Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Happiness is.....

- A hot fresh cup of coffee and warm cherry pie in your jammies on a cold rainy night

- A dog who is so happy to see you, her tail wags her whole body

- Finding a crumpled $10 bill at the bottom of your purse when you thought you were broke

- Getting a notice from the gas company that they over estimated your previous bill and you owe nothing this month

- A good book

- Watching the guy who cut you off in traffic get pulled over for speeding

- Coffee and gossip with your best friend

- Finding a parking space right by the door

- A full pantry

- Hair that looks good

- Having money leftover after all the bills are paid

- Watching the person running to get ahead of you at the ATM or grocery line trip and fall

- Finding something you’ve lost

As you can see, I have simple pleasures. Do you ever think about all the little things that make you happy….and its ok if some of them are a little bit spiteful…we are only human, after all.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Birthday month meme.....

This is another meme from Mapi. Being interested in astrology, I couldn't resist.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

Well, I was born in March….so lets see how accurate this is.

Attractive personality: I can get along with just about ANYBODY. I may not LIKE everyone, but I can get along with them.

Sexy: In my day, I guess I was.

Affectionate: Only on my terms. I don’t like UNINVITED invasion of my space.

Shy and reserved: Until I am familiar with things, yes.

Secretive: I can be, yes.

Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity: Oh yes…this is me. I do not lie and am always buying somebody something. I have the biggest shoulders ever and I love things to be harmonious.

Sensitive to others: Yep, this is me. I take on the mood of the environment I’m in. Sometimes its terrible.

Loves to serve others: I don’t know about LOVING to serve…but I get a good feeling knowing that I’ve done something nice for someone else.

Easily angered: Yes I am easy to anger but you’d never know it. I hide it very well. I RARELY lose my temper.

Trustworthy: This is me. The job I held for years was that of Administrative Confidential Secretary. I don’t tell tales or gossip…if you trust me with a secret, consider it in the bank.

Appreciative and returns kindness: My goodness…I think that this would apply to ANYBODY.

Observant and Assesses others: Yes this is me too. Not much gets by me and I can dissect someone quickly….I can pick out a phony or a user a mile away.

Revengeful: I do have a “get even” gene but its not violent. I just do ‘little’ things to psychologically get to the intended….but I am a firm believer of KARMA and would never say or do anything to anyone who didn’t deserve it. Honest.

Loves to dream and fantasize: Yes, guilty here. I think having this ability has saved me from many emotional breakdowns as well as some unique inventions that really worked!

Loves traveling: No, this isn’t me. I’m a stick close to home kind of gal. When I’m gone I’m always worried about my things back at home.

Loves Attention: Like anyone, I like the right kind of attention…but do NOT like to be the center of attention. Never…no…no.

Hasty decision in choosing partners: Yes. I’m guilty of that “maybe he’ll change” syndrome. Note to younger women: He will not…so don’t think it.

Loves home decors: Oh yes…I had dreamed of becoming an interior decorator at one time until things got to be so……out in left field, shall we say. I’m creative, but I have trouble thinking too far outside the box.

Musically talented: oh my lord…..no way. I can’t carry a tune in a basket and although I love most music, I have had no interest in playing an instrument. Lately though, I’ve wished that I could play the piano and may end up taking some keyboard lessons in the future.

Loves special things: I think anyone would love special things, depending on what the special thing is.

Moody: Yes and this is one of the things I really dislike about myself. I try very hard not to show my moodiness to others because I don’t think its very attractive or endearing….but sometimes you just can’t help yourself. Thankfully my bad moods do not last long.

So, all in all, I think March described me pretty well.....now how about yours?

Birth Month Traits:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.


The Album Cover Game...


I got this from Mapi's blog and thought it was kinda cute....and very creative.


Rules:

1. Go to Wikipedia - The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. Click
Random Quotes The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. Visit
Flickr- The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result.
5. Have fun!


Boo Boo's.....I've done a few

I was thinking of some of the stupid things I’ve done and although I know this is not everything because I’ve conveniently forgotten about a lot of them, here is a sampling of some of my finer moments.

