So, to catch up...the storms of Saturday night/Sunday morning split and went around my house. I remember waking up only one time when the power blinked out and I noticed that it was lightning fit to die but I couldn't hear a whole lot of rain and the thunder wasn't as loud as I thought it should be with that much lightning. The power came back on momentarily and I listened to the radio for a while until I ascertained that the storm was indeed not coming through my area, then I went back to sleep.
I picked Mom up 10-ish, gave her the pine needle basket (which she LuRvEd!), and we had lunch at the Emperor's House II Chinese restaurant in Eastwood before heading over the Rave theater at Patton Creek to see What Happens in Vegas (starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher). It was a very funny, cute, and entertaining movie to watch and I would enjoy seeing it again if the opportunity presents itself. I'm sad to say that after that, Mom just tagged along with me while I bought groceries then we went back to our respective houses.
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Funny Mom story - Mom recommended the apple pie at the restaurant which was made with philo (sp?) dough instead of a regular pie crust. I don't usually like cooked apples but I decided to give it a try and I put a little soft serve ice cream on top of it, maybe 2 or 3 tablespoons full. I am lactose intolerant and I just wanted the creamy flavor, not gastrointestinal fallout. I got back to the table and Mom saw the ice cream. She frowned and said, "Holley! What about your latex intolerance?" After I snorted apple pie out of my nose, she herself caught on to what she had actually said and in a rush, "Well, that thing you have about milk! I know it's not latex! You know that a latex intolerance is...."
And I'll leave it there because I just sat with my mouth hanging open as MY MOTHER described for me just what "latex intolerance" is. I finally said to her, "Mom, it's a latex sensitivity, not an intolerance, and I KNOW what it means! I have LACTOSE intolerance!" I could literally feel the people around us staring.
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Yesterday was a relatively uneventful day here at la biblioteca. We were busy and the day passed quickly. I exercised yesterday morning and this morning as well as having a super healthy day 98% of the time for both days too! I had gained 6 pounds when I weighed in yesterday and it hurt my feelings something awful. Not awful enough to keep me out of Milo's for dinner tonight but I had a bang on healthy day up to this point and I will have good days for the rest of the week! I vow it! I will not lose my momentum!
KT and I have been out shopping for prizes for the Summer Reading program we are working on for grownups, the first one at this library. The Children's Dept and the Teen librarian have been doing one for their respective demographics for years and we decided kids didn't need to have all the fun. We are putting together a grand prize gift basket with picnic ware, a bottle of wine, books, CD's, DVD's, Playaways, and an iPod Shuffle. We may add more stuff to it as we come up with more ideas. Weekly prizes include a shaved ice snow cone maker, a Planet Earth DVD board game, a keychain digital camera, and an Mp3 player. There are 8-10 weeks to the Summer Reading program so we have a few more prizes to buy but we just got tired and had to leave. Next time we'll have to start earlier in the day when neither of us has been on our feet out on the floor all day. Kickoff for the SRP is this coming Sunday and I'm actually starting to look forward to it!
Of course, it helps that the LAST bus trip to Montgomery/Monroeville/Selma is day after tomorrow. I will be glad to get this particular bit of library programming behind me as I am exhausted just from worrying about it, not to mention actually going on the trips. I have, as you can tell from all the photos, really enjoyed the Old Live Oak Cemetery and I look forward to exploring that last quadrant on Friday. No doubt I'll put up some more photos from this last journey and I just hope the weather holds!
evenin' ya'll!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
*sigh*
I'm tired, people. Thank goodness, the last B1g Re@d bus trip is next week and I won't have to think about it again. It is stressful taking that many people way off into the country and making sure they see lots of interesting sights. Week before last, we were an hour out of Birmingham watching Spike Lee's documentary 4 Little Girls when I heard a little swell of conversation behind me. I distinctly heard the word "sick" and quickly turned around to look just in time to see the person two seats back vomit, then sort of pass out with their eyes rolled back in their head. The word "stroke" was bandied about while I whipped my cell phone out and called 9-1-1. Luckily we were seconds from and exit and the driver darted off the interstate. The ambulance was there in a flash and they were concerned something cardiovascular was going on so the man was whisked into the ambulance, his wife picked their luggage up from underneath the bus, the ambulance left and we got back on our way. Nothing else of an emergency-type situation occured but I don't have to tell ya'll how glad I was to get back home...
