Apologies and Sharing

Okay, faithful readers. I must apologize profusely for my failure to post AT ALL during the summer. Unfortunately, you all know how life gets in the way of the best intentions. Not only did I have to get the house ready for Daddy-o to come home, I had to find a job for the first part of the summer. I also had to keep the secret from Little Man. Girl was on top of keeping me from giving it away, as best she could. Daddy-o got to leave the facility July 6th. I picked him up at 8:30-ish, and thankfully Little Man had summer school, so the wait for him to see his daddy was fairly short. I can't tell you how amazingly wonderful it has been to have Daddy-o home. It has been a very long 8 and a half years, and the family unit is doing mighty fine! Daddy-o got a job 3 days after getting home, and has worked his buns off since. Between the paying job and the ever-growing list of honey-dos, he has been a busy man. But he's thrilled to be able to do them for his family. We have so much enjoyed seeing him every morning, and definitely have profited from his amazing cooking skills - although I have lost(?)some weight. So, between the job, getting ID, a driver's license for Daddy-o, Girl studying for a permit, a vehicle for Daddy-o, visiting other family, and keeping up with local visits, our little family has been on the go for 2 months straight. We feel like summer was too short (although Girl was very ready for school to start. In all honesty, I was too. Daddy-o told me to take the month of August off and rest up because "you earned it baby." Who was I to argue? But I was bored after the first couple of days. *shrug* Daddy-o has adapted to life here well, and we could not be more proud of the man he has become. Our relationship is probably at the best it has been in the 11 years we have been together, and things just keep getting better. Now, sharing some....Girl was able to get her hair done for school, and it looks fabulous! She covered some of the roots, and the stylist added some purple and green streaks (not crazy, but pretty). Girl has been experimenting with some new hairstyles and has really come out of her shell and rut. Color this mama a bit worried. Little Man has been dreading the end of the summer since the day school got out in May. Poor guy. I hope the teacher this year can help him find the joy I felt in school. Both the children went to visit Daddy-o's family for 2 weeks this summer, and came home with new skills. They both got to drive on Papa's land, and Little Man practiced his bike riding skills. Girl helped Nana run the shop, and met a lot of new people. So, I hope that my apology has been worthwhile and the sharing has helped ease the pain of missing the blog for the summer. Please feel free to comment, and if anyone of the readers has any ideas on how to help me with adding photos, I would sure appreciate an email with that. I also hope everyone's summer was outstanding!

Last Day of the Month

So, watch for the comment winners. I hope this month has been fun and different for you, dear readers. Next month will have a different schedule and new photos for sure! Have a fantastic day! Enjoy your time with your family and friends.

Wednesday

Last day of school (and strangely the busiest), and second to last day of the comment contest this month. Who will the secret winner be? I am considering using Random.org to help me pick the winner of the contest.

I am also sure that when the contests start again in September, I will have tons of new ideas for the winners of the contests. I am contemplating on a writing package of a journal, pens, post-its, and index cards. I am also thinking of gift certificates to various stores. Feel free to add your input. I would love to know what would interest you for prizes.

What other contests should I have? I was thinking about working on my writing, and thought of the great Twitter contest of writing a story in 140 characters. I also thought about the 6 Word Sentence or seeing what responses I can get with some other memes.

I just found one called 30 Days of Me, and am considering it for one of the months. It certainly would help me with some of my blogging skills. Best look into it before I dive in.

Let me know if you have any further ideas - and for the record, I think I will keep the snowplowing of piddle story for a rainy day!

Tuesday

Today is the second to last day of school for this year.

The year has flown by. I have seen a lot of changes over this year. I was sorry to see some students make the decisions they made, but have seen some good come from other students opting for alternatives to our school.

I am proud of the students who forged ahead, setting the goal for themselves to complete the requirements. I wish the other students good luck for their future.

There are 2 faculty who will retire this year, and although this was a surprise, it was not a big one. One teacher taught me when I attended here, and I know he has also seen a lot of changes, and some of them aren't so good. Not all of them are bad, just some aren't so good. The other staff member has been here awhile, and has been a strong IDP and aide. It is time for her to be a grandmother though.

I am sure that the summer will also fly by, and that next school year will be here all too soon. However, I am going to be thrilled when I get paid again!

I hope that you are all ready for summer vacation to start, and will be just as ready for school to begin in the fall.

Have a great day today! Enjoy the weather, the birds, the flowers, the children.

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, so I will be spending it remembering those who are gone but not forgotten.

I will return tomorrow to regular posts.

Sunday Morning

I have frequently taken my Sundays as days of reflection, so pardon me if this goes a little weird.

I am sitting here thinking about how much my daughter has meant to me over the years, and trying to avoid being a weepy woman. She is a strong young lady, which means I have done well. I love my son just as much. We are a strong family unit. I am sure that when Daddy-o comes home, we will work to make the unit function with the addition of his presence. It worked before, and can work again, but should work better because of the man he has become.

I am thankful for the support of the friends and family who have stood behind Daddy-o, and our family, as we have waited for his return.

I am thankful for the letters and phone calls we have shared with Daddy-o, and that we all have learned to communicate a bit more effectively.

I am thankful for the time apart, to help us both appreciate what we have had in each other. This time has also helped me to more fully appreciate my own strength, and that of my children.

I am also thankful for the chances my children give me to break down, and not be the strong one, or the one who has to be responsible and be both parents, and the chances to let the weight come off my shoulders, even for a few moments

I am truly thankful for the opportunities I have had over the years because of my single parenthood, and the results of those opportunities.

 I am thankful for the cynicism of my mother, and because I know she wants the best for me, I also know she will be happy for me if I am happy.

Take the good with the bad, for that cannot be good without bad. I am me and my circumstances (Sr. Unamuno y Jugo). I would not be me without the experiences I have had.

Happy Birthday, Girl!

I want to take the time to show my love for my fifteen year old angel.

Girl, you have no idea what you have meant to me over the last 15 years.

We have been through some interesting times, but through it all, we have been close and loving. Our strength together has gotten us through some tough times; Daddy-o going away, a tornado, and some important people leaving our lives. We have grown close, and I love that we are a great team.

I am proud of your every accomplishment, including teaching yourself to read at a higher level, setting your own vocabulary goals, serving the winning shot in AAU, learning your lines for the plays, and not letting your illness this year keep you from succeeding as a freshman. I am proud of the little things you do, and the big things you choose not to do. I am proud of you!

Thank you for all you have done for us, for all you have been for your brother, and all you will be in the future.

Stay strong, stay yourself, and I love you.

Wish us luck!

Today is the inspection. It will be after school, and although I know that I have nothing they can get me for, I'm still nervous. This is the second to last hurdle to get Daddy-o home with his family.

I am sure that things will be fine, and if I seem distracted, just bear with me. I will let you know how it goes as soon as possible. It might mean skipping weekend posting though.

Saturday is Girl's birthday, and she has made plans. Sunday is her birthday dinner with Papa, and that will be priority for the day, especially since she has requested my burritos, and my mother would like me to grill for her.

I am looking forward to her birthday for a few reasons, but am still a bit in shock she is going to be 15. This does not seem possible, but I know it has happened. She has been my precious little angel for 15 years. What a gift she has been. Despite my grey hairs, and wanting to yank her hair out occasionally, I have a super special young lady for a daughter.

If you see her, wish her happy birthday!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Last day of cleaning

and boy am I ready for it to be over! This inspection isn't for cleanliness, but it has been incentive for my children to get busy on the stuff they have put off way too long (just as I have).

I am glad it is winding down, so that I only have to do 15 minutes a day, as opposed to hours a day. If I were a stay at home mom I would probably go insane, because I would have TOO clean of a house. I know that sounds crazy to some of you, but I prefer a little clutter in my life. Just reminds me that I am human.

Tomorrow is the inspection, and it's going to go smoothly. There should be no problems, and no issues, so Daddy-o will get to come home when the welding class is done! *crosses fingers* Now you guys cross yours too!

I hope your spring cleaning has gone, or will go, as smoothly, and with as little effort as possible. Take the time to enjoy the fact you have been busy, with work, cleaning, or whatever, and enjoy yourself for a bit. It won't hurt, too bad!

Have a great day!

Whew, this cleaning thing...

it is a struggle, and I have muscles I didn't know I had, now that they are screaming at me in agony. Thank goodness for hot showers and Ben Gay!

I am sure that some one would say to me that I let it get this way, and by gosh, you are right. And in order to miss out on this particular pleasure again, I am determined not to let it get this way again. I know when Daddy-o comes home, this will be highly unlikely, because he IS the anal retentive person who cleans like no other. (Thank goodness, although it can be quite annoying for someone like me.) He has been really great about leaving me my space, to be as disorganized as I want, and he hasn't messed with it before, so here's to hoping this stays the same. It would only be my computer desk, and I go through bouts of "jeez this has to go." and "holy cow, this is a mess" with the desk, so, he should be okay with it - I hope.

I have learned that it is becoming easier for me to be less of a pack rat/hoarder/whatever you call it, although I come by it honestly. My maternal grandmother was, and my mother is, a pack rat. But sometimes this is a great quality, like for food staples, and when I need something desperately for my children's activities, or my cooking. Thanks Mama-san!

