One million bugs.........

Did you know that there are about 1 million bugs to every person on the earth? For most of us we will never see but a small majority of our quota, but for people like me that's another story. My grandmother once told me that bugs like some people better because they were sweeter, I not an expert but I expect it is something in your sweat or your skin that attracts them. What ever it is, I wish I did not have it.  I attract bugs like a giant bug zapper.  I go outside, the bugs are all around me, in my eyes and trying to go up my nose.  I wish it were as easy as saying it was my perfume,deodorant or shampoo, nope, nothing helps.  Even when I cake myself with disgusting bug spray, they still find me. Big ones and little ones, so small they look like a speck of dirt, but their bite is far worse than their size insinuates. Bite, sting, pinch, I am destined to be a snack for a bug, as my husband and 3 boys, who hardly ever get bitten, look at me like I am crazy as I slap, swat and stomp away.  I would never go to the amazon or a rain forest, as I am positive I would be eaten alive. We went camping in a tent once so the boys could experience the great outdoors, they had a blast and in one night I acquired two ticks bites,a thousand mosquito bites and something I couldn't identify with too many legs to count. After one night I had to head home.  Its a wonder I have never gotten rocky mountain spotted Nile fever bird flu or something, I feel I am one dangerous bite away.... Just to clarify, I am not a crazy bug hater, I just have a extremely strong dislike of creepy, crawly, itchy, scratchy bugs when they are crawling and biting on me. Pray for me this summer that the 5 million bug quota that represents my family doesn't all find their way to me.....yuk!

It truly is an honor just to be nominated...

How many years have we heard nominees of awards say... its just an honor to be nominated? Every Emmy and Oscar nominee is heard saying it over and over again. We always question, do they really mean it?  Today is the day that I said it and I really meant it.  My residents at work nominated me for an award, and I was really honored.  The award was for, in essence, helping seniors. It meant a lot to me to know that the people I try and help everyday, thought I was doing a good job.I did not win the award, but I received something much better, the reward of knowing that what I try and do everyday to help them makes a difference in their lives. What more could I want than that? No award could ever compare to that feeling....
So pass it on, if you appreciate someone for who they are and what they do, let them know.

Never say never............

Went to see my good friend Irma yesterday.  We have been friends for years and because of so much that has been going on in our lives, we had not been able to take time to see each other and catch up.  We had a great lunch and caught up on all our news.  We even played a game of bowling and ping pong on xbox and had a blast.  When I was getting ready to leave, Irma asked me if I had received her message on my blog.  I told her I had not.  Then it happened, she said you know I was surprised you wrote a blog, I remember you saying it was something you would never do.  And that's when it hit me right between the eyes, I had absolutely said the n word, I had said NEVER.  Here I am eating my own words.  How often do we say that word, never, only to find out it turns into the reality that we have actually done it.  It is funny how often we say that word and find we forget saying it as our lives change and evolve into something different. Never is a very permanent and forceful word that we use but seldom mean for it to be forever. Every day we are faced with a new reality and our life changes, maybe a lot or maybe a little, but change just the same. So we change and adjust to our new reality and continue to move forward.  I think never can be a dangerous word for us all, and it needs to be used with the utmost of caution, because we are human after all. Being human means perfection is an illusion and we are a constant work in progress.  So here is to blogging, something I said never about but I really just meant maybe. Hopefully this will be a journey of self improvement and I will be able to change myself  in a positive way.  So Irma, here I am eating crow....... and blogging away.

Out of Town

Just got back from being out of town for a couple of days.  I had to go to Richmond to a 2 day class.  I must admit I am not the best student, and some of the presenters were not the best teachers.  Its not that the information may not be worth hearing its the presentation in which it is given.  Being a gifted teacher for others is definitely a gift that not many possess. People who do not teach all the time often forget how to be effective.  People are not generally interested in hearing how wonderful you are unless you are willing to teach them the secret of how to be wonderful too. Good teachers and mentors are always willing to teach the secrets, it gives them great satisfaction to help others grow and become better. To all the teachers and mentors that further the people that further the world, thank-you! Where would any of us be without those that sacrifice their own glory in the pursuit of the betterment of others?  And just for clarification I am not referring to Democrats, we can certainly improve peoples life's with the sharing of knowledge and that doesn't increase the deficit one penny.

