Friday, February 18, 2011

Random Friday Facts

There are a lot of things about each of us that are very unique. ‘Unique’ is meant in a good way, friends. If I was saying there are things about each of us that are weird, well, I’d take the cake for the ‘weird’ category!

It’s Friday (an ‘odd’ not ‘even’ day – don’t ask) and I’m feeling a little reflective. I think I will vent some oddities about myself.

• Baby Ruth, never tried one.

• I like odd numbers, not evens.

• Days of the week associate with odd or even for me, and the order makes no sense. Also, they are subject to change whenever. However, Tuesdays are always ‘even’ days; Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays are always ‘odd’ days.

• If a penny is laying on the ground tails up, I will never pick it up. If a penny is laying on the ground heads up, I will go out of my way to pick it up.

• I have never been on a proper roller coaster.

• I like the taste of nacho cheese Doritos just moments after eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup.

• I write fan letters to celebrities. I use children’s handwriting because it ups the odds that I’ll get an autograph in return.

• When staying at hotels I will take all things that are ‘free’. It’s the first thing that I do. I rarely ever use them while actually ‘in’ the hotel.

• I can’t wait to kiss someone in the rain. I think it’s pretty romantic. Maybe it’s just me though, I have a thing for walking in the rain and splashing in puddles.

• I have never stolen anything from a store before, although a couple of years ago I bought a piece of luggage that I loved but was way overpriced. I subsequently returned said item but I kept the tag. I now have a fancy luggage tag on my crappy suitcase that every time I see it reminds me of my evil deed.

• Many of my coworkers hunt; deer, buffalo, elk, you name it they hunt it. I think the idea of eating deer is disgusting. Yes, I know that this makes no rational sense. I am a meat and potatoes girl but the thought of deer…I mean…it’s BAMBI! Anyway, after much teasing, I tried some stew this week that was made with deer meat. I tried it in front of all the guys that tease me. I ate it, and I said I will still never eat deer meat again.

• I often find it funny when married Mom’s with 2,3,4 plus children complain that single people have it so much easier. Hmm. Who put a gun to your head and made you keep making babies, sunshine? The grass is always greener.

• So many people lack imagination. I am drawn to people who can tap in to their inner child and still make-believe.

• I don’t like mushrooms or tomatoes. I do love ketchup and salsa though – but don’t try to tell me that I should like tomatoes because of this, ‘cause you’d be mistaken.

• When I was little I used to be up the boys that lived on my block. I didn’t do it because I was butch or a tomboy, I did it because I was older. I made them pay my friend Amie and I fees sometimes to be in our club. Those fees went straight to candy bars for Amie and I.

• Still to this day when I put stuffed animals into plastic bags I make sure that they will be able to get fresh air to breathe.

• My hair is growing out of the last hair dye job that I did. The red was supposed to wash out over a month ago. It has not. I’m in a wedding in June and I have no idea what I want to do with it.

• I am wearing camouflage today. You cannot see me.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

There Are No Short Cuts

“In our quick to fix society that aims for immediate gratification, many people think self discipline means suffering and self denial. Today, many are looking for that short cut in life. Yes we have become a quick to fix society, a “now” society. I want it now, what I see on TV because tomorrow is too late. If it feels good, I’ll try it, relief is just a swallow away. Temptation resisted is the true measure of character.” - Herb Brooks

My generation was a transitioned one between tough-love and spoon-fed. I had friends who worked very hard for their money and used it wisely; I also had friends who received a car the moment they got their license to drive. And I’m not talking a hand-me-down car, I’m talking brand new, off the lot, foreign import cars here and they took it for granted from the get go.

I was front row center to watch how the younger generation saw a transfer of ‘sportsmanship’ and ‘mindsets’ that although presented as “good” and “fair” turned out to produce whiny adults that believe everything should cater to and revolve around them. When I was in grade school I competed in track and field days with the entirety of my grade level – every year. If you didn’t place, you didn’t take a ribbon home. I shelter myself from the inevitable items that may be thrown my way from this next statement, but…there were winners and there were [gulp] losers!

That’s right, I said it, as a child I actually had to learn that everything is not easy. If I didn’t get out there and actually do the work for something, I didn’t reap the benefits and gratification from it. I was raised by parents who were not far removed from the Great Depression. The world was never handed to them on a spoon and neither has it been for me.

I have debt. I’m working very hard at getting out of it. It is no one else’s fault or responsibility. I have programed in into my mind that in order to change the mistakes I have made in the past, I have to work through it. I have to feel the pain in order to understand the blessing.  Maybe that is not true for everyone, but I know that it's right for me. That doesn’t stop me from buying a lottery ticket a few times a year and crossing my fingers though!