I have found things that I haven't used in 4 years (mostly because I haven't seen them in that long) and I realize that I don't need to keep them. I have also found things that I am super glad I kept - like pictures of my childhood, and my daughter as a toddler. She picked out two of those pictures for the senior slide show (and she's only going to be a sophomore!). She also found out she is her mother's daughter, thanks to one particular picture of her looking at the camera like "get out of my face!" which is so my look when a camera comes out!

This cleaning has given my daughter and I a chance to bond again. And Little Man has learned he's a super helper for the family. He also learned a new skill - laundry. He realized he can reach to the bottom of the washer, and has been a laundry-running fool. What a great pair of kids!

So, I recommend that you go through that box you wonder about in your garage, attic, storage space, what-have-you. Enjoy the memories that come back to you, and share them with someone, if possible. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Organization

You know we all do it (except for you real Suzy Homemakers and wanna-be Martha Stewarts)...we postpone the cleaning, and forgo the organization.

I hate cleaning, and am mostly an unorganized woman. However, I know where things are in my pile system. Really.

Now, with the inspection, cleaning is in order. And I really am determined to get at least semi-organized this go-round. I have had a spring cleaning urge, and it's coming to fruition with the inspection deadline coming quickly. Although I was expecting a bit more time, I am pretty glad it's coming down to the wire. I love a challenge (sometimes) and the fact that I have seen so much activity out of my daughter in the past few days is fantastically hope-giving - as in, there's hope for her yet.

Sure, I am not an anal retentive person when it comes to dusting, etc, but I do have some limits as to what I will tolerate. And her room was BAD! I will be glad to continue to remind her when you pile stuff up, like clothes, spiders love that, and she hates spiders. *evil Mom laugh*

Speaking of spiders, I got the joy of killing some fuzz for her on Sunday night. That was so fun! She came back to my room at 10:30 at night asking me to kill a spider for her. I know her fear, so I have been trying to get her to overcome it a little at a time. I suggested she put a shoe on and step on it. It was only as big as her pinkie nail, she said. She told me it was on the wall of her closet (she was taking the cleaning seriously I guess). So I go in, and attempt to kill the spider on the wall. It was a piece of fuzz. OMG I giggled about that. Now, in addition to my Native American name of She Who Hunts With Cars, you can call me Joe Fuzzkiller. LOL

Anyway, during this bout of spring cleaning, I am going to attempt to get rid of things I haven't even seen since I moved in (obviously I don't need them, right?) and any duplicates of things that it is not necessary to have a duplicate of. This will make things a bit easier. I also am going through my clothes and donating them. My daughter is donating her clothes also. My son will be donating clothes, toys, and books. This could be a big boon for the local community services.

I have most of my room complete (except for moving the furniture and finishing the closet), and will tackle Little Man's room next. With all this cleaning and organizing, taking that 15 minutes a day to do a quick dusting or picking up really will be so easy.

I have read a number of statements on de-cluttering and organization, but the thing that has stood out the most is to start small. Take things in 15 minute increments, to avoid getting overwhelmed. What a great idea. If I had the time for that, I would do that. But that reminds me to take a break to avoid overload during the big sessions.

Now, if you are going to attempt a large task, I suggest taking it in smaller chunks, or taking breaks. And if you want help, ask some of the local high school kids. I have some great students who are super good at helping, and have volunteered for our family often. I appreciate this very much!

Have a fantastic Tuesday and don't make your re-organization or spring cleaning too big of a chore!

Questions?

If anyone has any questions about Beta Sigma Phi, I will be happy to answer to the best of my ability, and you can also check out this site which has a link for prospective members.

I would like to point out that I continue to have a strong urge for a scavenger hunt, and I am hoping to get one together soon, and would love to have input and if anyone wants to join in, please let me know.

Today's post will be short because I am still working hard on getting my house ready for inspection, while continuing to work the full-time position during the day (only 6 more days for that though, until August 28th).

Please, I would love input! Oh, and I am still working on adding to the Pet Brag Board but my Yorkie needs a shave first.

Have a great day!

Heart and Hands

Today is the last meeting of our sorority until August, and it is our Heart and Hands meeting. For this meeting, we share a hand-made gift with the woman who we were the secret sister for over the previous months, and reveal ourselves as their secret sister. A secret sister gives gifts to a sorority sister for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, bad days, good days, or just because. These gifts can be simple, but touch a sister in so many ways.

I am looking forward to revealing that I was my mother's Secret Sister (which is EXTREMELY difficult to pull off when we shop together FYI) because she has been such a rock for me for the last 8 years. This year was just a small way for me to show my appreciation. Because of the first sentence in this paragraph, the scheduled time for this post will coincide with the start of the meeting. Hahahaha!

I really like the tradition of Heart and Hands because it brings out the Friendship part of our sorority. It also allows us to show off our skills, and our belief in our sisters in the sorority.

If you are a member of Beta Sigma Phi, please know that I am proud to call you Sister! Joining the sorority has been a great way for me to work on getting over my shyness about speaking in front of groups, and helped me to continue my love of learning, while celebrating the joy of being who I am, beyond mother or daughter.

I am looking forward to today's meeting, and seeing the great crafts and love behind each gift.

I hope all of you have a great day!

Writing

I haven't done a lot of posting about writing, and I know some of you don't really read the blog for my writing stuff. However, I would like to share more about writing, and specifically critique partners.

Readers may know that I started a writing group with the intention of helping each other critique stories, motivate each other, and offer additional advice (grammar, mechanics, ideas, etc). One of the writers and I have been really working with each other. Carol recently started her own blog and she intends to use it to share some of her stories, and progress for these stories. This is fantastic.

Carol has written one complete story that I am attempting to re-type for her, because her computer crashed. She had printed off the story before the crash, thankfully, and her father sent her a laptop for me to use to do this. While I re-type, I fix grammar and mechanics. This really works with my strengths.

I also advise her on her current WIP, especially when she feels like the story is lagging. The story doesn't lag, really, but us authors sometimes are our toughest critics. We have bounced ideas around in discussions, and she's been able to run with a few of them. She also has another story poking at her so hard that the new story is trying to over-run the current story.

Carol has also helped me with a visualization technique which has really helped me in descriptions of scene and character. I think I will be able to use it for POV work too.

I also have a young writer's group which has a few solid writers in it. I am looking forward to working more with them, and perhaps this summer might be a good time, since I don't have a job for those months, although I sure could use one! Still got bills to pay for those months. Hint, hint!

Do I have any readers who are writers out there? We sure could use some ideas for our little group. Please share in the comments any ideas you have.

Friday

Yay, it's Friday! Today is Daddy-o's birthday. He's now only 4 years younger than I am. Puppy.

And in a week and a day it will be Girl's birthday. What excitement for her. She will be studying for her learner's permit, and a friend will be coming to visit for 2 weeks. I'm going to enjoy having some help around the house! LOL

Little Man wants to visit Daddy-o so that just may happen. We didn't get a card for his birthday, so this will be a nice surprise. Little Man got to help out our neighbor and his son do his annual Mountain Man presentation for the 4th graders, which is awesome for Little Man.  Besides, the weekend will be taken up taking care of the house for inspection, and getting ready for Sorority.

This Friday is a busy day with the ferret visit and then getting to go see Daddy-o. I know, I know. I set myself up for it, but it's worth it in the end. Time with Daddy-o is pretty beneficial for all of us, and it truly is the quality of time, not the quantity. I think we all are looking forward to Daddy-o coming home.

I think I came to a strange and random decision today on a direction to take my writing, and am looking forward to experimenting and some research. More on this as time shows if it will work.

There are a few supporters of my writing out there, and I thank each of you for your help, your advice, and your belief in my ability.

Have a fantabulous Friday everyone!!

Another Busy Week

It surely seems that one can't sit down for five minutes this week. I feel like I've been on the run since Sunday, and that brief pause in the darker hours is merely a short re-charge, but not a complete charge.

Monday was a typical Monday for me, but not an outrageously difficult day. Just felt busy.

Tuesday was spent trying to get Little Man to finish a non-fiction book report that was due Monday, and then figuring out a visual aid for the presentation part was fun. Thankfully I have a friend with a ferret! Thanks Misty!

Wednesday was an early release day, but had a retirement party for a teacher that day, and that was followed by the final wellness class.

Today is a nail appointment day (and thank goodness, since I tried to remove one the other day - without the proper equipment and that really hurts). This just means I can sit still for a bit.

Tomorrow is Daddy-o's birthday, so a visit just might be in order.

Saturday will be taken up with getting the house ready for the inspection.

Sunday is the Heart and Hands meeting for sorority, so it will be busy too. I might look forward to Monday for a break.

I know we all are busy, so I am thinking we should all try to find five minutes to be thankful we can be this busy, this active, this full of life. I am grateful that I can do all this running without having to haul a cane, a walker, a wheelchair, or an army of assistants. Those folks who do all this running with these extras in their life are amazing! I also take my hat off to those folks who manage running with special needs kids (who are awesomely special kids!) too. These folks deserve recognition for the great love they possess, and spread to those who they touch.

Have a blessedly busy week!!

