February 2025 – Page 6

When Life Was Simple (Archives)

A Series on Getting Back on Track

“Things to Remember”

Eat regularly (and well)

Get enough sleep

Sometimes being a bitch is necessary

Stop talking and listen

Don’t take anyone’s shit

Things WILL get better

If someone can’t make the effort to be in your life – they don’t deserve to be there.

It only ends once, everything else is just progress.

A good cup of tea can solve just about anything.

Stick to your guns.

Impromptu solo dance parties are good for your health.

Spend time with the people who matter the most.

I remember a time when life was simple. Having my head in the clouds and my feet on the ground was a daily and joyous norm for me. Twirling on my toes, watching clouds go by on my back and chasing rainbows and dreams was what life was about way back when I was young and life was simple.

Splashing in duck puddles on a rainy day with only the ducks for company was absolute heaven. Covered in mud from head to toe and looking like a gypsy was a badge I wore with pride. Talking to unseen beings who only existed in my mind didn’t matter because it made life simple.

Chasing rainbow colored fish in a dirty stream made it the absolute highlight of my day and when I had a few wriggling in my hands with the sunlight reflecting off their multi-hued bodies made it even more so. Boys….hmm….boys were of no importance except as buddies. They did not have the power to touch my heart but that was way back when things were simple and I had wings.

Dancing in the rain, jumping over puddles of water and squealing with laughter meant I was one with nature. Anger, hurt and pain were unknown in a life where nothing mattered except for the magic I created within myself. Joy was an everyday occurrence but it became a thing of the past. It was way back when things were simple. I am a grown-up now.

Adulthood is defined as or means that, “they are an adult or that they behave in a responsible way.”

Someone asked me not too long ago why I couldn’t behave the same way. The answer is simple. Grown-ups or adults behave in a specific way. Propriety demands that I “conform to what is socially acceptable in conduct or speech.”

Going back to the quote I started out with, I will choose a few I can live with.

“Sometimes being a bitch is necessary.” This is an alien concept to me as being a “bitch” is way beyond my grasp of being a good person. Lately, I am learning that it is a necessary step to where I want to get to in my journey of life. A bitch is applied to a woman and defined as “someone, who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, controlling, aggressive or dominant.” Perhaps I need to apply this concept on my way to arriving at my end goal. Life is not that simple anymore.

“If someone can’t make the effort to be in your life – they don’t deserve to be there.” This is a hard one. Where once “men” were of no consequence, growing up means learning to deal with this species. If you thought women were difficult to comprehend, try dealing with this group! The end point is, if they can’t be bothered to be in your life and every effort is just lukewarm or worse cold then it is time to put your “bitch” shoes on and move on. Life is too short and neither is it just in black and white. It is complicated enough as it is and perhaps we make it more complicated. It boils down to, if you can’t make an effort, it is time for you to go.

Last but not least, “Spend time with people who matter most.” These are people who show up when times are tough. The ones who are not just “fair weather friends” but who are there without being asked. Get rid of the liars, the ones who have lying built into their DNA, this is a necessary step in making your life simple again. Liars are not worthy of your time and space because they say one thing and behave as if you don’t matter. Walk and don’t look back!

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” Hans Hofmann

Looks easy enough doesn’t it but believe me it is not. You can get back to the basics. You can still dance in the rain, imagine yourself splashing in puddles and envision yourself in a much simpler time and place. Truth is it takes imagination, hard work, determination and courage to get back to that place of simplicity. Complicated is just in your mind.

Have an amazing day.

Disrespect

It is defined as “insulting someone or displaying rude behavior by showing a lack of respect.”

Have you experienced it? I have and it is not a nice thing when faced with such behavior. There are three forms of disrespect. These are known as the passive, subtle and the blatant variety.

Passive disrespect is when someone is condescending, makes insulting insinuations, gives you the silent treatment, is sarcastic and doesn’t care if it is hurtful or not. How do you deal with this kind of disrespect?

Don’t take the bait and address the issue immediately.

Subtle disrespect is when someone mocks you, when they talk behind your back and they will pretend to have forgotten things you agreed on.

Show that it doesn’t affect you or decide if you want to engage. Name the disrespectful behavior you have observed and call them out on it. Have a conversation about it but do not lecture.

Blatant disrespect is the no holds barred variety. They go out of their way to deliberately undermine or demean you. Their actions are obvious and they don’t give a hoot if it hurts you.

