PARTY!! Party in MY ROOM!!

 People can brag all they want to about all the hard core partying they did as a kid, or maybe they're still doin' it now, whatever!  I don't even need a milkshake to bring all the action to my bedroom, nope; all I have to do is leave the damn door open and it's a full house friend, it's a FULL HOUSE and it's EVERY damn day.   We have three cats and two dogs living with my daughter and I, and let me tell you, once that door opens after Laura's woken up to get ready to go to work, all of the animals who were once nestled quietly and rather lazily in her room and laying on top of her, all come over to my room where the real action is. PETTING!

    Once Laura wakes up and all of the critters are stirring about, hoping to be loved on, they soon (very soon) realize that she has absolutely no time whatsoever to give them the time of day. They don't even huff or puff about it anymore, they just mosey the few steps from her room to mine, and they invade my sleeping quarters. Ginger and I have been the victims of petting parties for literally seven years! One dog comes and goes, another one takes its place. A cat up and dies on us, well, not to worry, Laura is fast about getting right back into the swing of things to be sure I am covered in fur from the moment I think about waking up until the moment she decides to go to bed. 

    When she enters her room (and this is quite hilarious really) Laura does a little high pitched siren song that draws out nearly every nerve in my body to the point of plugging my ears with my two index fingers. The cats, however, think this is their call for lounging about, and for the next few seconds they try and resist her calling - - only to surrender, but not nearly soon enough for me. I can deal with squeaking bagpipes all day long, but that cat call is amazingly annoying!  It's a wonder her nearly 15 year old dog can still hear the calling, but he does and wherever he is at the time, he also finds his way to her room for the night. There, in the reptile-lined walls of Laura's bedroom (6 geckos, a bearded dragon, and a skink live in enclosures around her room) the animals thump their tails and demand attention -- which they are obviously satisfied with night after night, but in the morning - - the party is moved to my room.

    You'd think we would be able to change up the routine a bit, maybe, Oh, I don't know, live in separate houses and I could enjoy my peace with just one dog and maybe a cat if I decided to break up the herd? Do cats come in herds? What's it called when you have  too many damn cats? I know a lot of dogs is a pack, a lot of owls is a Parliament; cats should be herds. I'm calling it that because you can't really herd cats, but Laura can! It's supernatural the things she can do with animals, but she can actually herd cats with that song - - I have one talent when it comes to these vile and nasty creatures I love so dearly; I love them and that's the only thing I can do. I wish I could hurl them into the other room when they pounce and begin their insisting -- even covering up my head with my blankets isn't a good defense. We must dance the dance of flapping arms, rubbing heads and bellies, and the cooing of kissing is seemingly endless with these three!  When the dogs join in there is no hope for returning to the land of slumber; we party!

    Once my body is risen there is another ritual that must take place; the walking of the hound! Party time is limited to when and where the dog decides to take control of my day. Lately I've been able to squeeze in just enough time in the morning to go to the bathroom before the demands begin -- thank you for letting me be a human every now and then!  I deserve a bit of ME TIME and I am so very grateful when it happens. Walking, treat giving, feeding, petting, loving, opening the back door and closing it 50 times a day, there is no end to what we do for these foul task masters with furry bodies. I am reminded of my youth when it was my chore to take the hounds to the pond to get their daily running out of their systems -- nothing changes; only addresses. Hounds still hound. Cats still CAT and they CAT all damn day and night! 

    One day we will all go to Heaven and it will be so very glorious to have the right to say it's MY TURN to relax and be at peace -- all dogs go to Heaven, we know this, but there is really nothing guaranteeing us that the cats will be there! Who am I trying to kid on that one? Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when he gave us the cat -- He was making us aware of our every flaw, our every insufficiency and our pride. Cats don't have owners they have staff, peasants, and we gleefully surrender while the dogs pity us and become jesters to keep us sane enough to live another day to keep them fed. It's a cycle; and not one I would care to change really - - maybe just a little bit; OK, a little tiny bit, but don't tell them I said that, they already bite my toes when it pleases them to do so. I don't need more affliction!

Photo Credit: Me (Fat Sammy and Bilbo)

If Dreams Were Real.

 So, there I am again, you know me, minding my own business. This time, like all the other times, I was just sleeping and like I said, minding my own business, when my mind decided to divide itself into reality and the imaginary.  I could see myself walking down a path, I remember waving at people, probably people I knew, and then I saw the strangest thing.  I saw a man and his son lowering a wild boar from the back of a pick up truck and onto the ground just beneath them. They were using a strap of cloth for a girdle type hoisty thing that would be used to lower the boar without hurting it. The material spread out rather evenly under the belly of the boar. WHAT in Heaven's good name could that possibly mean?

    I decided to look up the meaning of what it means when you dream about wild boars because looking up what it means to see yourself walking down a street waving at friends isn't all that challenging now, is it?  When you dream of a boar you can be dreaming about so many things, but believe it or not, as assertive and aggressive as boars are, dreaming about them is a very positive thing, and not a negative one. OK...let's dig into this...or should I have said "let's root into this"?  I crack me up sometimes.

    According to one source, dreaming of a wild boar could mean that you are facing your confrontations head on, you are willing to deal with any conflict, and it could also mean that you are willing to be the one to do the dirty work if need be. I can see that. I make things happen. I rarely wait on someone else to do their job before I do mine. If I waited on most people these days I'd still be waiting. No thank you. The boar in me says I need to be aware, alert, lowered to the ground so I can do my work as I see fit. I'm OK with that. I lead and I make sure those I'm leading are taken care of before I take care of most other things including myself. That being said, I am also a proponent of loving oneself so that they are capable to being a good and solid trustworthy leader.  You need self awareness to help others who are trying their best.

