Quick End of Year Recap Etc.

This past year definitely had its ups & downs for me. My husband, who left in Sept 06, said he'd be filing for divorce in the spring and still hasn't; there's been no word from him at all since February. My relationship with Jacqueline and the kids has grown stronger and happier, despite some bumps along the way. Jacqueline & I did 40 things for Jacqueline's 40th, swam in the lake as often as we possibly could, and chose a name for our home (Faerie Gardens). In July we threw a drunken birthday bash for me, which ended badly the next morning. I got my first job substitute teaching, and have been plagued with escalating car trouble as the year went on. We have been offered a way to finally buy this property, but I am not sure if it's a viable option anymore. I have been diagnosed as diabetic, but have lost about 30 pounds since last January, and am doing even more to get healthy.

For 2008, I have all kinds of hopes! Of course, I hope my husband files for that divorce, but if he doesn't, I hope it doesn't screw up my taxes. I hope my relationship with Jacqueline grows closer and stronger, and that we can get to have more quality time together. I hope to bond more closely to the kids and to have lots of fun family adventures! I hope to work every day I possibly can and get a good permanent job for September. I hope to swim even more often and lose even more weight and hopefully reverse the diabetes. I hope to get the car fixed and/or maybe get a smaller, more fuel efficient car for running to & from work and errands. I hope to scrap more and write more and draw more too and I hope to put a down payment on the property!

Season's Greetings!

Please accept without obligation, express or implied, these best wishes for an environmentally safe, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, and gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday as practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice (but with respect for the religious or secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or for their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all) and further for a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated onset of the generally accepted calendar year (including, but not limited to, the Christian calendar, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures). The preceding wishes are extended without regard to the race, creed, age, physical ability, religious faith or lack thereof, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee(s).

A Scrapper's Favorite Things

Ribbons in glass jars
And fibers in baskets,
Bright pattern papers,
In wire mesh boxes,

Bold solid cardstock,
Stored without dings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Cream colored laces,
An' crisp fabric flowers,
Stickers and die cuts
An’ punches with power,
Colorful inks that make pages sing,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Stored so neatly,
In their places,
Where they can be found.
I simply store all of my favorite things
And then I design just fine!

10, 9, 8, 7...

TEN THINGS I DID THIS WEEKEND
1. drove to Savannah NY and right into Montezuma Swamp
2. put air in the tire a bazillion times
3. played with a parachute, and other games, in the snow
4. saw several gold finches, mourning doves, blue jays, chickadees, geese...
5. felt the fur of a skunk, beaver, woodchuck, ermine (winter & summer), snowshoe hare, and coyote
6. learned the word piloerection
7. ate lunch in a small café in a tiny town
8. slept late
9. had pizza and wings and Golden Grahams (not all at once)
10. posted this! LOL!

9 things on my agenda this week:
1. take Saten to the vet on Tuesday
2. go to the diabetes training on Tuesday & Friday
3. work Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning
4. clean off desk again
5. make & mail ornaments to 3 friends
6. sign & send out holiday cards
7. drop off paperwork to the Fulton personnel office
8. deposit paycheck
9. go grocery shopping

8 shows I've watched last week:
1. CSI
2. really that's all
3. we don't have cable
4. I did watch a few movies though:
5. You've Got Mail
6. Educating Peter
7. Hello Kitty & Friends Holiday DVD
8. Underworld: Revolution

7 things I cooked last week:
1. um...
2. I think
3. I might have made
4. a tuna casserole
5. one day this past week
6. but I can't remember
7. Jacqueline usually does all the cooking

6 things I read this week
1. Lizard Music
2. 3/4 of The Book of Fred
3. my LJ f'list
4. my email
5. many road signs
6. several maps

5 Reasons to be happy today
1. The car still runs
2. I have got many paychecks coming
3. we have electric heaters and electricity
4. we have food in the house and a roof over our heads
5. we all love each other!

4 things I need to buy:
1. ink for the printer(s)
2. Vitamin E
3. a new tire
4. more teacher clothes

3 people I saw this weekend:
1. nearly 30 new people at the Below Zero workshop
2. Jacqueline
3. the kids

2 things I am thankful right now:
1. see the "5 reasons to be happy" list
2. Jacqueline

One Final Thought:
1. "To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle that any human being can fight." ~e.e.cummings

Now I tag anyone who wants to do it!

omgomgomgomg

I have my first subbing job!!! OMGOMGOMG! I am scared $#!+)@$$!!! I haven't been in a classroom since May 06!!! And the school board hasn't even approved me yet!!!

/panic mode

:::deep breath:::

This is gonna rock! ^_^

Yarrr!

My pirate name is:

Dirty Jenny Rackham

You're the pirate everyone else wants to throw in the ocean -- not to get rid of you, you understand; just to get rid of the smell. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

My belly hurts... argh... too much salmagundi, I'd wager... p'raps I need more rum...

Hope you all had a peachy squiffy pirate day!

Simplify 101

So I signed up for a different *Simplify your life* newsletter, since the last seemed aimed at someone other than me... Anyway, this one came with *Bonus tips*... I somehow think this newsletter isn't going to work either...

1. simplify your schedule
   Before signing up for another activity or starting a new hobby, decide what you will give up in its place. What did you use to do during that time slot? Will the old activities be eliminated or moved to another time? To keep your schedule simple, think twice before adding anything new.
   
   Well no problem here, I just wish there was more time during the week. It's only our Saturdays we seem to have problem over-scheduling...
   
   
2. simplify shopping
   Avoid last minute trips to the store by keeping extras of regularly used items on hand. If you'd run to the store when it runs out, keep an extra!
   
   Well that's not a problem either. Our issue is usually forgetting to put what we need on the list.
   
