Such a SPOILED American!!

 I spend hours and I mean HOURS on the computer looking at the pretend houses I will someday buy when I move to Scotland. I know I shouldn't hope, wish, and dream, but hey, it's just the thing(s) I do to both entertain my brain, and to keep me motivated for if and when the time does come. I need to be so ready. First, and you should know this, houses in Scotland are NOT, not, not like they are in Oklahoma. You can find houses like they have in Scotland in other parts of the UK, but you're not going to find them over on this side of the pond for so many very (spoiled) interesting reasons. Let's go over a few, shall we?

    Houses in Scotland (for a great part of the equation) were built between the years 1929 and 1959. So many of these "two up - two down" houses are exactly what it sounds like, smaller homes built with two main rooms (usually bedrooms) upstairs and two main rooms, such as a living and kitchen, downstairs. Yes, there is a bathroom and it could be on either floor. I shouldn't have said "bathroom", I should have said "shower room" or "wet room" because unless there is an actual bathtub in it, they don't call them bathrooms! These houses were built KNOWING that an entire family of 4-6 could be living in them, and they only have one bathroom. These houses were built KNOWING that there would or could be a family of six living in them and they don't have what I call a normal-sized refrigerator. You can't make this stuff up.

    The kitchens do have a front-load washing machine in the kitchen itself, but not a dryer, as most Scottish homes don't have a use for one. They hang their laundry out on the green line or if it's raining (and it's usually raining) they hang their clothes up on a rack that suspends from the ceiling. This rack could be found in the hallway, in the kitchen, in a bathroom -- heck, it could be in a bedroom! I've seen dryers in bedrooms, refrigerators in bedrooms, freezers, and/or three beds in a bedroom. I've seen carpet that looks as if they lost the bet on hideous hotel carpet gambling, and I've seen rooms without closets as well. You heard me, bedrooms without closets (or wardrobes as they are called). The really big huge Oh-My-Gosh-Are-You-Freaking-Kidding-Me thing is that Scottish homes don't have screens on their windows. Nope! They don't.

    Some of the homes have an under-the-stairs storage area where you could possibly stash an extra toilet, but there isn't enough room for a little sink. That's OK, I will do that! The person can walk to the kitchen to wash their hands. There will be two toilets in my house. There will be a bathtub in my house. There will be real live screens on the windows, and YES, there will be an air conditioning unit installed and all the rooms will be ducted to that central unit.  Most of the houses have radiators in each room, sometimes two per room for heat. They have NO air conditioning whatsoever, and I've not seen a window unit anywhere either - - that means it either doesn't get hot enough, or it doesn't stay hot very long. I get that. I do. I read up on the temperatures, but I'm not living in a house hotter than 72 degrees. It's not happening. YES, I am that spoiled.

    I'm told the terrace houses are rather insulated, and that's good to know, but I've seen some really tacky looking wall paper (I am not sure we Americans have seen wallpaper other than what's on our phones, since the 1980s) and I've seen the most interesting fireplaces without actual fireplaces because fires in and around the main cities have been outlawed due to too many older homes going up in flames and taking neighbors with them. Google it. I'm not kidding. I don't have to have a fireplace. I'm good with just the fake thing that looks like one. Some people use it for decor. I think I'll take mine out and have the area transformed into a little shelf or something useful. I'll Pinterest that.

    Let's talk hedges. EVERY house on nearly EVERY block has some sort of hedge around it. I don't like hornets and hornets love hedges. Sorry neighbors, yes, I'm going to annoy you further by taking out my hedges. Don't worry, I'll put up a nice tall privacy fence so you don't have to see what I'm doing on the other side.  What will I be doing on the other side? I will likely be hanging upside down on my aerial hammock, or sitting in my hot tub with a fizzy water! (LaCroix, Bubly, Perrier) The back yards (gardens) in most cases are about 22 feet by 60 feet and they either have a gate at the back or they don't and you can't access them any other way other than through the house. My fence will have a gate! I say that. I can't very well put in a gate opening up into the neighbor's garden. We'll put a pin in that one for now.

    Refrigerators. I talked about them before. The "big" ones in the UK (Scotland for sure) are the size of a rather small apartment fridge, not the dormitory-size, or the mini fridge, but the size of say, a tiny apartment that you can't turn around in the kitchen size, that's about the size of their average basic "big" refrigerator. Most of the houses either have that one or two smaller dormatory-sized units. I assume one is a freezer, I could be wrong. There are really tall and skinny units, they are more modern and I wouldn't mind one of those, which could actually work out. I just have to have a good freezer. I do buy things in bulk such as meat and frozen fruits. I did ask about that once. I was told that you cook frozen food when you buy it, there is no need to store it. If you didn't intend to cook it, you don't buy it. That's an interesting concept.

    The attic! Oh yes, the attic. This is so very interesting and very very different from what we have here in the States, particularly in Oklahoma. Our attic access here is in the garage. We open the hatch by pulling down the rope, and we unhinge the ladder to climb up, and usually, the thing isn't finished out, but we can scoot boxes around on boards we've laid over on top of the beams. Makes so much sense, right? Not the same as it is in Scotland, and they have it right. They do it better, I think. The access is in the hall or a bedroom. You do still pull down the hatch, and you do still unhinge the ladder. HOWEVER, from what I have seen in nearly every single unit I've looked over, the entire attic is finished out top to bottom, and you can stand up and walk around in it as if (as if) it was another bedroom! That would be because IT IS ANOTHER BEDROOM for the kids when they are in their younger years and have no issue running up and down the shaky ladders!  Apparently, they leave the ladders down at night, and they put them back up when the kids come down to go to school. Gotcha! NOPE.

    The attic in my house may very well be a bedroom or a guest room, but I will have the engineers come out and put in a little spiral staircase in a closet, extra area, bedroom, something so that the folks who come to visit me won't fear that I'll trap them inside my attic. At least the attic will also be ducted and hooked up to the central A/C. I may even add a skylight because I'm cool like that. My attic will be a place of beauty! Something to be admired. If anything it will at least be functional and part of the house. If I do only use it for storage, I will not have the extra staircase added, but I will have it connected so my things are temperature controlled and not getting all hot and moldy. YUCK. 

    I'll show a floor plan and an exterior photo for you to look at and admire. If you're from the States you'll just (as I did) shake your head and think to yourself "OK, well that makes sense, there are more people so they have to build upward".  That was my thought process anyway.  You can fit two Scotlands in Oklahoma, and yet there are twice as many folks in Scotland than there are in the Sooner State. We have just under 3M I think, and they have close to 6M, something like 5.8M. It makes perfect sense to build UP. You should see the blocks and blocks of apartments in Edinburgh and Glasgow! Oh, and most of them, even though they are four stories tall, don't have an elevator! You walk!  They call it a lift, and yes, you just walk up the stairs and down the stairs. Also, if you're on the ground floor that's called the ground floor. If you're on the next floor above the ground floor, they call it the 1st floor whereas we will call it the 2nd.  That can be confusing.

