Category Archives: Miscellaneous Stuff

Surprise And Smack Down!

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I hate surprises.  Really.  And in just over 24 hours I had 2 that did not make for a happy little camper.

The first was while at work.  I was just sitting there, working away and minding my own business when suddenly my ADD kicked in and I went all “SQUIRREL!”.  But it wasn’t a squirrel, just a moment like that.  A shiny thought blew across the million other thoughts in my head while I was working on paperwork for one of the jobs we signed at work.  While thinking insurance and mortgage companies, billed verses received money,  ”Hey, you just turned 50 a few weeks back, wonder if your license plates are expired on the car?“.  That is just how my brain works.  There is zero connection between what I was hard at work processing and that one, out of context thought.

I ceased to function while I thought through things, and a sinking feeling came over me.  As it is I drive way too fast and it is anyone’s guess how I have never been pulled over and cited for speeding in my 34 years on the road as a licensed driver.  And no, daddy never got me out of a ticket, I have honestly never even been pulled over.  But a speeding ticket and expired plates violation would be very uncool.  Unsure, as my menopausal brain tends to not remember anything prior to the last meal I consumed (on my better days), I wandered out to check.  FOOOOOO!  They expired in May.  Used to be that they went until the end of the month of your birthday, here in the Buckeye state (home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, the team that will kick Michigan’s sorry asses this football season, my dear beloved Knight!) and then the 2 week grace period set in.  Now, you have like 7 days past your birthday.  The tag still says the month, but when you go to purchase the new stickers, anything beyond the expiration date plus 7 days, will cost an additional $20.  Naturally, mine are late.

Thankful that these can be renewed online, I sat down to do just that.  Halfway through that process I needed my plate number. OMG REALLY?  Back out I went to write it down.  I have no clue what the plate number is!  So, I am now armed with that printed piece of paper showing I did in fact purchase the new stickers ($78 flipping dollars later).  I am hoping that will suffice if I should end my record streak of not being pulled over by the local law enforcement types.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe second surprise was this morning, in the bathroom.  I was busy applying my face for the day (the older one gets the harder it is to look this amazing), when in the mirror I spotted it.  Repelling downward from the ceiling, on a nearly invisible line was a rather large spider.  Now, if my son were the one standing there looking in the mirror, carefully applying guy-liner, there would have been a long line across his face and he’d have ran screaming like a girl, to the furthest point in the house.  This being the same child, mind you, who has been a deputy for 11 years now and carries a gun, tazes and is shot at by others.  But he doesn’t live in the castle so instead I was the victim of the arachnid surprise.  And the Knight was no where around either, having loaded up his horse and rode off to work.  Without even thinking I dropped the eyeliner on the sink, turned around and clapped both hands together, squashing the little 8-legged creeper.  SMACK and it’s now a smudge.  The spider ninja strikes again.  You can hold the applause, I know, I’m cool and you are amazed and jealous of my incredible talents.

Don’t mess with us Buckeye fans!

Fat Tuesday Kiddie Meal Musings

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Yes I AM devouring a kid’s meal.  A McDonald’s Happy Meal to be exact.  And I will be entirely honest that the primary reason I purchased it was because of the toy in the meal, which is Hello Kitty.  Insane I know, but anything Hello Kitty, pink, or with bling and I’m on it.  The other reason is because the portions in a Happy Meal are more in line with normal eating portions, which I need to do.  They’ve decreased the fries, to a tiny container that had maybe 10 french fries, a good thing.  And added apple slices, a great thing!  And of course the toy. :)  This is the latest addition to my Hello Kitty collection, perched on my laptop in front of my screen.  Yes I am at work, yes that is Facebook up behind her.  I am on my lunch break, something I had to actually do today or the body count was going to start rising and I need to save the ammo for the zombie apocalypse.

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Today is Fat Tuesday, and that means the end of Mardi Gras (yes I am sporting my beads in the office today) and tomorrow being Ash Wednesday for Roman Catholics, the beginning of Lent.  I left the Catholic church in my early 20′s, and I now fall under the Reformed Baptist/Calvinist umbrella as far as my faith goes.  Most Protestant faiths do not, to my knowledge, practice Lent.  However with the right heart attitude and motive, that being for me to grow in my walk, it can be a good thing.  So, this year I’ve decided to participate.

While I am giving up something(s), I feel it is more important what I put INTO my life rather than remove.  In this case what I put in my daily life in place of what I give up, will benefit me in the long run on both a physical and spiritual front.

Beginning tomorrow, and until Easter Sunday arrives, I am giving up beer and sweets.  I’m very unhappy with my current weight and want to shed about 30 pounds by my 50th birthday.  That is in 94 days.  I have an incredible sweet tooth and LOVE junkie, fattening, sugary stuff.  And beer. I like a cold beer or 4, sometimes I will even have more.  Beer lands right next to the ice cream and chocolate…on my butt!  It must go.