   
3. simplify cleaning
   Completely de-clutter prior to starting the cleaning process. You'll be amazed at how much faster it goes when you focus on just one activity at a time!
   
   Well, um, yeah... trying...
   
   
4. simplify your to-do list
   Establish a "do-it-now" mindset. If a task takes less than 2 minutes to do and you're in the right place to do it -- do it now! It often makes more sense to do something the first time you think of it instead of adding it to your to-do list (or worse yet, your overloaded memory bank!)
   
   Lemme 'splain to you about the spoons... Grab a handful of them. Now for each activity you do, take away a spoon. When you're hand is empty, that's it. No more. Must crash & sleep. Sometimes, this (do-it-now) is just *not* possible.
   
   
5. simplify your surroundings
   Eliminate clutter. Clear out your closets, dressers, pantry, and cabinets. If you don't use it, love it, or need it - lose it!
   
   Trying!!! I think my problem here is that I LOVE more than I have room for in the this house...
   
   
6. simplify task completion
   Focus on one task at a time instead of multi-tasking. Do it until it is complete and then move on. What is more valuable, five in-process tasks, or one finished one?
   
   Sometimes, five things need to all be done at once. That's what happens in real life... This is not an office where I can control every moment of the day!
   
   
7. simplify filing
   Does your fear of forgetting to do something prevent you from filing papers? To conquer this fear, when you file a piece of paper, record any associated action items on your to-do list. Include on the list a note to remind you where you filed the paper.
   
   Wait... I thought I wasn't supposed to have a to-do list...
   
   
8. simplify your desk
   Clear it of unnecessary papers and knick-knacks! If you don't use it or enjoy it daily, put it in a drawer or on a bookshelf.
   
   Oooo... see... for us visual people, we like to *see* our stuff. No hiding it out of sight! I like to look at my knick-knacks dammit.
   
   
9. simplify your planning
   Make a list of tasks required to complete any project you're working on. Focus on and complete one task at a time. If the project is repetitive, like menu planning, keep the plan and use it as a template next time.
   
   HEY! We do that! ^_^
   
   
10. simplify your work day
    Reduce interruptions and stay focused on the task at hand. Turn off your email and phone, and if possible close your door. Set aside routine times to read and respond to emails, phone calls and visitors. Be sure to let your co-workers know your schedule.
    
    Again, this assumes an office setting! At home or in the classroom, this is not an option! LOL!
    
    
11. simplify your life
    Make sure you are clear about what matters most to you. If you've never done so before, write down your values, goals and dreams. Write down everything you'd like to do or have. Let your imagination go wild.  Come up with five, ten, even 100 goals. Then take a step back and compare your list to your current life. When you simplify and organize your life, what will you do with the extra time and space? What's standing in your way to make this list a reality? Is it time? Is it clutter? Is it not knowing where to start?
    
    That's the beautiful thing... I am so doing this... We are all moving toward the things that matter most to us!
    
    
12. start today
    Take action today! Did you know it takes at least 21 days to change an old habit or create a new one? Pick just one idea from the list above and get started today! Once that item is complete or has become a habit, come back to your folder or visit simplify 101 for more ideas.
    
    And like the FlyLady says, it takes us SHEs an extra week or two! I wonder how useful the rest of these newsletters are gonna be...

And for the memories and the stories that must be told too...

Why I...

 

Serenity

Creativity

Relaxation

Art

Photos

BunnyKissd, 9/12/07

Morning thought

A golden crescent lazily reclines in a bed of stars,
and the scent of candy chases the warm wind through the trees,
spicy then sweet,
and my only desire is to lay in the grass
with you
til the stars fade
and the birds begin to sing.

Weekly Simplicity Tips

I think I forgot these last week, but that's ok...

1. Make simple meals with lots of produce this week. This would have been a helpful tip *before* we did the grocery shopping... And we're already doing that the best we can anyway! LOL!

2. See your things with new eyes and enjoy the abundance of what you have. Good advice for any day! ^_^

3. Be yourself. It is much simpler than trying to be someone else. More excellent advice!

4. Save up for quality products, rather than buying many shoddy items. Sometimes this is worth is... Sometimes it's not...

5. Create a maintenance schedule for your car. When we have enough money to pay the bills; for now we're doing the best that we can!

6. Use Mobissimo.com search engine to find the best travel deal. Wonder how much she got paid for this... This of course assumes we need to find travel deals...

7. Plan a back to school barbecue or another fun tradition. And this assumes we *go back to school* which we don't... Maybe next year or the year after, we'll start that tradition... ~_^

Scrapping

24 Things I Love About Scrapping (in no particular order)...

1. a better use for all those cute stickers I've been collecting since I was in 4th grade
2. a reason to buy all those gorgeous colors of cardstock
3. hours of quiet solitude absorbed in creating the perfect LO
4. hours of chatting and creating with friends and family
5. reliving good memories as I scrap the photos
6. finding the perfect paper combination for each set of photos
7. trying a new technique and getting it right
8. an excuse to keep just about anything and everything
9. the smiles on people's faces when you give the gift of a scrapbook (small or large)
10. GLITTER!!!!
11. embossing something still makes me go "OMG that's so cool!" at a pitch that makes small animals run away
12. alternate storage for all the photos I take besides sticking them in a box, in a drawer, in the attic, or onto those sticky pages with no decoration whatsoever
13. a reason to buy all those cute patterned papers
14. reliving memories when perusing completed albums
15. putting eyelets in tags as a stress-reducer  *BANGBANGBANG*
16. a reason to keep the ribbon off packages and little scraps of fabric from clothes
17. a good excuse to buy those beautiful yarns and fibers without knowing how to knit or crochet
18. remembering 10 years from now who that weird guy next to Auntie Rachel is
19. it reduces gift-buying-stress for all my friends & relatives, a gift card to Michael's will do
20. a reason to buy all those wonderful handmade papers
21. oh my goodness, can you believe how much they've grown in last (year, 6 months, week...)???
22. being able to use all those beautiful paper images as backgrounds and textures and filters on my digital artwork too!
23. finding just the right embellishment
24. making new friends online who like to scrap too

My day thus far...