Here again stay calm but it is hard to do. Use “I” statements when addressing the issue and ask for clarification. You can react with kindness but since that is almost impossible to do, call the person out on his or her behavior and set boundaries as to what you will or won’t tolerate.

If all else fails, you have the option of walking away and closing the door behind you. No one should put up with disrespect. Disrespect basically says, “You are not important and your feelings don’t matter to me.” The truth is, you are important and your feelings do matter. Do not tolerate disrespect of any kind.

Here are some quotes that speak to the heart of the matter:

“The best way to end disrespect is by not giving them a chance to do it again.” Unknown

“Disrespect is the weapon of the weak.” Alice Miller

“Wasting somebody’s time may be the highest form of disrespect.” Unknown

I like the next one a lot.

“Never let your heart be so forgiving that it gets comfortable with disrespect.” Unknown

“Don’t put up with disrespect just to keep them in your life.” Sonya Parker

“Be careful what you tolerate, you are teaching people how to treat you.” Unknown

This last one needs a plaque of its own!

Detox Your Life in 4 Easy Steps

Eliminate anyone who:

Lies to you

Disrespects you

Uses you or

Puts you down.

Have an amazing day.

No One is Above the Law!

Candidates for president of the United States must meet certain basic requirements according to usa.gov and these are:

Be a natural born citizen of the United States.

Be at least 35 years old.

Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.

However, anyone who incites violence and stokes “armed and angry followers to “fight like hell” and to “fight” to overturn the election results should be barred and disqualified from ever holding public office again. “There must be consequences for insurrection and stoking political violence” and “no one is above the law” not even former presidents” or the current one for that matter.

I think a “stoking insurrection and violence” clause should be added and made into law to stop what is currently happening because “power” in the wrong hands can be detrimental not only to the country in question but the world at large as well. While we’re at it, how about changing that age thing as well. Age is not just a number and a president who is not all there because of cognitive decline which does happen with advanced age should not be holding launch codes to nuclear weapons amongst other things! In the meantime he is running amok with the Executive pen since the other option is not viable but it is all a matter of time.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I used these four words often enough during his first term but it looks like nothing much has changed in that respect. The 47th president is off and running and he hasn’t come out of the playground where he used to throw temper-tantrums like a three-year-old when he didn’t get his way.

He wants to be a “peacemaker” and if I’m not wrong, he promised no wars. He’s all about “making the deal.” Hmm….

The tariffs are coming in fast and furious, shutting down government spending is his strong suit. Who cares about the consequences? He says what goes and what doesn’t and kowtow to the monarch or else!

Standing next to Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu, he spoke of taking over the Gaza strip and remodeling it. He also talked of moving the Palestinians out of the “hell hole” and temporarily relocating them. It was a “no go” as far as the Arab world was concerned. He still keeps mumbling about what a “good deal” it would be for the Palestinians.

Who demolished Gaza into what it is today? The Israelis destroyed almost 80% of the structures in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 attacks that took place on Israeli soil. Since then, Israel has bombed 40,000 locations and dropped more than 70,000 bomb tonnage and the death toll exceeds over 70,000 casualties. Both Israel and Hamas have been accused of war crimes for their part in the destruction of the Gaza Strip and the killing of innocent citizens. According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, “it would take at least 10 years and cost tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars to reconstruct.” Someone should tell him that!

Now, he’s given the ultimatum to Hamas and the deadline is set for Saturday at 12 noon. What happens then? He doesn’t know! A bluff? It could be but what if it isn’t? Another war? Diplomacy is not what he’s about but strongman tactics are. He’s into “power” and who’s the strongest of them all. Remember him gushing about Kim Jong Un?

“He wrote me beautiful letters and they’re great letters. We fell in love.”

Trump on Turkish Presdient Erdogan: “He’s tough, but I get along with him. And maybe, that’s a bad thing, but I think it’s a really good thing.”

President Xi of China is a good friend. “I’ve gotten to know him very well. He’s a strong gentleman, right?”

Well, you get the picture. So what happens on Saturday at noon? Your guess is as good as mine!

Open Mouth, Insert Foot!

YOU ARE ENOUGH (Archives)

“You are enough, just as you are.” Meghan Markle

The Duchess of Sussex shared this quote in an interview and how right she is.