Last week's trip was relatively uneventful although we had a few high maintenance passengers with ENDLESS questions about every miniscule detail. When we pulled into the mall at the end of the trip though, everyone raved about what a great time they had so it was a SUCCESS! I'm sure next week will be the same and we can consider the whole venture also a success and tack on those last, wise words....a good time was had by all :)
So, I'm watching SNL and it is really pitiful when I remember the good shows with Belushi, Martin, Chase, Ackroyd and their ilk. I should be asleep but caffeine is working its magic and although I am tired, I cannot go to sleep so I'll just watch bad tv and wait for the damaging winds and scattered tornadoes to get here later on this evening, or rather, early tomorrow morning. I hate the storms that come in the middle of the night, especially since I live in a manufactured home. I guess if I had a lick of sense I'd head on over to my Dad's house to spend the night but I'd rather be at home...so much for a lick of sense. I'm really hoping these storms will go north of here.
I hope everyone has plans for Mother's Day tomorrow. I'm going to pick up Mom 10-ish in the morning, we'll have an early lunch then see a movie. I'm not sure about the rest of the day but Mom and I usually work pretty well with a flexible schedule. You can see a previous post for a photo of the pine needle basket I made for her today.
Well, off to sleep and I hope everyone in the path of the storms here has a safe night!
htw
Last week's trip was relatively uneventful although we had a few high maintenance passengers with ENDLESS questions about every miniscule detail. When we pulled into the mall at the end of the trip though, everyone raved about what a great time they had so it was a SUCCESS! I'm sure next week will be the same and we can consider the whole venture also a success and tack on those last, wise words....a good time was had by all :)
So, I'm watching SNL and it is really pitiful when I remember the good shows with Belushi, Martin, Chase, Ackroyd and their ilk. I should be asleep but caffeine is working its magic and although I am tired, I cannot go to sleep so I'll just watch bad tv and wait for the damaging winds and scattered tornadoes to get here later on this evening, or rather, early tomorrow morning. I hate the storms that come in the middle of the night, especially since I live in a manufactured home. I guess if I had a lick of sense I'd head on over to my Dad's house to spend the night but I'd rather be at home...so much for a lick of sense. I'm really hoping these storms will go north of here.
I hope everyone has plans for Mother's Day tomorrow. I'm going to pick up Mom 10-ish in the morning, we'll have an early lunch then see a movie. I'm not sure about the rest of the day but Mom and I usually work pretty well with a flexible schedule. You can see a previous post for a photo of the pine needle basket I made for her today.
Well, off to sleep and I hope everyone in the path of the storms here has a safe night!
htw
Yay for Wendy's
Sorry for the odd angle but the light turned green and I just barely managed to snap it but this needed to be shared with the world. I couldn't decide if this was a Wendy's problem or a Bessemer problem.
more from Old Live Oak Cemetary
look what I made today!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Elizabethan faerie intrigue...
Have a look at the new book by Marie Brennan that I am chomping at the bit to read! I received an ARC but haven't started it yet. I was going to try and finish the book I'm currently involved in (Lawrence Goldstone's The Anatomy of Deception) but I don't think I can wait. Click here for an interview with Marie Brennan about Midnight Never Come and click here for her LiveJournal Page! Also, some good press from SFX, the UK's biggest sci-fi magazine!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
ponder-isms
I signed up to get emails from the weightloss website I'm using, SparkPeople.com, and I've gotten some really great food for thought in the last several weeks. Of course, I will share it with you here!
Whatever is flexible and flowing will tend to grow; whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die.- Tao Te Ching, Lao Tsu's teachings
How Well do You Roll with the Punches?
Change is the natural order of the world. When something tries to stand against the force of change, it's eventually destroyed. Cliffs are eroded, trees are uprooted, granite cracks. People can crack too. For us to grow and live--to flourish--it takes adaptation and learning. Stubborn attachment to a single set of "knowledge" or way of doing things leads to stagnation of the mind and spirit. Remember to keep an open mind to new people and new ideas. Challenge yourself to always be learning something new. Focus on the possibilities of a fresh start, instead of hanging on to old frustrations. Sails are made with cloth for a reason. When they're stiff, winds beat against them until they tear. But if the sails are relaxed and workable, the wind can take you to places you've never been before.
"Focus on the possibilities of a fresh start, instead of hanging on to old frustrations." This statement really stood out for me because I am a brooder. I spend a great deal of time by myself and what better way to fill that time than to brood on what I need to do, haven't done, can't change, wasn't successful at, is difficult to attain, or what is out of my league? I can't even THINK of anything more productive or entertaining than that! So I'm trying to get back to the relaxed nature I used to have. I want to be a cloth sail. I want to be a method of travel instead of something ragged and torn.