Mother's Day

How was your Mother's Day? Mine was pretty normal - in that it was a typical day, not a celebration of my fantastical SuperMom abilities. Yeah. Saturday I got Mas' lawn mower working, mowed her lawn, and mine, and gave out before the weed-eating could commence.

Let me tell you about my Sunday.

Girl had spent the night with a friend in Gtown, so me and the Mas had to go get her, dragging Little Man along. After Grumpy Girl got in the car, we headed for Wallyworld. Both Mas and I got what we needed and were starting the "picking just the right check-out line" process when Girl asks to go get her money so she could get me a card. I am in shock at the thought she wanted to, but also at the fact she would force us to stay in that store for more time. Silly Girl, she should know better by now.

After checking out, we drive over to the very nearby grocery store, where Mas proceeds to do her shopping, and I am sitting in the car with the children. Girl tells me to check her FB page. She posted a very nice paragraph in honor of me being her SuperMom. Sweet!

Little Man was fantastically sweet the whole day, and I feel bad because I forgot to put on the cool Mother's Day bracelet he made me. (I wore it yesterday for him!) Eventually my mother completes the shopping experience, and I help her load the groceries into the car, and Girl took the cart back.

I get  back into the car and Mas has some kind of green stuffed animal in a bag on her lap. I'm thinking she got me a frog. No, she got me a gecko. He's cute. (Bear in mind I got her a VERY nice piece of jewelry.) I decided to take her to Wendy's (cuz I'm sweet like that) for Mother's Day lunch. It was a different place - we hadn't eaten there in a few months - and it was kind of neat. Dude at the counter gave Mas a free drink and told her Happy Mother's Day! Sweet!!

Until.

Yep, I made a mess. Oh yeah. I had put garbage in Little Man's sack, and then set it on the table for him to take to the garbage can, and it tilted over, spilling left over ketchup on the bench. NICE! It was all me. I claim that goof. It wasn't too bad of a mess. Mas laughed.

Thankfully the trip was over. Time to go home. We unload everything, and I go home to make a no-sew blanket. Yep. Decided to be crafty after showing off my "packing stuff into a bag skills" earlier. Totally forgot to double knot before throwing it in the washer. It came out alright though. Girl had helped with the knotting, so many of the knots had stayed and no re-aligning was necessary (only re-tying).

After that excitement was settled down, I was trying to read, but my daughter decided she wanted to watch a movie. In our house, apparently we can only watch movies with the lights off (although I do admit the reflection of the lights can be quite irritating at times), so there went my reading time. My son was already in my room watching movies in there. Well, I was stuck. Not a real choice - either watch the movies, or play a computer game. Guess which I did.

Sure had fun finding things in that game! LOL!

Have a fantastical day!

Well? What did you think?

How many of you just loved that post? How many of you went to get your free gift? How many of you thought I was a lame-o? How many of you enjoyed the unique content?

Come on, it was a great idea, and quite a unique way of promoting their book release, right? I hope they sell out their first run! I want one sooooo bad. Those ladies are very helpful for me. Last month, the ladies also sent out some postcard bookmarks which, on one side, had a list of crutch word writers may find themselves using, and on the other side was information regarding their book. Another great idea for promoting their book!

Some of the blogs I follow (which in my lazy way means I have posts emailed to me every day the bloggers post) have mentioned promotion using social media. Hmmm. A platform for my future endeavors lies in this very blog, so now you know why I am pushing you to tell everyone you know about it! Silly minions, I will get you trained right some day!  LOL!!

So, has anyone been performing random acts of kindness, or participated in the Kindness Project?

Let's hear some stories. You all read my future acts. Your turn to share! Come on minions, speak up!

Random Act of Kindness Blitz!

A smile. An encouraging word. A thoughtful gesture. Each day people interact with us, help, and make our day a bit brighter and full. This is especially true in the Writing Community. 

Take a second to think about writers you know, like the critique partner who works with you to improve your manuscript. The writing friend who listens, supports and keeps you strong when times are tough. The author who generously offers council, advice and inspiration when asked.

So many people take the time to make us feel special, don't they? They comment on our blogs, re-tweet our posts, chat with us on forums and wish us Happy Birthday on Facebook.

Kindness ROCKS!

To commemorate the release of their book The Emotion Thesaurus, Becca and Angela at The Bookshelf Muse are hosting a TITANIC Random Act Of Kindness BLITZ. And because I think KINDNESS is contagious, I'm participating too!

I am randomly picking two wonderful ladies, who have stood beside me, supported me, and believed in me for more years than I care to share publicly. Cheryl Gulley, for my RAOK gift, I'm offering to weed-eat your yard one weekend this summer without a single complaint! Lynn Hansen, for my RAOK gift, I'm offering to help weed your flower beds one weekend (not the weekend Cheryl gets me, okay?)  

I really appreciate Cheryl and Lynn, who are two of the most awesome ladies EVER! If you know these two wonderful women and have a minute, please stop at the comment section and tell them how awesome they are!

Do you know someone special that you'd like to randomly acknowledge? Don't be shy--come join us and celebrate! Send them an email, give them a shout out, or show your appreciation in another way. Kindness makes the world go round. :)

Becca and Angela have a special RAOK gift waiting for you as well, so hop on over to The Bookshelf Muse to pick it up.

Have you ever participated in or been the recipient of a Random Act Of Kindness?  Let me know in the comments!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big reveal!!! I can hardly contain my excitement! I know there will be some surprised folks, and maybe even some interested folks!

Whatever happens, I hope that I will have helped some lovely ladies out who have helped inspire me, remind me, and provoke me into some better writing. These ladies are Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. You can find their VERY useful site here. I love their Emotion Thesaurus, and many of their posts have been so useful for me. I am sure that their resource will be beneficial to some of my writer friends out there, and am happy to send folks their way.

On that note, are you telling your friends, neighbors, family, enemies about my blog? I saw a massive boost in visits one day last month, but numbers have dropped. I know we are busy, so, please, use the links at the bottom of the post. Email your family and friends the address.

Don't forget the comment contest is running this month. It's the last one until September!

I hope you had a great weekend, and I will see you here tomorrow!!

Weekends

Some of us live for them, some of us work for them, and some of us work on them.

Whichever group you belong to, it is that time of the week again. I will have most likely been to Gtown and maybe even helped out with installing an air conditioner or two for my mother by the time the weekend is done.

I think that sometimes my weekends aren't breaks from work, so much as breaks from routine. My work week is pretty routine, but my weekends are usually wide open. This can mean any number of things - Gtown; a 90 minute drive to a CITY (omg, no way!); helping Mother out with her yard; trying to catch up on my housework; or, simply sitting and enjoying a well-deserved break from the work week.

I have neighbors that work very hard on their yard over the weekend, and I have neighbors who go back home over their weekends. I am sure you all have different ideas of what a weekend should consist of, and how you handle them.

I'm looking forward to the time when I can get some travel in, see some sights with my children and the Daddy-o (3 more months!). My family did most of their traveling during holidays and in the summer. We rarely went anywhere over the weekend, and when we did, it was always fun. I would like to share that with my children, and let them see some of the amazing stuff I saw growing up. I would also like to see how things have changed since I was there.

How do you enjoy/tolerate your weekends? Are you busy doing honey-do's, or are you enjoying the weekend fully?

At any rate, have a great weekend, faithful readers!

Further along...

How often do you find yourself being nice to others, and forgetting yourself and your needs? I'm not saying to stop being nice to others, but how can you continue to help others when you are struggling with keeping yourself together?

For example, I know this single mother of two who had been having a hard time keeping her house up because she was working two full time jobs, and the kids weren't old enough (or responsible enough) to help her out. The house became a total wreck, and she dreaded even going into it after work. And then DFS was called. Thankfully the agent listened to her story and worked with her. That wake up call was what she needed. The income from the 2nd job wasn't worth losing her children over. She cut her hours back and spent more time with the kids, and had time for housework too.

Yep, sometimes it takes some hard whacks upside the head for us to realize we are not doing ourselves any favors.

So, how about today we try a random act of kindness on ourselves? Take fifteen minutes and just sit still. Ask your family to give you that time and just breathe. Enjoy the serenity of the quiet and solitude of being just you (not mom, not wife, not daughter, not sister, but just you). And then, that few moments will add up to a rejuvenated you. Sure, you go right back into the fray, but you can do it. See if you can't get that time every day. Your family may even realize that it keeps mommy from losing her mind.

Have a fantastic solitude!

Random

Today's post will be random, as usual.

I would like to take a moment to share some thoughts with you. I am a member of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, and in our particular chapter, we share random acts of kindness. This has been a welcome addition, in my opinion. It has helped me to stop and appreciate the small things, even if it's a simple smile from someone, or even for someone.

I like the idea of just randomly being generous. Along with that, I would like to have you visit Matthew again. He is posting about a new project he is part of, called The Kindness Project.  Take a peek at what he says, and visit the other folks he mentions in his post who are part of the project. The idea is not a new idea, but it is a great idea, and should be a part of our general make-up as human beings.

So, for today, try it. Just a little act of kindness. It's not hard. And the nice thing is, if you are like me,  the random-ness of the act will keep people on their toes, trying to figure out where it came from or what I am up to! LOL!

Today, and every day, I will make sure to show someone an act of kindness; a smile, a wave, hold a door, speak an encouraging word or three, or even just offer a helping hand.

