I Met a Former Prisoner Today.

 Though he never said he was recently released from prison, I met a man today that left little doubt that he had been incarcerated for maybe twenty to twenty-five years. He wasn't rude, mean, nasty, or in any way showing himself to have been an ex-con, but it was more in the way he asked questions, listened, and nodded his head when I answered. He was genuinely interested in the answer to the (several) questions that he had.  I'll try to explain it as best I can; it was a rather interesting exchange.

    The man wasn't flirting with me. If he had been, I would have walked in the opposite direction. He was curious about literally everything in the store. It was as if he hadn't been in Winco before. He looked out of place in other ways too. He watched people. He moved slowly around them, not to get too close to them, and he always listened before he spoke. He didn't want to impose or offend. He wanted to ask specific questions, but I could tell he had a few to ask.  It wasn't as if his wife had done all the shopping in the past. It was as if he hadn't seen a produce section of a store in a very long time. He was noticing the choices, the prices, and the way the bags are in rolls without ties, and he mentioned that he hasn't been shopping "in a while".  I took that to mean a long long while.

    My friend and I went to the grocery store today and we were in the produce aisle. People always, and I do mean always, stop me and ask me questions about food when I'm in the store. I don't work there, I don't have on an apron or a badge that states I work there.  While looking over the wonderfully ripe and unripe avocadoes, a man (from out of nowhere) asked me how I use or fix avocadoes. He was only familiar with eating them in guacamole.  I told him I cut them up to put on sandwiches, I put half of one in a smoothie in the mornings, and I often just cut them up as part of a  party tray to serve with chunks of cheese, and olives, crackers, etc. He all but stared at me.

    The man couldn't believe avocadoes could be used in smoothies. He then wanted to know what all goes into a smoothie. He wanted to know the benefits of them, he had been hearing about them and saw them on sale at places like Starbucks, Scooters, and Tropical Sun, but he said he had never actually had one. He wanted to know everything he could about them. I decided to answer him and to spend a bit of time with him because it was absolutely obvious to me that this man hadn't been inside a grocery store in years. If he hadn't been inside a store, he probably hadn't been anywhere else but maybe a prison cell.  I never got actual confirmation on that, but his white tucked-in tee-shirt, belted waist, and Dickie trousers told me that he was a bit old school. 

    When I saw him again pondering over the bulk section as if he had literally stumbled into Narnia, I asked if he needed help. He definitely needed a great deal of help. He was so surprised, so overwhelmed really by the choices before him. He couldn't figure out why someone would want to scoop out a bunch of raisins when they could buy them packaged already in nice little boxes.  I explained to him that the nice little packaged boxes came with a cost and advertising. These bulk raisins are just as good, but literally half the cost. Again, he couldn't stop staring. He just couldn't believe his own ears.

    I showed him what I was getting, and explained why I was getting everything that I bought. I make my own trail mix. He had never seen Oregan hazelnuts before, and he never knew peanuts came salted, unsalted, roasted, raw, and with chili.  So many choices. I showed him where the little containers are that can be reused. I showed him where the Sharpee pens are, and the tape I use to label my containers, and I showed him the cost difference not only on the raisins, but also oatmeal, flour, Stevia, and chocolate chips; and his favorite, the spaghetti.  A one-pound pack of regular spaghetti was about $1.99 whereas he could get the same amount for $.87 in bulk. He was sold.  He was flat-out amazed, and he was now a bulk fan. 

    I can't always go to prisons and minister. I can't sit down with the homeless in the streets and talk. I can't put myself in an unsafe environment even if I want to witness and talk about Jesus; it's just not safe.  However, in the bulk and produce sections of Winco today, I was able to help a man who I feel had been kept away from society for many years. When I told him to "be blessed", he said he was. He smiled and said "I am. I truly am."  I then said something I say to just about anyone who will listen. I said, "Jesus is coming back, and none of this will matter."  He smiled and said "Amen. I wish it was today."  Me too buddy, me too!

    If you make yourself available God will bring you His sheep to tend to. Just keep in mind you are one too.

Photo Credit: Healthline.com

My Opinion on People Who Love Black Licorice.

 Well, according to the all-knowing internet:  People who like black licorice, "Black licorice fans consider themselves more wild and crazy. They like spontaneity and the thrill of adventure and are more likely to be outspoken, freely share their opinions with others, and often feel as though they're going a million miles an hour."  www.licoriceinternational.com. Do I agree? I don't know, I think yeah, I'm rather wild and crazy at times, but I think also there is something to be said about those of us who like the odd-tasting things in life, and or those of us who don't like the taste of sweet sugar in our tea! Ewww...and I'm from the South!

    Black licorice lovers are apt to be brave, outspoken, and energetic, even to the point of being annoying at times. People often think that people who eat black licorice only claim to like it, but secretly only have the ability to stomach it so as to appear to be tougher, meaner, badder, and able to face more conflict. That's another sort of pseudo quote from an unremebered source. I was thinking about this months ago and had a conversation with a former colleague, and they read it somewhere. It's unofficial at best.  Take that with salt or any other seasoning you prefer.

    I think it's funny that someone will even ask me if I like black licorice or red licorice as if I can't like them both. I love them both. They both have their place in my life, and in my heart. I will eat both, and though it may depend on my mood as to which I prefer, I am usually truly loyal to the sticky-tar-like mass of candy (can we call it a candy?) if given a choice to take one or the other. I am a fan of Good and Plenty over the standard basic licorice pieces. I can tell you that. I do like the candy-coated pink and white pill-shaped pieces. They sell those in bulk at Winco. Yes, I do know this, and yes, I do shop this. 