Last night I was trying so hard to do the right thing. Lights out at 11pm so I could get a full 8 hours sleep by 7 when the alarm was set for Es to go to work. Then I could get up and enjoy a quiet morning with Jacqueline before taking her to work. I finished my chapter at 11:14, shut the lights out, and fell asleep. At 11:48, Bunny requested noisily that I let her out. At 12:13, I was itching so bad that I had to get up and run the bites under icy water to make it stop; then again 3 more times before the alarm went off. Even calm breathing and imagining a force field pushing the itchies out didn't work... :( Then I had dreams... the kind of dreams that make me miss people I don't know that I ever want to see again... I woke up late, almost 12 hours later. Sore and cranky. Jacqueline cuddled with me a tiny bit even though she was running late because she forgot to make herself a dinner and made me feel better.

Showered, dressed, took her to work, got a cheap cola on the way home and even filled my tires with air. (Yes, some people only worry about gas, I worry about the air and oil too...) Once home, I caught up with my email & LJ and started on some dishes! JoAnn cleaned the counters and stove while I did that and she really did a great job! Then I made myself some brunch (an Italian pasta salad with chicken, lots of veggies and a little cheese), did more dishes, and then had some ice cream which I gave 1/2 of to Jo. Meanwhile, Es & Ant have gone to Sam's, Lia is already there playing with Jordan, and as soon as JoAnn is showered and ready, she's going too... Wow. I'll be alone. I plan to blast my music, wash dishes, and clean off my desk! So, since JoAnn is on her way now, here I go! ^_^

My Very First Scrapbook Page

MyVeryFirstLO
Originally uploaded by bunnykissd

I did this in November 1998 at a Creative Memories party. I decided right off the bat that I didn't like the strap-bound albums, and the cult-like mentality of the "CM Consultants"... I do like some of their products though; I just wish they weren't so over-priced!

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Weekly Simplicity Tips

From Encouraging Coach...

1. Start paying off your smallest debt. How about we start with the most important one first - electricity! Then we'll work on getting current on the other important monthly bills, and when we have those under control, we can work on the other debts...
2. What is one self-care habit you can create? Flossing, going to sleep on time, drinking water? I have some I've been trying to work on for a long time now...I think I'll just keep working on those...
3. Give away or sell at least 3 items of clothing. Are you insane? I haven't got enough clothes to make it through a week and you want me to give some away???? ... Ok ... so maybe I have a lot of clothes I don't/can't wear... I think I can do this... I'll do it now... Done!
4. Have everyone put their dirty clothes in their hampers daily. Well that's not the problem! The problem is the the laundry baskets never get from the room to the washing machine!
5. Don't clean it unless it is dirty. Well, duh. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
6. Plan Labor Day. Labor Day? Is that a special day or something? I imagine it'll be just like any other Monday around here... No need to plan anything...
7. Look for a free music concert in the area or make your own music. Um... Ok... How about I put the speakers on and play some mp3s... Stupid speakers don't work right...

Mindfulness, Clarity and Self-Awareness

From Sandra Dodd...

In a way I think mindfulness, clarity and self-awareness are all the same thing, but they're not, quite. I recommend figuring out how they're different, examining them all, and then letting them melt into one thing in your thoughts and actions. If you try to melt them together before you know what they are, you might just have a waxy lump, so first...

Clarity

From my handy desktop dictionary, on clarity. The third definition is what I'd like for you to think about for self-awareness purposes, but the others are good to consider along with it.

Dictionary

clarity

the quality of being clear, in particular
• the quality of coherence and intelligibility : for the sake of clarity, each of these strategies is dealt with separately.
• the quality of being easy to see or hear; sharpness of image or sound : the clarity of the picture.
• the quality of being certain or definite : it was clarity of purpose that he needed.
• the quality of transparency or purity : the crystal clarity of water.
ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense [glory, divine splendor] ): from Latin claritas, from clarus 'clear.'
The current sense dates from the early 17th cent.

They don't have synonyms for the third definition above. Bummer. We might be back to inventing words.

Thesaurus

clarity
1 the clarity of his account lucidity, lucidness, clearness, coherence; formal perspicuity. antonym vagueness, obscurity.
2 the clarity of the image sharpness, clearness, crispness, definition. antonym blurriness.
3 the crystal clarity of the water limpidity, limpidness, clearness, transparency, translucence, pellucidity. antonym murkiness, opacity.

You need to be coherent and lucid with your own thoughts, as much as you can be. How do you know if you're moving toward being certain and definite if you're not certain where you definitely want to move?

This is interesting: ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense [glory, divine splendor] ) So in a medieval sense, clarity is Godly. Striving for clarity is clearly striving to be more perfect.

Mindfulness
Some of this is adapted from something I wrote a few years ago about parenting

Once upon a time in an unschooling discussion, someone seemed unhappy with the way I used "mindful." For years, some of the regular writers there tried to find a good word for what we were trying to convey— making infinitesimal decisions all the time, day and night, and basing those decisions on our evolving beliefs. We finally settled on "mindful," in the sense of being fully in the moment. Though "mindfulness" is used as a term in western Buddhism, the word they chose when they were translating from Japanese, Chinese, Hindu, Vietnamese and whatever all hodgepodge of ideas were eventually described in English, "mindfulness," is an English word over 800 years old. It's a simple English compound, and has to do with the state of one's mind while performing an action. It creates a state of "if/then" in one.

IF a person wants to live in the light of his goals and intentions, then the "better choices" need to be made in that light. The clearer you are about where you intend to go, the easier your decisions are.

