How to drive me crazy

Defile the sacred and holy Oreo by eating it all at once, you insensitive, uncivilized cad. You must first remove one of the crunchy chocolate sides by slowly twisting the cookie in half. Then you lick the virgin white filling until it has been completely removed using your teeth only when necessary and even then very delicately so as not to scar the tender inner cookie. And then, THEN you may eat each chocolate half one at a time. Slowly. This is the only way to honor the Oreo.

Sunday Sugar

Morgan 8½ months

Old People

I think old people are under utilized. Old people end up searching for something to give meaning and purpose to their days. Old people still want to save the world. Most people just ignore old people until some disease or other takes over and they are way past the point of no return. A lot of old people are ignored, bored and lonely. What old people need is something important to do. Grandparents used to be ask their opinions on important decisions. Old People helped and supported the family by babysitting and they were an integral part of the extended family. How does this work in your family? Do you value the lessons your grandparents taught you? Do you listen and enjoy hearing your family history? Do you honor old people? We can learn much from old people.

Top 10 Shocking Facts About Cigarette Smoking

1. Statistically, every cigarette you smoke takes off 11 minutes of your life.
2. There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world today.
3. 70% of Chinese men smoke.
4. If both parents smoke, a teenager is more than twice as likely to smoke than a young person whose parents are both non-smokers.
5. If all women quit smoking during pregnancy, about 4,000 new babies would not die each year.
6. If the mother smoked during pregnancy, her baby will average 6 ounces less and its pulse will be 30% faster than a non-smoker’s baby.
7. Smoking-related diseases cause an estimated 440,000 American deaths each year.
8. Smoking costs the United States over $150 billion annually in health care costs.
9. A smoker will need an average of 7.5 sick days per year. A non-smoker will need only 4.5.
10. Ten years after quitting smoking, a person’s risk of lung cancer and heart disease returns to that of a non-smoker.

The Brick

A young and successful
executive was traveling down a neighborhood street,
going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar.. He was
watching for kids darting out from between parked
cars and slowed down when he thought he saw
something. As his car passed, no children appeared.
Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!
He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to
the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry
driver then jumped out of the
car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up
against a parked car shouting,
'What was that all about and who are you? Just what
the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that
brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why
did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't
know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the
brick because no one else would stop....' With tears
dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth
pointed to a spot just around a parked car.. 'It's my
brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him
up.' Now sobbing, the boy
asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and
he's too heavy for me.' Moved beyond words,
the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat... He hurriedly lifted the
handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took
out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything
was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless
you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too
shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy!
push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk
toward their home.. It was a long, slow
walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very
noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair
the dented side door. He kept the dent there to
remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life
so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to
get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and
speaks to our hearts Sometimes when we don't have
time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's
our choice to listen or not.
( a very special friend sent me this little story I think it is worth passing along to all of you.Thanks Joann S.)

It’s the little things

The smell of bread or cookies baking.

That first great gulp of fresh coffee in the morning.

The sound of waves hitting the shore at Myrtle Beach.

The first warm Spring breeze.

Sitting around a camp fire telling tall tales.

A full moon.

A pet who loves you with out reservations.

The cool side of my pillow.

Hugs from my grandkids.

Seeing Morgan smile that slobbery toothless grin of hers.

Things I Wish I Could Do Over

~Treated certain people better than I once did.
~Not eaten all that chocolate.
~Went to college.
~Become a wise person.
~Learned life lessons sooner.
~Never started Smoking

~Been a better daughter.
~Been a better mother.
~Been a better wife.
~Been a better person.

Happy Hooker or Compulsive Hoarder?

I AM A HAPPY HOOKER

I have been crocheting for at least 30 years now. I started off with granny squares and really never attempted to do anything remotely challenging because following the patterns was very intimidating to me. Then one day I was getting tired of making granny square afghans and decided I wanted to make other things and realized there are so many things you can make with crochet. So, I was determined to learn to read patterns and I did. Of course there were mistakes along the way, but I learned from them and now I'm doing good. My favorite thing to crochet is afghans. I love making all kinds of different afghans. My goal is to make every afghan I see that I like....I can dream can't I?

