The Test!

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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

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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?

MY BOOK

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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.

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.

Letting Go vs. Letting Go

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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.

Chachi

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I’ve written about the little furball many many times here and I know I’ve waxed lyrical about him but he is worth waxing lyrical over. He makes me laugh, he makes me happy and at times, he brings a tear of joy to my eye.

The little guy has his ways but he is one smart cookie! He learns quickly and knows how NOT to act like a typical cat when he is interacting with his mommy. His nails are well-sheathed when he runs his paws through my hair to wake me, it is soft and smooth and done very lovingly. When I give him a cleaning, it is met with no protest. He sits there quietly trusting that his mom would not hurt him whatever she does. I can clip his nails, give him a wash cloth bath and even clean his eyes and ears with no problems at all. Once a week, he gets his teeth cleaned with a tiny glove that goes over his pearly whites and he takes it like a champ. When all is said and done, he rubs up against my arm or shoulder, gives me this all loved up look and takes care of his own needs. It could be a drink of water, some food or just while his time away in his window seat.

The thing he does that brings a tear of joy to my eyes is this newly found way of showing affection. Kisses done the cat’s way is a thing of the past. He used to brush his nose against mine and then go all the way up and plant a kiss on my forehead. These days that has changed. Now, he comes straight for my lips, looks into my eyes and then stops just short, perhaps a millimeter away and moves away. Guys, it’s the closest to getting a “kiss” from little macho but I know that it is his way of saying, “I love you.” It definitely brings a tear of joy to my eye!

Daily writing prompt
What brings a tear of joy to your eye?

LOL!

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Teacher: “If I gave you 2 cats, and another 2 cats and another 2, how many will you have?”

Johnny: “Seven Sir.”

Teacher: “No listen carefully, if I gave you 2 cats, and another 2 cats and another 2, how many will you have?”

Johnny: “Seven!”

Teacher: “Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you 2 apples, and another 2 apples and another 2, how many will you have?”

Johnny: “Six”

Teacher: “Good, now if I gave you 2 cats, and another 2 cats and another 2, how many will you have?”

Johnny: “Seven!!”

Very Angry Teacher: “Where the heck are you getting 7 from?!!”

Very Angry Johnny: “Because I have one at home sir!!”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A woman was very distraught at the fact that she had not had a date or any sex in quite some time. She was afraid she might have something wrong with her, so she decided to seek the medical expertise of a sex therapist. Her doctor recommended that she see the well-known Chinese sex therapist, Dr. Chang. So she went to see him. Upon entering the examination room, Dr. Chang said, “Ok take off all your crose.” The woman did as she was told.

“Now get down and craw, reery, reery, reery, fass to odder side of room.” Again, the woman did as she was instructed.

Dr. Chang then said, “OK, now craw reery, reery, fass back to me.” So she did

Dr. Chang shook his head slowly and said, “Your probrem vewy bad. You haf Ed Zachary Disease……worse case I ever see. Dat why you not haf sex or dates.”

Worried the woman asked anxiously, “Oh my God, Dr. Chang what is Ed Zachary Disease?”

Dr. Chang sighed deeply and replied…..Ed Zachary Disease is when your face look Ed Zachary like your a**!”

What a doctor huh?!!

Blogging

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When I first started posting here, I didn’t think of it as blogging. I was away from the public eye or so I thought and at the time I had next to no viewers, readers or “likes” for that matter. It was alright with me because everything was low-key and I could write about whatever I wanted to.

It was fun, it was a way to get my frustrations out and at times my anger out as well and a way to clear the path forward. I had taken a fall and I was trying to find my way out of that rabbit hole and what better way to do this than to get it all out there, the good, the bad, and the ugly! I was literally putting myself out there, lock, stock and barrel.

Then those “likes” started rolling in and I realized that people liked what I was writing about and some were in the same boat as I was and it was a way for us to grow and get better together. However, it got a little uncomfortable because at times I felt like I was on full display with my hurts, wounds, and feelings out there for all to see. The other aspect was that there were many out there who had walked the same path I had walked and were looking for ways to get a grasp on life again. I continued and now I do get more likes than I used to, the site is “booming” as I was told earlier this week and it is doing fine.

