Monday, February 28, 2011
CHECK OUT the giveaway!!!
I love The Container Store...it is very hard to contain yourself in there though. :) They are having a Tax Time Essentials Giveaway! Check it out.
Quotes
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
- Robert Louis Stevenson
- Robert Louis Stevenson
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Self-Defense Course
Yesterday, I completed a Self-Defense Course that I took with two of my girlfriends, Michelle and Judy. I want to share some things with you, because I believe safety in today's world is very important.
I had never really thought about taking a course until last November 2010 a lady in my networking group told a story how she was followed in her car on the freeway all the way from her job in Dallas to her home in Fort Worth. The experience she relayed made me realize, what would I do in a situation like that??? I didn't know. She knew a guy that taught Self-Defense Courses and she contacted him. He gave her some tips and she shared them with us.
Michelle had told me about this class offered in my local community and I opted to take it with her and Judy joined us when I told her about it. Our instructor is a Christian, has been a Police Officer for 30 years and has a Black Belt in Marshall arts. He currently works in the Crime Scene Investigator Department with the Fort Worth Police Department. He teaches Criminal Justice at a local college, Self Defense and Sign Language Courses at the Burleson Community Center. I want to share a few safety tips that he stressed in the 1st class, some things you may already know, some that you may just need to be reminded of:
- Prepare the best you can for situations
- Don't have a false sense of security
- Lock the Doors
- Have a Cell Phone
- Keep distance between vehicles (so you can maneuver out of a situation if needed), enough that you can see their complete tires on the pavement or as they teach you in California Drivers Ed so that you can draw a wide white line at a stop sign between you and the car in front of you
- Don't play road rage
- If followed make 4 right hand turns
- Park as close to where you are going
- If an unmarked car tries to pull you over, don't stop, call 911 - if its really a Policeman/Policewoman their buds will be there within seconds once you call
- Use lots of lights
- Mini-blinds turn towards the window so that the inside slat is "up"
- Have a dog, if you don't want a dog, have a dog bowl and chain to make it look like one is inside
- Have a pair of men's boots sitting on the front porch
- Keep your car alarm key-chain next to your bed to set-off if needed
- You can always pretend to be talking to someone on the phone, they won't know the difference
- Don't be out late at night
Recommended Reading by our Instructor:
The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker
The Evil That Men Do by Stephen G Michaud and Roy Hazlewood
Here are a couple videos you need to watch also:
Video 1 and Video 2 of Jeff McKissack (they guy that I spoke of in the first paragraph) in an interview with a local DFW TV Show. Jeff also has a website and blog for his business, Defense by Design, if you wish to check it out and learn more tips.
This one is called Chin Na (Seize and Control) and shows a few of the things we learned and some other techniques that are taught in Marshall arts classes. Notice how little effort is used and how much pain is inflicted.
Charlie came and spoke as the spot light speaker at Cowtown Netweavers, the networking group that I am a Board Member on, two weeks ago. He gave an excellent presentation that everyone appreciated. His experience gives more creditability to statistics that are hard to fathom.
I highly recommend you take a class like this. This one is only $35 and is done over a 4 week period. You can go on and learn much more in any Marshall arts class, but this will at least give you some basic understanding of how to conduct yourself in some common positions people end up in...here is hoping that it never happens to you!
Please write me if you want more information. I highly recommend the instructor we had!
I had never really thought about taking a course until last November 2010 a lady in my networking group told a story how she was followed in her car on the freeway all the way from her job in Dallas to her home in Fort Worth. The experience she relayed made me realize, what would I do in a situation like that??? I didn't know. She knew a guy that taught Self-Defense Courses and she contacted him. He gave her some tips and she shared them with us.
Michelle had told me about this class offered in my local community and I opted to take it with her and Judy joined us when I told her about it. Our instructor is a Christian, has been a Police Officer for 30 years and has a Black Belt in Marshall arts. He currently works in the Crime Scene Investigator Department with the Fort Worth Police Department. He teaches Criminal Justice at a local college, Self Defense and Sign Language Courses at the Burleson Community Center. I want to share a few safety tips that he stressed in the 1st class, some things you may already know, some that you may just need to be reminded of:
- Prepare the best you can for situations
- Don't have a false sense of security
- Lock the Doors
- Have a Cell Phone
- Keep distance between vehicles (so you can maneuver out of a situation if needed), enough that you can see their complete tires on the pavement or as they teach you in California Drivers Ed so that you can draw a wide white line at a stop sign between you and the car in front of you
- Don't play road rage
- If followed make 4 right hand turns
- Park as close to where you are going
- If an unmarked car tries to pull you over, don't stop, call 911 - if its really a Policeman/Policewoman their buds will be there within seconds once you call
- Use lots of lights
- Mini-blinds turn towards the window so that the inside slat is "up"
- Have a dog, if you don't want a dog, have a dog bowl and chain to make it look like one is inside
- Have a pair of men's boots sitting on the front porch
- Keep your car alarm key-chain next to your bed to set-off if needed
- You can always pretend to be talking to someone on the phone, they won't know the difference
- Don't be out late at night
Recommended Reading by our Instructor:
The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker
The Evil That Men Do by Stephen G Michaud and Roy Hazlewood
Here are a couple videos you need to watch also:
Video 1 and Video 2 of Jeff McKissack (they guy that I spoke of in the first paragraph) in an interview with a local DFW TV Show. Jeff also has a website and blog for his business, Defense by Design, if you wish to check it out and learn more tips.
This one is called Chin Na (Seize and Control) and shows a few of the things we learned and some other techniques that are taught in Marshall arts classes. Notice how little effort is used and how much pain is inflicted.
Charlie came and spoke as the spot light speaker at Cowtown Netweavers, the networking group that I am a Board Member on, two weeks ago. He gave an excellent presentation that everyone appreciated. His experience gives more creditability to statistics that are hard to fathom.