Yep...already messed up.

My apologies to my faithful readers. It seems that whatever got a hold of me this weekend turned into a head cold thing, so I was out of commission yesterday. So was Little Man. Poor guy stayed home sick too.

Because I failed so early in the month, it means I can just try harder for the rest of the month, right?  I sure hope so.

Coincidentally, one of the blogs I follow posted about how to be creative when you don't feel so great. You can read her post here. I giggled, and it is a truly useful post!

I would also like to remind you that there is a surprise for this month, and I am hoping it will get some response from my lovely readers. It has to do with the launch of a book that I hope I will have the money for. The book will be released on May 14th, so watch for information from me on it!

So, tell me, what is on your mind today? The weather is fantastic today, and is supposed to be tomorrow as well. I just heard that the weather will not be so cooperative this weekend, but, meh, it's Wyoming. You have to be a special breed to survive Wyoming, right?

Here's hoping that we can survive Wyoming weather, and whatever else is thrown our way! Have a fantastic day, my faithful readers!

Mondays

Yep, it's Monday. I was awakened at 3 a.m. not being able to breathe and coughing up a storm. Seems my allergies have kicked in full force. First time in quite awhile. Grrr.

On the bright side, I took some daytime cold medicine for the stuffy nose and feel amazing compared to 7:30 this morning.

The kids cooperated well this morning, and were able to be ready to go when I got myself together, finally.

However, my brain is muddled by the feeling icky and the medicine, so Geometry was a bit of a struggle this morning. It was out of the way first thing this morning, and the one on one work with students was quite a bit easier the rest of the day. I did warn the students I was taking cold medicine so it would be highly likely my explanations would be long and involved, and occasionally ramble.

The day, despite it starting out as a Monday, has not been too shabby. I was able to find the exact formula for Girl to work on her science experiment for measuring the speed of light using a microwave and marshmallows. I was able to help students with assignments with very little difficulty, and the day flowed well.

Sometimes I think Mondays become Mondays because of our own attitude. Sure, it seems like once things go wrong or awry, the rest of the day has the same type of thing happening. I think it may be simply because we only recall the negatives.  I have had plenty of Mondays start out with something like an earring back going down the drain, followed immediately by me spilling something on the kitchen counter, which is in turn followed by me dropping nearly everything I pick up. Personally, this may happen simply because the first incident made me doubt my abilities or second guess my grip on what I was holding, which made me alter something, and the dropsies happened. Or, it could be the fact that once something went wrong, I was only able to see the bad things that happened during the day, instead of the way the students always speak to me with a title, not just a last name; or the way I made someone smile because of something witty; or the way my son just hugged me because he loves me.

What do you think? Do we sometimes let ourselves drown in the misery of Monday, ignoring the great feelings we give someone else, or the great feelings we should have from others?

Remember, comment contest this month! So far, only one person has commented. She may take the whole kit and caboodle if you don't gang up!

Have a fantastic week! See you tomorrow!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Yep, today is Sunday. All day. Woohoo.

I will be grocery shopping today while you are reading this. In Gtown. Yay.

I hope to also be working on re-arranging and cleaning my house more. Perhaps actually planting the tree that Little Man brought home from school for Arbor Day. *shrug* Sounds a bit like work doesn't it?

Yes, things have been changing around the house. I have noticed the kids are making a bit of an effort to do their parts to make things easier for me, as well as preparing for Dad's return. This is a very nice, downright neighborly, thing to do. He also let me borrow his drill, and told me where to find it should I need it again. Aw shucks, my neighbors are awesome!

When I clean out my room, at least I know I have somewhere to give my clothes to. M will enjoy getting some new things, and I will enjoy having more room for what I have! Someone out there needs to help me with closet organization! I hate being organized. I get lost. LOL

Not ready to get to Little Man's room, but if the neighbor gets serious after he returns from Rendezvous, I will have to be ready for the bed. He said he'd look for a single bed for Little Man, which means Girl can have the spare queen set. So now I just have to get rid of her old set - and it needs to be gone! Poor set is nearly destroyed. I sure could use a new set of mattresses too, but the prices are outrageous these days. Maybe after Dad gets home we will get a new set. Of course this set might be heaven compared to what he's been sleeping on.

So, the list for this weekend is complete. Now I just have to make these things happen. Where do I start? I may have given myself too much to do, but wow, it will be worth it.

Do you find yourself creating a long list of to-do, and not much actually gets done? How do you work your way through it? Are some of you way organized and do things in a logical order? That would be a novel experience for me, but I'm willing to give it a go!

Questions, comments, suggestions? Come on, let me know!  Still a comment contest going on, don't forget. Mrs. H will soon be putting her Amazon gift card to use! Don't be jealous! Win your own!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Cinco de Mayo

Is it time already? Wow! I cannot believe it's already the 5th of May.

Time is flying, and I still have so much to do. I have to get my gift ready for Heart and Hands for my sorority (on the 20th), continue to get the house ready for inspection, keep my creative juices flowing for stories, find summer employment and keep quality time available for my children, while still working a full time job. Meh, piece of cake.

I am hoping to get some travel in with Mas and the children over the summer as well.

So, what do you plan to do for the month? For summer?

A Thought or Three

How many of you would like to create something? Write something? Plant an amazing garden?

My mother is in a knitting group, and these ladies are creating some awesomeness!

I know I have talked about my writing, and some of it is available on here. Some of you know I am involved in a writing group. We have been creating some great stuff. I am also trying to help one of the writers get their work published, which is creating too.

I really would like to get back to my drawing, and also to my crochet (so am not a knitter). I miss cross-stitch, sometimes. I think some of my problem is letting myself get spread too thin. I am doing things all the time for, or with, someone else. I need to stop, set some priorities, and make the time.

I would love to build something with wood (a bookshelf screams into my head here), but lack tools, materials, and time.

I love to watch my daughter draw. She seems to move to another plane of existence as she does. Little Man's comics are a great release for him. My mother likes to knit, to create things out of clay, and paint.

I think it's time I created something more than just a few words on a page.

How about you? Do you need to stop, think, create? Well, what's stopping you? Go ahead, take a break from my awesome blog. Go! Create!!

3rd of May

and I already am late posting. I went home yesterday with something like a migraine. Not quite migraine status, but definitely enough to make me go home early. Thankfully I had scheduled a post for yesterday.

Today I would like to talk about family. I know - again? But really, can one talk too much about family? Sure, not all families are fantastic, but they will always be family. I am looking forward to trying out this new family arrangement coming in August. It will be strange, yet familiar. We will all have to learn and work at things together, including in-laws.

Given our situation, the major concern B and I have is maintaining our communication. We both realize we have changed immensely in the last 8 years, and efforts from both of us to keep communicating with (not at) each other will be vital. We also want to keep lines of communication open for the children's input. We will all be working hard, but enjoying our time together.

Anyway, family means different things to different people. I love my family, even when they drive me absolutely insane. These people made me who I am today, including my children, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am super grateful for all of the love I have been shown by my family, and am excited for them to share in the new journey of B and I falling in love again, becoming a family again.

I know I talk a lot about my children, but they are truly my reason for being here. I need them as much as they need me. They focus me on what is important, and remind me of what isn't. My children keep me strong, and let me be myself. My children are angels on earth, just like yours are.

I am sure I (occasionally) cause my daughter to want to strangle me in my sleep - she is a teenager after all. She rarely lets it show, and has been doing her best to stay patient with me as I struggle with letting her grow up. She has been helping out around the house, sometimes without being asked or reminded! I wonder if I were a different type of parent how my daughter would have turned out. Would I even like what I helped to create? I couldn't ask for a better daughter than what I have now, even if she sometimes forgets to ask permission for some things (although I may have made the mistake of mentioning the phrase  "it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission" more than once).

And my son! Talk about a super-helper. I worry that he helps too much, and feels put upon. I try to avoid it, but sometimes it's so easy to ask because he has never told me no. I introduced him to a series of books last night that he didn't want to try, but is now addicted to. He threw an attitude (not really a fit or anything, just clear he didn't want to try) and I negotiated that he give it a 10 minute chance. Half an hour later he was engrossed. Evil Mom wins again!

My mother has been such an important part of my life, and elder abuse threats aside, she has been a strong influence. I am cynical, but fair, and I learned this from her. I hope she can maintain that as time rolls by. I want her to know she will always be my mother, and my rock. I also need her to give me advice, and help me with things. I don't want her to think I will ever stop asking for help, or shopping at Masie's Grocery Store/Craft Store/Five-n-Dime/Restaurant.

Sometimes family members just don't get it. Although it has been said that we marry our spouse's family, that is not true. We marry our spouse. We create a new family. We are also part of another family. We expand our families, and that is where true families begin. Sure, we may not feel accepted right away, or we may be made to feel unwelcome/unappreciated, but we are still part of that family. Our spouses need to make it clear that they married us, and love us, and would appreciate their family accepting that reality. Sometimes this is all it takes, and sometimes the families don't want to make that effort.

My ex-mother-in-law still thinks of me as her daughter, and I am so thankful to have her still be part of our lives. B's mom is pretty righteous. I am fortunate in that. I wish the same for other families.

