Food for Thought

 
Here's some food for thought. Restaurant's are somewhere we can go to be waited on, have our food prepared for us and satisfy our hunger all at the same time, and usually pretty quick. Because society today has put the emphasis on needing everything quick we forget to realize that the quality of the food we are salavating for may have more in it than we saw on the menu. Overall, restaurant kitchens are not as clean or bacteria free as you allow yourself to think. We are never sure if the hands that prepared the meal were really washed or the expiration dates of the food being consumed. Cooking your meals at home removes these thoughts and may just keep you from getting sick. You remain in control of what you are eating without risking your health. Sure it is somewhat easier at times to run through the drive through for the kids or because we are always running here and there because we are short on time. There are so many quick and easy recipes to be made at home and in a short time frame that can satisfy everyone at anytime. Generally cooking at home costs less too, stays fresh longer and always tastes better. Cooking and eating at home also inspires "quality family" time which has also gone by the wayside. This is a special time for 30 or 40 minutes to catch up with everyone and enjoy each other's company. Restaurants hinder the "quality family" experience, mainly due to the noise levels, screaming babies, unruly youngsters or any number of things that can come up in a public eating place. So give some serious thought to cooking and eating home more often than not and see the positive effects right away.

Remember: Everyone wins from a good home cooked meal

It seems that it takes me longer and longer to come back here and reconnect. I have been trying now for 3 yrs to get back to living my life and have stumbled upon many roadblocks. Since I lost my parents I grieved and began moving forward, then several issues with my boys rose to the top and have kept me down for some time. The one main constant in my life has been my current job. I do have to commute through this lovely Atlanta traffic, but I actually enjoy getting in it because it definitely makes you feel ALIVE ! Yes, I must be a little crazy. But during all these dark times I am the only one that I have to help myself feel better or feel motivated and it is hard to keep this up everyday, but I do. I worry everyday about my health, my finances and my boys and pray for major improvement in all areas. I remain hopeful and continue to have faith. I hope you all have a fabulous day and remain positive !!

Remember: You only have YOU to depend on !

Idol Time

WOW it has been 14 mos. since I last wrote. I have faced huge life altering challenges since I last wrote. I was trying to move on since my Dad had passed and my family continued to have struggles with each other. Then in May 2011 my Mom called me to come to her house in NW Arkansas to help her out for a few months. You see, she had fallen the week of Easter, nobody called me-nice, broker her hip and my brother wasn't caring for her very well, and why would he. So off I went, just like that. I gave up a great job opportunity in the industry I despised and wished I could get out of. Once I got my Mom's I told her that she could not stay in that house by herself and take care of herself along with everything else. So I gave her 5 options, one of which was to move to Georgia and live with me and my boys, and surprisingly so she chose to move. So I spent the next 3 mos. selling, packing, preparing the AR home for her departure and preparing my home for her arrival, which included enclosing my garage to be her apartment, it turned out nice. So 4 mos. later we arrive in GA along with all the stuff from my Parents house that I couldn't decide what to do with, I still have a lot of it here working at it a week at a time. Anyway, another new routine took shape and then Oct. 26, 2001 my Mom passed away. I could not believe how everything played out. I was stunned, shocked and in a haze for months.I had to force myself to get through the holidays for my  boys and said that once the New Year came we would all make it a very good year. It has taken me a while to get through the dark side of my emotions. I am TODAY taking my Real Estate exam ! I am taking advantage of all the opportunities that have been presented to me through all this loss. It has been difficult and great all at the same time. I may not have my Parents to talk to anymore, but I know they are looking down on me and guiding me through each and everyday. For this I am grateful and thankful. I want to LIVE again and enjoy each day and have fun again. So I applaud myself for getting up and going to school and achieving such a great feat.You will see more of me and my posts going forward. So good to be back :)