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.- Maurice Setter
Appreciation of the Good Things in Life
How many times are we blind to the good in front of us because we're looking past it for something better? It's like watching the railroad track your entire life, waiting for a train to come in and never realizing that you're sitting smack in the middle of the splendid Grand Central Station. Take a second look at your goals. Are they building on the good already in your life? Are you taking full advantage of the strengths you already have? Is it worth giving up what you have for what you might have? In many cases, the answer is yes. To that we say "Go for it!" with all the enthusiasm we can muster. Those are the meaningful goals. If the answer is no, try reworking your goals to include ones that complement your present life rather than substitute for it. Whatever the answer is for you, we could all use a little more appreciation for the pieces of silver in our lives.
Looking at my current goals: Building on the good already in my life? Uh, no. Taking advantage of my strengths? Um, not really. Could I give up what I have for what I might have? Not working so well at this point, no. But, going back to the previous quotation/pep talk, I've got to stop dwelling on the crappy job I'm doing at trying to just spontaneously get happy and WORK ON IT already. What I really need to do is start seeing my therapist again (sorry KT! I did intend to go back, I really did!) and *long suffering sigh* I feel like I might need to start back on the antidepressants again. I'm nowhere near where I was a year or two ago, but I don't want to let it get out of hand like I did the first time either.
There ain't much fun in medicine, but there's a heck of a lot of medicine in fun.- Josh Billings, 19th Century Humorist
Are You Taking Life Too Seriously?
When was the last time your doctor told you to stay home and watch "Seinfeld"? Or suggested a night out at the circus? Or told you to play fetch with a dog? It probably hasn't happened, but the day may not be far off. Laughter and fun are great ways to break down the walls of stress, preventing both mental and physical damage. Play time loosens up joints constricted by tension and poor posture. It brightens your attitude and is a healthy outlet for the most troubled thoughts. Even during our time off, it seems like we still spend a lot of time working--as a handyman, chauffer, mechanic, negotiator, therapist, cook, activist, or whatever is called for. Next time you're starting to feel the strain, think about how long it's been since you just played for the fun of it. It might be longer than you think. Then go buy yourself a toy.
Here's where I really drop the ball. Taking crap home with me to work on. Coming in on my day off. Volunteering for too much stuff. I want the people around me to be happy and pleased even if it's at my own expense. Ouch, that was painful to admit. I've gotten a little better at sticking up for myself since Mrs. Roomie moved out. She was just so volatile that I would do practically anything to keep the confrontations to a minimum and that habit has been a B!TCH to break. I'm still very much in the process and I don't want to spend the rest of my life as a door mat for the world. I don't know where I'll find the funding for fun, but I've already got my thinking cap on for inexpensive fun things to do in and around Birmingham.
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.- John Wooden, Hall of Fame college basketball coach
Believing In Yourself
Limitations can either define us or give us a challenge to outwit. When you look at your abilities, do you see boundaries and limits, or do you see possibilities and potential? Obsessing about weaknesses can blind us to the untapped abilities we already have. You have talent. Everyone does. The secret to success is to find that talent, develop it and push it as far as you can. Grandma Moses might have been a lousy bowler, Einstein probably couldn't sing a lick, Michelangelo could've been unable to speak well in public. So what? They knew what they were good at and rode that pony. Your talent might be right in front of you: where do you get the most compliments? What seems to come easily to you? What do people ask your advice for? Live there. Don't let the rest get in the way.
Whatever is flexible and flowing will tend to grow; whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die.- Tao Te Ching, Lao Tsu's teachings
How Well do You Roll with the Punches?
Change is the natural order of the world. When something tries to stand against the force of change, it's eventually destroyed. Cliffs are eroded, trees are uprooted, granite cracks. People can crack too. For us to grow and live--to flourish--it takes adaptation and learning. Stubborn attachment to a single set of "knowledge" or way of doing things leads to stagnation of the mind and spirit. Remember to keep an open mind to new people and new ideas. Challenge yourself to always be learning something new. Focus on the possibilities of a fresh start, instead of hanging on to old frustrations. Sails are made with cloth for a reason. When they're stiff, winds beat against them until they tear. But if the sails are relaxed and workable, the wind can take you to places you've never been before.
"Focus on the possibilities of a fresh start, instead of hanging on to old frustrations." This statement really stood out for me because I am a brooder. I spend a great deal of time by myself and what better way to fill that time than to brood on what I need to do, haven't done, can't change, wasn't successful at, is difficult to attain, or what is out of my league? I can't even THINK of anything more productive or entertaining than that! So I'm trying to get back to the relaxed nature I used to have. I want to be a cloth sail. I want to be a method of travel instead of something ragged and torn.
