50 year old iPod

I turned 50 years old a few weeks ago.  It’s weird.  I feel 30.  I heard something about   “50 being the NEW 30”.   I like that...  Still dealing the mental game of that, but oh well...

I started getting serious about eating healthy and exercising last year, and for the most part, it has worked out well for me.  I run occasionally, do some Jillian workout videos. (She’s about 35, stands 5 ft. 2.5 inches tall and weighs 117…   I’m 50 now, 5’3” and weigh… not 117.) I do some light lifting of weights, go to yoga and other classes at the city’s rec center, but it’s just easier for me to step out the door and walk or jog.  I’m not skinny, but I’m healthy and that’s the point. 

I don’t ENJOY running; the panting, side stitches and chest pain it brings is not fun, so I thought adding music to my regimen would be beneficial, since I like to sing and dance to it. I decided to update my iPod and go with it, just to keep me on track for a longer period of time.  So off I go last night, into the cool crisp air, about to run and become strong…  My newly updated iPod was blaring in both ears, which were covered with gray ear mitts. I’m inspired to do this!    Right off the bat, I hear George Thorogood, singing   “BBBBAD to the Bone”     yeah, that’s right!! I’m bad!  I’m going out!  

So I’m running along, being bad to the bone, feeling pretty good after the initial pain of running had subsided, and here we go with Joan Jett... And I DO love rock and roll, ‘cause I’m bad to the bone!! Oh yeah, I’m rolling!!

I’m jogging a little, singing, “He was with me, Yea,  me, singing ...  I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the juke box baby!”   I love ...   pant pant     yea.  Me…  singin...     pant pant pant   I  .  love . rock.  wheeze.. and.  wheeze..   roll…… so put another…  pant pant ...    dime . in. the..juke..box…  stop…   walk walk…..fall onto neighbor’s lawn in front of the lighted Charlie Brown Christmas tree… 

While I was resting, JLo popped in and started singing to me… “ It’s a New Genera-tion…  of Party People.”  Right, party people.. Now ain’t that just the truth?  I rolled off the lawn and got to my feet and started again… and then Destiny started telling me that I am Bootylicious;  that was all I needed for my second wind.

I’m going into my second mile now, and I’m feeling strong, and doing ok…Michael Jackson is telling me that I CAN beat it…

Just Beat It, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin' How Funky Strong Is Your Fight

I want to be funky strong, so I keep going…. I am so inspired by now and singing it loud and strong,(when I am just walking) and feeling proud!  I’m going to “Whip It, and whip it good”.

As I passed a group of “I know everything and am the coolest thing on the planet” 13 year olds, I was singing out loud with Bob Seger  “Still like that old time rock and roll…that kind of music just soothes the soul, I reminisce about the days of old, with that old time rock and roll”.  They looked mortified. So mortified, in fact,  they all stopped texting each other, and  started to dial 911. I shouted out over my shoulder, as I sped passed them at 3.4 miles per hour, “you wouldn’t understand!”

 Jogging more, singing along to the “The Love Shack”, feeling good, but slowing down…ok, I’m walking now and  getting a little winded.  I am kind of wondering where that “Chrysler as big as a whale, that seats about 20” is right now, and wonder if it could swing by and give me a ride back home.

Declare with me, all you 50 year old friends of mine!!  “I will keep running/walking, I will sing loud to songs I love and I will stay healthy! And to you,  all you 13 year olds that think I am crazy, you  will understand why,  because  when we” Rock and Roll all night, and Party Every Day,”  we will have enough stamina to last past 9 PM!!

Disclaimer: Jennifer Lopez and Destiny were already loaded... my "iPod" is really the preloaded music on a free  thumb drive thingy I got at Bath and Body Works a few years ago, for spending more than 25 dollars…so, C’mon, really?? You believed I loaded jlo and Destiny??  That's awesome because that proves how I can pull off being young!!   I did add the good ole', classic rock, all my myself.   ;)

Moving into the 19th Century

I have been in the business world for a long time. It started the summer I graduated from high school in 1908. ;)

 I started working with my, retired from teaching (at that time), drama teacher. He  taught me how to knock on doors of homes that had signs of children, and offer the world that could be opened to them by the World Book Encyclopedia. I eventually became a Division Manager with that great company, and had a huge territory to cover. I trained new sales people, visited with librarians in schools all over Texas, went to meetings and conventions all over Texas and the U.S. and other exciting business activities.  To keep myself on track and on time for all these events, I kept a calendar/notebook. 