    All in all, I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life. I'm going to try to be as Scottish as I can be, but yeah, I'm not giving up my fridge, my dryer, or my A/C. I don't think I'll have to bend too many arms and I bet I have more friends over in the summer who will appreciate the flow of air and the buglessness of my window screens. That's right. I don't really like bugs. I can say that with confidence. I don't mind them living in their space, but they don't need to be taking up residence in mine!  Call me spoiled. I don't mind because I know I am.

Exterior of a semi-detached (we call it a duplex) house in Scotland.

Floor plan of the house above.

My Day. (So Far)

 I just finished studying for and taking the final exam for the continued education portion of my insurance industry responsibilities as a licensed Life & Health agent here in the State of Oklahoma. I had 24 hours of study to complete, and like an idiot, I went the entire two years under my current license before attempting them.  Well, I finished, and I completed the test. I passed the test with a very good score, thank you, and when I uploaded it the powers that be somehow (intentionally, I'm sure) shared my information with at least 2,094 life and healthy agencies because that's how many phone calls, emails, and social media contacts I received today! That has been my day!

    I hold my license to sell Life, Health, and Accident insurance. I also hold my license to sell Property & Casualty insurance. I also, because I am that way, have a license to sell Workers' Compensation insurance, as well as being a Property & Casualty Adjuster. I need to get my Life & Health Adjuster's license -- but I digress.  When I decided to get into the Financial industry, I immediately began studying for, and then passed the Securities Industry Essentials exam, and I would love to work for a firm and be sponsored to take Series 66 and Series 7. I don't actually need to be sponsored for the 66. I took it once, and I failed by 2 points. That really really sucks. I would rather bomb the whole test than come up that close and miss it. I was too close, and they don't tell you exactly what you missed, so you have to just assume you need to study all of it again!

    After taking about 12 calls this morning, and answering as many emails to let them all know I would LOVE to be a part of their GREAT companies and organizations, but I won't work for free, and I don't do commission work. I began answering texts and online questionnaires being sent to me. In this economy, we do salary plus commission if we work at all in that industry.  So many people have dropped their insurance since they work from home with groups and have group insurance. It's a game. You see 100 people ask for an appointment, you get 10 appointments, 6 keep that appointment, you sell 1 or 2 maybe.  There's no way I'm going to put out the effort and not be paid. Sorry. Fix your metrics! No one wants to give up more than they receive in return. You can't blame us.

    After a few hours of fielding, I took a walk with the dog! I took a well-deserved walk with the dog!  Outside my house was parked a lovely black SUV with an armed and uniformed Oklahoma City Police officer.  Since I knew I hadn't been doing anything illegal, I wasn't afraid to approach him to see if I could be of assistance. I'm that person. I ask cops if I can assist. I don't run from them, call them names, want to defund them, or any way harm them. Nope, I'm a cop-loving kinda gal!  The officer was very happy to see me actually.  As it turns out the person who called the police was unsure where she lived. She had stated it wasn't an emergency but needed help. The officer told me what the lady said her name was, but that person doesn't live in our complex. I know this because, unlike so many communities, we know all of our neighbors here, at least their first names. We know them more by their dogs than we do their names, to be honest.

    Turns out the lady was living in another complex close by. The officer was called on his radio and told the correct location, and he literally tipped his hat at me and got into his car. That made me happy.  We live in a city where the police officers will still come and check on people. They will be cordial, and polite when they are treated well. Tipping his hat meant that he was born and raised as a Southern gentleman, and I really appreciated that gesture. It did make me think and rethink my job opportunities and how I could and should approach them. I'm going to take the one offered to me since I need to work. I'll work it and if it works out I'll keep it. If I find a better position, a better-paying position as well as a better fit (more suited to me) I will resign giving the proper notice, and take up the next assignment. I don't know when the gears switched, but it just seems that people today are too wrapped up in themselves to be polite and courteous. If they're not being paid they don't do anything - - I see that, but I also know that some things are just expected in a civil society.

    I'm about to pay for the continuing education series for my Property & Casualty license. I assume once I finish it and submit it, that dozens of P&C companies will contact me again. I hope so. I need to feel that I am working for the company I want to work for. I want to be an adjuster so I can earn enough to trade my own money on my own for myself. When I get to the point that I am earning more on the trade than I am as an adjuster (about a year) I will quit and work the trade or continue to be an adjuster and make the trades as well, but giving the trades more of my time and more of my effort.  I believe I can do both. I can multitask -- it's not that hard. When I have the money and the expertise, I'll either pick up and move to Scotland or visit for 3-6 months and determine if that's what I want to do. OPTIONS.

I love it -- it was and is a good day.

Photo Credit: Me

Cutting Out the Negative.

 You'll hear people say that you should cut out all the negative in your life, and that sounds like a great (the best) idea possible! If it were JUST that easy, everyone would do it, right? It's not that easy all the time. Now, sometimes it is that easy. There are things you can just say no to something, and be done with it. I'll see if I can give you an example from my life. I was using and ultimately ended up abusing a chemical called BHB which is a salt-type chemical that is used for weight loss. You can sprinkle it onto food, you can mix it in your drinks, and it's one of those really incredible substances that ACTUALLY does what it says it will do. The way that it does this can be harmful, and that's why there are clear warning signs on the package. The same warning signs I absolutely ignored.  When it became a problem for me, a REAL issue, in that I was violently sick for over 12 hours without let up, I was pretty quick to give it up! Yep, there it goes! Out the door!

    Some things in your life which prove to be negative, aren't as easy to just chunk and be done with. Friendships come to mind. Family relations also come to mind. Chocolate is definitely something that could never be bad for you, nor negative, but it would be impossible for me to part ways with it if it were such an issue. In fact, I found that giving up on family and friends was so much easier on my soul and mind than it would have been if I were forced to relinquish my chocolate.  That may just be me, you may have varied results. I can't tell you what to do.

    Studies can show, as studies often show, that whoever is paying for the study will get the results they are trying to achieve. This is my belief, and I'm not going to change my mind about it. That being said, there are many studies that show that giving up things in your life that are negative actually tends to make your breathing better, your thoughts clear, and you have a way of feeling more positively about who you are and what your purpose may be. It's the dang negative things that have held you back for so long. You didn't get rid of them for personal or professional reasons, and it may have caused you to stumble, it may have caused you to wait, it may have caused you to pass on the things your soul really really wanted, but there you were clinging to the negative because it was familiar, because it was safe because it was comfortable, or maybe you were married to the negative thing and divorce seemed a permanent solution...and it is. THANK GOD!

    Many people have told me that I seem to be an advocate for divorce. I am not. I am an advocate for marrying the right person. If you didn't marry the right person, and if you are not the right person for the person you marry, then yes, I am an advocate for separating, divorcing with amicable relations when possible, and moving forward with the intention of thinking through it so you can find or be the right person in the marriage. Banging your head against the wall is no way to live, and trying without results is just nonsense. If we were made to be miserable, then hell, we can be miserable alone! We don't need to drag someone else into the problem. When I divorced it was absolute chaos for years, but the cutting off the negative did in fact begin, and over time as things tended to heal, the days were brighter, the nights without worry, and through prayer and meditation, and through the inner faith I had to muster through the Spirit, I am OK. It was NOT easy.

