5 on Friday

1. If you have a phobia (or something close to one), what is it?
No actual ones - which people don't seem to understand. According to the study  a fear has to be bad enough to actually change your life before it can be considered a phobia. "I don't like swimming" isn't a phobia; "I moved to Kansas despite drastic pay cuts and being uprooted from my family/friends because I couldn't stand to be anywhere near the ocean" would be a phobia. That's what they said, anyway.
I have mildly neurotic fears, though. Heights - I don't even like standing on chairs/step-stools to change light bulbs or reach things, though there's practicality to that too. As much as I love dogs, I still have a residual fear of unfriendly dogs (I was deathly afraid of all dogs as a child. All of them.) People in authority, because I fear being judged by them.  And strangers, particularly men. Went through that circus of stupid .
Used to have neurotic fears of electricity/electrocution and millipedes, but those aren't too bad now, both in a logical proportion, I think.

2. How long have you had the phobia (or something close to it)?
I don't know? Forever? It's hard to pin down when things like this start. In my case they didn't start with one cataclysmic event or anything, 'cause... my life doesn't have cataclysmic events, really.

3. If you know anyone with a phobia (or something close to it), how does s/he act when s/he is experiencing it?
I know people with mild cases of social phobias.  They get really anxious in certain situations. Well that would be me too I guess. hmmmmm

4. What is one phobia you would wish not to have?
Strangers/men. It's really fairly stupid, and goes against my belief to treat people as people. But I still have this ingrained expectation that they're going to yell at me / hit me / mock me. Which I'm sure passes through the minds of many, but it doesn't get carried out often enough to be a rational fear.
And yes yes, everyone should carry a healthy amount of doubt re: strangers to avoid getting themselves mugged; that's not what I'm talking about. 

5. What is one phobia you wouldn't mind having, if you were to face one?
Spiders probably. Everybody's deathly afraid of spiders, my boys still scream like girls when they see one and I have to kill it for them..

Wow after answering these I guess I am really a worse mess than I thought. 

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

 

May your stuffing be plenty
May your turkey be plump
May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
May your pies take a prize
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs.

Thinking of you at Thanksgiving and wishing you the Happiest Day!
I feel very blessed this year, to be able to write a post such as this, and thank all of my readers friends for enjoying my blog enough to come back every day, read it and leave me comments! I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving, and as you count your blessings today please say a prayer for all of our servicemen and women who aren't with their families today, but are standing guard protecting ours.

HOROSCOPES

I am Aquarius.. yikes. 

AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18)

You are inventive and imaginative, which explains your habitual lying.  Because Aquarians have no sex appeal whatsoever, they are fortunate to have no sexual drive.  Of course, everyone regards you as being dense, but you never notice.  Your idea of fine food usually involves some form of hot dogs.  Inherent dishonesty may cause problems in P.M.

  PISCES   (February 19-March 20)

Your idea that you are attractive to the opposite sex is rooted in your vivid imagination.  The rest of us laugh a lot about that.  Research shows there are twice as many Piscean jokes as Polish jokes, but you, of course,  are not aware of that.  Hair in nose presents social handicap in P.M.  Good day to practice alphabet.

  ARIES (March 21-April 19)

You are loyal, hard working, and trustworthy, which helps explain why you are a minimum wage flunky.  You have no special skills not involving a broom.  Most likely, you drive a used Camaro with empty Burger King sacks under the front seats.  Avoid wearing swimsuit until very late P.M.

  TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

You are persistent and determined when striving for a goal, but have no clue how to achieve it.  All your friends pretend not to notice  your lack of intelligence–at least to your face.  Research shows that if Taureans were not counted in student tests, grade point averages in this country would rise 4.5 percent.  A.M. good time to quit school.

  GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

You are extraordinarily intelligent and articulate, and those around you appreciate intelligence in someone so ugly.  Geminis are known to become more repulsive as they grow older; future looks bleak.  You are known among co-workers as “Horse Face”.  P.M. best time for plastic surgery; A.M. good time to buy breath mints wholesale.