I highly recommend you take a class like this. This one is only $35 and is done over a 4 week period. You can go on and learn much more in any Marshall arts class, but this will at least give you some basic understanding of how to conduct yourself in some common positions people end up in...here is hoping that it never happens to you!
Please write me if you want more information. I highly recommend the instructor we had!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
saying the word NO...
In my quest for a simple life, I am starting in one area with the word No. I will add back as I see fit, for now, there is lots of "NO's".
NO, I am not going to follow your blog anymore. It is not pertinent to improving my life. In fact, I think it might be making me more frustrated as another thing to have to read/follow. It also may be creating a lack of contentment in me because you portray everything so perfect in your life, and somehow, I don't believe it is.
NO, I am not going to sign up for your emails/coupons, in fact I am going to unsubscribe from tons. If I need a coupon, I will look for it. If I haven't shopped your store in a year, I don't need your sales ads.
NO, I can't help you with that project. I have too many of my own unfinished and somehow that needs to be a priority to finish what I have started.
NO, I don't want to try this new diet. Yes, I want to loose weight, but not at the expense of buying into some makeover DREAM.
NO, I am not going shopping at this new fabulous store you found.
NO, I am not buying the latest book of my favorite author...I haven't read the last few that have come out.
NO, I am not going to check out this latest product that you think is a must have for me.
NO, I don't need that herb/medicine, I don't want a million more things to have around and I don't want to have to define if it "really works" for me.
NO, I am not reading this book you think I must read.
NO, I don't want your magazine.
NO, I am not making soap and other products from home, even though you think I should.
NO, I am not staying up late at your house even though you invited me over.
NO, I am not coming out to this function, I am exhausted.
NO, I am not. I said NO.
NO, I am not going to follow your blog anymore. It is not pertinent to improving my life. In fact, I think it might be making me more frustrated as another thing to have to read/follow. It also may be creating a lack of contentment in me because you portray everything so perfect in your life, and somehow, I don't believe it is.
NO, I am not going to sign up for your emails/coupons, in fact I am going to unsubscribe from tons. If I need a coupon, I will look for it. If I haven't shopped your store in a year, I don't need your sales ads.
NO, I can't help you with that project. I have too many of my own unfinished and somehow that needs to be a priority to finish what I have started.
NO, I don't want to try this new diet. Yes, I want to loose weight, but not at the expense of buying into some makeover DREAM.
NO, I am not going shopping at this new fabulous store you found.
NO, I am not buying the latest book of my favorite author...I haven't read the last few that have come out.
NO, I am not going to check out this latest product that you think is a must have for me.
NO, I don't need that herb/medicine, I don't want a million more things to have around and I don't want to have to define if it "really works" for me.
NO, I am not reading this book you think I must read.
NO, I don't want your magazine.
NO, I am not making soap and other products from home, even though you think I should.
NO, I am not staying up late at your house even though you invited me over.
NO, I am not coming out to this function, I am exhausted.
NO, I am not. I said NO.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
[cell phone]
I got my first cell phone many years ago thru the mail from a Nokia direct mail marketing campaign. It was a great phone. I didn't use it very much, I had it for "emergencies", the "what if" someone needed to get ahold of me. With time, that changed. My cell phone became a major part of my life! I had a home phone, but didn't use it, only to fax. I loved to text message and I became a heavy texter. I message you before I call you. If you are busy, I don't want to bother you. If I have a question, you can respond when you have time. If I am running late, I let you know. It is perfect for me. There are times, I must admit that it would have taken less time just to call you after we messaged back and forth so long, but that isn't fequently. When I moved to my new place March 2007, I opted for no home phone. I worked full time, having only a cell phone made the most sense. I always have my phone with me. I only left it at home twice in the time I had it...and that of course was on accident. I love having a cell phone!
I upgraded to a "smart phone" the middle of January, buying one off of someone who went back to another provider and wasn't using the phone they had purchased. I got a DROID Incredible for a SWEET deal, $50!!! But it has taken LOTS of getting used to. I previously had an enV3, normal phone with the flip open qwerty keyboard with punchable keys. Switching to 100% touch has been a bit of a difficulty to me...almost a nightmare at times. Truely, you may think me crazy, but it has. It has the option for speaking my message into it and it converting it to text. It works 50% of the time...the other 50% it is 100% WRONG! I have tried speaking slower, speaking faster, holding the phone very close, holding it far away, talking softer, talking louder, giving more pauses...I have tried all and am left to think that it just doesn't like my voice. So far, I have not figured out what makes it work accurately sometimes and other times be so far off the map on what I said that it makes me just shake my head. Regardless, there are things I love about it, the #1 being I have access to my email now 24/7 and when I am gone all day at client's offices and networking and doing meetings and errands, I am always plugged in. I had been worried that this "plugged in" status would be hard to control, I haven't found that to be the case. When I want to be working and not bothered, it goes on silent. When I am too busy to read the emails, I just don't. There are still things I am figuring out and adjusting to. And I still miss my qwerty keyboard, one that I could fly on, literally! I was a fast texter, I no longer am. My fingers forever are not "touching" the right keys or this phone is forever trying to guess what I mean and I have added words to the dictionary on it when I meant to hit the X for wrong word. Ugh...the joys of learning something new, not always peachy.