When you come to an intersection, how do you decide which way to go? It helps, before operating a motor vehicle with all its attendant expenses and inherent dangers, to know where you want to go. When you DO have a destination, then each intersection has some wrong ways, and some better and worse ways. It's the same with anything. When you know where you're headed, there are some wrong ways you can avoid simply by being mindful of your intent.

Self-awareness

Master Bela the Kurgan told me this story January 28, 2007:

One zen student said, "My teacher is the best. He can go days without eating."
The second said, "My teacher has so much self control, he can go days without sleep."
The third said, "My teacher is so wise that he eats when he's hungry and sleeps when he's tired."

That might sound simpler than it is. Many people don't know when they're hungry or tired, but they live by the clock, or do what they see others do, or stay up as late as they can, or wait until they're cranky and starving to eat instead of recognizing it earlier.

Sometimes the simplest aspects of self-awareness escape people.

Alcoholics Anonymous has a good little self-awareness tool they call HALT.
When you're feeling out of control, stop and ask yourself "Am I hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?" The ideal isn't to use that tool for life, though. It's to grow past the point that you feel out of control, because you've learned to recognize those triggers sooner and to be more serene. An alternate, more humorous but still useful set of words that spell HALT is: Horny, Arrogant, Lazy and Tragic. Being dramatic or arrogant can probably be even easier to resolve than tired and hungry are, for those who know that they want to move toward being more honest, humble and modest. "Honest and modest" is quite a bit like serenity.

Part of self awareness is to be physically self aware.
I've gotten better over the years.

When I was younger I lived too much in my head and would look through the lens of what should be, or could be, or might be, instead of stopping for two seconds to consider what actually, at that moment, was. If I'm not careful I can be cranky before I know I'm tired, and head-achy before I know I'm hungry.

Now, while I'm taking stock of how and where I am, I take a deep breath while I'm considering it, and that one deep breath leads to another one, and no matter where I started, I'm better already.

Behold, My Desk...

This was taken on the 7th; my desk is now slightly more cluttered...



Top left has my stuffed animal collection, starting on top of our medicine cabinet and continuing over to the top one shelf (plus some) on the wall. 

Under the stuffies are some boxes and baskets of pictures to be sorted and some smaller albums, not yet filled. 

Under them, there are larger unfinished albums and paper storage.  The drawers in black have embellishments and one drawer of punches; the small white ones (behind the Hello Kitties) have pens & pencils & notepads (general office supplies). 

To the right of that is a cup of tools (hammer, tweezers, exacto knife, etc.), tape, stapler, and my CDs for the computer (mostly program backups, photos burned to CD, some blanks, and some music). 

From right to left on the shelf above that is a small container with little drawers filled with buttons, charms, beads, jewels, eyelets... and 2 containers of the same on top of that, and my very old chalks on top of that! Next to that in the white drawers are more embellishments, a few embossing powders, and glue. Then there are some bottles and jars with sparkles and glitter and buttons and glue and more... And then I have this really pretty box, with a glass sliding lid, that I've filled with my sparkliest shiniest fibers, and next to that 2 boxes of paper scraps (you know, like for making tags, and matting and framing). And then some toys of mine (Disney fairies, Skel-animals, and some from McD's Happy Meals *blush*).

Directly above that little crowd is a bunny shaped frame and another little doll from McD's, and going right this time, we have 3 baskets of tins and CD cases to alter, a container of 3 inch floppy disks with things I someday mean to burn to disk, and then some jars, and more dolls and toys, and a pretty fairy tin...

So those are the walls... LOL! Now for the desk and below... Right to left, before the computer keyboard & monitor is a paper tray with envies and other odds and ends, a pencil cup, my drink, mouse, etc. Then the keyboard & monitor and the printer/scanner, with no ink so there's my old printer below, and squeezed in between those & the monitor is more envies and more blank CDs. The blue thing in front is a digital postal scale, and then... well... the top of the desk gets scary... Piles of books, magazines, bills, papers, and not just in piles but in a box even! Behind the box, you can almost see, I've got my deco-scissors poked through the holes in the shelf for my scanner - awesome way to store them! And more paper trays with paper behind the box that line the wall and end of the desk. (You can see the ones at the end of the desk with my 8.5x11 paper in it.) Note the bag of Lindt Chocolate between the evil box and paper tray! A necessity...

Moving around to on top of the book case we have 2 bags of ribbon and other fibers, big paper cutter, more unorganized scrapping things... On the shelves of the book case are binders filled with school papers I want to keep, as well as paper for the computer, and some weights for if & when I ever decide to work out with them... LOL! (Big plans! I've got BIG PLANS!)

UNDER the desk... sticker binder, paper accordion files, fabric hidden under caboodle box which is filled with drawing supplies, cushion for kitty, boxes of things to be scrapped, magazines & catalogs to go through, additional craft supplies in purple drawers almost completely hidden, white drawers behind chair full of photos to be scrapped, pink bag is BIRTHDAY GIFTS!!! FROM JULY!!! that still need to be put away, garbage basket, bag for recyclables, my purse and tote bag!

And that, my friends, is a lot of junk... So who wants to help me sort through it all and get it organized???

EDIT: And please note, we have not painted in here. That's the color the landlord painted: a dark maroon. I'd prefer a nice bright white or pale pale green or lilac...

Swimming

Today we went swimming and there were lots of big waves... it's always strenuous to swim then, but so fun! I am so glad I am not as afraid as I was last year... The waves today were much higher than the waves in this video that Terry took last year. That's Lia, dancing around like a monkey, and Jacqueline & I behind her on the rock letting the waves wash over us. The man with his kids in the background is doing what we all did today, only like I said, the waves were bigger! ^_^



EDIT: You may need to give the video a while to finish "processing" at you-tube before it will show here...

