%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |   Blog Challenge And Other Tidbits |
| An opinion or two...or three or four... |
PROMPT March 20th Share a time when your mouth hung open in shock/awe/surprise/wonder etc. What was it that made you feel that way? My mom always told me it was rude to let my mouth hang open. Apparently there were many times in my young life that I let my jaw drop in shock, awe, or surprise. Sitting here this morning and contemplating current circumstances, though, I can't say that I really remember anything that sticks out in my mind. BUT I can say that my mouth dropped open just today...several times...before 8:00 a.m. even! I dragged myself out of bed before dawn this morning. I showered and threw some food into the kitty's dish. Also threw some food into the dog's dish and gave each of them clean water. I skipped the coffee and the news and my exercises and dashed out the door in search of toilet paper. I sped through my town of Rocklin without my seat belt and with no heat. The streets were really kind of eerie. No people. Not many cars. Just...empty. I put that out of my head because I had a mission: toilet paper. And I had a list of stores that purported to have said TP. I arrived at Walmart #1. The doors weren't open yet so I waited PATIENTLY with everyone else. Finally the doors opened and...whoosh...everyone shot into the store and directly to the paper products where there was...nothing. Nothing. It was 7:00 a.m. and there was nothing. My jaw dropped. Someone had the courage to ask, "Where's the toilet paper?" The really unhelpful Walmart employee said simply, "We don't have any. And we don't expect to get any today." My jaw was still hanging open. But I found my voice and said, "But your website says you have some and it will be available today." The really unhelpful Walmart employee looked me in the eye and said, "Don't trust the website. We stopped updating that. It's really no good." I sucked in my breath and did my best not to reach out and strangle the guy. I did the next best thing. I turned and literally ran out the door to the next store. So did everyone else. Raley's: Nothing Safeway: Nothing Walgreen's: Nothing Nugget: Nothing Target: Nothing Chevron Gas Station: Nothing I ended up at Walmart #2 and found a shelf that had 10 or 15 single rolls of TP. Single ply and small. Limit of 1. Of course my jaw dropped open at the absurdity of the whole situation, but I pulled it close and squared my shoulders. I chose my 1 roll and made my way to the checkout. I spent $1.07. Seven stores and I came home with 1 roll of TP and a frown on my face. What a morning! The sad part is that it all has to be done again tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is my husband's turn. Maybe he'll have better luck than me. |
| PROMPT March 19th COVID-19. It’s affecting all of us in one way or another. Never in our lifetimes have we seen something of this magnitude and severity. So today, check in with yourself and your fellow competitors - how are you? Where is your head at? What’s worrying you? Let’s gather our WDC community around us and hunker down together. Heavy sigh...I was wondering when this prompt would show up. It's good timing because I think everyone out there needs to talk about their feelings and emotions and their fears and their worries. We all need to vent in whatever way we can. My hope is that it pulls us together because people all over the world seem to have the same fears and concerns. I'm trying to remain calm and collected. I know this is not the worst thing the human race has ever faced. And it's definitely not the worst thing that modern humans have ever faced. This is just a drop in a great big bucket of challenge. So I remind myself that my parents, grandparents, and all my ancestors before me faced tougher, more challenging times. So it should be within me to face this challenge. It should...but... I nearly lost it this morning. The news reported that Safeway would be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. for seniors only. Well...I'm a senior so I decided to take advantage of that. I gulped down my coffee, raced upstairs to shower, and then grabbed my purse as I ran out the door. The parking lot was full, but I figured that was because there's a large population of seniors where we live. I grabbed a cart and went directly to the section with the paper products. And...there was absolutely nothing...nothing on the shelves. Not one roll. Of anything. There was no paper of any kind. So depressing. I decided to pick up a few other essentials. But little luck there. I got one of the last loaves of bread. I got the very last package of tortillas. There was no chicken so I picked up some pork. No soup. And nothing to make soup with. The produce was certainly in a sad state of affairs. I found some carrots. I also found an onion. The garlic wasn't worth even trying. And for crying out loud, where the heck are the peas? Frozen or otherwise? One