Put Yur Head Back in the Sand!

There are people out there who grew up in a bubble.  They can't see what's around them because they have no experience with anything but their own little group.    These are the folks who only hang with their kind because "others" make them uncomfortable.  This is a danger to yourself, as there are a lot of very diverse people in this world, and if you only like your type then you are really missing out.  Everything I've learned about people usually comes from friends, or acquaintances that are vastly different from me.  In fact, I find them quite interesting and I can learn from them.  I enjoy learning about other cultures, and how other families operate and function.

I bring this up in light of the gay marriage ban being lifted in Utah recently.  There really are people out there in la, la land who just don't realize every family isn't the Brady Bunch, or Leave it to Beaver!  My advise to you is get out there and get some diversity in your life so your not a stale Stanley.....or head-in-the-sand Helen!  Not every family has a Mom who stays home baking cookies, and a Dad who wears a suit and carries his brief case off to work in his convertible!   It takes all types of folks to make up this crazy world we live in, and the more crazy diverse folks you know, the better you'll become!

It does not mean you need to go out and copy cat them.... which in my opinion these head-in-the-sand folks fear.....which is why they stick together and don't diversify because oh the horror of hanging around with gay folks then becoming gay ourselves!  YES there are idiots who think this way! Know who you are, and be comfortable with yourself and your life, then you can pursue friendship with others, and take the good things you learn about them and apply them to your life, and discard the negative stuff.  Life isn't about keeping to yourself, and staying in your comfort zone, it's about experiencing new ideas, concepts, and experiencing all types of diverse people.

I truly believe the more diverse your friends are, the better you become.

Launch Baby Launch!

Sigh..... What's going on with our 20 somethings?  I can tell you so many of them are not leaving home, or boomeranging back home!  I have a kid who bounces from Dad's to Mom's and back and forth.  It's terribly frustrating and must be stopped. True to form I got the email last night "May I move back in with you?"   The answer was "HELL NO!!!"

Don't get me wrong, I love my son dearly, but he's very lazy and will mooch off of who ever lets him. He's full of excuses, but no solutions.  This has been going on for over 6 years, back and forth since he was 19.   He has had some really good jobs, lived with his GF for a while, has had several apartments, but never stays put!  He gets bored and quits his job, sleeps all day and gets very lazy, then scratches his head and calls us all psycho angry people!   Really?
Name one person who would put up with a lazy 25 year old man sleeping all day, and eating you out of house and home, and leaving messes everywhere?   I'm sure I'm not the only angry psycho who will go medieval on your ass for doing that to me.  I put up with it all last summer and I'm done.  Surprisingly I'm not the only one, I have several friends who are at their wits end with grown up kids.

My message is a very simple one:  If you're a parent of a 20, 30, or good Hell even 40 something kid who won't leave home.... kick their sorry ass out already!  You are not doing them any favors what-so-ever!
If they work, go to school and contribute to the betterment of the family, then by all means keep them as long as you're getting a benefit from the living arrangement.  If not get rid of them!  NOW!

If you are the 20, 30, or older living at home sucking up your parent's retirement, and savings:
 "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"  Get a job, become a member of society, and get a place to live, it isn't a picnic for your parents, and I'm sure as soon as you leave they'll be jumping for JOY!

Shame on you for adding to your parents stress level, and aging them beyond belief!  Get a job NOW! 

 YOU ARE DRIVING YOUR PARENTS CRAZY!  

Just BREATHE!

Almost 2 weeks ago I underwent nasal polyp surgery, as well as fixing a deviated septum, and shaving off a bone spur!  WHEW!  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Painful for the first day or two, lots of discharge coming out the nose, but I was off pain med's by the 2nd day...they made me overly emotional, and flat out Cray Cray!

For years I sounded like I had a cold, allergies, or sinus infections.  I was always plugged up, and could only breathe through one nostril most of the time.  At night I became a mouth breather, and I was always tired, and everything seemed like a chore.  I was a "loud" breather too, and had to always be aware of how loud I was breathing especially in quite places. Now I'm all clean and cleared out and quite as a mouse!  I sleep like a baby, and in 3 more days will be able to get back to the gym, and doing strenuous things which I'm super excited for.

I took almost 2-weeks off work, and slept in as late as I wanted to, actually gave my body permission to rest, and nap if needed, and boy did I need it!  I finished all my holiday shopping, and really enjoyed my time off, all in the mist of a typically busy stressful time of year, I'm chilling and relaxing!  I can't recall except maternity leave, being off work for 2 solid weeks!   WOW everyone should do that yearly!