Horoscope

Here is your horoscope
for Wednesday, August 8:

Take a step outside your comfort zone and see what happens. You might surprise yourself as well as your coworkers or family -- and things might just take a turn for the better afterward! It's worth a shot.


So I've been thinking about talking to my dad about my relationship with Jacqueline... I don't think he understands that we are a couple... I've tried to explain it before because he and my grandmother seem put out that I want to bring her and often the kids when I visit. Well, we live an hour away and if I'm going to spend the money on gas to go all the way there, I am going to bring at least her, so we can visit both our families... I know it's not like things were with Terry, but he didn't like to socialize, and certainly not with my family. But to tell me not to bring her or the kids... well that shuts *me* out too... But I am so scared to disappoint him... I have no idea why...

(Oh yeah, mom knows, she's cool with it all...)

Quote of the Day

Dean Koontz (Author) said this about slippers shaped like rabbits:  "Bunny slippers remind me of who I am. You can't get a swelled head if you wear bunny slippers. You can't lose your sense of perspective and start acting like a star or a rich lady if you keep on wearing bunny slippers. Besides, bunny slippers give me confidence because they're so jaunty. They make a statement; they say, 'Nothing the world does to me can ever get me so far down that I can't be silly and frivolous.' If I died and found myself in Hell, I could endure the place if I had bunny slippers."

Now someone get me some slippers to go with my ears...

Weekly Simplicity Tips

1. Start saving so you have at least $1000 cash for an emergency fund. This is a nice dream. We were doing it, but got so far behind in everything that this is impossible right now...
2. Raise your energy by getting more sleep, listening to upbeat music or taking a 10 minute walk. Um... yeah... not walking in this humidity... head is already aching... and sleep comes as often as possible...
3. If your kids are going back to school spend 10 min a day prepping with them. Here is my Back to School Checklist. Well at least we don't have to worry about this... *OUR* children learn all year long!
4. Plan for an extra fun weekend. We are! ^_^
5. Put your favorite articles on a topic in a binder. Do you know how many binders I would have? It's best if I just read them, glean what notes from them I can, putting them in a word doc, and then chuck the article...
6. Are you up to date with your receipts and bills? Bills=no. Receipts? How does one keep up to date with receipts...???
7. Read in a hammock or in a lawn chair. You know, I don't have either of those...

Fishing with my NeoPets

Blounsi's fishing skill increases to 83!
BunnyKissd's fishing skill is 81.
Dreamy_Phin's fishing skill is 83.
GrundiGolem's fishing skill is 91.

Weekly Horoscope

Cancer Horoscope for week of August 2, 2007
"I tell young people that the greatest paintings in museums are made with minerals mixed in oil smeared on cloth with the hair from the back of a pig's ear," says artist James Rosenquist. I hope that thought incites you to achieve pragmatic breakthroughs in the coming weeks, Cancerian. It's time to play in the mud and risk making a mess, if necessary, in order to translate your beautiful visions into earthy realities.

From Free Will Astrology...

Email

OMG... what happened??? I had been keeping it below 50 in my inbox, now it's over 120!!! Eeep!

Birds in our Meadow

Do you know what's amazing about our yard? We've got the feeder up, right? But it's perches are really too small for the cardinals or blue jays, but they still come! The blue jay always wakes me up in the morning and the cardinals are out there now feeding on the seed that dropped... The chipping sparrows and chickadees are still the most regular visitors, coming all day, everyday, but the goldfinches have also been coming regularly, but not just to the feeder; I see them on the ground pulling the seeds off the flowers! Earlier it was the hawkweed that had gone to seed, now it's the chicory! I've never ever seen birds do that! They can't if you don't have a meadow!

Updated

I have made some changes to my Daily website if anyone is interested...

Just an addition of many click-to-donate sites...

http://www.geocities.com/bunnykissd/daily.html

In other news...

I'm going to see Blood, Sweat & Tears!!!

My Daddy's coming up and we're going to see them at Harborfest tonight! I am psyched...

Little weirded out to go with my dad, but it'll be cool I hope! ^_^

Horoscope for tomorrow

Funny stuff man...

Here is your horoscope
for Tuesday, July 24:

Sometimes mixing it up creates delicious combinations such as chocolate peanut butter cups. Other concoctions might not be so scrumptious. The thing is, you'll never know the results unless you try.


So, like, what are they talking about? My choice of combinations at ColdStone? Or something else altogether?

Weekly Simplicity Tips

From Encouraging Coach...

1. Pay an extra $10 towards your debt. Good idea...
2. Create a habit of flossing daily. Doesn’t that just make more work?
3. Get caught up with laundry - including putting clothes away. This is not something that can be done in one day! We have a never ending supply of laundry!
4. Revive or get rid of dead plants. Ok...
5. Move furniture around or declutter so you aren't always bumping into something. Got rid of 2 end tables and a quilt rack last week...
6. Apologize. For what?
7. Cut TV time to 5 hours a week. We have to watch five whole hours???

Weekly Simplicity Tips

1. Play with cutting your food budget by 10%. I find this an ironic tip...
2. Be compassionate with yourself as you learn to simplify. This is hard to do. And it's hard to be compassionate with each other too...
3. Put one bill on automatic payment. Our car insurance is and it gets take out today...
4. Any self care you are behind on? i.e., haircut, exercise plan, plucking... Hmmm... Maybe I'll see if I need to pluck later...
5. Get your film developed. I did and nothing was there. This is kind of a crazy tip for the digital age...
6. Have a fix it date with someone as you work on fixing things in the house that are broken. Hmmm... Anyone wanna come for a fix-it date?
7. Write a thank you note you owe someone. I shall do this right now...

From www.encouragingcoach.com...