  CANCER (June 21-July 22)

You are conservative and against taking risks.  This makes you the dullest person in your circle of friends (if you have any friends), especially considering your utter lack of ambition and/or imagination.   There has never been a Cancer who has amounted to anything.  Ignore your fantasy of meeting Pat Sajak in person, since he wouldn’t like you either.  P.M. don’t miss Tournament of Champions on “Family Feud”.

  LEO (July 23-August 22)

You are compassionate, understanding, and sympathetic; that’s why you are known among friends as a sucker.  Your parents secretly gave your brothers and sisters hundreds of toys, and while you slept the rest of the family ate meat.  You wore hand-me-downs even though you were the oldest child.   Tomorrow P.M. check career opportunities at McDonald’s.

  VIRGO (August 23-September 22)

Virgos are clever and able to achieve notoriety; that’s why your friends regard you as a self-centered boor.  You most likely have never watched a PBS program, but it you did, you didn’t understand it.   If you were at all likeable, friends would pity you; as it is, no one ever thinks about you.  No Virgo has ever been elected to public office.  A.M. best time for sulking.

  LIBRA (September 23-October 22)

You are shrewd in business matters and can usually get your way with others.  That’s why everyone despises you.   Closest friends enjoy having parties that are kept secret from you.   Co-workers often mimic your poor posture.  Even Dale Carnegie wouldn’t like you.  P.M. good time to commit fraud you’ve been considering.

  SCORPIO (October 23-November 21)

You are optimistic, enthusiastic, and ambitious.  Too bad you have no talent.  Most Scorpios end up in prison or on welfare, and it has been documented that all Scorpios have husbands or wives who cheat.   There has never been a Scorpio with a successful marriage, and all Scorpios have less-than-average children.  P.M. best time to spy on spouse.

   SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21)

You are artistic and imaginative, but that stems from your warped view of reality.  Very few people admit to being a Sagittarian, but the rest of us know who you are because all Sagittarians are left-handed.   If you are not left-handed, your mother has lied to you about your birthdate as part of a cover-up.  A.M. good time to search for real father.

   CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19)

Capricorns can often be trained to be fairly good bus drivers and reasonably successful shoe sales clerks, but they cannot be taught to succeed at personal relationships.  You probably have no social plans for the weekend anyway, but if so, they will result in disaster.  It is unfortunate that Capricorns have no sex appeal to go along with their inordinately powerful sex drive.   P.M. good time to rent videos.

Kennedy Clinton Connection

I wonder what your thoughts are on this: As we all know, 50 years ago today JFK was killed. He was much loved as both a President and a person. Yet we all know that despite being a married man with children and a devout Catholic, he had many many affairs. Bill Clinton, on the other hand, gets “cozy” with  an intern once and we wanted to impeach him. I am not making judgment on either of these men...I am just wondering. 50 years ago, people valued discretion and "family values" so much more than today, when morals seem to be of no concern to most. Yet Clinton is always going to be the guy who had sex in the oval office...JKF is always going to be the guy who was cut down in his prime.  Thoughts??

5 on Friday

1. one place you volunteer (or would like to)? Why?
I don't volunteer anywhere, isn't that sad? But I would like to volunteer  at the local food bank or soup kitchen.  There's no stress, no sales-pitching, no having to lie to people, and it's for a great cause. It's one of the very few jobs I can think of that I would like enough to work there without pay.

 2. one book you'd like to see made into a movie? Why?
Most of the books I loved  have been planned into movies, I dread the news of my favorite books made into movies because sometimes Hollywood can butcher it mercilessly.

3. one creature (living, extinct, or mythical) you'd like for a pet? Why?
I'd love to have Unicorn as a pet. I mean, it is a beautiful creature -- they are so magical and well, they can fly, right?

