Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike? What about horse and buggy? Just kidding.
I don’t like trains so that is out of the question, I don’t like buses and bikes either. So that leaves the car and or airplane. Airplanes were my mode of transport going overseas or for going to another country. I always found it stressful and I’m not good at dealing with jetlag, it took me several days to get over it. So that seems to be out as well.
The car is the last one standing on four wheels. It is my current mode of transport for doing the things I need to get done everyday like running to the store or other stuff that is part and parcel of my daily existence. Cross-country trips are far and few these days but I’ve done it in the past. The car is a comfortable way of travel but depending on where you’re at, it can get more than stressful especially if you’re on the Autobahn and driving with the speed demons. It can scare the hell out of you. I still prefer the car if I had to do a cross-country trip just for the comfort factor alone and NOT having to deal with the masses. However, it has its ups and downs as well.
Daily writing prompt
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
I was talking to someone this morning and I asked the question, “What if there comes a time when you can’t do one or the other?” I was referring to his love of traveling and diving. The answer back was alarming to say the least. He said, “I would be dead!”
“Change….A simple word with a difficult meaning.” Unknown
The “difficult” part is not being able to adapt to change. Whatever that change entails. I can’t stand change for the most part. It means I would have to get out of my comfort zone and that scares the hell out of me. It also means going within and doing battle to accept the changes coming my way which is what change usually means. Adapting is never easy but life as we all know it is a never-ending series of changes. Staying put is never an option.
Charles Darwin said it well:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
Does change have the potential to kill you? It may feel like that at the beginning because letting go of something you’ve become accustomed to is HARD. However, saying no is not an option either. Look at it this way.
“Life is like underwear, change is good.” Unknown
You can change and you can adapt and that is the truth of the matter. We are all pre-programmed to do just that. Going back in time, I had to adapt to so many of life’s happenings and after the usual, I CAN’T, I gave up and let life take the lead and I went along for the ride. Some things turned out almost perfectly and others, well, let’s just say it wasn’t the outcome I expected. All in all, I had no choice or rather the choices were limited. Move or get run over was the message.
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates
Adaptation, it seems is a key crucial element to change. The more you fight it, the harder it will be. There are no remotes available so that you can press a button and get instant gratification. In order for life to happen and for change to take place, you have to get up and change it yourself. Scary? Definitely.
Opray Winfrey said:
“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.”
That simple huh? No, not that simple but there is truth in that saying. So change your attitude, grab the reins of your life and make change happen. There’s a whole wide world of possibilities waiting out there and one of them has your name on it. You can only have it if you adapt. Nothing more, nothing less.
This is a hard one and this early in the morning? My mind is doing a scramble to unravel that mystery because I’ve known many people in my life who seemed very confident and had a handle on this thing called life.
If I had to narrow it down to one person, I would say it was my mom. She is no longer here but her presence remains and is a constant reminder that I can do all things as she did in her life. She was a petite person but a giant when it came to raising her children. Some would call her an “helicopter mom” because her life was based around us and she was constantly looking out for us but when it came to parenting, she was a one woman parenting machine! I take many of my cues from her when it comes to my son and the questions he has. She had answers to every question and believe me there were many many questions!
Part of that parenting system didn’t cater to a rambunctious young girl because I wanted things my way but she stood her ground. She stood up to adversity like a pro and challenges were just that, something to be conquered or handled and that was it. No berating herself like I do. I remember her standing tall even at the worst times in her life and even when her life came to an end because someone chose to end it, she put up a fight. She was and is, the most confident person I know and have known. She had faith in herself and in God and these two things combined together were an unbeatable team. I am confident but nowhere close to where she was but I am learning to embrace my own strength and I see confidence in how I handle things as well. Perhaps the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as they say.
It’s interesting how everything comes back to this one thing and that is breathing. We pay it very little mind as we rush through life and forget that it exists but only as something we take for granted. It is that motion of taking in a breath and letting it out that tells us we are alive but how are we breathing? Has stress made your breathing harder, has anger stopped it in its tracks or has sadness made it shallow and rhythmless? Probably all of those things and more. Yet, if we stopped breathing than life would come to a standstill.
I found some beautiful quotes that gets you thinking about this thoughtless process we call breathing. It speaks to just how beautiful and essential it is to breathe and to pay attention to the kind of breathing we are doing.