Remember: You can't move forward while looking back

Negative Energy

Are you surrounded by negative people? I'm sure most of you have at least one that comes to mind. I sure do and I am about fed up with it too. All these "nay sayers" should live on their own island, maybe then they would be happy. When we engage with nagative attitudes it tends to change our outlook to more negative than positive. This is not a healthy way of living. I always make a point to waking up thankful that I did wake up, be happy for all the wonderful things I have in my life, although they may not be a lot to some, but to me they are a bounty. I have to remind myself of this too each day. Thinking positive is just a better way of looking at life and all the bumps that come along the way. Negativity does bring any good feelings to any situation. Positivity makes you feel better, therefore making you more productive in everything you do. We will always run up against roadblocks and will always find a way through them because thinking positive also opens up the pathway to a solution. A smile is absolutley positive and takes less muscles to use, while a frown, which breeds negative feelings also makes us feel cold and unchanged. Negative people spin their wheels whining and complaining about something when they could bring positive change to their dilemma.

Remember: Don't waste others time by breathing negative, smile because you can.

Share yourself

I am sort of at a cross roads in my life and not sure how to proceed. I have many great goals in mind for this fresh new year. My biggest block is that I do not have a significant other or any "real" friends locally that I can share with, ask for advice, bounce ideas off of or just talk to. Many days I feel trapped and somewhat depressed and eventually am able to help myself work through these uncomfortable feelings. As I want to be a coach to many on various topics, it would be nice if I had my own coach to help me through all these tough issues.  I have a hard time with this, but I still forge on because I know I can achieve what I am thinking of, it's just difficult as I have only myself to talk to about these things. I wish I could have more friends like I did many years ago when I lived in Memphis. Now those were some great times and I know I can have that again, just have lost my way. I know that 2010 was the most extremely painful year I have experienced in, well forever and this has attributed to all these self worthlessness that I feel a lot. Friends where I live are very difficult to keep as they are so committed to their own lives and I guess don't need another friend or any at all. I may need to relocate to another City, just not real sure I really want to do that. I do know that I need to join a club or a group or something to hopefully be involved enough to make some new relationships that will last.  I would normally discuss all of these things with my Dad, but can't anymore, only through prayers and that is hard too. I am a very giving person and just need to find the same in others that I can call my "FRIENDS". So onward I go to work on making all the plans and goals I have be achieved and hopefully find a friend or 2 along the way.

Remember:  Follow through.

Fresh Attitude

Hello Friends!
Well the time is here and has gone by very quickly since I last visited. I finally got a job in my field and am able to work from home and have been now for 3 mos. It has been a great opportunity for me and my boys since the passing of my Dad in July. I have been able to mourn and heal all in the comfort and privacy of my home. I am so grateful to my Mom who graciously helped me save my home from auction next week. She didn't know I needed the help and I didn't want to burden her with my issues during the loss of her 54 yr companion and one true love. 
So anyway, I am so looking forward to 2011 for all the great new possibilities that can help me change the direction I am going in. This year has been very rough, I did not realize that I had 6 jobs this year ! OMG I cannot believe that. I am looking to find some real friends and be able to go do fun things like I used to. It has been way too long.
This is short, but a start, I really miss blogging and interacting with everyone. I am going to try to push myself back into it. I used to write every other day and then LIFE happened once again. I am thankful that we are able to fall and then pick ourselves up again. Yes it is very hard sometimes, but I am going to stay strong and positive.
Take care everyone and Happy New Year's to you all!

Remember:  Thinking positive will bring positive results to your life!