4. one place on Earth you'd like to visit? Why?
New York City. I have this strange fixation towards the city, I don't know why. Or Alaska. Pictures of it look so beautiful and I've just always wanted to go there.
 
5. one talent or skill you'd like to develop? Why?
I would like to develop a talent or skill in playing musical instrument. Either guitar or piano. It's one thing missing for me. I love music I would love to be able to actually play music in the future. I don't have the rhythm or coordination so it will be a challenge.

Soap Box--- Power of Words

I am going to pull out my soap box for just a minute, so scroll on by if you aren't in the mood. I just saw a post online about a woman who is 300 plus pounds, and she posed nude for some magazine. It was tastefully done, and she looked lovely. The post was all about how we should accept our bodies yadda yadda. Fine. Then the comments shifted to "When I see this woman, I think of comfort and warmth. She is beautiful. Those skinny girls- they need to eat a sandwich! Skinny is NOT attractive!" And this seems to be the trend lately. How dare anyone say something rude about a heavy person, but let's talk some smack on the skinny people. "Real women have curves and tattoos." Sure. Real woman also have no curves and no tattoos. Or curves and tats. Or tats and no curves. The fact is, if you are born a girl, you become a REAL woman, no matter what definition is currently in style. We women need to support other women, no matter what shape or size.  In fact change that to support everyone, no matter what shape or size. Not every one will fit your image of beauty but everyone is beautiful. Don’t tear others down build them up.. 

Thank You

5 on Friday

1. What was the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?
Hmm. That I'm a good person. I hadn't ever thought of adding "that" to my list of mad skills, but the first time someone said it  I was gob-smacked. (I watch BBC America) Still am, frankly.
2. What was the meanest thing anyone has ever said to you?
That "people like me are the cause of all the problems in the world." Said to me while I was getting out of my car after I had parked in a Handicapped Parking space. Yes, I'm handicapped.  But it hurts when people I don't know make assumptions. If only I was as healthy as you think I am, bee-yatch.
3. At times, lots of people never tell us what they are really thinking. Who is the one person that you would really like to know what they are thinking (as far as how they feel about you), and why?
There isn't anyone that I know who hasn't told me exactly where they stand with me. I'm pretty lucky there...at least I hope so. *strains of Billy Joel's "The Stranger" play ominously in the background*
4. What was the nicest thing you have ever said to anyone?
"I love you." That's about as nice as you can get, right?
5. What was the meanest thing you have ever said to anyone?
 Probably some of the stuff I said to my ex. I didn't mean to be cruel, but sometimes the truth can hurt. And it probably did.

Judgmental

Oddly enough, people with good judgment are not usually considered judgmental. Judgmental is a negative word to describe someone who often rushes to judgment without reason.
 
The adjective judgmental describes someone who forms lots of opinions — usually harsh or critical ones — about lots of people. Judgmental types are not open-minded or easygoing. Judgmental has the word judge at its root, which itself is from the Latin word judicem, which also means "to judge." Judgemental (with an extra "e") is considered a legitimate variant spelling of judgmental
 
Why are people judgmental? Human nature cannot be denied. While good manners might prevent you from verbalizing your opinion, your mind instantly forms a judgment.
Everyone forms their judgments according to their life experiences. No matter how much you try, there are times you will make judgments. People like to think they are not “judging a book by its cover” but first impressions always bring about a judgment. You do it with out even knowing  you are doing it.  Children often mirror their parents opinions and judge accordingly. Some times if you over hear a conversation that has inaccurate information, you will judge the speaker as ignorant of the fact. I am judgmental of things no matter how hard I try to be fair. Some times it comes from being jealous. For instance a friend gets a new car. Or a new house.
The worst though are the ones who judge people who are less fortunate.  They assume they are all, lazy, welfare, illiterate, drug users, white trash, alcoholics, having illegitimate children to get more monies, laying around trying to beat the system.  I am sure there are those folks out there. In fact I know there are. But please don’t use that brush to paint everyone down on their luck as a loser.