A Gift from a Friend as I departed~

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits.
The rebels.
The trouble-makers. The round heads
in the square holes. The ones who
see things differently.

They're not fond of rules,
and they have no respect
for the status-quo.
You can quote them,
disagree with them, glorify,
or vilify them.
But the only thing you can't do
is ignore them.

Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while
some may see them as the crazy ones,
we see genius. Because the people who
are crazy enough to think they can
change the
world, are the ones who do.

The Truth about Giants

So here is the truth about giants.
Nick: mom giants are huge
Mom: yes they are, they are bigger than houses

Nick: Giants live in the sky with God
Mom: ummmm ok

Nick: Giants are up all night, and sleep all day, a what that called?
Mom: Really, how do you know this?, it's called nocturnal

Nick: Giants don't want no one to see them, that is why they are up all night and sleep all day, just like Santa Claus. Giants are real, just like Santa Claus!
Mom: Well who would have known?

Nick: I smart, and Giants play with me.!

hmmmmmm......... there you have it, the truth about giants!

Fork in the Road

So every once in a while as an adult we come to what I call a "fork in the road". I have hit a few of those along the way. The challenge presented is always, which way do you choose? Fundamentally I believe that you follow your gut, and you take the path that feels right, regardless of what those around you think or say. It is your life, your choice. At the end of the day you will end up where you are meant to be! It might take a while due to some detours along the way, however.

Last year I was faced with such a "fork in the road", when I placed myself in a position of opportunity to change jobs, after being with my former employer for nearly 10 years. There is some comfort with longevity in your career, and employment. Although, with comfort often comes stagnation. I really needed something different, the stress was killing me, compounded by the enromous frustration that I felt on a daily basis, which was perhaps not always valid, but nonetheless very real, and intrusive to me!

I'm not a big gambler, but I did choose to take a position with another employer, I new it would be a challenge, and that there would be a learning curve, and I also went into it with full disclosure that my salary would be substantially less, with the optimisitc outlook that the position I was taking would very well be reclassified, and hence the pay scale would increase. Then the "economic" hardship hit my little neck of the world, and "hiring freeze", etc. became common buzz words. Reclassification is off the table now. Other ciricumstances have placed other financial strains on the monthly budget as well.

As you can imagine this has all been so very overwhelming. I share the rest of the story with those that know me best. At the end of the day I have come to know some truths:
The old saying of "you know who your friends are when times get tough" is oh so very true, friends really are my life line, mostly because I choose to have it that way. "Rich" does not equate to happy. There is some benefit to analylzing your life in reference to priorities, lifestyle and committment. Basic needs are expensive, even when "simplifying". It is important to have a food storage that does not include mostly expired dates on the packages. It's important to keep your freezer mostly full. $50.00 a month for groceries goes a lot farther if you have taken those precautionary steps.

The point I make is that forks in the road are important, I continue to believe that everything happens for a reason, and what is meant to be is meant to be. We have a responsibility to just embrace it all along the way. Teaching our children to do the same is a gift we can, and should give them along the way.

Christmas Cactus~ A story about Love

This will be the 6th Christmas without my mom. She always made Christmas a BIG deal. She was always so creative and thoughtful and concise with her intent of gift giving. She was never a rich woman, but always rich with love and tenderness. We baked, planned the meal, and she would always spend Christmas Eve night at our house.

The Christmas before she died, (she died on her birthday January 7th the following year) I had purchased two Christmas cactus's. One for her, and one for me. They were pathetic 4" pots of neglected plants that had been picked through at Lowes, but I thought "Oh I bet that mom can at least keep hers alive, and at that time I was a plant killer and figured I would give it a shot too)

Anyway, when going through her things and getting her house in order I gave my brother and his wife all of her plants except her pathetic Christmas Cactus.

I planted our two cactus in the same pot, and low and behold the following Christmas it bloomed. It has bloomed every Christmas sense, and I have always just thought it was my moms way of coming to hug me at Christmas time and to let me know that she will always be with me in memories and spirit.

Well, since changing jobs this year I brought the cactus home and have seriously neglected it. A couple of weeks ago I saw it and seriously had a breakdown because I was sure it was not going to bloom this year. I felt overwhelmingly sad, and angry that I was so selfish as to not even take care of stupid plant.

Well last night, I noticed that there are three perfect buds coming on and it will be blooming by Christmas! I think this is the Christmas spirit I have been wishing for! Thank you mom!

Hater of People

Have I mentioned that I used to be a lover of people? I seriously hate to admit it, but at the ripe old age of 47 I have come to be a people hater.

Let me tell you why:
~ Is it really so hard to freaking say "good-morning" to someone when they speak to you?
~ Is it really so freaking hard to say "thank-you" if someone does something human, like say hold a door open for you?
~ Is it really so freaking hard to "include" the new girl in any conversation, activity or group interaction that occurrs' right in front of her?
~ Is it so freaking hard to just tell your mother that you love her for no good damn reason?
~ Is it really so freaking hard to step outside yourself and inquire as to how another human being may be doing?

I mean really, is this shit hard or what? I am thinking that I don't like hating people, but......... they are making me do it!

Hannah and Nick last year decorating the Christmas tree, I am pretty much a scrooge this year, I have been in a rut, and I did not take pictures this year, although I think the tree is really much prettier this year. The two of these crack me up! One dollar reindeer horns are the bomb!

Teenager in the house!

So today is a big day in my house. It is official. I have a bonified teenager in the house now. In fact she is downstairs with three of her friends for the birthday sleepover. Wow! I said I would never do that again! We had a sleep over party a few years back, and it was quite a painful experience with one of the girls going home at midnight, I swore I would never do it again. Well here I am, doing it again. Have I mentioned that there is a six year old fast asleep on the couch. He must be moved because my plan is for me to sleep on the couch!

So blogging is new to me. Anybody that knows about me can clearly say that I am technologically challenged to say the very least! Well, how about this? Thanks to my friends Emily and Dee Ann I have arrived into the 21st century finally! Hopefully I can keep up and keep you entertained in the process!