    As far as I can tell, there are two types of people in this world. There are those who love black licorice and those who hate it. You really don't find many who are indifferent to it. I find that people make faces, turn their nose to it, and say nasty things about it, or they simply smile with their hand out. I'm of the ilk to ask for more; I even like NyQuil, which as you may or may not realize, has the flavoring of black licorice or anise in it to mask the medicine taste.  I think we're just a bit odd or different perhaps. The Licorice International folks did a study back in the day and found that only 3% of the surveyed thousands claimed to like black licorice as a kid and that they still like it.  One commenter said only folks over the age of 80 like it, that's not true.

    Growing up I remember very clearly that my mom not only hated it, she told us we hated it, too. I didn't hate it. I loved it. I had this sort of argument going on about it from time to time. She also said Dr. Pepper was made out of prunes. She was either lying to us intentionally or just repeating what others had said about it. Either way, I remember thinking I don't only like black licorice, I wanted it when I saw it, I bought it when I could, and I never had to worry about sharing it - - though you know I always asked. I was raised that way. (you might say I rather enjoyed that cordial chore because I knew their response usually, and it made me smile every time.)  At least I asked!

Photo Credit: Swanson Vitamins

    

Plans Change So Quickly!

 Like the freaking Stock Market, my life has its ups and downs. We call that Day Trading!  I am learning and practicing the high and wonderful traits and skills needed to be both a Day Trader and a Swing Trader. The difference really is time, patience, due diligence, and discipline.  For Day Trading you don't really care too much about the longevity of price, you're more about getting in, either selling or buying, getting out of the market, so you can enter again if the market shifts to the other side. In Swing Trading, you do care. You plan longer, take less risk, take more information (technical and analytical) into consideration, and you wait - - and wait - - and then you wait more.  Day Trading has its perks, nearly instant gratification, but it has its downside as well.  You may lose. We call that "learning" rather than losing. You never really lose, you learn not to fail.

    My life is like one big market right now. I was up, and now I'm down again. I'm about to go into consolidation and change the mode from day-to-day living to more of a strategy using a great deal more technical and analytical research and preparation. I'm about to take the summer off to learn more about Forex Trading and how I can make it my actual profession. This means I have to actually stop working in genuine and live off savings (etc) while I train.  It's not necessarily the best plan, but it is A PLAN.

    I've always said (well, for several years now) that I can only work for myself. EVERY last time I go to work for someone else either as a teacher, an analyst, an investigator, a consultant, or even a legal assistant (and believe me, I have many years behind me in these fields) I find myself out of a job within weeks, or sometimes months. It just breaks me that these employers will hire me, use me to catch them up or get them to a place where they can fly again, and then they release me. It's got to do with my salary requirement; that's all I can think of. Otherwise, I'd still be employed. NOPE. I'm flying solo!!

    Well, for the Summer of 2022 I think it may be best to sit back, relax, do the thing(s) I really want to do, and learn Forex both in and out, up and down, Bull and Bear, Swing and Day Trading. I have my demo account up and running. I've been working it, and I've been doing well on it, so now it's time to strike out and do the real deal but only using pennies, not dollars, until such time I know and can guarantee myself that I know what I'm doing. I won't be satisfied with a 65% win ratio. I want 70% even if the wins are lower than some of the numbers my scalper friends are proudly boasting. I'll get there, but I strongly (VERY STRONGLY) believe in trading the plan, not the emotion. I won't get caught in that rattle. (Yes, I stole that line - - sue me)

    For the next 8-12 weeks I'll live off the savings and study day and night, work the numbers, watch the charts, find the pairs that I think will work for me, and I'll shift the process from demo to reality trading so that I can begin to accumulate actual funding.  By October I should be working it in a more productive manner, and by April I should have enough funds in the account to both move to Scotland on a more permanent basis (9 months out of 12) and travel the other 3 months both in Europe and back to the States so I can satisfy any needed VISA issues. 

    For now, it is a plan. I know my plans have plans. My thinking isn't thinking unless it's overthinking and coming up with any and every scenario possible. I can do this. It will take a minute, but what a fun way to plan my next chapter.  As for that VISA thing; not a problem. I can go the first 6 months without one, the next will be on a research VISA for my book(s) and then a hop back and forth every 6 months for a month keeps the balls in the air as far as that goes - - it's a game, but one worth playing.

Photo Credit: Financial IT

Muscle v. Fat (It's REAL)

 I can't even begin to tell you how hurt and upset I was when I stood on the scale the other day and saw the number that represents the amount of weight I weigh in pounds! I'm going to start referring to my weight in either Kg or in stones because it really is so much lower than the number I saw; the number that was burned into my brain! AGONY!  Oh my goodness, I was upset. I actually sat on the bed crying and I was mostly upset about it because I had been (and have been) both really careful on my intake of calories and the output of energy through walking, dancing, riding my bike, boxing, you name it, I do it - - I jump rope, I climb, hike, ride horses too. About the only thing I can't do is run or jog because of my right knee being so useless, but there I was in absolute disgrace and tears after stepping from the scales. How could that be true?  I'll tell you how it's true. Muscle weighs so much more than fat.

    I know people say that, they say muscle weighs more than fat, but I thought really they were just saying that to make their friends feel better when they were asking "Do I look fat in these jeans?" You know, it was something or is something people say to be nice really, not making a show of the fact that they really wanted to say "You could stand to put the ice cream bar down and pick up a dumbbell every now and again." The problem with that would be that I've given up the ice cream and I've been working out so I don't get it!!  Now, I get it.