    There is one more part of that same dream that was a bit weird and/or odd. There was a house or building I needed to get to and I was about to enter it, but to do so I had to hoist myself up and over a small body of water. The water wasn't deep, I could have just walked through it but I didn't want to. I swung myself up and over and landed perfectly inside the front door.  Again, the stranger the better for me when it comes to looking up the meaning of a dream (if there is one to be found). I don't do Tarot, readings of any type really, and I don't believe one should seek advice from those who are not followers of Christ.  Dreaming is not a bad thing, nor is it a sin obviously. We have accounts of dreaming in our Bible and we have accounts of those who were righteously able to interpret the dreams as well. There are good sources if you look.

    Avoiding water in a dream can be as simple as that, avoiding something that is good or avoiding something that is potentially bad. I was recently mistreated at work and I think maybe the dream is telling me that I did the right thing by avoiding the confrontation I could have, but taking the situation to the HR was a good choice. Let them do their job to settle the matter. Yes, as the boar is willing to confront, the boar was being lowered or assisted. Perhaps the entire dream is one letting me know that all will be fine. My abilities and my capabilities are not in question, just perhaps the easiest thing to do was to mistreat me hoping I would leave so the friend of another employee could have my position. I could have fought, stood my ground, made a scene or even collected evidence and made a legal matter of it. Instead, I decided to write to HR and ask for help. I avoided the water, it could have been shallow and it could have been deep. I don't know.

    I'll tell you this, I want the dream about Jesus coming back to actually happen!! That's the one that really doesn't need any interpretation whatsoever...we flew off of this Earth and into Heaven! Let's go!! That's one dream I could have over and over again and never get tired of it. At least I had my clothes on when I jumped over the water into the building - - nothing is more inconvenient than to be standing in the office or a crowded room without your trousers or your panties! Tell me I'm wrong.

Photo Credit: AG FAX

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH - MAY.

 The month of May is the month to be aware of the very very important need to be help others who are not able to cope with life the way many others do. For some "coping" means to push through the pain, just put it in gear and keep moving!  That can work for  awhile, but then things can start to really feel hard to handle, and the pressure of it all catches up to us; and walls begin to crack.  For some it's more about hiding the truth from everyone because they feel ashamed, embarrassed, overwhelmed, or defeated. No matter what they do they just can't seem to find the good in a situation long enough to sustain something worthy for themselves. "Why bother anymore?" becomes a tiny question starting out, but then that grows into a thought, then a plan to maybe bring it all to an end. They say "No one will even notice I'm gone" or maybe they know someone will notice but they don't seem to think it really matters much.  I hate that. I really do.

    I say it all the time, and I really mean it when I say it, there really is another way. There really is a better way. I know, I know, it all sounds so churchy and over the top religious but in the end isn't it something bigger than you that you're looking for? Why not let that something be God? Why not let that something that can help be the help? Why not give in to the one thing that can actually do what He says He can do? After all, what do you have to lose by trying something a little churchy? 

    Mental Health is not something to keep quiet about and it's not something to hide or be ashamed of either. When we fall and break a bone we don't try to repair it ourselves do we? If we treated our emotions like bones it may make a bit of a difference when they became broken or injured. There are places we can go to seek help, but as the old saying goes, you gotta wanna before it really works. Believe it or not, there really really are people like me who do give a damn about how another person feels but some of us aren't that good at expressing that we care; you have to help us help you. There are others who pick up on the clues and the signs of depression and/or anxiety immediately, and they can offer assistance; you have to know there are others who will and can be depended on in most cases. 

    Stress and anxiety from change can happen even if that change is good change - - it's change! It hurts to be new, it hurts to try, it hurts to take a leap of faith - - but you don't have to do it by yourself when you realize that the month of May is also there for those who are willing and hoping to help. Maybe if we all sort of put in a bit more effort to seek help and serve others who need help, we'd all find a way to meet in the middle somewhere and make a greater effort to (at the very least) put some of the bad feelings and destroyed emotions on the better path(s) to being restored - - or reborn into NEW beginnings (that aren't so scary) and with open-arm acceptance for both the healers and the healees -  is that a word?

    A good friend from a previous employer told me tonight she just didn't feel like going on anymore because she's never felt that she had any say in how her life was going to go -- her parents commanded her in the beginning, she was in a rather abusive long relationship, once she broke free from that the man caused her to lose her long-standing job because he worked there too and had pull.  These events led to depression, personal abuse, hateful thoughts about herself, and more.  I hadn't spoken to her in about a year, and that's my fault. Things can spiral pretty quickly if events happen one right after another! Throw in a few lockdowns, deaths of friends and family, job loss and debt, children, or you name it, and you're looking at a heap of trouble for more than just the one person seemingly being affected by all of the mayhem! Suffering is never an isolated situation, and the chaos grows and spreads so quickly! We need many more May Days!!  We need 24/7/365 awareness not only of our surroundings, but of our extended friends and family - - community!  

    I saw a poster in a doctor's office that read something like this:  You feel good. Tell your friend you feel good. Encourage them to tell their friend too.  We can do this over and over again and soon our entire community will feel good. Multiply that by another few communities and you've got a state feeling good - - take it another step further, get more states feeling good, you've got a good feeling nation. Dare we make it happen?   YES....Let's dare!

    Recognizing the problem is only part of the solution. Understanding the problems is just as important. Talking, sharing, caring, giving, being there, and just being willing to listen can be the greatest gift you can give sometimes. Being aware is not always giving or throwing money at the issue, but holding hands and really trying to understand where the other person is coming from, what is hurting them, and asking ourselves what if anything we can do to make that pain less or eliminated all together. No, it is NOT easy and YES, it will take time, effort, and actual self surrendering in order to be the change someone needs from you.  When it all comes down to the wire - - why not try prayer?

