Mother Theresa

This will be the third time I have tried to post this, and let me just say the third time better be the charm or it's three strikes and Blogger is out. I realize it's free but jeez-o-peets could it at least be semi-reliable?!

I had a much more in depth post about this amazing woman, then the second time it was slightly less in depth, and this time I am sad to say I am too irritated to do much waxing poetic about what a true wonder Mother Theresa was. I am not a religious person, I am spiritual in how I believe, and I imagine I will break into that topic at some point in this challenge. But not being a religious person does not make Mother Theresa any less inspiring to me. What an unbelievable woman, selfless, giving, wise, and such a beautiful soul. I will always strive to emulate people such as her, throughout my lifetime. She made a difference, and she did it every day, because she was love, and light, and in my opinion she embodied so much of what is right in this world. I challenge you to take a moment out of your day and make a difference, big or small, it doesn't matter. Try to effect change. Be an inspiration to someone, give freely of yourself or your time even though you may be tired. You just never know when it may make all the difference. So in the words of one of the most inspiring people I can possibly think of:

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is costly, care for it.

Life is wealth, keep it.

Life is love, enjoy it.

Life is mystery, know it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.
  

Life is precious and will always be worth fighting for, never forget that!!!

If I ruled the World - I'm Batman

This post is for the humor, please don't read it and think I'm a sadist. I mean I kind of am, but this really is just for fun.

 I have the kind of Dad that people dream of having. He is quite possibly the coolest, most amazing person I have ever known. Me and my dad are a lot alike, in temperament, sense of humor, and we have some really deep discussions. The kind that if an average anybody walking by heard them they would probably wonder what the hell was wrong with us. Or more than likely think "wow, I have just been in the presence of awesomeness", because we are awesome.


A few weeks ago we had a conversation that was so funny I had to share. 


The conversation began with the fact that Detroit is headed downhill fast, I mean they are running out of money, or have already I'm not really sure. I said something to the effect of not liking to drive in the seedier parts of Detroit or it's surrounding seedy suburbs (I don't drive the most reliable car, and these are not places you want to break down in). 


Me: Driving there scares me, I mean you could get car-jacked at a stoplight, and then you'd be all stuck and alone in a bad neighborhood.


Dad: They don't bother "car-jacking" you anymore, they would just shoot you and take it.


And thus the conversation took off. I'm not going to "he said" "she said" that would be a long post, I'm just going to give you the rundown.  We have decided that it would be extremely beneficial to hire like 300 mercenaries to take out all of the big wig drug dealers and murderers, in one night. Can you imagine? In one night wiping out the main source of terror and corruption. And let's be real, why aren't these people considered terrorists and treated as such, they terrorize the good people every day. Then the 300 mercenaries morphed into 300 mercenaries dressed like Batman, yep, cause nothing is scarier to criminal types than a big bad-ass Batman showing up to do some justice.

SCARY MO-FO

 Then all of the smaller criminals would start freaking out that "Batman" must be real, because really who's going to believe that there were 300 people dressed as Batman. No I think it's more likely that their little guilt-riddled minds would think it was just one big bad mama-jamma.

We decided that there should be a committee to decide who to loan our mercenaries out to next, they would have to be some serious red, white, and blue blooded people, super pro-America. No corruption allowed.

I think this is why I would never get voted in to office of anything. That's why it would all have to go down in one night, that way if I ever was elected Governor or some such, it would all be done before they could recall it and boot me out of office. The government is so worried about terrorists in other countries, I want to know why they don't focus on the ones we have right here on American soil. If you sell drugs to kids, you're done. If you murder someone, you're done. If you touch a child, you are tortured, and then you are SO done. The police have lists, names, cell phones, addresses. It can be done.

So friends if you ever read this in the paper:

I was at your house all night......k?



If you ruled the world, even for one day, what would you do with the power given to you?? Would you be Batman?

Greatness

First I would like to say, this is my 100th post!! Woot Woot!!