News in America....or is it?

When you check the top fifty news stories of the day are you ever surprised at what rounds the top 10? I am usually always surprised. Today, number seven Arnold Schwarzenegger has a secret love child, really?  Seems that news beats out a lot of news in the middle east. Number 13 exploding watermelons in China. No mention of the looming debt payment America is about to default on to China just exploding watermelons. Makes you ponder the physic of the America people. No wonder our country is in the mess it is in and no one really seems to concerned. It seems it is more important for us to meddle in peoples marital affairs while watching watermelons explode. If oblivion equates to bliss, we as Americans must be the happiest stupid people in the world. Apparently the less we know, the better we like it.  Worrying about watermelons and Arnold won't keep me awake at night but worrying about the collapse of the dollar as the standard for world currency might.  The part we have forgotten is that problems and worry are often the catalyst that lead to solutions and real change. Maybe we should all spend a little more time worrying, so that our country's problems might find solutions and resolutions. Take 15 minutes a day to contemplate our country's future, I am sure Arnold won't mind.

We are overthinking America

At some point America put on their "Thinking Caps" and we forgot to take them off.  What do I mean by that?
We think to much about everything.  The "what if's" have become a non-ending infinity chain that has driven America to a Nannie state on steroids. We have taken our inner voice of caution and turned it into a ravenous monster that cannot be satisfied until we have the entire nation wrapped in bubble wrap and we never leave our homes. Bad things happen, and people learn from their mistakes. We have made the consequences out way the actions by a trillion times.  We have made the actions and opinions of the few control the many. If you are overweight and on welfare no sweats or soda for you.Never mind that you are the only fat person in a house of 6 people. If we want to commit death by donuts it should be our choice. And how about zero tolerance, being a stupid kid has never had such harsh consequences.   We are on board with the government micromanaging the thoughts and actions of the people, but we allow them to operate without control or consequences. Can we ever get back to a life of simplicity where when we make a stupid mistake it doesn't turn into a life changing consequence that haunts us forever?  I sure hope so, for my kids and their future kids and on and on........ Here's to a life where playing Cowboys and Indians means nothing more than your just playing and nobody gets in trouble for playing with a pretend gun, or calling someone an Indian, well you get the point.

Surprise.....

Today I had to work.  We have an audit tomorrow and I wanted to review the files in peace and quite to make sure all was in order.  I was feeling unusually anxious as the house was messy and the laundry wasn't finished.  I hated to leave the house that way knowing that I would not get a chance to do anything about it until the next weekend. I told my husband the house really needed cleaning. The dog pack has been doing a number and the house had an aroma of dirty dog.  I went to work and ended up working a full day.  On my way home I was really tired and hated the thought of coming home to a dirty house.  I came home to the most wonderful surprise, a clean house!!!  Michael and the boys had done the impossible they had really deep cleaned the house.  I can't remember ever being this proud and happy of the gang!  People will always amaze you in good and bad ways.  So here is to my amazement in a good way!! I love you guys, this was the best present ever!!!!!

Out of the Mouth of Babes....

We have all heard this saying and yesterday I heard it again like it was the first time. My youngest son said to me "Mom how come you are not writing your blog anymore?   My response was nobody was reading it. (lame, I know) His response?  Your not writing it for other people you are suppose to be writing it for yourself.....Sometimes the simplest things we should know, are the things we are totally oblivious to. He was right, this is about me and my journey, not about people reading my blog. So here I am starting to write it again. So where am I in my journey.  Well on the bright side I have lost 13.5 pounds, on the financial side well I am still working on it.  Ones journey to self discovery is riddled with potholes and pit stops and tragedies, triumphs, travesties, and typical everyday stuff.....just simply put every day life. Living it well and surviving it intact, that is the destination we are running towards everyday. Most days we are able to end the day on the right track, and a few days we have to stop to fix the track so we can resume again.  So here I am resuming again... see you tomorrow.