My idea of paradise is open spaces, blue skies, mountains, forests and streams running through the whole shebang! It is beautiful, calming and at the same time mesmerizing.
Today is no different except spring is in the air and there is sunshine everywhere. It’s a great day for a walk and to let the imagination run wild. There is a herd of deer standing still at the top of the hill enjoying the warmth as I’m doing. I watch them and they watch me in return. A shrill squawk attracts my attention and looking skywards, I see a heron in flight. It is majestic as it glides effortlessly through time and space. Two more herons join the symphony in motion and the dance is graceful as they dip and take off again, weightless against an azure blue sky.
A movement down below attracts my attention and two rabbits take off into the bushes and disappear from sight. There is a different energy out here today. Nature is breathing life back into the fields and everything is waking up after a long winter’s sleep, energized and ready to go. The air is crisp but still a little cold. It is exhilariting.
The only problem, there are more people out and about and where once I was the only one paying homage to paradise, it is no longer mine alone. It too is a sign that spring is marching in and staying indoors is for the birds when you have “paradise” just a stone’s throw away!
It is the last thing that I learned and the one that I’ve been trying to come to grips with. It is NOT to stress about whatever comes my way. Easier said than done because I love stressing about anything and everything! I’m an overthinker so that doesn’t help matters much either.
Recently I had problems with my car. The question arose if I should trade it in for a new car or repair it and work with what comes my way. Simple enough? Nope. It became one big stress situation that consumed every minute of my day and if that wasn’t enough, I brought in different scenarios to make matters worse. It became a problem that consumed me until I realized that I needed a solution and FAST!
“Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency.” Natalie Goldberg
I learned it the hard way but I did learn. Things got better when I decided to look at the situation without theatrics, without doomsday predictions and without holding my breath in for long periods of time! The solution came when I calmed down. There were really two options, buy another car or get the one I have repaired.
I decided to get it repaired. It was the cheaper option and since I love the car I have, it became the obvious solution. I placed the order for the part required yesterday, it should be there next week and in two weeks I should have my car back, good as new. Fingers and toes crossed!
Easy enough? It could have been if not for the stressing part which took me on a journey that I didn’t want to be on. Once I calmed down and showed “stress” the door, it became easier. Next time when it shows up as it inevitably will, I will take a deep breath and deal with whatever comes my way in a calm and Zen-like fashion.
I would say it is, “How old are you?” Coming from a stranger it is intrusive and from someone I know, it just doesn’t feel right for some reason. If I wanted you to know, I would tell you is my answer.
Age has never been an issue but the constant retort coming back is. “You look so young!” I do agree that I look much younger than my age. Always have and still do but it is nobody’s business but my own. Now if the question comes from an official source, that is a different matter altogether.
Does age really matter? In some cases yes and in some NOT. I feel that a huge age gap in a relationship doesn’t always work. There is a difference with how a younger person vs. an older person deals with certain issues. Perhaps just the ability to communicate is a problem altogether. I ended a so-called relationship with (the cheesecake guy) someone much older. He was older than Trump and loaded as well. The thing is money may speak in some instances but there was just too much of a difference between the two of us. He wanted a much younger woman on his arm and I decided to wait for someone around my age. A good decision? I think so. However, asking someone their age is rude and if it is not offered voluntarily, DO NOT ASK! I think women like to deflect from the “AGE” question. The older you get, the more it becomes an issue.
So if someone asks me, “How old are you?” My usual response is, “Take a guess!”
Daily writing prompt
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
This is what the United States SECRETARY OF WAR had to say about the Iran war. He defended Operation Epic Fury like he did those tattoos he carries. He went on to say Donald Trump was righteously avenging every wrong having been done to every American servicemember over multiple generations. “A man who always puts Americans first,” talking about Cadet Bone Spurs, was now going to “finally draw the line after 47 years of Iranian belligerence.”
Then he went on to tout American strength and might. “We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump we are finishing it.”
Hmm…he had a lot more to say but in similar vein. “Turns out the regime that chanted ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ was gifted death from America and death from Israel,” finishing with a smirk on his face.
One source went on to say, “deluded people in the service of cult-like devotion should never be put in charge of lethal weapons.”
Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was sworn into his new role by Vice President JD Vance on January 18th.
“When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense.” Was it missing? The warrior culture I mean.
He further added, “He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on lethality, meritocracy, warfighting, accountability and readiness.” He also said, “this is the most important deployment of my life.”
All fine and good. Let’s take a good hard look at the 29th secretary of defense. First of all, he is the least qualified person to ever serve in this position. However, he has two things going for him according to Michael J. Hicks, an Opinion Contributor with USA Today.