    After researching it for real, and then going back over it again, I can tell you with both confidence and authority that muscle really does weigh more than fat!  You can't say a pound of muscle is the same as a pound of fat without realizing that the measure you mentioned is the same...it's a POUND. A pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of lead. A pound is a pound is a pound.  A cup of fat however weighs so much less than a cup of dense muscle. I just didn't realize how much more muscle actually weighed until I sat my dermatologist down and asked her to dig out her college manuals to show me! It didn't do her any good to try and convince me with her head knowledge. She's incredibly smart, but I wanted to see it in writing! Something about it being in print made it more real I suppose.  There it was!! 

    Basically, the example given in the textbook was that two people of the same sex could be the same height and weight but one could wear a dress size or jean size much larger than the other due to the fluffy fat content of their body.  The more fit person, whose muscles are dense and compact, would and could wear clothes that are much smaller. The example was that of two women both 45 years of age, standing 5'5" and weighing 150 pounds.  One woman wore a size 14 dress and the other wore a size 6 dress. WOW...that makes so much more sense now, and I had to pack away the tissue because I'm no longer crying about it. I am also no longer wearing a size 18 dress or jeans. I'm wearing a size 12 and on my way to wearing a size 10. I weigh more now than I did a year ago, a lot more. I weigh 14 pounds more, an entire stone more than I did a year ago. I thought it was supposed to go down to my "goal weight" but it didn't. I'm on my way to my goal size instead.

    When all is said and done, maybe in about 3 months or so, I will be in my size 8 jeans if I can find a way to get rid of the belly fat.  The hardest part of the entire body transformation is this belly! I'm doing literally everything I can to reduce it. I'm doing aerobic training, I'm taking raspberry ketones, I'm drinking green tea, using all the right methods - - it's coming off but so so so slowly. I may end up resorting to having surgery to get rid of the visceral fat I can't control or shed. I have been battling this for years and it may be time to call in the professionals. I'm doing all I can before that happens, but I won't let it stand in my way of meeting my personal goals.  NOPE.

    I did notice that I'm lifting weights while I watch YouTube videos. That's something I never did before. I am also walking upward and over 7 miles a day for the most part. I always do 5.5 miles, but I push for the last 1.5 if I can.  I used to be really happy with 3 miles a day. Now I think that's slacking off and I get that before noon. When you're working toward a goal you put in the work or you don't. It's either yes or no. To not do it to the fullest is to say no. It's do or don't do for me. You don't have to be this way, it's just me, but that's the way I've always been. Yoda and I see things the same way. Do or don't do, there is no try.

    OK that's about it for now, I'm about 30 minutes behind in my walking today but there was a huge rain storm, so there's that. Usually, when that happens I go to the store to walk, but we couldn't get out of the driveway to even do that!! Oh well, it is what it is. There's always another way to get the body moving. I can dance!  My poor neighbors. They know when I'm up here working out and punching the bag and they know when I'm dancing. At least I'm smiling when we pass each other in the commons!!

Photo Credit:  Real Mentor

Sorry. Not Sorry. Stop the Negative.

 Recently a man I know from the internet posted a meme about being grateful vs. being negative.  The meme showed about 6 or 7 different ways you could say something to someone in such a way as to leave the apologies out and add in a more grateful attitude. This works on so many levels.  The first one I remember was instead of saying "I'm sorry I'm late" a person would say "Thanks for waiting on me. Time got away from me."  Another good one would be, instead of saying "I know I complain a lot, but..." a person could say "You're always there to listen to me when I need to vent. Thank you."  Firstly, it just makes more sense (common sense) not to be negative all the time. We attract what we put out there. We bring to us what we bring.  If we carry baggage with us from years back and constantly talk about it over and over again, we not only relive it, we force everyone else to relive it as well. STOP! I don't want to have to be bold, blunt, or forward about it, but I don't wish to be a part of your pity party!

    I've not had the opportunity really to hire many people, when I was an employer I hired my own kids to assist me in my family insurance business.  I would, however, if I were to become an employer, wish for each and every last employee of mine to be both upbeat and positive. If I sensed negativity, overt apologizing, untimeliness, or even so much as cowering from a candidate who was applying for a job, I would not choose that candidate. I don't want that type of attitude near me, I certainly wouldn't want it near my business or my other employees.  Negative breeds quickly. Negativity is quite fertile!  It takes JUST as much energy to be positive as it does to be negative about an issue or situation. In fact, it may take more energy to constantly have to be down about something to the point of being a great drag! Who wants that?

    Yes, I know there are those who are depressed. Yes,  I am fully aware that people go through trauma, that they deal with it differently, that they need time to process, and I know that it's not going to happen overnight.  What I am saying is, if I were employing someone, and making a decision about who to hire, I would pick someone less obviously negative because it would and could have an impact on my business and that would eventually impact my livelihood. I'm not willing to sacrifice that for someone who can't control their emotions or bring a positive outlook to the forefront. I'm not saying I wouldn't personally care about that person, or that I wouldn't try to be there for that person if I could, but as an employer, I have more to think about than one person's self-appreciation issues. 

    Before you get upset with me, thinking I'm a total boo-bear and that I don't care about those with true mental health issues, please note that I am not saying that these things aren't real. They are real, but there are so many who refuse to become better. There are those who stay in the wallow and who choose to be down when they know they can lift themselves from the pits. There are those who need more help, yes, but there are so many who have through lifestyle and habit, chosen to be an Eyore when they could be a Tigger, a Pooh, even a damn Rabbit, but enough is enough and if it is within you to make a change you should do so if for NO OTHER REASON, but that it benefits YOU to be positive. You can't argue with me if I say it sounds better to say "Thank you" than it does to apologize constantly. 