    Some people will say that it feels hypocritical to pray since they don't really believe in God in the first place, and that makes a whole lot of sense really - - but you put your faith in the chair you're about to sit in; why would you do that? You see it, you've been around chairs, you get the concept of them having a purpose. God has hands and He's never far away from you - - just waiting to hold you at the first request from your lips and heart. He is literally waiting to do that; He knew there would be times like this and that's why so many years ago He gave us the solution. ASK.  Ask Him for His help. It's not the least bit hypocritical if you start believing by testing the waters to see if God really does care.

    I wish every day was Mental Health Awareness Day. I wish everyone would stop what they are doing and say to someone in need "Hey, how are you today? Is there anything I can do to make your day better or help you find a way to smile again and really feel it?"  We can't just sweep depression under the rug and pretend it doesn't exist. We can't expect people to snap out of it, or buck up and make things happen - - it's not within them to do that; not on a sustainable basis. Everyone can fake it for a little while, but we need real change and real care.  We need real help and real social reform when it comes to accepting and understanding that there are so many levels of understanding and accepting. Compassion is the answer - - but so is action. Be willing to be there; it's not as hard as some make it out to be. Giving up a sitcom or a drama show to make a connection is a start - - so is texting an invitation for a conversation to start; be there for someone. There are a great deal of someones needing a good pair of ears to talk to.

    I guess what I'm saying is May shouldn't be the only month we pay a bit more attention, but it is here now, and we do need to pay that attention - - it's a good place to start. If you need help please reach out and find it. Churches, community centers, hospitals, friends, neighbors, family, and even people who you think would maybe give a few minutes to you - - ASK!  We can't all read minds, but we can all do a bit more to read souls if we try.  

In the US:  Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor

In the UK: Hotline: +44 (0) 8457 90 90 90

Photo Credit: Tools To Thrive #toolstothrive 

 

Fitness Update - Changes - Challenges.

 The Spring Fitness of 2022 has turned into a HOT one as Oklahoma has seen temperatures flirting with triple digits for two weeks and it's only May 19. We had a 92 degrees day in the middle of April! I'm not a fan, let me tell you -- I've probably already said that. I need a t-shirt that says "Not a Fan" with a big fat smiling Sun right in the middle of an Oklahoma wheat field or something. Just not fun at all.  Here, we have four seasons: hot, cold, storm, and football.  I like football. 

    I decided in August 2020 to change my life style and to change the way I see and eat food. I didn't do the Noom method, but I understand it. Their basic philosophy is that food is your friend and it can be your enemy if it's used or taken wrong. It's a good method, but I don't need the motivation that perhaps others seek. I saw myself and became really disappointed that I couldn't move and function the way I wanted to. I couldn't ride my horse the way I used to, and that was enough to set me on the mission to lose enough weight to do that; which happened, but I'm not finished with me yet.

    It's been nearly two years since that August morning when I set my mind to making things happen. There's no turning back when I do that. I am my own motivator. I am my own gladiator. I make myself listen to me even if no one else decides to do so. I have kept all of the weight off that I initially lost from August 2020 to February 2021, which was about 42 pounds. I still have about 30 more pounds to go, and I've decided to call them POINTS rather than pounds because my body need something to aim for, something to work with.  Pounds are pounds and they'll come off with the right amount of exercise and good diet. I haven't been as diligent as I need to be, so I still have those same 30 pounds just sitting right where they were 15 months ago (in the middle). That must change.

    One of the challenges with me has been my knees. I won't say it's been my age because age is a number, but my injured knee is an injured knee.  I was a gymnast, then a barrel racer, and then I walked and climbed a bunch, and after that I got old, but the knee has been bashed around, knocked around, slammed and just put through it. I have another knee on the left side that didn't seem to be as abused as the right one. I have no idea how that happened, but it did. Both knees, if you can believe it, are the same age, but one is older than the other in terms of working correctly. This is something that needs to be remedied and not by having the good knee go bad - - nope! It's time my muscles put in a few more work outs to support said bad knee. This is where the points come into play.

    We all know that to lose a solid pound of fat from a body, that body has to have a deficiency of 3500 calories and it doesn't matter if it happens in a day, a week, or a month, the deficiency is about points and numbers, not time.  If I work on the calorie intake and the exercise to have a calorie output, I will create the needed deficiency to earn a point!  One point = on pound obviously. This is a better method for my brain than trying or hoping to drop inches and pounds. I'll know I've dropped enough when I can't wear my shorts because they fall off and I need to order smaller t-shirts from Tee Public!

It's the same dance and it's the same song, but I'm willing to spice it up a bit using a more head-in-the-game technique. I will meet my personal goals and this is how I will do it. 

• 8 hours of sleep
• 12,000+ steps 5 days a week
• 1500 calories intake
• 100+ ounces of water
• limited sugar / carbs (by limited I mean LIMITED)
• Battle Rope 3x a week
• Weight training 3x a week
• Vibration plate 15 minutes EVERY DAY with weights
• Box 2x a week

The calorie intake may seem light for some, but it's not. You can pack a lot of low calorie foods into a good meal if you plan it. Red meat is a no-go really, but I think tonight I have taco salads planned. I can start the no-red meat thing tomorrow. I can do eggs over meat anyway, and I can eat a heck of a lot more grapes than I do trail mix. I was really into that great and so very awesome trail mix, but yeah it's higher in calories and I don't need that. Grapes have a bunch too, but it's a better type of calorie -- did you know they had degrees? Truth.