“Life is amazing. And then it’s awful. And then it’s amazing again. And in between the amazing and the awful its ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That’s just living, heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life. And it’s breathtakingly beautiful.” LR Knost
Remember, you made it this far through difficulties that seemed impossible. Remember how many times you were saved at the very last minute – this time is no different.” Bryant McGill
“Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Unknown
Did something or someone take your breath away today? The Magnolia tree out back took my breath away this morning. It is getting ready to bloom and soon it will be a showpiece as it is every year and it will be enough to take your breath away. The daffodils are shaking their yellow heads, their beauty simple but breathtaking. Most of all, the lone deer that ran through the fields this morning was mesmerizing and breathtaking as I stood and watched it do its spring dance of happiness. I got my daily dose of breathtaking moments today but I’m sure there will be more tomorrow, I just need to appreciate what’s in front of me.
“Sometimes you need to slow down, remain calm, and simply let life happen. Take a deep breath and focus on the simple important things: you are alive, you are breathing, you are enough as you are.” Unknown
I would say the same things I mentioned in yesterday’s “Daily Prompt,” plus I’ll add a few more. Besides walking, working out and meditation, I put my feelings down on paper or write articles on how I am feeling and what I have done or am doing to combat those feelings.
Writing is a tremendous tool, if you can call it that, to bring out what I am holding inside into the open so that it no longer weighs me down. Getting it out there has also helped me to get a better focus on the problem and to come up with better ways of handling whatever is bothering me. Somehow seeing it for what it is, just a ripple even if at times it seems like a big rock, helps me to deal with the situation in a more focused way. Writing is often my go to method for solving negative feelings and it has been working so far.
The other method I turn to is breathing. Whenever I feel like I am drowning in negativity, it happens from time to time but when I sit myself down and go within and start one of my breathing techniques, it melts away. This doesn’t always work but more often than not. There’s something about taking a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds and slowly letting go with a sigh that releases the anxiety and nervousness within. It is a stress buster and just a few minutes a day does wonders for my inner being, my psyche and for letting negative feelings go where they belong, wherever that is. Peace is what I seek and it is what I find when I do “deep breathing” several times a day.
Daily writing prompt
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?
I think it has been three weeks since Gallahad and Shiro moved in. They are my son’s cats and since he was starting a new job, he couldn’t have them with him and so with a sad heart, he left them with me. I wasn’t too keen on the idea because I knew how much work they would be plus Chachi, the cat, was used to having this place all to himself. Bringing all three together was a daunting task and lots of work.
It was hard and still is. They are getting used to each other. Gallahad, is a British long-haired cat with dark fur and bright orange eyes. Shiro is all white with big eyes and looks like the cat on the Gourmet Food ads. They are two different personalities. Galli is soft and sweet and even though he looks menacing, he is a gentle giant. Shiri is the princess and she knows it! She was daddy’s little girl and was spoiled rotten. She is also a no-nonsense type and that turned out to be a problem for Chachi, the Little Macho.
Anyway, it has been three weeks in and the “thaw” wasn’t taking place no matter how hard I tried. Chachi had a hissy fit the first week which rolled into the second week. He decided to get along with Galli but Shiro was a different matter altogether. He has started tolerating Galli and lets him play with his stuffed toys but Shiro still gets a hiss whenever he sees her.
However, yesterday he did a 360 and decided to roll out the white flag. Don’t ask me why. It happened and the Little Macho woke up with a glint in his eye as if he had this bright idea. The idea turned out to be, let’s lay down arms and be friends BUT on my terms! Little did he know that the other two had other ideas. No deals were their stance. Sound familiar to what is happening in the real world? Anyway, the morning started out fine.
Chachi: “You can play with my toys Galli,” tail tucked between his legs.
Galli: “I’ve been playing with them. I don’t need your permission for that you little Snort.”
Chachi: “You weren’t brought up well, were you? You have to ask first.”
Galli: “Okay, thank you!”
Just then Shiro walks in and takes a gander at what is going on. Immediately, Little Macho throws down the white flag and goes into a hissy fit. I think he doesn’t like females, yours truly excluded of course.
Shiro: “You sure have a loud hiss for a little thing. I can take you down anytime Little Bubba.”
Chachi: “Who are you calling Little Bubba? By the way, I think you should get some sun. That pale look doesn’t suit you.”
They did the Mexican standoff for a few minutes and then decided to let it go but not before Shiro decided to get the last word in.
