I'm back......

Been gone for a week due to technical difficulties.  Our internet stopped working last Wednesday and it has taken 6 days 10 phones calls to India, 9 people not listening and me loosing my cool to get it back on.  How often are we driven to anger when frustration takes over?  I talked to different people who did not listen to me and what my problem was.  They followed a script and did not know how to deviate and provide good customer service.  Each time their suggestions failed they would get to the end of their script and say your internet must be experiencing an outage...ya think?  Then on the tenth call, on the 6th day, and the 3rd hour of trying. I snapped.  It worked, but I still feel ashamed.  I hate to be pushed however theoretically to the breaking point.  I hate that it took that just to get the customer service I needed, I purchased and I deserved.  What happened to us as a society, as people, that we ended up doing our jobs so methodically.  That we lost sight and desire, to do a job and do it well? We need to remember everybody's looking for something, and hoping that they will be able to get it when they seek it. We need to put ourselves in the place of the people we are helping.  Then we might care more about them actually receiving the help they are seeking. Here's to hoping I don't get shoved into the dark side again........

              

Sunshine

I can't wait for the sunshine, for spring and summer.  I am one of those people that wants it, craves it and needs it.  It makes me happy. In the wintertime when the sun seems far away, I tend to be tired and slightly cloudy.  I am not a sun worshiper in the sense of suntanning, I just like to be out in it.  To feel it on my face, its warmth and illumination makes me giddy. When all the flowers, trees and grass begin to awake its wondrous. Fluffy clouds in the clear blue sky, magical. All the buzzing bees and creepy crawly things make their presence known as they busily go about their work. Making honey, spinning webs, and pollinating the flowers so their blooms will burst with beauty, fragrance and color. Babies will be everywhere, bunnies, turtles, birds and many more. Squirrels playing and chasing each other. And longer days with more sunshine, and beautiful sunsets. Lets not forget water, wonderful showers that refreshes all that is struggling to grow, babbling brooks calling out to overheated feet, and swimming pools that will be waiting to cool the sweat. Walks in the cool forest and on the sandy beaches. Fishing, boating and just enjoying what the outdoors has to offer. Sunshine months are always long awaited and when they finally arrive are fleeting as they seem to pass too quickly into the overshadowed wintery months. But the sunny months are purest form of medicine one can partake in. The only side effects are you will crave more and become an addict to its powers. So here is to the countdown to sunny days, I can't wait...............

Everybody's a critic....

When we ask for an opinion we immediately set ourselves up for the truth as others see it.  Asking for an opinion is  a 50/50 shot at receiving good or bad results.  We are always compelled to ask, we seek the answer we want to hear. Just the thought that someone is going to give us the answer we want, every time is ridiculous. Nobody ever gets those kind of results, the odds of it are mind-boggling. Yet we still ask, expecting what we want to hear and being upset when we don't hear it. Does this dress look good?  Do I look fat?  Do you like what I wrote? All question's of opinion are subjective, all request makers are overly optimistic that they will hear the results they seek. Why do we seek confirmation of something we are already satisfied with? It is human nature to seek positive reinforcement, and just as human to be devastated by the negative. Have you ever noticed that people who are confident in their own choices and opinions are the ones that usually end up starting new trends with people who want to follow or emulate them. The answer to why, is that people are attracted to confidence in life and choices. Asking for an opinion shows you might not be confident in your choice, presenting your choices confidently reflects that you are above question in your choice.  So what does all this jibber jabber mean? Remember before you ask for that opinion, are you really prepared to hear the answer that you are not seeking? If the answer is no, then don't ask for what you do not want to hear, be confident in your choices and who you are.  Save the opinions for situations that you are truly conflicted on, and need the advice.  If you like the dress or the book, present them as something you like and remain confident in your choices. Marching to our own drum, makes us who we are......

Age catching up with you?

Do you remember when you were young and everyone that was an adult seemed old? Now that you are older does everybody seems closer to the same age? I see people I have not seen for years and years and they are suddenly almost the same age as me.  Yet when I was younger, they seemed to be just a child compared to me. Funny how 6,8 or even 10 years seemed a huge difference in age then and now seems like nothing. How often do you see people who now look the same age as their parents do.  They no longer seem like parents and children but more like people of the same age.  I notice daily that my brothers and I are catching up with our mother in age, we get older looking and she seems to look the same.  Why is that?  Is it some cruel twist of fate?  Maybe its life's karma. We feel when we are younger that our parents are ancient and we will never be that old.  God surely has a sense of humor, because not only do we become as ancient as our parents are but we somehow we become close to the same age.  16 and 40 seem worlds away, but 60 and 84 do not seem that far apart. Life's cruel way of sneaking up on us and biting us in the ass.  The elusive numbers......they are back again.......

