzy's blog, so touching and well-written. I smile at her emotion for the beautiful things her daughter has done. I know I always feel so moved and blessed when I see one of my kids do something that amazes me...and I feel in that moment that I have touched what they have touched...and that I've done ok at being their mom. When I see my son outside a store talking with an elderly person and they smile I feel that. He talks to strangers a lot...the elderly seem to be his favorite...he beams when he tells me of the stories they tell him. The twins are more reserved. Their guidance counselor told me once "I love those little guys...they are so funny...and SO honest." Mothers love to hear these things. It validates that even though we didn't have an instruction manual, and even though we sometimes doubt ourselves, we did ok. I think of Deelyte's blog...so deeply touching. I think of those I loved that are no longer with me. 1996 was a year for me...I look at the picture on the wall of a dear friend and me. He was so easy-going, funny, caring. It was hard when he & his wife moved to Florida. It was the hardest thing when he committed suicide a few years later. (I wrote an allegorical, spiritual story about this "Invalid Item"  ) It became harder when my mother-in-law passed 3 weeks later. I had been her guardian for 9 years, 5 of which she lived with me, the last year of her life was in a nursing home...but that's another long story. We were close. I spent many weeks crying. Later that year a friend of mine died, but that's another very long story. He was a Vietnam vet who had taken to me, and I'd spent a couple months visiting him weekly...which no one knew about. He had cirhossis of the liver, but hadn't told me. One day he just stopped answering his phone. Anyway, that was a year of transition for me spiritually, emotionally, mentally. I am grateful for their presence in my life.I read Cowboy's blog and am again reminded of choices I have had to make in my life...and the "good" and the "bad" that have come from those...and of the things that touch me so deeply. I am reminded, too, of how grateful I am for his friendship...and the friendship Brooke has given me...both of which seems like forever...both of which have become integral parts of my day, of my life, and they mean so much to me.  I am grateful for this site, and the many amazing, wonderful people it brings me in contact with...including those I am just beginning to know, and the honest, thought-provoking, well-written things I am privileged to read here. Hugs ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I hear if you miss a day, you don't catch up...I think of all the months I missed previously and am resigned to the idea that I will never really know what's going on. Monday was my son's surgery that I spoke of before. He's always one to waiver on the big decisions...but his girlfriend was "encouraging" him to get it done and over with. (Note to self: it's a good idea to be friendly with child's significant other...additional note: you will sometimes learn MORE than you wanted to know). We picked the top urologist practice and the top hospital in the state...so, it's an hour drive...which is well-worth it, but still...there's the nerves about it...his are more obvious, I have to pretend I don't really have any. My cousin is driving because her car is more economical. We get to the hospital, in spite of my son jokingly suggesting wrong turns the whole-way. An older gentleman directs us to the drop off spot and says it's valet parking only...gives us a ticket and says "don't lose this, if you do we sell the car at auction and put on a big fish fry...good news for us, not so good for you." Immediately, my son likes it here. We go up to the day surgery desk where an elderly woman with a beautiful smile is seated to check people in. My son smiles and says "Hi, Faith" and gives his name. She asks him a few questions and he banters with her respectfully about why he doesn't really need to be here..."it's going to hurt, isn't it Faith?" (like she knows) She tells him he'll be fine and to keep smiling. Fast forward to getting ready for surgery. He has one moment in the 45 minutes in the prep area when he whispers to me "let's just leave." I can see his anxiety...but then other people come in talking with him and it passes. He likes his nurse Mary...he likes the doctor...he likes Phil, the older anesthesia guy. (The doctor advised us that circumsision is now being recommended. He said they had discovered in Africa that circumsized men were less likely to contract HIV, so they are doing the procedure there more now also.) By the time the exuberant Phil is wheeling him off, smiling and telling me "he's in good hands", my son's meds are working and he's finding Phil to be fabulous company. I don't have meds. We sit in the waiting room and watch the big screen of names and wait for the times to change. His girlfriend is nervous, so I am still needing to be support. I think of how my son has never had anesthesia. His girlfriend chooses at this time to tell me how he had asked her the night before "what if I don't wake up?" As everyone probably knows, it's those moments in a waiting room at a hospital when time slows and perspective changes. They call me back to recovery, my son is awake and talking with the nurse, calling her by name. He is saying "please" and "thank you"...and apologizing if he doesn't seem to be making sense. He tells me that Phil is so awesome. He compliments Sherry on her fine nursing skills and presence. He shakes her hand as Trish wheels him out. He smiles and waves to other nurses he didn't have the great fortune to meet. He apologizes to Trish for rambling...she speaks of surgery she had 2 weeks ago and what she remembers from it. He said he was sorry to hear and "did everything work out ok?" She assures him it did and he's happy to know that. He passes Mary in the hallway "Hi Mary, surgery went fine like you said it would." He gets to the discharge area and is assigned to Grace, another older woman. He tells her he won't have any trouble remembering her name because she is so graceful. (Wow! It was getting deep in there. LOL) Then he discovers that Gwen makes the best toast he's ever had. I have to laugh, because he sounds like me after surgery. He's a kid of contrast...one part SO kind, polite, funny, etc...the other part, the opposite (I refer to this as the part of him that is me vs. the part of him that's like his father LOL). I didn't know for sure what part of him would dominate in this kind of situation...I was relieved it was me. Since, he's been like a woman who just had a baby...he doesn't care who sees "it." His gauze fell off on the way home and we had to stop at his doctor's office here when we got back. The doctor came in and asked my son if he wanted me or his girl friend to leave, he said no...well, there ended up being 5 other people in the room...with his doctor standing in front of him holding gauze on his "goods" while waiting for a pair of scissors to cut it with...one of those photographs in the memory moments. Later he discovered it was hard to keep the gauze on when that injured part has the ability to contract itself SO FAR inside. He said "this BETTER come back." lol So, now his younger brothers want it done also. They won't hesitate or flinch or second-guess. They are kind of remarkable little guys...they are easy-going, go with the flow, funny...they never get stressed...it's like they're always "just happy to be here"...it's like it actually never occurs to them to worry about anything... I wish I had that quality. Enough rambling from me! Have a great, stress-free day! |
| Nada reminded me of another saying "if you masturbate you will go blind." I wonder if that actually ever happened to someone...and if so, did he see it coming? lol I saw the movie "Kinsey" a week or so ago (please don't consider my saying so as me recommending it ) and there was mention of that. As you might already know, Kinsey was a biologist who taught entomology and zoology at the college level...he studied gall wasps for many years. As one might imagine, this didn't bring him a lot of fame and fortune...so, he started talking about sex. There was this ephiphany-like moment in which he tied the 2 together by saying that people are like all gall wasps...because every single one is different...and therefore sex is different with everyone! TADA! Anyway, sex was a taboo subject here at the time, and he got people talking about it. There's are scenes that speak of masturbation causing blindness, possibly from a religious perspective, that the seed must be preserved. Yeah, the movie was boring. Hope everyone has a great night |
| There's been some amount of talk about circumsision in Blogville. I have 3 boys, all of them "natural." Why? They were born that way. I heard those baby boys screaming in the nursery. I believe most of the men in my family were "left intact", though it's not really discussed. I didn't have any reason to consider I should have that done. Now my oldest son just turned 18, and is scheduled to have it done tomorrow...if he follows through with it. Why? Because he's diabetic. Of course now, I wish I'd had it done when he was little. So, with other suggestions in Blogville recently, I was wondering if his girlfriend might be in need of a change purse? There was a little discussion yesterday about old wives' tales, and sayings...where do they come from? For instance "a silk purse from a sow's ear"...other than what I just insinuated, what does that mean exactly? Making something fine from something not fine? Whoever thought of that terminology? Did someone actually DO this? Eagleridge and I chatted a bit about where sayings and old wives' tales come from. Like "step on a crack, break your mother's back" might have began when some guy stepped on his mom's butt crack and put her in traction...then as the warnings are handed down from generation to generation, possibly by superstitious or anxious people, they can change somewhat, but there's usually a basis in truth somewhere? Something happened to someone somewhere along the line. "Don't shower or use the toilet during a storm"...my mother's uncle said a ball of lightning came out of their toilet once...presumably the plumbing was different back then, but how many times would that happen before you decided it wasn't a safe thing to do at all, ever again? "Don't talk on the phone during a storm." I know this has been a valid concern in the recent past because that psychic Damian guy was struck by lightning through his phone...is it still a danger today? I dunno. My mother in law was born in England and lived there during WWII. She came to the US afterwards as a war bride, and passed in 1996. I know she always still had to resist the urge to get under the table when it was storming out. At first I thought it was because of the air raids she went through and having to get under desks or tables whenever they sounded. Nope, her mother used to make the kids get under the table whenever it was lightning outside. It's hard to say what happened in HER past, or of her ancestors, to make her think that was necessary...but surely it was something. As for the dangers of eating a banana during a lightning storm just before bed...it probably happened to someone sometime or other.Have a great day all...and remember "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"...but it's better to have two poop in the bush then one poop in your hand. |