I think I may be a compulsive hoarder, and/or a happy hooker. The two probably feed off each other.

SIGNS OF A COMPULSIVE HOARDER
•An excessive amount of clutter (yarn/thread/patterns/stash) that limits living space
•Difficulty categorizing & organizing items (patterns/hooks/stash)
•Holding onto possessions that seem of little or no value (remnants/small pieces of yarn/thread)
•Severe anxiety when trying to throw out an object (WIPs/UFOs)
•Trouble making decisions about possessions (GOTTA HAVE, GOTTA HAVE)
•Feeling anxious, embarrassed or depressed because of clutter (OMG!)
•Fears about needing items that could be thrown away (you just might NEED it one day for something!)

CONCLUSION: I am both and now you know.

Where did all the snow go?

What a difference a couple weeks makes.

These pictures are for my boy who misses our Indiana weather and the snow. He is suffering through a very hot summer in Australia.

This is the Wabash River which is right out my back door. and I mean with in just a few feet. as you can tell the river level is up from the snow melt and if you look closely at the above photo you can see the geese. I am so lucky to have such a view. And for all those who are counting 29 more days till Spring.

Random Acts of Kindness

By now you should know this is Random Acts of Kindness week. It was begun in 1995 by an anonymous person with the purpose to encourage people to daily give and receive kindness. There are so many little things you can do to show kindness. Open the door for someone, make a new friend, smile, donate blood, so many little things you can do to make someone's day or life better. Call an elderly neighbor to make sure they are OK, see if they need anything, and just chat awhile. It would really brighten someone's day. I am a big believer in small gestures, write a letter to someone and express how special they are to you. Recycle and reuse. Be kind to the earth, conserve water, start a compost pile, don’t litter. Have you shown kindness to someone lately?

Top Ten Moral Dilemmas: What would you do?

Thankfully most of us do not come across dire situations that present a moral dilemma, but it is always a very interesting exercise to consider a dilemma and our reaction to it. So, I now present you with a list of ten agonizing moral dilemmas, in no particular order. (Be sure to tell me what you would do in the comments.)

1. Concentration Camp

You are an inmate in a concentration camp. A sadistic guard is about to hang your son who tried to escape and wants you to pull the chair from underneath him. He says that if you don’t he will not only kill your son but some other innocent inmate as well. You don’t have any doubt that he means what he says. What should you do?

2. The Accident

You are an emergency worker that has just been called to the scene of an accident. When you arrive you see that the car belongs to your wife. Fearing the worst you rush over to see she is trapped in her car with another man.

She sees you and although barely conscious, she manages to mouth the words “I’m sorry”…

You don’t understand, but her look answers you question. The man next to her is her lover with whom she’s been having an affair.

You reel back in shock, devastated by what her eyes have just told you. As you step back, the wreck in front of you comes into focus. You see your wife is seriously hurt and she needs attention straight away. Even if she gets attention there’s a very high chance she’ll die.

You look at the seat next to her and see her lover. He’s bleeding heavily from a wound to the neck and you need to stem the flow of blood immediately. It will only take about 5 minutes to stop, but it will mean your wife will definitely die.

If you tend to your wife however, the man will bleed to death despite the fact it could have been avoided.

Who would you choose to work on?

3. Spam Filtering

You are the network administrator for a rather large company. You have a young family and need your job to support them. As part of your responsibility as a network administrator is to monitor the emails for the organization. Usually this just means occasionally allow through emails for staff members that have been accidentally blocked by the spam filters.

One day you get a helpdesk request from a staff member asking for an email to get released. Normally it’s standard procedure except this time the request has come from the wife of a very good friend of yours. You recognize the name on the helpdesk request so quickly attend to the problem. As part of the procedure you need to manually open up the email to ensure that it isn’t spam, so you do and you discover that it certainly isn’t spam. You find that it’s actually an email to your friends wife from her lover. You scan the rest of the contents of the email and there is no doubt that she has been having an affair for some time now.

You release the email, but you can’t decide what to do. You’re initial reaction is to call your friend up and tell him about the email, however you quickly realize that company policy is very strict about revealing the contents of confidential emails of staff members regardless of the contents and unless someone’s life is in immediate danger, under no circumstances are you permitted to reveal the information.