    My son Reuben is training to become a First Sgt. in the Army (OKANG).  He was born with a blood type of B+.  I love to hear him tell people who don't know this fact, and who are questioning why it is that he's always smiling and seemingly over the top about a routine military chore, why he is so gleeful.  He smiles and gives them a wink before saying "I was born B+, I don't have a choice, do I?"  If it were always that simple we'd all be happy people.  There's something to be said about that though. We may not have B+ blood running through our veins, but I don't think that people with 0- blood are negative; it is truly a choice we make. We can't keep blaming the past, or the past experiences, or the past letdowns. We can't continue to think nothing will come of anything because it hasn't before now. MAKE THAT CHANGE! No, it's NOT easy - - yes, it requires more than words. Begin slow, steady, easily, and make a change or two every day - - note the fact that you have made changes, and build on it.

    Another point on the meme that I remember was this one, it said, "Thank you for being my friend" the person doesn't need to go on and talk about how they never had friends in the past, how they weren't allowed to have friends, how friends treated them poorly, and so forth. Know when to stop talking and just enjoy the company of another person willing to be there with you. If you continue to push the negative even the really strong-minded and good-natured person will consider it a lost cause to always have to remind you to be more positive.  Do the work for them, do the work for yourself. Treat yourself with the respect you deserve so that others will do the same. YOU are the one that must first create the need and the purpose in your own life -- saying THANK YOU more often can actually make a huge difference. 

      In some offices there is a sign in the kitchen or breakroom that reads "Your mother doesn't work here, clean up your own mess."  Well, it would stand to reason that a sign like that could hang in your head as well. Your mother doesn't live in this space. Your monkey, your circus...stop the crazy, and be thankful you woke up! Be grateful you have breath. Thankfulness is truly a gift you give yourself first. It's a good place to start.  What happened years ago was in fact, years ago.  Every day you are given a new opportunity to be the better and more opportunistic person you can be. Make it happen rather than cursing that it doesn't happen.  You're welcome.  (By the way, I'm a Tigger)

Photo Credit: The Oklahoma Blood Institute

Press On Pop Off! (Nails)

 If you're anything like me you have really poor nails for being a woman, and that sucks. It really does. I can't catch a real break where that is concerned so what I do is fake it. I decided today to go to the store and try Press-On nails. I think the name of the brand is L.A. Color. They're awesome, but they don't work for me. I gave it a go! I really did. I read the instructions even though I knew exactly what to do.  I used the little prep cloth they give you; I was just so prepared. Alas, no matter how girly I want to be from time to time (and usually only from time to time) I can't keep nails on my fingertips to save my life. I even bought the shorter ones so as to lessen the chances of them being caught on something. NOPE...within 15 minutes of having the set in place, I lost the right-hand middle finger nail just by pulling on my shoes! 

    Usually, I can't keep the nails because I have to feed horses which means I have to carry buckets, lift large bags, shovel hay and do a lot of bumping around in the barn. I can keep my own nails but I have to have them really short. Even when you saddle a horse you can't do it with nails if they have a tendency to pop off every time you lift the saddle pads, lift or cinch a saddle, move things around, unlatch and unsaddle. I deal with bridles, bits, you name it, it can happen just because the nail catches on a single strand of horse hair from brushing out the tail! Anything goes in the barn, but the first things to go will usually be the pretty press-on nails. If you do get the gel nails from the salon you take a chance of really hurting yourself! OUCH!  Not worth it. I just tend to cut my own nails short and try to color them a couple of times a week. Pooey.

    Today, I thought since I don't have horses anymore (my daughter still does) I can probably try it again. You know, be a girl!  Nope. I'm not allowed to be one I guess. I did everything I was supposed to do, but like I said, just pulling on my tennis shoe (using my fingers to pull the heel up over my foot in the back) led to a nail coming straight off and that can only mean that the rest of them will find their way to the floor soon enough. I bet when I take a steamy bath tonight I'll find floaters. The instructions on the box tell you to be careful with using hot water as it can tend to loosen the glue. You're not supposed to try and pop them off by yourself, that could hurt, but the water softens them, and then if you use your hands for more than waving at folks, you're gonna lose nails left and right. 

    I think what I'll do is go do the gel nails again at the salon since I don't have a horse. It will cost more, but at least I won't have seven good nails and three stupid-looking fingers without nails attached to them. You can tell I'm right-handed as I tend to lose those nails first. My left hand can look prettier for a bit longer until I do laundry or something and they get tied up on the bed sheets or towels. I think the funniest way I have ever lost one (that I remember) is when I was trying to put the Christmas tree up and I got my nail stuck in the slot where you put the branch into the base. I was literally attached to the tree and had to ask my son to help me.  I never claimed to be brilliant.

    That's it, sort of a short blog really - - just me complaining that I can't keep nails on my hands. I don't know why I would even want them either; I can't type as well with nails, and I sure as heck can't text very well. I end up using the balls of my fingertips rather than my nails and it takes more time and I make more mistakes. Why is it again that I think it would be cool to be all girly-girl? I have no idea. I should just accept the fact that some of us (Me) are more of the Tom Boy type and just move forward. If you remember Scout Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird" you'll know who I am -- no, I'm not actually the actress that plays Scout.  I act a lot like Scout. I have always acted and/or behaved a lot like that little girl and I can absolutely relate not only to her curiosity but her moxie as well. I don't think I would ever have called my dad by his first name, but I did climb fences, eat wild fruits, chase the boys, punch the boys if they needed it, and I would have corrected my guest if he put gravy all over his entire plate, too.