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is my husbands 50th birthday!!! I am 1/2 century old he proclaimed with great pride.  I am glad he is so proud of being 50, it is definitely a milestone accomplishment to be proud of. I hope we will be able to enjoy many more birthdays to come. I know often times as we get older birthdays come and go without notice, they seem to lose their importance in our lives. I think that is a shame.  My husbands excitement at turning 50 has made me realize that the day of our birth should be important, its a day for our family and friends to say we are glad you were born on this day.  It is a day that can be special just for us, even thought we share that birth date with millions and millions of people, it is a special day for just us to share with the people who care about us. My husband wanted a party, in fact he insisted on having one with his family.  I though it was silly. I did not plan ahead and had to ask my brother and sister in law at the last minute to host the event,(thank-you, thank-you) and they did so most graciously.  My husband was ecstatic on our way to their house.  And then it hit me, he wanted to spend time with his family, to be special in their eyes for the day.  It really wasn't about his age, it was about his who he wanted to be with on his special day.  I am glad he was able to have such a special day with his family. Remember the next time it is someone special to you who is having a birthday, to spend some time with them, letting them know how special they are to you, it makes a difference.  Tomorrow is another day, another zillion birthdays, and my brothers 51st birthday.  I am going to call him and let him know how special he is to me......who are you gonna call or see?

It mattered more than we thought.......

Today was the day. Inspection day.  The day we have worked so hard for finally arrived. The score we worked so hard for was reduced in 2 swoops from a 99 to a possible 84.  A self closing door that lacked 1/32 of an inch from closing completely due to wheel chair damage that was fixed in less than a minute an 8 to 10 point deduction, a fence for decor with two knot holes in it a possible 6 point deduction.  What is the lesson in this latest development, I don't know. Devastation and disappointment were overwhelming.  It will take us a few days and the arrival of the actual score to move on. I know it shouldn't matter this much, but we put our hearts into it not to mention our blood, sweat and tears, we claimed it as part of our worth.....our score. Next time we need to see the prize differently.  The satisfaction of a job well done with the number being secondary to the accomplishment....wish us luck.....yet another lesson to learn......time to teach us dogs a new trick...

                                                 I'll score this a............
 

Team work

Most journeys start with a single step, most destinations are reached through teamwork. Build a great team and the summit is within reach, try reaching the top on your own and the climb can be endless. A good team sacrifices for the needed outcome, a great team sacrifices for each other, and a great outcome is the by-product. A great team must be nurtured individually as well as a whole.  Each member needs to be able to embrace their contributions to the team and own their place in it. They need to know that each and every member has the same stake in the team, and the team recognizes their contributions. Each members value is never in question, it is always necessary to complete the whole. Sometimes one team player contributes more than the others, but not always, every member takes their turn being the biggest contributor . Its hard building a great team, but not maintaining it. Every member has to be utilized for their talents, given opportunities to grow, and treated with value and respect. Treat others as you would want to be treated and you will never go wrong. Sounds simple, because it is simple. People are different in many ways but not in the most basic way, how you treat them. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.........

Lost yesterday

Sorry about yesterday. I barely made it home to crash in the bed. Inspection is Friday.  Thank God for Friday, then it will be over.  No more guessing or worrying about the outcome.  Friday will come and go and we will forget the struggles it took us to get there. Another sleepless night spend worrying. Why do we care?  I think the answer is I'm glad we care. It is great to have pride in what you do, and do it to the best of your abilities. It is fast becoming a lost art and a marketable commodity. Remember.....doing a great job can be rewarding, feeling personal satisfaction from a job well done is priceless.

Why do we shorten everything?