    It's not always a spouse. It could be a friend. It could be several friends. It could be that you have allowed yourself to hang out with many different negative folks and you know better than to stay, but you're not sure where you'll spend your time if you let them go! I do understand. I really do. I think I took to blogging because it gave me a place to be with myself and with my audience. If my audience is 3 people, those are 3 people who may actually like what I have to say, and they aren't creating a negative ring around me that chokes all the positive from my lungs causing me to stop breathing! I'm not kidding, you know this, some people just suck the life right out of you when they can't come up with a single good thing to say about you, themselves, or anything in their world. LET THAT TRASH GO! It is rubbish and has no place for you. Harsh? Yes, it is. 

    Could it be you need to change your job? Your career? Your study? Your church? Do it. Just because you've been associated with something or someone for so long doesn't make it right. It reminds me of when people talk about the way they train their horse, they'll say  "I've done this for 40 years" and I want to say "You've been screwing up that long? STOP already! You're killing your horses!"  Speaking of horses, I had to give up them as well. It was quite negative in that my bank account was constantly hovering over a zero balance when I owned them. I LOVE THEM. I want them, but at this point in my life, it is not feasible. Talk about hurting!! I hurt for months afterward, but my bills were paid on time, and I ate better. I think it was a good decision, though it was incredibly hard to do.

    What about that job? You say you need it for several reasons. Maybe you're working your way up the ladder and you can't just stop. Yes, you can.  If it means you'll have a better heart rate, a better eating habit, you'll sleep better, treat others better, and be appreciated, then yeah, you can stop.  If you have talent enough to climb one ladder there will be another one you can adopt. It may be that a cooperative approach rather than a dominating approach will work out for you, in that being cooperative with others forces you to be positive and learn as well as to teach and be frustrated. You'll find that you have mind muscles you never knew existed. They need to be exercised too.

    Now, for the hard stuff. If you're watching things you know you shouldn't watch. If you're going online where you know you shouldn't go. If you're buying things you know you shouldn't buy - - stop.  Acknowledge the problem. Know that it is a problem. Find the solution, and ask for help if you need to. You deserve a better you. Some people are addicted to drinking or drugs. Some people are addicted to being mean-spirited. Some are addicted, believe it or not, to online shopping. You know who you are. Go ahead and look, but you don't need to buy it. Take a photo of it, and post it on your Facebook to let people know you like it, but you may not need to spend money on it that could go to something you really need -- like rent.

    Cleaning house is good. Cleaning the dishes is great. Cleaning your wardrobe, the closet, the pantry, you know what I mean, you get in there and dig out what you haven't used, and what you won't use. If you have a storage closet that you're paying for but you haven't seen the articles or things inside of it for years, CLEAR IT OUT. Sell the crap, give it away, and get that money back into your bank account. Let's say you have old clothes in storage. Someone may need them. Donate them. If you have old furniture that belonged to your parents, but you're not using it, sell it or give it away. Someone can use it. If your storage closet is full but your wallet is hungry, you have a real problem that needs to be addressed. ADDRESS IT.

    "Oh Jude, you seem to have all the answers, don't you? You don't understand what this stuff means to me! You don't understand."  Really? What's your excuse? Well, I certainly understand that yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't come yet, and living today is all we really can do. If you're holding on to memory through paying for it to be in storage that you never go through, you need to stop that and bring home a couple of things you can see and hold. Let the rest go! You'll be very pleasantly surprised how great you'll feel when you stop enslaving yourself to the what was and live for the what is.  Is it hard? Yes! Is it necessary? UNQUESTIONABLY!  It is most assuredly necessary for your well-being. DO IT.

    That's about all I have for the subject today. I'm on my way to work out, eat a good lunch, and walk five miles. I can do one with the dog, and then the rest without her. She's not a quitter, she's just older and I don't want to put her through the terrain changes. For a 10-year-old dog Ginger is quite spry! She's one of those really really positive things I did for myself about 7 years ago. I knew I needed a friend for my dog George, and when I found Ginger at the shelter it was love at first sight for both of us. She has been smiling, cheering me on, and keeping me company ever since. If you can get yourself a good dog that may be the most rewarding thing you'll do for yourself!  You'll never actually have to divorce a dog. Nor do you have to worry about the dog sleeping with your best friend, spending your money on things it shouldn't, booking vacations without you, or driving the car into a tree. I am here to tell you, dogs are God's way of saying "It will be OK, trust Me."

Footnote:   I picked up using BHB again in a very positive way. I only use 1/2 of what is called for, and I'm being very disciplined with the chemical now that I know myself better. 

Crickets!

 Of course, there is the game Cricket, which I have to admit, I've never really watched and I have zero clues as to the purpose, the rules, the results, whatever. Then, there are the little tiny creatures we, here in America, call crickets.  These are the noisy nocturnal critters who through the process of rubbing their legs together, can single-handedly keep an entire household up wondering why they haven't fed the darn thing to one of the beasts!  That was my night. How was yours?

    My daughter and I have lizards; she has geckos and I have a Bearded Dragon. She had a Uromastx recently, but a teacher from a remote area felt that the animal would be loved and cared for by her students, and Laura agreed to rehome it. I hear she's fine and trying to memorize all the faces of the many children who poke their noses up against the glass enclosure to get a better look.  The Bearded Dragon I own is a girly girl, and I named her Isabella de Burgh, after the wife of King Robert the Bruce of Scotland. My Issy is quite the lady. She prefers eating her crickets every other day so as to give her time to really appreciate their company in the enclosure when they seemingly drop from Heaven! She is so very appreciative!

    Crickets in this part of the world cost about 11 cents a piece, but when you go to PetCo or PetSmart and ask for 20 or so they give you 30 or so and mark the bag 20. This makes things really nice when you're only feeding 3x a week, and trying to keep the whole animal kingdom under a budget.  I already had to deal with keeping her 40-gallon enclosure heated on one side and cooler on the other, while simultaneously not allowing it to become humid! You do that by not giving her a water bowl. What? Are you kidding me? No, I'm not. I gave her one at first, only to realize it caused the enclosure to be more tropical than arid, and well, Bearded Dragons aren't from Hawaii, they're from the dry deserts of Australia. HUGE difference, and inside her tiny little Aussie make-believe tank, it is supposed to remain as close to reality as possible.  During the day the enclosure is around 93 degrees Fahrenheit on one side, and around 75 on the other. She again is quite appreciative.

    This morning I was incredibly happy to wake up and find my lizard smiling at me.  I stopped what I was doing, which was stretching and petting the dog, and I stared at my baby girl, my Issy.  She had such a happy demeanor. I do realize it may be difficult for some to distinguish the "happy face" of a Bearded Dragon from that of a resting bitch face, but it's there, you just have to see it. Maybe it was in the way she held her head and her tail just so! She had, thank you VERY MUCH ISSY, chomped down (FINALLY) on the noise-making irritating cricket from Hell!  Three times in the middle of the night, I tried to find him in her enclosure so I could nudge him closer to her while she rested in her hide. Three times I tried, but couldn't find him. I tried moving her hide, I tried moving her hammock, I just couldn't see him. I'd lay back down, and then....SQUEEEEAKKK.  Really?