Family Loss

Do you really think you can get over losing a Parent? I am not sure myself. I am having a very difficult time with this. My Dad died July 3rd, 2010, 4 weeks ago today. It seems a lifetime ago while at the same time so surreal that I can't believe it yet. I don't live close like my Brother, but I was very close to my Dad. My Brother took care of him during this horrible journey. We all thought he would live as long as his Mother, 91, he didn't, he was 72. My Dad was a very healthy person. Turns out he had a brain tumor brewing, that was diagnosed officially in Feb. 2010. It happens to have been the same tumor that senator Ted Kennedy had and died from. It is a nasty thing and my Dad fought long and hard and the tumor won. It's just not fair at all. My Dad was so full of life, always had a positive impact on people and mentored many. I know he is in a better place and with his Mom and Brother, who died last July and My Grandma died July of 2006. Not sure what the "July" thing is all about, but it is kinda freaky. My Brother and cousin, both have birthdays in July and both their Dad's died a year apart. I still feel numb and was trying to make it there before his last breathe, but I didn't. I was in the air when he died. My Brother goes to visit him at the cemetery every morning and night, he said he can't help it and wished he lived further so he didn't do that, it makes him sad. I went once 3 days after he was buried and thought it would help, it really didn't. My Mom really thought she'd go first, her health is not very good at all. Not sure how to keep it going everyday. I felt so lucky to be my age and still have both of my Parents alive and now I am lost. My Dad is who I went to for all kinds of advice and knowledge about so many things. He just had to go and leave all of us to try to help ourselves better and make us stronger. I dont' want to be stronger, I truly get tired of being strong, I need someone to lean on now and then. As the weeks go by I am trying to figure it all out. I just never imagined this feeling. I don't know that time will heal my loss. I think no matter how long it's been, the pain is still there, just suppressed. I am glad that both my boys still live with me for company. I really need to find some things to do besides work. I am so happy to finally have gotten another job again. My Dad was very happy when I got this great job, I just wish like hell that I could have seen him alive one more time. I guess it was not meant for me to.
Take care everyone and don't hold grudges or get mad easily or be too hard on your kids or loved ones, you just never know what will happen from day to day.

Remember: Don't ever forget your memories, they will get you through.

Who's your rock???

Today is Father's Day. I hope all the Dad's out there had a very unique day and that everyone out there was able to reminisce, visit or talk to their Dad's. I am thankful that I still have my Dad here. I talked to him this morning and he is so excited that the boys and I will be there in 2 weeks. It will not be our usual 4th of July spectacular, but all great things fizzle out sooner or later. He said he can't wait till I get there so I can make him some of my world famous macaroni salad with black olives and chunks of sharp cheese, it brought tears to my eyes. We will at least be able to go out on the boat and see other lake spectacular fireworks and enjoy them. I am back to work again, YEAH, I hope for awhile, but for now it is a steady, regular paycheck. Now I am working towards making things in my life more regular. I have struggled for so long, I feel as if I have become immune to the feeling. I am very grateful for managing to save my home from foreclosure. I feel as if I have climbed Mt Everest! Oh what a feeling! I have only had myself to be my own "rock" and that is tough most times. I would love nothing more than to have someone in my life to share life with again. It's nice sometimes to be able to talk about life stresses and ups and downs with someone else. As I have said previously, I am a very strong person and sometimes I get tired of being strong. I need to find a "rock" for me. As I learn to relax more and do some things for me, taking one day at a time, I know I will find everything and more that I am looking for and need. I do have such a sense of freedom now and pray it will continue. Still working on getting myself out there more is also a chore. I miss the days in my past when I had friends and neighbors come over and we'd cook out, kids would play together, we'd have cocktails, good food and great company. These days that seems harder to find, well in my neighborhood. So I am on a mission to finds some new friends to do just that. Until next time......all have a great week!

Remember: Our inner strength is more than one can imagine, use it.