How many times have we questioned if we are really enough? How many times have we said if only I was thinner, prettier, more popular, had more friends than life would be better, simpler and I would be enough. More times than you can count on your fingers right? I know I have.

I think to be enough you have to start by loving yourself first. It is not about what society expects of you, the impossible goals it puts out there so that achieving some of them takes us to never never land and leaves us wanting but never quite attaining what is the norm or considered the norm in today’s society of much ado about nothing.

Beyonce said:

“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”

I will add, love yourself first and you’re halfway there. Look in the mirror and give yourself a big hug and say, “I love you warts and all!” Yes warts because we do carry those unseen warts around with us. Just the other day someone said to me, “You are your worst critic.” He is right but more appropriately I am my own worst enemy. When I look in that mirror first thing in the morning, I see all that is wrong and those warts, those invisible ones take shape and have the power to obliterate if I allow them. These days, I see someone genuine with potential staring back at me. I smile, give myself a hug and go on my way.

So many of us go through life carrying the burden of I don’t measure up. It is easy to do in this world of ours where perfection and beauty are key buzzwords and measuring up is an uphill task. However, these are just two words. Honesty, integrity, dependability, good-heartedness, helpfulness and so on are all words that carry so much worth that they have the power to blow those two other words, beauty and perfection to kingdom come! Look at you, the real you and you will know that you my friend are enough as you are.

Someone close to me said, “I don’t know if I can make it.” Despair, frustration and a fear of the future are the monsters he will have to slay. He’s at a standstill but this is nothing new. I’ve been there and so have you when the day seems unfathomable and all you want to do is turn out the light, shut out the world and go within yourself and stay there for awhile.

“Today I feel like putting on the “OUT OF ORDER” sticker on my head and going back to bed.” Unknown

However, the trick is in knowing when to crawl out of bed, remove that sign and take life by its reins and to say, “I am enough as I am. You won’t defeat me!”

You are capable, you have the power within you to achieve the impossible and you my friend are stronger than you think!

YOU ARE ENOUGH!

“My mission should I choose to accept it, is to find peace with exactly who and what I am. To take pride in my thoughts, my appearance, my talents, my flaws and to stop this incessant worrying that I can’t be loved as I am.” Anais Nin

Have an amazing day.

LOL! (2)

Did you know that women use about 30,000 words a day while men use only 15,000?

Woman: Yes because we have to repeat everything!

Man: What?

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The Woman’s Guide To Love AND Lasting Relationships

Find a man who makes you laugh.

Find a man who has a good job and can cook.

Find a man who is honest.

Find a man who will pamper you and give you gifts.

Find a man who is awesome in the bedroom.

Most of all it is very important that these five men never meet!

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Nurse: The doctor would like a stool sample, a urine sample, and a sperm sample.

Husband: What did she say?

Wife: They want your underwear.

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A good man can make you feel sexy, strong and able to take on the world…..oh sorry……that’s wine……wine does that.

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A recent study has found that women who carry a little extra weight live longer than the men who mentioned it.

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What women think of their a**:

10% think it is too small.

30% think it is too big.

AND

60% said they love it and wouldn’t trade HIM for anything!

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Ladies, have you ever noticed that all your problems start with Men?

MEN-opause

MEN-strual cramps

MEN-tal illness

MEN-tal breakdown

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Have a great day.

Intuition (Archives)

The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as: “an ability to understand or know something immediately based on your feelings rather than facts.” In other words, it is often referred to as your gut feeling and it is a powerful tool and if you pay attention to it, it has the ability to stop you from getting into dire circumstances. It all boils down to, if we pay attention to it but as humans that is a hard thing to do.

It is that gnawing sensation within your gut which tells you something is off or doesn’t feel right. It is that innate sense of knowing between right and wrong and it is the truth within that speaks louder than words. Listen to it because it only has your best interest at heart.

I know I’ve turned my back on it many a times. I’ve heard it whispering, “Listen to me. Pay heed because you’re treading in dangerous waters and you will get hurt.” Yet, I chose to turn my back on it all because I thought I knew better or simply put, I wanted something I couldn’t have. When I found out my ex was cheating on me, my intuition knew way before the truth ever came out. Looking back, I heard it roaring inside me and still I had blinders on until I came face to face with it but if truth be told, I KNEW long before I found out. Knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less. It has been said:

A Women’s Intuition is Dangerous

“If she keeps questioning you about a specific topic, over and over again, she isn’t looking for an answer. Most of the time, she already knows the truth but wants to see if you’re going to be honest with her.” M. Sosa

Even now and many years later since I got rid of the cheater, I still find myself in situations which tells me that taking my “intuition” seriously is a hard lesson to learn. I can often hear it ROARING loudly but I tend to choose the other route, more specifically the path of my own making and lo and behold, there I am again stuck knee-deep in a mess of my own making. If only I had listened…..

