Blue Ribbon Bloggers: January 2008

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The horrible nasty unfortunate day

The morning did not start off well...I have a small heart arrhythmia, which reared it's ugly head when we were here last year...the doctor..whom I love , put me on a low dose pill..I haven't had a problem since..yesterday he took me off it completely...not so thrilled about that...

When we got home from the doctor the mouse to our new computer was broken...maybe my cat Penny had some urgent emails to send out and broke it..not so thrilled about that...but we did get a replacement...and all seems to be well.

While having dinner, daughter in law number two called and said there was no heat on in our house up north....she said it was colder in our house then outside...it was forty outside..not so thrilled about that...called older son and asked him to drive over and check it out...he said fine but it won't be for hours....he's a CPA and starting to be swamped...not so thrilled about that..

Young son called and sounded sick with what hubby had...he is in a half way house to learn how to live with others...he tried to stay in bed but "they" stole his money, his food, even the silverware they are supposed to share...his Dad said not to worry. he had sent him more money, and paid for another week..son doesn't want to stay another week..too bad..not too thrilled about that...

Older son called and eventually fixed the gas heater...after diligent couching from his Dad... and so that was good...

Hubby took the top part off of the toilet in the bathroom and accidentally dropped it onto itself and broke it...now we only have the small bathroom in the master bath...he can fix it but is making no move too...not too thrilled about that.

Four different friends confirmed they were coming down for a week or so but haven't gotten a date yet...they have to check...not too thrilled about that..forewarned is forearmed..or something.

But the Doctor did say I should be just fine if I don't get nervous...humm really not thrilled about that...Do stay tuned.......................

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Do Not Be Afraid

Do not be afraid to open your heart. Do not be afraid to give generously. Do not be afraid to go against the grain, live with abandon and march to your own drummer, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Their discomfort is not your responsibility. Nor is it yours to soothe by plucking the wings that seek to lift your heart into its own wild spaces.

Do not be afraid to live as God made you. You are sacred in Its eyes. You are perfect in Its heart. You are Its hoped for and longed for answer to Love. Love expressed without reservation. Love expressed with gust and glory and glee. Do not hold back. Do not shrink before opportunity.

Breathe, center and walk boldly into your wild spaces. Fill them up with your one-and-onlyness. Share them with those able and willing to see clearly your truth and your shimmer. Encourage others to find their own wildness, their own open and generous love.The world is waiting for you. God is supporting you. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid.

Think On These Things...

I came across this video the other day at The Ordinary Mystic.

It speaks to the recent studies about the Power of Intention. Loving intention is proven to be a powerful, life~affirming force. It can take the form of loving thought, directed desire, focused prayer, and purposeful action.

It is important to note that we can direct this loving intention to others. There are so many people who can benefit from our intervention and intercession. To intercede, according to Webster, means "1. to plead or make a request on behalf of another 2. to intervene for the purpose of producing agreement; mediate". When we align ourselves with the Highest Good on behalf of someone else, when we agree, some remarkable things can happen.

We are wholly connected to each other and when we acknowledge this connectedness and align ourselves in Love, we become one with Divine Love. Divine Love is unconditional, embraces us at our point of need, and has the Power to restore us to our full potential and rightful place in this Abundant Universe. When we open our hearts and our hands in Love, it comes back to us in full measure. There is more than enough Love to go around. And good things follow in its footsteps.

Where there was lack, there is now Provision.
Where there was despair, there is now Hope.
Where there was brokenness, there is now Healing.
Where there was bad news, there is now a Good Report.
Where there was loneliness, there is now Love.
Where there was strife, there is now Peace.

It may not happen in an instant, but when we begin shift our focus and activate the Power of Loving Intention, we plant the seeds for miracles to grow. When seeds are planted we expect them to grow, don't we?

In closing, I'd like to leave you with these words from the Good Book:
"Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and anything praiseworthy ~ think on these things."

If we change our thoughts, just imagine the possibilities...

Technorati Tags: Robin Lee Sardini - Power of Intention - Think On These Things - Love
Turbo Tag: Turbo Tagger

Saturday, January 26, 2008

My wonderful cousin

My cousin was just diagnosed with cancer... It's devastating to all of us.. She looks the most like our Grammy.. a large women who looks as if she just stepped out of a travel log of Norway.. very blonde.. almost all the women on that side of the family are very blonde... she is closer to me then my sister.. I can tell her anything and she me... we grew up together just nine months apart..our oldest sons are also just nine months apart.. When we were in junior high, she would wait for me at the top of a hill to walk to school together, sometimes it would be just the two of us. Usually five or more of us.. I go to her with all my problems.. real or imagined.. she has an extremely strong will and will give her opinion.. asked for or not... she has a sharp tongue and does not suffer fools gladly.. she became a nurse and then a nurse practitioner. She should have been a doctor.. she's a wonderful diagnostician and all of the family ask her opinion about medical issues...

we are all mulling over her options even though she hasn’t had a meeting with her doctors yet... I just know she will get through this.. just another bump in the road... she and her husband have traveled everywhere.. so that's good for now..she loves to read.. that's good... her older sister is coming to Florida to be with her... helpful... but what she really needs is just prayers.. if you pray.. God will know whom you mean.. I would so appreciate it if you could just send a quick prayer her way... thanks from the bottom of my heart...

Maunie

Wild Call!

It’s the call of the wild! No the call of the nutty :), oh that was by the nutty Jos Link Call Invitation where Mo started a mo about Mo with 25 Things About Mo. Jos followed, 3 Answers, "Answering to my own BRB Link Call Invitation, and inspired by Mo's wonderful "get to know Mo" post." Maunie James joined in the fun with All about Maun! Than before the nutty wildness, others like wonderful Susan Helene Gottfried posted her Seven Things meme! And now here’s my meme about me, a combination of two posts 8 Random Facts about Me and Amazing MeMe (caution: may cause drowsiness):

1. I’ve written over 5,000 poems and aspire to publish them one day. Currently, I am also writing 8 different books - at one time.

2. All my posts have a purpose, however; often I will not direct Readers toward such – I prefer to let each Reader construe for themselves, thus respecting their individualism.

3. As a child, I actually was bitten on the hand by a real monkey that was being walked down the street - on a leash by its’ owner. Nonetheless; I simply adore monkeys, real or replicated.

4. I once wanted to be a Nun and it’s not to late!

5. People are my passion. I always welcome e-mails and enjoy getting to know each persons’ unique characteristics that make up the totality of themselves as an individual in Society.

6. The violin is my musical instrument of preference.

7. I adamantly believe that racial prejudice is ignorance - when we all bleed the same color blood. Hence, I say: have ye who are prejudice slit thou own wrists first; if your blood be red as all human beings - than either bleed to death or shut up.