    

    There you go - - for the most part it's the same thing as before but with a bit of organization and accountability to myself. I owe it to me to be the best I can be. I am the only one I'm going to get! Walking is the only real exercise I can do that my knee won't protest.  It doesn't like me boxing, jumping rope, jogging or climbing.  The pool will open soon enough and that will be a daily thing. I don't swim, I run in place and try to make as many waves as I can. I'm a wave maker.  By this time in August, just two years from the day I decided to make it happen, I should be really close to the goal. I may not hit the full 30 by then, as it's only 10 weeks away, but I can give it my best! I can see to it that I keep my goals in place and work toward them.  Who needs a social life, right? I'm good.

Hydrate!  (It's Oklahoma baby, HYDRATE!)

Photo Credit: All American Swim

Training and Learning.

 You've heard people say "That person is on the Spectrum" as if the Spectrum was an amusement park ride or something. It's almost as if they are saying it (sometimes) as if the person has a problem that can't be addressed with reason or training.  Guess what folks, we are ALL on the Spectrum.  That's sort of why it's called the Spectrum. We are all on separate points if you will, at various levels, points, scores, scales, whatever you want to call it, each and every last one of us make up the actual Spectrum.  It's just that some people with special needs are called out for having been placed on it, while those of us who are considered "normal" or "healthy otherwise" are patted on the back and told how superior we must be because of our ability to function. Shame on us if we ever do that! 

    Once, I was obligated by morals and ethics to point this point out to a person who was training me on my position. Sweet as she was, she was behind the gun herself in terms of what is contractually obligated for her to produce for the company. Training me or anyone else, for that matter, takes time away; valuable time, and she needed to regain it as quickly as possible. I do understand, but if she wanted me to do the best job possible she needed to understand that we are not all created equally, no matter what our forefathers may have told us.  Each of us is a learner and we learn in various varied ways.  Some of us are readers and we think, and some are doers and we do. Some of us do both, need both, have to have both, and then we have to see it again, create images of it, and so forth. No one is saying any one way is better, but it did seem to irritate my trainer that I wasn't as quick to pick up the reasoning and understanding of certain tasks.

    One of the ways I tried to assist with her understanding of training me was remind her that I am also a teacher, a trainer, and that from all the (many)  years I've had students under my charge, I can guarantee you that not one of them was exactly like the other; that goes for twins too! No one is the same. I also reminded her that each of us takes in to consideration the scope and essence of an idea and we roll it around in our brains, even toying with it, before we make decisions about it to the point of cognitive reasoning. I challenged her to Google it since she's of the ilk that likes to gauge everything by what can be found on a search engine.  Go ahead. I know I'm right, Google that!

    I asked my trainer this question; tell me if you agree.  I asked her, "Have you ever played football?"  She said she had. I asked her if she had ever run the plays as directed or if she just took off running hoping no one would catch her and drag her to the ground. She assured me she listened to the coach. I said  "OK, I'm listening to you. Are you going to hand me the ball and point or are you going to explain things to me and show me the obstacles in my way? Do you want me to make the play or lose ground?" She got my point.  You don't do something once and then say it's been discussed so do it. You don't say "We recorded it so you could go back and watch the recording" because the recording was 1:37 hours long and I wouldn't know exactly where that one small point was in the recording. I could spend 30 minutes looking for a 15 second clip. It's best all around to just tell me again - - no skin off anyone's teeth, and it brings a bond between us. I appreciate her, she understands that I trust her enough to ask.

    Because we are all different, I wanted to also show her that in my personal experience, once I have something down, I have it down. I still remember the cheers I wrote in the 7th grade for myself and other girls. I remember the moves, I remember the cadence. It's in my brain.  In the 3rd grade I learned a song for all 50 states in alphabetical order (you're singing it now aren't you?) and I remember it. It will never leave me. Once I learn it, it is learned. This was the main reason I became upset with her when she changed the training to reflect a new or different way of recording information. I had learned it already and the new way would all but eliminate the old way, making it impossible for me to get it out of my head! Sort of like when the judge tells the jury to disregard that last statement - - not happening. I will never not remember the way I was trained and now I have to paint over the old and hopefully it won't bleed through at the wrong time.

    We are all on the Spectrum, and every day, 100 times a day, our emotions or composure can change us to the point that those scores change a bit -- it's fluid in a way.  We need to recognize that others are in the middle of emotional battles every day, and not everyone is "sane" or "normal" all of the time. Many of us face issues so personal that we don't bring them to the surface at work but they are there. It could be loneliness, homelessness, addiction, abuse from a loved one, maybe someone we love is dying, it could be anything -- stress, anxiety, just hunger. Anything can trigger the scores to move a bit, and to shut off our learning cells long enough for us to record the information incorrectly in our minds, or even skip instructions if we are feeling overwhelmed. We'll still say everything is fine so we don't lose our jobs, or we don't upset the applecart, but the truth is we need a break!

    I count my blessings, which is a great way to reassure myself that all is going to be just fine. If I lose a job and get depressed over it, I know that God will find me another one, and I'll be OK soon enough. I can't waste my soul worrying over things I can't control. I can control my breathing most of the time, so when I get upset I try to breathe. This often makes things quiet for a minute and the other person has the opportunity to ask if everything is OK.  I don't know about you, but I am usually pretty honest, and I tell them no, it's NOT OK. I'm overwhelmed and need to stop for a minute, take a mental note, take a break, walk around, get my thoughts gathered, and come back to it when I'm able to forge ahead.  We all need that -- I wish more educators, parents, employers, even friends understood that.  We can't be the same as the next guy - - we are THIS guy!  It is supposed to be this way. It was designed to be this way. We were asked and even commanded to be patient and to to help and encourage. There's is not ONE verse in our Holy Scriptures that say to be rude, uncaring, forceful or overbearing. Quite the opposite. We are to love, cherish, care for, and be willing to help.

    It is written, so let it be done! Be kind to others. You really just don't know what is going on with them. This is Mental Health Awareness Week (May 9-15 2022)  Be thoughtful as you think  about what you can do for yourself and others. It really really really does matter both in the long run and in the immediate.

