2015 March

2015 March From My Perspective

A few weeks ago, I was talking with a friend whom I’d not seen for a while.  She was telling me of her activities and about some of her positions at her church.  She’s a very tolerant gal who enjoys working with people.  She told me of the snide remarks some of the women of her church make about various other female members and why they won’t work with so and so.  Among some of the statements were:  “She doesn’t dress well.”, “She always wears sandals.”  “She sits with the poorer people during the church services.”  “She doesn’t give enough in the offering plate.”, etc.  I told her, “Hmmm, all of these statements tell me that if Jesus came to your church, He’d probably be turned away.”  

I have a bumper sticker which says, “Honk if you think I’m sexy and smart.”  Staying idle at green lights really improves my self-image.

Guy and I had had some intense fellowship one time at Mother and Daddy’s.  He asked Daddy how to win an argument with me. Daddy said, "Let me write down the ways to win an argument with Trudy, of which I have learned from winning arguments with her mother over the last 52 years." He wrote on a piece of 8x11 paper, HOW TO WIN AN ARGUMENT WITH TRUDY. Then, he handed it to Guy. The paper was blank.

Water is the only substance on Earth which is heavier as a solid than it is as a liquid.  If you doubt this, look at your glass of water with some ice in it.  Where is the ice?  It is on the top and the water is below it.  You’re welcome.

What is a flat tire in northern Alaska?  A sled dog taking a nap.

My beloved and I took a little trip.  After about 50 miles, he stopped at a gasoline station.  “I think I need to fill up with some gas,” he said.  “I reckon you do.  From what I’ve been hearing for the last 50 miles, it sounds like you’re all out.”  He told me to hush.

“In religion, faith is a virtue. In science, faith is a vice.” -Jerry Coyne, biology professor (b. 1949)  So, what is the thinking process of an ordained minister who teaches science?

Some say ministers have a pretty easy job----they only work 1 day a week.  That may be so, but their boss doesn’t make suggestions---He makes commandments.

I really like the quotes used at the end of CRIMINAL MINDS on CBS.  They are profound and cause me a lot of thought.  Here is an example:  “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow that it hides itself in insanity.  There are times when reality is nothing but pain and to escape that pain, the mind must leave reality behind.”  Patrick Rothfuss

People who ignore you, until it suits them to talk to you, are NOT worth your friendship or your time.  When they speak to you, be cordial.  I’m usually cool, but polite.

Oh gods!!! The 18 year old just came to me and told me she wants a pet. Her friend has a new batch of kittens and she's told her friend's mother she'd like to have one. I told her, "Why do you want one? You have me!!!" She said, "You don't count. You're a human." Tossed aside again. Sniff .  My friend said, “Kitties are very therapeutic! ...and soft, and cuddly, and calming, and teach responsibility! Can't think of a reason NOT to have one!”  I responded with, “My mink jacket is ‘soft, cuddly, and calming.’ It also doesn't have to be fed, watered, taken to the vet, declawed, poops, or anything else living needs. I told her, when she asked what she could have as a pet, ‘You can have a rock.’ She stormed off saying, ‘That is the LAMEST pet EVER, you troll.’”

One of my readers, Nan in Ohio, sent these bits of wisdom to me.  I can identify with a lot of them.  Wouldn't it be great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for ten minutes; come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller!· 

The day the world runs out of wine is just too terrible to think about! (Right, Charlene, Sharon, Barb, and Tricia?)  I don't trip over things, I do random gravity checks!  I don't need anger management, I need people to stop honking me off!  Old age is coming at a really bad time!  When I was a child I thought Nap Time was a punishment ... now, as a grown up, it just feels like a small vacation!  Lord grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can & the friends to post my bail when I finally snap!  I don't have gray hair, I have "wisdom highlights".  My people skills are just fine, it's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.  Teach your daughter how to shoot, because a restraining order is just a piece of paper.  If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would've put them on my knees.  The kids text me "plz" which is shorter than please; I text back "no" which is shorter than "yes".  I'm going to retire and live off of my savings; not sure what I'll do that second week.      When did it change from "We the people" to "screw the people"?  I've lost my mind and I'm pretty sure my kids took it!  Even duct tape can't fix stupid ... but it can muffle the sound!  Why do I have to press one for English when you're just gonna transfer me to someone I can't understand, anyway?  Lord, Give me patience and give it to me NOW.  Of course I talk to myself, sometimes I need expert advice.    Oops! Did I roll my eyes out loud?  At my age "Getting lucky" means walking into a room and remembering what I came in there for.