My family called it my brain.  Rightfully so, because if I didn't have my brain, I was truly lost.

I used my brain for everything, including getting my kids to school and sports events, church activities, even planning dinner.

I was constantly looking for the most effective and convenient brain for my needs.  I tried the desk size, the pocket size, the full size paper size; all of them! 

When I got into real estate, I decided that the Desk size, two pages per day, was the PERFECT brain for me! I would have a schedule and a page and a half to write down conversations and reminder follow ups for phone calls and appointments. It was Perfect!

Now, fast forward to 2011.  Everyone is all about the iPad and fancy technical toys.  I was still using my written brain. Except, I didn't have it when I needed it.  I had personal, work, volunteer and school stuff.  I was keeping them all in different places it seemed.  Some in my brain, some on my home computer, and some on my work computer.

I like to write, and have so many projects in the works and have a note book for each; one for the Bible Study on Naked eating, one for the study of "Deborah, women in leadership", one for "speaking in Tongues; the nasty ways we speak to each other", one for blog ideas, and one for my book. ... I was more confused than ever.

  SO, my husband got me a blackberry, to try to help me move slowly into this century...   It took a lot of screaming on my part, but I started learning how to work the thing, and am proud to say, I can text on it, read my email, and oh course, use it to make a phone call.  

Earlier this week, I started venturing further into the world of the Blackberry, and found a button called, "Word To Go", which was pretty cool, because I was looking for a place where I could write down a note to myself..(I didn't have my brain with me).  It took a little blood, but I did figure out where I can keep a list of details, on different "pieces of paper", and keep all my notes separate.  I can also put ALL of my activities on one calendar, and keep, said calendar, with me at all times!!

I can say, that I am a little more updated than I was yesterday.  I can also report that I have one folder for my notes for my book, one for each bible study, blog....and, well, you know..

 I'm so excited and feel so accomplished!

  Does the world know about this??  It needs to!  Awesome!

  

Eating Nek'kid

A lot of you know I wrote a Bible Study on eating naturally. I originally entitled it "Eating in the Garden of Eden". Yeah, I know, that seems kind of boring. While I presented my study at a woman's conference this past spring, the name kind of morphed into ~ Naked Eating~....That just sounded more fun.

I promised those women that I would update some recipes every once in a while, so this blog is one of the promised updates..

Background for newbies... Naked eating is a simple concept of eating foods that God made; as He made them, natural.. ie, baked potato out of the ground, no sour cream!;  beautiful broccoli...no cheese to cover up the wonderful flavor...lettuce, tomatoes etc., in a bowl...no ranch dressing...(use lemon juice if you have to have something to cover the sweet taste of natural flavor)
...and so on..you get the point.

I also believe that the herbs we grow in our backyard, are Gods natural food... So many benefits from them! so I use those often as I can.

There are obviously not a lot of recipes to share because the food is ..well...plain.  But I tried something tonight that was extra good, and thought I would pass it along to all the "naked" fans...


Oregano Baby Bellas

very simple...  I bought fresh Baby Portabella mushrooms at the grocery store.
When I got home, I sliced the mushrooms and put Extra virgin olive oil in a pan and laced it with Garlic...tiny tiny pieces of garlic.
Next, I sprinkled in some crushed Oregano leaves...

 Enter, Baby Bellas, and saute until they turn the color of brown you prefer in your mushrooms. 

I was surprised that this made up, whim of a dish, tasted FANTASTIC! They mixed perfectly with the naked, steamed, fresh green beans and salad that we were eating along with our Salmon.  

MMMM... Eatin' nek'kid is the BEST!  

Chronicles of a Runner (BBWWWAAAA ; makes me laugh just writing it)

I woke up at 3:30 am and could not go back to sleep. I read, watched some late night infomercials, and snacked on almonds. But that was only because all the Merlot Brownies, from the week before, were already gone.


As I was watching the news, the weather reports were declaring another day over 100 degrees in Texas and even at 5:30 AM, it was already 86. Man, it's hot in  Texas.

I had lost some weight over the past year, and a lot of it was due to running/jogging/walking, but because of the aforementioned heat, I have not been doing any of that lately. My waistline was showing that fact.
Because I was sleep deprived,  I had the great idea that, since I was up, I might as well try to run again “while it was still cool”. HA ! Yeah right...
So I ate a bowl of cheerios, with no sugar and low fat milk so I could “carb up”! I also added whole wheat toast with peanut butter so I felt I was sufficiently fueled for the big run.