| So, it's Saturday. My son is still sleeping...I'm trying to do my writing.com stuff but his girlfriend has been engaging me in random conversation all morning. It's kind of cute? Suddenly, she's taken a break...and I can seize the opportunity to post something here. She mentioned there was an old wives' tale that if you eat a banana before you go to bed you'll die. I said "hmmm...I've never heard THAT one." She said "yup...my grandmother said she knew a guy that ate a banana before he went to bed during a lightning storm and he died." I asked "hmmm...that COULD have been just a coincidence?" She agreed, maybe it was. Perhaps I should have played a long..." he didn't have a pet chicken did he??"Hope everyone is having a nice, quiet weekend. |
| I've worked closely with the same woman for almost 9 years now. We've become great friends...we laugh a lot and talk about a lot of things. She's been on vacation for 2 weeks now, and as I was thinking about telling this story I realized I was starting to think of her as abstract...I hate it when that happens...but I'll discuss that another time. Anyway, one day last fall she said she had something to tell me...that she'd been hesitant to say anything because she didn't want me to think she was crazy. (Ok? I dated a guy for a year and a half who thought he could psychically communicate with troubled space shuttle personnel and convince them to dump their remaining fuel and replace it with "sodium" in order to land safely...and she's worried I'm going to think she is crazy? I mean, she knew this guy...he gave her a "reading" in which he put his hands on her shoulders, closed his eyes, and told her she needed to eat more bananas. - Yes, he's a different long story, very long) She should know I won't think her crazy. (Oh! Maybe she was concerned I'd think her crazy enough that I'd want to sleep with her?? lmao) Her story was this: She used to have problems with getting charley horses every night. She spoke to an on line friend about it who told her that there was an article in her local newspaper in the medical column about leg cramps. The doctor said he wasn't advocating this, and couldn't explain it medically, but several people had written in saying if you put a bar of soap in the bed, on top of the mattress, under the sheet, it eliminates those cramps. She said that since it was a harmless, inexpensive thing to try she did it...not expecting it to work. She said she stopped having those cramps and considered it a coincidence until a couple days before when she awoke with a bad charley horse...she thought to check the soap, and somehow it had fallen off the bed. It freaked her out a little that it seemed to work...because, that's just unexplainable, isn't it? I told her it wasn't crazy, it was cool...that I would try that and see what it would do...I don't get charley horses, but HEY, it might work for something else? My barometer foot that I broke 5 years ago? The stiff neck from being on a computer all day? I told her how I went to a guy once who did that rock swinging thing (I can't remember what it's called) and he told me I was deficient in something and should crack my middle finger every day. As I'm telling her this, she pulls her middle finger. I asked what she was doing..."well, maybe I'm deficient in whatever that was also." lol Long story short, I use it...I use 2 bars in case one falls off. For some reason they suggest not using Dial or Dove...it can be in the package or out...but must be on top of the mattress, on the level that you sleep...near the bottom of the bed. It works...it doesn't work because I expected or expect it to...I always know by how I feel in the morning when it has fallen out...it's further evidenced when my boyfriend limps getting up. I've recommended this to a number of people and have heard back that it's helped with neck pain, knee pain, back aches...many things. There's really nothing to lose by trying it...it either helps or it doesn't...there's just that potential to worry..."someone would think me crazy if they knew this about me." You guys already know I am. |