In place of the junk food, sweets and beer I will drink herbal teas or water, and when hungry between meals grab a piece of fruit or raw veggies.  In the Diva Den we keep fruit and raw vegetables on hand so this won’t be a matter of not having what I should eat.  It will be a matter of curbing my desire for the crap.  I will also take a few minutes to pray and meditate on scripture when I’m feeling a strong urge to indulge in junk.  I have numerous passages I’d like to memorize, so it is win/win.

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Daryl the YUM!

Speaking of zombies, I really hope The Walking Dead isn’t planning on taking out Daryl, one of the main characters and my weekly dose of YUM!  I will be beyond ticked if that is the plan.  I do appreciate that the show is not afraid to kill off their main characters at times, but they best not be thinking about eliminating Daryl.  I want him on my team when the zombies arrive, for the protection and well yes for the eye candy factor.

The claws did not last as long as I had hoped.  A fungus formed under 3 of the nails this time, so they had to go. Such is life.  I can type a lot faster than the average person, even faster than some seriously fast folks on a keyboard, but only if I am with very short nails.  I’m kicking tail today :)  and that is a good thing right now.

Darn, duty calls.  We just received more work in!  Yes, this is a good thing, it means $$$ coming in and business being good rocks.  But it means lunch is over and I need to go do what I do best, manage this office like the central nervous system of a fantastic body, which this company is, and as soon as the brain (read: boss) gets back here it will be time to go into high gear mode again. I LOVE this.

When Is It T.M.I.? – Viewer Discretion Advised

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By now, if you read my blogs with any regularity, you know that my life is an open book.  I write, Tweet, Facebook, FourSquare, Waze, Yelp etc, frequently.  I’ve been accused before, by a few folks who prefer more privacy in their lives, of being too open, supplying too much information.

I honestly do not think that I am too open, after all that is what social networking is about, sharing and connecting with others.  Sure, checking into FourSquare could be dangerous if your account is visible or posts to your Twitter account that is visible, but only if you are being stalked.  Just in case, I generally do not ‘check in’ until I am leaving the location, unless I am with others and don’t really feel unsafe in their company.

My Twitter account is wide open, I have nothing to hide.  If I’m going to “tweet” about someone, I won’t hide behind a private account to do it, in fact I will likely write a blog post about them.  I do know people who do this, private tweeting, all the while saying “I don’t say anything that I wouldn’t say to their face”.  That is frankly pure bullshit.  If you’d say it to their faces, your account wouldn’t be private.  But I suppose that makes some people feel better about themselves.  Me, I tweet it because I really would say it to their faces, and since those that dislike me come check it, I feel that I’m not hiding behind anything.  A ‘ho is a ‘ho, a bitch is a bitch.  However I have tried hard to sit on my pretty fingers even when I don’t want too.  It is why, after the crap spewing fan of my brother’s divorce finally stopped turning, I remained silent.  I could easily let it all fly now but innocent bystanders would be hurt.  But that is another blog post.

Anyway, when is it too much information?  I think the following crossed that line.  Now regardless of your stand on abortion, I really do think it is a private matter and that tweeting about it complete with this photo, is bottom dweller in taste.  THIS is too much information.  Just as telling the world on your Twitter or Yahoo IM status that you got a little some some (sex for the slow to grasp) is exceedingly lacking in class.  Someone suggested they think this is a bogus account, and I would certainly hope so, but if it is not, it is behavior  far beneath that of a lady.  Your thoughts/comments are certainly welcome.

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Show Me The Money!!!

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In this economy we’re all about trying to trim back the budget and save some money.  And just in case you are wondering, there are only 352 shopping days until Christmas.  You’re welcome.   :)   Come on, you KNOW I am right, the holidays will come creeping up on us all again and there we are trying to buy gifts we have the money to purchase.  Credit cards are NOT the answer.  So, we have to resort to making things, which is a great solution.  I have no issue with being creative, and making things or giving the gift of time.  I did that this year, as did so many folks I know.  I think those gifts mean more when you give them.  But even gifts we make, they cost money.  I could make everyone a nice blanket but each one is $20-$40 in yarn, and that money isn’t out back growing on a tree!