8. I like frogs! Not only because FROG stands for Fully Rely On God, but also because I think frogs are cute!

1. Starting at about age 12, I secretly wanted to become an Opera Singer. A few years ago, my Mother having learnt my secret than gifted me an audio course “How to Listen to an Understand Opera”. Such has rekindled my dream, and if not for my Smoker Lungs…

2. I enjoy playing the game Scrabble by myself with two complete sets of tiles.

3. I know how and have rebuilt a carburetor, installed a starter, replaced a tie rod end, however; I don’t know how to check the air in my tires without letting the air out in the process. I’ve never learnt how to change my own oil and I do not like to check my own fluids even though I know how to.

4. I know a Lady who carries her Husbands’ ashes in the trunk of her car. She says they always wanted to travel together but never had the chance, now they can.

5. I drive a hooptie. As many Judges on Court TV shows say, if you can’t afford the payments of a new auto, don’t go into debt – drive a hooptie until you can in actuality afford something else.

6. When I have an idea for poem I can’t express, I’ll pick up my guitar and sing words that enter my mind, though I don’t know a single cord on a guitar nor how to pluck any known tunes.

7. I once tried to save my pet aquatic frog by giving him CPR via administrating him air from a tube attached to the aquarium pump. Sadly he could not be resuscitated.

Binding Ink!

Friday, January 25, 2008

25 Reasons why I owe my mother

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."
5. My mother taught m e MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.."
19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Finding Strength

When I look back to my life three years ago and think about all the things I would let get to me, I can’t help but laugh. Simple things would make me yell, “My life sucks!” Just daily stuff that we all complain about because we can.

Then my whole life was turned upside down in September 2004 when our new family doctor noticed a large lump in my throat and asked me about it. I told him that I’d had it for many years and no one seemed to think it was a big deal. He felt it was definitely a big deal and immediately ordered blood tests and an ultrasound on my neck.

The ultrasound found four calcified nodules on my thyroid and two weeks later I had a fine needle biopsy done. Shortly after that I had my results- medullary thyroid cancer. It is a rare form of thyroid cancer that leads to testing for a rare genetic disorder. Three weeks later those results came back and I was diagnosed with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a or MEN2a as it’s known.

You would think the bottom would fall out on my world and I would completely collapse in a puddle of tears. Here I am not even thirty years old with cancer, plus a genetic disorder that causes MORE cancer. It set me back on my heels but once I found out I wasn’t going to die within the next 6 months, I knew everything would be okay. I cried some, but then I wiped the tears and went on with life. I knew I needed to because I’m the Mommy and I had to be strong for my kids.

Immediately after my diagnosis we determined that my three children (who were 13, 10, and 2 at the time) needed to be tested for MEN2a as well since it is genetic and each child of a person with this disorder has a 50% chance of having it as well. Blood was drawn on all three kids, we crossed our fingers as we waited, and almost a month later we had our results.

That is when my world felt like it was coming apart. It’s one thing to be told that you have cancer and will have to deal with it for the rest of your life but your babies? How can these perfect little people who are your whole world have to deal with this too? I prayed nightly that some miracle would happen and all three children would come back negative but I knew in my heart that our chances were very slim.

I remember the day the endocrinologist gave me the news like it was yesterday. Her exact words were “Your little one, A, he came back negative so he’s fine and will never have to deal with this” then tears started forming in her eyes and her voice broke “but your other two children tested positive, so they have this and will have to be tested and watched for the cancers”. She cried, hugged me and told me how sorry she was. I cried only a few tears then straightened up; all I could think was “I’ll be strong because I’m the Mom and I just have to be. They need me”.

In January 2005, I had my first surgery removing my adrenal glands and the adrenal cancer. This put me on steroid replacement for life. Two months before my 30th birthday I became a cancer survivor only to start battling another one.

On March 30th, my oldest children both had thyroidectomies. We hoped that we were getting a jump on the medullary cancer before it could start but when the pathology reports came back after surgery we found that the cancer had already started in both of them. My two amazing children were now cancer survivors at almost fourteen and ten. We got to the cancer in time and they will never have to worry about it again, but they will take thyroid hormone replacement for the rest of their lives.

Two months later I had another surgery this time removing my thyroid (and any cancer there), three parathyroids, and any lymph nodes in my neck and shoulders that we could find to clean out as much medullary cancer as we could. This left me with a U-shaped scar that covers most of my neck and thyroid hormone replacement for good. When you think of what I had going in and what I traded it for, I think I’ve made out pretty well and feel proud of these “battle scars”.

We didn’t get all of the medullary cancer in time but I don’t worry about it. In fact, in December 2007 I found out that the cancer had spread to more lymph nodes in my neck, nodes in both armpits, one in my right breast, and six in my lungs. It's okay though because I know I have at least 5 to 10 years with my children and that is more than a lot of people with cancer get. I’ll take any time I’m given and be more than happy with it because it means I get to watch my babies grow. I wouldn’t miss that for the world.

The way I act and live with this disorder sets an example for how my oldest two children will live their lives with it. Knowing that, how could I ever possibly do anything other than be strong? I will be strong because it shows them how to be strong. I will have hope because it means they will face this with hope. I will love life because in turn they will learn to love life too and if they are anything like their mother, they will remember to laugh even when things get hard.

I may be a mom living with cancer but when it comes right down to it, I’m just a mom… living. I choose to fight for life and live it in the best way I can. I hope you do too.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Whee! Books!

Over at BookCrossing, a vibrant community of readers, we have a term for what we call a Random Act of BookCrossing Kindness -- a RABCK.

Today, I received a RAPK -- Random Act of Promotional Kindness. And while I love RABCKS, I might just love this more.

You see, at the end of last year, I posted my year-end review of the books I'd read in 2007. You can read it here. I love doing these round-ups; I love to highlight the good stuff, most of which my regulars tell me they've never heard of, sadly enough. There's some really good fiction on the shelves out there. Trust me. I've been searching it out.

Linda Fairstein, author of the Alex Cooper novels, caught a glimpse of my mention of the spree I'd gone on with her books earlier in the year. All you mystery lovers, if you haven't yet, check this series out. It's innovative and based on Fairstein's years in the DA's office. This woman changed the world -- for the better.

Anyway, she left me a comment at the end of the post, thanking me for the kind words (hey, they were deserved; no thanks are needed!) and offering to send me a copy of Bad Blood, her 2007 release. Like I said, this was a small act of promotional kindness on her end. And being a sucker for books -- and especially hers -- how could I possibly say, "Oh, that's too kind, but no thanks" and not hate myself later for it? I mean, hello! This is Linda Fairstein!

Her tenth Alex Cooper novel, Killer Heat, will be coming out in March and like every other author out there whose name's not Rowling, Evanovich, or King, she could use an extra bit of attention for it. The book business is brutal these days. Trust me, but if you don't, read the end of the next paragraph.

Bad Blood was waiting for me in my PO Box today, along with an ARC of Julie Hyzy's new book, State of the Onion. I'll be reviewing that fun-looking book for Front Street Reviews, like usual. And, in case you needed proof of how tight publishing is, so were two rejections from literary agents I'd queried for Trevor's Song, my own novel that I'm positively itching to bring to you guys.