The thing I don't like is when it malfunctions. Like it did yesterday. I was texting a client's employee, the screen went all blank and white. It powered down. When it powered back up, it powered back down, automatically on its own. Frustrating. Irritating. Stupid phone. Did it 5x's. I decided to stick the phone in my pocket. I was done letting it get to me. I went inside after the employee got there, tried to make a call out to the credit card processing company regarding an issue and got this message "Verizon Wireless is unable to authenticate your phone number at this time. Please try your call again later." Excuse me? Authenticate my phone number? The one I have had since I bought my cell phone back in 2000 or whatever year it was? Really??? Whatever...I moved on, I used the landline at my client's office. I was in a rush to get from there to my CPA for my 10am appointment to get my taxes filed. I tried to call enroute to let him know I was going to be 15minutes late. Same message. Now I was irked. I knew I would have to go stand in the Customer Service line and knew this was going to be an ordeal...sometimes when life has had already too many ordeals for the day, you surely don't want another one. That is the way I felt yesterday. Verizon had no explanation. I told them this was the 2nd time this week it had done this to me. They had no answer but one that though it seems simple, was complicated: We will have to call the Tech Support Hot Line. Okay...so we did. They tried this, that, nothing worked. While I am standing there another customer comes in with the same phone I have. He is having the same issue. He tells the clerk, this has been happenng this week, never before. I tell my clerk, hey he has the same phone and it just started happening this week. She gives me "the look"...don't interrupt me, don't try to tell me that this is a big problem, don't try to figure this out, I know what to do. The customer/clerk next to me, he was gone before I was. That clerk replaced his phone. Me??? Ummm after multiple tries by Tech Support, they strip my phone, reboot back to factory settings, I loose all data. Once this process was done, calls out were made, calls in were made...she told me that I was fixed. I said what about the apps I had downloaded, did I have to repay for all those? She shrugged and said, you shouldn't. How can I ensure that? Ummm she didn't know. I wanted to scream: You are Useless! You work in Customer SERVICE and you are useless! I didn't. I said thank you and I walked out. Another representive shouted as I walked out: Thank You for coming in...I wanted to stop and say something, but I kept walking...I didn't nod, I said nothing, I needed to leave. This was the first time I have had service from Verizon Wireless in which if I were to "grade" them, I would give them a less than satisfactory (or shall I say a very unsatisfied rating). They print on all their receipts and other like materials how they want you to be a satisified customer and to let them know via some survey link. If I get one of those emails following up from my visit yesterday, believe me I will be leaving a survery rated in the red no green flying colors! Nope, not this time. You will flunk.
Is my phone working? yes, I can send and receive calls and text messages.
Are the apps working? no.
Can I get on Facebook from my phone? no, error messages that use the word null.
Can I get my to business email account? no.
So do I consider this: Resolved? no.
Ready to stand in line at the customer service center again? no.
I upgraded to a "smart phone" the middle of January, buying one off of someone who went back to another provider and wasn't using the phone they had purchased. I got a DROID Incredible for a SWEET deal, $50!!! But it has taken LOTS of getting used to. I previously had an enV3, normal phone with the flip open qwerty keyboard with punchable keys. Switching to 100% touch has been a bit of a difficulty to me...almost a nightmare at times. Truely, you may think me crazy, but it has. It has the option for speaking my message into it and it converting it to text. It works 50% of the time...the other 50% it is 100% WRONG! I have tried speaking slower, speaking faster, holding the phone very close, holding it far away, talking softer, talking louder, giving more pauses...I have tried all and am left to think that it just doesn't like my voice. So far, I have not figured out what makes it work accurately sometimes and other times be so far off the map on what I said that it makes me just shake my head. Regardless, there are things I love about it, the #1 being I have access to my email now 24/7 and when I am gone all day at client's offices and networking and doing meetings and errands, I am always plugged in. I had been worried that this "plugged in" status would be hard to control, I haven't found that to be the case. When I want to be working and not bothered, it goes on silent. When I am too busy to read the emails, I just don't. There are still things I am figuring out and adjusting to. And I still miss my qwerty keyboard, one that I could fly on, literally! I was a fast texter, I no longer am. My fingers forever are not "touching" the right keys or this phone is forever trying to guess what I mean and I have added words to the dictionary on it when I meant to hit the X for wrong word. Ugh...the joys of learning something new, not always peachy.
The thing I don't like is when it malfunctions. Like it did yesterday. I was texting a client's employee, the screen went all blank and white. It powered down. When it powered back up, it powered back down, automatically on its own. Frustrating. Irritating. Stupid phone. Did it 5x's. I decided to stick the phone in my pocket. I was done letting it get to me. I went inside after the employee got there, tried to make a call out to the credit card processing company regarding an issue and got this message "Verizon Wireless is unable to authenticate your phone number at this time. Please try your call again later." Excuse me? Authenticate my phone number? The one I have had since I bought my cell phone back in 2000 or whatever year it was? Really??? Whatever...I moved on, I used the landline at my client's office. I was in a rush to get from there to my CPA for my 10am appointment to get my taxes filed. I tried to call enroute to let him know I was going to be 15minutes late. Same message. Now I was irked. I knew I would have to go stand in the Customer Service line and knew this was going to be an ordeal...sometimes when life has had already too many ordeals for the day, you surely don't want another one. That is the way I felt yesterday. Verizon had no explanation. I told them this was the 2nd time this week it had done this to me. They had no answer but one that though it seems simple, was complicated: We will have to call the Tech Support Hot Line. Okay...so we did. They tried this, that, nothing worked. While I am standing there another customer comes in with the same phone I have. He is having the same issue. He tells the clerk, this has been happenng this week, never before. I tell my clerk, hey he has the same phone and it just started happening this week. She gives me "the look"...don't interrupt me, don't try to tell me that this is a big problem, don't try to figure this out, I know what to do. The customer/clerk next to me, he was gone before I was. That clerk replaced his phone. Me??? Ummm after multiple tries by Tech Support, they strip my phone, reboot back to factory settings, I loose all data. Once this process was done, calls out were made, calls in were made...she told me that I was fixed. I said what about the apps I had downloaded, did I have to repay for all those? She shrugged and said, you shouldn't. How can I ensure that? Ummm she didn't know. I wanted to scream: You are Useless! You work in Customer SERVICE and you are useless! I didn't. I said thank you and I walked out. Another representive shouted as I walked out: Thank You for coming in...I wanted to stop and say something, but I kept walking...I didn't nod, I said nothing, I needed to leave. This was the first time I have had service from Verizon Wireless in which if I were to "grade" them, I would give them a less than satisfactory (or shall I say a very unsatisfied rating). They print on all their receipts and other like materials how they want you to be a satisified customer and to let them know via some survey link. If I get one of those emails following up from my visit yesterday, believe me I will be leaving a survery rated in the red no green flying colors! Nope, not this time. You will flunk.