more thing really irked me. Why is there a shortage of frozen pizza? Seriously? No pizza. No sauce. No cheese. I just don't understand it. Even though I was angry yet resigned to my fate, my heart nearly broke over one customer in the store. An elderly gentleman was standing in the peanut butter and jelly aisle. His clothing was a little dirty and mussed. His hair was standing out in funny directions. His glasses hung on his nose and his hands were covered in surgical gloves. He hung his head and shook it from side to side. Just then a young women walked up to him. I think she was a granddaughter. She said something to him and he shook his head even more. I heard him say, "I can't do this. Just take me home." And with that he pushed his empty cart into the shelf and turned for the door. The young woman hung her head too and followed him out of the store. It shouldn't be like this! But there I go again...trying to stay calm and not doing a very good job of it. I hope and pray an end comes soon. I'm not sure what kind of life we'll go back to, but I am resigned that it will be our new normal. And that's really all I can expect at this stage of the game. Adjusting to the new normal. |
PROMPT March 18th Does your communication style tend to be straightforward or subtle? Are you more likely to speak your mind or beat around the bush? Have you ever gotten into trouble because of your communication style? There's really nothing subtle about me. Especially the way I communicate. I have the tendency to just tell it like it is. Sometimes I filter and sometimes I don't. And yes, sometimes I shoot my mouth off and totally regret it later. Why? Well, there's a few reasons. The first is that I'm "a stubborn bull-headed gemini". That's what my mom always called me. She always told me that if I didn't learn to harness all the ideas in my head then I would get myself into big trouble someday. Well...she was right. I absolutely cannot bore you with the sordid details, but suffice it to say that I learned my lesson...real good. The second reason is that I come from a large family. Because I'm number 5 child out of six I had to fight and make myself known if I wanted to get anywhere. So I learned to shout. And I learned to shock my family by spewing out exactly what was on my mind. The good, the bad, the ugly. Mostly they were shocked by the ugly. And because I'm a gemini I can get pretty nasty. Of course I don't want to scare anyone away. It takes a LOT to rile me up. But when you do...watch out. And the third reason is that I don't like conflict. I don't like to see people fight. I don't like people throwing harsh words back and forth. So I jump in and do my best to squelch it. That usually means I raise my voice and spew harsh words myself. Totally contradictory to my intent. So at the end of the day I guess I'm a straightforward, shoot from the hip, tell it like it is communicator with filters on. At least most of the time. But I'm determined to get my point across. And come hell or high water I'll do that. |
PROMPT March 17th Is success a result of luck, or hard work? Neither? Both? Read this article and share your thoughts. https://jamesclear.com/luck-vs-hard-work Sadly I am not a fan of James Cleer. Yes, he has some ideas on how to improve habits, but what he subscribes is only one piece of the prescription. And it might not even be the underlying issue. I believe success is neither luck nor hard work. It's a matter of shifting your paradigm. We are all born with paradigms we've inherited but we also need to acknowledge, then accept, then shift those paradigms. It's what we believe within ourselves that brings us to success. It's not really who we are that holds us back, it's who we think we're NOT. I believe we should realize our DNA is perfect. Perfect! And yet, we allow old paradigms to hold us back and prevent us from becoming who we really are. I believe we reject what we REALLY want because of old paradigms that hold us back. To change our results we must shift our paradigms. A great thought leader named Thomas Troward wrote an essay called, "Yourself". It's beautiful and anyone can find it for free online. But it speaks to who we really are as individuals. No luck involved. I believe we can break through and shift the paradigms that hold us back. Case in point: myself. I studied hard and shifted some detrimental paradigms in my own life. And now I feel I'm exactly where I should be. Thanks to Bob Proctor, Sandy Gallagher and of course, other thought leaders like Thomas Troward. I realize my opinions here may not be popular. My intent is not to offend anyone. Honestly, I'd love for everyone to check it out...Paradigm Shift. There's lots and lots and lots of good stuff out there. So here's to your success, and happy St. Patrick's Day to Everyone! |
