Monthly Archives: July 2014

Nomination from a Peer – One Lovely Blog Award

Awards, ,

one-lov-blog-award07-2014

I want to sincerely thank Monika, from monimorphism, for the “One Lovely Blog Award” nomination. I was truly surprised and am honored. Though I do not write for awards, it is so nice to know my audience is enjoying my musings and how I express them. If you have the opportunity, visit Monika’s blog – she is a great writer with a smorgasbord of things to entertain you on her blog from touching and funny stories, to beautiful poetry, to videos. Thank you again Monika, for your kindness and inspiration! ❤

There are a few guidelines that come with accepting this award:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
  2. Display the One Lovely Blog Award on your Blog.
  3. Share seven things about yourself.
  4. Nominate fifteen Bloggers you admire. Inform them by commenting on their Blog.

Seven things about me you may not know:

  1. I LOVE music and it is typically playing, most times with the volume cranked.
  2. Seafood and Mexican food are my favorites, and I could eat homemade salsa daily.
  3. I am incredibly patient at times, but often not very tolerant of certain things or behaviors.
  4. I could live on the beach or in the mountains – both would be great!
  5. If I am drinking booze, it’s almost always a margarita or a hurricane.
  6. I have worked as a journalist, public relations/communications specialist and a technical writer – these employers did not wish to read about my personal opinions, nor would they now.
  7. I love writing, but I love reading just as much! (Which is why I have often sat down and started writing, then got lost in reading other’s posts!!)

My favorite part of accepting this nomination is it allows me to share some of my favorite blogs, blogs that I think are definitely worth a read, and in my case a dedicated follow. I have learned so much from my fellow bloggers – about writing, sharing, and humanity in general. I have learned more about the world by reading blogs from and having readers from around the globe.

Here is a start at my list of favorites, though in all honesty I had more than fifteen I would have liked to nominate. I read many, but I find myself always gravitating back to these – due to their great writing, style, and/or inspiration. Some of these blogs feature poetry, opinions, romantic musings, or inspiring or hilarious (or both) personal memoirs. Some feature opinions on current events, and some represent fiction. Some feature all of the above and more – they all feed my soul!! I hope you get a chance to check them all out, including my gracious nominator. So find a nice block of time and get ready to enjoy some fine reading!

Fifteen Blogs I Admire:

  1.  http://adcwrites.wordpress.com/
  2. http://afadedromantic.wordpress.com/
  3. http://charlypriest.wordpress.com/
  4. http://distantshipsmokeblog.wordpress.com/
  5. http://erikslehman.com/
  6. http://gottafindahome.wordpress.com/
  7. http://jenniferann1970.wordpress.com/
  8. http://iithinks.wordpress.com/
  9. http://lindaghill.wordpress.com/
  10. http://lineoftheweek.wordpress.com/
  11. http://mindfuldigressions.com/
  12. http://logosconcarne.com/
  13. http://playingyourhandright.wordpress.com/
  14. http://teelahart.com/
  15. http://texantales.com/

CHEERS to my WordPress community  – a place where I  can write unedited ❤

Just something I was thinking about . . . ☮

One-Liner Wednesday

Just Jot It July, One-Liner Wednesday, , , ,

The one thing you can always count on – everything changes.

*         *          *         *         *          *          *          *         *          *

Just something I was thinking about . . .

Written in response to writing prompts:

http://lindaghill.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/one-liner-wednesday-writers-block/

http://misslouella.wordpress.com/2014/07/07/just-jot-it-july/

Who Would You Choose?

Appreciation, Inspiration, Just Jot It July, Life, Opinion, , , , , ,

ifhad1hour-whospenditwith

If I was given this luxury or gift of spending an hour sitting with anyone from the past or the present, it would be a difficult choice to make. I have a few that come to mind:

My Mom – I would apologize for all the times that I was such a bitch! Seriously!! I wasn’t a bad daughter per say, but I was a rebellious (to say the least) teenager and a hard ass as an adult. Now that I am older, I can appreciate a few of the situations she found herself in and why she struggled the way she did. I can also appreciate and understand the bond and love you feel with your children, especially your first. I don’t think most human beings really understand this until they have become a parent – truly. I know I didn’t. I would want her to tell me all about Heaven.