OK. First, let me explain the word, “running”. I use this very loosely. When I say “running” I mean, walking at a brisk pace.. most people don’t normally walk this fast. Then start to jog a little. Jogging means …Lift legs quicker, but don’t move FORWARD any faster. I jog until I can’t breathe, usually about 3 or 4 minutes, then I slow to a walk, until I can breathe again, or the side stitches go away, which ever is last. Then repeat three more cycles, usually takes one hour to get maximum health effect.

Here is the time line.

6:00 start walking down my street… start jogging process…

6:09 Is it an hour yet? Can’t breathe…sweating

Then I turn a corner and think, “Oh good, Bethel school road, it goes down hill”  forgetting that what goes down, must come up…

And now the Cheerios kicking in, side stitches….wheat toast with peanut butter…"shouldn’t that be enough to stay fit?? why am I doing this?"

6:10 can’t breathe, walk at brisk pace for 10 minutes

6:20 run, again

Cycle for three more minutes

6:23 Cool down: walk slowly through all automatic sprinklers that have come on since leaving the house, this takes another 15 minutes.

6:38 Bang on bedroom window to wake husband, because I have locked my self out of the house. He hears and lets me in. I race for the shower, (see above for definition of “race”) but get disctacted by the comfy bed, and I fall into it, exhausted and sweaty.


Funny thing is, I’m not new to running. I have been doing some form of running, on a semi regular basis, since I was a teenager… why is this so hard… Isn’t it better on the psyche to just be satisfied with who you are?


But, I will follow the above schedule religiously, at least once a week, and be well on my way to healthy bod!!

Happy Running!

Hell in Texas?

Some people believe hell to be a place of eternal fire...

Texas may be hell on earth at this moment, if that is true.

I have always liked the phrase, "If I can't make it to heaven , I'll just go to the closest thing,  Texas!" because  I love living in Texas and being a Texan..it comes with a reputation of toughness, other states only long for.

But right now, Texas is burning.  

We have been fighting raging wild fires, all over the state, for almost two weeks now.  We have lost two firefighters, battling the blazes, and 150 homes in North Texas alone, according to the latest broadcasts. Fires are roaring around Austin, Dallas area and all over West Texas.It scares me, because of the high winds and heat; brave men and women sacrificing their lives to protect us and our homes.  We just can't seem to control it; we can't, because we are little little beings and we are not in control. 

Sooo... here’s the scene..

God is in heaven, listening to Job and his “buddies” sitting around

trying to figure things out that are way too big for them to understand...

Then Lisa says, “So, Where is the rain, to put out the fire??” AND

THE LORD SPEAKS:

JOB 38
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

READ for yourself all that God has to say here. It is very humbling, when you find yourself losing faith and questioning God.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2038&version=NIV

The fires scare me to death.. I have to keep remembering while I’m asking for rain, God’s got it…

TEEN AGERS

Because "teens"..AGE US"??   Is that where that name comes from??

Why is it ,the moment they hit 17, they are now old enough to "be their own boss", to old to be told how to speak to adults respectfully, or "not be required to check in about their whereabouts, or actions"... but still need to be fed and watered??

We love all of our dear children. They all have their own special talents and attributes...

 One, teaches me about faith in God, and is a wonderful spiritual example to me;
one is a perfect and beautiful mother;
one has a heart of gold and is brilliant,
and the last one makes me laugh constantly...

but I gotta tell ya, those teen years are challenging, to say the least... 

                                            I'm tired. 

 Homework fights, boy and girl friend fights, get a job and pull your own weight fights...Tattoo and piercing fights...the late night "I'm in jail" call...   whew!~  

                                          I'm tired!

I'm on my fourth and final round..   If I survive this one in two more years, my husband and I are going to Europe...  we have already saved $6.35 toward the trip, and we are super excited!!

I hope we make it!

Lovin' Life!

Laughing is a great thing!

It's contagious; makes everyone around the laughter feel happy as well!


I love to laugh and believe that laughter is, truly, a form of medicine.


