It's been a whirlwind week! Our kids just finished up a play this week called "Humpty Dumpty Is Missing". If you've never seen it, it's a hoot! They had a lot of fun and considering there was a cast of 25 children ranging in age from 7-14, not a whole lot of altercations. My son was the oldest and of course, he always knows best so there was bound to be /some/ trouble. Turns out, there was only one kid he had real problems with. And his main beef with this kid was that he held up practices with his bratty behavior and inability (or lack of desire) to memorize his lines. Anyway, thankfully the play was over before any real physical harm was caused, except for this kid stepping on my son's foot. I wonder if he knew my son has an ingrown toenail on that foot. The world may never know. I tried to upload a couple of photos but it's not working for me. Maybe I can load some later.
So all week long, we were rushing to get the kids to the play. Friday night was the last night of the play and tonight we had a birthday party to go to. A friend of ours (we met through the first play we were involved with) had a BIG birthday party for her little girl who turned 3 this year. It was a princess party and all the girls were to dress up as princesses. My two went as Indian (as in the country India) princesses. They were gorgeous! I know. I'm biased. :) They had a lot of fun and really enjoyed being a part of it all. Well, I know it's short but I have to get some sleep. My weekend is almost over before I even began it! LOL Hmmm...and my birthday is coming up soon. I better get started planning something for that...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Respecting My Elders
I just got to thinking about something today. I have a few friends who aren't comfortable around the elderly. These same friends may even mock them at times. They are entitled to their opinions and responsible for their own actions concerning this matter. But here is my take on respecting the elderly...in 10 topic sentences.
1. They made it to the age they are.-They must have had some kind of tenacity to get to the age they are today. For sheer determination in surviving the things life throws at all humans, they deserve my respect.
2. They have lived through many experiences.-They have had to deal with many things we can only imagine in today's world of fast everything. In doing so, they've had to make do with what they had, which was sometimes not much at all. For their ingenuity, they deserve my respect.
3. They are or were hard workers.-Back in the day, you actually had to work to get recognition or honor of any kind. Back in the day, if you didn't work, you didn't eat. Back in the day, everything was work and work was constant. Washing clothes, cooking, keeping the house clean, keeping the yard looking nice-all these things meant hard and diligent work had to be done...constantly. For that, they deserve my thanks and respect.
4. They know a few things.-Things may have changed a bit, but human nature remains the same. Trust me. I've learned quite a few things from my grandmother, who is also my hero. I may not always agree with her, but I can still respect her opinion because she may have something-something I probably missed. Last time I checked, I was still a kid to her, still her granddaughter, and still not quite as smart as I think I am. For their knowledge of the world around them, they deserve my respect.
5. They care.-Most people razz you or criticize you because they care. There are indeed a few who do so out of spite, malice and jealousy. But if these people are friends or family, they are doing this because they care. Listen to them. Take the bits of what they say that make sense, those bits that you understand, and apply them. See what happens. For their care and concern, they deserve my care and respect.
6. They take the right things seriously.-I find that most elderly folks are most concerned about their family. I think they have that right. I think family should be the most important thing to all of us. And I think there is a lesson to be learned here. How many of us think we never have enough time to stop? I think I'll take the advice of the elderly and be sure and spend some time with the people I care most about every day...or at least as often as I can make time. For their time, they deserve honor and respect.
7. They've been there. They've done that.-There is no advice like the advice from someone who's been there. Like I said earlier, times may have changed but human nature hasn't. Listen to what the elderly have to say about what they learned in life. Chances are, you will learn something new and helpful. And even if you don't, there's probably a good story to be heard. For their helpful words and advice, they deserve my respect.
8. They can teach others.-Where many of us (the young'uns) have no patience, I find the elderly have it in plenty. And they have so many things they can teach us. For the lessons they are willing to share, they deserve my thanks and my respect.
9. Storytime-I love hearing the elderly relate stories of their childhood or young life. Many of these would be frowned on now because political correctness has torn down so many good walls as well as some of the bad ones. For the stories they are willing to share, they deserve my willing and eager ear and my respect.