Shiro: “You should learn some manners and what’s with the John Wayne swagger? You are way too big for your britches.”
Chachi: “MOM! What did she say?!!”
ME: “She said you are adorable and cute. She wants to be friends.”
Chachi: “Yeah, I am and I know it. Glad that she sees it too. I think she is afraid and wants to make nice. Okay, we’ll try it. Shiro, you can play with my toys too but one false move and I’ll be on you before you can swish that pretty tail of yours!”
Shiro: “Thank you Chachi but keep your distance. You are too full of yourself but I will take you up on the offer.”
She walked over to the toy basket, picked out Chachi’s favorite stuffed bird and walked out with a swish of the tail and an elegant stride out of the room.
Chachi: “Mommy!”
Me: “It’s alright. You’ll get it back. Play nice and make peace.”
Chachi: “I DON’T LIKE HER!”
This went on for a while until Little Macho decided to give in and make friends. Afternoon found all three in the bedroom taking their afternoon siesta. Galli on my bed, Shiro stretched out on the floor and Chachi snoozing next to me.
Peace at last! Will it last? I don’t know but I’m enjoying the temporary ceasefire!
Nothing much has changed except for the fact that “stupidity” can be a precursor to war! We are right in the middle of one with no idea where it is going and why it got started in the first place. I bet they don’t know either.
Trump’s modus operandi is always the same. Open mouth and insert foot! The man doesn’t care if it’s the truth, lies or made-up exaggerations. It’s all fair game to him as long as it gives him the upper hand but that is only in his mind. We know better and the fact-checkers know better too. His racist-tinged lies, inaccuracies and hoopla are affecting his campaign but he doesn’t care. Trump knows best because he is the ‘man’ as far as he is concerned.
On Thursday, he stepped up to the podium again and inserted more than his foot in his mouth this time around. He degraded veterans and gold-star families by saying that mega-donor, Miriam Adelson is a national hero. Not realizing what he had just said, he went on his merry way. According to the self-proclaimed ‘stable genius’ they are one and the same. “The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award you can get as a civilian, it’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version. It’s actually much better, because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor – that’s soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.”
Hmm…..what else would you expect from someone who received five military draft deferments during the Vietnam War and is absolutely clueless about what it means to put your life on the line for your country.
“Ignorance is the absence of knowledge, stupidity is the refusal to acquire or accept it.” Unknown
Kevin D. Williamson says in his article, “Lazy, Stupid, Childish,” that “Trump’s three big problems as a candidate are precisely the same qualities that mitigated the worst of what might have been a much worse Trump presidency the last time around. He is lazy, he is stupid, and he is childish.”
Perfectly said but let’s add ‘crazy’ to that as well. He further adds, “Trump’s stupidity is wrapped up in his laziness. Anyone who has heard Trump speak or read his unedited writing knows that he is not an especially intelligent man. But his native stupidity is compounded by his ignorance – the fact that he is too lazy to do his homework and acquire the kind of grasp of the issues that would make him a more effective candidate.”
No chance of that ever happening because Mr. Trump marches to his own drumbeat and his stupidity arises from that one simple fact. Mr. Williamson knows exactly why Trump’s stupidity is front and center. He says, “there is a reason he wanders all over the place in his speeches – it isn’t only arrogance and self-centeredness. He’s dumber than nine chickens.”
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Martin Luther King
Michael Moore, “Fahrenheit 9/11” director is hopeful that Donald Trump will do more of the same as he faces off with Kamala Harris on the debate stage in September. His prediction is that, “Trump could struggle when facing the Democratic VP onstage. I think I’m going to see what I was hoping for for eight years. Once anybody gets under that thin skin anything could happen. On live TV? Trump could explode, start talking like a 12-year-old, or get up and leave.”
Or, he could resort to name-calling, race-baiting and jump up and down like the spoiled little brat he is. Regardless of what he does, he will be facing off against a much better candidate who knows where to strike while the iron is hot. And that folks is the absolute truth and it will be something to watch.
There are three activities that I have come to love in my search for peace and serenity. They are walking, workouts, and meditation.
These three things have helped to forge a way out of situations I find myself in and they have helped to bring a sense of cohesiveness to my life. It didn’t happen overnight, it took time and a certain mindset to keep at getting better.
Walking is my go to when I need to clear my mind of all negative thoughts and just 2o minutes out in nature helps me to do just that. It is free and all it takes is to get out there and see what remedies “nature” in its all-knowing wisdom has to offer if you are willing to listen that is. It may seem like a mindless activity but it is not.