    I was just too pleased with my Issy, so when I popped out of bed, even before I walked the dog, I cut up a few grapes and rewarded her with what I'm sure she is quite excited about.  Beardies don't often do backflips or stand up and give you an ovation for your performance, so you have to take what you can get, and that face -  it was enough! I was in good graces. I was in good standing. I am a good human. She will allow me to remain in her kingdom! This is good.

    One of the things you do with crickets when you feed them to reptiles, is you dose them with powdered calcium and other vitamins necessary for the animals.  You can sprinkle the calcium on their leafy greens and fruit, but since you know they'll devour the crickets immediately, it's a good practice to just let the bugs crawl around on and in the calcium for a few seconds before losing their lives. I've often wondered if every single cricket ever born will be in Heaven when we get there. I don't know how that works. Maybe God provides an entire planet just for bugs so they can live eternally without fear of prey and/or predator issues. Spiders may be there, harmonizing with squashed wasps and ants who made it into the kitchens of nasty mean humans. I am one of those nasty mean humans. I won't lie. I have rarely allowed a spider to live peacefully without being squashed or stomped. There was this one time, but he or she really was quite interesting. He/she lived in my mother's shower for over a year, but I digress.

    So, yeah, that's about it. I have critters and I buy other critters to feed them. It's a thing. Laura also has rats. She has rats, cats, dogs, and geckos. I'm all but sure she'll pick up the horse count soon. It's been rather interesting living without them for a minute. It's cheaper too. I can't even imagine how many crickets I could buy with the money we're saving on horse feed, horse vet, horse boarding, traveling to see them, etc. Wow.  Just....yeah, wow.

Photo Credit: PetCo.com

On The Road Again - - Soon.

 When my dog Faith was really young and she had just become famous from having been on shows like Ripley's Believe it or Not, Oprah, Maury, and Nova, not to mention on shows around the globe, she had an amazing talent agent.  She, my dog, had a manager and agent, as well as her own lawyer in Oklahoma for local issues, but she had an international lawyer as well.  Many of you may know Attorney Debra Opri, she's in the Los Angeles area, and for a time, she was our representation when Faith's character was attacked by a would-be funny guy calling himself a comedian. I won't give his name, you would recognize it, and he would be given credence. I won't allow him that privilege. He purposely, and for money, made fun of a disabled dog who was also an E5 Sgt in the United States Army.  He backwardly criticized me for not having a funny bone, for not taking this one on the chin. 

    When Faith was with us, Mike Maguire, my manager, managed to find us work all over the world. We traveled, and sometimes others traveled to see us. I have about 15,489 stories to tell about what happened to us, but the better stories are written and told in my book "Faith Walks", which can be bought on Amazon. I'll leave a link at the bottom of this blog.  For the most part, I say.  I say for the most part, but I didn't tell about the many many famous people we met along the travels because meeting famous people was never really that important to me. I think it was more important to most of them to have been able to brag about meeting Faith.  To name a few, and this was all in ONE NIGHT, Faith and I were stranded in the Dallas Fort Worth Airport with Michael Irwin, the famous Dallas Cowboy, Michael Bolton, the singer, and a very excited Rick Springfield, another singer, who of course is such a dog lover. He screamed like a girl when he saw Faith, and she couldn't get enough of him either. It was magic.

    What I have decided to do, not only because it needs to be done, but because I really liked my life on the road, is to ask Mike Maguire to rep me again. This time, I won't be traveling with a dog in tow. Let me just tell you that making my way through DFW or O'Hare was NOT fun as I dragged my luggage and carried a 27-pound dog draped over my shoulders. If and when she became too heavy, I just put her down and then let the show begin! Faith walked upright on her back legs, so when passengers and staff saw the dog running through the airports there were not only cameras flying, but men and women jumped from their sedentary positions to get a better glimpse! They had to glimpse because that dog could run!! She was OUT OF THERE and on her way to whatever plane she thought she should be on. I had to tackle her more than once as she attempted to go through restricted doors!

    I'm going back on the road with a new and wonderful message. I'm going to speak about having the faith one needs of course, but also having self-appreciation, self-love, and the needed discipline it takes to be the best you that you can be. I've lost over 55 pounds after I turned 55 and I think there are a few people who want to hear how that can work for them too. I have published 5 books and have 12 to be published. I have traveled the world meeting with active and wounded soldiers, and I've met with countless hospitalized children and vets who have told me their stories. All of their stories have bled into and fed into my stories. I want the world to know that hope is there, it's available, and it's something that we have to actively seek and reach for. I want the world to see me as a motivator, an inspiration, and a person who can be counted on to think positively in the pursuit of finding better choices.

    Mike will call me Monday, and we'll talk about it. I want this. I think I want to be on the road talking, moving, shaking things up a bit, and dancing for the world to see that you don't have to be 100% perfect to be exactly who and what you're supposed to be. You don't have to be pretty, you don't have to be younger, you don't have to be rich, you don't have to be famous or popular. You have a purpose, you have a reason to be here. If I can help you find that reason, I hope we can make it happen! God gave me a really big mouth and I don't mind sharing it. He also gave me a really big heart and a caring soul. I want to use both for Him in whatever way He deems fit, and this just feels good. It feels right.

    Before, when I traveled with Faith, I would meet at schools, hospitals, gymnasiums, stadiums, event centers, churches, and military bases. We stood in the airports and in malls to allow anyone and everyone the opportunity to see an awesome and creatively magical dog who just couldn't be negative. That grin on her face was real!  Oprah, after interviewing people for more than 25 years looked into the camera and stated that one of her favorite guests was a dog! She was talking about MY DOG, Faith.  Faith had that "it" thing that creates in all of us the desire to follow her. She stood up and walked off whenever she got bored. She stood up and walked off whenever she saw something she wanted to explore. She stood up and walked off when she was hungry or if she wanted to say hello to someone. The point is, that she stood up on her own without the use of her front arms/paws because she didn't have them. She stood up by FAITH.  We can too.

    I'll motivate. I'll cheerlead. I'll push, and I'll pull. I'll speak and I'll try to do my best to radiate whatever message the Lord gives me, but I can already tell you it will be a positive and move-forward message; something like "Stand up and walk on" may be the basic theme.  I may choose to dance rather than walk. I dance. I move and I rarely stop.  If you ever wondered why I was given this dog, why she ended up in my house, and not someone else's house, just know that I make things happen. She needed me, I needed her. We needed each other, and we made the world look at what is possible.  I am hoping to do that again, and I'm praying Mike says yes. He is by far, by very very far, the best damn agent in the freakin' world. We didn't get rich, it's not about that. It's about love, it's about work, it's about ethics, it's about the opportunity to bring it home to Jesus. I can't wait. 

    You know I'm taking this show to Scotland. You already saw that coming. Yep, I have my passport and I will make it to the land of my people! LOL...soon. Very very soon. I may wear an Armstrong kilt - - if they think I shouldn't wear it, if they think I don't deserve to, well hell, I'll just take it off! LOL...watch me! Part of the routine will be talking about being bold, being brave, and how I lost weight dancing. I may have to do a bit of a demonstration. Maybe. Just...well, yeah I will.  C'mon, it's me. We will dance. Be ready Mike...bring the wife!! We're dancing all over the world.