I was recently reminded of something my mother told my children's god-father a few years ago. His father was being unusually like a Massengill. My friend was very upset and hurt. My mother told him that no matter what, his father would always be his father, so he needed to stay available to him. Sometimes my father makes me feel left out, and less important than his step-children, but no matter what, he will always be my father, so when I can, I make sure to stay available to him, and stay in touch with him.

So, that was my two cents on family.  Your turn!

Surprises

The month of May will be full of surprises here on Disrupted Harmony, so keep watching for them (including the infamous Snowplow of Piddle story).

This month also brings a certain person's 15th birthday. Girl has been counting down for the last year. And with a friend coming from out of state, the countdown is taking on a whole new urgency. Girl is excited to see her friend, and maybe even get a learner's permit. *shiver*

Things are going well on the home front, with preparations underway for the inspection before Dad comes home. Re-arranging and cleaning are happening fast and furious, while my Muse is enjoying her time off (like she was working anyway). I am keeping things moving around in my head, and now that I have some breathing room, writing on my stories may begin again.

I am going to also attempt a Story A Day May 2012 so wish me luck. *snicker* I am setting up the rules as to be a story a day during the work week, with weekends off. I may write but not post until Monday, at least for that part. The stories can be like Twitter-length, flash fiction, or 2000 words long. It is really up to the writer, and poetry can count (at least in my world).

Anyway, the comment contest began anew at midnight May 1, along with the first post of the month. Keep reading and commenting! Mrs. H was excited to hear she had won last month's contest!

Have a great day

May Day

Ahhh, the scent of spring, the hugely wild Wyoming wind, and the activities of the students believing it is already the end of the month. It is almost like an insane asylum on certain days.That being said, I am pretty sure that some of the staff are feeling that urge for summer to be here too.

So, for this month, I am going to attempt to post every day. Yep, you read that right. I am pretty sure I have the scheduler figured out, and will give it a shot with this "test" post. And if that fails me, I can get to the site on my phone, but the posts would most likely be very short on the days I have to resort to my phone - fair warning there!

I would like to cover a variety of topics this month, but not as varied as last month! I am hoping to add some real life things, some writing things, and some interesting stuff, besides working on the pet brag board.

My mother has urged me to tell you of the story of how I snow-plowed dog pee in her kitchen last year, and the story makes us both laugh until our sides ache, our eyes are watering, and we are making that "woo, woo" "can't breathe" sound. So, if you would like to experience this, go on, tempt me to tell you that story. Leave me some comments so I know I have readers who love to laugh, love to think, love to share.

Again, there will be a comment contest this month. There will be a prize for the first comment, the comment that strikes me the strongest, and the most comments. That is 3 separate prizes. Last month, there was only one winner; don't let that happen again (love you Mrs. H!). We can't let her have all the fun, can we?

So, enjoy your first day of May, and get ready for the Comment Contest Rumble!!!  lol

P.S. Please watch for some exciting things in the next two weeks! A big surprise is coming, and I want you all to think about a random act of kindness you can pay forward! Hinty, hinty!

Z

Ahhh, the last day of the challenge, and the last day of the month! This has made the month truly seem to fly by! I have struggled a bit through the month, between getting posts up on the right days, and taking the time to check out other blogs, but all in all I feel pretty darn accomplished. Yay me, and yay readers for sticking with me!

Of course, I am going to pick a word for today that is rampant in the world....zombie. According to the 1977 edition of Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary that is in my possession, this is the definition:

zombie (also zombi) n [of Niger-Congo origin; akin to Kongo nzambi god] 1. usu zombi a: the voodoo snake deity b: the supernatural power that according to voodoo belief may enter into and reanimate a dead body c: a will-less and speechless human in the West Indies capable only of automatic movement who is held to have died and been reanimated but often believed to have been drugged into a catalepsy for the hours of interment  2 a: a person held to resemble the so-called walking dead; esp AUTOMATON b: a person markedly strange in appearance or behavior 3: a mixed drink made of several kinds of rum, liqueur, and fruit juice

Well, certainly seems to cover it. I don't know about any of you, but Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead are two zombie movies that I absolutely love! They have great tips for dealing with the zombie-ocalypse that is supposedly going to occur, and still make for funny movies.

Someone pointed out to me that the influx of zombie movies is helping us to prepare for the "armageddon" period of this history. Guess it's a good thing I have a couple of survivalists nearby to help me get sorted. I am NOT making light of survivalists who, like my neighbors, have a desire to know how to survive in certain situations, and their knowledge is very important.

Anyway, I hope we all survive the zombie-ocalypse, and see each other on the other side of December as well!!

Tomorrow is May Day, and this brings a new contest to us!

"Y"

I took a peek over at Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment where Matthew covered the Yakuza. I have always been fascinated by the tattoos of the Yakuza, being of a modified body myself. The artwork that goes into the full body suits of the Yakuza is astounding. Nothing short of awesome, despite anyone's feelings regarding tattoos. The art itself is inspiring. And the years it takes to get the entire tattoo work is daunting, not to mention the pain involved! These tattoos are most often done by hand through a highly respected master of the technique. Just, wow.

Soon my sorority will be doing it's yardstick to measure how well we did in terms of the expectations for our sorority. It will be odd not to participate this year, but I am confident that we will come out in the typical 3-star range for our small organization. This idea has made me consider taking stock of my own life, and creating a yardstick for myself. In all honesty, I feel like I have measured up in many areas, but am still lacking in the betterment area. Sure, I read prolifically, and write, well, not as often as I should (certainly not everyday) but in reality, I am stumbling on my road to a better health-syle. I started out well back in February, but am slacking. I found an interesting site, Couch to 5K, and am surprised at how easy it really sounds. I tried it last Wednesday, and I think I might be able to handle it, with a little help from Girl and Little Man. When Dad gets home, it could be fun!

I have become more interested in yoga, as there are a number of poses which, despite my current lack of flexibility, are pretty low impact and not too stressful on the aging body I am inhabiting. Yoga seems to give me a sense of peace, even simply watching it. I have seen the difference in one of my sorority sisters since she started it (oooh, such alliteration!) and am loving how her outlook has improved. Maybe I can accomplish this through the use of my Wii, and speaking to a local instructor (yes, our little town has one - ask at the rec center!).

Enjoy your day!  Look for a pet brag board, and a new contest starting tomorrow!!!

"X"

I bet you all think I am going to cover xylophone, or try something cute for this letter, don't you?

Well, you are sort of right. Has anyone here read the novels by Piers Anthony known collectively as "The Xanth Trilogy"? It really is a series of books (more than 12 at my last count). The series is about a magical world known as Xanth (pr. zanth) and I STILL love them. He was my favorite author when I was in high school (I even wrote him a letter, and got a response too!!), and can still say I love to read his work.

Xanth is a land of magic, vaguely shaped like Florida, with many plays-on-words to name items, people, and places in the land. For example, there is a drink known as Boot Rear, which is found in pitcher-like plants that, after you drink it, will make you fly forward as though you have been kicked in the posterior. There is swamp called Ogre-fen-ogre Swamp. There is a woman named Ivy who has a very strong talent with plants. There are horses who bring bad dreams, known as Night Mares, and each are named after the "lakes" found on the moon. Yeah, kinda "lame" but in a cool way. At least for me.

If I hadn't read this series of books (and I think he is still writing them actually), I would not have been introduced to other books he has written. He wrote a series called the Incarnations of Immortality, which I absolutely loved, and also a series called The Blue Adept.

The Incarnations of Immortality is about, yep, you guessed it, the Incarnations (Death, War, Gaea, etc.) and was a very interesting spin on the humanity of the offices. I just re-read the first book, On a Pale Horse, and was sucked right back in to the world. Not many authors can make me pick them up after more than *mumble* years.

The Blue Adept series begins in a modern scientific world, and ends up in a magical world, with an eventual juxtaposing of the two worlds. Strongly recommended, even after all this time.

Enjoy your day, and eXperience something magical for yourself!

Words with Friends

I was the chaperone for the students traveling to the State Art Symposium Thursday and Friday, so my posts for those days are being done today, along with Saturday's and I really have no excuse for Saturday being late.

"W" brings to mind wild, wacky, witty, willful, wonderful, and wicked. All of those adjectives can be applied to me, of course. Also, my daughter could be those things. Well, face it, the apple doesn't always fall far from the tree. (Right, Mom?) And most of my friends fall into those separate categories, and one in particular (A) fits all at once. She's so crazy!

I have been playing a game with some family and friends on Facebook called Words with Friends.  It's basically Scrabble for those who do not know about the game. It's addictive. And has been a good way for me to stay in touch with a friend of mine I haven't heard from in awhile.

This game is also tough, especially for me. Sure I know words, but I am playing against my mother, who collects words like most little old ladies collect tschotkes (I think I got the original Yiddish spelling here, so don't freak on me!)! That is when I have a hard time. Also, I get the strategy of playing on the double and triple letters/words, but if there are no letters to work with, sure is hard! Ahh, challenges!

In response to all my readers (one!!) who have posted comments, thanks! And to you others, what the heck do I have to put in here to get a response? If there is a suggestion for a topic you would like to see me cover, feel free to let me know.