Procrastination

This is me... avoiding all the cleaning that needs to be done before the party on Saturday... We have laundry in... the kitchen & laundry room are clean... the living room is a disaster area and so are the kids' rooms... I should be moving... delegating... washing... neatening.... organizing... but all I want to do is organize the music I have on my computer... And even that isn't exciting... maybe I am hungry... blah... Someone snap me out of this...

Obama?

Why am I awake so late???

I had fallen behind in my LJ reading and took some time tonight to catch up. I've been sleepy for hours but I had to read...

I don't know what's wrong with me lately; my moods are so all over the place. One moment I am happy as all heck, seeing how things are falling into place & improving, how I am changing behavior patterns I developed so long ago, how all this positive thinking is really working dammit! And the next I am allowing myself to be brought down by memories of those people I've let walk out of my life, or drove out, or left...

And then I am filled to the brim with love for my girlfriend, the wonderful family we have, the life we're building... and then I get sad because there is something missing and things aren't perfect yet... And then I ask myself, what the fuck am I doing??? And I breathe deep and try and let all the negativity out, and get back to that good place... Crazy... yes... I am...

And now I am going to bed... I have had enough...

Faerie Gardens

Our yard is so pretty right now! We still haven't mowed and there are several different grasses, all of differing heights, going to seed, and the tops are all golden and red on a background of summer green. There are bunches of bright white daisies, still a lot of sunny yellow hawkweed, some gone to seed in big puffs of cotton like the dandelions do, and now, the cool blue chicory is blooming... ^_^ It's so pretty! I shall try to remember to take a picture later today to upload and share.

And at night, the fireflies can be seen blinking off & on at the edge of the woods, and the moon has been getting smaller and thinner... but the stars... wow...

Anyway, off the the doctor and the mechanic!

Weekly Simplicity Tips

Not from the FlyLady but from another "Encouraging Coach" ...

1. Take the smallest step possible in working on a problem.

2. How much are you overpaying in fees? Find out.

3. Make sure you have enough time your favorite summer activity.

4. No need to automatically answer the phone or door.

5. Be the sunshine in someones life, not the rain.

6. Does something need resolving? Work on it this week.

7. Acknowledge that you have a choice in creating a simpler life.

=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~

Take the Self-Care quiz

How good are you at taking care of yourself?

http://www.encouragingcoach.com/projects-selfcare-quiz.htm

 

July Declutter Calendar available

For those who have downloaded it, I have updated it so it is for 2007.

http://www.encouragingcoach.com/2007calendar/2007calendar.htm

***

I don't remember who originally posted the link to the self-care quiz, but thank you. These little notes seem to come right when I really need to be reminded of something.

Cricket Thermostat is REAL!

I knew it was true... You just gotta know to which cricket you're listening!

http://www.weather.com:80/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=7053&nav=84&collection=topstory&from=wxcenter_video

Lessons from an 1862 school reader...

Having run out of library books of my own, I have started reading the girls American Girl books. I found this in the back of Addy Learns a Lesson...

Dare and Do

1. Dare to think, though others frown;
   Dare in words your thoughts express;
   Dare to rise, though oft cast down;
   Dare the wronged and scorned to bless.



2. Dare from custom to depart;
   Dare the priceless pearl possess;
   Dare to wear it next your heart;
   Dare, when others curse, to bless.



3. Dare forsake what you deem wrong;
   Dare to walk in wisdom's way;
   Dare to give where gifts belong;
   Dare God's precepts to obey.



4. Dare what conscience says is right;
   Do what reason says is best;
   Do with all your mind and might;
   Do your duty, and be blest.

I am not sure I agree with the line about obeying God's precepts, but if you think of precepts as principles more than rules, then I suppose it's not so bad. The bible is full of a lot of rules, that I am inclined to believe are more the words of men than the words of God, but the principles it lays out are simple universal truths.

I am also not sure if I agree with the line to Do your duty because it doesn't really specify what "your duty" is...

But the rest seem like very good principles by which to live. My version:

• Think for yourself, even though others disapprove;
  Speak up and share your thoughts;
  Keep trying no matter how hard it is;
  Be nice to the outcasts.



• Don't just blindly follow the masses;
  Be compassionate and kind;
  Keep these things in your heart;
  especially when others are cruel.



• Don't do it if it feels wrong;
  Be wise in all you do;
  Give freely without expectations for return;
  Follow the principles of human kindness.



• Do what you believe is right;
  Do what makes sense;
  With all your being;
  Do these things and feel joy!

Ok, enough preachy-ness from me...

Horoscope

Here is your horoscope for Sunday, July 8:
Someone's a delightful addition to your life -- for right now. You're not shallow because you know certain relationships have an expiration date. Appreciate this person for what he or she is and don't try and make it into more.


Wonder who they're talking about...???

Daily Quote

If you hear a voice within you say, "You cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

 

~Vincent Van Gogh

This I found terribly interesting...

I am such the geek...

A Special In Depth Analysis by David McRaney (of leetspeak & macros of course...)

Gay Marriage is Wrong

While surfing the net for pics of Marilyn Monroe, I came across this...

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Horoscope

You have a hunch that this is going to work out fine -- just fine. You don't know how you know, but that's not important. Some kinds of knowledge (and their transmission) shouldn't and can't be explained.

And that, my dears, is just how today has gone for me... ^_^

Nifty little thing...

Ooooo.... Coooooool!

Click here to see what special delivery has come from TribeAgency!

Edit: Sorry that link is no longer active. You can find this game here, just scroll down to Board of Secrets...

New Foamy

Click here to watch

T.V.
TELEVISION... 'TIS AN EVIL DEVICE. SO SAYETH THE SQUIRREL!!!!

*giggle* I wonder how many people have tried to go to poeticwhore.com? ::looks sheepish::

Which Dr. Seuss Book am I?