In any case you know that revealing this information presents great risk, because even if you don’t do it directly, there is a good chance that the dots will be joined somewhere along the line and you will be found out. However you feel that by not telling you friend that you are aiding his wife get away with adultery and this troubles you greatly.

What do you do?

4. The Neighbor

You have a wonderful daughter. She is 8 years old and has always been a happy outgoing child. But a while ago something terrible happened, she was raped. You are quite sure that the person who raped her is your neighbor. Your daughter is so traumatized she has stopped speaking, but she in other ways been able to convince you that he is the one. Unfortunately not enough evidence can be found to convict him.

You try to put your life back together. You move to another house and try to help your daughter in any way you can, but it is clear that the experience has ruined her life and that of your family.

One evening you have taken your wife out to dinner at a restaurant when you spot your former neighbor at another table. He is eating alone and looks unhappy. You quickly finish eating and leave. The next day you find out that your former neighbors wife has been murdered. Enough evidence to convict him of the murder is soon found, and at first you are very happy, finally his will get what he deserves.

But then you remember that you saw him in the restaurant at the time of the murder. you know he did not murder his wife. Maybe he paid someone else to do it… You remember that the police said that it had been made it look like a burglary, maybe it was…

You sit down to think. If you keep quiet he will be convicted for the murder, and the real murderer will go free If you give him an alibi, he will go free, but you can’t be sure the real murderer will be found, and it is possible that the evil bastard paid someone to do it… What do you do?

5. The Pregnant Woman

A pregnant woman leading a group of people out of a cave on a coast is stuck in the mouth of that cave. In a short time high tide will be upon them, and unless she is unstuck, they will all be drowned except the woman, whose head is out of the cave. Fortunately, (or unfortunately,) someone has with him a stick of dynamite. There seems no way to get the pregnant woman loose without using the dynamite which will inevitably kill her; but if they do not use it everyone will drown. What should they do?

6. Nieces and Daughters

You and your family are going away for the weekend. Your daughter is 7 and is best friends with your niece, who is also 7. Your families are very close and your daughter asks if your niece can come with you on your holiday. You have been on holidays together before and don’t see any problem, so you agree.

You arrive at your holiday destination and the house you are staying at backs onto a beach. The girls ask if they can go for a swim. You tell them that they have to wait until you have unpacked the car, but they can play on the sand directly in front of the beach. They run down to the sand, and you begin to unpack the car. After about 5 minutes, you hear screaming coming from the direction of the beach and it sounds like the girls.

You run down to see what the matter is, and you discover that they hadn’t listened to you and have gone for a swim. There is no one else on the beach and the girls are caught in a rip.

The girls are really struggling, particularly your niece who isn’t as strong a swimmer as your daughter.

You swim out quickly, but when you get there, you realize that there is no way you will be able to get both the girls back into shore on your own. You realize that an agonizing decision will need to be made.

You need to decide which of the girls you will rescue first, you have enough strength and energy to rescue them both, but you can only do it one at a time. You look at the two girls, and your niece is really struggling to hold her head above water and you know if you take your daughter back first, there will be little or no chance that she will survive.

Your daughter is struggling also, but is much stronger in the water and you estimate that if you take your niece back to shore first, there’s probably a 50% chance that your daughter will be able to stay afloat long enough for you return, but you simply don’t know how long she will hold on for.

7. Hit and Run

One morning you are driving to work, and as per usual you are running a bit late, so you are driving a touch faster than the speed limit. You reach down to your stereo to change the CD, when all of a sudden your car hits something solid. You spin to a stop, but not before several more cars have run into you and each other in an attempt to avoid the accident.

As you look up and out of your car, you can see that you hit a person, and that the person is not looking very good. In fact, you are sure that they are dead. You shakily get out of your car, and look around at the damage that has been caused. Several cars have been badly smashed up, but more importantly you have killed someone with your careless driving.

As you are standing there in shock, a woman comes up to you, tears running down her face, and obviously very shook up. As a natural reaction, you ask her what is wrong. She gives you a funny look, and then she explains that she just ran over someone. You ask her where this person is, and she points towards the person that you ran over!