Photo Credit:  Nature.com

    

Stephen Went Boom Boom!

 So, if you know me, you know that I try to mind my own business! There I was, in my car (Stephen) just stopped at the red light because that's what I do; I stop at red lights.  While stopped I was looking at the vehicle just in front of me, the one that decided to try and make it through the yellow light before it turns red. I was even thinking to myself, "If they just stop it would be so much better on everyone. Yellow means slow down, not speed up and try to make it!"  Well, just as I was thinking that I heard the unmistakable sound of tires screaming to a halt -- behind me! Then, you guessed it, BAM! Apparently the man behind me was hoping all of us would be going through the now very very red light. NOPE.  Poor little Stephen took a smack right in his backside; and hard!

    My daughter is forever saying that people who drive Dodge trucks are just asshats. They tend to run red lights, turn corners on two wheels, high-tail it out of parking lots without giving a damn if a kid or a dog is crossing in front of them. There's just something about the mentality (she says) about Dodge truck drivers. Well, turns out she was right this time!  Not only did this guy have a Dodge Truck (Ram 1500) it was older, the grill was completely missing, the front panels had been replaced, the hood had another color than the side panels; this truck had been in at least a few bang ups before this one. The guy driving it was what my daughter would call a very typical "A-Type Man without a brain", again, her words. I would say he was a less than attentive driver who felt that texting while driving was his way of multi-tasking and it didn't work out for him this time. It could have been really bad; thank God it wasn't.

    My insurance mind kicked into overdrive, and without speaking even a single word to the man I exited my car safely, walked around to the back of my car, took photos, took his photo, took photos of his tag and called 9-1-1.  As I'm reporting the incident to the dispatcher the man decides to call  out to me and say I didn't need to take his photo, he wasn't a criminal, he just hit me, he's not going to lie and say he didn't. That's good news. The thing is, I don't know him. I have never met him. He could be a murderer escaping the scene of that crime and got nervous and hit me; we just don't know. I decided to continue my conversation with the 9-1-1 dispatcher and I decided to describe not only the two vehicles but the man as well. I even told Dispatch what was printed on his t-shirt. I thought that would make him happy enough to back away and stop trying to talk with me.  He was basically saying we didn't need to call the cops. Too late! I'm on the phone with them, and yes, I wanted him to be ticketed. He was on the phone while driving, he hit me, he caused damage, he needs a ticket -- and if he didn't have insurance I wanted him arrested right then and there.

    The Dispatch asked me to pull to the nearest parking lot so I did. I didn't tell the man what I was doing, I just got in my car and slowly pulled around the corner. I figured he can either follow me or he can leave. He knew I had taken photos; he followed me.  He didn't try to talk to me after that, he just sat in his car and I stood outside mine. Yes, before you ask, I had my knife on me until I saw the cop car rounding the corner, then I put it back in my car.  No need in dragging that into the conversation. I had it if I needed it, I didn't need it, I put it away. I was also on the phone with Laura because as many of you know, my daughter Laura is a superhero and could be with me in an instant if called upon to do so! LOL.  Today is also her 33rd birthday, so she was really happy her mom didn't die today.

    The cop was super nice! He got out of his car and walked over to me first. He pulled out a card and began taking my information and side of things. He took my license, I showed him my GEICO ID card on my phone.  He then did the same for the Dodge driver.  In a minute or so the cop (Officer Terry) stepped from his unit and gave me a piece of paper with the case number and told me the good news was that Mr. Dodge Driver and I both had GEICO insurance.  Albeit that his was only liability, that's all I need!  I'm really hoping it all goes really easy and fast. I don't want to drag this out really. It's bad enough I had a flat just two days ago in Stephen and now this! Poor baby car!  I was literally on my way to get the donut removed from the back passenger side and replaced with a new tire, when this happened.  The Discount Tire Center was happy to hold my appointment for me! Great guys.

    The back of my car is a bit crunched. I've had my adjusters license for a minute, so I'm putting the damage estimate at about $3000-3500, and hoping I can just get the check and be done with it. I was actually thinking of selling the car anyway, so maybe I could just trade it in with the $3000 and get a new car.  I could also keep the money and trade with it, make more money and pay off this car or buy a new one. I don't think I'll use it to pay the mechanics to fix the car because I can turn the money into new/more money which will ultimately make me happier because I can say I turned a bad thing into a good thing, and that's always fun.  I won't gamble the money of course, I'm a trader with rules. If I can take $3000 and make another $3000-5000 from the trades I think that's a better way to handle the situation. Why give the mechanics all the money? I can earn more, fix the car, and maybe sell it as is. I'm just glad I wasn't injured!  I do have a headache and I took some Tylenol as soon as I could. I was going to walk today, but think I'll rest. I may even soak an extra 10-15 minutes tonight just because I can!

    God was really great to me today; I want to take a minute to thank Him and let Him know I truly appreciate the lessons I learned. I've been guilty of picking up my phone when I'm driving too. I only use it at stop lights, maybe this guy was doing that as well. He actually admitted to the cop that he was on his phone. That's amazing, and probably a bit careless. I don't know if he did himself any favors with that one, but it was nice to see that he didn't argue - - then again, he had a truck without a grill and his truck's puncture wounds in the back of my car's bumper, scrapes and bumps all over the backside, and there's that fact that the Dispatch heard him say we didn't need to call the police. Officer Terry told him that it was a good thing I called the police, as there tends to be a bit of one-sidedness when they aren't called. I will always call the police because you just never ever know who it is that has hit you -- and you don't know what they are capable of doing. 