I'm so glad I did it, and it's too bad I didn't do it earlier, but no regrets, my doctor was capable, and kind, and the new hospital was fantastic!   Since nasal polyps typically return in 70% of the cases, I need to be diligent in keeping my nose clean literally!  I use saline spray each and every day, Ocean is a great brand, also Nasonex 2 sprays per nostril, morning and evening everyday for life to keep the crap at bay.   Eating and exercising and just being overall healthy doesn't hurt either.  I'll be sure to wear protective face masks when sweeping out the garage, sanding furniture pieces, or just using cleaning products to clean the house, as I don't want anything going up my nose that could cause any issues.

 I feel great, and can't wait to being 2014 with lots of health energy finally I can

BREATHE! 

I'm a professional!

I normally don't get into arguments with ignorant people, but yesterday at Thanksgiving my little Bro made a derogatory comment against me and my money saving shopping strategies, that I just couldn't let him off without an education!
I studied marketing in college, and have been in a marketing/sales career for many, many years.  I've also learned over the past five years how to coupon shop, and maximize my shopping budget by using coupons, and sales to get more bang for the buck!  I study the manufactures, brands and sale cycles and have learned all this through the internet, friends, savings groups and a lot of shopping experience!  So yes, I'd most certainly consider myself a professional, and get many, many requests from people who know me to "school" them in the art of saving money.
Little bro youngest of the group, and we all know of his money struggles, he's not the best at sticking to a budget, in fact, I highly doubt he's ever sat down and written one at all in his 30 something years on the planet.... he tries to put me down, and criticize me for " holding up the lines in the store" and basically called me "cheap" for coupon shopping!  Keep in mind, this guy is a high school dropout, a blue collar worker, (not that there is anything wrong with that) and terrible with his money!  For for him to criticize me a savvy college educated person...who manages her money beautifully...... we'll I wasn't going to stand for it anymore.  Yes he's tried to humiliate me in the past, every chance we get together...  and tries very hard to "put me down" in order to get a chuckle out of the rest of the group for years now, and I usually ignore his rude attempts at humor and being completely secure in myself and my personality, that I truly am the comic of the group.... I normally let it slide.    But not today little bro..... NOBODY will dis on my shopping skills!!  I stood up to him, and basically "OWNED HIS ASS!!"   After my lengthy and passionate rant on how coupons work, how I, the store, marketing, and the economy all benefit from using coupons, and if you don't use them you're a complete idiot, over paying for virtually everything you own!!!..... well he was indeed speechless!  Nothing more to say, which was a good thing, because anything more he could have said would just further substantiate his complete ignorance of all things shopping....


  

 Bragging about overspending and wasting your money would make even a millionaire cringe, and only show's your lack of intelligence!  

BAM! 

Don't Worry Be Happy!

In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy now

 Cause when you worry, your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy now

 This song is so silly and light and everyone knows the lyrics, and melody and can hum along with it.  Why don't we follow it's perfectly sound advice?  Expect some trouble in life, it will happen but if you worry constantly you'll drive your self crazy and it's a huge waste of time. 

I started following this advice a couple years ago, when I read somewhere about human emotions, and how worry was an emotion that was a complete waste of time.  I couldn't agree more. I'm not 100% free from worry, but when I catch myself starting to worry about something beyond my control, I stop it!  Take your mind off of in, and remember all those wrinkles and frown lines you'll get.   Not to mention you'll drive everyone bonkers around you!
Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep, and you weep alone!  ( unless you have a good friend who'll let you cry on their shoulder)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU

I'm Smexy!

I'm sexy and I know it! 

       If you wear clothes, you should know something about clothing, how are they constructed, how to sew on a button, or fix a hem.  If you drive a car, you should know how to change the oil, or fix a flat tire, or get your car serviced.  If you eat food, you should learn how to cook healthy meals, know a little bit about nutrition and meal prep.  If you own a home, you should learn home improvement basics, how to fix a leaky faucet, or unclog a drain, how to change the furnace filters, or know how the hot water heater works.  This is simple common sense, yet I'm absolutely astounded as to how many people can't prepare a nutritious meal or fix a broken zipper!  All you have to do is get cable and watch the food channel, and HGTV.  There are plenty of car repair men on YouTube ready and willing to teach you!   Get smart people!