    Well, that's it for me. I'll give the salon one more try, but if I can't seem to make it work for me I'll just let it go and let it be. It's cheaper being less girly anyway.

Photo Credit:  Charactour.com

Groceries Please. I'm Good.

 If you know me, you know I love love love to go grocery shopping. I remember when online shopping for groceries was ONLY available in Chicago, New York, London, etc., and I would go onto their sites and pretend I had a residence there so I could get a free membership. If you didn't live in the area they would charge you $2.00 a week or something to look at their items!  I faked my way through it, and I literally fake or pretend shopped hours and hours online. I spent an average of $400 weekly in pretend money. I bought everything I wanted!! It was glorious and I cherished my time with Peapods and other online stores. So unique. So fresh. 

    Now, everyone and their customer's dog have online shopping. Since C19, you're even encouraged to do online food shopping. They either deliver it to you, or you come by and pick it up curbside. It sort of takes the fun out of it. I love going into the store and going up and down literally every aisle, staring, gawking, reading, again pretending, and just thoroughly enjoying myself. Aldi is my favorite store now, and I know that may trigger my UK friends who think Aldi is on the lower end, but here in Oklahoma, Aldi  is rather nice. The people are nice. I think one thing I really appreciate, but my UK friends hate, is the speed of which the Aldi cashiers will zip a customer through a line. OMG...done!  Sort of like Chick-Fil-A but without the greeting and the smile!

    My UK friends also don't appreciate that you have to pack your own bags at Aldi, but that's not really a problem for me. It's not even a First World Issue for me because I, yes I, Jude Stringfellow, am the FIRST Girl Sacker in Oklahoma City, THANK YOU!! It's a fact. I don't know where it may be archived, but it is a fact.  Lisa Gann and I were hired at the same time, but I accepted the job about two hours before she did, so there you go, I was first.  The store was called Humpty Dumpty, yes, I'm telling the truth. My mom thought it would be a perfect job for me and since girls weren't allowed to sack groceries we had to petition the store manager to let me do it.  My mom can be pretty convincing. You may have guessed where I got my moxie.  Apples don't fall too far from their trees!!  If I had taken after my father I would have become an engineer or something. Mom was so much more fun.

    I love food. I have always loved food. I use it. I make it. I share it. I am a foody! You can keep your damn diamonds, I am not that interested in them. I am interested in rocks. I'll take a rock and research it but I don't need carbon on my hand. I'll take a burger in my mouth with avocado, bacon, cheese, and smoked ranch dressing! STOP...I'm drooling.  OK, so back to the fact that Aldi is my favorite store. You can't beat Aldi chocolate. You can't.  I also love the fact that the brands are "off" brands, but they may just be German brands with English translations. I don't know. I love the produce, I love the bread, I love the cereal, I love the chips. I love the cheeeeeeessssseeeee, and I love the meat. I've already told you I love the chocolate, but it's worth saying a second time. I can spend so much time and so much money at Aldi. I don't find anything shameful about those facts.

    Today, my good friend and I hit up Winco for their bulk section. Aldi doesn't have that. Winco is such a big store, you can certainly get your steps in just walking it so in the winter time or when it's raining I do that. Winco has about 16 rows, or 8 aisles of bulk foods.  Literally every meal, spice, nut, grain, dried fruit, and loose chocolates (think chocolate covered raisins or nuts) you can think of. You scope it out, tie it off, label it, and it can be literally 50-60% cheaper than buying it in a box or tin. I buy baking soda there for .63 cents a pound, but it's .99 cents a pound box elsewhere in the same store. You buy it without the box and it's amazingly cheaper. This is the concept.  Steel cut oats are $1.20 a pound bulk, and about $2.85 for the same amount in the round cardboard box. CRAZY!!  I just had to buy a few containers and label them. Why so much baking soda? I put 1/3 pound in my bath every night. Posh-Posh!

    Winco is good for meat as well, they do have more of a selection than Aldi. Bacon for instance, can have 20 different types, cuts, sizes, etc. I'm good with just average bacon, but why not splurge now and then and get the thin smoked so I can wrap it around my asparagus and treat myself to Heaven! (add cheese) We must have ended up with 15 small bags of this or that from the bulk. She was into the flours and meal such as flaxseed, she took a few types of lentils home as well. I did a couple of lentils, but I was more focused on the trail mix, dried fruits, and chocolate covered anything - - it's a weakness but I'm really not seeking any therapy for it at this time. 

    I you don't do fizzy water you may not care, but my daughter loves Bubly brand. I am a LaCroix fan myself. Both were on sale today and yeah, I stocked up on that. Here's my friend going for the house brand, but she did get pink grapefruit, which I may have to try because back in the day I was a Fresca drinker. I won't expect any of you to understand, but it was .... refreshing!  I may have to do that. The bottom line is, we had more fun at the grocery store than most people do at Disneyland. We see things, try things, decide on things, put things in perspective. She bought bulk coffee and we both celebrated that she would not be drinking crap coffee for another month or so. If she ever thinks of going back to it I'll twist her arm behind her back and force her back to Winco's bulk section!!