I am acronym inept. It takes me forever to figure them out.  My brain is not hardwired to decipher them without great strain. I think too hard, and try to make them more than they are.  LOL, is that laugh out loud, lots of love,or lemon,orange,lime? It seems like everybody is on the bandwagon of acronyms. Religion has WWJD, fast food has McD's, KFC, BK, LJS, you have BMW, AT&T,BP&J, and on and on.  When you read the code the youth of today has engineered, it can be mind-boggling. They are more advanced than the KGB was in transmitting secret messages by text in plain sight. Companies are obsessed with acronyms for internal forms, like an oc25-a, or some such thing that only the true pencil pushing geek will ever remember, just call it what it is people a time sheet! While I am on my soap box lets talk about the people who insist on shortening people's names for them. Here's a hint, if I really wanted to be called Vicki, I would not introduce myself as Victoria. Ultimately we can say we do it for the sake of time, like short hand.  But what about the people like me, that it takes 3 times longer to decipher, are we just SOL(isn't that also a test?) What happens when we wake up only to find that the world is unable to write a complete sentence without abbreviating anything.  Will it be the EOTWAWKI? At any rate see u tmoro.........

The day of love........

People love to be in love.  They love a day to celebrate that love.  Valentine's Day definitely fits the bill. It's a day when we think about our significant other in a way that helps to renew our love.  We think about all the traits they have that we love.  We remember the first time we met, our first kiss and why we love that person.  Its a day to renew our love without all the worries of everyday life.  We suspend our normal lives in time, so we can be happy about our love.  Some of us even take the time to let our kids and parents know we love them too.  What says I love you more than chocolate, flowers and jewelry, staples of this sacred day? Maybe it's that perfect valentines card that expresses your inner most feelings. Its truly a wonder that this day continues to be a time of reflection and introspect for the ones we love, that in this day and age it can carry the weight it does in our lives.  I must admit it still makes me giddy to think about the flowers that will arrive from my husband and the wonderful cards that are a testament to the love we share. We always have a special dinner to end the day. I hope that this day continues through time and can remain true to what it accomplishes, a day to remember who we love and why, to celebrate the love and nothing else.  As we all know tomorrow comes soon enough will all the realities of  bills, dirty laundry, forgotten anniversaries and all the other things that test our love.  I am glad we still have Valentines Day, even the name sounds romantic.......thank goodness for the elixir of romance, we all need some once in a while......

What the heck is that?

As many of us (especially me) struggle with our weight, how often do we read the labels only to ask ourselves, what the heck is that?   It's not often that we can read a label and decipher what it is. Why is it so expensive to eat whole foods?  They constantly remind us on the news about the onslaught of obesity. How Americans are growing literally ever fatter. Did we ever consider that fattening foods are the cheapest?  It cost more to buy whole foods that have not been altered.  Why is that?  Why does it cost more for things that are sugar free than for items that have sugar in them? Maybe because the weight loss industry rakes in millions and millions of dollars.  We pay more to be less.  The coveted trophy of thin.  There is no length overweight people will not go to for the miracle weight loss, and corporate America knows it.  Maybe we should spend a little more time thinking about what we want and not what is being sold to us.  There is not a magic pill, or a magic diet or exercise machine that will dissolve weight. (believe me I have probably tried them all) It will be a matter of making the decision to live a different lifestyle when it comes to food. I am 45 days into trying and the results have been disappointing. But this is a journey, not a trip that you go on and come back from, its a life change destination.

Dark Place..................

Ever been in a really dark place?  A place where you feel despair so deep that if you think about it, you will surely be consumed whole.  Well, I am residing there today.  We all reach it sometimes, and we just need some time to be quite and re-adjust so we can come into the light again. We all reach a point where we feel all used up  and the waters coming in quicker than we can sop it up.  We just need to have a day to have pity on ourselves so we can feel OK.  The main thing is that we are able to come back and start over again with a new plan to face our obstacles.  We will always have obstacles to face in life and every once in a while, when the planets align, the scale will tip and we will get dangerously close to the bottom, where the dark resides.  This is what tests our fortitude, the stuff we are made of so to speak, our sink or swim reflexes.  Often times we will bob up and down a couple of times before we are able to tread water.  But what happens if the dark place wins and we sink without recovering?  That's what friends and family are for, all we have to do is stretch out our hand, and someone will grab hold and pull. If we are really stuck, then our family and friends usually travel in packs............There is always strength in numbers....  

Too Tired ........

It has been a hectic week, and I am glad today was Friday! Change of schedule this week has been harsh. Going to call it a night.......ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Simpler times......