I don’t want any of you to think I’m a braggart at what I’m going to tell you----I got the highest score on my scale today.

Here’s a good recipe for a family or church pot luck.  It is delicious and comforts the soul.  It is called Chicken and Dumpling Casserole.  Add some peas and carrots or chopped broccoli tops for color and veggies.                              2 lbs. of chicken (I used all thighs, my preference)
1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. milk
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
2 C. chicken broth (I used the water my chicken cooked in)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper    Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Remove chicken from pot, save the water, and let cool. Shred the chicken and place in the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish. Whisk together the flour, milk and butter, pour over the chicken. Whisk together the broth, soup, salt and pepper, pour over the casserole, DO NOT STIR. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

When you are reading this column/newsletter, please know that today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be.  You’ll do some mature things, and you’ll do some immature things, BUT you will do.  Live your life to the fullest today, and with no regrets.

“To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.”  T. Paine

I wear red glasses.  I wear them everyday.  Some people have asked me why I wear red ones and not another color, especially at my age.  (I guess they think that at 70 years of age I should wear wire rims or something else.)  Here is what I tell them, “Two defining forces offered to die for me---one is Jesus Christ and the other is the American soldier.  One died for my soul; the other died for my freedom.  It is out of respect and to honor them that I wear red every day of my life.”

I’ve mentioned how powerful silence can be at times.  Here is another example of my belief:  “When someone is going through a “storm”, your silent presence is more powerful than a million empty words.” 

With my arms holding many things, I was going to open a door to a public building recently, when a man opened it for me.  I said to him, “Thank you so much. Chivalry is not dead.”  He smiled and said, “Chivalry never died.  The gentleman in most men did.  Being male is a matter of birth.  Being a man is a matter of age, but, being a gentleman is a matter of choice.”  I, also, think his mother had some influence.

He who listens to truth is not less than he who utters truth. -Kahlil Gibran, poet (Jan. 1883-1931)

What do you a call a crazed collector of an old train engine who has a reason for leaving it uncovered out in the elements to get all rusty?  He has a loco motive.  I hear you groaning very loudly.

I don’t know what is happening to me.  I forgot to make my memory foam bed.

“You have enemies?  GOOD!!  That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”  Winston Churchill. 

I just saw some new state slogans.  DELAWARE:  “The first state and that’s about it.”  GEORGIA:  Without Atlanta we’re Alabama.”  IDAHO:  “More than just potatoes.  O.K., maybe not, but they’re real good.”  KENTUCKY:  “5 million people; fifteen last names.”  ILLINOIS:  “Where a politician’s term in office and prison sentence are roughly the same.”  INDIANA:  Dan Quale’s favorite country.  KANSAS:  “Come for the corn; stay for the tornadoes.”  MINNESOTA:  “10,000 LAKES AND 1 gazillion mosquitoes.”  WEST VIRGINIA:  “Our obesity problem can be explained in two words:  pepperoni rolls.” (That is for sure!!)  There are more, but I don’t want to offend some of my readers.  Those who were offended---------get over it, sweeties.

Everyone has been emotionally hurt, whether it is a big hurt or a small one.  These hurts have created obstacles in our path of healing.  Just as a hurdle jumper moves over the hurdle (obstacle), so must we in order to make the hurt work for us---not against us.  It can be painful facing past hurts/obstacles, but when we face them head-on, it is then we can move forward and heal, making that hurt/obstacle work for us.

Instead of saying, “Have a nice day,” say, “Have the day you deserve.”  Let’s keep Karma working in the right direction.