Saving money toward a goal like the holidays, is a great idea.  However sometimes we can get busy and forget, or we spend the money we intended to put away.  Recently on Facebook this image has been going around, most recently on The Prudent Wife’s page, and I thought it was just brilliant.  The idea is that for 52 weeks, you put $1 for every week it is, into the savings account.  So, week 1, which just ended, I put $1 in my account.  At the end of this week, I’ll put in $2, and so on.  At the end of 52 weeks, there would be $1378 in the account, not counting any interest that builds up.  That right there is one nice chunk of money to be able to spend.  And sure, it will be needed before the 52nd week, but so what, you will still have over $1,000 at your disposal to spend.  Then just repeat next year.  Any money left over, put it in a new account and just LEAVE IT there, or pay off/down one of your bills.

By starting off small and building slowly each week, it will be easy to manage.  No doubt, I’ll quickly notice where I’m spending empty dollars on things I don’t need that could be going into that account, and as I watch the amount rise each week, it will  motivate me to keep on putting it in there.

In addition to this, so that I can actually have the money to put in my account each week, I’ll be more closely watching my purchases as to “want vs. need”.  And I’m making  myself adhere to a 24 hour rule.  If I am out and see something I want, I will wait 24 hours before purchasing it.  Chances are really good that not only will I want it bad enough to go back out and buy it, but I will have lost that initial “OMG I HAVE TO HAVE THIS” desire.  Heck I’ll likely forget about it altogether, which would definitely mean it wasn’t needed.

I do not know where this originated to give them proper credit, but here is the chart.  Happy savings to you!!!

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If I Were The Devil…

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This is the work of the late Paul Harvey.

I think it speaks well for itself, first broadcast by Mr. Harvey in 1965.  Rather disturbing how on target this all is, as I believe most all of this has or is currently happening.

I will let it speak for itself.

The Smell Of Freedom

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Did you know the wind has a smell to it?  No, not the smell of a fire place drifting on the breeze, or fresh flowers, but it has it’s own, unique smell.  If you’ve ever ridden on a motorcycle you know what I mean.  It is the smell of FREEDOM.

My honey had been missing his other woman.  As in his bike.  She was ‘hospitalized’ for repairs/maintenance so we were on a borrowed bike last weekend.  She is to him what the Black Pearl is to Captain Jack Sparrow.  FREEDOM.  He got her back late this afternoon.  My sister and I pulled ourselves  together and took him to get his other baby.  He rode her for a bit to be sure all was in working in order then had me jump on board.  Ya gotta love a man that is so darn protective.  And he really is super protective of me.  We rode 41 miles back home and it was pure heaven, me and my pavement pirate.

It was while we were riding and I was wrapped around him that I realized that his scent was back to normal.  See, he smells of leather and the wind.  His spirit is like mine, free and cannot and will  not be  nailed down.   Sitting behind him, my body up against his, my face next to his head on his shoulder, I recognized it.  Leather and ‘freedom’ are the scent of my man.  And it settles a peace over me when I inhale it.  After a day of fighting with an upset stomach and migraine,  something about the throttle therapy takes that away.  Well okay, not entirely, as some of the way I feel right now is just pure exhaustion.  But it did ease up things a good deal.

I am so looking forward to every mile to come.

NEEDED: Sugar Daddy

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Yes, I really do NEED a sugar daddy.  I think.  See, I have no idea exactly what a sugar daddy is for other than money.  What is expected of him, of me, etc?  It’s complicated.

I went to Wikipedia, like any savvy Internet addict would do, and found this:

Sugar daddy is a slang term for a man who offers money or gifts to a younger person in return for companionship or sexual favours.

Hmmm….THAT isn’t much  help for me.  I’m not ‘younger’ by most definitions.  In other words the men that would see me as ‘younger’ are far older and probably beyond the help of a little blue pill and on to penile implants.  That isn’t going to work.

A look at the website, Sugar Daddy Finder sounds more like an escort service!!!  Sorry, you can make the definition as pretty as you like but strip away the fancy words and you still have….a prostitute.

So…Sugar Companion?  Didn’t find a definition for that but face it, same thing just more compatible in age.   *heavy sigh*

What’s a girl to do?

Money – yes that part is good.

Lavish gifts?  Well I certainly would NOT turn down an iPhone and iPad.

But um…about that intimacy part with a Hugh Hefner wannabe…. not so much.

Maybe I’ll take up rubbing dirt on my face, making a cardboard sign, and sitting on a corner begging…

He is SO hot, hold me back!

Toilet Training Cats?

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It is a running joke around here, since we have 3 cats, that it would be great if we could toilet train them.  One handles the litter box just fine.  One gets the general concept but when it comes to covering what she leaves behind…well she was orphaned shortly after birth so she wasn’t taught.  I’ve done all but get in the box and show her how this is done but face it, I wouldn’t fit.  We’re thankful she uses the litter box.  The third one? Well she is mentally challenged on her best days.  She digs the hole then stands in it and craps outside of the box onto the floor, then scoops litter OUT of the box onto her floor deposit to cover it.  Brilliant, eh?