Now I've got this conundrum. I've promised a review to Ms. Hyzy -- and to my editor at Front Street. And I'm trying to keep from salivating with desire on my new copy of Bad Blood. What do I do first? (the review, obviously -- it's sort of like behaving myself and eating dinner before dessert, although I'm quite famous for eating ONLY dessert.)

Then again... hmmm.... think my editor wants a review of Bad Blood? Two reviews instead of one?

Maybe I'll sweeten the deal with my editor and offer her the cool New York District Attorney's pin with Alex Cooper's name on it. The one that was in the package with Bad Blood.

Nah. The pin's mine. The book's mine. The pleasure to read both books (Bad Blood and State of the Onion) is mine.

I'll share the experience when I'm done. That way, someone around here gets to eat dessert only.

Cuz Mama said so

Did you ever date someone because your Mom made you? I can't believe I did. The first time was a prom at the Catholic boys school my cousin was attending... I was so scared and angry...

Well he was so cool and handsome. He looked exactly like the actor Gardner Mc Kay...I think that's his name..he could not have been more charming..but I guess he was gay..at least that's what cousin told me when I was heartbroken. He never called again..He may have been letting me down easy..

The second time (well after the first time who wouldn't try again) was a boy at our church and at that time I had a boyfriend, but Mom knew his Mother and begged and pleaded..so we went to a movie...he was sort of cute but he was the first boy that tried to get fresh with me..I was appalled and cried all the way home... My Dad said..that was nothing all boys do that!!! Go to bed.

The third time was after my divorce and a guy who owned a night club took a fancy to me and hounded me to go out...My sister was on a tour of Europe at the time...so he would call during the day to enlist my Mom's help in getting a date...Then he really laid it on thick...he said his friend had a plane and would fly the three of us to Italy to catch up with my sister...Mom was beside herself when I got home from work...We are going to Italy on a private plane she screamed... Who?...I asked. You and me!..Who can afford that? Oh it will be all taken care of..by your friend....Are you nuts Mom I screamed...I told you not to even speak to him....But it will cost nothing she said...Oh, My Dad said, it will cost something and Maun doesn't want to pay it..

Mom might have been a great pimp..

Some Insights

(by: George Carlin)

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it.
A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Just answering the call to Post something from my Blog. My Blog is mostly News, so this is the best I could do.

Carol

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

All about Maun

THREE THINGS I LOVE
my 3 perfect grandchildren - waking up in the morning to a nice day - spending time with loved ones

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE ME
mean and angry people - lying politicians - doctors or hospitals with bad news

THREE THINGS I HATE
negativity - jealousy - hatefulness

THREE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND
math - people who are unreasonable - why weight doesn't come off as fast as it goes on

THREE THINGS ON MY DESK
kleenex box - telephone - picture we took of leaning tower of Pisa

THREE THINGS I'M DOING NOW
laundry - thinking about making dinner - arguing with my cat about treats

THREE THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE
visit Ireland and England for my parents - see the kids get married - see young son get settled

THREE THINGS I CAN DO AND AM GOOD AT
cook...just about anything - spend time with children - make people feel at ease

THREE THINGS I CAN'T DO
balance a checkbook - deal with angry people - watch people suffer..without helping

THREE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD ABOUT ME
love children, animals and most people - can calm people down - cook anything spur of moment

THREE THINGS BAD ABOUT ME
too softhearted - try always fixing people - won't take no for an answer

The Road Less Traveled

T’weren’t a B&B, it was a watertower. Yup. A watertower. Long story, but back in the OLDEN days (back when you were young, I reckon…heh) every home and business had to have its own watertower. So, we turned right at the ocean off of Highway 1, and we follow these directions and go down this barely two-land road marked, “Not a through road.” We travel down that road for about 4 miles or so, knowing full well there are houses somewhere back off the road, because we see smoke coming from this chimney and that, but we can’t see the forest through the trees or something like that and then we turn right past the big watertower that provides the water for their fire station, such as it is, and go down another road, through a darker forest. The road slowly narrows, sometimes down to one lane, barely, because there are two Redwoods in the way – one on each side of the place they made the road. We see a sign that says, “Slow down,” which seems kind of fortuitous on a number of levels, and then the road becomes dirt (or mud in this case). Choosing which of the three roads that forked in front of us, we decided to take the one less traveled. We coasted through a gate and into a meadow in the midst of which was our watertower. I’ll post pictures tomorrow, but it was incredible – what, besides the honeymoon being over in one way, but just starting in another and – out one side of the house we looked at majestic Redwood forest and the other, a pasture with goats and a meadow where all the sun seemed finally able to focus – it had to find its place - it sure wasn’t getting through those Redwoods.

I fell in love this weekend.

© Lori Hahn, 2008

Today Is....

Today is the first day… of the rest of your life.

Dreams can be realised… if you attempt to achieve them.

Look at your eyes, they are small, but they see enormous things.

There is a crack in everything… that is how the light gets in.

Right now…you can be angry, afraid, happy, peaceful, loving or content…

It is your emotional state and ‘Your Choice’

Why allow negative experiences and situations to maintain a needless existence in your life?

You are in control to change… to wait until a situation changes or to do something to change it.

Why worry about anything you cannot change? Leave it behind and move on.

If you look deeper at what you consider bad you may discover something good as well.

If you learn to have less expectations, then you will experience less disappointments.

To free yourself from stress and anxiety, do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow is a mystery.

Every exit is an entrance to somewhere else.

Smile! Tomorrow could be worse.

Originally Posted On My Life Blog, but it seemed like a good time to resurrect it.

Have a great day all, Colin aka cotojo

Monday, January 21, 2008

Thank you for Cheering me up Blue Ribbon Bloggers!

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

I hold the Blue Ribbon Bloggers in the highest esteem - right up there with the likes of Charlotte from Charlotte's Web, a box of Peanut Butter Panic from Blue Bunny Ice Cream, and a copy of the image above of Lucy and Ethel on the job at the candy company. That's why I would like to present you with my You Cheer Me Up Award. We often never get the chance to show our appreciation to the people or for the things that cheer us up. For example, I would give anything for the opportunity to give E.B.White, the author of Charlotte's Web, the You Cheer Me Up Award but I will not have that opportunity...

Nor will I be in the position to give an award to Lucy and Ethel for the whole idea of them on the job at the Candy Company - trying to eat candy as fast as the conveyor belt delivered it... it is a dream that is simply out of the question...

Although, I can give the bloggers who make me laugh until my face hurts this award... and I can give it to the bloggers whose writing voice comforts me when I'm feeling lost or inspires me when I'm feeling blue. Therefore, if your blog is awarded the You Cheer Me Up Award it's because it possesses one or all three of the qualities mentioned and I thank you for it.

I wrote the original post for the You Cheer Me Up Award on A Nice Place In The Sun, however, I also wanted to award all of you by posting on the Blue Ribbon Bloggers site as well. Here is a copy of the award and code for all of you to pass along to the bloggers who cheer you up, or to just to post for a laugh in your sidebar.