You don’t understand why, but for some reason this woman thinks that she caused this accident and killed the person, when in fact you are well aware that you were the cause. Whoever accepts the blame is likely to be placed in jail for a very long time. If you let the woman take the blame, there is a very good chance you will get away with it all. However, there is also the chance that you could be placed in jail for even longer for trying to cover it up.

8. Drug Bust

You are on holiday in Bali with your 18 year old son and wife. You have been there for a week and are ready to head home. All three of you are at the airport getting ready to board your plane, when an armed officer comes around with a sniffer dog. You have all your bags on a trolley, and the dog sniffs at both your wife and your bag, and passes over it, however when he gets to your sons bag, he begins to get a bit more active.

You look over at your son and he’s looking a little nervous. You know he’s smoked a little marijuana in his time, but generally, he’s a good kid, and you certainly didn’t think he’d actually be stupid enough to bring it back on the plane with him. At first you feel angry that he would do such a thing and start planning your responsibility lecture, but then you realize that you are in Bali, and they have a zero tolerance policy on drugs, meaning your son could be jailed for life, or worse, executed, if he does have some illicit materials in his bag.

You look at your wife and realize she has come to the same conclusion and has gone pale with fear.

The armed officer accompanying the dog is beginning to look more stern with every sniff the dog takes and looks directly at you and asks you to open to the bag.

You do, and as the officer begins to take things out of the bag, you see to your horror that there is a small quantity of marijuana stashed in with your sons belongings.

The officer looks at you and asks “Who’s bag is this?”

You realize you have to answer, but the answer won’t be easy. You see your wife in the corner of your eye, and she is about to step forward and claim it as her own; what do you say?

9. Mad Bomber

A madman who has threatened to explode several bombs in crowded areas has been apprehended. Unfortunately, he has already planted the bombs and they are scheduled to go off in a short time. It is possible that hundreds of people may die. The authorities cannot make him divulge the location of the bombs by conventional methods. He refuses to say anything and requests a lawyer to protect his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. In exasperation, some high level official suggests torture. This would be illegal, of course, but the official thinks that it is nevertheless the right thing to do in this desperate situation. Do you agree? If you do, would it also be morally justifiable to torture the mad bomber’s innocent wife if that is the only way to make him talk? Why?

10. Lifeboat

You are going on a cruise. 2 days into the cruise your ship experiences technical difficulties and the captain says it needs to make an unscheduled stop. A couple of hours later the captain makes another announcement that the ships hull has been breached and that you will all need to start heading to life rafts and abandon ship. The ships life rafts are lowered as people begin to pile in and you get on board one of the life rafts.

As it is lowered however, it hits the side of the ship, putting a hole in the side of the raft, and when it hits the water it begins to sink. There are 10 people in the boat and to prevent it sinking, you quickly work out that by having 9 people working for 10 minutes while 1 person rests you can bail the water out with their hands, quick enough to keep the water at bay and preventing it from sinking, but you have to continually keep it up to ensure that the boat doesn’t sink. By being able to rest one person you are greatly able to increase the length of time you can keep the boat afloat, however if the rescue team doesn’t turn up you calculate that within 5 hours the boat will sink and you will all die.

While taking your break, you glance over to another boat and notice that a friend of yours who you met on the boat is there and has noticed your predicament. He is signaling for you to come over and join them on their boat so you don’t have to continue bailing water out. There is only just enough room for one more person. You also notice that their boat is moving away rapidly with the current, but your boat can’t keep up because the hole is affecting its buoyancy.

You estimate that if you jump ship, you will force all 9 remaining crew members to bail water continuously, which will reduce the total time they can stay afloat to just 2 hours, but will ensure that you will be able to live long enough to be rescued.

If you stay aboard, you will not have another chance to jump ship, and there’s no guarantee that the rescue will arrive in 5 hours, meaning you will drown, however by staying you give everyone a better chance of survival.
As you watch the boat with your friend drift away, you realize you have about 30 seconds to make a decision:

a) Do you stay on your current boat and help keep it afloat as long as possible and hope that the rescue will arrive in 5 hours
b) Do you go to your friends boat, ensuring your rescue, but reducing the chances of the others on the boat being rescued?