Link to the book: Faith Walks https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Walks-Memoir-Beautiful-Life/dp/1462034527/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2QBM00BYK16YS&keywords=Faith+Walks+jude+Stringfellow&qid=1662071844&sprefix=faith+walks+jude+stringfellow%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1

Photo Credit: Carol Guzy (Mike and Faith)

Photo Credit: Anthony Tortorello

September 1, Such a Day!

 If you follow me, if you know me, if you give one damn whatsoever about me, you will (would) know that I love the Bee Gees. I am not their first fan. I am not their last fan. I am not even their biggest fan. I am simply a genuine and solid fan of the Brothers Gibb; all collectively, and individually. I suppose by saying individually, I can throw Andy in that mix as well. I love me some Andy Gibb, right up there with Barry, Robin, and my absolute favorite brother, Maurice Ernest Gibb!  So what does that have to do with September 1?  Barry Gibb was born on this day in 1946. (Sorry Barry, no worries, most people don't do the Math, and besides, when we get to Heaven there is no such thing as age!) 

    Not only was the famous and fabulously talented Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb) born on September 1, he was married to his gorgeous and lovely wife Linda on this day as well.   They were married on September 1, 1970, so they celebrate 52 years of marriage today! WHAT? He's only 29, how did that happen? No way!! Oh, I suppose time flies when you're in love.  Happy Anniversary to the two of you, and happy birthday Barry!  May God's grace eternally shine on your lives and forever more. It won't be long. We will be there, and I can't wait for the first concert. No, really, I am standing in line, and I don't care if it takes forever because I have that long when I'm there! Ha!  If for NO OTHER REASON than to hear the Bee Gees sing again, folks need to come to Jesus.

    September 1, 1980 was the date another fantasticly wonderfully talented and unforgettable man was born.  Stephen John Macleod of Edinburgh, Scotland.  He is, as you may know, the former lead singer for the gospel folk band Celtic Worship, and he has struck out on his own for now; having I think four solid and genuinely impressive LPs to his name before he joined the band, and then an EP of his own work after he was associated with them.  You can find his work online through his social media pages and at Spotify, Apple, and other places.  He goes by Steph Macleod, not Stephen, so you need to find it that way. You won't be disappointed. The man is quite worthy of listening to, and if you happen to relate to his words, then the better things are. Give him a prayer and a nod when you think about it.

    Another man, a great man, even though he is a TEXAN, who was born on this day in the year 548 B.C. is Bill McFarlin.  Bill and I met through our dogs about 100 years ago.  He was on a CBS-TV show called "America's Greatest Dog" and I had rejected their invitation to be a part of the show.  Bill and his dog Star, a gorgeous orange and white Brittany Spaniel became fast friends with Faith and me.  We met several times at expos, shows, road tours, etc.  He was and is such an inspiring man who has endured so much and through his continued faith in God and Christ, has risen above surgeries, setbacks, trouble, and of course, the ultimate curse of having to live in the State of Texas like a prisoner!  He has Stockholm syndrome at this point, he loves it down that way. He actually believes (in his heart) that he's in the right place. I shake my head, but I love you, Bill!!  Kiss Sherry for me.  Happy Birthday Old Man!

    Others were born on this day, a good mention would be a little lady who we met 12 years ago when she was turning 12.  She was at the barn we boarded at, and though she herself didn't own a horse, there was NO ONE and I do mean NO ONE more knowledgeable about horses than this young girl. She could outride, out talk, out know anyone of us. I continue to refer to Mackenzie McClintock as the greatest horsewoman I've ever met. She turns 24 today, and it is just unthinkable for me to think that. Freckle-faced, grinning, always smiling, always happy, always on top of someone's horse, she was and is the best of the best when it comes to riding. Today, of course she has owned  her own horses, and she has been to world events.  I don't know what she's up to today, but every September 1 I think about her. 

    It's just such a great day to start something! I expect the weather to turn cooler. I expect the pumpkin spice lattes to flow. I expect really good things to happen just because September 1 has rolled around. I don't think I will be disappointed.  For all of these and anyone else who is celebrating a birthday today, Happy YOU day!  Here is a link to Charlie Garrett's Genesis (Bible) Sermons. It's the best gift I can give to anyone. No matter what your birthday is, this is a great gift. It will take you almost a year to finish them probably, but then you have the next 65 books of the Bible to go, so no worries. Heaven will wait, and if it doesn't, it's a WIN WIN!!  Charlie will be there and we can listen to him in person, RIGHT AFTER the Bee Gee concert, and then of course we have to listen to Steph, and if Bill wants to sing, I guess we can put up with that for a minute.  Mackenzie will have horses to train - - I know where she will be.

Happy Birthday(s) and Happy September EVERYONE!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW2CdP4qBdE&list=PL6Xj_bNWUPxcSDP-5PB

Barry Gibb

Steph Macleod

Bill McFarlin

Mackenzie McClintock

Addiction to Negativity. Not Me!

 I recently (last week) found a guy online who was talking about people who are addicts, but not in the way that most people think of when the word "addict" is thrown around in conversation. We, as a whole, generally think of addiction as being something that is drawing a person into a circumstance or situation over and over again through the power of emotion, feeling, need, or even a craving, and usually, we reserve that word for addicts who can't go any real length of time without a drink of alcohol or perhaps using drugs.  

    For the most part, the word addict is exactly what we think it is, it is a way (quick and generalized way) to sum up a person's personality, aptitude, their inability to be normalized or fit in with the rest of us.  No one wants to admit that they are an addict if they aren't, right? So, we normal people go about thinking and claiming that others are addicts but we certainly couldn't be. If we admit we're addicts (addicted to anything we can't control) we are admitting before the whole world that we need help or that we can't hold ourselves accountable for these weaknesses. We don't like to do that. I think, however, that on the spectrum of what is "addiction", we may all have a place on the ball!

    The man I watched online was a British citizen.  I found his forwardness, as well as his acknowledgment of the subject and the underlining conditions which he described, to be quite intriguing. I found them to be so intriguing I decided to watch his free webinar, then call up a few friends of mine who I feel may benefit from what he has to say. I called several friends, emailed them, messaged them, and somehow got a hold of them, to let them know that the message was good and that they may want to include it in their very near future. I was not, and am not personally addicted to what he was bringing to light, which is negativity, but we all need to hear the general message of recovery.

    Tim Han is the man I was telling you about. Here is a link to his masterclass, and you can decide for yourself what you think about him and about his message of hope. https://www.successinsider.vip/secure-masterclass-registration  Tim brought up a very good point, one that I absolutely agree with when it comes to being a "Negative Nelly".  He said people literally expect bad things to happen so that when they wake up in the morning, and they begin their new and fresh day, they already have in their mind and spirit that something bad will happen. It almost has to happen so that the person can function, and begin the process (the ongoing, never-ending process) of combatting oneself and the overshadowing forces that seem to lurk around that person. It has to be bad, otherwise, they can't deal with it. They don't understand it, and they can't move in what they think is a forward manner. This made me sad.