I listed some examples of who I wish I could award with a You Cheer Me Up Award, although, you may feel differently. Therefore, if you are a recipient and would like to pass some awards along yourself you can use some examples of what cheers you up, and pass the award to the bloggers you have an opportunity to thank for cheering you up. Here are the rules or instructions:)

If you are a recipient of the You Cheer Me Up Award, please find the blogs that cheer you up, copy the code to post on your sidebar and pass Ethel and Lucy across the blogosphere. You can use what cheers you up in your post, or copy this one, but please send your award recipients back to the original post on A Nice Place In The Sun to get a copy of the award code to post the image and read the instructions. I want to try to maintain a page of original and ongoing award recipients, so feel free to let me know if you've received an award when you pick up the image code.

Thanks and congrats to all Blue Ribbon Bloggers, who are some of the best in the blogosphere because you cheer a variety of people up every day with a variety of different posts from all over the Internet. I'm grateful and honored to play a part in such a fantastic community. Cheers, and have fun dancing, singing, playing, laughing- and taking advantage of the opportunity to cheer each other up!

Congrats!

(here's the code for the award:)
<a href="http://aniceplaceinthesun.blogspot.com/"> <img alt="Cheering me up Award" src="http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd214/AnnieCL/CheerUpAward4.jpg"/></a>

Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Nightmare

I have not been sleeping well for the last week...first it would be I would doze for a couple of hours and then be up the rest of the night..then I would fall into a dead sleep until about two in the morning and then toss and turn..then nothing..I would turn the telivision off and try reading and nothing...the light would be on all night...but no sleep...I know we all go through this from time to time but this is now a week without sleep and that can't be good..

Last night I decided to end all this nonsense and took two Benedryl...I was asleep in twenty minutes but the horrendous dreams were not worth it...I was taking care of clown children...and had to keep reapplying their makeup because their faces were so grotesque...then they had all these rats which had to be fed and guess who had to do it...next their parents came home and they were huge..I mean as big as a doorway and they were screaming at me...I woke up wet and shaky and got a drink of water.

When I got back to sleep..here I was in school with no underwear and just a man's tee shirt..trying to hold it down and take the test..which you know..I hadn't studied for...Penny woke me and I'm so glad she needed food...

I would rather stay awake..I'm kind of getting used to walking into walls and dozing in a chair..

Saturday, January 19, 2008

My Shame (2)

Anyway..(first of all I have no idea why I had to write this on two pages) I made kind of a big deal about my poor sister who really couldn't afford to send me anything and how badly I felt about it..and handed the card over to the cashier..when she put her hand out and said this is not enough I thought...how much can you put on a gift card? Anyway the amount on the card was $2.64...I was shocked...and so embarrassed...I had made such a big deal about my poor sister thinking of me anyway...well I paid in cash and took back the card...at first I was going to re-gift it and send it to her for her birthday...but I could never do that, but neither will I send her a ticket to come down here...I'm really hurt..especially since I was with other people and they got the full impact of how much my sister really thinks of me...even if she took me aside and said..I just gave you this for show..don't try to use it...I have always been extreamly generous with her and her children..I must say this was a shocker...I won't tell my family about this..just you my dear friends who feel closer then family...Am I wrong to be so hurt?

maunie

My Shame (1)

My only sister and I never had a lot in common..she was the princess and I was the scullery maid..never was she asked to pick a dish off the table or cook a meal but that was just how it was...I thought we had gotten past a lot of that, but apparently not...she belongs to my book club and my birthday fell on the day before we were supposed to meet for our Christmas party.

She brought a birthday card with her to the party and imagine my surprise when a gift card fell out...I said she really shouldn't have but she said,"of course I did"..

My sister is having some bad luck right now...she is trying to sell her condo..and the market is bad...well anyway...I was pleased to get just a card and expected nothing else and being me forgot all about the gift card until the other day...

A few friends were going to the mall and I really didn't need anything but went along for the ride (shopping is not about need..it's about SALES)..I did forget to bring down enough bra's and when I saw my brand and size at such a reduced price..I thought..Oh yeah...I have that gift card..

Friday, January 18, 2008

My Old Packard Bell

"Let the light from your soul shine as a beacon of warmth, and positive reactions will follow..."

This is an example of thoughts that guide my life. I am what you would call a changed person, by that meaning I have stumbled my way through a majority of my time here on Earth. How did I arrive here, invited to participate on this page? I see many names I know listed as contributors here on the Blue Ribbon Blog, and they are all well respected favorites of mine. Also - some that I am unfamiliar with. In the following weeks I plan to visit each and every blog found on the sidebar.

This is the short version of my life. My name is Eric ... better known as "Speedcat Hollydale"

This is a picture from my childhood. I grew up in a classic middle American family with strong family values. I really do not have many sad memories from youth, and am grateful and blessed with a past of hugs, love, and guidance. I never realized just how lucky that is until later in life. From my eyes, the world was a perfect place.

Of course the world is not really perfect, far from it really. I am not perfect either. I have made many mistakes, hurt people, let people down, and ultimately let myself down.

I have a history of alcoholism in my family, not my immediate family, but it's there. I am one of it's victims. By saying this, I still take all responsibility for all that has transpired in my past, just that I believe some are more prone than others to be inflicted with the crushing consequences of drinking. I nearly destroyed everything I had ... my health, my relationships, my job, and mostly my pride and self worth. These horrible things ended over 5 years ago.

I did not change my life, nor did a group like AA. The good Lord did. I realized my powerless condition and asked to be saved. That day will forever be my greatest day! Imagine, just one simple thing, changed everything.

I have brand new eyes. Eyes that see possibility, hope, and a future that can be as great as the effort you impart. I have also realized that what really counts in life are the impacts that you have on others. You can never share or care too much. Connections of love are those that bind us, and create a real happiness, not a short lived feeling or emotion. I had no idea that when I started blogging one day on an old Packard Bell computer that these very things could happen across an Internet connection. That's the key word - "connection". I have witnessed and read so many stories from bloggers that open their hearts and share the stories and thoughts from past and present. It seems like the warmest and most caring people are attracted to blogging. Have you ever noticed that?

Back to the people involved with this page. I am honored to be invited to this group. How this came to be, I'm not quite sure, but I must tell you that it is a nice feeling. This is one day, and one post, that will always be special to me.

Spartan cheerleader in red pants with super nice shoes

This picture was made by Ann from "A Nice Place in the Sun". I think it looks like the new me. "Hello everyone!!!"

Speedcat Hollydale: still working from an old Packard Bell

2008 Trek Across Maine

I recently received this notification from my son-in-law David concerning this fund raising effort supported by Alame. My son-in-law is a great athlete, teacher, and is also currently attending classes to further his education even more. David is always the first one to join in and contribute in anyway possible to worthy causes.

The American Lung Association is working to save lives through community asthma education, lung research, and smoking prevention and cessation programs. On June 13-15, 2008, the American Lung Association of Maine will conduct the Trek Across Maine, a 180-mile, We start at the mountains of Sunday River Ski Resort in Bethel and finish at the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head, Maine.