Is my phone working? yes, I can send and receive calls and text messages.
Are the apps working? no.
Can I get on Facebook from my phone? no, error messages that use the word null.
Can I get my to business email account? no.
So do I consider this: Resolved? no.
Ready to stand in line at the customer service center again? no.
Friday, February 18, 2011
getting better...
I am getting better! Yah!!! Almost 3 weeks of sickness...NO FUN! I still get tired very easy and all these medications I am on haven't let me sleep the last few nights, which doesn't make sense since REST is #1 priority. Being awake 3-5hrs when it is pitch black outside is not how I like things. Got up and did some work one night at 2.30am...kinda crazy to be sending emails out then. Just trying to cope the best way I can and add some other things in that may help me sleep. Backlogged on work and household chores...so ready for February to be flipped to March and for a different outlook on life. :) Ever feel like that?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
verse to reflect on...
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer... -2 Samuel 22:2 NKJV
When life gets stormy, where do you go for refuge? What is your greatest comfort in troubled times? What are your favorite verses?
When life gets stormy, where do you go for refuge? What is your greatest comfort in troubled times? What are your favorite verses?
Monday, February 14, 2011
Quotes
The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for. — Zig Ziglar
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I won the giveaway!!!
Do you remember the Topiary giveaway? It was posted on the 14th of December, 2010...yah awhile ago so I know you forgot! Well, for the first time in my life (or nearly), I won something! from a giveaway!!! Thanks Lois for the great giveaway!
Here it is on my kitchen bar counter...
cute huh?
Here it is on my kitchen bar counter...
cute huh?
Social Media
Recently, I made a few more changes to my Facebook settings. I have felt that I needed to implement a few changes being that many of my "connections with friends" are now with other business people I have met thru networking events but really do not know well. They are not what you really define as a "friend" or someone you share all your life with. You may remember my post about Facebook previously and my musings over it and whether it was a good thing or a hinderance, see here if you wish to re-read it. But in reviewing what I wanted in my "social media" and the way settings are done, I reviewed some friends pages, and it has made me contemplate why they even have Facebook.
Facebook is Social Media:
Social = pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations; seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.
Media = an intervening agency, means, or instrument of communication.
My questions:
If someone is your "true friend", why would you not let them write on your wall? I can understand not letting strangers or people that can't control what they say.
If, someone is a "true friend", why would you hide all your wall posts from them, but leave the person as a friend so that they can see the posts thru their "news feed" and still make comments? Why wouldn't you just delete that person all together?
I am trying to understand. Maybe there is no understanding to it. Or maybe you didn't realize I "knew" you had these settings this way???
What Facebook settings have you implemented? and Why?
Facebook is Social Media:
Social = pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations; seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.
Media = an intervening agency, means, or instrument of communication.
My questions:
If someone is your "true friend", why would you not let them write on your wall? I can understand not letting strangers or people that can't control what they say.
If, someone is a "true friend", why would you hide all your wall posts from them, but leave the person as a friend so that they can see the posts thru their "news feed" and still make comments? Why wouldn't you just delete that person all together?
I am trying to understand. Maybe there is no understanding to it. Or maybe you didn't realize I "knew" you had these settings this way???
What Facebook settings have you implemented? and Why?
Saturday, February 12, 2011
you think this will work???
...if you are a friend of mine on Facebook or you follow this blog, you know I have been sick. Two weeks today. It has gotten old. My morale has had a hard time being positive and thankful. I feel like crud, nothing seems to be working...I am just sick.
Thursday I woke up to conjuctivitis in my left eye, really bad, that only got progressively worse as the day wore on. My eye swelled up like I have never seen it before, big bag over my lid to where it was hard to have my eye open, a big puffy bubble under the lid that made me look like an old person, goopy junk coming out every 15-20minutes...litterally running down my face at times, redness like a severe allergy attack x10, it was really hard to even see out of because of the complete blurriness...so I did everything I could think of: drops of silver in the eye every hour, increased mega dose of VitaminC, and a parsley tea wash, hot compresses, cold compresses...but it only got worse. I posted on Facebook for suggestions on what would successfully treat this...I got lots of replies to the post and messages about what to use. I read some articles online. But with the rapidness this was progressing, I wasn't sure what steps to take and I ended up pretty worried. I decided to call my client to see if he would call me in some eye drops. My fever was 101.2 - 101.8 and the pain was unbearable, sore to the touch or untouch, light hurt, itching, stinging, burning...lots of pain. He did and I started those antibiotic drops Thursday night. Well yesterday, I got a B12 shot in my arm from the doctor that works on my neck. The work he did on my neck seemed to help me drain much better too, which is good! Then when I went to my client's office to do a drop off/pickup and work with one of the employees on a project...he said he wanted to examine me. This time, my lungs were clear and no wheezing like last week when he listened to me. He had the nurse give me a Rocephin shot (antibiotic given in the hip) and another oral antibiotic. He was very kind and would not let me pay him! While I was there, a lady I met thru networking dropped off some essiential oils for me to try also. It seems to have helped the swelling and readness to the skin. I also went and bought 14 bottles of Bio K and will probably do 2 of them a day for the next few days. I feel like the shots are kicking in...and I am hoping that I have continued results! Being sick just is no fun...especially when it drags on and on...and on and on...and on and on!!!