So I decided today to look into the idea of actually toilet training our cats.  Heck we already have a phantom pooper (that person that never flushes but no one owns up to it), why not the cats?  Heck if we can train them to go maybe we can train them to flush too!  That would raise them above the phantom!

I actually thought it was a joke, as I really haven’t known of anyone that accomplished this feat.  But then I googled “toilet training cats” and found out that this can, in fact, be done.  Or at least according to the website and a number of videos it is successful.  I’m still skeptical but willing to look into it.  The first one I found, Litter Kwitter, has videos on it’s site to show how this is accomplished when you purchase their training kit for your cat.  For $49 you can buy it and frankly that is worth it if I never have to purchase litter again.  I have since found less expensive versions, as cheap as $16.  I’m totally wanting to believe this can be done.

I had to include the video, I just knew you’d want to know.  They even sell a special package for multi-cat households, like mine.

The Fine Print On My Birth Certificate

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Anyone who has raised children, taught children, been around them for any length of time has no doubt heard the words, “but that’s not fair!”.

Growing up, I remember dozens of reasons why “that’s not fair”, like who rode shot gun when mom drove us somewhere (yeah this was before front seat airbags and the accident studies, honestly amazing we all survived, eh?).  Or who got the red cup at lunch, who got to walk up the street with dad….with 4 kids and only one red cup, one front seat shot gun position, dad only taking one of us, well there were a lot of things the remaining 3 would feel wasn’t fair.  Mom had a come back for that, “No where on your birth certificate does it say life is going to be fair”, and she was so right.  Trust me, first opportunity I had to actually see mine I was frantically searching for the fine print that guaranteed me fairness in life.  In case you are wondering about your own, nope it is NOT there.

As my kids were growing up, well I wish I had a $1 for every time I heard my mother coming out of my mouth, I’d be a wealthy woman.  Especially with that phrase about the birth certificate.  Another favorite went like this:

ME:  MOM! I cannot find my pink sweater anywhere, what did you do with it?

MOM:  Well, last time I wore it I put it AWAY where it BELONGS!

Now, mom did NOT wear the sweater, but the hint to me and my 3 siblings was if we would put stuff away we’d have a clue where to look for it.  It was the beginning of training for us to put things away when we were finished with them. But back on track, I’ve hijacked my post…

My kids would roll their eyes in a big, dramatic way, when I used the birth certificate line one them.  Then I’d get the “but you don’t understand!” response.  Oh trust me child, I understand.  Every day, even now, I am learning over and over again that life is simply not FAIR.

Why did my marriage fail (two of them) and other people last a lifetime?

Why is it I got let go from my job when clearly there were less productive people that could have been layed off?

Why at 16 did I get pregnant when there were countless other teenage girls having sex that did not get knocked up?

Why did MY car have to have the flat tire?

The list of “why me” could be pretty lengthy if I went on and on, and about that time I would hear my mother’s words echo in the background, “why NOT you?” and that would be followed by the over stated eye roll.  Indeed, why not me?

Sh*t happens, it is how life is.  Sometimes worse than others, sometimes the bottom drops out and we just want to die because it is painful, hard, and uphill.  During those times it is so easy to lose sight of the good things, the blessings in our lives.  Example, I know a guy that got pulled over and got a ticket once.  That officer is now his wife and the mother of his children.  Chance meetings in a bad moment turn into great things.  I understand that it is hard to see the good, the blessing, when you pull a rotten apple from the barrel of life…but that rotten apple, when planted in broken soil, will fertilize that ground and yield wonderful fruit later.  It is hard to see the shore in the middle of the storm, the silver lining in those dark clouds.  But if we just remember that “this too shall pass” there is good to come.  Be thankful and allow that spoiled fruit to grow GOOD things in you.

Meanwhile, keep that birth certificate handy, it never hurts to look for the fine print now and then when struggling against the ‘why me’ unfairness that hits us all.

In Due Time, The Gloves WILL Come Off

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If you want a BIGGER life..be the BIGGER person. There is no more fabulous view than the one from the high road. ~ The Single Woman

That quote is very true, the high road does indeed have  the most  fabulous view.  No doubt this is because we rise above our bitterness, anger, hatred and other negatives that blind us not only from the truth, but from being who  we  could be.

The high road is the more difficult road to take in life.    Lately I’m walking on the high road, but with great difficulty.  What I really want to do is yank the self imposed gloves off and really just lash out and let you know what I think of you!  Should I remove the gloves, there is also a leash that has been put on the family pit-bull.  Out of respect I’ve not chewed through that leash, but the day is coming,  and not  that far  down the road now.  Instead,  like a guard dog behind a fence, I am pacing back and forth.  I see you, I’m watching you, and I will get free one day and then beware.  Perhaps I should publish every careless word that was sent, every lie told, that the  truth might be known.