My Brother – Though I am the oldest sibling, my oldest brother died when I was five. He was 3 ½ years old. Things were said like pneumonia, crib death, and other things, but who really knows. Did he know I loved him? (I was told that I was so good with him and sweet, but did he realize it?) I would want to ask him what Heaven is like in his eyes, because I know if there is one, he is surely there!!  I’d want him to know even after all these years, though I don’t recall much, I have never forgotten about him. HE was my first real friend, and after watching my granddaughters together – I just know he and I were close like that.

My Papa – My grandpa died when I was 14. He had a massive heart attack in his 50s. I didn’t get a whole lot of time with him, but I got enough. I would want him to know that even after all these years, he was one of a few good men I was able to look up to and respect. He was one of the only men I ever trusted completely. I would tell him the lessons I learned from him were lifelong. I still think of him so often even now. They say some girls marry a guy just like their daddy, well I certainly didn’t – but I’m pretty sure I married a guy a lot like my Papa 🙂

My Father-in-law – I would gladly insist my husband take my place and spend that time with his dad and get those last words they needed. The one day he rallied to say goodbye to everyone was the one day out of three and half-weeks that we did not make the 3.5 hour drive one way to the hospital. The next day, we showed up early in the morning, but he was out of it again. He died a week later. We missed our opportunity to say goodbye – most importantly, my husband missed his opportunity. I would love it if they had that time together.

My younger self – I have so much advice, especially in hindsight. There’s a few habits I wouldn’t have picked up, and a few others I would’ve. I would have saved so much more money, had I only known what the future held. I wouldn’t have taken a few things so personally. I would’ve handled a few keys thing very differently, which would have changed the course of my life in some aspects, I believe, for the better.

This is a tough decision, so good thing it’s not for real! If you had this luxury or gift, who would you choose? It’s an interesting train of thought, for sure.

Anyway, just something I was thinking about . . .

http://misslouella.wordpress.com/2014/07/07/just-jot-it-july/ 

Some Weird Shit

Just Jot It July, Opinion, Writing Prompts, , ,

alice-dorothy-seenweirdshit

Oh my goodness, I have, I have seen some weird and just mind-boggling shit in the several decades I have been fortunate enough to grace this Earth. I could definitely tell some stories, some entertaining, some not so much – laughing and shaking my head as I think about it. It seems the older I get, the stranger things get.

Chaos here, chaos there . . . a little crazy here, a little tyranny there . . .

Just something I was thinking about . . .

Written in response to:  http://misslouella.wordpress.com/2014/07/07/just-jot-it-july/ 

Happy 4th of July

Appreciation, Inspiration, Opinion, , ,

As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States, I have many things on my mind.

I am thankful that I can spend the day with my family, several generations actually, eating good food, drinking a few, and playing in the pool. I can do this knowing no one will try to invade the party or bomb us.

I am grateful that I live in a country where, though I do not agree with many things like the recent Hobby Lobby birth control issue, we can discuss it openly – even if I don’t agree, and no one is going to come and arrest me because I do not agree and I voice it publicly.

I respect those who sacrifice and are brave enough to put their lives on the line so I can do these things. My sincerest gratitude!

I value the freedom of expression we all have.

Just something I was thinking about . . .

482-4th-of-july

Shut the Full Cup (a little comedy)

Comedy, Opinion, ,

Thought we could use a little comedy today.

Found this out in YouTubeLand – there is so much to be had in that venue. Not sure how I found this one, but it made me laugh. I needed a laugh today, so thought you might, too. Hope you enjoy!!

So, if you think you’ve got problems, wait until you watch this 😉  THESE peeps got some First World Problems . . . seriously!!!! Definitely will help take your mind off your own woes, I promise 🙂

Now aren’t you glad you don’t have it as bad as these people do?