Your Score: If I Ran the Zoo

You scored 38% Grinchification 56% Cathatitude 76% Loraxity 56% Hoponpoppiness

You are: If I Ran the Zoo

If I Ran the Zoo is a story about a young lad who dreams about his dream zoo. When it comes to being nice, you're fairly average; you can compromise when it's needed, but you like to get your own way when you can. You're very observant about the world around you, and are more likely to get involved with political or activist causes. You also tend to be more whimsical and creative than down to earth.

The lower your Grinchification score, the nicer you are.
The higher your Cathatitude/Hoponpoppiness score, the more whimsical and creative you are.
The higher your Loraxity score, the more concerned you are with the world around you, politics and activism.

Other Categories

Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now! The Lorax The Cat in The Hat Horton Hears a Who! Green Eggs and Ham Oh, The Places You'll Go Hop on Pop How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Butter Battle Book Yertle The Turtle Fox in Socks

If you liked this test, please take the time to rate it! Thanks!

Maybe you'd like to try one of my other tests:

The Totally Random A-Z Trivia Test
The What is your Learning Style Test

Link: The Which Dr. Seuss Book Are You Test written by carysehlwinn on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Important Quote...

Ramen in a happy environment is better than four dishes and a dessert in anger and sorrow.

Back online...

Busy right now! More to come later!

Semagic

Ah.. there we go! I was right... just needed to log in on the LJ account to access the user pics and moods and whatnot that they offer, which Blogger doesn't. I can't believe I am up so early and being so productive! I've already started cleaning up the kitchen and done some nature watching... {{{sigh}}} Life is good! :)

Good Morning World!

This is so exciting! I finally found a client that just works for posting to both my Blogger and my LJ accounts! Ecto I couldn't even get to *work* and MultiBlog I couldn't get to post! So guess what I am using? Semagic! When I started looking they didn't support anything but LJ, but now they support Blogger too! YAYZ! Hmmm... Now if I can figure out how to change my user pics and what not... I think it's cuz I'm logged in on my Blogger acct now that I can't... Gonna hafta play around I can see...

Testing

Well... this will be client number 3... Does it work...

Client for multiple blogs?

So I've been trying to find a client (low cost or free) that will allow me to write a post, click a button, and have it post to multiple blogs. I downloaded the free trial of Ecto, but couldn't get it to work at all, and I tried MulitBlog and that didn't work either. Any of the others I've looked at don't have the features I need (like supporting LJ & Blogger)... Anyone out there have any good ideas?

I know this is old news but...

I love this article!

Plutonic Friends
By Andy Simmons
Published in Reader’s Digest, November 2006

It was bedlam in the formerly tranquil Simmons household. Voices were raised, fists pounded tables, Mr. Potato Head was torn asunder. I could see it on the evening news – our neighbor Mrs. Stein telling the world, “But they were such a nice family, even if they didn’t always mow their lawn or remember what day to put out the garbage or …”

What was the to-do about? What could stir such animosity?

“Pluto is to a planet!” yelled Jennifer.

“It is not!” I bellowed back.

Jennifer poured a glass of wine and stood by the window, staring defiantly into the night sky at Pluto. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that she was gazing at a streetlamp.

“The International Astronomical Union is the sole authority for classifying, naming and making things up about outer space,” I reminded her as I squished into our new wing chair. “These are very smart people, smart enough to figure out how to make a living from going to Star Trek conventions. So if they think that, after 76 years of placing the word planet on its business card, Pluto is, in fact, only an icy rock playing planet for Halloween, then case closed.”

Jennifer wasn’t buying into what she considered an arbitrary new rule that a planet just isn’t something that’s round and orbits the sun – it must also be big enough to “clear its area” of any similar sized objects.

“If that’s the case, your aunt Ruth could be a planet,” she sputtered. “She’s round, cold, and she cleared her area of everything long ago, including your uncle Danny, who ran off with the dog walker.”

Hearing that Pluto was planet non grata, our three-year-old, Quinn, removed the Pluto action figure from her Disney display. It made Jennifer even sadder.

“I wonder, if it had a more serious name, say, Sidney oe Desmond, might its fate have been different?” she asked aloud.

“Look,” I said, shifting my weight around on the chair, hoping circulation would return to my legs. “As the sole authority for classifying, naming and making things up about our home, let’s use Pluto’s demotion to make a few changes around here, starting with this wing chair.”

“My grandmother left me that.”

“Sorry, but this does not fit the new definition of a chair.”

“What new definition?”

“The one I’m making up as I speak. From here on out, a chair isn’t just something that someone sits on. Otherwise, I’d be a chair if Quinn had her way. In my dictionary, a chair is something you want to sit on, preferably in front of a TV. It also needs to be ratty enough to chase everyone but me from its orbit. That’s a chair. Oh, and my father’s penchant for leaving diners with his pockets full of Sweet’N Low? That’s now shopping and not, as your family refers to it, stealing.”

Through the window I could see Quinn walking in the yard, holding a bag of okra. “Bravo!” I shouted as I jumped to my feet. Quinn had redefined okra as a garden tool to be stored in the outdoor shed, thus guaranteeing that neither Jennifer not I would ever find it and cook it for dinner.

Jennifer was still upset. And when she stews, all of her 83,543,291, 732 brain cells are put on time and a half.

“Should we get rid of Quinn because she’s the shortest and hasn’t learned to clear her Polly Pocket dolls from her orbit or ours?” she asked. “What does this mean for anything that doesn’t quite fit the mold? What does this mean for Rhode Island? For doughnut holes? For Danny DeVito?”

Jennifer was looking at the larger picture, larger than the universe. “What does it say about a galaxy that changes the rules for convenience’ sake?”

I didn’t have an answer, other than to say, “Hey, wanna watch TV?”

In the end, Jennifer, Quinn and I were one happy planet, seated on our uncomfortable wing chair, our eyes orbiting The Biggest Loser. If little Pluto was in need of loving, it would find it in this household.