This is a fundraising event to raise funds to help in the fight against lung diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Please join me in supporting this important work by making a tax deductible contribution to this event. Your contribution will help me to reach my fundraising goal of $750. Any amount you choose to donate will be much appreciated. Just think if only seventy people donate ten dollars each he will have almost reached the goal set for the runners this year.

Please won't you click on the logo on the top of this page or please just click HERE and help David reach his goal. Even if it's just a dollar it will be a dollar spent that will go to aid in saving thousands of lives.

I know many of you have already seen this posted on my blog. However, it truly is such a great cause I wanted to share it here with all of you also.

Here is a picture of David my son-in-law with my youngest grandson.

"Please won't you help us help others by clicking on my daddy's picture?"

~From our family to yours~

J-Man Has A Girlfriend

Intelligence reports started coming in on Tuesday. J-Man, it was reported, had officially declared he had his first girlfriend. I could feel the gray hairs meeting on the top of my head, reminding each other that they’d be having new neighbors really soon.

Now, I would have loved to talk to him about it, but I wanted him to tell me first. And, I didn’t want to be too snoopy, at least not this soon.

This morning, we are driving to school and he says, “I know you know.”

We went round and round about what I knew and when I knew it for a while. Then, I unloaded his bike from the back of the car. I said, “I was waiting for you to tell me.” He said, “You didn’t ask.” I forgot about the requisite parental privacy invasion clause in my contract.

After many half-ass attempts to talk to these kids over the years, I’ve hit upon a couple of sure-fire methods. With the boys it’s go for a ride in the car. They don’t have to look at you, but are in proximity, so they got the “Mom loves you vibe.”

With Em, the best method is to sit right across from each other, maybe even holding hands—or touching in some way, like having my arms draped over her with foreheads touching.

I sensed he wanted to talk about it, but didn’t see that we’d be alone in the car anytime soon, so I did a J-Man. He likes to talk by e-mailing me from six feet above me in the loft. So, what did I do? I called him on the phone. He called me doing so, “random.” I had all kinds of things running through my head.

HAH: So, do you want to tell me about this girlfriend? [Please, don’t let her be 35 and one of your teachers]

J-Man: Her name is *Suzy* [Ah, a name I recognize—one of his GATE friends]

HAH: She was at the basketball game Saturday?

J-Man: Yup. [You seemed a little eager to spend an entire afternoon with just sweaty teenage boys]

HAH: So, what does it mean to be a boyfriend? [Don’t you dare say you hope to get your own stable going to make a little spending money.]

J-Man: What do you mean? It means what you think it means. [Son, you don’t know what I think it could mean]

HAH: It means all kinds of things to different people, how does it look to you?

J-Man: I dunno. [Long, close, slow dances and liplocks have no place in there, right?]

HAH: Will you be going out on dates, just the two of you?

J-Man: No, her parents are strict; I don’t think they’ll let her. [Thank you parents of *Suzy*]

HAH: So, you’ll be doing the group get-together thing? [Damn right!]

J-Man: Yes.

HAH: I think we’ll be revisiting the safe sex talk though, okay?

J-Man: Yes. [At least he didn’t say, “too late.”]

We talk about sex frequently – the physiological mechanics, the emotional consequences, and the way to behave and treat your partner if you do decide you’re going to have sex. I don’t condone having sex young. I’d like them to wait. They know that too. If you ask any of them when they are allowed to get married or make me a grandma, they’ll, by rote, say, “I’ll be at least 25 years old and have an education and a j-o-b.” Kind of a family joke, but the idea behind it is sincerely and deeply meant. I want them to get a start in life and not be tied down by the aftermath of having sex early or starting a family or being forced to make a choice about abortion or adoption. There are more condoms laying around all over this house than in some 3^rd world nations.

But, I also know that ultimately, it won’t be my choice – and I won’t know when it happens. My parents didn’t. I’m pretty sure it will shock me too. I want them to be armed with as much information as they can load into their brain despite that it retracts in proportion with the growing strength of their hormones and urge to procreate.

I know, I’m making some leaps from first group-date girlfriend to me getting an appliquéd sweatshirt from Wal-Mart with “World’s Best Grandma,” but jeez. How did we get here so fast?

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Stress Stinks

Talk about a stinking bad day; cow patties plunged down into the deep fiery depths below, can only begin to describe such wretchedness. Yesterday I arrived at work to see Security Guards surrounding someone who is stretched out on the cold ground of the parking lot. Nearing the scene I hear a familiar voice, as suddenly my throat drops to the pit of my stomach. The Person on the ground is my Friend who tells me in her usual joking voice, well I’ve done it again. The first thoughts that flew out as words in my mouth were, you went and had another heart attack? Fortunately not! Apparently she had tripped and fell. The darken early icy morning showed a thin blanket flapping in the wind while trying to keep her covered. She refused an ambulance saying she couldn’t afford the expense and insisted she was ok. Unable to ease her mind of the cost and possible need to at least have an ambulance medic check her injuries; I asked if she could be taken inside away from the cold, however; a Guard stated they couldn’t let her move yet. It must have been 20 minutes or longer of my Friend persisting she was ok before anyone could then help her enter the building under the agreement that her Daughter would come and take her home or to a Doctor if needed. Once inside, she was then given a cold ice pack to put on her injured knee. Talk about a cold way to handle matters, dang! My Friend was back to work today, still having refused to go see a Doctor – insisting she is ok except for hobbling around on an extremely bruised knee.

Yesterday continued with the new pressure in our Department of an increase from 700 to 900 per Person, production daily. I was down to the last hour and merely 30 more to go when anything that could go wrong went wrong. Paper ran out and had to be changed twice. Then on the final minutes, I was short exactly one and had to go plunder quickly for a remedy. All in all, I managed to achieve the newly set goal. Yet learned, never ask if things could get much worse:

After work, I walked out to my car to find a puddle of liquid green death yet to intoxicate the surrounding bare leaf trees. First the cold murdered my snail Sleuth, then the cold tried to freeze my Friend, now perhaps karmatically the cold was trying to bust my engine block. Knowing the temperatures were to drop even lower that night, I slowly drove to my mechanic. Couldn’t be as simple as a thermostat, or upper or lower radiator hose; no – it had to be the worse case scenario, my water pump was gone. The only warning, the wee hours of morning before - my low coolant light came on. So I pulled over to the nearest well lit area without any water near by, forethought: I opted to pour straight antifreeze into the reservoir for fear of opening a hot radiator cap. Afterthought: maybe that wasn’t such a bright idea, perhaps the undiluted solution acted as acid on the water pump or seal.

Well, back to my not so cowriffic yesterday: a Friend and I decided to hang out at a restaurant where I could unwind from such a stressful day, while my car was being repaired. Only we couldn’t even begin to enjoy our drinks for the pollution of two Waitresses perfumes going down our throats! Look, clean air is an essential for me - I have to be able to breath while smoking because I have asthma/bronchitis. So we left that restaurant and went to another place.