Do you ever wish for simpler times? Most of have at some point.  When things get hectic and chaos reins, we want things to slow down. This 21st century demands multi-tasking,non stop action and more things per second than we can deliver. Seldom do we ever give our full attention to anything. Even as I write this, the television is playing, the dogs barking, and people talking. We are so accustomed to the chaotic nature of this life that peace and quite, the very thing we long for, would probably cause us to be less productive.  What we really seek to create by our longing for simpler times is the best of both worlds, the simpler one and the fully automated one.  How many of us would really want to give up all the amenities of the modern life that we enjoy?  The simpler life of long ago was a physically harder life. Speaking to family and friends was accomplished through the snail mail that took weeks. Early to rise and early to bed (not much to do after dark) was the motto of the times. Our motto for modern times, do it, see it, be it, bigger, better, faster and simultaneously. Imagine if we could use technology when we wanted, picking and choosing, who, what, where, when, why and how. If we could control the pace of our lives to suit us, without the demands of anyone or anything. How many of us wish we didn't have the real option of choosing, whether or not to answer the phone even though we are in the middle of something else, without the worry that the person on the other end will be demanding to know why they couldn't reach us immediately. The ease and access of non-stop media communications makes us view everything as urgent and requiring attention of the party we are trying to reach immediately.If we had the option to do our daily activities without the burden of worry that constant contact requires, we might long less for the simpler days and be more content with the current days of our lives...........Maybe we should try going without the tv, computer, cell phone, and everything in between for 8 hours...........I wonder how simple we would want it then, I imagine we would be like an alcoholic with withdrawals....... glad we found our next drink.  Bottoms up....

                            Maybe we are just looking to walk on that thin line in the middle.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles............

Planes, Trains and Automobiles, if you ever saw the movie with John Candy and Steve Martin, you probably laughed at the ridiculous adventures they had trying to reach their destination. This reminds me of how many insane adventures we have in pursuit of our destination. Funny, sad, happy and bad, we experience them all in the journey. People often say life is more unbelievable than fiction. It's true, crazy unimaginable things happen all the time. How many times do we hear a story on the news or read a newspaper and find the events described hard to believe.  Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way, but always in way that catches our sensibility off guard.  We are conditioned to expect the expected, not the unexpected. If we really thought about it, we would probably find that the unexpected is the normal that occurs more often in life and the expected that we so desire is the more elusive occurrence. Maybe if we were more conditioned in life to expect the unexpected, we would roll with the punches a little smoother. Often times the crazy event that can throw us for a loop when it is happening, makes a great life story later on.  Guess time really heals all things..............Here's to the next great story......today's been a day full of future story possibilities.

                                             

Fill in the blank....

I am _________. There are 100's of things we can be. We have the control to make that blank what ever we want to. There are so many things we have control over to" fill in the blank" so to speak.  I love_______. Not so much, when it comes to people we love. Some of us believe it is chance, but I think it is much to complex to be left to chance. Whether its God, fate, destiny, karma, kismet or good fortune, something aligns in the universe and you find your soul mate. It can be in the most ridiculous way, and unknown to you in the beginning.  Or it may be like a large firework exploding and you know this is the one, whatever the case, it often seems predestined in hindsight.  We have many different kinds of relationships in life with people we love, but only one in a lifetime that connects us to our soul mate. The one and only person that completes us in a way that we never thought possible. We don't always find them first, but I do believe we always find them.  Sometimes we find them and lose them through life's unending complications, but we find them and they find us.  Sometimes other people know before we know, sometimes we find out when it's too late, that they were the one.  The "one" is a tricky creature, not always who we think, or dream it will be.  We also can be blindsided by the wrong ones on route to the right one. The million dollar question is how do you know.  There is no certain way to explain it, other than ,you just know. When you look at them, think about them,dream about them, see them, miss them, its always them, no matter what.  Good, bad or otherwise.  They are the other half, of who you are.  And you always know that you will always belong to each other in a way words can't describe. Try to keep yourself open to when they arrive, because they will.  You won't know who, when, or where, you will have to wait for all the blanks to be filled in.  I am fortune enough to know who fills in my blank...my husband of 26 years Michael. I am forever blessed to be your eternal soul mate. I love you!......
To Cole, keep looking......she is waiting for you somewhere out there.......

                                       Fill in your Blank.............

Its not about getting what you want...........