| So, this morning I get up and there's no coffee! My morning routine is shot already. There's also no instant breakfast...it's just not the same waking up to Sobe strawberry banana juice while looking around this site. I try to clear the cobwebs from my head, but not having slept much last night, I felt I'd need to employ a vaccuum to accomplish that task...like a Brissel sweeper, not a Hoover...it's too loose in there for that...might dislodge something important that I might need later. Anyway, I do my morning routine and get ready for work. The last thing I do is feed the animals. Two rabbits and a dog. Both rabbits are out of pellets AND hay AND water. The dog is also out of both food AND water. OK, time to take the dog out to "do his business." He always runs off the porch to proceed with things, but a couple days ago when we stepped out the door he just stood there...peeing on the porch. He's never done that before...so, there was a trail from where he stopped to where I guided him by the shoulders off the steps. So, I'm suspecting today might be more of the same, but it wasn't. Relief! BUT, then he takes 5 minutes to find a place to do #2...it seems like a very stressful task to find just the right place. In 5 minutes I can have lots of thoughts...and it occurs to me how lucky we are as people to not have to worry about finding that one spot a couple times a day where we can relieve ourselves. We're told from an early age where it goes and it all works out very conveniently. I can't imagine having that additional stress! I mean, it's almost embarrassing enough to have to stand there while the dog is doing it when cars drive by. So, anyway I thought of Thich Nhat Hanh's "Being Peace" which I read a long time ago...and his discussion of "Perception" being key...how people can take things for granted such as "if I have a toothache I think if only I didn't have that pain I would be happy, but then when I don't have it I am still not happy"...he further explained that a person who cannot see would think it a miraculous gift to be given sight, yet those of us with eyes to see forms, colors, beauty, often do not appreciate that gift. Long story short, I am happy today for realizing I know where to "go." Yes, I can do a lot of thinking in 5 minutes.Back to the dog, so he "goes"...and it's...uhhh...not a "normal one." Now what am I going to do? It's not like I can call off work because the dog might poop in the house and no one will be home to clean it up. So, I did the only thing I could do, let him back in and hope for the best. Finally, I'm in the car ready to go to work and realize I don't have my cellphone...I have to go back upstairs and find it. I search the house where it would normally be, then think of where I've been... and find it under my sheets next to 2 bars of soap. As for the soap, that's another long story. It's late and I'm probably making less sense than usual...so, Have a great, stress-free Friday all! |
| The alarm sounds and you lay in bed a few more minutes. The bed is so comfortable you don't want to get up, which is ironic because it's the same bed that was uncomfortable last night. You're a logical person, and thus realize no one snuck in in the night and switched mattresses...surely you would have woken up since you were sleeping so lightly...and surely you would have called the police...so, you realize, the change is you. The bed is a constant, you are not. You snuggle up content in your ever-changing individuality, because it just IS...and in the morning, in your present state of mind, it's all good. You allow your eyes to close, as you smile warm inside, relaxed and peaceful. You wake up with a start, look at the clock...it's 5 minutes after the alarm went off. You try to calm yourself ...the bed is still very comfortable...and just as you start to relax "fragnoliancy" goes through your mind. "hmmm?" You idly wonder. "Fragnoliancio supremo"... "What??" You start to contemplate where this came from...and what it might mean. You give up and start to relax again when you hear "fragnificent" and half-dream William Shatner sitting on your duvet cover eating a 3 Musketeers Bar and drinking a can of your mother's gingerale. It doesn't matter that she's 10 miles away, or that you don't have a duvet cover, you sort of shudder a little bit thinking "that snack and drink doesn't go together." So, you start talking in your half-dream and work out the "frag" thing to the exact point where it makes total sense...you are satisfied. You roll over and then completely forget the details of everything that just happened. No frag, no Shat, no candy, no misplaced ginger ale...nothing. You know there was something, and something you'd just figured it out...and now you realize you've forgotten...where the heck did that intricate scenario go? Soooo, you jump out of bed and seek to actively engage your mind before it royally screws you over again so soon. This is when you realize that you have probably already figured out everything you ever wanted to know, and then some, and your brain said, "This isn't necessary. You don't need to figure out the meaning of life, just live it! When the alarm goes off, get up! C'mon, I got stuff to do!" (*disclaimer: "you" is only used as a writing tool, author does not intend to suggest that her quirks or insanity might be that of the reader as well) To be continued... Good morning! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| Has everyone seen "Invalid Item" ? After some consideration: Superhero name: Random Thoughts Woman (I wouldn't say "shit" if I had a mouthful...I'd say something like "venetian blinds" instead) Superpower: To make unsuspecting people wonder if I need medication Motto: "There's a creak in my porch swing." Care to swing with me awhile? |
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