Quitting smoking.

As most of you know I am an ex smoker. Or should I say an ex Heavy smoker. At the end I smoked up to 3 packs a day. I smoked for many years, I loved smoking. I loved my addiction. Cigarettes were my best friend, I could depend on them, they were with me through my divorce and through the good times too. In 2001 I got very sick, my chest was congested and I could not breathe, I coughed so hard I broke a rib. And the cough was non productive.. I had no insurance so I held off going to the doctor. This almost cost me my life. After being sick for almost 2 months I ended up in the ER. The damage I had done to my lungs was irreversible and I had low o2 levels. To make a long story short, I ended up on oxygen 24/7 and I have been since late 2001. Had my lungs not been damaged by years of smoking I would not be hooked to a machine 24 hours a day. Part of this disease is its slow progression. I grow weaker and weaker. I do very little any more. I have a lady who cleans my house for me. A special friend who does my shopping and of course my family who are quick to come to my aid no matter how big or small my problem might be. There are many more friends who do wonderful kind things for me. (You know who you are) I heard horror stories of how hard it would be to quit smoking. It was not the easiest thing I have ever done but it really was not all that bad either. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself. If you are a smoker please consider quitting. Don’t be like me and wait too long. Please stop smoking now. I would not wish my limited life on anyone.

A Great Day!

I wake up early today, excited over all
I have responsibilities to fulfill today.
I am important.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy...
or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can grumble about my health...
or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends...
or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work...
or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework...
or I can feel honored because,
Life has provided shelter for my mind, body, and soul.
Today... stretches ahead of me,
waiting to be shaped.
And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me.
I get to choose what kind of day will have!
Why Not Make It A Great Day?!?!?!

( adapted from an email)

I think I need to do this every day, more thanks and less poor me. How about you?

High Tech that has come and gone.

1. the cassette, from the 1980’s thru the 1990’s .. till the cd killed it. 2005 was the last year record labels produced cassettes…gone
2. 8 track players..high tech in the 1960’s and 1970’s. the smaller cassettes meant the death of the 8 track and was last made in 1988. gone
3. Sony walkman. stopped production April 2010. gone
4. VHS video player. First marketed in 1976 and became very popular in the 1980’s. In 2005 the last major motion picture was released on VHS. gone
5. Laser Disk. They were never real popular because of the cost. the last one was manufactured in 2005. gone
6. Polaroid instant camera. gone but may be resurrected.
7. Kodak slide projector. It was discontinued in 2004. gone
8. Floppy disk. gone

can you think of any more??

Sunday Sugar:

Morgan 8 months old yesterday. Where does the time go? She is such a smiley baby.

matriarch

ma·tri·arch (māˈtrē-ärkˌ)

noun

1. A woman who rules a family, clan, or tribe.
2. A woman who dominates a group or an activity.
3. A highly respected woman who is a mother.

I don't know if I 'rule' or 'dominate' our family,clan or tribe… in fact I am pretty sure I don’t... But I am a woman who is a mother.

I'm a mother and a grand-mother ...I guess that makes me the matriarch of the family!

I don't know why that occurred to me tonight- but it did, ok?

In the animal kingdom, when the matriarch dies, one of the oldest off spring takes her place.

Since I have no daughters, who will step up?

Now

I keep looking for something and I always go back to what might have or should have been. But today I am looking for my NOW.

I'm starting to think it is all I have in me to remember how to do some of the old things -- much less learn a new talent. I’m fighting it tho.

I am trying to tidy up all the cluttered messy areas of my life. Mostly my home but some relationships too.

I am putting my thoughts together as quickly as I can I am trying to come up with something new and fresh.

I love beautiful things, I have been able to save a few and they are gathering dust or are packed away. I vow to dig them out and either use them or offer to my family no sense in my hoarding.. Wow am I a hoarder? No I don’t think so. I do fear hoarding tho.

I need a break from my days of doing nothing. I need to get up and DO something. I have been very blessed and I need to be a good steward of the things I have been given.