So, the next time, you hear that little voice within, or that giant roar that booms loudly telling you to jump ship before it is too late, HEED IT, PAY ATTENTION TO IT and say thank you. It is only looking out for you.

“Never discredit your gut instinct. You are not paranoid. Your body can pick up on bad vibrations. If something deep inside of you says something is not right about a person or situation, trust it.” Simple Reminders

Or else you’ll keep seeing this over and over again.

“TOLD YOU SO!”

Sincerely,

Your Intuition

Have an amazing day.

My Dream Home

As a young girl with my head in the clouds, I used to dream about this house with a white picket fence around it. It wasn’t anything special but that fence made it extra special. Go figure!

Fast forward to the here and now and it is the home I currently live in. It was the house we (my husband and I) bought when we were looking for a place of our own. I recall he did not want it as it wasn’t big enough but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. It did not have a white picket fence but a wooden one and it was good enough for me. Today, it does have one, a white fence out front and a green one surrounding the house.

It is too big for one person and some of the rooms are unused but there is something comforting about it. It just feels like home and that makes it my dream home. The furnishing within is of the eclectic kind, lots of antiques mixed in with modern pieces and somehow it all blends together into a cohesive mix. Again, it exudes charm, warmth and a sense of cosiness. The nicest thing about it is that “nature” in all its rambling beauty is just minutes away!

Daily writing prompt

Write about your dream home.

View all responses

LOL! (Archives)

It has been said that laughter is good for you. According to the MayoClinic people, it can: “Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Activate and relieve your stress response.”

That said, it lifts up your face, puts a happy smile on your whole being and on days like today when nothing much is happening and it is cloudy and windy outside, it helps to bump up your mood.

Here are some quotes to get you laughing and put a smile on your face as it did on mine.

“The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” Woman’s Day

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“My life feels like a test I didn’t study for.” Unknown

By the way I feel like that all the time!

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“Life is not a fairytale, if you lose your shoe at midnight, YOU’RE DRUNK.” Unknown

Probably from some poor girl who didn’t get her guy!

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“Sometimes you lie in bed at night and you don’t have a single thing to worry about. That always worries me!” Charlie Brown

Yup that’s me right there!

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Dear life, when I said, “can my day get any worse It was a rhetorical question not a challenge.” Unknown

I don’t care is the reply so buckle up!

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“The brain is the most outstanding organ. It works 24/7, 365 from birth until you fall in love.” Sophie Monroe

Been there many times over!

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“I am yours, no refunds.” Unknown

This one is scary! You mean I can’t return you and get a better model?!!

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“Love is a lot like gas, if you have to force it, it’s probably sh**!” Stephen K. Amos

And with that, have a great day.

21st Century Coup?

Trump’s power grab and brazen attempts at moving away from elected officials and centralizing power in a few selected hands is more than alarming but is it an attempt at hijacking government as is and establishing an authoritarian entity, one to his liking and that of co-president Elon Musk?

Some call it, “robbing the poor to enrich the wealthy.” Nobel laureate, Paul Krugman says, “Mr. Trump’s philosophy is simple: let the uber-rich do whatever they want, with little or no oversight. The result will be vast wealth for a select few while life grows nastier and shorter for the many.” Furthermore, it is all directed at “seeking retribution against his political opponents.” He further adds that the 47th president is postering like a monarch and “the real danger is letting his illusion of power become reality.”

Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!

Rule of Law? Out the window!

The Constitution? Who cares!

Democracy? Only if it panders to the “me” aspect.

Fascism? It is in the making!

Harold Meyerson observes in The American Prospect, “As to the wider world, if we ever sought to be that beacon on the hill, we’re now the bully on the hill. America, Trumpified.”

Trump 2.0 is front and center and it is an accelerated version causing destruction as he sweeps away everything standing in his way and moving towards being the de facto leader for life!

Lord Have Mercy!