Escaping Anxiety

WOW if life isn't tough enough on it's own, the huge oil catastrophe, the NY car bomber and so on and we thought that being unemployed, having no money, health issues, were about as bad as we can get. Not sure why these terrible people continue to want to hurt Americans, the terrorism thing has always been a huge stress event in my household because it is such a scary thing to deal with. It's hard to explain to your kids the same thing and also reassure them that all will be ok. My family not only is dealing with all the world issues as well as me being unemployed again and now, my Dad having a brain tumor, which really hits way too close to home. I have been very fortunate to have not experienced these types of family situations until now. Of course my Parents are in their 70's and I guess this is to be expected. I have many friends whose Parents did not make it this long, so I feel quite blessed. My Brother is handling the brunt of the care with them as my Mom is not that well either, early stages of emphysema and I do not live close to them, I am about 800 miles from them and now having no job makes me feel quite inadequate, like I am not really able to help out. I keep my chin up and try to forge on and pray that I will get a job so that I can get to see my family again during this terribly painful event that has been thrown upon us. Trying to remain stress free and upbeat is difficult. Anxiety runs through my veins and does not allow me adequate rest, while looking for work and going to interviews, it is amazing how I force myself to get up each day to face the same set of circumstances and praying for positive results all the way around.

Remember:  Anxious times make for long days

Reaching out for HELP !!!!

Hello Everyone - It has been a rough past 30 days since I wrote my last post and I am still without work! My previous employer is fighting me on paying unemployment so we are really "drowning" here and I feel so much anxiety that I don't sleep at night. I have even reached out to my Church and have not been successful in getting any response from them, hmmm...I might need to find a better Church family, I thought that is really who you could count on, apparently not. I also ran across some "celeb" news, that Stephen Baldwin, actor and "born again christian", who is in such bad financial crisis has a website, setup by his Church followers to help raise money to "save" him, WHAT.....??? Give me a break !!!! He has so many more resources than any of us regular, hardworking, people do and they expect "us" to give money to his cause when we don't even have enough for ourselves!!!
So with that said I would like to see if there are any of you out there that plan to give money to Stephen Baldwin's cause, if you would give those few dollars to me and my family instead. I have always known that "we" are a giving species and I have given and given for many, many years, and will continue to, to people in need just like I am now and I would like to think that there are people like me that would help me out in my crisis. If you feel generous enough to send me money to help me try to keep my house, my utilities on and gas in my car, I would be forever grateful. I have gotten as much money from my Parents as possible as my Dad has just undergone brain surgery 2 weeks ago today, to remove part of a tumor, called Glioma, and there is still another smaller part to this that he has to find out what the next course of action is going to be next week, so between their help and his massive medical bills now, I cannot expect them to be able to help me anymore and I know my Dad is very worried, which is not good for his brain and I feel bad that I cannot be there to help, anyway, my point is that I am doing everything I can, I have even applied for food stamps, hey, I am not too proud to admit when I am down and need some help. I have always been the "strong" one and I guess now it is my turn to learn to lean on others.
IF you can and would like to help me and my family, please email me for information on how to do that, ANY amount will help and I want to Thank You all now. You will not be forgotten! Email to: rquartz28@netscape.net

Remember: It is better to GIVE than RECEIVE, when you give you will receive *** just don't GIVE to the "famous actor" who lives better than all of us :)

Time for a change

Hello everyone ! Once again I am without a job, oh my. So I have been taking this time to rediscover myself and really try to make any one of my entrepreneurial adventures work. I've also discovered that people today are more into hurting you than helping you and it should not be like this. If anything we should be more of a "helping" people because I am sure that we all need some kind of help in one way or another. I am actually very glad not to be working in an office, corporate setting anymore, my stress level is way down and the freedom to roam at anytime of the day or night is the best feeling. I just gotta find a way to earn enough money to live on. Times are still tough and going to continue for awhile, so I must persevere and continue to look for the "open" doors that are out there for me, maybe I need some "special" glasses to see them LOL. Ok this is short and sweet and I am gonna try to come back here more often like the "good ole" days !