Working out is a daily companion. I work out seven days a week and I don’t stick to one thing. It gets boring that way. I switch it around. Some days it is cardio, some days weight training, some days Pilates and some days Yoga. Whatever I choose to do, Chachi, the cat, is right there working alongside! More like standing right in front of me and waiting to be picked up and kisses rained down on him! That’s his allure to working out. It works just fine for the both of us.
Meditation, well I can’t live without it. It is a big part of my day and one that helps to center and to bring calm into my life. It also helps the “monkey” I call my brain to take a seat and to be quiet for a while.
These are activities that are part and parcel of my life. Simple things, non-materialistic but I find Nirvana in them and they will continue to be a part of my existence.
A victim is defined as “a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action or it could be “a person who is tricked or duped,” or “a person who has come to feel helpless and passive in the face of misfortune or ill-treatment.”
Which are you? Where do you fit in the victim modus because if you’re a victim you will identify with one or the other of the descriptions above. I relate to the last two.
“You only get to be a victim once. After that, you’re a volunteer.” Unknown
I’m not quite sure that I fully agree with that sentiment. I’ve been a victim many times over and each time I tell myself I’ll do better the next time around but when the next time rolls around as it inevitably does, I get dragged in to the same outcomes. Basically, pain, disbelief and anger. Does this mean that I’m ‘volunteering’ to relive victimhood over and over again. Or does it mean that I didn’t learn what not to do the first time around and haven’t learned from my mistakes? Probably both.
“The victim mindset will have you dancing with the devil, then complaining that you’re in hell.” Unknown
I didn’t even know I was a victim until it blindsided me which made it harder to bear. I was a relationship victim, more specifically a victim of deceit and I was the woman who got left behind. However, instead of picking myself back up and moving on, I chose to “dance with the devil.” It took years of soul-searching, of blaming myself for his indiscretions and worst of all cutting myself down to size and way beyond to realize that I was the perfect victim. I must say, I played the role well. I went through the five phases of grief which is denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It doesn’t often play out that way and it doesn’t always happen in that order either because sometimes you are not given the chance to grieve because the ‘devil’ that caused the problem in the first place keeps hanging on and so there is no closure or learning from your mistakes. Since then, I’ve played ‘volunteer’ if you want to call it that to similar circumstances. However, I am learning not to play victim to circumstances I created myself meaning I knew from the get go what I was getting myself into and that I only have myself to blame for what followed. Is there something about the familiarity of the situation that reels you in or makes you want to play in the mud puddles knowing full well that you’ll get dirty but the “LURE” is just too much to resist? Perhaps. I am trying to change that.
“When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation, or accept it. All else is madness.” Eckhart Tolle
I know without a shadow of a doubt that I will find myself along the same avenue at a later point in my life, not because I haven’t learned but because life happens and being a victim is woven into my being perhaps because I am too nice, too naive or I am the perfect victim type. Whatever the case maybe, I also know that if it happens again, I am fully equipped to ‘slay the monster,’ and put it to rest where it belongs because I have learned along the way and I am moving on.
“The victim who is able to articulate the situation of the victim has ceased to be a victim: he or she has become a threat.” Unknown
So watch out whoever you are! If you’re here to play games, you better get going. I will no longer volunteer to be your victim. I’ve outgrown the “victim mentality” and I’m on my way equipped with everything that is needed to put those who love or enjoy victimizing people where they belong and that is in the annals of hell!
“We’re sorry, your request for victim status has been denied. You are being referred to the Big Girl Panties Department. Please stand by.”
What movies or TV series have I watched more than 5 times? This is easy, I don’t think any. The most I’ve watched something I like is maybe twice.
Two movies come to mind both with Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt in starring roles. The first one was “Meet Joe Black.” I loved this one and both actors did a superb job with their roles. Some may say a boring movie but I found it interesting and it combined both romance and the supernatural so it was spell-binding.
The other was “Legends of the Fall.” Here again, it combined romance and a family’s fight to survive a corrupt system. The scenery was more than beautiful and the underlying issue of love, the forbidden kind was front and center.
I loved both of them but I’ve watched them maybe twice. Five times? I think it takes just two or three times to have something imprinted on your mind and to know every upcoming scene. Five times might be overdoing it just a little.
Daily writing prompt
What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?