10. They are educated in many ways.-Most of the elderly are smarter than we give them credit for. Their school was actually much harder than the stuff we were/are made to learn today. Their teachers were not allowed to go over the test questions before the test was given. Their teachers did not keep the rest of the class hindered because one or two students were behind. They kept up, or they got left behind. There's a reason for that. They had to be strong to survive in the world of yesteryear. Their minds had to be as strong as their bodies. A strong mind has to be worked and stretched into shape just as the muscles of the body must be worked and stretched in order to be strengthened. For their determination to succeed, in order that they may pass on their hard work for the benefit of their children and their children's children, they deserve my heartfelt gratitude, my respect and great honor forever.
And that's how I feel about the elderly.
1. They made it to the age they are.-They must have had some kind of tenacity to get to the age they are today. For sheer determination in surviving the things life throws at all humans, they deserve my respect.
2. They have lived through many experiences.-They have had to deal with many things we can only imagine in today's world of fast everything. In doing so, they've had to make do with what they had, which was sometimes not much at all. For their ingenuity, they deserve my respect.
3. They are or were hard workers.-Back in the day, you actually had to work to get recognition or honor of any kind. Back in the day, if you didn't work, you didn't eat. Back in the day, everything was work and work was constant. Washing clothes, cooking, keeping the house clean, keeping the yard looking nice-all these things meant hard and diligent work had to be done...constantly. For that, they deserve my thanks and respect.
4. They know a few things.-Things may have changed a bit, but human nature remains the same. Trust me. I've learned quite a few things from my grandmother, who is also my hero. I may not always agree with her, but I can still respect her opinion because she may have something-something I probably missed. Last time I checked, I was still a kid to her, still her granddaughter, and still not quite as smart as I think I am. For their knowledge of the world around them, they deserve my respect.
5. They care.-Most people razz you or criticize you because they care. There are indeed a few who do so out of spite, malice and jealousy. But if these people are friends or family, they are doing this because they care. Listen to them. Take the bits of what they say that make sense, those bits that you understand, and apply them. See what happens. For their care and concern, they deserve my care and respect.
6. They take the right things seriously.-I find that most elderly folks are most concerned about their family. I think they have that right. I think family should be the most important thing to all of us. And I think there is a lesson to be learned here. How many of us think we never have enough time to stop? I think I'll take the advice of the elderly and be sure and spend some time with the people I care most about every day...or at least as often as I can make time. For their time, they deserve honor and respect.
7. They've been there. They've done that.-There is no advice like the advice from someone who's been there. Like I said earlier, times may have changed but human nature hasn't. Listen to what the elderly have to say about what they learned in life. Chances are, you will learn something new and helpful. And even if you don't, there's probably a good story to be heard. For their helpful words and advice, they deserve my respect.
8. They can teach others.-Where many of us (the young'uns) have no patience, I find the elderly have it in plenty. And they have so many things they can teach us. For the lessons they are willing to share, they deserve my thanks and my respect.
9. Storytime-I love hearing the elderly relate stories of their childhood or young life. Many of these would be frowned on now because political correctness has torn down so many good walls as well as some of the bad ones. For the stories they are willing to share, they deserve my willing and eager ear and my respect.
10. They are educated in many ways.-Most of the elderly are smarter than we give them credit for. Their school was actually much harder than the stuff we were/are made to learn today. Their teachers were not allowed to go over the test questions before the test was given. Their teachers did not keep the rest of the class hindered because one or two students were behind. They kept up, or they got left behind. There's a reason for that. They had to be strong to survive in the world of yesteryear. Their minds had to be as strong as their bodies. A strong mind has to be worked and stretched into shape just as the muscles of the body must be worked and stretched in order to be strengthened. For their determination to succeed, in order that they may pass on their hard work for the benefit of their children and their children's children, they deserve my heartfelt gratitude, my respect and great honor forever.