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.- Maurice Setter
Appreciation of the Good Things in Life
How many times are we blind to the good in front of us because we're looking past it for something better? It's like watching the railroad track your entire life, waiting for a train to come in and never realizing that you're sitting smack in the middle of the splendid Grand Central Station. Take a second look at your goals. Are they building on the good already in your life? Are you taking full advantage of the strengths you already have? Is it worth giving up what you have for what you might have? In many cases, the answer is yes. To that we say "Go for it!" with all the enthusiasm we can muster. Those are the meaningful goals. If the answer is no, try reworking your goals to include ones that complement your present life rather than substitute for it. Whatever the answer is for you, we could all use a little more appreciation for the pieces of silver in our lives.
Looking at my current goals: Building on the good already in my life? Uh, no. Taking advantage of my strengths? Um, not really. Could I give up what I have for what I might have? Not working so well at this point, no. But, going back to the previous quotation/pep talk, I've got to stop dwelling on the crappy job I'm doing at trying to just spontaneously get happy and WORK ON IT already. What I really need to do is start seeing my therapist again (sorry KT! I did intend to go back, I really did!) and *long suffering sigh* I feel like I might need to start back on the antidepressants again. I'm nowhere near where I was a year or two ago, but I don't want to let it get out of hand like I did the first time either.
There ain't much fun in medicine, but there's a heck of a lot of medicine in fun.- Josh Billings, 19th Century Humorist
Are You Taking Life Too Seriously?
When was the last time your doctor told you to stay home and watch "Seinfeld"? Or suggested a night out at the circus? Or told you to play fetch with a dog? It probably hasn't happened, but the day may not be far off. Laughter and fun are great ways to break down the walls of stress, preventing both mental and physical damage. Play time loosens up joints constricted by tension and poor posture. It brightens your attitude and is a healthy outlet for the most troubled thoughts. Even during our time off, it seems like we still spend a lot of time working--as a handyman, chauffer, mechanic, negotiator, therapist, cook, activist, or whatever is called for. Next time you're starting to feel the strain, think about how long it's been since you just played for the fun of it. It might be longer than you think. Then go buy yourself a toy.
Here's where I really drop the ball. Taking crap home with me to work on. Coming in on my day off. Volunteering for too much stuff. I want the people around me to be happy and pleased even if it's at my own expense. Ouch, that was painful to admit. I've gotten a little better at sticking up for myself since Mrs. Roomie moved out. She was just so volatile that I would do practically anything to keep the confrontations to a minimum and that habit has been a B!TCH to break. I'm still very much in the process and I don't want to spend the rest of my life as a door mat for the world. I don't know where I'll find the funding for fun, but I've already got my thinking cap on for inexpensive fun things to do in and around Birmingham.
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.- John Wooden, Hall of Fame college basketball coach
Believing In Yourself
Limitations can either define us or give us a challenge to outwit. When you look at your abilities, do you see boundaries and limits, or do you see possibilities and potential? Obsessing about weaknesses can blind us to the untapped abilities we already have. You have talent. Everyone does. The secret to success is to find that talent, develop it and push it as far as you can. Grandma Moses might have been a lousy bowler, Einstein probably couldn't sing a lick, Michelangelo could've been unable to speak well in public. So what? They knew what they were good at and rode that pony. Your talent might be right in front of you: where do you get the most compliments? What seems to come easily to you? What do people ask your advice for? Live there. Don't let the rest get in the way.
I don't know what my talent is. I mean, I have a librarian junk brain full of Dewey Decimal number schemes and book titles but outside of that? My pony is fairly small at this point. I guess the point is just as is says...developing talent. I'll have to work on that too.
We should consider every day lost in which we have not danced at least once.- Nietzsche, philosopher
Finding and celebrating the joy in life
Each day is a new chance to find joy and to dance. If you let it pass or think it useless, the chance is gone and you'll never get it back. When was the last time you played? Or just did something for the sheer fun of it? Joy is not found in the world around you, it's within yourself. You can make your own joy, especially during those dark times when you need to really feel alive again. Fun and play are healthy antidotes to taking life--and ourselves--too seriously. They're proven boosters of immune systems and mental health and make life worth the trouble. So do the twist. Sing in the shower. Learn a magic trick. Watch a cartoon. Challenge some kids to a game. Don't let a single day go to waste.
Sheesh, finding the joy in life. Sometimes it's easy, recently it's been tough. Today was exceptionally tough because I'm tired, I didn't want to go to the library, I was repulsed by the sight of the building when I got here, and it is SO beautiful outside today. The florescent lighting in here is not. I have not been nice to people. I have not gone out of my way to help them. Right now, I don't care if they find what they need or if they complain about me. I'd gladly be written up for it as long as they get the hint to leave me the F*#K alone.
So, cheerio everybody.
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