September 2025 – Page 8

STOP!

I use “stop” a lot. It is in my arsenal of most used words. Chachi, the cat, gets the brunt of it and I use it with friends and sometimes when I’m talking to myself. Yes, I do talk to myself since I’m best friends with my inner me. It usually goes something like this:

“Tia, stop doing that stuff!” or “Tia, you need to stop doing this over and over again.” This word has negativity attached to it but at times it spurs me on to do better as well. However, with Chachi, “stop” has a definite negative connotation or rather he takes it that way. The munchkin does not like the word, “STOP!” He often gives me this look that says, “You are not the boss of me!” Oh well, that is not going to stop me from using it when he is up to something or when he leaves cupboard doors open after exploring in them!

My son also gets the word “stop” quite often. It’s because young people and especially my guy seems to think that unloading on mom is a great thing to do! He was this sweet kid that grew up into young adulthood and found that mom is an easy target to vent his frustrations on. A normal conversation quickly turns into something else when one single word has the power to set off a minefield! Case in Point: We were talking about shirts for his new job and suddenly it went off the rails. According to him, I was doing everything wrong so before it went further, I said “STOP!” This word also has the potential to derail conversations that I don’t want to be a part of. It comes in handy at the right times.

It is a four letter word that is like the caped crusader, it swoops down to save the day. It jumps in when needed, it fights the battle you don’t want to fight and when all is said and done, it steps back and sits and waits till the next time! What’s not like?

A great word to have in your pocket when you need it but I find that I tend to use it a lot. I would like to get rid of it at some point and come up with something else that is less “bossy” and one that comes across better without irritating people because it does. However, it does the job well and for now I am going to hang on to it!

Daily writing prompt

If you had to give up one word that you use regularly, what would it be?

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ALL CLEAR!

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

It caused some sleepless nights and the “it” was a test that could have changed my life as I knew it. I was up and down and all over the place with my feelings as well as with my emotions. The unknown was scary and I was looking in an abyss and the answers coming back depended on a machine, a cold and inanimate thing that had the power to throw a curveball, worse than life could.

I prepared like I was being led to the slaughter. The night had been short and I got up at 5 a.m. wanting to crawl back into bed! There was no getting out of it. It was time to meet my nemesis and to tell it to go to hell! I knew it wouldn’t make difference to it one way or another. The machine was there to do a job and as my friend put it, “It’s there to save lives.”

The test was scheduled for 8 a.m. and I appeared punctually with friend in tow. He was calm and quiet as we walked in. It took off like a storm after that. I was prepped, my tiny vein shot up with some radioactive stuff with the technician telling me, “It’s the same stuff as last time but with an additional isotope this time.” Gawd! I asked, “Any side effects?” She said it shouldn’t cause any problems.

Then I had to wait for that stuff to invade my body, it took all of 15 minutes. The friend kept whispering, “You’ll be fine.” He’s a good guy. However, my mind was on a horror trip! Scenarios kept playing like on speed dial and none of the good variety. The doctor, a really nice lady, showed up and I tried my sweet talk tactic. No go, the test needed to be done for “OUR” peace of mind she said. Within minutes, I was led into this room and I saw my nemesis! Cold, white and looming like some monster! I took my place on the bed, was made comfortable and closed my eyes. She said, “Five minutes. You’ll be fine.” I thought, “I can do five minutes, no problem.” The machine droned and came to life. I went into my nirvana zone and before I knew it, it was DONE!

“Not so quick!” she said, “You get a 15 minute break and back on the bed again.”

ME: “WHY?”

SHE: “We do another round, this time 30 minutes.”

I gulped but she had a no-nonsense way about her. And the machine was grinning and doing a victory dance! After 15 minutes, I was back in. This time, she said, “Five minutes first and then the machine will automatically do rounds all over!” Unbelievable! I gritted my teeth and said, “I’m not sure if I can stay put that long.”

SHE: “Well, we will be taking thousands of pictures so try to stay still and DON’T MOVE!”

Hmm…..I got through that round. Then she says, “You get 15 minutes break and back in here again.”

I was ready for anything by now. I just wanted out of that place and if I had to play dead for another 30 minutes, I was going to do it. And I did.