All in all, my car was able to be fixed that night, my Friend is ok, and production is but a number. Still, what a day of cow patties plunged down into the deep fiery depths below! What a stinkin’ crappy day, ug!

Technorati Tags Binding Ink, stress

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Is it just me?

Is it just me, or are most of the funny people in the world gay? I mean no disrespect, but most of the people I consider amazingly funny are gay. Look at Ellen, or Rosie, and Paula Poundstone.

I don't know if she's actually gay, but she doesn't date men. Maybe she's into farm animals. I don't know. But the fact is, it must be a horrible struggle trying to live in a straight world when you're not. I wouldn't know myself. I am boringly straight, but it would seem to me using jokes works well when you have something different about you.

I lived behind humor because of my life at home. Like so many others, I was not the favored child so I made light of it and thus used humor. Not to the extent of most of you who shall not be named. I am reading and trying to learn from you, but that's not to say you have to be gay to be funny. Have I dug the hole for myself deep enough yet? All I wanted to say to all of you is good going. Whew!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

C'mon, I Should Get An Award For Being A Lesbian

Long about a year ago, I ran across a little community blog called The Lesbian Lifestyle. There, I found a whole bevy of Lesbians blogging their little hearts out in one place. It was like finding the girl bar of the Internet! Good thing, too, because I don't go to bars and can't stay up past 10 pm when the music starts.

About the same time, it was running its first-ever Lesbian Blog of the Year Award. I thought, “Heck, why not?” And, sure enough, thanks to handful of devoted readers, I came in the top 5 and was a finalist. I even won—technically—but withdrew because I’m pretty sure I didn’t get 100 actual legitimate votes in 2 hours at the tail end of the competition--I doubted I had 100 readers at the time. Curly McDimple over at Ham & Cheese on Wry was awarded the prize—right on Curly! Fabulous Tina-cious was also finalist and I read her all the time.

Over the course of the last year, I did some posting over there at TLL. I read some great posts too. I hope you'll visit my daily blog, and if you like it, please go vote for the 2007 Lesbian Blog of the Year.

I mean, what’s the point of being a Lesbian if you can’t get an award for it? Can't get married, can't have equal protections under the law, but by golly, maybe I can win that beautiful pink award--hope you'll help!

Seven Things Meme

First LA Day tagged me for this puppy. She tagged my buddy Lisa Andel for it at the same time.

Lisa was well-behaved and did it. And then she tagged me for it again.

These cross-tags remind me of inbreeding somehow... something about it feels wrong...

At any rate, since I've already done it over at West of Mars (the link will take you right to it), I thought I'd come over here and have some fun so that YOU guys can get to know me as well. Here goes:

The Rules:
Link to the person who tagged you;
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;
Post the rules on your blog;
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
Include links to their blogs;
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. My name is Susan Helene Gottfried. Really. That's what my birth certificate says.

2. I hate to follow rules. Thus, I'm not following all the above rules. Keep reading to see how and where.

3. This rule aversion I've got often makes me feel like a VERY square peg in a world of round holes.

4. It also quite probably is the reason why I'm still an unpublished novelist. I don't write novels that fit nicely and conveniently into the niches that agents and editors want their books to fall into.

5. They call this good business. I call it other things, none of which are flattering, so I won't mention them.

6. Yes, it's hard at times to be the sharp edges in a soft, rounded world. But someone's got to do it, and why not someone like me, who does it well?

7. Yes, it would be easier to suck it up and write something that would fit nicely into the existing niches, but for one thing, it wouldn't be very good. And for another, isn't being true to yourself what it's all about? Isn't that more important? I mean, if my groupies get loud enough and even more demanding, I can always turn to (gasp!) self-publishing and prove I'm right and it's good to not fit into existing niches. Especially crowded ones.

8. Breaking the rules often pays off.

Tags... well, let's keep it simple. Any of my fellow Blue Ribbon Bloggers want to join in on the fun?

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Trying Something New: Sunday Best

When you were a kid, do you remember hearing about your Sunday Best? Or maybe you only read about it in a book; kids who had one fancy outfit they saved as their Sunday Best. Being Jewish, we didn't do this, but the idea was that you'd have one great outfit to wear to church.

If you hang out at my blog much, you'll note that I won't mention the titles of books I read but don't like (or don't finish). I try to keep things upbeat and positive.

And now, following in the wake of the story of the romance author who seems to have lifted passages of someone else's text and placed them into her novels, I want to highlight the good even more.

My intent is to highlight news about books and authors you may not have otherwise heard of, but that's not always going to happen. In fact, my first Sunday Best post this week features the Soup to Nuts Blog Carnival.

Come on over and check it out. Join the carnival if you're so inclined.

If you're even more inclined to highlight a Sunday Best, sign Mr. Linky so I can come check out what's bright and shiny in your world. It doesn't have to be book related, just something you feel deserves a bit of attention.

Spellcheckers

Just a piece I came across several years ago and thought I would share it with you. Sometimes technology isn’t always the best way!

Owed To A SpellChequer

Eye halve a spell in chequer;

It came with my pea sea;

It plainly marques four my revue

Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word

And weight four it to say

Weather eye am wrong oar write -

It shows me strait aweigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid

it nose bee fore two long,

and eye can put the error rite

its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it;

I am shore your pleased two no

its letter-perfect awl the weigh,

my chequer tolled me sew.

Originally posted on my Life blog 15th August 2007

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Only So Much

I was very surprised to get the invitation from Gracie Belle to join the talented writers here. I'm Lori from Hahn at Home. I live in Sacramento, CA, but have lived all over the world. I was raised in a college town in Iowa, and I still consider myself an Iowa girl at heart. I adopted three kids--all now teens--and we are a multi-racial family. Oh, and I'm a lesbian. I write about my life, my kids, and my causes.

Though I am one busy single-mom, I still find time to contribute at The Rising Blogger and The Lesbian Lifestyle. Before the ownership of The Peace Tree changed, I contributed there. By way of introduction, here is a piece I wrote for that blog:

Every day, I go to work past the Loaves & Fishes and the Salvation Army—where the homeless can get a meal and maybe even find a job. It’s in a rough warehouse area. Not inviting at all to the city’s residents as a whole. Men in wheelchairs, women on bikes, people walking with their shopping carts or bags full of their life’s belonging form an endless stream of people running from the river banks from one direction to the bushes and alleys downtown from the other, all converging at this point because breakfast is about to be served. There is no progression through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs here—it’s pure survival, baby.

I take frequent trips around the block at the office, mostly to clear my head, but sometimes just to see what’s going on outside the confines of the space I share with smart, sane, college-educated folks that may worry about where they might find a good happy hour after work but haven’t known a hungry night or the felt the indifference of others. I’ve come to recognize many of the folks on the street and have spoken to more than a few…mostly to tell them I have neither change nor a smoke for them. Some hope for the largesse of the capitol employee-set to put a couple bucks in their pocket, one quarter at a time. Some rage in scary ways if you dare look their way—and have self-medicated that day with drugs or alcohol. Most don’t take their legal medication, if they can get medication at all. But, they’ve created their own community; one in which they are understood and accepted, and where they form friendships based on security and a strength-in-numbers outlook. Many of them will spend tonight in jail or will be rousted from their box by the riverbank, where they share camp with other lost souls.