Thursday I woke up to conjuctivitis in my left eye, really bad, that only got progressively worse as the day wore on. My eye swelled up like I have never seen it before, big bag over my lid to where it was hard to have my eye open, a big puffy bubble under the lid that made me look like an old person, goopy junk coming out every 15-20minutes...litterally running down my face at times, redness like a severe allergy attack x10, it was really hard to even see out of because of the complete blurriness...so I did everything I could think of: drops of silver in the eye every hour, increased mega dose of VitaminC, and a parsley tea wash, hot compresses, cold compresses...but it only got worse. I posted on Facebook for suggestions on what would successfully treat this...I got lots of replies to the post and messages about what to use. I read some articles online. But with the rapidness this was progressing, I wasn't sure what steps to take and I ended up pretty worried. I decided to call my client to see if he would call me in some eye drops. My fever was 101.2 - 101.8 and the pain was unbearable, sore to the touch or untouch, light hurt, itching, stinging, burning...lots of pain. He did and I started those antibiotic drops Thursday night. Well yesterday, I got a B12 shot in my arm from the doctor that works on my neck. The work he did on my neck seemed to help me drain much better too, which is good! Then when I went to my client's office to do a drop off/pickup and work with one of the employees on a project...he said he wanted to examine me. This time, my lungs were clear and no wheezing like last week when he listened to me. He had the nurse give me a Rocephin shot (antibiotic given in the hip) and another oral antibiotic. He was very kind and would not let me pay him! While I was there, a lady I met thru networking dropped off some essiential oils for me to try also. It seems to have helped the swelling and readness to the skin. I also went and bought 14 bottles of Bio K and will probably do 2 of them a day for the next few days. I feel like the shots are kicking in...and I am hoping that I have continued results! Being sick just is no fun...especially when it drags on and on...and on and on...and on and on!!!
delivery of firewood
Jody texted me that he would be bringing me a small pile of "old" firewood that they were not using. I said sure, that would be great! They brought this to me on Tuesday night...not a "small pile" of firewood...and this isn't all of it, they put some in the house and some by the backdoor on the porch...wow!!! Free & Delivered...MANY THANKS!
 |
| firewood from Jody & Linda |
Friday, February 11, 2011
is it me???
I have followed several blogs for some time...and I am loosing heart. Is it me? or are you tired of these posts about how wonderful their life is? It is all so perfect. Nothing is amiss in the photos, everything is perfect...the sun, the lighting, the positioning, its all this grandeur that doesn't seem quite real. My house doesn't look like that, I am not sure it ever has, even for company. Does yours?
Oh, and they buy these items here or there for like pennies on the dollar...then they either sell it for this nice priced amount or they display it in their home with this "look how much I saved/didn't spend". If they don't like something, they redo it. If they don't want something, they find a way to get rid of it. Not much of "making do with" portrayed on these blogs. I have mixed feelings...sometimes it makes me happy to see someone create a lookalike for real cheap because I do think that I am crafty (you might not) and I know that I enjoy making things, but I have to be honest, there are other times it makes me downright depressed. If I choose to go to hire someone to make me a fake brick wall instead of do it myself (forget whether I could or would or want to), am I this awful person blowing money out the window? especially when you could do it for $10.00? (or maybe even for free with these leftover things you had from a previous project and this friend who had all the special tools.) Or if I actually go to Pottery Barn and buy it instead of make it (forget whether I could or would or want to), am I considered now lavishly rich and not thrifty like you because I chose not to? Don't get me wrong, being frugal is good. I actually like to save money. I promote being debt free. I recommend living on a budget. But when this frugality is portrayed as it is in many of these blog posts, it makes me feel like you dispise me and think I am wrong for not making all this homemade stuff just like you. Yah, and sometimes, I must admit that I am even jealous. I have to work my freaking life away and you can just have fun and be creative in all your spare time? No, I will not have a million dollars in the bank because I hired a project out or shopped at Pottery Barn. No, I do not and will not have the time to make these homemade stuff like you. Maybe its "just me"...but all this impressive blogs creates a disturbance in me that I don't like. Maybe I am the one with the abnormal life??? Is it "just me" or does it do the same for you??? Do you feel these are "real lives", not a fake dream world and so it is all good??? Share your thoughts...but realize, I have expressed mine and you don't have to agree with my opinion. It is my blog and online journal. Take it how you wish.
Oh, and they buy these items here or there for like pennies on the dollar...then they either sell it for this nice priced amount or they display it in their home with this "look how much I saved/didn't spend". If they don't like something, they redo it. If they don't want something, they find a way to get rid of it. Not much of "making do with" portrayed on these blogs. I have mixed feelings...sometimes it makes me happy to see someone create a lookalike for real cheap because I do think that I am crafty (you might not) and I know that I enjoy making things, but I have to be honest, there are other times it makes me downright depressed. If I choose to go to hire someone to make me a fake brick wall instead of do it myself (forget whether I could or would or want to), am I this awful person blowing money out the window? especially when you could do it for $10.00? (or maybe even for free with these leftover things you had from a previous project and this friend who had all the special tools.) Or if I actually go to Pottery Barn and buy it instead of make it (forget whether I could or would or want to), am I considered now lavishly rich and not thrifty like you because I chose not to? Don't get me wrong, being frugal is good. I actually like to save money. I promote being debt free. I recommend living on a budget. But when this frugality is portrayed as it is in many of these blog posts, it makes me feel like you dispise me and think I am wrong for not making all this homemade stuff just like you. Yah, and sometimes, I must admit that I am even jealous. I have to work my freaking life away and you can just have fun and be creative in all your spare time? No, I will not have a million dollars in the bank because I hired a project out or shopped at Pottery Barn. No, I do not and will not have the time to make these homemade stuff like you. Maybe its "just me"...but all this impressive blogs creates a disturbance in me that I don't like. Maybe I am the one with the abnormal life??? Is it "just me" or does it do the same for you??? Do you feel these are "real lives", not a fake dream world and so it is all good??? Share your thoughts...but realize, I have expressed mine and you don't have to agree with my opinion. It is my blog and online journal. Take it how you wish.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
sick of being sick...