Mrs. H, just let me know how you want me to handle your big win of an Amazon gift card when you get a chance! I appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to my posts. Maybe we can visit about a new contest that starts next month - OMG, that's tomorrow!! Yikes! That means only 27 days until Girl's birthday and that means a learner's permit. Holy Hannah!

Anyway, enjoy the words in your life, and all your friends who have colorful adjectives attached to them!

V

Verve, vivaciousness, vehemence, veracity, varied, vigilant, v, v, v.....which word, or concept today?

Vigilance (n) - the quality or state of being vigilant (helpful, right?)
Vigilant (adj) - from Middle English for to keep watch; alertly watchful, especially to avoid danger.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, perhaps we need a bit more vigilance in the school system in finding those students who are at risk of dropping out due to overwhelming circumstances. True, often those circumstances are of the student's own doing, but maybe we need to change the rules of No Child Left Behind to something along the lines of "no child should be left behind who has attempted to understand the work, but struggles with the concepts. The students struggling will be allowed to pass on to the next grade but will complete the difficult class(es) concurrently in the following grade. Those students who opt to not attempt the required work, nor attempt to understand the concepts will be held back to clearly define responsibility and consequences."

Varied - having numerous forms or types

This kind of ties back to what I discussed yesterday, with the unusual and unexpected post. Variety is the spice of life, right?

What about veracity? (n) devotion to the truth; power of conveying or perceiving truth; conformity with the truth or fact; something true.

Hmm...I like this word. I believe in veracity. Accuracy and specificity are wonderful. I like honesty and truth, and being specifically accurate. Although, I do ramble.

So now for vivaciousness. Oh yeah, I'm there! I just got the news that our family grows by one in late July or early August, and NO!!! I'm not pregnant. Dad will get to come home then! This has been a long time coming and now, you all get to put up with me being perky and happy for the next 3 months...and then, we will see. A whole lot of changes have happened in the last 8 years. Could be interesting!

I feel like I'm right at the top of the world right now, and hopefully nothing will bring me smashing back down to earth to soon. I would like to enjoy this happiness for a bit.

Thanks all for your continued viewing and hopefully future viewing as well!

Keep reading, and let's see some posts!! I am thinking about a chance for you readers to do a "pet brag board" on here, and am working on those details right now. I will be putting my doggie doo on the board if there is interest. Anyway....have an excellent day, and don't forget the comment contest ends next week! Still time to make me laugh or cry!

Torment your friends and family, and even your enemies with my blog!

The definitions above came from Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary (c) 1977.

Unusual

No surprise for those who know me that I would pick this word today. I am drawn to the unusual, the different, the unexpected. I like being unusual, not a "sheeple" and I am pretty sure I am unexpected for most.

I like the unusual, the unexpected. I know we all see things differently, based on perspective, upbringing, etc., but I love how I see things differently. When I look at Seurat paintings, I see the dots, and at the same time, I see the simplicity, the big picture, and the little details.

When I look at a flower, the construction is astounding, and especially so when it is off-kilter and different from those flowers around it. I like the stuffed animals on the shelves which have eyes that are crossed or in different positions, because they are unusual.

However, I am not interested in the price that sometimes comes with the unusual. Yeah, that unusual (often a mistake or mutant genes) suddenly ups the price on something. That seems completely counterintuitive. I understand the concept that one-of-a-kind things are low in supply, high in demand, and prices will rise for that. But really? For a stuffed animal some dork couldn't be bothered to set eyes onto correctly before sewing should have it's price raised. Um, no, I don't believe so.

How about the unusual facts we collect in our lives? Like the fact that James Earl Jones is a stutterer. Yeah, surprising, but a fact nonetheless. Makes me enjoy his voice even more, honestly.

I love learning unusual things, unexpected things. Jude Law wears a hearing aid...yep. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (ask me who he is...yum-o) speaks with a Cockney accent, except in movies, where he adopts a Sudanese accent, and is fluent in several languages, as well as having a masters in Law from the University of London.

So, learning unusual facts (although I just plain love learning) can be kind of neato, huh?

Is there something unusual you like to see, hear, buy, learn, do? Please, share! Could be fun trying something new, maybe even terrifying ourselves. They say that life begins outside of your comfort zone!

Remember, comment contest ends next week! Looks like Mrs. H may sweep this month's. She could be looking at a decent gift certificate from Amazon.com!!!! So, don't let her take the whole shebang! Make her work for it!

Don't forget to tell your friends, neighbors, family, and enemies about my blog (at least I could offend them for you!)!

Have a great day!

Terrified

So, yeah. I'm kind of terrified about what I've been doing with this "Much Ado About Nothing" because things are coming to me left and right for the story. It's a take off from the play (kinda like Ten Things I Hate About You is for "Taming of the Shrew" but not necessarily about the romance.) and not only am I terrified, I'm excited.

The work is tortuous, taxing, and time-consuming, but terrific. I am totally taken with thoughts, theories, and twists on the plot.

Was that too much? Too bad. Haha.

Yes, the post for "T" is short, but to the point.

And quite alliterative as well. Haha.

I am wishing  you all the opportunity to terrify yourselves with trying something new and different. It could very well be worth it, giving you a new outlook on life.

Remember the comment contest and to tell everyone about the blog!

Simple

This weekend was a glorious one for me and my family. It was full of quality time together, and with friends. It was simple, and I find joy in simple, especially after a busy week.

Friday night was the only night last week I didn't have something scheduled. It was a simple pleasure to sit and play games on my computer, and to help my daughter with her homework. My son enjoyed hanging out and watching movies with me. Very relaxing night. Again, simple pleasures. And it was nice to have a simple mind after that week.

Saturday was a simple day of visiting, and, although technically it was work, I helped a student with her senior presentation. That was not really work though (not for me). I managed to find the day full of a simple life.

Yesterday was a busy day, but it held the simple pleasure of catching up on housework. Sounds weird, I know, but hear me out. For me, doing dishes by hand is relaxing because I can think about what needs to be done, make lists in my head, and then zone out. I made 3 meals yesterday (again, shocking, I know!) and scrubbed up a mess my dog left me because she was sick. Mopped the entire hallway and kitchen. Whew. Worked up a heck of a sweat, but it was accomplished and I felt accomplished. I know some people who read this might not understand, but I am so not Martha Steward or Susie Homemaker, and so doing things like that is usually a torture, but yesterday it felt fantastic. And it was really a simple pleasure. Plus, because I did that, my daughter had to clean the toilet. hahahahahahaha

Anyway, take the time to find the simple pleasures in your life. Reading, watching a favorite television program, listening to a favorite radio program or song (or album even), gardening, whatever floats your boat. Those simple pleasures don't really mean a simple mind, but a relaxed mind and body (finally!).

Remember, comment contest and tell everybody about the blog!

Wishing you a day of simple pleasures.

Today is brought to you by the letter "R"...

and once again the blinking cursor. I had some thoughts on phrases that start with "R" but that seems like taking the easy way out.

I know I catch myself saying "Right on" a lot, and if it annoys me, I feel sorry for all the people around me. The phrase is a good response for when you don't want to appear too enthusiastic, or just as good for when you feel super enthusiastic. I use it when I'm not sure how someone would like me to respond.

I appreciate the subtle nuance of the phrase. (*cough* yeah, right *cough*)

How about a word, then?

Responsibility. A word loaded with emotion.

In my world, I am held responsible for a multitude of things: children, bills, maid duties, etc. How about in your world?

Teachers (and schools) are held responsible for choices students make, which seems wrong to me. Sure, we all wish there were teachers that could inspire even the laziest, most uninterested students, but there just aren't very many of those left. School holds no surprises for students when there is the Internet. Students know they will not be held back, nor held accountable for the choices made in school, so they figure "why bother?" and teachers are left holding the bag.

In all honesty, responsibility is one of most important things school should teach students. Not only should students be held accountable for choices being made, but also, there should be consequences for those choices at every grade level. How can not failing a student do anything but set those future graduates up for failure in the real world? If the student is not grasping concepts, and honestly is struggling, please hold that student back until the concept is understood. If a student is merely choosing to fail, then let them fail. How can this hurt anyone's feelings? Those students will look back (theoretically - unless they are spoiled and have been raised to think the world owes them something because they are here) and be thankful for being able to grasp real world concepts.

And yes, every core subject is used on a regular basis in the real world. Sure, history seems like a waste, but there is the often heard quote "those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it" and it can be taken any way the reader chooses. I feel that if we do not understand what our history teaches us, how can we make a decent future for our children?

Sure, you and I may not want to know all the formulas for math or science, but one of your classmates may go on to use those to cure cancer or get humans to another planet safely. How cool is that?

And yes, literature is difficult to understand. Some of the stuff in Shakespeare has even me thinking "huh?" but there are themes, and morals in the stories and poems that are read in literature. English classes teach us how to write properly for improved communication, and in a global economy, good communication is key. Sure, language usage changes, but we need to learn those facts too. Yes, we speak English (technically American English), but what kind of excuse is that?

And speaking of excuses, I would like to share something I read on Facebook. "If it's important to you, you will find a reason. If it's not, you will find an excuse." Wow. Just wow. Seems to me that the students who have come up with every excuse in the book for failing to do what is necessary find education to not be important. Really? Let me see how you are truly getting by in the real world in 5 years without the knowledge you need from schooling (if Mommy and Daddy aren't bailing you out that is).