I just keep thinking of the guy who was probably 40, now haggard and hunched over in his wrinkled, dirty fatigue jacket as he stood outside of the store I popped into. I’d seen him before, at the same corner, kickboxing an imaginary opponent. I told him I had no change as I went in but said to him on the way out, “I had no change, but now I do, here.” As he looked into his palm at the 78 cents, he said, “Thanks, have a wonderful day, young lady.” I said, “You, too.” He broke out into a great snaggle-toothed smile, and said, “Thanks, that made my day more than this money,” rubbing the coins together and sliding them into his pocket.

These days, I have more questions than answers regarding what I believe are the pressing social issues of my community. Where do we begin to help? Our lack of humanity as a species of thinking humans makes me feel a little helpless sometimes. I could carry on about how Reagan’s policies of the 80s shut off many avenues for long-term assistance for the mentally ill and how general hospitals, nursing homes, and jails and prisons have become the new, but ill-equipped solution, but it really doesn’t matter anymore. We need to rethink this issue now and provide tangible solutions that allow them their personal dignity while providing safety for themselves and for the greater community. Please visit the National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness to learn more.

Give me your tired, your poor,/ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,/ The wretched refuse of your teeming shore./ Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,/ I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
~ Emma Lazarus

Friday, January 11, 2008

Hello Everyone

Hello and greetings to everyone here. I must agree with Mo when he stated his surprise at being invited to be a contributor to this site. I too am amazed,nervous and grateful all at the same time.

Let me begin by saying thank you to Gracie Belle The Blog Fairy for inviting me. I do not know what I have done to deserve this great honor but please know that I am thrilled.

Many of you already know me from The Painted Veil, Santa's Community Blog, and recently the very lovely home of The Blog Fairy herself.

This is turning out to be quite the year for me and I am full of excitement and very grateful for many,many things. Not only have I been added here as a contributor but I have also recently been added as a co-author at Santa's Community Blog and The Blog Fairy's Blog.

For those of you that don't know me my real name is Jackie and please feel free to call me by either name. I chose the name Shinade for my nickname when I started my blog. In Gaelic it translates into: Graciousness of God, and Lord knows that I can always use some of that. It also reminds me everyday to be very grateful for everything that God has blessed me with.

I wish I could think of something really witty and funny to say but I have been at a loss for words ever since I received this invitation. So for today I will simply say thank you very much and leave you with this little thought.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

The Breast Cancer Site needs your help!

Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on 'donating a mammogram' for free (pink window in the middle).

This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors /advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Click the image above! And here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

Breast Cancer Site

AGAIN, PLEASE TELL 10 FRIENDS TO TELL 10 TODAY

Let me say hello...

Looks like I'm not the only new face around here lately, although it's possible I'm the slowest to pop up and say hello.

You see, when I first saw the invitation to join this great group of folk, I thought for sure it was someone's sick idea of a joke. How's that for the famed Trevor Wolff self-esteem many of you know I can produce?

Despite what of myself that gets channeled into a fantastic fictional character, I'm simply a writer and, by definition, we writers tend to be an insecure bunch. That's probably due to the constant rejection we face and the sales numbers (for those lucky enough to get into print) that are never high enough.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be part of this group, and not just because there are some VERY cool people here. I'm excited to meet new people via the comments I hope you'll leave, and to share my fictional world with you, even though I'm hoping to channel my posts to this blog outside of fiction.

Of course, hopes are just that, hopes. As the reality unfolds around us, let's see what the future holds.

Stay tuned... it only gets better from here. That I can guarantee.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Thank You, Blue Ribbon Bloggers

The Blue Ribbon Bloggers have asked me to join them. It is an honor to be here and to be counted among them!

I could give you a life story...but I won't. Suffice it to say, as Bill Cosby once said, "I started out as a child..." And the rest is history. No, just kidding.

I prefer to talk with you, not at you, and not about me. I am part of a larger whole, a bigger Plan, in which you are included. I enjoy the sense of Community here. I am blessed to know many of you, if only through your writing, yet writing can reveal so much about a person. Real people live behind these blogs. Real people who have some great insights, deep feelings, and worthy words of wisdom. Real people who know the ups and downs of life just like we all do. Real people who know the meaning of life and love and fun.

I look forward to the year ahead. If the last few days are any indication of how the year will go, I know it's going to be full of wonder~full surprises and dreams come true! I want to leave you with a little acronym I created a while ago: F.O.C.U.S. ~ Focus On Creating Unprecedented Success! It's well within your reach. With God's help, all things are possible. Go for it!

GirlScout cookie season

As you see, GirlScout cookie season starts on saturday here in the states..This is a way for the girls to help earn money for their troop...Some shy girls break out of their shell trying to sell girlscout cookies..Some girls have set their goals very high and can be ambitious selling the cookies..Girlscouting have been around a long time..Here is a website for you to know more about Girlscouting: GirlScouts

Upgrade from Boyfriend 1.0 to Husband 1.0

This was previously posted on my Life blog, 15th November 2007

Last year a friend of mine upgraded from BoyFriend 1.0 to Husband 1.0 and found that it’s a memory hog, leaving very little system resources available for other applications.

She is now noticing that Husband 1.0 is also spawning Child Processors which are further consuming valuable resources. No mention of this particular phenomena was included in the product brochure or the documentation, though other users have informed her that this is to be expected due to the nature of the application.

Not only that, Husband 1.0 installs itself such, that it is always launched at system initialization, where it can monitor all other system activity. She’s finding that some applications such as SpendingSpree 2.4, GirlsNight 3.5 and CocktailNight 7.0 are no longer able to run in the system at all, crashing the system when selected (even though they always worked fine before).

During installation, Husband 1.0 provides no option as to the installation of undesired Plug-ins such as MotherInLaw 5.8 and BrotherInLaw Beta release. Also, system performance seems to diminish with each passing day.

Some features she’d like to see in the upcoming Husband 2.0 include:

1. A “Yes I’ll cook, clean etc.” button.
2. An install shield feature that allows Husband 2.0 be installed with the option to uninstall at anytime without the loss of cache and other system resources.

I myself decided to avoid the headache associated with Husband 1.0 by sticking with BoyFriend 2.0. Even here, however, I found many problems.

Apparently you cannot install BoyFriend 2.0 on top of BoyFriend 1.0; each program begins damaging the other. You must uninstall BoyFriend 1.0 first.

Other users say this is a long standing bug that I should have known about. You’d think they would have fixed such a stupid bug by now! To make matters worse, the uninstall program for BoyFriend 1.0 doesn’t work very well, leaving undesirable traces of the application in the system.