When I was young someone told me that I was destined to "do great things". At the time I didn't really understand. I was young enough that greatness generally meant fame or money, or both. I was old enough though to understand that greatness was an amazing thing, but I didn't fully understand why this person would think I was to do great things. Growing up I never thought much of myself, it was/is something I still struggle with. I don't look in the mirror and think "Oh my, you are stunning", I don't wake up and think "today I will change the world. Usually my first thought in the morning is the same thought I had almost my entire childhood, "just five more minutes" right before I close my eyes and sleep for another ten. :-)

As I have grown, matured, had a child, the meaning of greatness has taken a more solid definition in my mind. Greatness has nothing to do with fame or fortune, it has nothing to do with inventing "the next big thing". Greatness is simple, and we all have the potential for greatness. Greatness to me is having a profound effect on another person or thing. Positively affecting that person, or taking an active role in a cause, no matter if you have money or just time to give. My daughter is, in my eyes, not only destined for greatness she has already achieved it. She has changed my life in so many ways, all for the better, and all extremely profound. I learn about myself everyday I spend with her. The more she grows, the more I grow. She makes me want to be a better person. She gave me the courage to follow my dream, a dream that will undoubtedly lead me to greatness. Not major, headline greatness, but greatness all the same. What I am currently studying, and the techniques I have chosen to specialize in are very specific. The main is to help people, I want to help them so that they can heal themselves, but my specialty will be helping people who live and deal with constant debilitating pain as I have watched my mother suffer for so many years. The kind of pain that keeps you from getting out of bed in the morning, the kind that drives you to depression or worse, the kind that the doctor either tells you it's all in your head (personal experience) or gives you so many pills, with so many side effects that you then have to take more pills to counteract them. That is no way to live.

I plan on volunteering some of my time, once I graduate and have gone through the Oncology massage program, to cancer patients going through Chemo and Radiation. This will be my greatness. Giving of myself, giving of my time, and giving of my heart to help these people lead a happier more pain free life. I have every intention on opening my own Holistic center for better health. I want to offer an alternative to "traditional" medicine. There is a time and place for "traditional" medicine, I truly believe that, I can not mend a broken bone. But I also know that there is a growing place for Homeopathy and Holistic living, and that will be my greatness, that will hopefully be the legacy I leave.

How about you? What is your greatness, big or small? How do you feel about Holistics and Homeopathy? Would you be open to trying an herbal approach rather than just accepting a prescription? I would love to hear your opinions!

My Friends are Hotter than your Friends

Ok, I guess I don't know that like 100%, because, well, I've never met your friends. But I know mine are the best. There were a lot of things I could have blogged about today: Friday, falling behind (because I so am), or following through (because I completely intend to). Honestly though, I could think of no better word for today than Friend. Most of the ones I will mention are the greatest friends I have never met. People I have met in the blogosphere who are absolutely fantastic people. People you want in your corner, need in your corner, and who you want to be those things for too. So here are my friends, my peeps (yep I went there), my partners in crime. Some are new, some I've been talking to for quite some time, but they all have something very special. Here are the best people I've never met:

Momma's that make my day:

Cari - Bubble Gum on my Shoe
@bubblegumcari

This chick rocks! I mean seriously, she is funny, she is kind, and she always responds when I send her a whiny email because I apparently don't have anyone to talk to. Thanks Cari, you have no idea how much I appreciate you. Her blog is not only on my Google homepage but I also get emails when she updates (I have a patience problem, or perhaps I'm a stalker..shh don't tell anyone). Her post never fail to inspire, make me smile, or usually laugh, hard, while I'm at work. Generally though, all of the above. She is a single Momma with two beautiful kids. Her blog is my favorite, and one that even if I haven't gotten an email I will check Google anyway just to be sure. It's that good! And did I mention she's HOT!!!

Christina - Solitary Mama
@Cmajaski

Like Cari, this chick totally rocks. She has snark-tasm down to a fine science. Don't believe me, read this. Don't worry, I'll wait. (Jeopardy music playing) See I told you so. She is one of the most real, blunt, could give a crap less what you think (which is as it should be) people I have ever had the good fortune of "knowing". Her posts are hilarious, her anti-blogger series is my favorite series I've read since I started blogging. And Stupid List Friday takes a close second. Check them out or miss out on some of the funniest shit you will ever read. Warning: If you lack a sense of humor, or otherwise can't take a joke for what it is, this blog may not be for you, just saying. Though I've heard you can buy a sense of humor at Meijer for $1.99 - Worthy investment.