The first Thanksgiving turkey I cooked for the whole family caused quite a bit of laugher when my mom discovered I hadn’t removed the neck or the bag of giblets first.

The time I put bleach on my hair and my neighbor popped in. I threw a towel around my head, turban style, and made coffee so we could visit. Time got away from us and before I knew it, over three hours had passed. When I took the towel off, some of the hair on the top of my head was only ½ inch long….it had actually burned off. I guess I’m lucky I had any hair left at all.

The time our toilet got plugged and I poured in a bottle of ammonia, half a bottle of chlorine bleach and topped it off with toilet bowel cleaner. (WHAT was I thinking???) It honestly burned the hairs out of our noses and destroyed our sense of smell for days. It’s a wonder it didn’t kill us.

The time I was frustrated trying unsuccessfully to get my kitchen floor to look nice and shiny by waxing it, so I painted marine varnish on it….did the counter-tops too for good measure. It looked absolutely beautiful after the three days it took to dry. Of course it ended up wearing off in heavily traveled areas and then it didn’t look so hot. We sold the house before I had to worry about getting a new kitchen floor though.

The time I wanted wall to wall carpeting in the hallway but couldn’t afford it. My neighbor’s brother worked as a carpet installer and brought me all the little pieces leftover after installing a shag carpet. Some of those pieces were no bigger than one inch wide. I cut and fitted them together, jigsaw puzzle style, and NAILED them to the floor with carpet tacks. It looked wonderful but the new house owners thought I was nuts when they discovered it a year or so later.

The time on vacation, I got “east”: confused with “west” and drove over 100 miles in the wrong direction before realizing my mistake.

Aw come on….make me feel better….name some of the stupid things you’ve done.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Still Learning After all These Years.....

You know you’re never too old to learn stuff and I was thinking about some things that I’ve learned:

Just because you’ve read a good book by a particular author doesn’t mean everything that person writes will be good.

Directions, receipts and warranty info you save FOREVER can never be found when you want to use them.

A part or piece to something (extra screws, labels, etc.) can never be located later on even though you KNOW you have them.

If you are going through boxes looking for something, it’s a guarantee that it will be in the very last box in the assortment.

Sit on the toilet and the phone will ring or someone will come to the door.

Never eat spaghetti while wearing a white top.

Throw something away that you’ve had for a long time and you will need it within 24 hours.

Brag on how good something works and it will break down the next day.

Never let a puppy near an electric blanket.

After the grandkids have visited, its not a good idea to walk barefoot through your house in the dark.

What prompted the above list was my inability to locate part of my coffee pot that I put away for safe-keeping and now I want to use it since my other one is taking 20 minutes to brew a pot. Well….OF COURSE….I can’t find part of it and to add insult to injury, I can’t even locate the book so I can ORDER the part I need. Maybe I can find it online. The Internet has saved me a number of times now.

I used to wonder if my toilet seat sent a wireless message to my phone or doorbell. I’d sit on it…and one or the other would go into action. I solved part of the problem by putting an extension phone in my bathroom. Smartest thing I’ve ever done.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

I'm baaack.....

OMG I am soooo glad to be ALMOST myself again. I still have one day left to take my antibiotics but I think this bug is nearly dead….gasping for breath…back of the hand to the forehead…asking for smelling salts. Lordy, lordy, Miss Scarlett…you be lookin’ a might faint. Yes….good old Aunty Biotic kicked butt.

All I can say to anyone is that if you start to get sick….don’t ignore it. I could barely hear for a total of 17 days! NOT fun.

Thank you…thank you…. to all of you who sent me well-wishes and actually got worried when I was absent for so long. You all made me feel so special.

But I am nearly myself and am ready to kick butt….ready to spiff up the areas of my life that were ignored for about 2 months. I am once again strong but humbled. I guess its always good to remember that.

I had a solicitor who made the big mistake of knocking on my door a couple days ago. He was promoting some sort of program that alleges to give you gas for heating at much cheaper prices. Both my daughter and my neighbor got fooled by that a couple years ago and ended up paying twice as much. When he started his sales pitch…I interrupted him and said “how can you work for a company that rips off consumers like this one does….you ought to be ASHAMED of yourself”. Then I promptly shut the door. This is how I knew I was almost fully recovered…..my aggressiveness is back.