 Being Smart is the new SEXY!

Gratitude

It's important to take a step back and show gratitude for the things we enjoy.  I'm grateful that I'm 48 years old and in excellent health.  I know others my age and younger who have had health issues, and I'm healthy and strong and extremely thankful for that, I think of my health each and every day.

I'm grateful that I have two intelligent kids, they're no angels, but they've taught me so incredibly much, more than I could learn in any books or universities.

 I'm grateful I know how to use my brain, I'm not saying I'm the smartest person on the planet, but I know how to use my  head, in a logical, and sensible manner.  I feel sorry for those who have not yet discovered that organ that sits up in their scull, just waiting to be used!  Every time I encounter one of those people I'm grateful I'm not like that.

I'm grateful for my work ethic, that I work hard and that enables me to live in a nice home in a nice area, pay my bills and be responsible.  I'm glad I'm a good worker and can keep a job.  I'm grateful for all the hiring managers I've had who have given me a chance to prove myself to them, who have coached and mentored me into the worker I am today.

I'm grateful that I'm a creative person, who loves to decorate and create beautiful things.  I love giving ordinary objects extraordinary makeovers or just as simply jazzing up a present, or desk space. I'm grateful I have and eye for the aesthetically pleasing things in life, and can take nothing and make it spectacular!
  ( I'm kinda good like that)

I'm grateful my parents and all my siblings are still with us, we're all here and healthy and happy, and enjoy each others company. I'm grateful we all live nearby and frequently see each other often and celebrate special events together and can reach out to each other when in need.

Mostly I'm grateful for my ability to earn a good living, and take care of myself, that nothing too terribly tragic has happened to me, and I'm not afraid to be independent and fearless.  I'm astounded at how many women are so needy, and scared, afraid of the dark, of being alone, fearful of never finding Mr. Wonderful ( psss hey, he's not out there I tell ya) afraid of going anywhere by themselves, have to have a posse of gals around at all times.  I'm grateful I enjoy my own company, and I can have fun alone, or with a group.  I make friends easily, yet value my alone time as well.

There are so many more thing's I'm grateful for but these are the top few on my list.  It's healthy to show gratutide everyday, and appreciate what you have instead of always looking at what others may have.  That is the key to true happiness, appreciating what you've got, because someone always will have more or better than you, and someone will always be worse off than you as well.  That's just life teaching us lessons.

Be Authentic!

     I have opinions, on just about everything, as does everyone, and I usually keep quiet as to avoid offending people, because I'm usually a live-and-let-live type of human being.  The one thing I feel strongly about is being your authentic self.  Don't be a damn copy cat!
     I'm so proud of a gal I'm acquainted with for not running out and getting a boob job because some of the other gals have fake ones...she opted for a nice RV pad and sprucing up her back yard instead.  Kudos to you J, for being authentic!  She'll get more enjoyment out of her new backyard and owning an RV, than large fake knockers always getting in the way of stuff!

     Don't get me wrong, I used to be a "Copy Cat" in college and my early 20's, so I know what I'm talking about.  I used to try to "be" other people only because I didn't know who I was.  Once I found myself, and learned about me, learned to love myself only then did I stop "Copy Catting" others.

     I'd never get a boob job even if every single women on the planet had one, and they were giving them out for FREE!  I'd also never inject my face with Botox, or tat up my pretty skin.  I did spend money on my teeth, by getting braces in my early 40's as I wanted a killer smile, and I do color my hair just because I'm not fond of the colors silver and gray.  I don't spend hundreds of dollars at the salon each year, I use a natural non-toxic foam hair color product that costs me about $3-$5 with coupon from the drug store, and do it myself.  I stock on on shampoo when it's on sale, and use high dollar coupons, so most of my hair products are under $1.   I get it trimmed up at a place that charges me about $14 + tip, and I get a lot of complements on my hair. I do use tanning creams in the winter, as skin, teeth and hair are important features of mine, and I like to accentuate the positive, but that's about it. I used to fool around with fake nails too, but that stuff is carcinogenic and I'd hate to die of cancer just because I wanted a french manicure with fake nails!
     I experiment with  eye makeup, and will try just about any color, or style, I don't stick to just one look. I paint my nails with what ever color nail polish I can get for free with a coupon.  I don't copy anyone, I look at myself in the mirror and do the best with what I have.