Deeper than debt though I see these "fads" that are hitting so many of my friends in the past few years:  diets. I am so against this that it’s ridiculous. Now, some people need extremes health-wise because they are at huge risks – that is understandable and encouraged when approved FOR THEM through their Doctor. But I cannot begin to tell you how painful it is to see how this mentality of instant gratification hits the most level-headed of people and makes them somehow think it makes complete sense. Sure, if you starve your body you will most definitely lose inches and weight. It’s a diet that’s been around for years, it’s called ANOREXIA! Or, maybe you’d like to try the higher class super-model version, called CRACK!

Fad diets come and go, that’s why they are called fads. I won’t call specific ones out on here right now, I just want to pass along the truth that, “If it looks to good to be true, it probably is.” There is no way to deprive yourself and then go back to how you were previously without gaining weight back. At the end of the day you HAVE to change your lifestyle. It’s about choices, portions, and exercise. You are beautiful just being you, so if it takes longer than you want it to you have to remember that - you're beautiful and worth being taken care of.  Nothing is worth causing your body to yo-yo.  THAT is unhealthy.  As long as you take care of yourself and your body you are doing what's right. Marilyn Monroe was a curvy woman, she’d be booted from the industry nowadays and yet she’s one of Hollywood’s biggest icons. Ironic, right?


“Temptation resisted is the true measure of character.” Get rich quick schemes don’t work. Lose weight fast systems lead to unhealthy deprivations and habits. Hard work sucks a lot of the time, but in the end it is the one that is most often the most rewarding in the LONG term.

So, from this cheese ball from Wisconsin, I urge you all to find something you want to tackle in life: finances, weight, material belongings, a dream that you’ve long let go of – put a goal in front of your mind and WORK towards it.

The only way to get published is to write.
The only way to be a star athlete is to practice.
The only way to be a teacher is to first learn.

Everything worth anything takes discipline and grace.


FACTS:

The Sistine Chapel took Michelangelo a little over FOUR YEARS to complete!



Michael Jordan is known as one of the best basketball players of our time. 
Did you know that he played professionally for SIX YEARS before he won his first championship?

One of my favorite quotes ever is from this man himself:
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan

Monday, February 14, 2011

Mt. Dew Monday

(this photo borrowed from phototainable.com)

Many people will be writing about or thinking about one thing today.  As for me, I'm thinking about bed; as in sleep.  I had a fun and very un-sleep-filled weekend.  Today I suffer for that.  I already drank an energy drink to no avail.  I'm on a diet Mt. Dew at the moment and it seems to be doing no better.  Instead I can almost hear the clock ticking slower and slower towards the inevitable freedom that 5 o'clock brings.  All I have to do is return some shoes to Sears and go home.  Once home I will sort clothing like a ninja and bring some stuff over to my sister's house.  At that point I shall return home, watch the Bachelor and go to BED!  My body is fighting off a cold and CRAVING sleep.  My longing for sleep is probably most comparable to a crack addict suffering withdrawal and jonesing for their next high.  My high; sleep.  My method; a chamomile sleep aid and my comfy, comfy bed.

*tick.....tick...............tick.......

For the love of all that is good in this world, 5 PM, HURRY UP!

Friday, February 11, 2011

It's a Mother Daughter thing

Oh the irony...

In January I blogged about how my Dad's dog had eaten the one tree that I absolutely treasured; a chestnut tree planted by my Mother and I. (see post here) It was intended that one day it would be transplanted into the yard of my very own house.  That tree has now been destroyed and although it is quite rare for me to cry, I did.  It absolutely broke my heart.

Today, through a completely odd series of events I came across a video created by a Korean woman in memory of her Mother.  I cannot help but take it as a beautiful reminder of the memories I have with my own Mom and how completely ironic it is that the tree she used in this video was, out of all the possibilities, a chestnut tree. 

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

I'm Looking for Something Dumb to do...

♪♫♪... Hey Baby, I think I wanna marry you. ♪♫♪

I am in the mood to list.

- I really need to sort out the mess and boxes in my house.  I've been there a year now and I'm still not done.  I have a friend who just moved to Maryland and within a week she was finished sorting.  That is insane to me.  It is insane in a way that makes me drool with envy...

- It's going to get below zero for the next few days.  Let the fun begin.  And by fun I mean the countdown to me looking like an idiot by slipping on hidden ice patches.  Oh, wait, that's been my whole month thus far!

- Edgar Allen Poe is a favorite of mine.  Right now I am in the mood to read "The Tell Tale Heart".  It is one of my all-time favs.

- Tonight I am going shopping for a bridesmaid dress.  Hopefully we sort it out and order it!

- Sometimes I wonder why car tires aren't made entirely of rubber, or something very close-like; I mean, if there wasn't air in there then they wouldn't go flat.  I guess they could be extra bouncy that way though...

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Oh Happy Day...

The blizzard of '11 hit Southern Wisconsin hard and when I woke up on Wednesday even my front door was laughing at me...  (click to see picture in full glory)

Happy shoveling out to all my friends that were slapped in the face with snow!

Grand total that fell overnight:  23.2 inches.  Snow drifts anywhere from 1-8 feet tall.  Yowzah!