And that's how I feel about the elderly.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
10 Things I Would Like To Do But...
I'm following through on the new "10 Things" kick I started with my last blog post. I really believe we make time for the things we truly want to do. But what happens when the things you want to do are more than the time you have available? Oh, yeah. A priority list might help...unless you hate making lists and being confined to schedules. Am I the only person who desires to do lots of good things but never does them? I seem to have lots of good intentions but I never follow through on about half of them. So here's a list of confessions, things I want to do, have started to do, but never made the time to finish.
1. Stained glass-This one is easy. I never have the money to start this kind of project because of the plethora of other projects I always have going. I love the art of stained glass, though. So this is on my mental list of 'things to do before I die'.
2. Make stuff for all my friends-I always get some kind of compliment on the work I do. And I like to share. Currently, there are 5 projects in the works for friends. Are any of them finished? No. How many are actually started? Two, both just barely.
3. Keep my desk clean and organized-This is a hard one. I spend the most time at my desk. It gathers the most clutter. I tried the Fly Lady thing but the emails were so overwhelming, I felt unable to comply. Besides, I work better under pressure...well, that's what I tell myself anyway. Right now, my desk looks like an F-5 tornado swept through, followed by Hurricane Katrina, followed by a tidal wave of epic proportions. There's barely enough space for my water glass. I've tried organizing it. I bought great little drawer boxes and labeled them. Those are still functioning as described. It's mainly the paperwork that gets out of hand. I even simplified that but it's still like a paperwork swamp! (sigh)
4. Keep my house dust free-This one is practically impossible unless I walk around with dust rags or Swiffer mitts surgically fixed on my hands, feet and head. We live next to a dirt road and there are fields all around us. I'm beginning to think the dust rhinoceri are my pets and am getting quite attached. This is a sad thing, though, when I'm allergic to them. :(
5. Keep up with dishes and laundry-Well, in a family of five, I guess I'd be doing dishes and laundry non-stop. Not gonna happen. I have no desire to constantly stand at the sink or in front of the washer. I do love hanging laundry on the line but there's only so much room out there. I've come to the conclusion that I just need to accept the fact that there will always be some laundry in the laundry baskets and some dishes in the sink.
6. Indulge my budding inner artist-I love art in all forms. I see beauty in so many things. In fact, I see beauty in many areas most people turn away from in disgust. However, putting this down on a piece of sketchbook paper seems to be beyond me. At least, I can't seem to do it on a regular basis. I seem to do things in ragged lumps. For example: 1 week of sewing non-stop, 2 weeks of chainmail jewelry non-stop, 4 days of calligraphy non-stop, etc. As a result, I usually finish a couple of the projects I have going and get started on others so they can sit in a box for a couple of months before I get back to completing them.
7. Exercise-I'm not a sporty person. In fact, I hate sports. I realize the importance of staying fit. But I do not believe people should be paid more to play games than to make a building safe for thousands of the workers inside. That makes no logical sense to me. Anyway, I love the idea of a regular workout routine. I do well for about a week, then the novelty wears off. I'm not getting any younger and my metabolism will be changing before too long. But I can't seem to stick with it for long enough to make it a habit.
8. Eating a good breakfast-I used to eat breakfast every day. Now my breakfast usually consists of 2.5 cups of coffee. I know that's not a healthy breakfast but I can't seem to desire a good breakfast. Not only that, if I eat too early in the morning, I feel kinda yucky. If I do wait to eat breakfast, I'm usually sidetracked by something else that needs doing.
9. Writing a book-One day, I'd like to write a book. I can't really decide on subject matter, though. I thought a book of my blog posts might be interesting. But then I thought it might just be a bit redundant. I did take a course on writing books for children. And I wrote a book...and was told there was too much information in it for the target age. That was interesting since my little cousin didn't seem to have too much trouble with it. Anyway, I haven't tried again and that was years ago. It's not that the critic was dissing my attempt. It's more about me not being sure of what I really want to say.
10. Jam with some of my favorite musicians-I'd love to just sit in on a jam session with some of my favorite artists. There's nothing more comforting to me than sitting in a small, intimate setting with friends and just having fun with music. Sadly, I never seem to be in a position to make this happen. Ah, well...
So there are my ten things for this go round. I hope you find them interesting, funny or helpful in some way. Feel free to comment. I'm not looking for help or guidance. I know what I need to do to 'make' these things happen. I also know that some are more probable than others. I'm a realist, after all. ;) Have a great day!