So, shouldn't we be holding these students accountable? Responsible? Hmm...let me think....OF COURSE!!! I hold my child responsible. Why can't other parents? It would hurt their feelings? Really? Okay, how do you think they will feel when you are gone and can't help them out of a situation they got themselves into because of continued poor choices? More than their feelings might be hurt - those affected would include: children, family, co-workers, friends, etc. Wow. Their feelings might be hurt. Sheesh.

Plain and simple, take responsibility for your choices people!! Gosh.

Okay, I'm stepping down from my soapbox now. Have a fantabulous weekend! And I hope George Takei has a fantastic birthday today!!

Dreaded "Q"

Okay, if anyone knows me, they know I have a rather off-the-wall sense of humor, and today's letter reminds me of a Denis Leary routine about NyQuil.  It's from his "No Cure for Cancer" album. Check it out - he makes me laugh, especially when he is very inappropriate.

Now, how about "quitting" for a topic? Weird huh? I guess seeing the drop in numbers in the junior class here makes me sad - and worried about my future.

I am failing to see how not understanding that actions/choices have consequences and those consequences may be very difficult to overcome, so quitting is an acceptable choice.

This goes for school, work, life.

Students should be held accountable for their choices and face consequences. Not failing a student who is failing classes and not holding that student back to understand the concepts being taught means those students are set up for failure in college, and the real world. Strong and terrible opinion, I know.

If work is difficult, seek employment elsewhere, but don't burn your bridges. You never know when you may have to crawl back and ask for a job there again.

And I know life is hard, and scary, and sometimes full of pain, but a permanent solution to a temporary problem is something that I do not see as acceptable. So....don't quit - anything!

Okay, if you have never heard of it, the Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment is by a man participating in the A to Z Challenge this month, and he has the kind of humor I appreciate. Please go check him out. He has help for writers submitting their work (or attempting to submit anyway), and the information could be useful for some of you who read my blog. The posts he has been making for this month have given me reminders of words I rarely use, but could find a place for in my stories - although some are just fun to say, like today's - "quixotic" - so fun to say!

Anyway, another reminder of comment contest, so get to commenting! And W, yes, you...I know you can comment, so do it!!

Don't forget to tell your friends, family members, acquaintances, and even your enemies about the blog!

Have a fantastic day!

Posting

I know my posting has been a bit erratic. Please bear with me as I work on this idea I have for Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. It's a story idea, I promise.

Anyway...speaking of posting. Does anyone out there (if there is anyone out there really) have any ideas on some future posts? Is there something that you would like to hear me vent about, or address, or poke fun at, or....well, you get the idea.

I am trying to stay on top of this because I find that my creativity begins to flow when I write every day, or that elusive Muse deigns to show up and help me out a bit. My Muse is quite eccentric, and would rather hang out watching T.V. and smoking than doing what she is supposed to do. I wouldn't mind if the darn thing would even inspire me to keep up on laundry, dishes, organizing. No, my Muse is quite content to watch T.V., smoke a few cigarettes, drink some Dr Pepper, and play many a seek-and-find game on the computer. Way easier than actually providing a jumping off point for a story or even an idea for a story (simple idea, crazy idea, crappy idea, any idea would be nice). Yeah, my Muse is quite a bit like me...lazy.

And that Muse makes posting seem like I'm trying to write The Magnum Opus. Yeah, I know, it's a blog. The Muse is a lot like the students I see..."I have to actually do work?"

So, send some ideas my way, please. My Muse might realize she's in danger of losing her job that way.

Remember, there is a comment contest going on. Random comments will be chosen throughout the month to win a prize. The first commenter (Mrs. H!) will be getting her prize soon. I am hoping to run a comment contest every month. The rules will be spelled out clearly for everyone. The prize will be suitable for the person who wins, at least until I get my ducks in a row and can be a bit standardized.

Tell your friends about the blog! Gotta have readers to have comments!!

Open

I am faced with a blinking cursor again, and posting for "O" seems very difficult to do. I am going to have to be open to any ideas.

Open to ideas - yes, open to new ideas, old ideas, new points of view. I think that could be some of my trouble with my writing. I am fighting against being open to new ways of looking at things. I struggle with looking at things and saying "what if" so I am starting to think I may not be the writer I think I am. *shrug* But, I have been finding ideas in the weirdest places. Zombies...Shakespeare....some what-ifs and       some new points of view.

So I am trying to be more open to new points of view. Until I hear strange stories like the one about the Stalking Cat (thanks for THAT visual, W!). Look it up. Be shocked.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty good with body modification, just make up your own mind, okay. Might be me being old (another "O" word).

Now, I am going to remind you to start commenting because I have a comment contest that began on the 1st of April. The first commenter (Mrs. H!) gets a prize, and there will be random comments chosen throughout the rest of the month which will win a prize. I am hoping to make the contest monthly. Clear rules will be established and stated for everyone's benefit! When you comment, remember, I might be looking for the one that makes me spit my Dr Pepper onto the screen, or the one that makes me fight off the tears. Just show me some response, that I touched something in you that makes you feel strong enough to respond.

And don't forget, tell your friends! If things work out, I could see me building this into something useful for everyone, not just me to vent onto.

One more thing, let's all try to be a bit more open to new points of view, shall we?

Neighbors

We all have them. Some we enjoy, some we couldn't care less about. I have some of both. I try to be the former, and hope I am not the later.

What I have enjoyed about neighbors is that in this small northeastern town in a square state the "neighborhood" is really the whole town. Someone knows someone who knows someone who knows you. When things are tough for you and yours, someone will help you out, and often it is truly a friend of a friend of a friend. And these friends help out with no thought of being repaid or recognized, just to help out someone from their neighborhood.

I also love the fact that for the most part, my children do not have to worry too much about who their neighbors are. If my children are seen somewhere, I hear about it. And that is super handy when one of them is a teenager who likes to think she can get away with sneaking out or around. *evil Mom laugh*

I have enjoyed one particular set of neighbors since the day I moved onto the street where I am living. This family are energetic, thoughtful, and super friendly, although at first I am fairly certain the husband thought I was a druggie or a whore because of the hours and company I kept while tending bar. Recently he helped me tear down my mother's fence, and he told me he has really enjoyed watching my children grow up, and the changes I have made in my life. That was a right neighborly thing of him to say.

I like to pay it forward when folks help me out, and so, neighbors, I enjoy each of you for your own special ways, whims, and worries. Thank you for being my neighbors on this new leg of my journey!

Please, remember, I am planning a comment contest with prizes, so, comment and tell your friends and family about my blog!

"M"

My cursor was blinking at me as I stared at the screen. What topic for this letter? I thought as I watched the cursor blink. There are too many choices for this letter, and all are quite touchy subjects.

Militant - oh yeah, don't get me started on militant right wing Moral Majority folks. I would lose my few readers quickly. I don't like my morality legislated. Just a thing. Militant homophobes? Please - who are they to judge?

Marriage - an institution. I am not fond of being in an institution. I am not a sheeple.

Misfit - Hey! That's a topic I can get behind. That is me, although I am apparently less of one these days. I like being different from others. I struggled with this in high school, a time when everyone struggles with identity, but I love being me now. I love that I don't fit into someone's mold of what a 40 year old single mom of 2 should act like, and I love that I surprise people when they learn details about me.

Mothers - Ah, another topic I can get behind. Mothers are amazing creatures. Carrying (or adopting), raising, loving, being responsible for and acting responsible towards, a child are such wonderful traits of being a mother. That moment when a child hugs you just because they want to is one of the most precious and bad-feeling reducing actions. As a single parent, I have enjoyed the time I get to spend with my children, and guard it well. I do little that would trade making memories with my children. Even half an hour playing the Wii with my children (or often watching them play) is so relaxing and produces joy in my soul. I relish my children's presence (usually when they have been absent) although I do claim annoyance at the way they are helicopter-like when I am playing some games on my computer at home.

So, have I covered "M" today? Please, comment and let me know what you feel about my topics.

Remember, I am looking to have a comment contest, with prizes and stuff!

Love, laughter, and lollipops(?)

Yeah, yeah, a little late, again!! Meh, the weather is playing havoc with my desire to be productive. *shrug*

So, today is "L" day.

I love my life...despite the chaos, weirdness, and general feeling of "wtf" that happens on a regular basis. I have an amazingly wonderful and crazy family, fantastic-ly funny friends who keep me in stitches (thankfully not literally), and a great job. I am so grateful and feel so lucky to be where I am today.

I think my post about jokes gave you the idea that I love to laugh. I still haven't received any comments regarding these posts (except you Mrs. H!!!! and thank you for that!!!!!!!!), so maybe the few people who are reading this don't like to laugh?!?!?!? How horrible! Must be boring and sad to be around you!

Okay, lollipops. Meh, it just fit. Although, speaking as a parent, a teenage girl sucking on a lollipop scares me totally ****less. I'm just saying. I feel sorry for the parents of these girls who do this in public. At least Girl stays inside the house if she has a sucker. (Whew!!) Although I love me some green apple lollipops, or just about any green colored lollipop - especially Saf-t-pops. Comment if you know what those are!!!