Its not about getting what you want. Really? Because we as Americans think it is all about getting what we want, and we go to great extremes to get it. The bigger house, the better car, cosmetic surgery, exotic vacations, big diamonds, flat screen tvs, gold, diamonds and the latest fashions. We want it all and more. The problem is when we get it, the satisfaction of success in obtaining it soon fades, and we are on to the next best thing we can't live without.  Why is that? Why are we seldom satisfied for long? Is it really human nature to be so fickle? There are probably lots of good arguments to debate both sides of that question. But the bottom line is most of us want more.  Maybe the problem is not in wanting more, maybe it is about what we want. If we wanted things like more knowledge, skills, wisdom, compassion and charity, the satisfaction could well out weigh any trinket or bobble we might imagine.  I found when I was young, I spent most of my life trying to obtain more stuff, better stuff, bigger stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff. Now, well past my youth, I find myself wanting to get rid of the stuff that I found so desirable and utterly irresistible. Learning, listening,sharing,and giving, sustain me in a way that no possession ever could, and I yearn for more everyday.  I also find that everyday, I am more thankful for what I already have with my home, family, friends and my job. Not that I don't want things, but I find myself taking longer to evaluate the real worth and value it brings to my life.  I would much rather spend my limited resources in sending my boys to college than driving the latest and greatest car.  A car would last me a short time, the knowledge they gain will last them a lifetime.  I can't imagine anything I would want more than happy, well rounded children that can take care of themselves.  So the next time you are trying to figure out what to obtain next, remember............It's not about getting what you want, its about wanting what you've got........and chances are you've got a lot.

          College knowledge to last a lifetime! A poor mans George Foreman grill.

Water........

We love water.  We love to drink it, bathe in it, swim in it, fish in it,watch it, listen to it and much more. We gripe about the cost of gas, yet we can spend upwards of $6.00 to $9.00 a gallon on water for the convenience of purchasing it in a bottle. Just think how inconvenient it would be if we did not have gas to get to the store. Might make us think that the projected $5.00 a gallon for gas is not so bad.Truth of the matter is if we equated everything we purchase to a gallons worth and figured what it cost, we would be shocked at what we pay.  The problem with gas is that we use so damn much of it. Hence, tomorrow I am going on my first carpool adventure. Not purely to save money but in response to my car troubles. I will just look at the savings as a by product. Of course who knows how I will feel about the lost convenience of traveling on my own.We don't view ourselves as a selfish country, but we are. We like to be alone at times, in our car, in our home watching TV, reading the paper or on the computer.  In many countries around the world this is something they know very little about.  They may never get the opportunity to sleep alone, travel alone, eat alone or even bath alone. The space in which they live would seem impossibly small to us. But many people in other countries live their lives driven by the necessity of their basic needs. Food, shelter, clothing and not much else.  We like to think that we are struggling in our country for basic needs as well, only our definition is quite different. Our homes are elaborate, and usually accommodate only one family, we own our transportation, or have it readily accessible, our food is well past the bare necessities and yes we buy our water in bottles and have it delivered into our homes through faucets. Many countries people are not that fortunate. Their water is not clean, or plentiful.  We would never think of having to bath, swim, wash, drink, fish, and even use the bathroom in the same body of water. Many people around the world do just that. Water is a life force needed by all of us, and taken for granted by many of us. We considerate it a luxury to live near water, for them its a necessity.  Many years ago, a acquaintance of ours was very mad at his son because he was investing all his money in disposable water bottles. He said who in the world would pay for a bottle of water when all they had to do was get it from the faucet in their home. Who, indeed. Guess it goes to show you that Dads and Moms for that matter, do not always know everything. So the next time we complain about the cost of gas while sipping water from a bottle......lets try to keep it all in perspective..........

It can always be worst.....

It can always be worse, I was having a hard time believing that after the day I had today. A financial situation that was very unexpected  with my vehicle happened today.  I was feeling really defeated and sorry for myself.  Which is ironic because what happened was my fault in a very round about way, but that's a story for another day. I had not heard from my brother in a while and had left him a message a few days ago that I loved and missed him.  He called me today which was great because I was feeling so down.  He was listening to my string of bad luck and telling me how sorry he was, and I knew he really meant it, which made me feel better. He has had some serious health issues in the past, but he is a real trooper and marches on with little complaint.  He always inspires me.  Today he told me about visiting his doctor a while back, who asked him how his Thanksgiving was and he said good (we all came to visit him) except my mother had a fall on the steps(thank goodness she was ok).  The doctor told him well he could top that, his wife had taken her own life.  I asked my brother how he responded , as I would have been speechless, and he said he did not know what to say, but was thankful his life was not that bad. In an instant, that statement snapped me back to the reality, that what happened to me today was not the end of the world and life could be so much worse. So this blog today is about me gaining a little perspective and pulling up my bootstraps and moving on. There are so many hardships and obstacles in this world that we face.  No matter what happens we can usually reach a point where we can see it could have been worse. I am always very sad to hear when people take their own lives because they felt that was all they could do. Because life gives you lots of trials and tribulations and just enough good and perfect times to sustain your memory during the bad times.  Always remind yourself, even if you have a bad day, you can turn it around ( or at least get through it) And remember to help those around you, extend a helping hand or a shoulder or an understanding word, because the day will come when its your turn to receive the help..........