Random Thoughts:

1. Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; an argument is an exchange of ignorance.
2. It is the greatest mistake of all to do nothing because even if you can only do little - do what you can.
3. Truth is, everyone is going to hurt you; you just need to find the people worth suffering for.
4. Don't try to be different. Just be good. To be good is different enough.
5. I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe.
6. Life is about CHOICES • CHANCES • CHANGES

I believe:

I am always the solution never the victim
True happiness comes from serving others
I can help someone only when they are ready

More advice to young women:

1. You are not a victim. No matter what happens to you, don't take the victim route and blame the world for your misfortune. If you were sexually assaulted, verbally abused, etc and lived to tell about it; take your pain and help those who need it. Writing emo poetry isn't going to solve anything.
2. Invest in your education first, your looks second. Anyone can pay a plastic surgeon to look hot, but not everyone can read a book and do simple math.
3. No matter what you call it, having a 'man to take you shopping' is glorified prostitution. He wants you for your body, you want him for his wallet. Cut the crap and call it what it is.
4. Do not seek confidence in other people. Magazines, celebrities and most pop influences are there to make you feel like you're nothing. Don't buy into it. Those celebrities need your money to look fabulous. Invest in yourself, not hype.
5. Stop fueling gossip mongers. They have nothing to talk about and if you follow them for long, neither will you.
6. Be modest; why have all your goods unwrapped and leave nothing for the imagination?
7. Know the difference between sex and love. There is a major difference and if you don't know it, pick up a book or ask someone who does.
8. Do not have children just because you're lonely or insecure. Your child will end up hating you for it and you won't get the emotional blanket you hoped you'd get.
9. Get a job. Seriously. Just because you're a woman doesn't mean that you are excused from work. Find a trade, get a job. If you are a house wife, be a good one. If you are a career woman, put your heart into what you do.
10. A respectable companion is rarely at a 'bar' or da club'. These places are meat markets and will only set you up for a douchebag or a wimp. If you go, refer to rule 7.
11. Learn to cook. Cooking is a dying skill that needs not be. You'd be surprise how much weight you lose and how you can get a decent companion if you know more than picking up a phone and calling for dinner.
12. Get off your phone. If it's not your best friend, your job or your family, your cackling is not important and the rest of the world does not want to hear it. Listen more. Talk less.
13. Stop putting so much of your money into things [purses, shoes, make up] and start putting it into a savings account, a 401k or an IRA. Those shoes are not going to vest when you turn 65.
14. Stop using men to get you stuff. Have some self respect and buy your own drinks, meals and entertainment. A date will respect you more if you show them you are not helpless.
15. Perfume and baby powder does not make up for good hygiene. Shower, do your laundry, clean your place. Body odor is not excusable for either genders.
16. If you are a Lesbian, respect yourself and stop trying to find acceptance in the world. Be your own woman.
17. If you are a Lesbian, you are not anymore special or important than anyone else. You love other women and you have that right, but do not flex your preference thinking it makes you unique. Your mind and experiences make you unique, either gay or straight.
18. Buy clothes that fit. Be tasteful with your clothing be you big or small.
19. Don't eat for comfort, vomit to make yourself beautiful, and starve yourself to feel loved. Exercise, be sensible with your food choices, don't deprive yourself but never eat too much. The quickest way to a size 30, and to the grave, is past your teeth.
20. If they say they love you, ask them to earn your heart through good deeds, genuine kindness and respect.
21. Romance is not dead; but if you're not willing to give it, don't expect it in return.
22. Stop being a bitch to other women and other people. If you are not happy, go get therapy. No one deserves to be berated because you don't have the guts to berate yourself.
23. Do something new every day. Pole dance to learn about your sensuality, paint to express your creativity, write a blog to express your soul. Evolve and never stop learning.
24. Look in the mirror everyday and smile at what you see.
25. Stay safe. Learn to defend yourself against one or multiple attackers. Jackals do not attack if they see a big stick. If all else fails, run. There is no shame in running if it keeps you safe.
26. Love yourself. Always. When you love yourself to the fullest, the world will open with opportunities

( this good advice was from an email)

Passive Aggressive:

Sunday Sugar and the Super Bowl:

The Baby Girl loves her Carrots!

And now Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Happy Birthday to Me!