     Blessings and smiles…………Trudy J

April 2015

­2015 APRIL “FMP”

“Some things you keep---like good teeth, warm coats, bald or thinning-haired husbands.  They’re good for you, reliable and practical; and, so sublime that to throw them away would make the garbage man a thief.  So, you hang on, because something old is sometimes better than something new, and what you know is often better than a stranger.  These are my thoughts, they make me sound old, old and tame, and dull at a time when everybody else is risky and racy and flashing all that’s new and improved in their lives---new careers, new thighs and other body parts, new lips, and new cars.  The world is dizzy with trade-ins.  I could keep track, but I don’t think I want to.  I grew up in the fifties with practical parents---a mother, God bless her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it.  A father, God bless him, who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.  My parents weren’t poor---just satisfied.  Their marriage was good, their dreams focused.  Their best friends lived barely a wave away.  I can see them now, Daddy in trousers and an old shirt and Mother in a house dress---lawn mower in his hand, dishtowel in hers.  It was a time for fixing things:  a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, and the hem in a dress.  Things you keep.  It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.  All that re-fixing, re-heating, re-newing, I wanted just once to be wasteful.  Waste meant affluence.  Throwing things away meant there’d always be more.  On two cold Spring mornings in the chill of the rooms, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any “more.”  Sometimes what you care about most, gets all used up and goes away, never to return, except for the memories.  So, while you have it, it’s best to love it and care for it and fix it when it’s broken and heal it when it’s sick.  That’s true for marriage and old cars and children with bad report cards and dogs with bad hips and aging parents.  You keep them because they’re worth it, because you’re worth it.  Some things you keep---like a best friend that moved away or a classmate you grew up with.  There are just some things that make life important…people you know are special…and you KEEP them close!  May each of you keep the other close; I do you.” Author unknown and Trudy.

Before you assume…learn the facts; Before you judge…understand why; Before you hurt someone…feel; Before you speak….think.

People's memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. -Haruki Murakami, writer (b. 12 Jan 1949)

I had plans of watching a documentary on Jesse James of the old West.  I knew Brenduhh was very interested in those gunslingers of the late 1800s, so I invited her over to watch it with me.  As the show played on, featuring actors in the roles and actual photographs of the scenes and areas, she said, “Trudy, look at all the people Jesse James rode with and all the people involved in his life.  It’s in color, too.  Wow!!  Those were some pretty good cameras then.”  I looked away, rolled my eyes, and said, “How about some more popcorn?”  

          

This was sent to me by a friend who can identify with the contents of this man’s speech at THE CONFERENCE ON AGING.  Well, heck, so can I.  Here is the link: www.youtube.com/embed/LR2qZ0A8vic?rel=0 

Have you ever been so upset with someone you want to call them terms they probably don’t know and you continue to remain a nice person?  Well, I surely have, and that is one of the reasons I have learned to tell off some people in 4 different language and some made-up of my own, which at my age is forgotten, but it gives me the opportunity to reinvent another one.  Here are the terms:  VACUOUS---lacking ideas or intelligence; ULTRACREPIDARIAN---one who gives opinions beyond one’s area of expertise.   MYTHOMANE---one having a tendency to exaggerate or lie.  LIBERTINE---a person who is morally unrestrained.  SCURVY---mean or contemptible. FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION---categorizing something as worthless or trivial.  O.K., you probably don’t want to try this one, but it surely does make you feel better if you can.  It will confuse your opponent, too.  (pronunciation:  flaw-C-nau-C-nilly-hilly-pilly-fuh-K-shun)

“People often find their truest self in the worst of circumstances.”  Edward Zwick, director, producer, screenwriter of the movie DEFIANCE (2008)

TRAVEL PLANS FOR 2015: I have been in many places, but I've never been in Kahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Kahoots with someone. I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there. I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my children, friends, family and work. I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore. I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often. I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm. Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older. One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get! I may have been in Continent, but I don't remember what country I was in. It's an age thing. They tell me it is very wet and damp there. 

“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”  Bruce Lee

The teenaged daughter became a catfish the other day….all mouth and no brains.  When she finished her barrage of disrespectful words and attitude, I told her, “Well, it is the 19^th of the month.  Since you can’t seem to talk with respect to me, called me names, told me you hated me and that I was a terrible mother, you’re going to have a lot of time to think about all your words and how to improve your attitude.  You will have no phone or television for 19 days.  Hand over your phone or I will have it disconnected.”  She rolled her eyes at me.  After that, I told her, “While your eyes are up there, have them look for your brain because you’re demonstrating you’ve lost yours.”  She told me 19 days later, “Mom, that was the longest 19 days EVER!!  I’m very sorry for what I said.”  I guess I did something right.

In February we had a lot of snow.  One day it snowed twice and each time was a goodly amount.  My teen daughter was asked to shovel a bit so we could get out.  She did the first time with no discussion.  The second time she said, “Mom!!  Can’t you do something about all this?  You always seem to be able to fix a problem.”  What a nice feeling to think a teen has that much confidence in your ability to fix problems, especially when the day before you were told, “Oh, what do you know?”