I really am! I have been sick for 12 days now and counting and I am done...but I guess my body really isn't done being sick because it hasn't gotten well. I had thought I was doing really well, no sickness beyond allergies this winter, which I attributed it to drinking Kombucha and taking allergy shots. Well, that didn't last...I made it to February, but I got sick. I have had a nasty head cold with a major raw throat and cough. I have been doing the typical things:
-lots of fluids
-lots of sleep
-eat when you want
-Menthol rub on throat and chest
-cancel any work you can
-work when you feel like it, when you don't, nap
-wash the laundry and let it stay heaped in piles in the laundry baskets
-live in pj's all day long
-forget the hair, its just gonna get messy again when you take a nap and it takes too much effort to make cute
-don't make the bed, you will just be back there shortly
-take another hot shower, it will make you feel better temporarily
-etc
Last Friday, I thought I was getting better and I posted on Facebook:
I am feeling "ALIVE" today...yah!!! So thankful to be some better and no antibiotic!!! Thanks to all of you who cheered me on to rest and sent well wishs in various ways (prayers, FB messages/posts, texts, emails,calls)..very kind!
Then on Saturday, I woke up feeling like a MacTruck had run over me. I posted:
The sun is shinning! the beauty of the bright blue skies against the white snow is goregous!!! Gods creation is very pretty...even though my cough is worse.
As the day wore on, I knew I was not going to make it without the antibiotic...nasty cough, lots more yiky colored phlem...it was time to go to CVS and get the RX filled. I did.
I continued to try to go to bed early and sleep late, work for a few hours between naps, getting as much rest as I could...hoping that I would get better quickly.
Monday night, I couldn't sleep until 4am...I wondered what was wrong? I have been so tired of late with this sickness, why couldn't I sleep? Well, I figured out the clue:
I took Tylenol Sinus Daytime (yah, the non-drowsy stuff)...it works, you won't sleep! :( It was my own fault! snif. But in self defense, wouldn't it make sense if the mint green tablets were night-time not day-time and the white tablets were day-time, not night-time??? Yah, I thought so too! :)
I finished my antibiotic yesterday...my cough is some better, my voice is slowly getting better...
But then today, I woke up with my left eye swollen, all blurry and very goopy. I have a cold in my left eye, the technical name is Conjunctivitis. Ugh! The sickness just doesn't seem to want to leave me. I now going into a mode of mega doses of VitaminC (3000mg every hour), I also started drops of silver directly in my eye (one dropper every hour) and did a parsley tea eye wash (once so far)...I hope this licks this nasty virus FAST because I am out of stamina.
Why do some people rarely get sick??? oh and those some people that get sick and get better in 3 or 4 days??? they make me mad! Then there are some of us that are blessed with the full range of sickness beyond the work sick? I don't get it. I know that I never do ANYTHING half heartedly, but must I always get this sick every winter???
Thanks for listening to me compain. I know I shouldn't. No excuses, I am just done with sickness.
-lots of fluids
-lots of sleep
-eat when you want
-Menthol rub on throat and chest
-cancel any work you can
-work when you feel like it, when you don't, nap
-wash the laundry and let it stay heaped in piles in the laundry baskets
-live in pj's all day long
-forget the hair, its just gonna get messy again when you take a nap and it takes too much effort to make cute
-don't make the bed, you will just be back there shortly
-take another hot shower, it will make you feel better temporarily
-etc
Last Friday, I thought I was getting better and I posted on Facebook:
I am feeling "ALIVE" today...yah!!! So thankful to be some better and no antibiotic!!! Thanks to all of you who cheered me on to rest and sent well wishs in various ways (prayers, FB messages/posts, texts, emails,calls)..very kind!
Then on Saturday, I woke up feeling like a MacTruck had run over me. I posted:
The sun is shinning! the beauty of the bright blue skies against the white snow is goregous!!! Gods creation is very pretty...even though my cough is worse.
As the day wore on, I knew I was not going to make it without the antibiotic...nasty cough, lots more yiky colored phlem...it was time to go to CVS and get the RX filled. I did.
I continued to try to go to bed early and sleep late, work for a few hours between naps, getting as much rest as I could...hoping that I would get better quickly.
Monday night, I couldn't sleep until 4am...I wondered what was wrong? I have been so tired of late with this sickness, why couldn't I sleep? Well, I figured out the clue:
I took Tylenol Sinus Daytime (yah, the non-drowsy stuff)...it works, you won't sleep! :( It was my own fault! snif. But in self defense, wouldn't it make sense if the mint green tablets were night-time not day-time and the white tablets were day-time, not night-time??? Yah, I thought so too! :)
I finished my antibiotic yesterday...my cough is some better, my voice is slowly getting better...
But then today, I woke up with my left eye swollen, all blurry and very goopy. I have a cold in my left eye, the technical name is Conjunctivitis. Ugh! The sickness just doesn't seem to want to leave me. I now going into a mode of mega doses of VitaminC (3000mg every hour), I also started drops of silver directly in my eye (one dropper every hour) and did a parsley tea eye wash (once so far)...I hope this licks this nasty virus FAST because I am out of stamina.
Why do some people rarely get sick??? oh and those some people that get sick and get better in 3 or 4 days??? they make me mad! Then there are some of us that are blessed with the full range of sickness beyond the work sick? I don't get it. I know that I never do ANYTHING half heartedly, but must I always get this sick every winter???
Thanks for listening to me compain. I know I shouldn't. No excuses, I am just done with sickness.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
verse to reflect on...
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- Hebrews 10:23
Faith is not denying reality, but courageously facing reality with hope.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
living simply
I have been doing lots of thinking about the verse "Aspire to Lead a Quiet Life". I would like to ask you to stop and think about it too. What does this mean to you? How do you achieve this?