    I grew up in the 70's watching Charlies Angels, they were fierce, smart, fabulous, and flat chested!  I digress to that era, and that show in particular because each one of them were authentic characters, no copy cats, they all had their own identity, and character, yet all beautiful.   Can you imagine these women with big coconuts jetting out of their chest chasing down criminals??  No way!  Keepin' it real people!

Off the wagon

I lost 20 pounds over the summer and thanks to going back to standard time, and Halloween parties I'm up today by 5 pounds!  FREAK! Time to get very, very serious folks!  I'm not going to beat myself up, but simply stay the course beginning right now.
Over the summer I maintained our community pool every morning.  I'd go down there each morning and sweep the decks, vacuum the entire pool, and re-arrange the patio furniture and so forth.  Then I'd have to walk down the sidewalk and check the water samples 3 times per day.  There were a lot of twisting valves, I'd become a contortionist leaning over the pumps, and filters turning the valves on and off, and really working up a sweat for an hour a day!  I called the valve turning my "Yoga Class" for the day.

 Now that it's fall, dark and cold, I've been getting lazy, eating more sugar than I did over the summer, and less fruits and veggies.  I've been in the kitchen cooking up Paula Dean's chicken pot pie recipes, and other fall favorites..... DAMN IT!  ENOUGH!

I belong to the Spark People website I'll post the link below. It's the best free site for fitness and weight loss, you can track your calories, learn about different exercises, read motivational stories, and track and graph your progress. I'm going to utilize this tool all winter long, as well as hit the gym for my daily sweat-a-thon and get rid of the 5 LBS I packed on in just a week plus all the rest of it too!

GOD*Speed!

www.sparkpeople.com

Stepford Employees?

I work for a nonsensical place where the management is trying their best to turn us all into Stepford Employees!  Yes that's right, I said it... that's the way it seems at least.  If you point out any issues what-so-ever to the management, they'll either ignore you, or tell you not to say anything.  They call it negativity, and they FROWN upon this big time!
     I call it being realistic.  I'm not a positive Pollyanna but I work for one, so that begs the question:  How does a realist work with a cockeyed optimist and not get canned???  Well, I've worked there for 5 years, and the cockeyed optimist has been here for 3 of the 5, and I haven't gotten fired yet!  
     The reason I'm writing about this is because:
 1. There has to be more of these bosses out there than just mine
 2. We were recently threatened/told/warned not to email any negativity to our peers, because they CAN read our email!
I get negativity, and about people complaining about stuff we can't control.  I know it spreads like wild fire, and is a poison to a company.  But.... when there are issues, billing, system, website, customers legitimate complaints, and you bring this to the attention of the managers and nobody gives one IOTA that's an issue for me.  Ignoring problems and "staying positive" doesn't make the problems go away, you just frustrate the employees who have to deal with it on a daily basis, and they eventually quit!
   You can't force people to love their jobs, and be a positive Pollyanna all the damn time, you may think you can, but nobody controls what's up in your brain.
I'll never become a "Stepford Employee" and I'm not a BROWN-NOSIER!  I'm a realist, and if I see a problem again, I'll just shut the F@ck up!  After all I'm not the boss, and don't get the big bucks, and that's what their paying me to do..so I'll just turn my brain off before signing in!  

 

New Project

Here is my sweet newest re-do project, rough shape I'd say! It's been in my basement and now my garage collecting dust for the past 22 years.  I've completely ignored this bookcase because it originally belonged to an ex, and I'm not sure how I got it, he probably forgot about it.  It looked so sad against the garage wall housing all my flower pots, and planting materials.  After further inspection it's really sturdy and solid, yet dinged, scratched, and even a few holes and chips in her.  With a lot of power sanding and some pretty paint she'll come back to be even better and prettier than before, and serve someone well I hope. (Yeah, this is a metaphor)

Here I am on a cold October day out in my garage, it's been 2 days of sanding and plastering the holes, gashes, and chips out of her, but after another coat of putty, and some sanding, she should be ready for some paint.  I now wear a protective mask, because apparently my sinuses are very SENSITIVE!  That's another topic.  Can't wait to see what it'll look like

Here she is all finished!  NEXT

Update:  Sold this shelf that I acquired for free to a friend for $40 for her little daughter's room.  YEAH!

Slow Ride

When I write something down here, I keep in mind my intended audience which is a twenty something version of me.  I always ask myself  "What would I tell myself, having known now, what I'd wished I'd known then?"