That truth…that you are not the victim you play yourself to be.  No, you are no angel,  no victim at all.  You are a dark, mean, bitter soul.  Not the person I thought for a very long time.  Not one of character and grace, upstanding and honest.  Your integrity is non-existant.  The accusations you have made, while indeed true in some cases….well pot, meet kettle as they say.  You’re no better as it is now known and in due time will be known by all.  You point your finger and cry “foul” while 3 of your fingers point back at you.

The Karma bus that you’ve attempted to drive yourself, is coming for you.  When it rolls  over  you,  and the truth exposed, you’ll be lucky if anyone reaches out to help you.  If only they all really knew, huh? Your real  thoughts of them, your real feelings, and that they are but all pawns in a game you won’t win.  Good always wins over evil, and you are indeed very evil.  It is just sad that so many will be hit and rolled over by that Karma bus, yet they deserve it when it does finally run them down.  So much truth is now in the proper hands, and sadly all the wicked queen’s hench men and women will fall with her.  To think someone struggles with that, because his heart  really is very good, and it will pain him more than those under the wheels, when the Karma bus runs  them over.

I know that you come here, and come to my Twitter.  It is why I leave them open.  Keep laughing and reading,  because  I will have the last laugh.  He is too good a person to laugh but not me.  No, I will laugh again and again.

I know  that the song wasn’t about this, but these words are oh so applicable…

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I’ll be watching you

If Life Is A Box Of Chocolates, I Prefer To Package My Own

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Unless you have lived under a rock most of your life, you’ve probably heard the popular quote from the movie, Forrest Gump, “My momma always said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”"  I suppose that on SOME levels that can be true if we chose to lead a passive life allowing the winds of circumstances to steer our ship.  That isn’t for me, I need more control over my journey.  Not to mention, if you are going to splurge on chocolates, buy the pricey kind, like Esther Price (love those!), that happen to have a cheat sheet telling you what is inside the various kinds of chocolates in the box!

I refuse to be a survivor in life, allowing things to just happen.  I’m a warrior, I fight against things that get in the way of my end goals.  I prefer to steer my own ship, thank you very much, and I do NOT care for guessing what is inside the chocolates in my box  of life.  Too often what looks tasty is flat-out disappointing.  My life has been full of situations that didn’t go as I would have liked, and little by little I’ve learned that if I want something in life, I can either gamble and take a lot of bites from truffles of chance, or I can plot and plan and fill the box of  life with chocolates I prepare.

Forrest Gump is full of simple wisdom, but this is one time I’m not accepting it.  Sure, I can open the box and start eating willy nilly whatever looks good and hope I bite into something scrumptious , and things may or may not turn out the way I’d like, but my odds are greatly increased  if I follow a recipe and set goals, write them down, make a plan to achieve them, then act on those plans.  I don’t care to sample all the bon bons in search of what I want.  I’d rather stop wasting time and start making and packaging my own, filling my life’s box with delicious choices I select!  To do this I have to follow the recipe.

I will succeed in my goals, and be a top seller with Avon.  I research and study what others have tried who are at the top, and I am incorporating those things.  Their ideas have spawned several of my own, and helped me locate opportunities for sales and recruiting.  I refuse to give up.  I will succeed!

Remember my name, you’ll be hearing it in rich and famous of Avon one day soon!

Why, God, WHY?

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As a mother, I have always  been thankful for my children being HEALTHY.  I  knew  from extensive reading before, during, and after my pregnancies that babies born healthy and ‘normal’ is nothing if not miraculous.  SO many things can go ‘wrong’ that  things being right is more of a blessing  than I had realized.

The moment my children were born I  was counting fingers, toes, quickly checking them out for any physical signs of a ‘defect’ in them.  I was one of those mothers that was fortunate, my babies were fine.  Nothing shocking, no life or death issues, just take them home and do what we gals are wired to do, nurture them.

This morning I stumbled on a blog page  by accident.  I was checking another blogger’s page and noticed a page for blog buttons so I clicked it.  Most of us have others we follow and we post the buttons as a means to drive traffic to blogs we think are worthy.  I saw this “praying for Tripp” button and clicked it.  Anytime I see a button  for someone indicating a need for prayer I’m drawn to their story.  I was not prepared for what I found.  My heart  just broke for this little boy.

Before my coffee this morning, I had never heard of Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).   Tears welled up as I looked at the photos of this precious child, and read his story.  This skin disease is just MEAN!  Wretched, horrible, MEAN!!!  And it is one of those things that makes me want to shake my fist at my Heavenly Father and scream “WHY WHY WHY???? How could you do this to a CHILD???”  And the heavens are  silent.  I will have to wait to ask that question until  I meet Him face to face.  Meanwhile, I can only pray for Tripp, and  his mommy and daddy.