“First he doesn’t give a whit about our Constitution. Indeed, he seems eager to fire generals based solely on their willingness to obey the legal orders of the reelected president.”
Hmm….
One of the two characteristics that make him a perfect candidate to serve under Trump.
Second, “Hegseth’s private life provides close parallels to those of the 47th president. Hegseth has cheated on at least two of his three wives, divorcing two.”
By the way, is the President aware that Hegseth once claimed on national TV that he hasn’t washed his hands for 10 years because, “germs are not a real thing. I can’t see them; therefore they’re not real.” He later claimed it was much ado about nothing. So, what does the 47th president and self-professed germophobe think about this and more importantly did they shake hands? He’s good-looking so germs don’t matter that much right?
Let’s look at Pete Hegseth’s tattoos. The man has multiple tattoos and two of them are often associated with extremist groups. The chest tattoo of the Jerusalem cross and an arm tattoo of the Latin phrase, “Deus Vult,” meaning “God Wills it.” Hegseth gave pushback saying, “I don’t give a damn – but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at (Trump’s) DoD.”
It did but for targeting immigrants with tattoos. Trump thinks immigrants with tattoos are all criminals. What’s good for the goose is also good for the gander? Not in this administration.
If you kowtow to the “new Messiah” all things are possible is the message. Tattoos, sexual assault charges and no qualifications don’t matter. If you do the bidding, you’ve got it made!
No one thinks that when “failure” happens it is the catalyst to success. Quite often it is seen as the direct opposite. However, it has been said that “Failure is not a fatal event but a crucial, constructive part of the journey to success.”
I’ve seen it happen on a personal level many times over. As a young girl, I fell in love with the wrong guy and it would happen many times over but that first time showed me the catastrophic effects of failure. I took it personally. The after effects I mean, and refused to budge for days or rather was it weeks on end. I wore sackcloth and ashes and mourned the loss like there was no tomorrow. It was only after I decided to take stock of where I was that I learned that there are lessons to be learned, painful ones, but lessons nonetheless. He was the wrong guy and it wouldn’t have worked. I learned never to repeat that mistake again. However, there were other lessons that came disguised as love but of the wrong kind each one teaching me to move forward with grace and to embrace the opportunities that failure brings.
I am at a place in my life where I know that failure is not just failure. It is not the end of the world and neither does it come to visit to stop you in your tracks. It is there to show you a better way, to make you stronger and if you are brave enough to embrace it, it shows you a better path. There is power within failure, embrace it for what it is, a learning curve, and go from there one foot in front of the other.
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again – only this time more wisely.” Henry Ford
I’ve been going back and forth on whether to trade in my car and to get a new one. The one I have currently is really dependable and I know how it works and that is the important part. All the new cars have lots of things that I have to get used to and some of them look menacing, meaning, if I pressed something unknowingly, it could shoot to the moon! Just kidding. However, I have developed an aversion to new STUFF!
It was time spent going from dealership to dealership talking to different people and trying to get a handle on the price and how everything works. Luckily, I was able to drag some willing participants to the places I needed to go and the “men” made a commanding presence because a woman alone makes easy prey for those who want to take advantage of that fact. They assume “she” knows nothing but I was armed with knowledge, the Google type, and knew what I was talking about. The men in this case were just there for support, I did the talking.
After test drives of potential cars, I zeroed in on two and then there was one. The last one was a steel blue car that looked pretty nice. It was an hybrid and my first reaction was, NO WAY! However, after driving the little beauty I was sure that this was going to be my companion for years to come. We went to the dealership last Saturday, told the guy I would be back on Monday to sign the papers and to get the process going. On Monday, I woke up early, got my papers together and was SURE that by day’s end, I would be the proud owner of a new car. The appointment was at 11 and since I had time to kill, I stopped by the cafe for a nice cup of coffee. Talked to the owner about my decision and he said, “Sounds great.” So, what happened? I don’t know. Suddenly, I felt like I was drowning and decided to pull the plug!
It was half an hour before the appointment and I knew the sales guy would be pissed. Still, I couldn’t make myself do otherwise. So, the call was made and instead of being mad, he asked why. I told him I wanted to keep my old car. It needed the driver’s side headlights replaced and the cost would be around 2,000 euros. Still cheap compared to the thousands I would have to fork out for a new car. The selling point was that I like my car, I know how it runs and I am comfortable with it. He said, no problem and I was off the hook. Talk about a load off my shoulders!
Back home, I called the repair shop and they said, “Sure, come by with the car and we can take the order.” Total wait time for the part to get there was around two to three days and replacement time around 3 hours. Now, I’ve got everything, fingers and toes crossed that once the headlight gets replaced, the car will run smoothly without coming up with something else. I can only hope.