       Don't we all wish we could take the knowledge we have now, and go back to high school?  WOW I'd be a A student, and join all the extra curricular stuff.  I'd be better prepared to handle bullies, boys and all the awkward moments that happen during high school.  I would really apply myself in English class instead of being grateful the English teacher was lazy and let us watch TV during class time. I'd know exactly how to react to stressful situations, and what it would take to be popular and cool!   Easy Peasy!   Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. 

     I guess the best piece of advise I can offer you is something a former supervisor told me a couple of jobs ago.   The reason he told me this is because every time I'd run into a problem with a client, or some type of dilemma, obstacle, tough situation involving a big decision that had to be made.  I'd literally run around the office like chicken little "the sky is falling... the sky is falling."  Stressing out telling everyone the dilemma and taking bad advice from whoever passed by.  Then I'd run back to my desk, and make the call or email the client almost instantly trying to hurry as quickly as I could to resolve the dilemma.   For some reason, I felt the need to hurry and get it over with like taking off a band-aid the quicker the less pain. 

My boss sat me down, after me going in and out of his office one afternoon like a freaking yo-yo he said: 

 "You don't have to resolve this right away, or get back to the client as fast as you can." 

 "It's okay to sit and think on it for a little while, and wait for the solution to present itself to you before calling the client again." 

This was life changing!  You mean to tell me that it's not a race against time?   I can actually THINK about it and still get the client to buy my product even though it took a while to get back to them?  I think it was all my prior hourly jobs that had unintentionally programmed me to HURRY, HURRY, HURRY!

  Chop Chop!  The Clock's A Ticking! 

 From that moment on, I took his advise, and tried not to jump the gun, flip out, and go all bat shit crazy trying to hurry and solve the problem so it would just disappear.  No more knee jerk reactions, spazzing out, and making a bumbling fool of myself because I'm in my race horse mode.  

     This has worked well for me at my job and in my personal life.  It's too bad I learned how to do this just 6 years ago, could have saved me from looking like a fool all through my 20's and 30's but oh well better late than never!  Hopefully one of you young hip twenty somethings will read this and see yourself doing this too, and maybe try a new approach and see what happens.  If so please comment below, and let me know how it worked for you too.

Little Girl Voices

     In my line of work, I encounter all types of people.  Rich, famous, homeless down-and-out, and everything in between.  One personality type I really don't understand is the grown woman using the little girl voice.
This happens often, and makes me wonder, why does this grown woman who is obviously over 18 think it's normal to speak to me, (or anyone) a representative of a company in a timid, small squeaky little kid voice while doing a business transaction?  They tend to do it when there is an issue with their account that needs to be resolved.  What makes a grown woman think this tactic is going to work well for them?  I want to tell them " pull up your big girl panties, and speak normally!!!"  Believe me this runs through my head every time I encounter this, and I  do encounter this often throughout the day.  Come on ladies, lose the little girly voice you're an adult now!

      Here are a few tips to make your business dealings go a bit smoother:
Always speak in a confident manner, so the person receiving the information is listening to the issue, not trying to comprehend why you're speaking in such a high pitched tone.  I've heard it said somewhere if you say it with confidence and conviction you'll get what you want.  I so admire men for the ability to just spit it out and say it, these girly gals, beat around the bush, ramble on and on, and it's mentally exhausting trying to decipher what it is they actually want!  Rehearse before you call, be clear concise, and get to the point.  The person on the other end of the line doesn't need to hear your life's story, or all your girly drama, they have a job to do, and other people to serve, so enough with the scattered thoughts, and small high pitched shrill.  It's like fingernails on a chalkboard to someone like me!
I'll share my biggest pet peeve of all time......has to do with repeating back a number.  For the love of all things holy, wait until the representative FINISHES giving you the COMPLETE set of digits, BEFORE interrupting them half way through the series of numbers to make sure your hearing skills work properly!!!  I can't tell you how many people do this annoying little thing!   I get the fact they want to repeat the number back to me to be sure they took it down correctly, but WAIT till I'm finished please!  Then you may have your turn!
 This drives me crazy, I'm not going anywhere, if you listen to me completely, I'll listen you you completely!  No need to freak out and interrupt me 3 digits into a 9 digit account number.
 GEEZE! Enough Said!

Why do we watch?