Then the doctor comes back in, closes the door and I think, “This is bad news.”

She is soft-spoken and says, “Looks like an all clear. I didn’t see anything that is of concern BUT we still have the blood test results that should come in a week. I don’t think there is anything to worry about.”

Instead of letting out a sigh of relief, my mind jumps to my Google research and how one doctor said that this particular test is never right. I thank her and left that hospital in a hurry before they changed their mind.

I muttered, “I don’t care! I’m done for now. I’m going home but before that I’m getting my cheesecake and then time for a shower and a cheesecake fest!”

I’m not supposed to touch Chachi, the cat, for 24 hours so when I walked in the door, he goes, “Well, you left me alone for five hours and not even a kiss?!! You are getting weirder by the minute!”

I didn’t answer. Jumped in the shower and then in my PJs, the coffee is brewing and the cheesecake is standing ready. What a day but things worked out for the best.

Have an amazing day.

MY BOOK

Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com

Some of you know that my children’s book is out but since I am a tech klutz, I can’t get the visuals on here! I tried but I gave up! I have no patience for fooling around with tech stuff. Maybe, Elon can help if he is still on here! Just kidding or maybe not!

I spoke to someone in Singapore and they were able to order a copy from Amazon Singapore. The same for UK, US, and Germany. I just found out that it is available in India as well through Amazon India. The other countries I am not sure of. If you would like to buy a copy, check Amazon in your country. Please buy a copy and BE KIND with your reviews but do give me a review. Hopefully, it is a good one.

“THE EXCELLENT ADVENTURES OF HONEY AND HUBIE”

It is a children’s book about a dog and a frog, two very unlikely characters, who go on an excellent adventure together. The book is filled with animals of all kinds and they SPEAK just like Chachi, the cat does. Believe it or not, I started this story when I was studying in the US and got around to finishing it two years ago! It was gathering dust all this time but now it is out and doing its rounds.

No clue how well it will do but that is not the important part. I had an idea and I brought it to fruition. The rest will take care of it yourself.

The Grudge

“Life is too short for long-term grudges.” Elon Musk

He’s right there but holding “grudges” as humans seems to be normal if not a necessary practice at times. Holding a grudge against someone who did you wrong is sometimes the only form of hitting back or getting some form of satisfaction for all the pain they had put you through. Even if it is invisible to the person you are aiming the grudge at, nevertheless, it feels good to have that weapon an imaginary one that seethes within you and sometimes burns a hole in your soul.

Been there, done that. I’m only human after all and I’m no saint. I know I’ve held a “grudge fest” against my ex for a long time. How dare he walk off into the sunset and leave me to deal with the aftermath after causing the wreckage he did? That right there was my reasoning for holding onto the grudge. It took a long time to learn that grudges weigh you down, there is a certain heaviness that you carry around but more importantly, you do not move on or move forward with a grudge or two hanging around your neck.

“Holding on to anger is like holding on to an anchor and jumping into the sea. If you don’t let it go, you’ll drown.” Unknown

This applies to grudges as well. Learning to let go takes time, doing the forgiveness thing even more so. I still haven’t forgiven him but I have learned to let go of the bitterness. I don’t feel that sour taste in my mouth each time he shows up here. That in itself is progress. I also believe in karma and I know that what you put out there comes back to you eventually. Is that like holding a grudge? Maybe, but it is the best I can do for now.

Daily writing prompt

Are you holding a grudge? About?

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LOL!

A lady goes to her parish priest one day and tells him, “Father, I have a problem. I have two female parrots but they only know how to say one thing.”

“What do they say?” the priest inquired.

They say, “Hi, we’re prostitutes. Do you want to have some fun?” the woman said embarrassingly.

“That’s obscene!” the priest exclaimed. “I can see why you are embarrassed.”

He thought a minute and then said, “You know, I may have a solution to this problem. I have two male parrots whom I have taught to pray and read the Bible. Bring your two parrots over to my house and we will put them in the cage with Francis and Job. My parrots can teach your parrots to praise and worship. I’m sure your parrots will stop saying that….that phrase in no time.”

“Thank you,” the lady responded, “this may very well be the solution.”