So now I have to sit and think of something witty to write about….it will come…I just have to wait for it. I’ll be back.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Bringing in the Big Guns.....

I went to see my doctor again today and even though much of my congestion has cleared up, I’m still not rid of this damn bug. He told me that its something that is going around and its very resistant to antibiotics. So, I came away with a prescription for some stronger meds…..more than three times stronger than the ones I was taking. He also gave me some nasal spray to help with the congested ears. Being down with this for so long has really kicked my butt and frustrated me in many ways…but its also made me think. I know I read way too much and that, of course, always affects my thinking….but it makes one wonder about the future and if the meds we have now will be capable of controlling illnesses that we can catch as easily as walking across the room. Wasn’t it T.S. Eliot who once wrote….”this is the way the world ends…not with a bang but a whimper”. Shudder….I don’t think that’s a good thing to think about……but I hope some scientists are. I’m gong to concentrate on getting well and I’ve promised myself I won’t let myself get so run-down again. After all….I’m no spring chicken anymore. Thanks for all your well-wishes. I’ll be back….bigger and better. Well…hopefully not bigger….but better, yes….better.

Oh…and Crusty…my apologies to my credit card company. They did call me…it was on my answering machine…I obviously missed the call because I couldn’t hear the phone. So they did follow protocol and then followed it up with an email.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Gimme my soapbox.....

I’m really not in a very good mood right now. You know that its just not fair that the lives of decent people have to be changed and inconvenienced just because of THIEVES and ADDICTS. Having a new credit card number is causing me inconvenience in the fact that I now have to set up new payment schedules and also online statements and paying abilities for the “new” account. I have to change my bank’s online payment section…delete the old info and add the new. Since my “old” account has been closed, I am unable to obtain a statement online and I don’t get them mailed to me…so I can’t even look at my statement to see what all happened. Not to mention that I can’t even use the card at all until I get a new one with the new number. All this irritates me.

Today I called my doctor about my ears and he said that the antibiotics are still working in my system but if I wanted to help things along, buy this OTC med for allergies and congestion. ($11. for 12 tablets) Since I’m afraid to drive without being able to hear, I sent my son to the drugstore for me. He came back in a few minutes stating that he had forgotten to take his I.D. with him and that they wouldn’t sell him the OTC meds unless he showed I.D. and was put into some sort of database. This med had been removed from the aisles and put behind the counter because of ADDICTS and THIEVES. He returned with his I.D. and after they took down his information, he was allowed to purchase the meds.

I am reminded of a short story I read many years ago about how eventually all the decent people would end up living in their homes, trapped behind bars and security gates, to keep themselves safe from the criminal element. In other words, the good are imprisoned while the bad have free roam. How far are we from this right now? Sadly, a whole family died in a house fire because the fire department could not gain entry due to the iron bars on their doors and windows. We have to jump through hoops in order to purchase certain things, we have to go through extra security measures, we have to be searched if we are flying (horrible invasion of privacy), we are eyed with suspicion by store clerks and/or owners, can’t buy gasoline at the pump anymore in many places and I could go on and on. Even doctors are suspicious if you ask for pain meds because you are HONESTLY hurting….they automatically suspect you have a drug problem. And to the older generation who go to their doctors and LIE just so they can get pain meds and then sell those meds to make ends meet…..you need to sit your butt in jail for a long time. Not only for helping addicts but for making it hard on those of us who really do need those medications. You are a HUGE part of the problem.

I guess I'll just shut my mouth now and get off my soapbox. Sorry.....

Monday, January 7, 2008

Happy New Fraud.....

What a way to start out the year! Although I can hardly hear anything because my ears are still plugged, I am finally feeling good enough to start taking care of some things. So I got my coffee and settled in front of the computer to read some emails that have been waiting. I found one from my credit card company that I ALMOST deleted thinking it may be a promo kind of deal, but I decided to check it out. It instructed me to contact them immediately reference some suspicious activity on my card. The email was sent yesterday. I called the number on the back of my card, rather than the one given in the email just in case it was a phony phishing scam.