A former student called me the other day very upset about something another had said to them about their character.  I asked them, “Is what they said true?”  They told me, “No, it is not.”  I asked, “Do you truly believe it is not true?”  A bit miffed I’d ask the almost same question twice, they replied, “NO, it is not true!”  I gently told them, “Then if you truly believe and know it is not true, you can hold your head high and feel good about yourself.  You can’t feel badly about yourself when someone disparages your character unless you give them permission.”

Have you ever really thought about your brain?  So many times we just ignore it forgetting that it is an awesome organ.  It functions 24 hours a day from the day we are born.  It only stops when we are taking an exam or fall in love.

A lot of words have an opposite meaning using the same amount of letters.  HATE has 4 letters, so does LOVE; ENIMIES has 7 letters, so does FRIENDS; LYING has 5 letters, so does TRUTH; HURT has 4 letters, so does HEAL; LAZY has 4 letters, so does WORK or BUSY.

This came from a Marine Corps general stationed in Afghanistan:  "So with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten - straight up, no styling. "Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world. Don't make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification.  Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love - not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from your costume, makeup and your entourage.  Sing 'The Star Spangled Banner' with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you. And please remember, not everything has to be sung as a black spiritual.  We're getting a little weary of that.  Francis Scott Key does not need any help."   All I can say is, “AMEN!”

TODDLER:  Emotionally unstable pint-sized dictator with the uncanny ability to know exactly how far to push you towards utter insanity before reverting to a lovable cuddle-monster.  TEENAGER:  Emotionally unstable gallon-sized fool with the uncanny ability to make you think words your mother never taught you, helps you confirm and understand why some animals eat their young, and who can push you towards utter insanity screaming, “You’ve ruined my life!!!” and 10 minutes later confuse you by cooing, “Mom, you’re the best.”

INTEGRITY:  choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than personal gain.

Teens are always trying to look and be different while being the same.  What an oxymoron.

I have a friend who loved everything she had and wanted to take it with her when she died.  She passed away and had the most beautiful casket available.  It was closed for some reason, though.  As I walked up to it, I heard a horrible noise coming from it.  I slowly opened it.  Her cat had just about torn the inside to smithereens.

Our English language is difficult.  Here are some examples as to why:  OW as in how:  foul, loud, house,
flour, hour, sour.  OO as in you:  cougar, louvre, tour, tourist.  OR as in for:  court, mourn.  O as in toe: 
moulder, moult, soul.  UR as in URN:  journal, journalist, journey.  schwa (an indeterminate uh sound) moustache. Then there is the OUGH sound.  though (like o in go); through (like oo in too); cough (like off in offer); rough (like uff in suffer); plough (like ow in flower); ought (like aw in saw); borough (like a in above).  Class is dismissed!

Researchers for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority found over 200 dead crows near greater Boston recently, and there was concern that they may have died from avian flu.  A bird pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone's relief, confirmed the problem was definitely NOT Avian flu. The cause of death appeared to be vehicular impacts.  However, during the detailed analysis it was noted that varying colors of paints appeared on the bird's beaks and claws. By analyzing these paint residues it was determined that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with trucks, while only 2% were killed by an impact with a car.  MTA then hired an ornithological behaviorist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills. He very quickly concluded the cause: When crows eat road kill, they always have a look-out crow in a nearby tree to warn of impending danger. They discovered that while all the lookout crows could shout "Cah", not a single one could shout "Truck."

Living the blessings, Trudy  :)

... May 2015

I have found out that since I speak English, I speak parts of more than a hundred languages.  Languages are a reflection of our interconnected history—they all borrow from each other.  New words are being added to American English every year, and other words are being dismissed in usage.  They’re not thrown away, they just become archaic.  Here is a website which will open your eyes and minds as to what languages we actually use in our language.  I was fascinated.