I'm addicted to a phenomenon called "Real housewives of Beverly Hills", I'm sooo excited for the new season, it's a guilty pleasure for sure!
    After watching each show I can't help but think, "all the shows plots are the same".. Uber rich ladies dressing up in their designer clothes, shoes, handbags, and diamonds...heading out to a drunken night of partying with the other ladies on the show, seems like they barely arrive via limo (of course) when someone says something to someone, and that someone takes it the wrong way and runs with it, then next think you know....CAT FIGHT! 
      There is crying, yelling, false accusations, ladies are talking over each other trying to get their point across but the other party is yelling even louder and nobody hears each other, and soon after it begins one of the groups storm out of the party, down the sidewalk to the always waiting limo. (what that driver must think!)
      As a spectator sitting in my easy chair eating popcorn, and watching all this drama I can't help but think to myself, it's "High school for forty-somethings" only with more expensive outfits.   I realize it's all fake and phony, and most of the drama is made up stuff to get viewers and rating points so the network can charge more money for commercial/sponsorship and all that.... but still as my son always asks: "Why do you watch that?"  because each time he comes upstairs when the show is on, and takes a peek at the T.V screen ...it's always in the middle of a yell fest, and he can't make heads or tails of what's going on.  Then he goes back downstairs seriously worried about my entertainment choices.
    I asked myself that very question:  Why do I watch?   It's certainly not for the cat fights, I guess I've always wondered how rich people really live, and so does the rest of the country.
        Apparently they're not any happier than I am, or else they wouldn't be fighting all the time with their "friends" on T.V. of all places.  They have substance abuse issues, and money issues even though it's not like a normal person's money issues.  They appear to all be clamoring for love and acceptance, and lots of attention like most of us.   They have fights with their partners, and their kids seem spoiled and snotty, like most kids now-a-days are.  They're overly concerned with keeping up with the Jones' and seem to work extra hard at always looking their best for the cameras.
     I know the TV viewing public eats it up, but I'd like to see more of how did they get so rich?  How do they manage to run all the businesses they own, and why are they called "Housewives" when they all  have careers?  If they're rich they must be smart, and if they're so smart why do they act so foolish?  They're not any smarter than I am, and I know many intelligent women who aren't nearly as wealthy as they are.
     Maybe these questions swirling around in my head constantly will be addressed this season, while I'm snuggled up in a throw blanket noshing on popcorn, eyes peeled in anticipation for the next fashion trend, over the top shoe or business idea one of the ladies comes up with.  I'll be wondering if Kyle's eyelashes are real or fake, if Mauricio is as handsome in person as he is on TV, and how the hell did
Yolanda meet David Freakin Foster???
 Inquiring minds want to know!





MY GAWD.... look at all those Grammy's!!
www.bravotv.com












  

Photography

My photography class is going slow, (totally my fault) trying to fit it in an already jammed schedule.
Here is a sample of my first assignment on light. Learning all about shutter speeds, lighting, and outdoor stuff. The assignment was to go outside and take a picture of something interesting that captured light in a unique way.  I simply took my camera on a "nature walk" and saw the sun glistening down through these beautiful healthy trees, and wanted to capture the way the light hit the leaves as the sun was setting for the day.
Here it is, pretty good huh?

TEN Command.MEN.ts

I  Thou shalt not date or marry a lazy ass man

II  Thou shalt not date or marry a man out of pity

III  Thou shalt not get married just because you think you're in "love"

IV  Thou shalt not let relatives, married friends, or the guy  pressure you into getting married before you are ready

V  Thou shalt not date a man who is too cheap to pay 

VI  Play the field, dating is all about ELIMINATION, sorting, and making the best possible choice

VII  Observe how he treats other women, his mom, his sisters, his female friends, his grandmother.  Be leery of a guy who is only nice to you

VIII  Date him for at least three years, hormones and lust wear off with in that time-frame, if you still love him after three, he's a keeper

IX   If he's sloppy now, he'll be an annoying dirty pig when married.  Make it clear you want to be his partner not his mom or maid/slave!!!

X    You end up marrying guys you date, don't waste time on a man you'd never want to marry.  Mr. Right could be waiting for you while your fiddling around with Mr. Wrong! 

Utility Bills

     When I was young and dumb, I'd watch my Mom take baskets of laundry outside on a sunny day and hang all our clothes on clothes-lines in our back yard to dry.  All the families undies, towels, sheets and so forth.  She'd carefully pin all the clothes up neatly, and in an organized fashion.  I was in my teens and thought it was soooooo embarrassing  "OMG all the neighbors are going to see our underpants drying on the line!!!"
 "How MORTIFYING for me!!"  Why did this crazy woman do all this when we have a perfectly good clothes dryer?