    OK, we did have a MISHAP today in the bulk section. I wanted honey and I was trying to show my friend how you can just get your own from the cool self service dispenser. They sell the bottles separately, but that's not the issue at all. I opened a new bottle, tried to get the dispenser to work, and when I forced it I was DRENCHED (my hands were) in thick, goey, ooey, clover honey!!  I wasted at least 4 ounces of the stuff trying to make it go into the bottle and the dispenser wouldn't close!!! It did close after a few seconds of cascading amber icky-sticky everywhere.  Thankfully Niki ran off to find a paper towel, but with no way of knowing when she would return there I was sucking my fingers and my hands for about six minutes just waiting on her to get back. Her paper towel was lovely, but it was dry, and that wasn't helping much. FINALLY, an employee came by and we were able to get her attention and I was allowed in the back to wash my hands.  Good on Niki!! Such a friend.

    We both had more than 15 items so we couldn't go to the self check, but I did notice that only one side of the self checks were being used. No  one had a credit card I guess. They were all lined up in the cash or credit card line. I never carry cash really.  We ended up in the best lane however as the lady was all about our choices for the bulk. I know some people don't like chatting with cashiers but I do. We share recipes, talk about traveling, we make up things, we lie to each other for the fun of it. I'm all about it as long as there's no one behind me being triggered by the friendliness -- then again, it's Oklahoma, it's expected. We talk a bit - - even to people we really don't know or have never met before. It's our thang. You're welcome.

    That's it then, you are caught up on my grocery escapades! This wasn't a baking spree, I do more of that around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. This was just stocking up and being fun with a friend. I can't take my daughter, she's boring. She wants to make a list, stick to the list, go around the store in one big circle, and get things in such an effective and efficient manner so as to get out as soon as possible. Where's the fun or the adventure in that? I have failed my kids. At least my mom KNEW I belonged in a grocery store for my first job.  (Well, not my REAL first job, but the one that mattered) ENJOY YOUR FOOD and think about how many people were actually involved in bringing it to your table from the farm to the register!  It's an amazing thing when you think about the logistics of just anything whatsoever - - mind blown.

PHOTO CREDIT:  NorthPhoenixblog.com

Chicken Salad Snobbery.

 No matter what I'm doing on a Sunday I always crave Chick-Fil-A. I can't be the only one who does that! I'll be like, "Oh yes, I need a ....oh, yeah, it's Sunday, they're closed!"  Cane's is literally across the street from Chick-Fil-A here in the middle of OKC, but I don't even know if they serve a chicken salad or not. I need t check into that.  When at CFA (not to be confused with KFC) I always get the same thing. I am just such a predictable girl that way. I only only only go to CFA if the line is short. That's the other thing about me. I can be dying for a Market Chicken Salad but if there are 6 or more cars in the line (queue for those in the UK) I really just leave the parking lot and pull into Braum's where I know I can get a Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad for less money, and it's not bad - - and yes, they are always open on Sunday! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

    When it comes to chicken salads I am a bit of a meanie. I really am. My friends hate me when I put pineapple on my pizza and they hate me just as much when I tell them I get the chicken salad with the fruit rather than the savory toppings they're used to. I can understand loads of cheese and bacon on a salad, I really can, but when I want my chicken salad I want it with fruit!  CFA serves it with Feta cheese! They give me packets of crushed almonds and granola!! I still end up putting more cranberries on top. I love crannies with my chicken, it's a thang and it's my thang, so it will be done.  Oh, and no actual poppy seed dressing, too much sugar - - apple vinegar or balsamic; nothing drastic like a cream ranch or zesty anything. 

    If I had to be honest, and I say that as if I'm not, but I am, I would say I eat at least 2 or 3 chicken salads a week, and today was the FIRST CFA chicken (Market) salad in weeks because every time I drive by the restaurant I can't get near the place due to the line stretching out to and past the curb! It should be illegal to allow people to do that. It's a traffic hazard just stop! POLICE!!!  That's just me, I am usually pretty hacked that I can't get anywhere close to the sweet order takers who always make it their duty to make you as happy as you can possibly be. LOVE them.  I told my daughter to HURRY home so we could try and beat the crowd tonight. We did it!! We pulled into the line in and were the 3rd in line. (They have two lines) and just as we pulled in the place opened up! Six, ten, fifteen cars right behind us! WE DID IT. We had our food within 3 or 4 minutes of ordering and let me tell you, they don't cheat you on the amount of chicken they put on top of your salad at CFA! NOPE.

    Laura usually orders the #1 or the regular Chick-Fil-A sandwich with CFA sauce, but not today. She did the Cob Salad and she was over in her room just loving it. I could hear her bragging about it to her European friends who don't have a CFA. They wanted to know if it was like KFC....goodness, can you be less offensive please? Don't compare the two. It's drastic. It's really sad. Chick-Fil-A is just an amazing chain and if you don't have one you need one. Write to them and make it happen. Just maybe ask your city engineers to pick a location where when the cars start to line up they don't end up with cars waiting over 30 minutes to get into the ordering stage. It's just sooooooo not good for traffic and it makes me wonder who would be legally responsible if they were hit by oncoming traffic while in line. If that were to happen you'd miss your place in line and you'd miss that sandwich too. I mean, you could go in and order it I suppose. I wonder if many people just do that and skip the line.  Sad note: I did break my straw when I pulled it out of the wrapper to put into my tea! I sliced it in the middle, you can't recover from that! First World Issues MUCH?

    I'll give it to CFA for the salad, but Braum's does have better iced tea. You have to specify at CFA that you want UNSWEETENED tea, whereas at Braum's you say REGULAR tea. Thank you. It is regular tea. I may be from the South, but no sugar in my tea thank you! I don't like it in my hot tea, and I don't like it in my cold tea. I like my sugar in chocolate!  That's about it, I just wanted to brag a little on my dining choices tonight. I made it through CFA in record time and the chicken was the best. RANKED #1 in my book -- and yes, my book does count.  It's a great book.