    I have always been a very positive person, even going so far as to meditate, and take baths with vinegar and baking soda just to get any environmental negativity out of my skin! I take being positive very seriously. I wake up making plans on what I will do in order to have a very well-constructed day full of great positive energy. Even when I'm faced with adverse situations during the day, I can usually pinpoint a time during the day when my mind was set on being positive, and I focus on that feeling, not the one that is trying to invade my soul.  It's not easy, it takes work, but it literally takes even more work to be negative all the time.

    Tim mentioned in another online discussion that I watched that when a person repeatedly expects and anticipates things being negative for them, they seek the lesser of the greater or more powerful urges to be positive, and they create within themselves a reason to self-affirm that their notions were right! "See!", they tell themselves, "I was right, it happened just like I expected. It's my luck! Just my own bad luck! I've been this way all of my life, and it won't change."  This is the exact type of statement that you reiterate rather than repel.  Why would anyone in their right mind do that? Oh, I know, because they are NOT in their right mind. They are in their negatively charged mind, the mind that they have comfortably allowed being in control of their masterfully wonderfully created brain! God made us! God Himself made us! We have NO RIGHT to be so negative. It is blatant sin, and we need to see it as such, not as a way of life, but as a SIN.

    I don't know that Tim gets into the spiritual side of thinking and acting in a negative manner, but I will.  Our God is an awesome Being; the Creator, the Father of our souls, and eternal life. We were literally bought with a price, the blood of His Son Jesus, and if for no other reason than that, we owe Him our mind. We owe Him our thoughts. We owe Him our actions. If you can think of a negative way to do something, or have something HAPPEN to you, then you can reverse that and begin thinking of the WHAT IF it wasn't negative, what if it turned out the way it should? What if it was good? What if it was the way we needed it to be? What would happen if we considered all bad things to be lessons, not something to define us? We would begin to understand that we are not of this world, but only passing through it. The fact is, and I don't know if Tim gets into this, I didn't watch the entire Masterclass, the fact is, God really is in control...of everything.

    When we fall down, when we are sick, when we face trouble, when we are fired for no reason, no matter what happens, or happened, He is not blind or ignorant of the fact.  We live in a troubled and terrible place right now. First-world issues are going to happen to us; for some, their reality is much worse, and still, God is on His throne. We don't have to preach on the streets about it, we can just know it in our own hearts and believe it in our own minds, and when the negatives come to light, we can acknowledge that they are there, but find a way to override their effect. We don't have to succumb to their powers. We have a better, more effective Power living (literally living) inside of us.  Start acting like it. Start expecting good.  My son Reuben is usually pretty straightforward, up, and at it. He's super duper-positive. Maybe it has something to do with his blood type of B+, I don't know, but it makes sense to get a mind transfusion if you need one.

    It's probably easier said than done regarding the method of how one would change from being negative all the time, but with drug and/or alcohol addiction there are step programs one can look into, and be accountable with, why not do the same thing with being addicted to negativity? Start by acknowledging the Higher Power. Start by making a list of things that cause you to be negative. Find those whom your negativity has hurt and/or caused them to pull away from you. Find the deeper meaning of being separated from this negativity. Realize you are grand, you are beautiful, you are worth being positive. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be the best you. This may take a long time, it isn't something you can fix immediately, but there are things you can do to stop the source of these feelings.

    For me, giving up sugar and most of the carbs I was eating helped with my weight loss. It also helped with my mental stabilization. I found that I was focused more when I had a good meal, not something full of fat, carbs, sugar, or empty calories. I began thinking about planning my meals, which meant that I realized I was worth planning for. I was worth taking the time to be good to me, by me. I needed to be my best friend because I'm the one buying the food that eventually goes into my mouth.  I began to exercise. I began to walk. I began to pray more. I thought of ways to improve my posture, and I worked on how I approached people who I really didn't want to be around. I cut them out of my life for the most part because having negative people around you is such a distraction! It can ruin your plan to be positive when you sit around or hang out with people who can't get over themselves or blame everyone for everything that happens! LET IT GO!!

    I know this. If I know anything, I know this: I am not in control.  I had to start the process of being positive during a time when I was overweight, unemployed, owing money to several people (and companies) and my credit score was crap. I wanted out, I wanted more, I wanted good, but I was in the middle of the muck, and fully expecting something bad to happen.  It took a while. Nothing happens overnight. I began praying, and I began journaling in a separate journal when my prayers were answered. I also began making plans to fix my credit. I began plans on how to save. I began plans or thinking of making plans, to find a way to create a flow of income through trading, but first I had to learn the process.  It's taken over a year, but I'm almost ready to begin my own trading and when I do, I expect really good and fantastically positive results.  Why? Because I have a plan that if I stick to, has been proven, and it works for anyone and everyone who follows the rules without trying to cheap themselves.

    I'm not saying it's easy. I've never really been a negative person. I was down and perhaps depressed for a time, but not for long. I can't live that way. I can't accept it. I can't allow it because to do so would be to literally tell Jesus He isn't enough. I won't ever make that mistake.  Like drugs, like overusing or abusing alcohol or anything, being negative all the time can make you tired, fatigued, angry, stressed, or harmful. Being negative can make you feel defeated. Who wants that? If you say YOU DO then you are the problem! Find a way to dig deeper into the recesses of your mind to root out the issue. I don't care if your family treated you badly, you have the power to leave them too! If your spouse or your kids treat you poorly, you have the power to walk away! You may not think you do, but believe me, you do! You aren't living your life for anyone else by God, anyone who isn't on board with you can jump ship! If they won't jump ship, YOU jump ship and swim with all you've got until you reach the other side of you that knows you deserve better.

    I hope you know I don't judge, but I also won't tolerate people who won't think for themselves and throw out the garbage that is stinking, mildewing, molding, and causing death inside of their souls. You have the tools, use them. If you need help, GREAT, ask for it, but when you're taken under the wing(s) of someone or those who do give a damn, and they give you solid advice, take it. If you don't you're shooting darts at the ones willing to bring you back to life. REAL LIFE.  It can't be said any clearer than this; this is up to you, no one else. YOU are the only one who can choose to be a healthy more positive-minded person.  I'd say best of luck, but we all know it takes more than luck. Best of Christ!

Here's the link again: 

https://www.successinsider.vip/secure-masterclass-registration

Photo Credit: IStockPhotos.com

    

    

Reflexology - - It Works.

Have you ever taken the time to research what Reflexology is? Have you heard of it?  Have you thought you've heard of it? Were you like me, and maybe saw a book or the front of a book at Barnes and Noble that had the word "Reflexology" and brightly colored pictures or drawings of feet with really weird or cool pictures inside of those feet? That's how I came to know about the method of massage for your feet and hands that can (and does) relieve some of the worst tension headaches and/or spasms I've ever had. I don't remember how old I was, but it was before I had kids; so it may not have been Barnes and Noble, but I don't think it was a library. I think the bookstore was where I first saw the book on Reflexology. I know I picked it up and read a bit of it to see what the heck it was.

    

    I've been reading up on it now and again, and I've watched a few videos as well. I try to replicate what I see online with myself, using myself as a guinea pig really, and both pushing and pulling my feet, toes, and hands into really interesting positions. I've even used the thumb and press methods on other parts of my body (where I can reach) and I've applied pressure with my palms, thumbs, and fingers to my buttocks, thighs, outside/inside of my legs, calves, feet, and arms.  The sides of my body are sort of hard to do but I can get the thumbs to dig pretty deep.  I can stretch of course, and I do that every day now. I take extra time stretching my feet, my toes, my hands, and my neck and lower back. I wonder sometimes how we ever managed without knowing how very very important it is to stretch. 