                                              Now that's a hand we could all use...

Numbers..............

My husband is going to be 50 soon and I think he is taking it pretty hard. You ever notice how everything relates to a number. Your social security number, your bank account number, your weight, your age, the amount of money you have, the number of friends you have,plus or negative, the numbers affect how we feel. They make us sad or happy, when the numbers are too high or too low. When you think about it, numbers have a lot of power in this world with most everyone. In America, a number defines who we are.  We are not even existent according to the government if we don't have a social security number. When we are young , we want the number to be higher so we can be more independent, when we are older we want the number to lower so we don't have to face our own mortality. We all want a higher number in our bank account and a lower number looking back from the scale. We like it when the number equates to a good deal and we hate it when the number is high on a bill. Our date of birth is a number, and our most memorable moments in time are a number. We often have a lucky number, that we feel can magically help us in life.What do all the numbers mean? They mean what we let them mean, they define what we let them define, and they control us only how we let them control us. So when we think about the numbers that surround us in life, we need to remember, its only a number..........what can it do to us anyway?

Busted........

I'm busted, I have not weighed for over a week.  The truth of the matter is I have not really tried to lose weight for at least three weeks.  The reason is stress, I am a stress eater and we are under a lot of stress at work.  As I mentioned before we have a big inspection coming up. I know in some ways I am giving into my weakness and making excuses, but I am just not ready to do otherwise. Being ready to begin the journey of weight loss in earnest definitely begins with your state of mind. If you are not prepared to do what it takes, your just going to keep failing. Perfect example-me, myself and I. I decided to try to work on my mind over matter.  When I was little, my grandmother and I used to play this game where she would tickle the bottom of my feet and I would try not to laugh as long as possible.  She would very quietly say to me mind over matter. Through the years, I became very good at holding my giggle for a long time, and if you know me that is a feat of epic proportions, because I love to laugh.  So I am going to try to start conditioning myself that when the food is calling my name, I ignore it.  I will picture my grandmother telling me mind over matter, and maybe slowly I will be able to resist more and more. Until I am no longer eating because something is eating me, but eating because I am actually hungry. (imagine the concept)  Here's to you grandma and mind over matter......

                                     "Mind over Matter will make the Pooh unfatter"

When you get to the end of your rope.......

I am at the end of my rope.  How many times have we felt that way. I imagine the answer most of us would give-quite a few times.  What usually happens when we reach the end? We have a meltdown, breakdown, blowup, blowout, shutdown, throwdown, showdown and...well you get the picture. First comes the exhaustion, and then comes the guilt. Why did I do that, why did I let it go that far, hurt that much, and let all my buttons get pushed?  These kind of crash and burns usually take a while to get past for most of us. We have to crawl up from the bottom of our emotional wreckage, and start at zero again. But with each episode, we also gain endurance, strategy, and strength for the next time, until eventually the rope gets longer and longer and it becomes close to impossible to reach the end. Needless to say this sometimes takes years to accomplish, but well worth the journey. So next time, work, family, friends or that call to customer service lays on your last nerve, remember... when you get to the end of your rope.....tie a knot in it and hang on!

Sticks and Stones.......

What a day. Too bad I left my armor at home, I could have really used it. The natives were restless and ruthless. People never cease to amaze me, and once again I think the best of people and the worst rears its ugly head. It is unbelievable how draining the negativity can be. Follow the rules, people, its not that hard. Most people believe that, as long as it's you and not them.  Guess that's self preservation, the everybody's wrong and I am right mentality.  But have you ever noticed that some people ride that horse to death, they think they are right all the time. Although we would all like to be right all the time, it's just not possible.  And believing you are, is just plain arrogant. How can you ever expand yourself if you can't be open to learning from your mistakes. If we can continue to learn everyday, from all situations, good or bad, we will be the best we can be. You can teach an old dog new tricks if the dog is paying attention to the lesson.  So after a really bad day, take the time to process what happened and evaluate the worth of what occurred before reacting if possible, sleep on it so to speak.  Tomorrow is another day, and hopefully a better day, because today just plain stunk...See you on the other side of today.......