Since loosing my job in August 2010, my life has changed...dramatically in some ways. There were things I did before that I absolutely have no time for now, largely because I no longer have a set "work schedule". This might not make sense to you - and it actually was hard for me to accept that I accomplished more when I had to be at the office from 9am-6pm, 5 days a week, and yet I still ran a business and worked on it evenings and weekends and got tons of things done at home! How could just removing something like that make my life now unorganized and chaos? The difference is I work when there is work and when I am not "working" I am working on marketing, creating business blog posts, brainstorming ideas, cultivating connections, attending meetings/events, doing networking, reading business books/blogs/articles, educating myself on things I want to know more about in or relating to my field and aspects that can help my clients better their businesses, etc...my "work life" is now filled spent on developing my business and fulfilling the needs of my clients. The clock can say 2.30pm and I realize I haven't eaten any lunch...or 8pm and I have noway thought of dinner. It will take me some time to get into a new routine (really let me say I'm still working at trying to figure that "new" routine out). How do you develop a routine? A useful working routine?
So in my quest for creating a routine that works for me, some things have been entering my thinking. There are things that we add to our lives to make things simpler, but I am finding a lot of these only make it more complicated. "Sign up for our weekly coupons to be delivered to your email"...great, but when I have 50 of these come in each day??? "Want to learn more, sign up for our daily/weekly email"...great, now I have 300 unread emails in my inbox and counting that I have no time to read. Nice (not really). These are just two examples, both relating to emails, but you get where my thoughts are going. I am not spending money. I need to make money. I have way to much stuff, yah lovely stuff, but stuff I will never use as long as I am a working woman. You say, give me an example: I haven't cross-stitched since I lived at home, 14 years ago this summer. It is time to get my life molded around the life I currently live, not a dream world I want to live. One that fits me. No husband. No kids. No extras. The basics.
What do I mean by basics? Eat. Sleep. Work. Faith.
As I look at the basics, I know it will take time to get my dreams, vision and goals into a perspective thru "The Wheel of Life" (a concept by Zig Ziglar), in order:
Family & Friends...Social (Fun & Recreation)...Career...Financial...Spiritual...Health/Physical...Intellectual
Not necessarily in that order, just not all this other paraphernalia.
This means I am going to have to make some changes and overhaul some items that I no longer can fit into the "Life of Misty" to achieve my quest to have a simply quite and peaceful life. That is the facts...but how will I achieve this? What will go? What will stay? I am still working on how to and what to change, but I know CHANGE is happening and the change will take time.
I am instilling a lot of one word right now, No.
Share your thoughts...What is a quiet and peaceful life mean to you? How are you achieving this?
Since loosing my job in August 2010, my life has changed...dramatically in some ways. There were things I did before that I absolutely have no time for now, largely because I no longer have a set "work schedule". This might not make sense to you - and it actually was hard for me to accept that I accomplished more when I had to be at the office from 9am-6pm, 5 days a week, and yet I still ran a business and worked on it evenings and weekends and got tons of things done at home! How could just removing something like that make my life now unorganized and chaos? The difference is I work when there is work and when I am not "working" I am working on marketing, creating business blog posts, brainstorming ideas, cultivating connections, attending meetings/events, doing networking, reading business books/blogs/articles, educating myself on things I want to know more about in or relating to my field and aspects that can help my clients better their businesses, etc...my "work life" is now filled spent on developing my business and fulfilling the needs of my clients. The clock can say 2.30pm and I realize I haven't eaten any lunch...or 8pm and I have noway thought of dinner. It will take me some time to get into a new routine (really let me say I'm still working at trying to figure that "new" routine out). How do you develop a routine? A useful working routine?
So in my quest for creating a routine that works for me, some things have been entering my thinking. There are things that we add to our lives to make things simpler, but I am finding a lot of these only make it more complicated. "Sign up for our weekly coupons to be delivered to your email"...great, but when I have 50 of these come in each day??? "Want to learn more, sign up for our daily/weekly email"...great, now I have 300 unread emails in my inbox and counting that I have no time to read. Nice (not really). These are just two examples, both relating to emails, but you get where my thoughts are going. I am not spending money. I need to make money. I have way to much stuff, yah lovely stuff, but stuff I will never use as long as I am a working woman. You say, give me an example: I haven't cross-stitched since I lived at home, 14 years ago this summer. It is time to get my life molded around the life I currently live, not a dream world I want to live. One that fits me. No husband. No kids. No extras. The basics.
What do I mean by basics? Eat. Sleep. Work. Faith.
As I look at the basics, I know it will take time to get my dreams, vision and goals into a perspective thru "The Wheel of Life" (a concept by Zig Ziglar), in order:
Family & Friends...Social (Fun & Recreation)...Career...Financial...Spiritual...Health/Physical...Intellectual
Not necessarily in that order, just not all this other paraphernalia.
This means I am going to have to make some changes and overhaul some items that I no longer can fit into the "Life of Misty" to achieve my quest to have a simply quite and peaceful life. That is the facts...but how will I achieve this? What will go? What will stay? I am still working on how to and what to change, but I know CHANGE is happening and the change will take time.
I am instilling a lot of one word right now, No.
Share your thoughts...What is a quiet and peaceful life mean to you? How are you achieving this?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
a dream wall!
 |
| the completed brick living room wall ~ all natural lighting... |
Here are the samples I gave her as "ideas" to work off of:
 |
| this one was my favorite with all the muted and layered tones... |
 |
| this was the type of color I wanted to achieve to match the fireplace on the opposite wall... |
 |
| we discussed adding a design, but opted against it... |
 |
| loved the texture on this wall... |
 |
| oohhhh, even looks good in the Kitchen! |
 |
| neat individually varied tones... |
Here is the final product:
 |
| in case you wondered what it looked like "BEFORE"...plain cream wall |
What do you think? You would have to see it in person...it absolutely looks and feels real! I am tickled pink red with it! Thanks Adrianne for a great job!!!
She started this back in the summer and finished it early fall. I am just now getting around to posting the pictures! Please forgive me for being behind in one of many things.
She started this back in the summer and finished it early fall. I am just now getting around to posting the pictures! Please forgive me for being behind in one of many things.
you know your sick when...