Remember: The time to change is now, just like the seasons

Youthful Times

I think we as a "people" have forced ourselves to forget how wonderful times were when we were younger. If we would incorporate things we did in our younger days we would all be much happier. I was thinking hard about this when I heard someone say "I'm too old to do that". Now I have always believed that "You are as young as you feel" quote is so true. Your birthday year is only a number on your birth certificate. Just because you are 30,40,50 or 60,etc; does not mean you have to "act" like what the number perceives you should be. I know I look youthful, not my true age, and act youthful because I still enjoy those simple childhood pleasures. I also believe that you are never too old to finish something you started, regardless of what your friends or family might say, I say "GO FOR IT" Chasing our dreams and endeavors is what keeps us young and our minds alive. That is what LIFE is all about. I sure don't want to look forward to a life of sitting around doing nothing, I want to fly by the seat of my pants just as I have and live on the edge, push the envelope and go for the gusto. So make a goal to do something you used to enjoy when you were a kid, you just may surprise yourself!


Remember: Live Life YOUTHFUL

Power to YOU!

Hello Friends !! I have surfaced once again, I have missed my blogging family and am sorry I have been gone so long. I finally got the "people" out of my house July 18th and it was not an easy task to do. Things did get a little heated, which I did not want, but I got to see just how two faced and ungrateful they were. What a "cleansing" feeling it was to be in my own house without the burden of "haters". So in these past 4 mos I have been finding my way around my house again again and finding "ME" again. I have really surprised myself once again. I am still working, YEA!!!, and I have reconnected with a great and wonderful friend also in the mortgage biz and has struggled like me and now we are forging through LIFE together, using the knowledge we both have to become successful in our endeavors. I am finally doing something that I know and have wanted to do for many years. You know I am just a regular person that has a dream to make it BIG in this world, make an impact on others lives and help as many people as I can, I'm not a celebrity, star, great athlete or someone that is seen in the media. I want to write a book too and become well known, but I'm not a "star", therefore achieving this goal will be a little more of a challenge for "plain" me. I was thinking of this a few days ago when I saw, once again, the ads for Sarah Palin and her book and her tour bus, and I thought "hmmm... wonder if I can get a book published, could I also get on TV to push my book, my ideas, my goals in life?? It's an interesting thought and I said "YES" I can!!! We get out of life exactly what we put into it. Read that again and let it really sink in. I have, I woke up this morning with this exuberant feeling of being able to do anything and everything that I have ever wanted to do and I am going to do it, period. I have always started something great then let it sit and sit and then just get forgotten, not anymore. I have risen up from the ashes of doom and gloom and am going to publish the things I have written, help the people that I know need it and make life a little bit better for me, my family and others alike. I am not afraid to jump right in, both feet planted and be noticed. I was once before and I will become that "star" to shine for everyone to see.


Remember: Empower yourself to do what you know

Sweating the small stuff

I have come to realize, once again, how wonderful life is. I have been through so much, just like everyone else and usually allowed the smallest things to make me stress out. I have recently been allowed to work my job from home and let me tell you, this is the best time of my life right now! Of course I think it would be challenging if I had younger children. Since my oldest moved out and my youngest is very mobile and my friends that live me are not in my way I have set my little office up in my room and I get to look out my windows into my great wooded, aviary like yard and am so pleased with this change that I don't have any "small stuff" to sweat anymore. I am no able to think a lot clearer and am able to get back to all the great things I started last Fall when I lost my last job because I have more "free" time to do it in. No traffic hassles for me anymore. My stress level has dropped and my happiness meter has exploded! My creative juices are flowing freely again and I am going to get my food business off the ground once and for all. With the special time here at home I have come to appreciate my own land space that much more. Too many of us are still wound way tight, want things way too fast and do not stop to "smell the roses". I have been and still am beaming!