I encourage  you to read all about him (click the button), pray for him.  And then take  time to hug your kids  and thank God  for  your precious angels.

Role Models And Freedom Of Speech

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One of the  Diva Den has encountered what happens when you exercise your right to free speech, and learned that sometimes that freedom of expression comes  with a price, or consequences.

My niece attends a local vocational high school and as a senior this year she was asked to participate in Junior Day.  She’d be helping out with basically orienting the junior class coming in as to how things operate and what is acceptable and not acceptable.  One thing had to do with attire.  She was asked to dress in an inappropriate manner to show  as the example  of what is not going to be tolerated in fashion when at school.  She has a Twitter account and posted a tweet referencing the  teacher that  asked and saying she  had been asked to dress like a slut.  Could she have chosen better words and left out the teacher’s name? Certainly.  But she invoked her freedom of expression and it cost her, the price: she isn’t allowed to participate in Junior Day and she was called to the principle’s office to remove the tweet.

Seems the school, in a district that has to  keep cutting the budget, can afford to hire people to monitor student’s  Facebooks, Twitter accounts etc looking for derogatory remarks about  teachers, other students and the schools.  Yes,  when they cannot afford TEACHERS to instruct students, they PAY people  to hunt down and watch students PERSONAL accounts for negative commentary.  Don’t get me wrong, I realize that  Human Resource  departments in 75%  of companies or more, are doing the same thing with employees.  They also hire and fire  based on the type of person you are deemed to be based on what is seen on your Facebook etc.  Good time to reconsider those drunken debauchery photos you posted last week from that blow out party.

No  one is denying freedom to express oneself, but keep in mind there can be a price for that.  Much can be  learned about people by what they post  in their social media outlets.  In an economy where jobs are scarce it might be wise to really look at the image you give of yourself.

Now, I do not like what happened to my niece, but I can see the other side of this issue as well.

How many times have we been up in arms over a sports figure that goes bad and gets arrested,  Tiger Woods cheated on his wife with who know  how many women, Lindsay Lohan and Paris  Hilton get DUI’s, and we’re all upset because by golly they are role models! What kind of image does this portray to our children of what is acceptable?  Never mind that they maybe didn’t sign up to be a role model, they are in the public eye, and therefore examples and should behave, right?  They should have thought about privacy before they moved into the lime light, with it goes a certain expected amount of responsibility.

SO, is being a representative of your high school to incoming students really any different?  Chosen  to participate, and accepting that role, one accepts a leadership position and with it becomes a role model of sorts.  Are you then not  held to a higher standard of expectation?  Is it  okay to speak negatively or behave in a way that is unbecoming if  you are representing your school? Or your program at school?  As the representative you are observed not only by current students and faculty, but future students as well.  Your words and actions on a public forum represent a product, the school.  Even if it is personal, if you make something public, it reflects you, and as a representative of your school, it reflects on them.

Major corporations remove celebrities or  others (some become celebrities by being the spokesperson, remember the Dell  guy that we all loved, Dude, you’re getting a Dell, that later was busted for pot and dropped?  The companies and products being endorsed want a clean cut, positive image.  We as consumers are not at all upset and in fact most of the time  totally back the dropping of a celebrity endorsement if they fail to live up to expectations of the role model.

I completely understand my niece being upset with those  in charge for removing her from the role.  I also completely understand the school  doing what they felt best to keep a particular image.  And as far as those hired to do just this, monitor the students on public forums, are we really upset about the money spent or the fact that someone was caught and singled out because they ARE in a role model position?  And if it were another student, would we in the Diva Den be this worked up or would we be saying “good, that person shouldn’t be representing the school if they cannot do it in a positive manner”.

I am torn, to say the least and trying to see all sides.  What is YOUR opinion/thought?

Twitter: Follow Me Or Don’t, But Stop Whining!

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First, one using Twitter has to understand what it is:  Micro Blogging.  You only have 140 characters to use to convey your message.  This has resulted in many coming up with creative ways to abbreviate words.  For example your becomes UR, are becomes R, two or to or even too becomes 2 and so on.  Many IM abbreviations such as LOL, ROFLMAO, TTYL, TTFN, IMO have also made their way into tweets.  Creativity reigns when the message is longer than 140 characters.

I found Twitter a number of years ago, and slowly dragged many in my family kicking and screaming convinced my family to try it.  My son has one but never uses it, my daughter refuses to come to the dark side, but my brothers, sister, parents and many of the nieces and nephews use it now.  Many in the blogging community use Twitter to alert their followers of a new blog post. News organizations give short headlines with links to breaking news and weather.  Many businesses like Papa John’s Pizza have tweeted coupons/specials only made known to their Twitter followers.