But for it’s own comfort, tell it to bring a chair.

My Astro Stats...

	Sun Sign: Cancer Sun 29° Cancer 16'	Cancer Horoscope for today »
	Moon Sign: Pisces Moon 20° Pisces 38'	Pisces Horoscope for today »
	Rising Sign: Leo Ascendant 26° Leo 57'	Leo Horoscope for today »
Get your own astro stats Powered by Tarot.com

Your Sun Sign: Cancer
Sun 29° Cancer 16'
Element: Water
Key Planet: Moon
Crabs live in the inter-tidal zone of the oceans, where tides rise and fall twice every day. This is the most dynamic and changeful place on earth, but also the most nutrient rich. Because of the constant change, Crabs have developed a hard outer shell for protection. You Crabs can use the hard outer shell of your home as your protection. But it's more than just that. Typically, your sensitive Crabs can hold your feelings quietly behind your own walls.
Motto: "A good defense is the best offense."
Greatest Strength: Your ability to nurture others
Possible Weakness: Fear of the past repeating in the future

Your Moon Sign: Pisces
Moon 20° Pisces 38'
The Moon in Pisces is like having an emotional antenna that picks up every radio station in the universe. Feelings flood in from all directions, sometimes filling you with delight, sometimes with panic. Learning that all you feel is not yours can be an enormous relief because it reduces the emotional load you have to carry. You are not responsible for everything that you feel. Yet this openness also makes you compassionate and imaginative, openly receptive to others and their needs. Knowing when to pull back, though, is essential to your well-being since you absorb so much of what's going on around you.
Motto: "I can feel your pain,"
Greatest Strength: Boundless empathy and imagination
Possible Weakness: Being overly sensitive

Your Rising Sign: Leo
Ascendant 26° Leo 57'
When you enter a room everyone notices. Leo Rising is like a spotlight that seems to follow you wherever you go. Fortunately, you're up to it since you tend to be outgoing, a natural performer who shines brightly when others are around. You tend to come across as confident and outgoing, which often puts you in a position of leadership. Keeping an upbeat appearance, though, can be tiring at times. When you're not feeling chipper you can still feel like you've got to be your usually enthusiastic self. It's as if you have to put on a show instead of showing your true feelings. So, if you're down a little, you might want to hide that from others or just avoid people entirely.
Motto: "If you've got it, flaunt it."
Greatest Strength: Your ability to light up a room
Possible Weakness: Difficulty asking for help

Your Chinese Sign: The Dog
THE DISQUIET DOG
Mantra: I am loyal to my destiny.
The Dog has a great feeling for justice and follows the rules of fair play. This deep moral sense also makes the Dog honest and loyal. Dogs are very intuitive but can tend toward pessimism -- and even see dangers where there aren't any. Anxious and short-tempered at times, they can also be magnetic leaders, enchanting and very generous. But don't question a Dog's belief in his or her destiny. And never, ever attack a Dog's children or home. If you do, watch all that usual doggie diplomacy disappear -- and run fast … or you'll be in for quite a scuffle.

Mint Spaghetti

Ew is all I have to say...

Click here to view Pilz-E explaining the mysteries of Mint Spaghetti...

ZOMG!

...which of course means "ZOMBIES OH MY GOD!!!!"

I just got back from taking Jacqueline to work... I hope she's ok there... I had no idea what was going on when I dropped her off... We thought it was odd that there was so little traffic on the road at 11am on a weekday, but we were so busy chatting that we didn't think much about it. I should have known by the way people were driving that something was wrong, but seriously, I just thought they were being extra idiotic to bug me...

There were a few cars in the parking lot when I dropped her off, and even though we couldn't see anyone in the store, we just figured the customers were in the bathroom or just sitting where we couldn't see and that the employees were behind the brewers or in back... I hope she emails me soon to let me know she's ok...

On the way home I turned on the radio to NPR like I always do. It took me a while and I was almost home when I realized what was happening. They were in the middle of a phone interview with Alex Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko, close friend and wife of Alexander Litvinenko, the spy who was poisoned in London last year, when something happened on their end. Marina started screaming her husband's name and his friend was saying, "Oh my god! This isn't real!" There were sounds of a scuffle and the interviewer was asking what was happening when their line went dead. That's when I came to the little cemetary on Rathburn and saw them. They were crawling from their graves and shuffling down the street toward the nearest trailer.

I used to envy those people, who were lucky enough to live next to that old cemetary, but not anymore. There were zombies, little more than skeletons most of them, but with tattered clothes and clods of dirt, hanging and dropping off them. They turned toward me as I slowed to drive past without hitting them, and I suddenly realized the kids were home alone and we had a dead dog buried in the back yard! I wasn't sure if whatever was effecting dead people would effect dead animals, but I rushed home just the same.

So far there seems to be no effect on Ginger or Kitty, but I'm keeping an eye on them. Ant has been practicing swinging his stick around to knock off zombie heads and he's even shown the girls how to do it. I am now wishing Terry had left at least one of his guns so I could blow the heads of zombies from a safe distance, but I think we're far enough away from any cemeteries or the cities that we should be safe. I've tried calling Jacqueline, and although our cable phone (and internet) is still working, I think there may be a problem with the phone lines in town. I do so hope she's ok...

BLITEOTW

(Click image to read more...)

I am so glad we're still online! I wouldn't want to miss today! I wonder if I can even get my PPPs to be in the correct theme... *giggle* Stay tuned...

I think I am here...

Well I have decided that as wonderful as LJ is, I need a place where I can get more exposure, and apparently this is the place. So here I am.

What's this all going to be about? I haven't quite decided yet. Possibly my drawings, crafts I make, scrapbook layouts, reviews of books, movies, music, products I use and love... anything that strikes my fancy!

So grab your beverage of choice, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!