PROMPT March 16th If you had the opportunity to compete on a television game show, which would you pick? If you won, what would you do with your winnings? My favorite game show is Jeopardy. I don't feel smart enough to go on that show. But my husband is smart enough. In fact, I believe he could walk away with tons of money! I've been asking him for the last 15 years or so to apply. I just know he'd be great. But he won't take the test. He's somewhat shy around people and he has a tendency to clam up when he's nervous. So I think that's why he just won't apply. But I've got to be honest, he rattles off the answers quicker than a lot of other people. And it amazes me that he knows some pretty esoteric stuff. My next favorite show is Wheel of Fortune. At my house Jeopardy comes on first and then Wheel of Fortune. So my husband watches Jeopardy with me and then heads off to his man cave when Wheel comes on. He always leave the room yelling, "Wheel of Torture"...he just hates that show. But Wheel of Fortune is the show I'd like to try. I love word puzzles anyway. My only challenge would be clamming up. I love to be in front of people but being on TV would feel different. I think I'd be so nervous that I couldn't think. And I'd probably talk out of turn. Or I'd say something stupid. Or I wouldn't even win any money. All that aside I'd still love to be on the show. And the winnings? Well...after taxes I'd have to see how much was left. But I really think I'd do something philanthropic. I'd give some to my church and then find a charity or two and give some to them. I'd probably be a little greedy too. Go on a trip, buy a new car, pay off my house...things like that. And by the way, I've been watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune for the past 30 years or so. I used to watch those shows with my Dad. And even after I got married and raised a family, and even after my Dad passed away I find I'm STILL watching both those shows. So here's to Jeopardy and Wheel.  |
PROMPT March 15th What are some ways you reduce stress and create happiness in your everyday life? "Just relax and breathe," my husband said to me as he heard me screaming over the phone at the incompetent, rude, unhelpful customer service rep. I just HATE calling customer service for ANYTHING. Oh my goodness just thinking of customer service causes me stress. I feel my heart race. My blood pressure goes up. My face turns red. Eventually fire shoots out of my ears. My hands clench into tight fists and I find myself snorting like a bull. Nope, I don't handle stress very well. Especially if it happens to be customer service. Now I try very hard not to let that happen. And if I'm honest with myself I can say that I try hard to remain calm, but I can also say that once I'm riled up there's no stopping me. Suggestions like, "just breathe," or "calm down", or "put the phone down and walk away" don't work for me. They're all good suggestions but for some reason the stubborn, bull-headed side of me always wants the last word (yep, I'm a true Gemini). Not my best trait, I know, but I have to own it because it's who I am. So when I need to breathe, or calm down, or walk away, I turn to my kitchen. I pull out some of my favorite recipes and dive in. Sometimes I'll even try a new recipe. Either way, cooking calms me. So does baking. I think it's because it forces me to focus and allows me to think. It forces me to follow a process and it forces me to pay attention to the details. It also reminds me that life is short and shouldn't be spent screaming and yelling about something that probably wasn't important in the first place. Cooking and baking allow me to be creative and I think that's the best part. I can get back to my roots. I can ground myself in who I really am. Very therapeutic and cathartic. So the best stress reliever for me is a cookbook and a wooden spoon. |
PROMPT March 14th What is your favorite childhood memory? Does anything make you feel nostalgic? Favorite childhood memories. Such a simple question, but such a tall order to fill. I really can't say that I have only one favorite memory. I have lots and lots and lots. And they all center around my family. We were always very close and tight knit, and because there were so many of us every day seemed like an adventure. And the simple fact that my Dad was in the Air Force meant that we were constantly traveling and making memories in all kinds of places all around the world. We spent time camping, fishing and hiking. We visited as many museums as we could. We enjoyed every park we could find. We toured history through various cemeteries. We went to carnivals and festivals and amusement parks. We went to the movies. We did everything together. And surprisingly, we never got tired of each other. But now that I'm feeling nostalgic for all the good times...and the bad...I think I can confidently say that I do, indeed, have a favorite memory. My Dad was known to suddenly shout, "Get in the car! We're going!" And we'd all pile in the car, excited for a new adventure. Didn't matter what time of day, morning or night, or even temperature, hot or cold. We'd drop everything and scramble to the car because we knew something fun was about to happen. So I guess that's my favorite memory - "Get in the car! We're going!" |