Blogging, be definition is an online diary or journal.  For some it is a form of a notebook.  How public they wish to make it is up to the author.  Some are wide open, others password protected.  Many blog under a pen name for anonymity while others put their real name to their work.  Bloggers are as varied as people, everyone from mommy bloggers who write about their kids and parenting, to politicians and celebrities. They put out there whatever it is they wish to share with their readers.

Twitter is micro blogging – sharing whatever the owner of that ID wishes to share with their followers.

Like with any author, we often share pieces of someone elses writings when we find it of interest.  Either within our blogs or on Twitter, or in books etc.

This is how I use Twitter:

  • To share quotes and tweets from others I follow that I think are good, cool, touching etc.
  • My random thoughts and actions I feel like sharing.
  • To alert my followers of a new blog post I put up.
  • To share others blogs I think are worth checking out.
  • To share weather, headlines etc that come across my feed if I think they are note worthy to some.
  • To once in a while respond to a tweet from another.
  • To alert friends and followers where I am at the moment via Foursquare which updates on my Twitter feed.
  • And a host of other reasons.

I follow 148 others on Twitter at the moment, that is subject to change up or down on any given day but rarely goes up. Everything from inspirational quotes to other bloggers to news stations that put out headlines and family members.

I currently have 404 people following me on Twitter, and that number rises and falls from day to day but not by many. I have no idea why they all follow me but they do.

You can chose to make your Twitter ID private so only your approved followers can see what you tweet (publish).  Or, like me, you can leave your Twitter wide open so anyone can view it and follow you.  There are family members that I follow that keep their ID locked down so only those they chose to have in the family can see what they tweet.  That is fine for them.  I keep mine open, it is what I chose to do.

Recently it came up from one of my followers that they didn’t care for all the retweets of other Tweeters tweets.  I assume of course that was directed to me, as I do retweet a good number of things I find interesting or amusing.  They felt that if they cared what someone else was tweeting they’d be following that person too.  Another member backed that up and said they don’t let others in ‘our network’.  See, who you let follow you and you follow is YOUR network.  I have my own larger circle that follows me and I follow, yours happens to over lap a few of mine but not many.

I share what I wish, because this is MY Twitter ID and I put out there what I WANT to share.  If you find that too much, don’t follow me.  Just like with Chad Ocho Cinco, I follow him on and off throughout the year.  At times he tweets so much that I just stop following him for a while, then other times I am highly amused by what he puts out.  But I am not going to tailor my tweets to what my followers think I should be sending out.  404 people on my follower list all have a different reason for why they follow me.  If you don’t care for what I send out, then don’t follow me.

For family and close friends I now have a new Twitter ID so that they can follow me without all the retweets. Hopefully now everyone is happy.

Do Not Judge Me

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I didn’t get up and go to church today, but that is because I had something to do that I felt needed to be done.

I have not made it to church for a month and a half, but don’t assume anything simply because I am not there.

My life has been full of hills and valleys, more than you will ever know and there has been a good deal of pain and suffering that were not of my making. 

Sometimes when the cards are down or things have been difficult, I withdraw for a while, it is how I cope.  Don’t assume the worst.

Just because I’m not sitting in a pew doesn’t mean I am not in the Word, or in prayer on a regular basis.

Yes, sometimes I compare my life to the lyrics of songs NOT by the Christian artists, that is because in trying to  express myself at the moment, P!nk has it more on than Jason Gray.  Using the lyrics to try to bring across where  I am or was or what I am feeling is  NOT promoting the artist, it is about the words of the song and how they spoke to ME.

You know nothing about what is in my heart.

When you have walked a mile in my shoes, then you can feel free to  point out the things in my life that need work.  The Lord is working on many areas, just not the  ones you seem to have issues with, but trust me, He is at work and there is plenty of it to work on.

Do not judge me.

Warning Lights And DEFCON 3

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Home late,  up entirely too early (such is life with cats) and now mulling over much in my mind.  Had couple cups of coffee with mom and Diva Boo, but now just sitting here thinking…and thinking some more.  It is what I do on Saturday mornings, contemplate the events of the week, and process it all.  I am in serious processing mode today.  I NEED some road therapy, and very much hoped to be on the back of Mr. Wonderful’s bike today riding off in any old direction until  we felt like turning around and coming back.  Unfortunately he  wrestles tonight and so that won’t work out.   That sucks, he is always good for helping me sort out my thoughts and asks the pointed questions I so need to hear and answer sometimes. I may have to take this to floating raft therapy instead..drifting about the  pool at Yatz and Angeo’s.