Where do nicknames come from?  Well, a lot of them come from the heart.  They are terms of endearment, I think.  Mother called me “Trudy Boo”; Daddy called me “Babe; my Beloved called me “Trute”; and my grandmother called me “Trudy Girl”.  I’ve had other nicknames, but I won’t say them here (J).  I call my son, Dane….”Buzz”, my daughter, Della….”Sweet Della”; my granddaughter, Tara…”Thelma Lou” and my grandson, Stephen…”Steffano”; my grandson, Will….”Will-I-Am”, and my granddaughter, CJ….”Muffin”.  I’ve referred to my two grandchildren, Tara and Stephen, as “The Terrorists” from time to time, and during the ages 13-19, The Two Teen Terrorists in Training” because they were.  My Grandmother Davis called my Granddaddy Davis, “Sam” although his name was not that at all.  I know you’re probably remembering the nicknames you have had.  Some are bringing a big smile, aren’t they?

I've been feeling a bit grumpy lately.  Happenings which irritated me, irresponsible people in a position of responsibility, the weather.....the general daily things I've had to deal with.  But, today while taking care of some business which was an irritation, I was asked by a complete stranger at the window of business, "How are you?"  I looked right into their eyes and said without thinking, "I'm living the blessings."  I have never said that before!  The hearing of myself saying this, and the look on their face told me a Higher Power was talking through me.  I felt so good after saying this.  So from now on, no matter how irritated or feeling of imposition I have, I'm going to say, "I'm living the blessings."  Now I'm passing it on to you....."HOW ARE YOU DOING?"

Brains of older people are slow because they know so much.  People do not decline mentally with age, it just takes them longer to recall facts because they have more information in their brains, scientists believe. Much like a computer struggles as the hard drive gets full, so, too, do humans.  We take longer to access information, it has been suggested.  Researchers say this slowing down is not the same as cognitive decline. The human brain works slower in old age, said Dr. Michael Ramscar, but only because we have stored more information over time. The brains of older people do not get weak. On the contrary, they simply know more.  Also, older people often go to another room to get something and when they get there, they stand there wondering what they came for.  It is NOT a memory problem; it is nature's way of making older people do more exercise.  SO THERE!!  
 

When I was a kid, I listened to THE LONE RANGER on the radio and watched it on television.  I have some of the programs on DVD and still enjoy them, even though they are rather schmaltzy.  Here are some things I didn’t know about the characters:  The Lone Ranger and sidekick Tonto often call each other "Kemosabe", which roughly translates as "faithful friend" in Potawatomi, a Central Algonquian language spoken by Native Americans around the Great Lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin.  A strict set of moral guidelines govern the Lone Ranger and Tonto's actions, ranging from philosophical musings ("all things must change but truth, and truth alone lives on forever") to more practical directions ("God put the firewood there, but every man must gather and light it himself"). Sage advice indeed! Only silver bullets will do for the Lone Ranger – supposedly because they remind him that life is precious and, like the bullets, shouldn't be wasted.  Whenever the Lone Ranger mounts his horse, Silver, he shouts the oft-imitated epithet "Hi Ho, Silver" (sometimes "Hi-yo, Silver"). He acquired Silver after saving the horse's life from an enraged buffalo; his original steed had a less dynamic name – Dusty.   

He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet (27 Feb 1807-1882) 

When I was teaching, I dealt with some students who were rather difficult and disrespectful (that’s putting it mildly!).  My thoughts were:  “How can one respect another when it is obvious they don’t respect themselves?  Respect has to be taught.  Someone at home is not doing their job, and someone right here has failed to learn.  Life will teach them respect; it will be a very difficult and hard lesson.”

My girlfriend, Brenduhh, was having some incontinence issues.  I told her to call the incontinence hotline for possible remedies to the problem.  She did.  They asked if she could hold.

A friend of mine came over and was talking about how she’s going to have to wear a sleeveless-strapless gown for a wedding she’s in.  She was grumbling about her upper arms’ size and being criticized by others.  Here is what I told her, “My thought on those who are critical of my arms---I have two; they both work; they give hugs to those who need a hug; I am thankful. I used to complain about my arms until I met someone who didn't have any.”

Uncle Horus came by for coffee.  He’s very wise and usually gives me something to think about and a lesson to learn.  I was telling him about a friend of mine who’d made a delicious cake and shared it with others.  She was very proud of the cake and had labored over it to make it look so pretty and taste so good.  Another friend was listening and told her, “Oh that’s nothing; I got a blue ribbon at the fair for the exact same cake.”  I asked him what he thought.  “Wahll,” he drawled, “That othern one ain’t a realizin’ that when yeh blow out anothern’s candle it ain’t a gonna make yers shine any brighter.” 