PROMPT March 13th Are you responsible with your money? Is managing your finances easy for you, or challenging? Do you ever splurge and buy something you can’t afford? Collin dropped a shiny new coin into the glass jar that held his hoard of coins. It fell with a very satisfying "clink". Collin loved that sound and giggled somewhat maniacally as his thin cracked lips turned up into an awkward little "Q". His bony fingers, gnarled as they were, screwed the lid onto the jar fast as lightening. He shook the jar with quite some force, delighted by the clinking and clanking of the coins. As he peered into the jar he belched out a rancid cloud of leftover breakfast, an Egg McMuffin he swindled from the school kid down the block. The cloud fogged up his jar so he rubbed and polished it all around with the hem of his ragged little tunic. Ever since he jumped off the bumpiest log in the darkest part of the forest in the oldest part of the land and followed the mist to a new and exciting place Collin had actually been happy. After 300 years of going solo as a Maker of Mischief he decided he needed a coach. Someone who could bring new life to his tricks and traps. Someone who could motivate his sneaky little spirit. Some who could manage his evil little tendencies. And he found just the one! Dylan. Minister of Magic and Mayhem. With Dylan's help Collin breathed new life and nastiness into his tricks. He developed some awful new traps. He devised the dirtiest of deeds. And the best part? Dylan made sure Collin got paid for his efforts. And after 300 years Collin was very happy to be paid. Every Friday Collin arrived for his pay. And every Friday Dylan gingerly dropped a few coins into Collin's mud-crusted, scabbly little palm. Collin's gnarly fingers would curl around the coins, and Collin would shake them in the air as he happily dashed for his precious glass jar. BUT not before he tossed a coin back at Dylan. "For me 401(k)," he would happily shout. Yes, Collin was happy. He had new tricks, traps, and dirty deeds. He had precious coins in a precious glass jar. And most important of all, he had a 401(k). If he invested that right, he could actually retire a little early, in about 400 years. Yes, Collin was happy. |
PROMPT March 12th Other than music, what sounds do you love? I love the sounds of the ocean. For me, one of the most peaceful and meditative places is at the ocean. The waves crashing and rolling and undulating remind me of life in general. We all experience the ups and downs of day-to-day life. And the sound of the crashing reminds me that life is so full and life can be anything I make it. Just the repetitive nature of the waves reminds me that life goes on. Nothing ever stops. Each one of us is in a very personal and specific cycle of life. Of course it's not just the waves. It's also the birds. And the people. Life is vibrant! Life is happy! And life continues...no matter what. But there's also the wind. Now the sounds of the wind make me stop to listen. For me it's ethereal. I know there are divine whispers in the wind. And the wind always blows change. The beach or the ocean or the shore or whatever anybody calls it is a place of peace and comfort for me. There's wisdom there. And the beauty of life. Yes, I love the sounds of the ocean...they ground me and bring me to a better place. |
PROMPT March 11th Do you consider yourself a patient person? How easy or difficult is it for you to wait for something? Does a delayed reward feel more or less satisfying than an immediate reward? patient [ pey-shuhnt ] adjective - Bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like. Characterized by or expressing such a quality: a patient smile. Quietly and steadily persevering or diligent, especially in detail or exactness: a patient worker. What a word! And powerful! If only that word applied to me!  Honestly, I would like to think I'm patient. And I try hard to be patient. I'm just not very good at it. So I have to face facts. I'm not patient. It's one of my biggest flaws. I've spent 6 decades trying to change it. Not happening. It is what it is.  Remember that old saying, "Stop and smell the roses"? Beautiful saying and beautiful way to live. But it's just not me! I can see the roses. I can smell the roses. I know they're beautiful. But darn it, there are flowers everywhere! I've got tons more to get to! This is exactly how I live my life. I've always got tons more to get to. And how about another saying, "Patience is a virtue"? Yes, I understand it's a virtue. And I'd love to collect all the virtue I can. Patience will never be one of them. Why? There's so much out there! I've got tons more to get to! Oh brother, at this stage of the game, I wish life would just slow down so I actually could stop and smell the roses.  |
 Log in to Leave Feedback |
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