Remember: You have more resources than you think

Pressure

Don't you ever wonder WHY you make yourself feel guilty about something you did or didn't do or said or didn't say? I always put so much extra pressure on myself, like I really need it, and then I have to talk to myself and try to think out the situation. We humans are very complicated. I always feel like I must justify why I said something or told someone I would go somewhere and then changed my mind. You know sometimes I just need to wind down and have some time to myself. I'm sure most people are like this. My nature is to try to make time for everyone and I really can't sometimes. I find that on the weekends, especially if I don't have anything pressing, I NEED to take some "veg" time just for ME. Watch some non-thinking shows on TV or some of my shows I've recorded. I think we are all entitled to this and then we feel that we should make our "free", no stress time counter productive by trying to have an anxiety attack over trying to appease someone because, as humans, we simply changed our mind. It seems if I put more and more pressure on myself it takes me down to the core of the earth and that is not a good place to be. So today I am forcing myself to feel "free and open" and enjoy my choices, even the ones I've changed, and not feel bad about it. I almost feel like I'm doing something bad...anyway Alex started a job, he is so excited about and Will has now been in his first apt now for about 2 mos. WOW, I am really gonna have to work on myself to get used to all these great changes. I will eventually have more and more time to myself. It is raining and very chilly today, so I am gonna go relax and breathe freely. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and enjoy YOUR time.


Remember: You are in charge of yourself

Tell it like it is

Hello people, it has been so long since I have checked in. Sorry for that, I have been in "survival" mode and that takes a lot of time consuming concentration. Being back at work like a "real" person again has been so great! I have managed to help my bleak financial situation out and in the interim have had to be very straight forward and honest with my boys and I had to tell them exactly what was happening and that it would all work out. We have had to run on just a few dollars till the next payday and figure out meals and gas money and sports functions and school and you know LIFE things. It has been a long and rough road but I have always believed that you should level with your kids, especially when they are old enough to know. Kids can sense when things aren't going well, we Parents, well I don't, hide it real well. I have tried and then I thought, "hey, I am a single Mom and I have taken them through the good, the bad and the ugly, so what the heck". They have been more at ease just because I told them exactly how it was and how it would be and that "they" needed to help out as much as possible. Some Parents think that you shouldn't tell your kids the truth about what's going on in the family, my Parents did that with my Brother and I and as we grew older we had to tell them we didn't like that. I am sure they had their reasons and probably thought it best. Don't keep your kids in the dark, they can handle a lot more than you think. It keeps you grounded in a dysfunctional way, scrambling here and there, but you can feel better knowing your kids know what's going on.

Remember: Honesty brings relief

Timing

You know I truly believe that everything does happen for a reason and that if you do for others good things will come your way. Patience was also something that I have had to force on myself. I have always been a pretty patient person, I thought, but I needed more patience. I have groomed myself over the past coupe of yrs to be more and more patient, which has taught me that timing is everything and it seems to all be paying off. I wonder why we can't learn all of this stuff when we are much younger? We do, we just don't listen or believe it. Things are really falling into place now and I actually can say that I am not afraid to be happy now. I used to think if I felt too happy something bad would happen and spoil everything. So over the years I have become more of a optimistic person. I always see the "glass half FULL". I wake up positive and happy, greet people and am the "light" in any room. I find that my days are filled with more happiness than doom because of my thinking and timing. I don't get stressed if things don't go my way or complain, I can't stand complainers by the way. I believe, you buck up, get over it and be HAPPY!. Timing is everything, so do for others and in time the goodness will come back to you.