Sue - Sue's Nutrition Buzz 
@ssunithi  

I haven't known Sue for as long as the other two ladies above but I can tell you she is amazing!! I mean you just don't meet people like her anymore. My girl got the flu about a month ago. It was wicked vicious, she wouldn't eat, or drink, and basically all she did was lay around for about a week. We took her too the doc, and was told that pretty much all we could do was keep her hydrated. It is rough to watch your baby be sick and not be able to do anything about it. By day four of her laying around and being lethargic, I remembered that I had a huge resource right at my finger tips that I hadn't even thought of. I sent the call out on Twitter for help. Thanks to Solitary Mama, I was shortly in contact with Sue who, if you couldn't tell by the name of her blog, knows her stuff when it comes to nutrition. If you have ever tried to give your kid pedialyte (sp?) you know it pretty much tastes like butt, but I didn't want to keep giving her gatorade, way too much sugar. Sue gave me some great suggestions, and then wrote a post on how to make yummy pedialyte pops. I made them, chicka loved them, and a few days later, to my surprise Sue took time out of a trip she was on to message me and check in on Lala. It blew me away! She gave me her email for if I ever needed her (so great), and then just last week asked again how Lala was doing. I don't know many people in my real life that are as dedicated as that.

If there were more people in this world like the three ladies above, I think we would live in a better place. Now not to be left out, there are some Daddies I stalk follow fairly regularly, though I don't chat with them as much they are all very unique.

Beard and Pigtails
@BeardPigtails

Here we have a shining example of a daddy doing it right. Beard is down to earth, has for sure one of the cutest little girls I have ever seen, and he posts on a wide range of things. From the outings they have, to the DIY projects he has going on. It's always fun, and most often humorous, especially the pigtailisms. :-) She is a funny, spunky little girl, and I love his blog (even if he only gives her a quarter for allowance, yeesh).


How to be a Dad
 @HowToBeADad

These to guys, Charlie and Andy, are quite possibly the two funniest Dad's on the planet, or at least on the net. Their diagrams, pure awesome sauce. Lets just say reading their blog at work may not be a great idea (besides you're supposed to be working). I crack up every time I read a post, and now they have a YouTube channel! My two favorites of theirs would have to be the "My wife just said" posts, and the diagram posts, both are epic. If you don't know who these guys are, you are missing out.



Those are my top five daily reads, not to say they are the only daily reads, but I really wanted to share them! They are great! Who are your must reads? Do you have any blogs that make you laugh so hard they are dangerous at work...please share. 

P.S.There are so many others I would love to put in here, but as it has taken all day to write this and I am very tired (one of my eyes is literally closed at the moment) they will have to wait for another day. Hope you all have a beautiful Easter. See you again tomorrow for G of the A to Z Challenge!!!!  

 

Call Me Crazy

I was having a conversation the other day with a truly delightful woman, several years my senior, about how different things are even since I was a child. The rash of teen pregnancies, drug use, gang violence, murders, and some other really yucky stuff that makes my heart hurt. She asked my opinion on how I thought on the issue of teens intentionally getting pregnant, or just flat out not having the knowledge to keep it from happening. I told her exactly what I thought, she asked my opinion after all, let's just say she was less than impressed. As I said she is roughly 80 so she grew up in a very different time, perhaps I should have little white lied it. My mom always tells me I am too blunt, I can't help it, I think I was born without that filter. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. She asked specifically if I knew how I would handle it with my own daughter later on down the line(she's only two, thankfully!). In no uncertain terms I told her I knew exactly how I would handle it, I will be talking to her regularly about sex and why she is worth not having sex with anyone, EVER. :-) No but seriously, we will not be having "the talk" just once, we will talk about it many times, and she will know that she can come to me. I also may have said something to the effect of, her first period or 15, whichever comes first, she will be on birth control.

At this point I am sure this woman is having a stroke, her face was pale and she was doing the "clutching her pearls" move.