Unfortunately it was true. Some lowlife pond scum had gotten ahold of my credit card number and used that information to charge nearly two thousand dollars worth of stuff, mostly airline tickets. My card company says I will not be held responsible for these charges…thank God. They will be investigated and I am praying that the lowlifes will be caught and prosecuted harshly. My account is now closed, another one has been opened and I should receive my new card in a week. How they got my information, I do not know. I do a lot of online shopping but have all the safeguards on my computer and always make sure the site is secure and well-known. I have used this card in stores also, but it rarely leaves my hand since I swipe it myself. Lately I have used it to pickup prescriptions at the drive-up window and then its out of my sight. Maybe that’s when information was taken off of it. I just don’t know and not knowing makes you suspicious of everyone. Nevertheless, I will not be doing that anymore.

I have to give kudos to my credit card company for monitoring my card and catching the unusual activity. I thanked them profusely for their diligence. I’ve had this card for about nine years and just recently got the balance down to under $400. Today I will be scanning my computer with extra protection just to make sure something is not lurking on here that’s giving out my personal information. Doubtful, but I just want to be sure. No matter what…you still feel violated. In the meantime make sure you are careful out there….it really IS a jungle.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Reflections.....

When you don’t feel so hot and have to lie around, your mind keeps on working. No shutting it off, that’s for sure. I thought about so many things, about things I did in my lifetime, about things I could have done and lastly, things I should have done. Remembering back on the joys and the sorrows I really don’t think I would have done much differently. Not to say that I don’t have some regrets but I don’t seem to have any events that warrant tearing of the hair and falling to the floor in anguish. Does that make me a boring person? Although a lot of things have happened in my life that left me puzzled, I’m the type of person who used to believe that an answer to all questions will be known eventually but I know now that that’s just not true…..at least not in this life.

Other than the loss of my parents, the occurrence that devastated me the most was the loss of a friend. I met her in high school and we carried on a 30-year friendship. She was as close to me as a sister. Since we were both only children, I think we sought out a sisterly relationship. She, being a year older than I, took on the role of the big sister. She was in my wedding, at the birth of my first child, with me when my mother died, support for me during my divorce and also there with me when my father died. We told each other everything…or so I thought. We saw each other almost every day and talked on the phone every day. She changed. I have never understood why. Our friendship died, not her. I miss her. We can never get our friendship back as the trust has been destroyed. It’s been 17 years since our friendship died. Since then I’ve had a hard time trusting anyone and have held back on becoming too close. I want to fix that this year. I want to trust again. Now, the question is…..can I?

Friday, January 4, 2008

Ramblings.....



I’m on my second round of antibiotics and can tell a difference. The congestion is not nearly as bad in my chest but now both my ears are plugged and I can only hear if its something loud. I really hate this; its thrown my whole system off. You don’t realize how much you depend on your hearing until its been affected. Another thing we take for granted. I have a feeling this may be a year of ‘learning lessons’ for me.

We ended up having 12 inches of snow that started on New Year’s Eve. I will have to admit it was beautiful. The weather says its supposed to warm up to 50 and rain on Monday. I sure hope that doesn’t occur because it will cause a lot of people grief as far as flooding. Soul asked me why in the world I would live here if I hated snow so much…..well, at first it was because this is where my job was. Now, since I’m retired, I have to say this is where my roots are. I’ve never lived further than 4 miles from where I am sitting right now. I sure do wish my roots were in a warmer climate….but they aren’t….so here I stay. The other three seasons are gorgeous so I guess its not too bad if I look at it like that.

About 3 of the blogs I regularly read are taking a breather, so to speak. I can understand their reasoning but I sure will miss the input. I had become accustomed to reading and looked forward to it. I can surely understand how blogging can take up too much of your time. I have found myself in the same position. As one of my favorites said, “real life trumps blog life” and she’s right. This new year means different things for different people, that’s for sure. I am really hoping that everyone finds what they are searching for and it brings them happiness.

So, if I can get them off my camera (difficult for me) I will post some snow pictures. I really do dislike my camera because of that. Sometimes it works fine, other times it gives me trouble….I never know how its going to act. Gypsy, I hope these pictures cool things off for you and you’re better soon. I miss you.