The next day, she brought her female parrots to the priest’s house. As he ushered her in, she saw his two male parrots were inside their cage, holding their rosary beads and praying.

Impressed, she walked over and placed her parrots in with them.

After just a couple of seconds, the female parrots exclaimed out in unison, “Hi, we’re prostitutes. Do you want to have some fun?”

There was a stunned silence.

Finally, one male parrot looked over at the other male parrot and said, “Put the beads away Francis, our prayers have been answered!”

🤣🤣🤣

JAPAN

I wanted to say Maui in Hawaii but I decided to go with Japan. I’ve written about Maui before so Japan is the next furthest place I’ve ever been. I recall I was headed to Asia and needed to catch a connecting flight from Japan.

I was tired when we landed in Japan. It was getting dark and I had very little time before my next flight took off from there. The terminal was very crowded AND the signs, the all-important ones, that tell you where to go were all in Japanese! The people I spoke to couldn’t help, they just spoke Japanese and I was lost! After several minutes of trying to no avail, I decided to walk around. Suddenly, a young Japanese businessman approached me and spoke to me in English! He told me, “Don’t worry, I’ve traveled all over the world and when I come into this airport, I get lost as well!” That made me feel a whole lot better but I still had the predicament of getting to where I needed to go.

He was nice enough to walk with me to an area where we had to go down some stairs. It was dark and I felt uneasy but I had my brave face on and didn’t show how I was feeling. Suddenly we were outside in the cold evening air. He told me I needed to take a bus or an airport shuttle to get to where I needed to go! He saw the alarm on my face but assured me that I would be alright. He waited till I boarded the bus and with a wave and a smile, he was gone. The bus driver did not speak English and I was the only one on that shuttle! I kept my eyes peeled and saw the sign I needed. To make a long story short, I made it in time for my next flight.

I recall that trip and it stands out for all the reasons I mentioned above. It was nerve-wracking and for a single female alone and one who gets jittery at even the smallest thing, it stands out like a sore thumb. Perhaps, they have better signs now in English but back then, that was not the case.

Daily writing prompt

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

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The Test!

I was doing fine until the hospital called in the afternoon and wanted to move the test to earlier in the morning, like really early on September 4th!

ME: “WHY?!!”

THEY: “It is going to take a couple of hours so it’s better to do it earlier in the morning.”

Oh Gawd! Peace flew out the window and I’ve been climbing walls ever since. I’ve done the bedroom walls and the office area as well and nothing is helping! Chachi, the cat, has been eyeing me with a look that says, “I told you she’s weird!”

My plan was to show up there in the afternoon thinking they might be tired and I could sweet talk the doctor into letting me out of taking the test. I wanted to move it a year down the road. This early morning BS just threw a wrench in my plans. Anyway, I’ve been Googling and I have all the reasons written down as to why I DON’T need this test. Mount Sinai Hospital says that my levels are in the normal range. Another hospital says that the levels could be higher due to some supplements and the best part is one doctor says that the test they are planning to do will not be accurate. Whatever they say, it will be wrong! I sort of like this last guy. Exactly my thoughts!

Then I googled what the test is all about. Yes, I’ve been busy. They will shoot some radioactive stuff in your veins. Wait 15 minutes and you go under this big machine. It takes pictures. Just awful for a hypochondriac and a person who has a slight case of claustrophobia. If that’s not enough, you have to wait for another 90 minutes or so and you go under the machine again and it takes more pictures!

I told a friend and he said, “STOP GOOGLING!“

Anyway, it is going to be a sleepless night because my mind is racing and doing somersaults and I am wide awake! No amount of meditation is helping and I am P I S S E D! A friend will be accompanying me, the Chilean guy, he’s perfect because he is cool as a cucumber in moments of stress and the complete opposite of me. It will be a tough day for him having to put up with me.

I will have my fingers, toes, eyes and everything else crossed! Wish me luck folks because this is a big one.

Goodnight and don’t let the bedbugs bite!

My Home, My Castle

I visualize my ideal home as being on two floors with enough space to get lost in! It should have lots of windows to let the light in but not enough to let intruders in! I have a fear of things that go bump in the night including the human kind. It should be well-protected meaning it has good lighting at night, cameras that patrol the area and doors and windows that are burglarproof.