Her: You are going to condone sexual activity!?!?!

Me: I did not say that.

Her (her voice is steadily rising in pitch): But putting her on birth control is basically giving her the go ahead.

Me (still quite calm): Umm no, that's not at all what it is, to me it is the smartest thing I could do. I was able to talk to my mother, I told her I thought I was ready and she took me that day to get birth control. I didn't have sex for some time after that, but if I had I wouldn't be risking pregnancy. I am not so gullible to think that if she is going to do it, no matter how closely I watch her, she will find a way.

Her: I...I just can't believe you are ok with this, that isn't right.

Me (getting a touch defensive): No, babies having babies is not right, making adult decisions without the proper knowledge to make those decisions is not right, not having an understanding ear to talk to is not right. Me being there for my girl is the most right thing in the world, and as I am her mother, I think the decision on how to raise her and when to discuss these thing is mine. But bet my girl doesn't have a baby in high school, making an already hard time in life almost impossible, thank you very much!

She left very shortly after that, I felt a tiny bit bad, but not really. I will do whatever I have to do to ensure that my daughter has the fullest, most enriched life filled with all possibilities for success that she can have, and while I understand babies are precious, believe me I love mine more than life, there is time for that.....Later.



What are your thoughts? Do you think I am being crazy, or too "progressive"? How will you be handling this when it comes, or how have you handled it already?


This was an A to Z Challenge post for C......stay tuned for more :-) Leave your link to your challenge posts too please, I would love to read them!!
 

The Bridge Builder

This poem gave me chills when I first heard it, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. Blogger ate the haha post I had planned for today, which is ok because I couldn't decide which I wanted to post. Blogger helped me make the decision, lol. The funny post will still make an appearance, I will just have to slide it in elsewhere, in I perhaps.  So here is one of my favorite poems, enjoy:

The Bridge Builder

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

Through which was flowing a sullen tide

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The sullen stream had no fear for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way;

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

Author Unknown

Be a builder, not a destroyer. Be the change you want to see in this world, be the person you want others to see, be the person you want your children to be. Take five minutes and consider another, if everyone did this can you imagine the world we could live in?

Have you been "the bridge builder" for anyone? Irene Gauthier, the founder of the school I am going to, is my bridge builder, sadly she passed before I could meet her, but she provided an amazing place with an amazing atmosphere and the most wonderful people you could ever meet. Thank you Irene, you were an amazing woman!!!

Age of Allowance

 No, I don't mean money. I mean living intentionally, allowing ourselves as parents to focus on ourselves every once in a while. Sounds easy right? As any parent knows, it's not. From the moment my daughter took her first breath my world shifted. There was no more time for my wants or desires, no more thought about where I wanted to be, my entire life and everything in it became focused solely on this little beauty.

Over the past two and a half years I have been slowly realizing that ignoring myself is not a good way to go through life. I still have guilt when I do have some me time, or when I have to work all day and have a late class too. I'm working on it. This year isn't just about me, even though it feels that way sometimes, it's about doing what I have to do to create a better life for both of us. I made a commitment to myself and my girl, to allow myself to do what I have to do to ensure a wonderful life for both of us. I am allowing myself to pursue my passion. To focus on myself and my growth. It took just over two years but I am finally seeing that even though it is hard, putting myself first sometimes isn't a sin. I don't need to feel guilty for going to school (still working on that part), that I should be proud of myself. I work, I go to school, and I mommy like nobodies business. The time that I am away causes me to make the time that I am home that much more meaningful and special. It's not like I am gone for days at a time, but giving up bedtime story snuggle time was/is difficult, impromptu park dates have to be more planned, losing weekends when I have Saturday Sunday classes. It takes a lot, it is tough more often than not, and I miss my time with my girl. Allowing myself to begin building a better life isn't easy, but it is the second best thing that I have ever done. I am proud, I am working my butt off, and I am loving it. I know that for every minute I don't have now, there will be hours later on. Hours of less stress, and more quality time in our lives, a career that will better our lives. It's worth it, I'm worth it.


What are you allowing in your life? Do you do something just for you? Please share.....