    Did you know you can literally heal or increase the chances of healing, your hearing, your eyesight, your bladder, infections, and even your heart's method of flowing and pumping simply by massaging your feet? It sounds crazy, I know, and there are doctors who will tell you not to attempt this as a means to replace their science. This type of massage should be in addition to your regular care, not a replacement for it. I'm not saying you shouldn't see your doctor. I'm saying that knowing your body, and being in tune with your body through massaging pressure points can make an amazing difference in your physical life as well as your mental one. It's easy!!

    

    Even if you're in the bathtub you can do a few stretches. When you're sitting in your car, and at a stop light, instead of reaching for the cell phone you can lean up and stretch your hips! You can do a few arm-crossed stretches, neck stretches, and even ankles, and shoulder rolls. You don't have to check the phone! You can use the time to better your body and stay focused. One thing you can do from time to time is to press your palms together with your fingers flat, just push the palms against each other, keeping your elbows bent. It's a great way to strengthen the pec muscles behind your breasts. Holding in your belly for 10 seconds and pretending you can touch your belly to your backbone can do wonders for your core. It's all about the choices you make to either stay healthy or not.

    We are all given the same 24 hours a day. What we choose to do with them is up to us. We work. I get that, but you can take a few minutes to stretch at your desk. You can do wrist and palm stretches. You can stand up and squat, lunge, or bend, even if you have to go to the restroom or someplace more private to do it, it's really important to get the kinks out of your body several times a day. Hot baths are great, but so are massages! You don't have to pay for one, you can give yourself a nearly full body massage; sure there are some places you can't reach, but maybe you have a partner you can engage in helping you maximize your stretching.

    One interesting stretch, it's a Thai-type stretch, is a two-person stretch that you can't do by yourself no matter how talented you are. One person sits behind the other. The one laying down is on their side. The person sitting in the back places the bottom of their foot just above the back of the knee of the person laying down. Then the person sitting in the back then bends the foot of the person laying down to touch or come close to touching the buttock of the person laying down. The person sitting up pushes against the thigh of the person laying down and they are gently pulling the arm back as well of the person laying down. There shouldn't be any aggressive actions in this stretch. It's not meant to cause injury or pain. It's light, but there is pressure being applied.

    I'm able to use my thumbs and fingers to press the lines and points I need to on my feet and sometimes the balls of my feet really hurt when I do this. It's not because I've walked 5 miles that day either, it's usually stress I have added from thinking or working. The foot is connected to every part of our body and our mind. We can literally massage our feet to heal both physical ailments and mental ailments. The list is really long, but you can Google it and find out exactly where it is on your feet that you pull, push, and press to heal different areas of your body. Just know that it really does work. It takes a bit of time to get used to it, and it will hurt too; it's our body's alert system.  Know this if you keep your feet healthy your body will be so much more in tune and in focus. It's amazing how that works, but it does work that way.

    Before you poo-poo the idea and say that all that Eastern philosophy is hogwash, you need to try a few stress relief methods yourself including rubbing the area of your hand between the thumb and forefinger. You rub it with your other hand. It will be a bit stiff, it may be sore.  There is stress there and when you can release it your head will actually feel better too. The nerves in that area of your hand are directly tied to and connected with the nerves that lead to your temple. When you feel a tension headache coming on, grab your own hand and start rubbing slowly with your other thumb and all the fingers you can fit on the backside of your hand in that area.  

    There are just so many wonderful things to say about pressure points and applying pressure to them with just enough pressure to bring a little awareness (or a little pain) to the area, but not so much as to be uncomfortable. When you get really good at it, you may want to try your new skills on your dog - - they need to be stretched too. They need to be massaged. Watch a few videos and learn to love in a way you may never have thought possible.   Sigh, and breathe. 

    

    Photo Credit: TheSpiritScience.net  

Hurricane and Hail Season!

 This Thursday, well tomorrow, I'll take the Oklahoma Property Adjuster's test. I thought I took it about six weeks ago, but apparently, there was a mix-up and though I paid for that exam they gave me another one. I passed the other one, and now have my Oklahoma Casualty Adjuster's license, I still need the P that goes with the P&C. I have been a property adjuster in the past, so the test really shouldn't be that hard. I hope I pass it the first time around and it will all be a formality. If you're like me, and you test well but get nervous anyway, then you'll understand why I'm a bit peeved at the company I paid to administer the correct test. I did think it was odd that I didn't have any real property questions, but I thought maybe it was just the luck of the draw that I would be tested on mainly casualty or life issues. There you go! My brain!

    After taking the exam I'll pay for the new license(s) when they're downloaded into the system. They don't actually give you physical licenses, you just pay a fee, and you print out your receipt. There should be a certificate or something you can hang on the wall! I may make one and ask if it's OK if I display it. Better to ask than to be slapped around by the law - - although it's really rather a moot point because I'll be working from home after I get that license. No one is really going to come into my home office and say "Hey, let me see your license!" and then again, no one is going to be coming into my home to see if I display a fake one either! This staying at home thing is really nice; I like it. I work out of the house for now, but not for long.

    What happened was simple. I took the exam they gave me, but it wasn't the one I needed to be fully vested and/or hired with XYZ company. I applied at other companies knowing I would be leaving as soon as I passed the exam and word got out that I have. When you take these types of exams it only takes a week or two before the hounds come sniffing! When they find your resume on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, and other places connected with the industry, they start calling and requesting interviews. Most if not nearly all of these types of companies are either insurance companies wanting you to adjust their estimates to a lower scale, and/or they are construction companies, auto companies, and other property companies, that want you to create an estimate that reflects their desire to have tiny add-ons and such to raise the estimate. It's a game. You play it. With hurricane and hail season approaching, everyone will be hiring. 

    What I'm doing now is letting every one of these would-be employers know that I won't pad anything. If I don't think it's viable I won't write it up to begin with. This means I'll more than likely end up on the insurance side, and in a more protective mode. I'm OK with that. Too many construction companies and/or auto owners try to pull the strings a bit too tight and in the wrong directions trying to get a tid bit more than they deserve. The whole point of the Indemnity Principle is to help the owner be restored to their position at the time of loss, not the original price. It's more about replacement cost less any depreciation rather than replacing it at whatever it would take to bring it to the original purchase condition. I think you see the difference(s). I know I do.

    When my car was rear-ended in May of this year I did a quick assessment of what I thought it would be. I came up with $3300-3500.  The GEICO adjuster who works for my insurance company, but for the other party, came up with $2760.  The GEICO guy working on my behalf came up with $3100.00. So you can see that we're all pretty close. I went with my guy obviously, and if I had any real damage to the car that wouldn't be covered with what difference there was between what he came up with and what I guestimated, I would have stuck to my own pricing, but it was close. The GEICO adjuster working for the other side had to concede given that he had proof that some of the parts would possibly cost more than he was allotted, but you can understand how it works. One side tries to make it less, one side demands more, and then you either negotiate, mediate, or bring a suit. We decided to negotiate. It's best when you can.