God Bless Andy Rooney:

“As I grow in age, I value women over 50 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:
A woman over 50 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think.
If a woman over 50 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.
Women over 50 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.
Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.
Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 50.
Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 50 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.
Older women are forthright and honest.. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk or if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.
Yes, we praise women over 50 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 50, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.

Tired of winter yet?

I was in Fort Wayne and happened to see Bobby G out cleaning his walkways. Lookin good Mr.B.G. (HeHe)

Irritating Things

These are so true.

There's always a car riding your tail when you're slowing down to find an address.
OH YEAH, BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE
~^~
You open a can of soup and the lid falls in.
~^~
There's a dog in the neighborhood that barks at everything.
~^~
You can never put anything back in a box the way it came.
~^~
You slice your tongue licking an envelope.
~^~
Your tire gauge lets out half the air while you're trying to get a reading.
ANOTHER ONE THAT REALLY IRKS!
~^~
You wash a garment with a tissue in the pocket and your entire laundry comes out covered with lint.
I DO THIS ONE SO OFTEN, IT SURE TICKS ME OFF...
~^~
The car behind you blasts its horn because you let a pedestrian finish crossing.
~^~
A piece of foil candy wrapper makes electrical contact with your filling.
~^~
You set the alarm on your digital clock for 7 p.m. Instead of 7 a.m.
~^~
People behind you on a super-market line dash ahead of you to a counter just opening up.
~^~
You can't look up the correct spelling of a word in the dictionary because you don't know how to spell it.
~^~
You have to inform five different sales people in the same store that you're just browsing.
~^~
You had that pen in your hand only a second ago and now you can't find it.
~^~
You reach under the table to pick something off the floor and smash your head on the way up.

Worth:

If you can be a giver instead of a taker you will find much joy in your life. If you can find a way to love and serve others,that will be the greatest thing you will ever do and will bring you the most satisfaction. Having a servant's heart means thinking more about others than yourself. I hope my heart will become softer and I will become more in tune with the needs of others and have more compassion toward the hurt and pain of others in this world.
Our worth has absolutely nothing to do with what we possess or don't possess. Your worth and purpose in this life does not depend on who you are, on what you have done, or on what has been done to you. Your worth and purpose do not depend on where you have been. Your worth is what you have allowed yourself to become.

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
~ John Wooden ~

absurdity

So I was clicking through the TV channels, and started watching one of those shop-at-home channels. The items featured for sale at that time were Titanic mementos and keepsakes, obviously spurred on by the success of the movie. Some of the items were the ever-present collector's plate series (who the heck would display a plate picturing a ship sinking?), books, videos, CD's, etc. They even had actual chunks of the Titanic's coal for sale and also genuine stock certificates from the White Star Line. Then, they presented something for sale that made my mouth drop open in disbelief. I can't remember the exact name of the character, so let's just call it "Snowflake, the Titanic Polar Bear." They were actually selling a stuffed polar bear toy to commemorate a ship that sunk and resulted in over 1,500 lives being lost. A cute little mascot, dressed in a Titanic crew member's uniform, that you can buy in remembrance of the Titanic dead. And it being a polar bear reminds you that those poor unfortunate souls froze to death in icy waters amidst icebergs. I got to thinking...is this a new trend? Should we create cute characters to symbolize great tragedies and bad times throughout history? If so, here are some suggestions:

• Harry, the Holocaust Hound (a cute little malnourished greyhound pup, attired in a concentration camp uniform.)
• Vinnie, the Vietnam Vet (when you clap your hands, this cuddly penguin hits the deck and trembles , simulating a Vietnam flashback.)
• Hindenburg Hank (a plush blimp toy that bursts into flames when you squeeze its tummy and says "Oh, the humanity" in a funny duck voice.)
• Flat-broke Frankie (a depression-era kitty-cat dressed in raggedy clothes holding a sign that reads "Buddy, can you spare a hug?")
• Hiroshima Hanna (a precious little Japanese girl doll with radioactive burns all over her body... glows in the dark.)
• Challenger Charlie (the cutest little space shuttle astronaut you've ever seen!)

If any of these offend you, sorry, but that's the point. I'm merely pointing out the absurdity of people making and selling a mascot based on mass death.

(from an email)