The picture below is of my niece, Elizabeth and her little sister Alexandria. As you can see, Elizabeth is the laughing child...not so much for Alex..  I think this is my favorite picture in the world!
Alex is trying to crawl away, and 'Lizzie thinks it's funny, (and she is correct) to hold on , and just let the baby's feet move fast on the floor beneath her, and go nowhere...

LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH!!

This blog is to show you that you CAN, in fact, have fun at the expense of your little sister! Here is the picture to prove it!

So, go... have fun!... Make people laugh, and have a GREAT DAY!!!! 

Reverence Needed for Lent?

I was in a beautiful Catholic Church today. I have mentioned before, that I am Baptist, but I have a little bit of Catholic in me.


I attended a private, Catholic school when I was in the fourth grade. It seems I needed "special attention"...mmm.. ( see Taming Elizabeth)   All I remember about that year is the sweet nun that was my teacher, the crisp white shirt that I wore with my pleated, navy blue skirt...(every day) , and my brother having to attend as well, even though he wasn't as special as I was.

 I also remember sitting in the hall, after getting into trouble in class one day.. The priest walked by and said, "Why are you out here?" I shyly  and shamefully answered, "I was bad; I was talking."   "Humph. You should think  about that next time, young lady." Then he walked away.  I remember my friends didn't believe I spoke to the priest. "He doesn't talk to people in the halls, because they are bad.", they protested.


I have better thoughts when I think about my little sister joining the Catholic church, 10 years after marrying a wonderful man of that faith.  She studied and studied, and decided that is what she needed to do for her family. Her big, loving,  baptist family joined her at Easter Mass, and supported her decision.  She became ALL THE WAY CATHOLIC,  and flew to Rome, to the Vatican, for her first communion..  Awesome.

As I was looking at the statues, and ornate religious symbols all over the church today, I felt reverent, humbled and quite frankly, a whole lot more spiritual than I had in a while. Looking at the symbols of Christ on the cross, the day before Ash Wednesday, brought more seriousness to the event than normal. I was glad to be there. As I walked around the beautiful courtyard, I began to wonder where some of our reverence has gone.

We want to welcome people into our churches, invite them to "come as you are". "Jesus accepts you, just as you are!"; which is true, but have we given up reverence for God, with our acceptance of people?

It was quiet in the church. I could think about what I was was seeing, and the significance of each event.  I think, many times, in our churches, we are busy visiting and welcoming each other, we forget to visit with and welcome God.  Are we to allow clothing to be too reveling in church, because it is in fashion? or are we to come to worship our God, the Almighty, with reverence and modesty?


One thing I am very glad about; God is not too big to talk to me when I'm bad. For that, I'm very thankful.

As simple as boiling water…

Is that me or my task at hand?  

I like to think I have great cooking skills. I make pretty good food; good enough for my daughter in law to call, in frustration at times, asking…  “What do you do, to make XXX just right, like Chad likes it?”

Well, this morning, I cooked!

  I put water in the tea kettle to boil, turned the burner on and went to watch the morning news. Soon, I heard a strange popping sound, but, I, being as interested in world politics as I am, didn’t venture to investigate… then another very loud pop…  

 I thought I might just check in.

What I didn’t realize is, the burner I turned on, was under a lid that had been left on the stove, not under the tea kettle.  Oops.   Smoke was coming from under the lid, and the popping continued.  I moved the lid, turned on the fan above the stove, and frantically waved a towel in front of the fire buzzer, so not to wake my family at 5:30 AM with an annoying, very alarming, fire sound.

The crisis ended without too much harm, ( I did loose a lid), and I went into the bedroom, crawled in bed, next to my sleeping husband and said, “I almost burned the house down just by boiling water…”  That kind of woke him up... “What??   Did you do?”  I relayed the smoking story, and muttered.. “And I call myself a cook”.

My husband is the most enduring man on  the planet.  He has lived with me for 18 years… In his always supporting and comforting, even fatherly way, he said , “You’re  a great cook! The food tastes real good, when and if it makes it through~ ….you just need a chaperone in the kitchen"...

Truer words have never been uttered.    Bon Appétit!

Low Down Women

Think of the coolest woman you know, and ask her if she sings Alto.. (That's the lower womans' singing voice, for those of you non musical readers...)

I guarantee you, if she is really as cool as you think she is, she will. say...  "I sing Alto".

 Our youth choir filled the choir loft at church a few weeks ago. They looked and sounded fantastic! I noticed a difference in the girls/women, though; a distinct difference between the divided group of females. I could tell, just by looking, the altos from the sopranos.  