PHOTO CREDIT: Wallpapersdsc.com

Liar Liar! Pants on Fire!

 As kids we often ran behind someone cackling out a really annoying cadence of "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!" and we were really so immature about it. We still do it as adults when we tease or want to appear cute or funny. Most of us don't do it genuinely after the age of say 12.  What it really symbolizes is that the person calling the cadence KNOWS that the other person(s) is a liar, a non-truth teller, and the kid being obnoxious is really just having a jest at the expense of the would-be liar.  I think the "pants on fire" part is to warn them not to lie or else they'll burn up and go to hell. That seems about right. We were always thinking something was going to send us straight to hell when we were kids. (Now we know that only one thing will actually cause that fate to happen -- but that's another blog)

    Lies, as it turns out, can actually make a person sick to their stomach. It can also affect their head in that telling lies can cause anxiety and stiffness in the neck.  We know when we're lying. We just do it for the dumbest of reasons too. Most of us lie to either fit in, or not to be pulled out of whatever clique we've adjoined ourselves to.  We lie to cover up a little problem. We lie to cover for someone else. We lie so we're not seen as being overly religious, overly domineering, overly blunt, or overly whatever. We lie because we're chicken-shit and we can't take the truth when it's standing right there in front of us. We choose to lie. Face it, sometimes it's just easier to lie.

    Bigger lies don't exist. You have, we have, all heard someone say "It was just a little white lie" it doesn't really matter, and it doesn't hurt anyone. It was said to smooth things over, and you know, there's that one that says "It's none of their business, so I just lied to give them something to think about. They wouldn't leave me alone! So I lied."  Hey, you're not alone if you've done that. We have all, and I mean ALL, done that from time to time. Is it right? No. Does it suffice? Sometimes. Is it going to be a bad thing if we don't straighten it out? Maybe.  The thing is, in the end, I mean the REAL end, we are all accountable for our actions. We will face the music. We will give an answer for it; maybe not here on Earth.

    I used to teach Ethics at the college level. On the very first day of class, I got there early, and I wrote on the board "QUESTION: Is it ever OK to tell a lie?"  The first assignment in order to introduce themselves to the class was to answer the question, and say their name.  NOT ONE TIME did I ever ask anyone to explain themselves. NOT ONCE, but time and time again, over and over again, the students would stand up, read out their answers, tell their names and give reasons why lying could be OK. I think a few may have said no it wasn't, but really, almost every last one of them every semester, said it was OK and they told everyone why they thought that.  The second question I wrote on the board was "QUESTION: Why did you feel the need to explain yourself when I never asked you to?"  Wow...that as a show stopper EVERY TIME.  Laughter!  Red-faced laughter.

    According to so many documented professional white papers, there are reasons for a person to start telling the truth and one of them is to release themselves from the years of anxiety and stress caused by telling so many lies. They have to try and remember which friend they told this to, and which friend they told that to. When it becomes necessary to rehearse an imaginary conversation with yourself before you see a friend, colleague, or family member just to go over the ways and means of what it was you may or may not have said, there's a real problem. You may seek therapy for it, and the therapist may ask you to go back and remedy the situation; sort of like a 12-step program for alcohol or drugs, lying is a real killer! It can become so bad that people believe their own lies over time and they just hate themselves to the point of not wanting to be alone; they don't like the company they're with when they are alone.

    The suicide rate due to anxiety in some smaller countries is by capita so much greater than that of the United States, and you'd think the U.S. would have more attempts and suicides but we tend to let off steam and vent more; this could be a reason why we have fewer attempts and less successful events.  Suicide is never the answer, it really isn't. There is always someone somewhere who can at least try to help if the depression gets that bad. Another lie people tell themselves is that no one cares about them. That they don't matter, that the world would be better off without them. These too are lies. NOT the truth, and not the way things should become.  I wish I could just cut to the quick here and say STOP THE MADNESS just tell the BLEEPING truth!

    We lie to hide something we don't want others to know. We lie to conceal more than we lie to show. We lie to hide more than we lie to expose. We lie to cover up more than we lie to reveal. Are you getting the picture? What is done in the dark will be made known in the light -- eventually. NOTHING is hidden forever. What happens is that people pretend to be this way, when really they are that way, and then because of their job, their hobby, their position or status, they lie and say they are doing what is expected of them.  They tell other people things like "Your revelations couldn't be further from the truth" when in REALITY, the revelations mentioned were SPOT ON -- even if it isn't the business of the one making the revelations, stating that they are so far off is a LIE  Best to ignore someone than to lie and pretend to be something you're not (especially when the proof is overwhelming).  Best to let your yes be yes and your no be no.

    Lies = sickness.  Here's a great article about it,  https://www.nextavenue.org/truth-lying-makes-you-sick/       I won't go into full detail, but much of what I've talked about is covered in this article. It was sent to me by a friend who called me to say she had been lying to me for years. She and her husband were on the brink of divorce. He was living in the house to save money, but it was about to drive her crazy and she couldn't keep it up much longer without busting from the stress the lies (not the man) were causing.  The man was and is his own stress maker, but the lies of telling me, others, family members, church members, and anyone that he was OK and that the marriage was really strong was just overwhelming after a while. Both had stopped posting things about love and fun things; it became apparent to anyone who followed them that there was something wrong, but rather than tell the truth she decided it was best to keep it in-house and just lie - - it was, after all, their business, right?  Right. Right up until the day she had a panic attack and was hospitalized for it. Her doctor prescribed telling the truth!  That was amazing!