We all need a bridge, a straw & a full cup sometimes. {L~A~U~G~H~I~N~G!!}

Just something I was thinking about . . . ☮

Catching Up On a Few Things

China, Current Events, Life, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, NASA, North Korea, Opinion, World Events, , , , , , , ,

Owls in tree
Baby owls in my tree – look closely, there are 5 sets of eyes!

The world really freaks me out – I mean like frightens me, especially for my kids and grandbabies. I heard that North Korea is really incensed about some movie scheduled to come out in October, with Seth Rogen and James Franco. It’s called “The Interview.” The movie is about a plot to assassinate leader Kim Jong Un. He is pissed and feeling completely disrespected and has said if this movie is released it will be considered an “act of war that we will never tolerate.” Seriously, we are going to have a war with North Korea over a movie . . .

This is from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28014069:

The North Korea [foreign ministry] spokesman was quoted by the state KCNA news agency as saying: “Making and releasing a movie on a plot to hurt our top-level leadership is the most blatant act of terrorism and war and will absolutely not be tolerated.”

He added that the “reckless US provocative insanity” of mobilising a “gangster filmmaker” to challenge the North’s leadership was triggering “a gust of hatred and rage” among North Korean people and soldiers.

“If the US administration allows and defends the showing of the film, a merciless counter-measure will be taken,” the spokesman was quoted as saying.

What can you say about that? I certainly believe in free speech, but at what cost? Is this particular movie and article of free speech worth poking this crazy frickin’ bear? What do you think?

And then I heard Iran, Iraq, and Syria want help from the U.S. in the form of air strikes to help them fight against ISIS. The world just keeps getting stranger. Not sure what I think about the request – could be advantageous later, but then again, it seems whenever we get involved in this type of conflict, especially in that part of the world,  those we go to help seem to turn on us later. I don’t know, I just can’t help but think if we ever have another civil war here, the United States would not tolerate any other country stepping in, in any way, shape, or form. I understand about needing a peacekeeper/peacemaker/mediator sometimes, but who appointed the U.S. government in that role?

They still haven’t found the plane and I am beginning to think they never will. I don’t know, maybe aliens did snatch that baby right up, or maybe Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went through an area like the Bermuda Triangle. I remember growing up, we all talked about the Bermuda Triangle and whether it was weather-related, pirate-related, alien-related, or a series of coincidences  – we weren’t savvy enough at the time to think any government might be involved. Now that I am older and with the advent of cable TV and the Internet, I don’t hear much about the infamous triangle anymore. Maybe it’s lost its appeal, with everybody paying attention to Lindsey Lohan, Justin Bieber, that icy blue-eyed criminal and zombies and other useless kind of stuff.

Speaking of that icy blue-eyed criminal  – his mugshot finally hit over 100,000 likes on the Stockton Police Dept.’s Facebook page. The noise on him has definitely quieted down a bit. I can tell you some of the comments are on that page are just stranger than fiction. REALLY!

Russia has hinted they may pull out of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020, as opposed to getting the full life out of it, manning it until 2024 or 2028. They want to re-allocate Russian ISS funding to work on projects with China and India. It sounds like Russia wants a piece of the moon, if you ask me. Anyone paying attention to NASA lately had to have seen that one coming . . . I did. I see lots more to come on that regard, and I can promise it will be interesting to say the least. NASA has high hopes the amicable international partnership of the ISS will continue. I hope they are right.

There’s a new Planet of the Apes movie coming out – that just scares the shit out of me . . . really LOL!! Like the world isn’t a scary enough place, without thinking about apes being in control 😉

On a joyful note, I did find out there are at least five owl babies!! I don’t believe the nest is in my fig tree, but is in in one the trees in that little corner thicket, maybe in one of the cedar trees. Haven’t seen them in over a week now, so maybe they got big enough to fly away. Sure hope they come back next year!

Just some things I was thinking about . . .