Another thing–all versions of BoyFriend 1.0 continually popup little annoying messages about the advantages of upgrading to Husband 1.0.

Bug WarningHusband 1.0 has an undocumented bug. If you try to install Lover 1.1 before uninstalling Husband 1.0, Husband 1.0 will delete MS Clothing allowance files, before doing the uninstall himself.

More applications that won’t run with Husband 1.0 include Chippendale 2.0, Netballwatching 3.5, Suremoreshoes 6.0, and Cleanup 4.3.

Applications that run very well with Husband 1.0, however, include Bummingaround 1.0, Pubnight 2.3, Golfing 2.7, Pokernight 5.3, and Wanderingeyes 4.9.

Have a great day all :)
Colin

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Shell of a Cold Murder

Currently, my only pet resides in a simple basic starter aquarium. This has afforded me the luxury of conserving precious global energy while saving on my electric bill by turning off all household lights and the a/c heater unit before going to work daily. Noting, having any other pets one should never turn the ac heater unit completely off; instead set the unit thermostat at a low comfortable setting for the preservation of the pets essentially crucial wellbeing.

Recently I adopted a snail to keep my single beta fish company and help clean his vicinity. The name of my fish is Art. An ongoing joke between us and my Friends who are humored by the fact that all I need to do is say, ‘Art, where art thou’ and the fish will indeed come to the front of the aquarium. Then if I proceed to say ‘Art Arty Art-Art’, my fish will happily perform a flip flapping aquatic dance. Anyone who knows me or has followed some of my writings, will admit that I have an unusual close pet relationship with any of my aqua Friends. In-fact, I confessed in my 7 Weird or Random Facts Meme that “I once tried to save my pet aquatic frog by giving him CPR via administrating him air from a tube attached to the aquarium pump. Sadly he could not be resuscitated.”

I first became aware of my odd attachment when my ‘once upon a time’ pet cat, Sir Socrates brought me his most prized catch. That day, I thought nothing of having heard some minor clattering in the other room. At least not until later when I looked down at Sir Socrates. There he had rolled in from two other rooms and proudly laid at my feet, my pet fish! Needless to say, I was devastated and unable to revive the poor little finner. Sir Socrates on the other hand, well he lived to old age. And he was not punished for his natural instincts, instead I merely built a better aquarium lid.

Many a fish, frog, snail, and aquariums have come into my life since than and gone. The most fun is picking a name. My Mother is often kind to remind me of the time I brought two tree frogs inside for the night. Something I sometimes did for harmless entertainment. I would place tree frogs in a aired waterless goldfish bowl, add food, decorate with tree limbs and leaves. Observe their behavior and listen to their ribbits, then set them free the next morning, outdoors in a natural wooded arena. The two my Mom remembers most is Mr. Limpet (from the 1964 movie The Incredible Mr. Limpet starring Don Knotts) and Mrs. Tax a Daisy (because it was tax time). Par to tradition, now was the time to name my new snail.

So happen the night prior I had a dream, an unusual event for myself as a persistent lack of R.E.M. sleep remains a semi-medical mystery to my physicians. My rare dream began with brown and black horses lined in front of a smooth wired fence. Next, someone was parking my car beside these horses. I was briefly upset that anyone would be driving my car when suddenly the driver side door opened to reveal the now hopping out driver to be a brown Dachshund Weiner dog. Perhaps a pun on the Datsun Nissan auto, however; my car is an Oldsmobile. Nonetheless, in my dream I was to proceed with a delivery of herbs to a Lady whom lived in a nearby village. Legend had it, that there existed an elephant with feet of a three-toed sleuth and whom ever saw this elephant would go crazy. No, not a three toed sloth, definitely sleuth. So happened this Lady not only saw the elephant, she became its’ primary caregiver. However; to stop her insanity, she had to take a daily supply of certain herbs that a local root doctor concocted. My dream basically ended there. Needless to say; when I got my snail, I appropriately named it Sleuth.

Sleuth wasted no time inspecting the new surroundings and vacuuming. A week later in normal environmental conservation fashion, I turned off the ac heater unit. The temperature outside was below 20, so as an additional precautionary measure, I wrapped a towel around the small aquarium and left for work. When I arrived home to unwrap the towel, I found Art cuddled atop of Sleuth. Motherly thinking, how sweet they are keeping each other warm. Then guiltily wondering if the temperature inside my residence had become to cold for them. And just as quickly, panicked that perhaps they weren’t cuddling nor freezing. What if Sleuth accidently clamped down on one of Arts’ fins and the fish was trapped! Instantaneously, I reached my arm into the icy water and with my hand brushed the two apart. Fortunately, Art wasn’t ensnared. Unfortunately, Sleuth may have passed away by means of a cold murder. However; I’m still investigating as snails do have the tendency to hibernate inwardly for awhile. So for now, I have Sleuth in a temperature controlled liquid bowl, awaiting hopefully a resurrection. If not, I may in any case be thankful that in addition to escargot, I could have also had a frozen fish stick. Not that I would literally eat either one, just admittedly the guilt is starting to eat away at me.

Environmental lesson learned: to help save the planet, perhaps start with one aquatic pet at a time, assuring first and foremost that at least a heater is installed in even the smallest of fish bowls.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Do You Know the Sign?

the gratitude campaign (short)

The below was emailed to me:
From KING 5 News:

----- Original Message -----
From: *@*
To: nomdeplumethepoetress@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:50 AM
Subject: king5.com article from *

* [*@*] has sent you a story from king5.com.
(Page at: http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_092307WAB_gratitude_campaign_SW.102c1d0ba.html)

Seattle man starts 'Gratitude Campaign' to thank soldiers
05:51 PM PDT on Sunday, September 23, 2007

By DEBORAH FELDMAN / KING 5 News

[SEATTLE - What began as a simple idea to say thank you to soldiers he passed on the street, has blossomed into a full scale campaign for Seattlite Scott Truitt.

He says many Americans want to express their gratitude to members of our military, but most aren't really sure how to proceed.

"I think there's a lot of politics wrapped around the military and that can get confusing for a lot of people," he said.

Both Truitt's father and father-in-law spent decades in the military, but even so, he realizes approaching strangers can be a little awkward at times.

"For several years I've been walking up and saying thank you to them when I've see them and sometimes its a really comfortable situation, and sometimes its not so comfortable," he said.

So he decided it would be nice to simply have a gesture to say thank you quickly and comfortably.

"The sign language sign for thank you starts at the chin and we thought geez, if you don't know what this means, you might not take it kindly. And that's certainly not the message we wanted to send," he said.

After a little research, he came up with a new idea.

"The gesture starts with your hand on your heart as if you're about to do the Pledge of Allegiance. And then you just bring the hand down and out in front of you. It actually means thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said.

Truitt hopes his Gratitude Campaign will spread across the country, and says even if soldiers don't know exactly what the gesture means, they'll realize if it originates on the heart, its got to be good.

Truitt hopes his video will continue to be shown at the start of every home Seahawks game this season.]

The Gratitude Campaign