Remember: What goes around, comes back around

A sign of the times

Hello Friends, it has been awhile since I have been able to blog. I have certainly missed it and all of you. However, today while watching my favorite Sunday morning show, CBS Sunday Morning, it reminded me of the small pleasures in life that have evolved into everyone wants everything "fast, fast" today. This is over a 30 yr span. For instance I remember when letter writing used to be such a great surprise to the receiver. It is always a great feeling to go to the mailbox and find a handwritten letter from a friend or loved one. Today it's all about texting, email and voice mail. Sure these are all great features to our lives, but lack the "personal" touch. My Son Alex is a BIG texter and cannot seem to put down his phone, if he gets a text he has to see it and respond. Kids today need to be taught by the Parents, that cell phones are to be used when needed, oh but I forgot, most adults are constantly on them, just about every car you see, the driver has a cellphone stuck to their ear. I can't stand to see that, they drive horrible and this is the role model, tsk tsk. How many kids out there even know what a "land line" is? Not many. Cell phones came out and allowed us more time to do more things and it was more cost effective to get rid of the "home" phone and just use cell phones. I have gone through that and now have a home phone again, it is tied through my cable, however we get unlimited long distance, so I can call my Parents anytime for FREE, so that trumps the cellphone. These are just 2 timeless memories of the simplicities of life.
If only we could force ourselves to spend more time with our families and less time working 6 or 7 days a week, or talking, texting or emailing how much better a "people" we would be, hmmm........what a concept.
I have managed to squeeze this writing in between the Super Bowl and time with the family. We have had a great weekend and I just had to get this in. Too bad for my Arizona Cardinals.

Remember: Focus on family

Recipes

For us all to be so different and the same is pretty scary for one breed. So my question to everyone is, "What is your recipe for a good, healthy life?" Just like the thousands of cookbooks and recipe books, everyone has a different version to achieve the same thing than the next person. How interesting would it be to see what everyone's thoughts are on this topic. Hmm.... I think so.

Come on people, let's give it a whirl! Pass this on to everyone you know and invite them to respond so we can all share in the many diversified ways to life.

So in this "new" year 2009 my recipe for a good, healthy life is:

Need:

1 able body
1 zest for life
1 good attitude
1 happy personality
1 dz desires to lose the stress
1 positive outlook
1 family oriented body
12 handfuls of smiles
4 bushels of hugs
1 dz fun ideas
100 gal of energy
101 ways to spend time with family and friends
365 days a year to apply everything


Mix all the above in one BIG life, day to day. Let rest for 4-6 hours, then shake vigorously and apply to your day.

Enjoy!


I hope to hear from you all, new and old. Let's wake up the life in us all!


Remember: When you least expect it, LIFE is just around the corner.

Information highway

Today I relish my first week back to the workforce, outside of my domestic engineer duties and it was wonderful! Actually too good to be true. I have a no stress commute, 5 minutes each way in comparison to the hour each way of the last job. The real stress is lack of information to be communicated in order to get anything done. At work it is dealing with new systems and fumbling your way through it, wondering if you did it right, or if you will mess up everything, because you can't get the info on how to work the system. Yes I know it will take a little time for everything to come together, so I am very patient and just ebullient about it all.

Now at home, I wake up today and the garbage is overflowing, the kitchen looks like every dish we have has been used, and there's laundry on the couch, aren't teenagers somethin' ? It's just that if I don't tell them about these things, it's like they can't "see" what things might need to be done around here. I made a little trash bucket to go over the washer/dryer for lint and dryer sheets trash, etc; I put a bright label on it and it's right at eye level, it says "Please empty this when it is full". Of course today it is overflowing and I mention this to my 16 yr old and he says, "I've never seen it". Isn't that classic. I said, " I guess I should put a motion sensor with a recording of my message so everyone who does laundry will know what they need to do." He smiled, and said, "yea that would be cool." Now wouldn't it. WHY can't anyone in this house besides ME do anything??? I ask this often. Then my friends Son tells me that he needs to meet his ride, back to college, at 5PM today,!!! is this ok with me?? Hmm.......his Mom is working till 5 today. He, like most boys, flies by the seat of his pants ALL the time. His Mom should explain to him, like I have many, many times, that we ALL need information, just like he should want to know when, where, why. I guess I am just asking way too much from everyone. This is just common sense and my nature. I thrive on information and cannot perform without it. I guess that 's why I also enjoy teaching others about stuff I know that they do not. Everyone should want to be informed!

Information is something people take for granted. Not enough of it is told or explained and not enough of it is asked for. So start today to be more informational to and with everyone. The world will be a better place for it, or at least just your own little community :)

Remember: Information is key to life