    Bottom line: Stephen will be dimpled for a minute; battle scars!  He's only 3 but he's traveled 42,000 miles and he needs a bit of loving.  I had the tire replaced after the wreck, and I'll get 3 more in a couple of weeks.  By that time I should know what the outcome is on the claim and I'll decide if I should keep Stephen and have him fixed, or if I'll sell him to another good person and start a fresh.  We just don't know. What I do know is, I stop at red lights, and everyone else should do that as well -- and not use their phones when they drive. Just a suggestion, but in Oklahoma, and other places, it's the LAW! Again, I'm really happy we're both OK. Cars can be replaced, people can't be. God is great.

Photo Credit: Me

    

AAA - - My Endorsement!

 I was going to blog today about something else, but that was before my little car Stephen was attacked viciously by a construction nail on the highway!  I have always named my cars and in 2019 I bought this guy new; he's a 2018 Nissan Versa. He's a bit special because he has crank windows and there are no power locks on the doors either - - quite the inconvenience. I think I named him Stephen after my silver 2005 Ford Focus Steve; but I didn't want my new car to think he was or could be anything as wonderful as Steve. No car could come close to that beast! We loved the hell out of that car - - and he is gone. He is not forgotten.  

    This was Stephen's first event I think. Reuben has been driving him for over 5 months and nothing happened during those elongated road trips to every corner of our state and back. In less than 3 years we've put 42,000+ miles on the car, and no maintenance issues that I'm aware of. Every now and then, due to weather, the check tire pressure light will come on . I take him to the AAA store near me, and I have the techs check him, he's fine, we put in a little air, and we're on our way. We change the oil, the filters, use good fuel, and he's been running like a top!  Gotta love that! He may be basic, but he's awesome.

    Today I took Stephen up to Edmond about 17 miles away, to pick my cat up from the vet's office. I had to hurry as I was going on my early lunch break. We took the highway there and back, and even took a toll road where most people speed a bit to make it worth their while to pay for the pass!  I was clocking 80 at times, and I have to be really careful doing that in Stephen, he's likely to sprout wings and fly! I like my tires on the road, thank you!  About 4-5 miles from home the check tire pressure light came on, but I didn't think anything of it. We had a sudden drop in temps lately, and that happens. About 2 miles from home I started smelling a funny gassy airy smell from the heater (yes, it was cool enough outside to pump that up to 70) and that smell was weird enough to make me turn off the fan.

    When I got home I went upstairs, worked, and was preparing to take my little car under the covered garage next door due to more storms coming our way. I got into the car, drove it literally 400 feet (would be 50 feet if I could just back it up over the curb and easement to the garage, but I had to drive through the parking lots to get to the garage.  When I got there I felt the car was leaning to the right. I got out and there it was....the FLAT TIRE on my passenger back side. What? Why didn't I check that before I drove on it? Because I was concerned about hail, not flat tires.

    Because I'm a member of AAA Roadside Service, I gave them a call, and I mean THEY WERE FAST.  I placed the call at 4:40 p.m. I got a text accepting that call, and then I had a tech calling me literally 4 minutes later. He said his GPS put him about 5 minutes from me...there you go! Great service!  He was there, and we talked, and he told me his latest dad jokes. I pulled out a few of my own, and we just really got along very well.  I was happy to see that the service was free, and included in my annual payment (less than $99 for the two of us, Laura and I) and the tech assured me that Stephen was the cleanest car he has seen in a long time!! Thank you Reuben and Josie, that was really nice to hear. My son and his wife had Stephen detailed when they brought him back last month. So sweet.

    That's it. I'm on a donut for a minute until I can make it to my favorite tire guy. We have known each other 40+ years so I go to him even if I have to wait until the weekend since he retired. He will force his kid to do the work while we have coffee. Gotta love being connected, right? LOL.  So we'll be back on the road in no time, and living the dream.  Since I really don't drive that much I don't worry about waiting for weekends to do most of my running around. I work from home and literally have to start the car up now and again to keep the battery running. It's a great gig if you can get it!  Again, God is great!

    Enjoy your ride, and IF you don't have AAA Roadside I would get it. I think the PLUS package is on sale right now.  You get 4 tows up  to 100 miles, and at least 4 services calls.  They bring you fuel if you need it, change your tires and stuff. At their stores they have mechanics and change oil and such, but again, I have my friend from way back when, so I typically go there.  It can't be beat. If you need help you've got a friend in AAA!  That's my endorsement and I'm sticking to it.

Photo Credit: Me.

Fitness Goals for 2022.

 This one won't be that long (at least I think it won't be. I realized I put my last Spring Fitness 2022 blog up without stating any goals. Goals are really very very important in every aspect of my life. I wake up knowing I have goals to meet before I sit down to write in my journal. I don't call them chores, I call them goals because it is my hope to do them, and I don't HAVE to do them, I want to do them. I own pets so when I get up I walk one, then give treats, feed and water them all, and I put Laura's dog out and in, then back out and back in.  It's a thing now.   I have other goals for the day, but today's blog is about the goals I'm setting for the Spring Fitness 2022. 

    I am about 30 pounds over the target goal that I want to weigh, but my doctors like to say that I don't need to be that light. They like to say that I need to be this or that weight, but I know I have heavy dense bones and muscles and I don't want to carry around extra skin either. My belly is still a bit larger than it should be and some of that is extra skin that is sagging from when I lost the bulk of my weight in 2020. I am going to meet my 30 pound goal by losing 20-25 and then I'm having surgery to remove the skin under my belly area to both flatten it and to ease another 4-5 pounds off the total.  Another 3 or 4 pounds (maybe 5-6 if I have my way) is to have my breasts reduced and lifted; hopefully at the same time I have the tummy tuck so that I can be in pain all at one time and I won't have to take off work more than once.