1. Stained glass-This one is easy. I never have the money to start this kind of project because of the plethora of other projects I always have going. I love the art of stained glass, though. So this is on my mental list of 'things to do before I die'.
2. Make stuff for all my friends-I always get some kind of compliment on the work I do. And I like to share. Currently, there are 5 projects in the works for friends. Are any of them finished? No. How many are actually started? Two, both just barely.
3. Keep my desk clean and organized-This is a hard one. I spend the most time at my desk. It gathers the most clutter. I tried the Fly Lady thing but the emails were so overwhelming, I felt unable to comply. Besides, I work better under pressure...well, that's what I tell myself anyway. Right now, my desk looks like an F-5 tornado swept through, followed by Hurricane Katrina, followed by a tidal wave of epic proportions. There's barely enough space for my water glass. I've tried organizing it. I bought great little drawer boxes and labeled them. Those are still functioning as described. It's mainly the paperwork that gets out of hand. I even simplified that but it's still like a paperwork swamp! (sigh)
4. Keep my house dust free-This one is practically impossible unless I walk around with dust rags or Swiffer mitts surgically fixed on my hands, feet and head. We live next to a dirt road and there are fields all around us. I'm beginning to think the dust rhinoceri are my pets and am getting quite attached. This is a sad thing, though, when I'm allergic to them. :(
5. Keep up with dishes and laundry-Well, in a family of five, I guess I'd be doing dishes and laundry non-stop. Not gonna happen. I have no desire to constantly stand at the sink or in front of the washer. I do love hanging laundry on the line but there's only so much room out there. I've come to the conclusion that I just need to accept the fact that there will always be some laundry in the laundry baskets and some dishes in the sink.
6. Indulge my budding inner artist-I love art in all forms. I see beauty in so many things. In fact, I see beauty in many areas most people turn away from in disgust. However, putting this down on a piece of sketchbook paper seems to be beyond me. At least, I can't seem to do it on a regular basis. I seem to do things in ragged lumps. For example: 1 week of sewing non-stop, 2 weeks of chainmail jewelry non-stop, 4 days of calligraphy non-stop, etc. As a result, I usually finish a couple of the projects I have going and get started on others so they can sit in a box for a couple of months before I get back to completing them.
7. Exercise-I'm not a sporty person. In fact, I hate sports. I realize the importance of staying fit. But I do not believe people should be paid more to play games than to make a building safe for thousands of the workers inside. That makes no logical sense to me. Anyway, I love the idea of a regular workout routine. I do well for about a week, then the novelty wears off. I'm not getting any younger and my metabolism will be changing before too long. But I can't seem to stick with it for long enough to make it a habit.
8. Eating a good breakfast-I used to eat breakfast every day. Now my breakfast usually consists of 2.5 cups of coffee. I know that's not a healthy breakfast but I can't seem to desire a good breakfast. Not only that, if I eat too early in the morning, I feel kinda yucky. If I do wait to eat breakfast, I'm usually sidetracked by something else that needs doing.
9. Writing a book-One day, I'd like to write a book. I can't really decide on subject matter, though. I thought a book of my blog posts might be interesting. But then I thought it might just be a bit redundant. I did take a course on writing books for children. And I wrote a book...and was told there was too much information in it for the target age. That was interesting since my little cousin didn't seem to have too much trouble with it. Anyway, I haven't tried again and that was years ago. It's not that the critic was dissing my attempt. It's more about me not being sure of what I really want to say.
10. Jam with some of my favorite musicians-I'd love to just sit in on a jam session with some of my favorite artists. There's nothing more comforting to me than sitting in a small, intimate setting with friends and just having fun with music. Sadly, I never seem to be in a position to make this happen. Ah, well...
So there are my ten things for this go round. I hope you find them interesting, funny or helpful in some way. Feel free to comment. I'm not looking for help or guidance. I know what I need to do to 'make' these things happen. I also know that some are more probable than others. I'm a realist, after all. ;) Have a great day!
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