Anyway, the post is finished, and M and N will be happening Monday. Sorry, got a busy weekend ahead of me.

Love, lollipops, and laughter for all of my readers!!

P.S. Tell your friends about the blog. I am thinking of running a contest for the readers, and it will involve those who actually comment!!

"K" is for...

keeper. As in, "this one is a keeper." I know I brag about Girl and Little Man (hey, I'm a proud parent) and my children are keepers, but I want to talk about you being a keeper.

I wonder if we take the time in ourselves to be the kind of person/friend/parent that others could say "this one is a keeper" about us.

My children behave in public (for the most part), have good manners (in general), are very loved, make it to school everyday that they are not ill, are clean, and are fed. I have been told repeatedly that I am doing a fantastic job with raising my children, so I don't doubt I am a keeper parent.

I frequently find myself helping one of my friends (M) make it to the store, usually because either her husband can't seem to find the time to help her out in getting her license or even just bothering to drive her. M tries to buy me at least a Dr Pepper for doing this (good bribe!), and most of the time it isn't a problem to help out. Somedays I forget and agree to help when I am spreading myself too thin, but it works out. M has also paid gas money, for which I am thankful. I don't do this because of the Dr P bribe or the gas money, but because she has a genuine need for assistance.
My friend A never asks me for more than I can handle, always gives more than I need, and I don't feel icky when I have to tell her "no" for some reason because she is also a single parent and knows how life gets in the way. I also love the fact that we can share our problems with each other and it is never more about one of us, or "one-up" time for problems. I appreciate A's sense of humor, laughing, and surprising ways, and I know she appreciates my quirky ways. I feel that these 2 examples alone show that I am a keeper of a friend, although, it does sound a bit like bragging, and nice people don't do that, so maybe I'm not such a keeper of a person. *grin*

I feel that (for the most part) I do unto others as they do unto me, and treat others as I wish to be treated. I try hard not to be a problem for anyone else, or a burden on society. I attempt to keep myself out of the gossip groups by not doing things which could be grist for the mill. I go to work every day that I am required to, unless I am sick, or one of my children is sick. I pay my bills (mostly on time - hey, I'm a blonde and have reached that magical age to boot), take care of my pet, keep my yard nice(ish), and try to be a nice neighbor.

So, am I a keeper of a person? I sure hope so, because I have many in my life. Thank you all for being "keepers"!!!!!!

Jokes

I don't know about you, but I love jokes. All kinds of jokes. Almost any type will make me laugh. I even like some of the jokes that make me roll my eyes and are known as groaners.

My grandfather loves to tell me jokes. My friend "A" loves to tell me jokes and she giggles great! My son tries to tell jokes, but his unexpected dry wit is the best. Girl rocks at her very English sense of humor, and her really great way of telling stories.

My students can tell stories and jokes very well, and sometimes that few minutes of laughter makes working on the subject a bit easier.

I love to laugh, and appreciate all kinds of jokes. Feel free to comment with one of your favorite jokes, although warn the readers if it is NSFW or kids.

I leave you with this one:

A mother was walking with her four year old daughter one day when the daughter picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. The mother stopped her and told her she shouldn't do that.

"Why," asked the little girl (Mom's favorite phrase!).

"Because it's dirty. It's been on the ground. You don't know where it's been. It probably has germs."

The little girl looked up at her mom with admiration and asked,"How do you know so much?"

Thinking quickly, the mother said, "All moms know so much. We have to. It's on the Mommy Test. If you don't know it, you don't get to be a mommy."

The little girl pondered this for a few minutes, then her face brightened. "I get it! If you don't pass the test, you get to be a daddy!"

"Yep," said the mom.

"i"

So today's (yesterday's actually) topic will begin with "i". Sometimes I am reminded of Sesame Street as I do these posts -- "Today's show is brought to you by the letter "I" and also the number "6". Comment if you remember being "Raised on the Street" (LOL).

Anyway, today the topic will be...

insecurity.

Do you experience this? If you don't you can't be human. I experience it everyday, every time I walk out the door. I doubt myself, my abilities, my needs. Do you? 

I struggle with believing in myself, not sure why. I don't believe a compliment that comes my way (unless it is spoken by my children because I have them trained to be truthful, mostly). I have a hard time trusting words from people I don't know well. Pretty sure they want something, and I'm not down with that.

I don't believe in my abilities as a writer, although I have heard I do fine. I am involved in a writing group to write for myself, and encourage others with their abilities. I also don't believe that I'm smart enough to be a tutor, although I know that the students who come to my for help leave having learned something. I just doubt myself in that respect.

Okay, low self-esteem. Whatever. I call it insecurity. 

Thoughts.

H

Okay, I know, I know. I took an extra day off. I blame work. I got an extra day off from work, so I took it from the blog too. *shrug* Whatcha gonna do?

So, last week was Holy Week, and many celebrated the sacrifice made for mankind. That's all I will say about that, in deference to my many readers beliefs.

I have heard and seen many Hilarious things in the last few days, including a story my daughter told on herself. I warned her I would share.

Apparently, students have been saying "YOLO" during class - although I am unclear on what it is regarding in particular. Anyway, Girl asked one of the students why she was talking about ice cream. My daughter did not know what the abbreviation/acronym stood for. If you ask her, she tells the story much better. I laughed and laughed - almost piddled myself, the way she told the story.

And just so you all know, if you didn't already, it stands for You Only Live Once.

Anyway, short post, but I am caught up - sort of. I will try for 2 tomorrow.

"G"

Today I would like to talk about being Grateful. I know, I know. But are we truly considering the things we have, the life we have? Are we feeling grateful for what we have in our lives?

I am grateful that I have two absolutely wonderful children who love me for me, every day, angry or happy. These two amazing beings are a marvel to me. It has been simply fantastic to have them to myself for the last nearly 9 years. I have learned a lot about myself, and being a good parent, in that time. I have become so appreciative of the time I get with my young ones.

     Girl - You are a true beauty, inside and out. You make me feel very proud when I see your smiling face and hear your laugh. I love how you love me, and always make me smile every day. Your little ways are something that I can't see my life without, even if I tell you they are annoying. I love you so very much, and have loved watching you grow into the lady you are becoming.
     Little Man - You are so amazing, my son. You have a fantastic imagination, and the most loving heart. I love how helpful you are, almost always without a complaint. And you have some of the greatest ideas for games to play. I love our conversations, and that you love so many things I do. You are totally your mother's son (except for the tapioca). I dig that we read comics together, and write together, and watch shoot 'em ups together. I think you are awesome, and I am eager to see you continue your growth into the young man you will be. I love you!

I am grateful for a mom who has grown with me in the last 10 years. Thank you so much for everything you have done, and continue to do, for us. Even if I want to commit elder abuse on you, I love you for all your cynical and old bat ways. I love the laughter we have, and the serious crap we talk about, and having  the strangest talks about things like "from not here" and other euphemisms we have discovered.

Friends, I am truly grateful for each one of you. The laughter, love, and trust we have can not be replaced. Ups and downs and in-betweens have been part of us growing together. I love each of you for your special ways, ways I appreciate every day.

Students, I am grateful for you as well. Each of you has taught me something in return for working with you. Thank you for your differences.

Tell me what you are grateful for today. I would love to hear from you!

Fooled Ya!

I am sure most folks who know me thought I was going to pick a different "topic" today. Fooled ya!

I was thinking of a number of possibilities, mostly adjectives. I finally settled on Frantic.

I have been watching students who have put their school work on the back burner on a stove in another county for the last several months. Now that there are only 7 weeks of school left, these same students are now frantic in their efforts to boost their grades. I just shake my head. I prefer not to wait until the last minute to do things (except some of the papers I wrote for my second degree - hated those busywork papers *grr*).

Now this frenzy of frenetic foolishness is getting these students where exactly? I truly do not understand the choices the students make being acceptable to parents. There is no excuse for being unaware of your own child's schooling. Around here, many parents work shift work at the coal mines. This means the parent is gone for 14 hours a day, including driving time. These shifts are from 7 - 7, both night shift and day shift. Most of these folks work 14 days out of the month, and not in a row. That leaves at least 14 more days in the month that the parent can catch up on the parenting part of the child's life.

Believe me, I understand the frantic rushing around of meeting work demands, home demands, and life in general demands. But there is a time to say "No" to the optional things. I recently chose to stand down from my office in my sorority because I know it was taking too much from my time with my children, as well as finding the time to perform the duties that aren't seen during the meetings. I love my sisters in the sorority, but they want me to be at my best, so they were very understanding when I chose not to run for the office again.

That's only one example of slowing yourself down in your frantic life. If you sat down and even just thought about all the little things like that you do outside of the absolute demands of work and home life, you would be amazed at how much time you could find to be with your family. I have even told my mother that I need a weekend at home to do my housework, so going to town was out of the question for me. She understands. If the person asking something from you cannot understand when you say no, that is too bad. You sometimes have to put yourself first, so you can put your family first.

Frantic activity is most often the result of not making wise choices - believe me, I know. I recall a number of last minute posting for my class, because I chose not to write the paper early in the week. If I hadn't fooled around, or put it off, I could have had quality time with my children instead of getting to know my keyboard. The students seem to thrive on this frantic time, and I just shudder. I wonder what their future holds.