     Mom is a frugal gal, and doesn't like to waste money.  I didn't appreciate this until now, here I am in my late 40's and just opened up the electric bill and saw a $25 Savings!  WHOOP HEE!   You see my not so old electric clothes dryer timer went out last year.  I put the clothes in and it never shuts off.  Although I'm fully aware I have to manually stop the dryer I forget all the time.  Clothes would be drying for 4 hours. Then I started noticing my bill go up and realized it was that dumb dryer I keep forgetting to shut of.

       It was on a hot summer day over 100º when I go to throw some wet towels in the dryer, most of them used only once down at our community pool, then laundered.  It hit me, it's so hot outside why am I spending money and resources when I can line dry them like mom did?  I found some nylon cording, and tied it to two beams high up on my awning on the back deck out of the way but serves the purpose.  I found an indoor retractable line you can attach to a wall and string from wall to wall creating an indoor line as well for undies and delicate's.   All summer I dried my clothes outside, and because I like the fresh sent of bounce, when they were 90% dry, I'd stick them in the dryer with a fabric sheet for 5 minutes for that soft fresh smell I like.  My lines are much smaller than Mom's I just do my own clothes she did a family of eight.

    I save $25 a month off my bill that's $300 per year, and I'm being "green" which now-a-days is COOL!  I'm sure mom gets the same thrill when she sees how much she saves by using good old Mother Nature instead of an energy sucking electric dryer! I look back and say to my self, I was the idiot, I'm pretty sure nobody in the neighborhood gave 2 hoots about the clothes on the line in our backyard, and if they did, well....who the hell cares!

SOLD!

Before

Yes!  I finally sold "my piece" I call it.  I did this piece over the summer, and put out classified advertisements here and there, and today it finally sold at full asking price!  I've heard if you can turn your passion into a living you'll never "work" again!  Can't wait to see what the next piece will look like!

Adel

I love this, she's fearless and Fab and belongs on my blog!

18 BABY!

     Tonight I was reading an old classmates post on Facebook, she'd posted how depressing it is now that her baby is 18, and how she felt "old".    I couldn't help but comment under her status " My youngest turned 18 last week... and I find it very liberating!"

     I guess I'm a cockeyed optimist, or just a realist because I find it so wonderful that my youngest child is now a legal adult.  Of course I'll be there for him if he needs me, I'll always be his mom, but I'm also smart enough to give him space to learn, grow, make mistakes, and pick himself back up if he falls, and he will fall.

     Instead of being depressed  (this isn't the first type of post like this from the class of 1983) as we're all the same age and there are a lot of us.  I've been reading these baby's now 18 posts all year long I can't believe anybody could be depressed by this.  Maybe I'm just a kook, but I do feel liberated as HELL.  My 18 year old, has a job, a car, his own space in the basement, friends, and a good head on his shoulders FINALLY!  He rarely needs me for anything, he can go out on his own, get his car's oil changed, shop for clothes, buy his own meals, he's got ideas on what's " health food " and he buys his own.

      I no longer have to worry what's for dinner, I usually skip it, or have a banana before bed, I have time to actually READ a book!  I have time to go out with friends, weekend road trips, I have more money, because face it kids will nickle, and dime you to DEATH!   Mine did anyway, "my shoes have holes", "I need new pants", "me and ( fill in the blank) want to go to the movies, and have a sleepover!"  " I need a couple dollars for this or that"... UGH!  There goes my raise!   I'm able to shop, and buy stuff for ME!  With no guilt either cause 18 Baby's got his own money.

      I can stay up late, sleep in late, he doesn't wake me up for morning cereal and cartoons before I'm ready to be woken up. It's LIBERATING to say the least.  Just signed up for tennis lessons, and I'm taking a photography class too.  I can work whatever shift I want it doesn't matter when I come home because baby's 18!!!

      Why can't all these people see the benefits of having an 18 year old living in the house!  We still have our mom and son chats at night, but let's face it baby's 18 wouldn't be caught dead with mom in a social environment.  I no longer have to taxi he and his friends around anymore, saves me time and gas money too!  I'm finally free after 25 years of child rearing I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!  My job is complete, and looking at him, I did a great job indeed!  Watch out world, here I come cause baby's 18!