    With the walking, diet, other exercise such as boxing, battle ropes, jump ropes, and dancing, I should be hitting my first phase of 10 pounds a month in May and 10 pounds a month in June.  I will likely taper off a bit in July and August as the last 5-10 is the hardest to lose. I'm taking it EVER so slowly so that it stays off, and I want to make a permanent decision with the surgeries for physical and mental reasons. I know I'm stable minded, but the extra care will help my confidence and my morale. I'll think of it as a way to be the best I can be and continue to encourage anyone who is willing to work hard for a goal too. There is nothing wrong with cosmetic surgeries in my book as long as you're not addicted to them, or they are being used to make you look like someone else.  I think being the best you (in my case, me) is a good thing. Bodies don't bounce back easily at my age. 

    There really isn't a food goal other than to eat well, cut the carbs when I can without trying to go all KETO on myself. It doesn't work for me to do that. I have been in that ring a few times, and the bells just keep sounding off for me to throw in the towel.  I am not one to give up something I really love just to see a pound drop and come back with vengeance!  I love my chocolate. I love bread. I don't eat much bread, but I won't give it up entirely either.  I eat smaller portions, lots of proteins, and I drink great enormous amounts of water - - probably close to 150 ounces a day easily. This will happen!! I will make it happen. It will be a great and glorious Spring and into Summer. I'll keep you posted.

Photo Credit: LeaderChat.org

It's a TWISTER!

     It's so funny when I think about to all the times non-Okies have used the word "Twister" to explain one of the most powerful weather events that often takes place in the Sooner State.  We have never, and I do mean never, called them "twisters".  There was even a major motion picture by that name and it was filmed right here in the state I'm sitting in today.  I think the term twister came from the Wizard of Oz or something; maybe people up in Kansas call tornadoes by that name. We say tornado.  If you call it a twister we're gonna know you're from out of town; just sayin'. 

    Here in my neck of the woods we're blessed with so many of the world's finest and educated meteorologists ever.  The film I was telling you about included our own home grown Gary England, weatherman to the most appreciative and grateful crowd on this planet. I count myself a very lucky woman to be able to say I've met Gary many times, and he's one of the most genuine folk I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Gary was (and is) so revered for his weathercasting skills, that we locals knew his tells. If he got too excited or too serious about a storm's movements we knew before he said anything. We had our closets ready, the basement stairs cleared, and we had our bicycle helmets on the ready as well. Before we realized bicycle helmets were useful for more than just riding bikes, we would use our football helmets. I say that as if you already knew, but everyone in Oklahoma has at least two helmets in their house from when the kids played ball at school.

    David Payne has taken over Gary's role at News 9 KWTV in Oklahoma City, and though he's been on the air for more than twenty years there are still a lot of us who still refer to Gary's work; but let me tell you, David has his tells as well. He's nothing like Gary, and we wouldn't expect him to be, but when it comes to tracking tornadoes, most of us still tune into Channel 9 in this state. I know the others have good men and women to follow, but we just have our ways, and if it ain't broke we don't fix it. When David gets really serious he takes off his glasses and we know we're about to jump into our "safe space".  I love it when David looks into the camera and says "If you're in this area or anywhere near it, you know where to go, and you know what to do. We've gone over this a 100 times! Do it. Do it now!"  We do. We're not stupid. I mean, we will watch the thing until it's right up on us, but we do hit the closet when we are supposed to.

    About 23 years ago (May 3, 1999) Oklahoma saw one of the biggest, fastest, worst tornadoes in history. In fact, it was so big and bad that the weather people decided to upscale the rankings of these beasts and included an F6 in the mix when before May 3, 1999, the fastest moving storm was an F5. Not kidding you folks, the winds range higher than 300 miles per hour.  I think the one we had was officially an F6 by the standards of 1999, but they downgraded it to an F5 after determining that the winds would need to be at least 300 mph for a substantial amount of time. WHATEVER!  We had a whooper!!  I remember  it so clearly because I only had my son with me, the girls were with their dad and I prayed and cried and cried and prayed until I could hear their voices over the phone when they found one to call me; so thankful their dad had a storm shelter! Reuben and I hunkered in the smaller closet with three dogs.  You let the cats run free, you don't try to trap them. 

    When we lived in Indianapolis an F1 came through and I remember the panic in and on the faces of the people at the store. Laura and I drove home and tried to not to laugh.  We were in New York City and an F0 (didn't even know there was one) came through Manhattan and you would have thought the world had ended. One guy was so upset because his hat blew off his head. Another guy swore the door of his car swung open by itself. OK....that's cute. I mean, I don't mean to sound mean, but c'mon. When your car becomes a missile and your hay turns into spears piercing your 100 year old live oaks, let me hear you talk about something meaningful - - my had blew off my head. Geez.  When we're at home and we hear the sirens we have already been watching the skies ourselves. We grew up with that serious little stare that we get; and most of us may not be able to spell "mesocyclone" but we know what it is - - and a hook, and we know what sheer is, what "wrapped in rain" means.  We practice.

    Oklahoma (and yes, I'll even say Texas) has never really been a place to experience all four of the typical or photo-type seasons that could be used for a pretty calendar.  We have four seasons, but you can have them all in one day if you plan it correctly.  We have Hot, Cold, Wind, and Football seasons. Those are about all we get here. It can be 87 in November with a sudden storm bringing the temps down below 32 degrees right in the middle of 3rd quarter and you know we're not calling that game. I think I remember two games being called for lightning but rain or wind may not qualify for a good enough reason to halt play. I say that, we'd halt it if we were throwing against the wind; sure, that would happen. We'd halt it until the storm passed. That only makes sense.