A single woman living alone has her fears but I live in a safe neighborhood where nothing much happens. TOUCH WOOD! Yes, I am superstitious as well. I usually have a peaceful night but once in a while, I hear a loud thump and my heart goes racing. It is usually a stray cat out there having fun or another animal I know not of.

I would call my house my ideal home. It is in a quiet neighborhood, the fields are just a stone’s throw away, the neighbors keep to themselves (it is just the way of an old village) but I love the peace and quiet. The house itself has four floors and it is too big for one person plus a cat but I am used to it and I can’t see myself living anywhere else. If I could do it over, I would get rid of the top floor, it hardly gets used and I would redo the wellness area in the cellar. I’ll do away with the sauna and make it into an extra bedroom or just an area to lounge in. The stairs get tedious at times especially when you have to carry the vacuum up and down the stairs but I love the “security” of sleeping upstairs with the bedroom door locked!

My ideal home is where I live right now.

Daily writing prompt

What does your ideal home look like?

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MY BOOK

“THE EXCELLENT ADVENTURES OF HONEY AND HUBIE”

No clue how well it will do but that is not the important part. I had an idea and I brought it to fruition. The rest will take care of it yourself.

Letting Go vs. Letting Go

There are two kinds of letting go, perhaps there are more ways of doing that but I’m going to talk about two kinds here that make letting go more than a nightmare.. The kind that is of a temporary nature and then there is the more permanent kind. In the temporary kind, you have every intention of letting go but when you do, it is only a matter of time before you go back to the same person. It doesn’t matter how bad the person has treated you, how you were almost invisible in their eyes, how they never had any time for you and you were never the priority but still, you hope and wish that things could have been different. Here’s the problem, it never changes because what they’ve shown you is what you get, nothing more, nothing less. Instead of showing them the door, you keep it slightly ajar just in case they decide to walk back in and do the drumroll all over again and you bow to their every wish.

“It sucks when you know that you need to let go, but you can’t because you’re still waiting for the impossible to happen.” Unknown

The other “letting go” kind is doing it permanently. You realize that the person you were seeing or dating has a lot of the qualities above and you see them for what they are. Maybe it is narcissism, maybe it is selfishness, maybe it is a lack of integrity or character and maybe they are just too full of themselves and think they are IT and everything revolves around them. It’s time to cut the cord because the relationship is not going anywhere and you also realize that you deserve better than what is being handed to you on a worn-out platter. It’s time to do a major change and to take out the trash.

“Letting go does not mean you stop caring, it means you stop trying to force others to.” Mandy Hale

There are many lessons to learn in life and one of them is, you can’t force someone to change. You can only change yourself and take control of who you are, what you deserve and who you want to be with.

“The hardest part about letting go is finally realizing that there wasn’t much left to hold on to.” Unknown

The problem with letting go and why it doesn’t work at times is because we keep looking back at a non-existent relationship and we romanticize it to the point that the guy comes out looking like Prince Charming when in actuality he is a toad or a turd! We come in with the “if only” scenarios hoping and wishing it could be different. Changing someone’s character is next to impossible, it might work for a while but then the real person shows up again and it is only a matter of time before that happens. If he is a cheater, you can bet your bottom dollar that he’ll do it again. If he is a narcissist, he’s a lost cause and if he’s someone who shows no empathy or compassion, well, that is not going to change either because it is built into their DNA. Pay careful attention to what they show you because you’re looking at the truth right there.

“If he’s stupid enough to walk away, be smart enough to let him.” Unknown

That is good advice because if he wants to go, let him go. Don’t keep wondering who he is with, what they are doing together and what he is up to. If you do, it makes letting go a very hard or almost impossible thing to do.

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” Oprah Winfrey

Take Ms. Winfrey’s advice, the lady knows what she is talking about. Stay in the moment and give him enough rope to hang himself but YOU keep moving forward. Rest assured that whoever he is with or whatever he is doing is not far from what he was doing with you because people never change and they don’t change overnight and start smelling like a rose either. It is not for you to wonder why, just know that perhaps it was for the best.

LET GO & JUST LET IT BE.

Have an amazing day.