Alto chicks are just tougher by nature.  We look more tough, sound tough, and have tough attitudes.  No diss'en the higher girls, my best friend is a soprano.  That's just the way it is. Alto's are cooler.

Every choir director I have known has uttered these words,  "I need more alto!"  or "I can't hear the altos!"
It's not because we can't belt it out like our higher, more delicate counter parts.. it's just that we are too cool.  We are thinking, " Ya know, I could sing louder, but I just don't want to right now, besides, I'm too cool."  

It's the Attitude. We all have it; it's unavoidable. My last church choir alto section even had shirts printed that said..  " I have Alto-tude".  

The 'Tude may perpetuate itself in a very intelligent, quiet, soft spoken woman who doesn't really like you, but would never say that...  or in a mouthy woman, full of sarcasm and opinions.  You will never know the difference.  I tend to linger in the latter alto tude...

...The next time you watch a choir sing, see if you can find the Alto section...
We are too cool to miss!!

Speaking in Tongues

No, this will not be a blog about religious philosophies… although, if I did decide to open the “tongues” can of worms, I do have some opinions…

No, I am speaking of the language of Economics.

I am working on my MBA. Why? I haven’t a clue… Anyway I am taking a class called Managerial Economics and Globalization, where we are being taught how to forecast local and global business trends and how they will perform in the future.  (Apparently, having the crystal ball to see into the future is an important concept in the business world.  I just want to know what the weather will be like tomorrow, so I’ll know if I need a sweater.)

So, in Economics, we use the tongue of Economics, which is a cross between Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, and a little bit of First grade alphabet mixed in for good measure.

I’m a very verbal person. I have a degree in Business Management; with honors, might I add, so I can speak to you about business trends and understand the economic concepts; but our PhD, attorney, economy masochist professor, wants me to tell him what I know using the Economics tongue. That’s where the struggle begins.  I can communicate with everyone but him; He wants information in only one way, and I just don’t speak that language.

Ok. So here it is…     I (M-G)/D2=A/C2050

Translation: I must go now and divide my time in order to complete Assignment #2 to make an A in the course that is costing $2050 to complete.

Yeah. Good Luck with that, Lisa

Angel with Broken Wings

The picture on my blog is of an angel that sits in my backyard flower garden.

 My husband and I bought it at an antique shop in Mt. Carmel, Ill. while visiting family last June.  My oldest son, his wife and daughter live in a wonderful apartment there, which my daughter in law so amazingly designed.  Across the downtown street, we found a cluttered, but interesting shop filled with 30 years of the owner’s would be treasures.

 The angel was outside, in the “yard section”, and when I saw her, I instantly fell in love with her.  She reminded me of me.   

She was there, looking like, at one time, the most beautiful creature made; just as we all are, when God forms us.  She was weathered and broken, just as I am, after many bad life choices.  I felt a connection to her, sitting there, among things that were once new and beautiful, wanting to have love and life once again.  It reminded me that God loves me... just as I am. I loved her exactly like she was. I swooped her up in my arms and said… “She’s mine, and is going home with us today.”

She isn’t perfect, but looks perfect in my back yard.

My husband said, “I like her, because she’s just like you…an angel, with broken wings”.   

And that’s how God sees us, too.  He looks past the brokenness, chips, and scuffs; scoops us in his arms and says, ...

“Your mine. And, you are going home with me.”

Under the Influence

I went to the dentist today, and they asked me, do you want the gas?
 HA HA HA 
 Are you sticking a long needle in my cheek and jaw? .. Yeah, I want the gas!

They gave me head phones that played classic rock, and I began to relax a little...  I hate going to the dentist.

That stuff I was breathing makes me a  little loopy, and since I'm such a control freak, I talk to myself.  In my mind I say, "Don't let go, keep your wits... Don't let go of your mind."  Then, after several minutes, I  finally give up the fight with myself and say..  "Give it up, and just give in...this is bigger than both of us" and finally float into la la land...  " I love the dentist, I love the dentist"...  

I never tried any kind of drugs, and have never been drunk, (except with love; not with the dentist) so this is my best and only high...  

During this "trip" I thought of all kinds of cool stuff I could tell everyone in this blog; unfortunately, I can't remember any of it. I do remember "Stairway to Heaven" playing at the beginning, and,  me being the best drummer The Rolling Stones ever had, at one point...   but that's it...   Sorry.. I'll try to take my notebook in next time to take proper notes.