Long ago on another blog, at a happy and reflective  time in my life, I had written about how much I LOVE railroad crossings.  Trains are in my blood, my grandfather was a railroad engineer back when there were steam locomotives.  Several uncles and cousins worked for the railroad over the years.  I remember one night,  an early anniversary dinner at The Iron Horse Inn, you could FEEL the trains coming when you were dining, and things throughout the room vibrated as they passed by.  I LOVED it!  When me and Prince Charming left to go to our car a train was coming and I walked over near the tracks (poor guy probably thought I was going to throw myself in front of it, as he cautioned me to back up a bit) and I stood there with my eyes closed as it roared past, absorbing the vibrations through my body, feeling the wind against my face.  Tons of brute force and energy  in that engine, totally outstanding!  I have a friend that lives near tracks, they are probably not 20 feet  from her back fence.  She would laugh when we were there playing cards or eating, and I’d here the bells on the crossing a few houses down and bolt out the back door to go stand by the fence when the train went by, again closing my eyes and FEELING the tremendous power of the engines.

Railroad crossings are my favorite break time.  The lights start flashing, the gate comes down and you are stuck sitting there as the train passes, sometimes very fast and other times seemingly crawling at a snails pace.  Everyone around me is rolling their eyes in  their cars, I’m grinning like a kid at Christmas.  The sounds of the wheels clickty clacking over the tracks is like therapy for me.  From a symbolic stand point, I always take the flashing red lights to mean STOP, breathe, relax and THINK.  Just sit still and evaluate life…your goals, priorities, the road you are on at the moment.  Examine for just a few minutes where you are and where you are headed. REST a moment, life is going by fast, think it through.  It was funny really, I would cross this set of tracks every morning and afternoon in Glendale, the same tracks that pass The Iron Horse Inn,  and to get caught at the crossing was a rare treat.  Lots of trains roll through but it was only every once in a while that I actually got stuck waiting for one.  I took those as Divine intervention into my life to stop, think, pray,  etc. for just a few minutes.  Without a doubt each time it was when life was moving along fast and I wasn’t paying close enough attention to things.  Red lights were a warning for me.

I pay attention to my gut now, because I learned through those many waits at the crossings to take time to pay attention to my instincts.  We all have a 6th sense to us, and some are way more in tune to theirs than others.  I’ve tuned mine in very clearly for the most part over the years, as it has never failed me.  Like an internal traffic light, our gut instinct will flash green, yellow or red to guide us through life.  I will turn to prayer and my Bible when the lights start flashing yellow or red, seeking guidance in how to proceed.  I also turn to others that are not emotionally attached to situations to help me think through things,  like the Divas, or Mr. Wonderful.

I have a bright yellow caution light flashing at the moment.  Not a red, warning, don’t walk, but a yellow, go slow and sharpen the senses, use care and really be observant kind of light.  Those  lights are frustrating compared to green or red, because they are so FIXED.  This instinct light doesn’t give the answers, it tells me to LOOK for them, the signs, clues, indications etc…walk but with slow, careful, cautious and very aware steps.  Be on guard, DEFCON  3 internal level of alertness has been activated.  Stop, look and listen…

Not As Young As I Once Was…

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O.M.G.

What the heck was I thinking?????

I am so T-I-R-E-D….

Yesterday my baby girl turned 21.  Last night we went out to my favorite little pub to have a drink to celebrate.  Me in my moment of temporary insanity wisdom tagged people on Facebook to come out and join us.  It quickly turned into a small party.  Her brother, old neighbors, my brother and Diva Angeo, my ex-husband (oh yes, I was nice and he did his best to play nice in the sandbox too), and several others showed up.  I crawled in bed about 2:30 this morning.  But not before lots of fun, photos of 3 of us (one being my daughter) up drinking on the bar, and a lot of “oh stay for one more mom/Marti”.  I must be insane!!!  While this time I did not get totally hammered, whenever I am out with my son it is usually a “you will pay for this later, self” kind of time.  I am paying for it thankfully from lack of sleep and not a royal hangover.  But then I didn’t do shots or play drinking games, I actually CAN behave sometimes!

I am so far beyond exhausted this morning.  Most of this week I have had insomnia at some point during the night, waking up unable to go to sleep again.  And now, here I sit, sucking down coffee like I  need it to breathe (which as tired as I am I probably DO).  Miss Marti will be dead on her feet today. Jumper cables may need to be used to keep me going today.

I remember a time, in my much younger days, when I could do this all week long and be bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning, sometimes not even going to bed between the party and the next work day.  Those days are long gone!  Good grief I am getting too old for this!  Who am I kidding, I AM too old for this!  Ah but it was fun :)

~*~

 

*photo by Maggie Smith/www.freedigitalphotos.net