One thing I’ve learned during this process is to get as much knowledge as you can about buying a car. What to look for, the pitfalls and never let someone pressure you into buying something you are not sure of. Even if you are confident, never try to go there alone. Bring company and somehow THEY think men know better! That’s not the case but let them think that.
I thought it was appropriate to repost this article again at a time when the so called self-proclaimed “Peace President” has both feet firmly planted in a war that will have dire consequences in the long run. He’s not worried about that, he’s worried about how the world will view him. Is he bored?
Do we care? Do the drapes in the White House ballroom look great when 4 servicemen had given up their lives for who knows why? No plans, no objectives, and no goals. Well, goals he has. He wants to be the one to say that he brought whatever it is to the Middle East, he doesn’t know what that is yet. He’ll make up the reasons as he goes along. Big talk, reckless babbling, chest thumping, AND no clear path forward. Do we care if he is bored? Not one iota. Do we care about the number of lives lost and the long-term implications of “poking the bear?” Absolutely. Fools abound and there is a gaggle of them holding court and that right there is the problem.
“Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden.” Unknown
Trump is calling the Signal breach debacle a ‘witch hunt’ and Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is standing on his head and denying that the Signal chat messages contained any classified materials. However, The Atlantic published those messages on Wednesday and it was clear to everyone whether you’re an expert on operational security or not, that a massive breach of sensitive information had taken place. The Trump regime is sticking to wordplay. More specifically, “Attack plans vs. War plans.” Does it matter? According to them, it does.
Instead of taking accountability and trying to correct a mistake, they are thumping their chests and blowing smoke in every direction. However, the truth remains. One source had this to say, “We don’t provide that level of information on unclassified systems, in order to protect the lives and safety of the servicemembers carrying out these strikes. If we did, it would be wholly irresponsible. My most junior analysts know not to do this.”
The Defence Secretary should have known this if he had been qualified. Therein lies the truth of the matter.
“Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side.” Unknown
I think it would be my computer, my mobile phone and lastly but not least my car.
The computer is the thing I go to after having my first cup of coffee and breakfast. I wonder what is waiting for me there. Perhaps a message from the publisher that the final manuscript is waiting for my approval but so far no luck there! Otherwise, I look at what the Daily Prompt is about and go from there. It is a companion of sorts although inanimate but still it is something I can’t live without. What if it breaks down? Lord, have mercy! I think I would be lost without it.
The mobile phone is my security blanket. It is there as a back up if the land line doesn’t work or for some reason is down which has happened many times before. It is next to me when I go to sleep and one I reach for in the middle of the night when sleep evades me. There is information at my finger tips and help if needed when I am out and about. Nope, I can’t live without it either.
My car is my mode of transportation to get me from Point A to Point B. I don’t think about how much I need it until it breaks down which it did a month or two ago and then it hit home that I had been taking it for granted. It was time to change that mindset! It is back and running and purring like a new born.
Three inanimate objects but I can’t see my life without them and they are needed for my daily existence. Perhaps I place too much importance on them but that’s the way it is and so it will stay.
Is it here? It shows promise and that is a good thing. The sky is cloudless, a clear blue in color, and the sun is out and smiling! The daffodils are getting ready to go on display and the birds are trilling like there is no tomorrow! Spring is definitely marching in but it is early yet so we might still get some cold weather holding on for dear life.
The fields are fantastic today. No clouds to mar their beauty and everything is touched with a little bit of gold from the sunshine. The slight hum of an airplane overhead didn’t do much to disturb the peace and the crows had gathered like they were getting ready for a funeral! The herons are still missing but the deer were out in full force grazing nonchalantly as I walked past. The mountains in the distance were visible and were happy to be seen.
I took the forest route. My usual route is to keep to open spaces but today I decided to let the birds keep me company as they rustled in the trees and let their spring song be heard, loud and clear. The butterflies are not there yet. It is officially spring here, early spring, and waking up from the deep slumber of winter takes some time. It is deceptively warm too but in the shade, it is nippy and a tad cold. I was alone again as I am most days as I take my daily walks but I love it this way. The woods seem to be quiet and the stream running through is gurgling happily. Soon, the daffodils will bloom on either side and it will be a show-stopping event. They will be gorgeous waving their yellow and white heads, doing their spring dance.
It is beautiful and it will only get better. The “blooming” will take place and it will show what nature has been working on during the winter months. Nope, it was not sleeping. A brief nap, maybe, but there was plenty going on beneath the ground as it will soon reveal. Nature has its rhythm and the change of seasons take place as it should with no lapses in between. All we have to do is to stop and marvel at its beauty as each season takes its rightful place leaving us in awe.
Spring is finally here and I for one can’t wait to see its full display!
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