    Well, I'll let you go, but I wanted to bring this up because so many people lie about who they are, what they are, if they are, etc.  They can't just say I am....(fill in the blank) because they think it's a private matter. Private or not your gut doesn't see things this way. Your gut will bloat and cause vile nasty things to happen to you because you decided to continue to lie about it. You, me, we lie when we don't want to be caught  - here's a thought, don't do anything you'd be CAUGHT at doing! Live your life in such a way that no one can say anything about you that isn't true.  That way you don't have to keep up the fairytales. Cut out the cause of your illnesses, both mental and physical -- be honest.

    It may not win you any popularity contests, but you'll rest better. 

Photo Credit: Bbmarketing.com

Waiting. Waiting. I Hate It.

 Tom Petty sings it, we feel it, "The waiting is the hardest part", yes, it is! It doesn't matter what you're waiting on, the waiting is just such a bother.  They call it a queue (que) in the UK, we call it a line in the U.S., but standing around waiting to get into a place, or to get checked out is just so time consuming and it's such a waste.  The Brits can do it so much better than we Americans can. I think that's why stores here have more cashier lanes than they do in other parts of the world. It's an illusion for some, as the stores don't open those lanes, but we see them and we're hopeful. Always hopeful!

    I will walk into a restaurant I really want to go to, but if there are more than a few (3) people in line I just turn around and head out the door. I don't stand in line to be seated to wait for a wait staff, to wait for my food. It's not happening. I'll go home and cook. I may stop by Braum's and go through the drive through but I won't go in if I think there's already two others at the counter. That's why, here in the U.S., when we drive by a Chick-Fil-A and we see a short line of only 3 or 4 cars we automatically jump in line (que) because Chick-Fil-A has it down to a masterful science! You are in and out of that line fast, fast, and it's always their pleasure to do so. They tell you as much when you say "Thank you".

    Right now I'm waiting to be told by an employment agency whether or not I've been chosen to be the next paralegal at a great law firm downtown. This is the sort of job we all dream about as people who are into both legal things and financial things. This particular job embraces both finance and law. I can't think of anything more sexy than that. Just sayin'; it will be marvelous if I'm the one they pick, but I won't and I can't know at the moment. I have to WAIT. I am waiting, but no where near as patiently as one would hope that one would wait. I'm dancing and talking to get my mind off of it. I can't sit still and read. I can't just not think about it. I may have already won the position, but I won't know until I get the call saying so! It's agonizing and it's the worse fate ever -- but we do it. 

    My daughter was in the middle of a horse auction yesterday through the original BLM, the Bureau of Land Management.  She does that from time to time. She will bid on a wild Mustang, bring it home, train it, and then sell it, but this time it was for herself. She was bidding and winning on the ONE she wanted and since she was only bidding on one she had to have about 15 in mind so that if she was outbid she could walk away without being emotionally upset about it. If you ever go to the site and see the animals you'll know that most are between the ages of two and ten and they are all recently captured, and by recently I mean usually about a year. There's really no way they would auction off horses that haven't been vetted first. All of the horses you bid on are healthy. I don't think I've seen on that isn't.  

    Laura had to WAIT an entire week to find out if the horse(s) she bid on were going to be hers. The one piece of advice I gave her was not to worry, God makes more. There are always more horses to bid on, and they are all lovely. The are all wonderful. They are all perfect in their own way.  The hardest part of these auctions is the last 15 minutes of the dang thing because the people who sat back since day one watching what was being bid on have now decided to come out and outbid anyone who has bid on a horse they have been interested in bidding on. This can happen in a minute and you'll miss it if you're not on top of things. Laura checked her bid every 30 seconds. She was outbid. She rebid. She was outbid again, she moved forward.

    On and on this went until the last minute of the week-long auction and BAM!  She got her gelding! He was the 3rd I think that she was hoping for. He's wonderful. He's really very nice, and she is quite satisfied with the outcome.  He is from Nut Mountain up in Northern California/Nevada. He's 15H and 3 years old. He's a solid bay and mostly out of quarter horse and thoroughbred stock that has been loosed and running with the packs for  years.  So graceful. Worth the wait for sure.  She checked on the others she was bidding on as well; one went for over $1600 and one went for $1000 or just at.  She paid $125, which is the price of 1 bid.  In the past we've paid as little as $25 for a Mustang. The U.S. Government literally pays a Mustang purchaser $1000 in the first year if you keep it and protect it in a good pasture. You don't even have to train them to get that incentive, it's a strange but wonderful program. Laura will have her boy trained within 3 months of having him in her care.  When I bought Norman I just paid the money and took him home. Done.

    Waiting, waiting, waiting. None of us like it, but it can be worth it in the end. Sure, we can also be disappointed when the results come in; we can lose. We can be set aside, and we can say to ourselves "that was a big waste of time" and it may be.  We can also say to ourselves, "It will be fine either way, I hope for this outcome, but know I'll be OK with another outcome."  It's all in how we choose to look at it. For me, I would rather just walk up and get my food or make it at home. I would rather be told at the time of the interview if I'm the chosen one. I would rather walk up to the stable and buy the horse. I'm just not that patient of a person I guess - - but I am sure that the wait for Christ's return will be worth it. I'm just (obviously) not sure when that will happen - - I've been saying He's late for years. 

    Most of us survive the wait (even if we don't think we will). 

Photo Credit:  Me (Facebook) The horse photo from BLM

This is Aero, Laura's new boy.