What is that stuff...and can they put it Brownies??

Dining with Death

I am in the process of writing a Bible Study entitled, “Eating in the Garden of Eden”.

 I tell people this philosophy is easy to follow; if God didn’t make it, don’t put it in your mouth.  But, I have recently discovered that I need to add this idea, I think. 

DON’T EAT EVERYTHING THAT GOD MADE.

This is  what I learned… Eating raw Octopus can kill you.

I suggest in my study that maybe we should eat food straight from the natural source, i.e.; the ground, the tree, the ocean or streams, out of the chicken or from the field.  No extra sauce or dressing needed. Eat it raw, baked steamed or grilled – and call it healthy.  OK. 

    

 Btw, EAT IT RAW... reminds me of one of my favorite movie lines ever!  

         “Give them to us raw and wigglin!”…  Gollum,  of The two Towers!

(sorry… I get side tracked…see previous blog)

I enjoy watching the Travel Channel. There is an entertaining host named Andrew Zimmern, who is on several shows and I was watching his special called “Dining with Death” (this is where my blog title comes from… it was not original). Andrew was explaining that eating raw sea food is popular all over the world, but eating raw octopus can be dangerous~ The little suckers have little suckers! And they will still wiggle after chopping them up into headless, delectable bite size pieces…  Gollum would LOVE ‘em!!

The danger lays in not chewing them properly, thus, swallowing a tentacle that will, although already retired from life, try to attach to the diners throat and hang on in a quest to protect itself, one last time, from its own demise.   If the little, dead, chopped up sucker succeeds, it could lead to affixation.

The doctor in South Korea, who was interviewed about treating this international phenomenon, warns that if one chooses to eat raw octopus, please chew thoroughly in order to break through the suction cups and maybe down a carbonated beverage to loosen to suction grip.  

Can you imagine?? Being strangled by your dinner? What a strange ending to one’s life.

I stand firmly on, “If God didn’t make it, don’t’ eat it”.  But I am now adding… Think CAREFULLY before you eat SOME THINGS that God made!”

and have a nice, safe dinner tonight! ;)

Taming Elizabeth

When I was in Kindergarten, in Midwest City OK., I was untamed.

 So much “untamedness”, that my teacher literally tied me to my chair. I’m serious! 
REALLY!  She actually brought a rope to school, and tied me to my little, tiny, kindergarten chair!! Oh, the law suits that would bring today!!

At that time, fall of 1965, this was the conversation from the old black rotary.  (No caller ID for warning) RRIINNNGGG...“ Hello. Mrs. Parrish? This is the teacher. Lisa can not stay still… She gets out of her chair and disturbs others.  She doesn’t like to do her work, and causes the other children to want to play, instead of learn. She does not know how to control herself or behave. Please fix her, or I will tie her to her chair. ”  

That’s a huge shock to all my friends, I know… Lisa can’t be still? WOW...  Now, it’s diagnosed as ADHD.  You have heard of it.. Some people use that title as an excuse to misbehave…but others, like me, who are a wee bit impulsive, have had to grow up with some humorless social issues.  But, we are brilliant!  

As an adult, I have finally learned how to “Tame Elizabeth”.

My 5 year old niece, Elizabeth, has the blessing of being brilliant, as well.  She is the happiest and most ‘excited about life’ person I have ever met. She is the child who will change clothes 17 times a day, because she gets a better idea of what to wear. When she gets a beautiful idea, she colors it on the custom painted dining room wall.  She likes everyone and everything, because each new person or action is an unexplored adventure. I use her to explain about me, to other people. 

“Elizabeth” is what I have named all the ideas in my head.  There is a lot going on, moving very fast; all kinds of different things to do that are fun, challenging, adventurous and worthwhile; but I usually don’t stay on those important tasks long, because “Elizabeth” gets pulled off on another fun journey.

It takes everything I have to sit in church for one complete hour, without wiggling…It's really great that Baptists have discovered that we have hands to clap and hips to sway! I have to take notes during the preaching. That's good on so many levels, and people see that, they think I’m very spiritual.

When I was in a 4 hour training session at work, I told the facilitator, “I really am paying attention.  I can’t sit still unless I’m writing, doing a crossword, or flipping through a magazine. I listen better that way!” Yeah…she believed that. Even right now, I’m writing this blog, while watching CSI, and catching every word of the show…   (Solved the case, as well! We are brilliant!) 