~ you don't care to check your email
~ when just to take a shower makes you so exhausted, you go back to bed and pull the covers up over your head
~ you are tired of fighting the sickness on your own
~ the cough gets worse and you don't care
~ nothing sounds good to eat
~ when you have done nothing (almost literally) all week other than eat and sleep and though this bothers you, you know you have no choice
~ you can't focus to read a book and any music is too loud no matter the volume; makes your mind go crazy
~ you can stare outside for an undetermined amount of time and it is okay, it makes peace in your soul
~ you miss people, but not enough to pick up the phone, takes to much energy
~ you hardly remember what day it is, then again, you don't want to remind yourself because then the facts are facing you as to how many days have been wasted doing NOTHING!!!
yah...I have been sick. I went and had the antibiotic my client gave me Wednesday filled last night at the pharmacy. I will be better, just give me a few days, in the meantime, I will sleep some more and maybe have dreams about resuming the blogging that has been suffering of late for various reasons...
~ when just to take a shower makes you so exhausted, you go back to bed and pull the covers up over your head
~ you are tired of fighting the sickness on your own
~ the cough gets worse and you don't care
~ nothing sounds good to eat
~ when you have done nothing (almost literally) all week other than eat and sleep and though this bothers you, you know you have no choice
~ you can't focus to read a book and any music is too loud no matter the volume; makes your mind go crazy
~ you can stare outside for an undetermined amount of time and it is okay, it makes peace in your soul
~ you miss people, but not enough to pick up the phone, takes to much energy
~ you hardly remember what day it is, then again, you don't want to remind yourself because then the facts are facing you as to how many days have been wasted doing NOTHING!!!
yah...I have been sick. I went and had the antibiotic my client gave me Wednesday filled last night at the pharmacy. I will be better, just give me a few days, in the meantime, I will sleep some more and maybe have dreams about resuming the blogging that has been suffering of late for various reasons...
Friday, February 4, 2011
Winter Snow 2011
Last night/today we got snow...the second time this week, but the biggest so far of the season...
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| Bartlett Pear Trees in my front yard |
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| look at the pot...that gives you an idea of how much snow we got on top of the ice and snow from 3 days previously... |
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| looking up the street... |
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| the backyard and pool... |
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| it was 14* at 11am, can you imagine what the water temperature was??? |
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| love the snow on the bowie (chlorine container)...makes it look like a hat! |
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| the snow was so sparkly...and the sun wasn't even out yet! |
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| bushes and snow... |
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| the tree outside my bedroom window... |
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
an icy cold day in Texas...
...and I mean COLD! It is Day 2 of an Icy Snowy Cold day in Texas! I slept in till 10am only to wake up to a freezing house and no power. It would have been one thing, but when your body hurts all over and you feel like crud and want a hot cup of tea and can't have one, life is not too peachy. I hate to complain because we have things so good but I really didn't want to deal with that! I posted on Facebook that I was without power and a x-co-worker posted that they were doing rolling blackouts for about 15minutes to conserve energy. She told me that she thought I would want to know since I don't have a TV. I thanked her and told her it had been out for 3 hours so far (I learned that from a neighbor I texted messaged after texting her, Auntie Con and Sylvia). I then got a text from the girls at Dr. C's office letting me know that they were in today (2 of them were) and could I bring their checks. I said sure but then got to thinking how was I going to get my car out of the garage with no power? I tried for 20minutes to get the stupid thing unlatched, in the dark with a flashlight. No success. In frustration, frozen cold, no ounce of energy left in my body, I came back in the house, crawled under the covers wanting to cry. I layed there and then texted Sylvia back that it didn't work. She said she would come help me. I waited like 10minutes and she didn't come, so I went back out and tried again for like 10minutes. I gave up. I just couldn't get it unlatched. Sylvia arrived, she was really kind...totally made my day and brought me a cup of HOT TEA!!! I was a bit bent out of shape as it had been 2 hours and I had gotten nothing done and I was completely drained and exhausted! Sylvia got it unlatched on the second or third try...still have no clue what I was doing wrong and how she so easily got it done. I then left for my clients office. In one way, the driving conditions were decent, in another way, I have never seen them like this in Texas. Even last winter's ice/snow over December Camp was nothing like this year! The roads were slick and frozen even in the middle of the day, course the temperatures never got very high so it wasn't possible for it to thaw. I did fine, but saw several spin outs and wrecks. I am amazed at how many don't know how to drive during these times. I find they are either dangerously cautious, or drive way too fast for the conditions, and fail to watch for the other driver's mistakes. I delivered payroll to Dr. C's office. He was concerned about how sick I sounded, so he listened to my chest, said I am wheezing (which I knew) and wrote me a script for an antibiotic. He said to fill it if I am not better tomorrow or the next day or if I get worse. I ended up hanging out at the office just to get warm and check my email since I had no internet at the house with not having any power. Even though I have wireless internet, it doesn't work if the hub doesn't have power and I can't check certain emails or my work email yet on my cell phone, plus it eats up battery fast and it was draining really quickly with all I had going on via texts and phone calls and internet usage for the morning. I charged my phone to and from the office since I didn't know when my power would be back on. I then stopped at Panda Express on my way back to get some hot food! It wasn't exactly what I was in the mood for, but I needed something warm and couldn't think of anything good or fast or close to the freeway that inspired me. I also went to the post office and mailed what should have gone out on Monday. All in all, I ended up being without power for a bit over 6 hours. It did not quit for 2 hours when it came back on. I had a fire this afternoon and it felt good to get real warm. I am now out of firewood. I have been trying to save money and felt it wasn't "a need" to have a fire in the house, so I hadn't bought more. This will teach me to always have a good stash as you don't know what kind of weather you will have and in light of all my appliances and house being electric only, I need to have some way to stay slightly warm. Being sick, cold and not able to have HOT food was a whole new experience today.
verse to reflect on...
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
- I Timothy 6:6 NASB
Contentment isn’t guaranteed when we get what we want, but when we want what we have.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Quotes
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
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