    So, my thing is this: I'm getting the license tomorrow hopefully, then going to wait about a week to get the word out that I've passed. I have already been asked to consider employment from home through one insurance company. They're offering a good salary, they're providing all the equipment, and they don't mind if I take off on Mondays to day trade as long as I get the work done that they send me throughout the week. That's a really good plan, right there. I may wait to see what I can find, but it may be that I decide to make that happen. I'll let you know. If and when that does happen, I can also, if I want to, unless I have to sign a non-compete, work for myself as an independent adjuster, as long as I don't rep anyone with or through the insurance carrier I'm connected to. If I'm captive that's OK, but the insurance company will have to pay me extra for not allowing a side hustle. (It's a win-win really)

    So much fun!! I can't wait. I'm learning the newest version of the program called Xactimate, which is a program many if not most use. It's really very flexible and by all accounts and measures, with all of the new AI macros you can set up, a person can virtually create an estimate in under 10-15 minutes if given the correct measurements and or photos of the proposed loss/damages. I love this. I wish I had thought of doing this 20 years ago, but you know what, I'm OK. I am learning it now. Years ago I was doing adjustments for load and freight. It's not the same, but there are similarities in that there is loss, replacement, restoration, etc.  It's more sophisticated now I suppose, more automated. I mean, it is 2022, so yeah, there's going to be that factor.   The good news is, I can work from HOME and home can be just about anywhere -- including Scotland.

    Think about this too; if I work in Scotland I'll be 6 hours ahead of the employers in the Central Time Zone.  They can email me the information I need, or download it into my account, and while they're sleeping I can work on it and have it ready before they even pour their first cup of coffee to start their day! Win-Win!!  I like this plan. I like this plan a LOT.

Photo Credit: Travel Adventure Everywhere (Blogspot)

Drama Llama! (Nope!)

 I need to get back to the YMCA and do my rope training. I'm slacking and it shows. I have a track trainer there too, she's working with me on the rings, or what we call the rings. I think they are TRX officially, but they're not as intense as you may see in the bigger more man-man gyms. I'm at the YMCA, and I'm the youngest patron, so that tells you there won't be much suspension going on! Basically, what would happen, is that I would do the suspension work and the others would watch me. I don't mind being their form of entertainment. The thing is, I work outside of the home now, and I can't see myself rushing home to go to the Y.  I need to!!  I can't let things slack, but then again, I may end up rigging up something at home so I don't have to walk all the way across the street!  LOL....yes, I'm spoiled.

    I mentioned that I'm working outside of the house these days. I'm not sure how long that will last. I think what I'm going to do is learn the job and either offer to work from home or find another company that will allow it. In 2022, there's just really no reason to be in an office if all you're doing is administrative work and/or adjusting and investigating insurance fraud. I can (anyone can) do more than 90% of the work from their home office; we learned that in 2020. I was working from home before that, and what we all went through only reiterated the need to stay as far away from people as we possibly can. I know there's a lot to be said about meeting up and having social goodness, but then again, I found out pretty quickly that I really don't like that many people. Nope. Not that many.

    Probably in about six months or at the most a year, I'll be back home, and by home I mean I'll either move to Scotland or work from another apartment here in the big city.  I think I've found a better place recently, and what's really funny is, I've been aware of it for 1000+ years. Why I never decided to give it a real look before is just beyond me. I guess I was thinking it was for old people. LOL.  Can you imagine?  As far as Scotland is concerned, I'm really narrowing down my choices there as well. I love the thought of living in Edinburgh, but then again I don't. Too many of those people we talked about earlier. Nope.  I'm thinking outskirts. I think I want to say I live in the Kingdom of Fife! That seems to suit me.  Queen! (I mean, I won't really be a queen, but I can pretend, right?) I like Dalgety Bay best, and a very very close second would be Aberdour.

    OMG, yesterday I reminded myself over and over again, about 10 times really, why it is that I don't like working outside of the house (apartment).  First, I walked out the door without my coffee. No, first, I had to get up before the break of day to get ready for the day. Then I got ready, then I remembered I work by myself so I really don't need to make up my face or wear fancy business clothes. Why did I dress up again? Why did I put on mascara? Not again. Then, after that, I got to the office and realized I had left my coffee on the stand.  When I used the old coffee pot that they had stashed in the cabinet at the office (after washing it) I found out why it was stashed in the cabinet. Why can't people ever bring themselves to throw out what needs to be thrown out? It's broken! It was pitched. The next 15-20 minutes were a quest to find coffee before starting Monday. You can't do Monday dry. I can't anyway.

    Besides the early waking, the dressing, the coffee, the need to forward and unforward calls on another unit or machine that had seen its prime about 20 years back, I was finding myself at a computer that still runs Windows 8! No, I'm serious. This, and this alone, could send me into the skies screaming; but I had to do it without coffee. I left the building. I found my quest. I returned. I survived. Today is a new day, and the boss now realizes he's about to spend $$$ on new everything if he thinks I'm staying. He agrees actually, and he's more than willing to bring me and my little prison up to date. They still use paper there too. I'm not kidding. They write checks out with ballpoint pens too. They peel stamps off and place them onto envelopes that carry folded paper copies of whatever could be and should be (and will be) emailed.  This office may be stuck in the '80s but that's about to change. I'm replacing an amazing woman who really preferred the older ways - - let me say that slowly, I'm REPLACING her, and with that everything will be replaced as well.

    What is it that I do?  Well, I'm an interesting animal really. There aren't many of us, and when we do retire it takes three people usually to replace us. This man, my new boss, got lucky. I know what his decades-hired assistant does. I don't call myself an assistant. I'm an investigator. I'm an adjuster. I'm an estimator. I'm an office manager. Queen.  There you go, I'm Queen.  My own little tiny kingdom of which I am not an owner and have virtually no responsibility. I find lies, I find errors, and I create havoc for those who thought no one would notice. I find waste. I find oversight. I find duplicate billing. Because I'm one-of-those people who can't be bought off with a bribe, I'm a dinosaur. Ethics mean too much to me. If I'm ever asked to sacrifice it, I leave.  This guy agrees. I think I'll stay long enough to learn the job and then convince him that if he lets me work from home (Scotland) I can receive the work by 5:00 p.m. his time, and have it finished before he comes into the office because I'll be six hours ahead of him! Good plan!!

    I think by this time next year I'll be relaxing by the Firth of Forth, perhaps cuddling a hot coffee, wrapped in soft tartan blankets, and listening to Runrig or Syr rather loudly since I'll be wearing headphones. Why bother the dog? I can scope, probe, inquiry, delve, and uncover most of my discoveries from wherever it is I hang my hat - - I would say kick off my boots, but I don't really wear them anymore. I gave up the horse(s) so I'm pretty much down to my socked feet, sitting cross-legged at the desk most of the time. Coffee brewing. No drama unless you count the people I uncover.  You gotta be creative to find their means and ways, and I gotta tell you, some people are just really ... interesting.  Never a dull moment folks, never a dull moment. 

Photo Credit:  Blogsaays.com