While I was going to college, I would go into my room, turn on the TV, check all my email, facebook, and anything I could think of that might take my concentration off of Business 101.  I had to get all of that out of the way so I wouldn’t be thinking about those things when I should be learning.  
I have to have to TV going in the background, so Elizabeth will hear, be entertained by the pretty noises, and let me do my work.  
It sounds like a mental illness, but it’s not.  It is brilliance and creativity at it’s finest! It just needs to be tamed.

That’s how we manage as Adults with ADHD.   Understand, love and appreciate us!

There is no one to tie you to your chair at this age.  You have to do it yourself.  

Lookin’ GOOD!

I was in Starbucks the other day, getting my coffee and Raspberry muffin. I noticed some cute motorcycle cops in there, and I thought, “Hey, cute cops!”

 I like cops, I married one…I guess it’s the uniforms…

Anyway, I was ordering my coffee, and I could feel them looking…and I thought, “Oh yeah, I look good!”     Uh huh.  I continued to add cream and Splenda to my coffee, and glanced over… Yeah…they were still looking.

 I thought, “Yeah Baby! I got my spanx on,    I’m looking GOOD! “   

I go to my car feeling happy, young and flattered… I get in my car and glance in the mirror as I am backing out, and...GHASP! …my bangs are still BARREL ROLLED FROM MY CURLING IRON!! 

 They weren’t lookin’.., they were LAUGHING!!….  

   That’s when it hit me. When you are too old to remember to comb your hair before you leave the house….. No one is lookin’…

(exert from my upcoming book, "Grandma Rides a Motorcycle")

No guarantees in life…

Like… The 2AM info-mercial I saw, advertising, “If you buy this “belly buster” you are guaranteed!! To loose 6 inches off of your middle in two weeks!!   REALLY??   I’m thinking, …No...

I work in a municipal cemetery.  I see death almost everyday. Nothing is guaranteed.  There are children interred there, that deserved, hoped and dreamed of growing up and becoming a doctor, pilot, or policeman, but didn’t get that chance. Nothing is guaranteed.

We study at college, hoping to make a difference at our new found career.  We hope we can change the world, but then our own world may be shattered, and nothing is changed by us, for the better.  No guarantees.

We are healthy our whole lives.  We have great plans for retirement with our lifetime love.   Then cancer hits, and wipes us out financially, physically, mentally.  There are no guarantees.

A young police officer was shot and killed last week in Arlington.  The reports told how she worked her way through college to earn her criminal justice degree, went through the Police academy and had just finished her rookie training with the APD.  At age 24, she had the world in front of her, and she wanted to make a difference in the world.  She died by giving her life to save an 11 year old girl, caught up in a domestic violence rampage. She died making a difference.  She was not guaranteed a long life, but she definitely had a full one.  I honor Officer Jillian Michelle Smith, and thank all officers, fire fighters and military personnel for making a difference, while having no guarantees.  

If I never say anything else that is important, I know following is.  God is a guarantee.  He is the only thing you or I, can depend on. Guaranteed.  I know this by the proof of everything around me. No matter what tragedy has come to our lives, God will see us through, even if we can’t seem to see to even tread water. We need to live life to the fullest; getting and giving to others as much love and happiness as possible, every minute, every day. Waiting on Him is an everlasting learning process.  He has proven himself countless times.  And He doesn’t have to. He is God.



NEXT: Lookin' GOOD!

Starting new things

I asked a friend, "What should I do, to go about getting my book published?" He told me to start a blog, and show the publishers how many people love my work.  That has not happened until today, because I saw the task of blogging as taking away from my publishing efforts. I thought..."if I put everything in a blog, what will be left to publish?"  Still...that is my question.  Plus, I have no typing skills, and correcting all of my mistakes will take forever! Seriously...
    But, here I am, and we'll give it a whirl. 
     Let me explain to you, I write like I talk... sometimes very sarcastically, in abbreviated form, and probably making no sense to the common man. If you follow along, know that up front.  I'm sharply, and sometimes, cruelly honest, which leads to misunderstandings at times.   I don't mean to hurt, but sometimes, I am a little edgy. My mom calls it "harsh". Sorry, mom.
     I also have a lot of great ideas; Fast out of the gate...not so much on endurance. So, again, it's the whirl thing....here we go.