    Oklahoma has always been called "Tornado Alley" or at least has been included in the term one way or another. We've had monster storms that took out entire cities,  killed people, and left millions of dollars in damage but one thing a storm has never (so far) done to us; it has never changed us with regard to pulling up our boots right after the thing has passed, and going out to check on our friends and neighbors to be sure they're OK, their property is OK, their animals, and their crops are OK. We do what we can and before the first responders arrive we've already arrived. We take care of our own and if you're here visiting, you'll be taken care of as well.  For that matter, if you live in a place that doesn't see many tornadoes but one is coming in, maybe think about following David Payne's advice:  Get to the lowest part of the house, a basement or storm shelter if possible. If you can't do that, find a small room like a closet, a bathroom is OK, but you'll need a mattress over you while you're in the tub so debris doesn't hit you. The closet is better. Wear long trousers, long sleeves, maybe get a helmet, and be sure you're wearing your boots or rubber soled shoes. THIS IS KEY:  bring your ID with you and if you can't, write you name and a contact number for your relative on your arm with a Sharpee. You may think I'm kidding - - I'm not kidding.

    God is so very very amazing.  He has always kept His word and He has always protected us. I am so blessed to call Him my Lord.  He made the tornado. He controls it. When they come our way, the first line of defense is prayer.  We take our precautions, obviously, but we always go to God for the end result. He is the spinner!  Be safe and know you are in good hands if you come to our state in the spring and need a place to hide - - most of us will invite you even before you ask.

    

Welcome to Oklahoma!

Photo Credit:  UniverseWorld.com

South vs. North

 In Dr. Seuss' story "The Zax", the good author expresses the stark and obvious differences (not the similarities) of the two main characters which are; the North Going Zax and the South Going Zax. In the story the North Going Zax proclaims that he always goes North and when he runs into the South Going Zax, he tells him flat out to "Get out of my way". Apparently, and you can imagine, the two meet at an intersection of life, and one refuses to budge for the other. There is a stand off. There is a non-movement. There is a problem.  I think the good doctor was really trying to hint at another issue all together with this one. Could it be that there are folks out there that don't see things the same way we see them? Could it be that there are huge differences between us all and we are more or less too stubborn to step aside allowing another person to have his or her own opinion? I think so, but feel free to disagree. I'll let you pass.

    The American Revolutionary War was a great conflict between people who mostly came from the British Isles, ( but there were many others who came from other parts of the world for a chance to live their own way) and the Crown, be it English, Scottish, Welsh, and some Irish, anyone and everyone who was loyal to the Crown by duty or birth. This war established a very strong ZAX movement indeed; but it was not to be the last.  Later, less than 100 years in fact, there was another war, the war of the States, the Northern Aggression, some call it the Civil War.  In that conflict we literally had the distinction of North and South for sure, and there are just a few things that were never conquered or changed even if the tallies were counted in that fateful event.  The South is still very much the South, and there's not a damn thing any Yankee can do about it.

    We sound different down here, we say things differently, we approach things differently, and believe me when I tell you we don't always let you see the cards we're holding, but we may fan them in front of you to pretend to stave off the heat. All we're really doing at that point is drawing you in for the kill. Be very careful around a long-legged bright-eyed girl bearing gifts of sweet tea and biscuits. You have been warned. One of the funnier things I've ever seen or heard come out of the mouth of a Yankee friend of mine (I do have them) is that we Southerners (he meant me, of course) can smile through the pain of an insult and say the nicest thing in retort when everyone with blood in their veins knows there will be an uprising and it will be both swift and precise....but you don't know exactly when or where that will happen. Just know it will in fact happen.

    I saw a meme the other day that made me giggle and thank Sweet Baby Jesus that I was born in the South.  The meme had a split picture showing cornbread on one side and buttered biscuits on the other. There was  caption that read "Pick one".  I thought that was hilarious. Why would I do something like that when the answer is obviously "both".  I read through the comments and noticed a few other souls had answered as I would have, only to find comments berating them for not "getting the point" of the meme.  Apparently the Yankee who produced such nonsense expected people to actually choose one side over the other. There is no reason for it when butter and honey spread nicely over both! That's a kin to asking someone to choose football or baseball; nonsense. The only true answer is "Both".

    I was just about to share the meme on my own Facebook wall when I noticed that the photo of the cornbread had a square glass pan in the background with the rest of the cornbread still inside of it. What the hell were they thinking? Where did that photo come from and who baked their precious cornbread in a Pyrex dish when everyone knows you use Gramma's old iron skillet? I couldn't even post the meme out of fear of possibly being turned in and then losing my Southern Card. I'm not about to let that happen. Close call. Good thing I looked!  If those two were given to me to choose from I'd have to take the biscuits, but then again, knowing what I know now about the damn cornbread, I may ask if they used sugar in either, or if (God forbid) they measured their butter before cutting it into the flour! (OMG...do you think they used something else other than butter?) No thank you, I'll just stay home and cook breakfast myself. 

    Some of my Northern friends think I'm crazy for saying "Thank you" to my phone Siri, or holding the door open for someone before I enter the store. I can't help it if my Mama put manners on me at an early age, and I can't help it if their Mama didn't love them enough to show them the right way to do things. I do pray for them though, and I hope they find it in their souls to be less stressed and more blessed. I think if I had to pick one really big difference between the North and the South it would be insistence up that way for fast-pace living and the impatience I see that they carry out when discussing a matter. They may have "won the war" but they don't hold a candle to our hospitality, and it's true, more people feel more comforted in an airplane that's experiencing turbulence if when the Captain comes on the overhead speaker to assure them everything is going to be OK, if that Captain has a Southern drawl.  Then again, a Northern Captain may not give a damn to let the people know.

    If you do decide to mosey on down to the South don't forget your manners. If you do, you will be cordially reminded.  Boomer Sooner.

Photo Credit: The Pioneer Woman (another Okie)