My autistic son is fascinated by the Southern/Western drawl and dialect.  He tries to mimic it and is rather convincing he could be from those areas, if you didn’t know it.  One of the people he deals with every day doesn’t like to hear it.  She tells him it sounds funny and he shouldn’t talk like that.  How interesting that she enjoys the movie ALADDIN with the voice over of Robin Williams and Looney Tune cartoons with the many voices of Mel Blanc.  I mentioned this to him knowing he’d tell her.  Then I got out my book which has the Uncle Remus TAR BABY story in it complete with the dialect of the Deep South.  I started to read it to him sounding just like it was written and pronounced (I used to live in Atlanta, GA where the author, Joel Chandler Harris, was born and raised and wrote the B’rer Rabbit stories, so I knew a little something about the pronunciations).  He was quite taken with the sounds of the words and asked how I learned to talk like that.  I told him, “It takes a lot of practice and enjoying what you’re doing.”  I heard him practicing his Southern/Western dialect.  I can only imagine what he’s going to say to the person who complains about his speech. 

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You. -Dr. Seuss, author and illustrator (2 Mar 1904-1991)

I went to my hairdresser with a picture of a hairstyle I wanted.  She looked at it and made some suggestions of modifications.  I told her I wanted it just like the picture.  She squinted and said, “When you look exactly like the person wearing this hair style and when you ARE that person, I will give you that hairstyle.”  Her statement gave me something to consider. 

If you like someone set them free.  If they come back, it means nobody liked them.  Set them free, again!

I read where a glass of red wine is equivalent to an hour work out at the gym.  I drank a bottle-----I'm exhausted and can't get up from the floor exercise position.

“Confidence isn’t walking into a room thinking you’re better than everyone, it’s walking in not having to compare yourself to anyone at all.” 

Remember when your Mom called you by your full name?  You knew you were in trouble, for sure.  With mine, she’d go down the entire list of my names with strong emphasis on the one I didn’t like at all.

When I taught English at the high school level, I had one particular student who always complained about my corrections on his papers.  He, also, challenged my basic rules of the classroom and my authority.  One day after returning a stack of compositions to the class, he blurted out, “You are so picky on the compositions and always want everything exactly correct on them.  Your class rules are too strict and confining.  I hate this class and your it-has-to-be-this-way-and-correct attitude!”  The class was deathly quiet because of my demeanor past and present.  I calmly asked him what he planned to do after he graduated in 6 weeks.  He told me, “I’ve joined the Marines and will be working towards being a tower air traffic controller with technical writing.”  You know that look a mom gets when she’s thinking, “And, you think I’M difficult?”? I had that look.

I saw this sign:  “No, I’m not a smartass.  I’m a skilled, trained professional in pointing out the obvious, and I speak fluent sarcasm!” I am certified and have my Ph.D. in this. I've even taught it!  I am, also, NOT a nag.  I'm a motivational speaker with guidance counseling proficiency, suggestions, and applications.
 

Many of you know how much words and their origins fascinate me.  This quote was sent to me leading all of us to realize we are really walking, talking dictionaries.  “We open our mouths and out flow words whose ancestries we do not even know. We are walking lexicons. In a single sentence of idle chatter we preserve Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse: we carry a museum inside our heads, each day we commemorate peoples of whom we have never heard.” -Penelope Lively, writer (b. 17 Mar 1933)

At a particular time in my life, I was seemingly besieged with sadness with one of my children’s behavior.  I cried, prayed, and talked with my minister.  During our conversation I told him I’d thought of looking for a saint to pray to hoping petitioning that particular saint would help my child and the circumstances.  Then it dawned on me, “Trudy, for crying out loud.  You’re Methodist, make a casserole, form a committee, and take the casserole to a potluck.”  It was then I found a bit of humor in my situation and chuckled.

Do you agree with this statement I told my 18 year old who became a catfish (all mouth and no brains) to me?  "Make your words sweet and your posturing flexible because you just may have to eat those words and bend over backwards to make amends."

If you don’t like me, but still watch everything I do and listen to my conversations, well……you’re still a fan.  Hahahaha

“Kraft is recalling a quarter of a million cases of macaroni and cheese that may contain small pieces of metal”; however, the real thing doesn’t, y’all.   

SMILES…..trudy :)