It is not about the “likes,” it is about life from my perspective and what I have done to get myself back on track and back on the journey of life and if my story has helped someone than my writing or blogging has been well-worth the effort.

Daily writing prompt
Why do you blog?

The Interview

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I decided to interview Chachi, the cat. He’s quite a character and probably has LOTS to say about his life as an indoor cat and mommy’s sweetheart and buddy.

ME: “Are you ready for the interview?”

HIM: “I sure am. Shoot!”

ME: “Tell me about your life. What could be better?”

HIM: “That’s a big question and you probably don’t want to know. Here goes….I love my life and I love my mommy but I need a companion. One of my kind.”

ME: “You mean a friend to play with?”

HIM: “Nope. Someone I can BOSS around.”

ME: “You boss me around, isn’t that enough?”

HIM: “Yeah, but you’re not that easy to boss around. I need someone who will sit quietly and agree to everything I say.”

ME: “You mean you want to be a dictator?”

HIM: “If that’s what they call them, then yes. I have no power in this house and I need POWER!

He stands up, runs his paw over his face and turns his big expressive eyes on me. It’s a gaze that’s unwavering and it tells me he knows what he is doing.

ME: “Power like in what you do to those stuffed birds?”

His stuffed birds are a mess. Some have their stuffing halfway out and some have parts missing! Like I’ve said before, the little guy has this passive-aggressive thing going.

HIM: “Sort of. My mommy is nice but she’s weird at times. She lets me have my way but sometimes it comes to a screeching halt and I better behave or else! This is not being BOSS but a slave. Cats were not made to be slaves. The Pharaohs viewed us with deep respect and they believed that we were divine beings. Their admiration for us was so great that they dressed us in jewelry and mummified us upon death. Furthermore, anyone who harmed us were severely punished. They considered us to be magical creatures.”

ME: “Hmm….you sure are one smart kitty. I guess that’s why your other name is Einstein?”

HIM: “You got that right!

He gives me this side-eyed look and sprawls on his back all the time looking at me.

ME: “How can I make your life better?”

HIM: “Easy, agree to everything I want and you’ve got it made!”

Time to end the interview. Little Macho was back on his horse and it was time to show him who is really the BOSS.

ME: “Go play Chachi. I’ve got things to do.”

HIM: “I knew it! You never listen, that is your problem amongst other things! “

That was the end of an uneventful interview. The little brat is sitting in his window seat and contemplating, Mutiny on the Bounty! Oh well, some days are better than others and I have no intention of making him the BOSS!

Daily writing prompt
Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.

Calm and Ready?

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It is hard to describe what I am feeling right now. A mix between calm, unrest and ready to tackle anything. If that makes sense.

There is an inner peace within which comes from having done my daily walk in nature. The cool breeze and grey cloudy skies helped to get me there. It wasn’t a calm day because rain is in the forecast and the weather is doing its dance between wind and the expectation of rain. It definitely suits the mood I am in now.

I am at peace and I am calm but something within, just beneath the surface is doing something else. There is a certain uneasiness and I guess it stamps from the unknown. The unknown is a scary place especially if it could go the wrong way and that is my situation right now.

Trust and believe that all will be well is what I tell myself but that inner place where calm exists has to come to the forefront and stay there for a while. Whatever I am doing right now helps but just for a short time and the voice within, the one that speaks to me in a loud voice wants to get rid of the calmness because that is what it does best. I tell it to take its place where it belongs but it isn’t listening very well for some reason.

There are three things I am grappling with right now and that is the unknown, distress and unrest. It is a mixture of feelings that are topsy turvy at times and at times where it needs to be. However, I know it will right itself out because it always does, one way or another.

Daily writing prompt
How are you feeling right now?

Book is Published!

Update: It seems that writing the story is not the hardest part, it is getting it out there. What’s happening? Not much I think but there is work being done in the background that I am not aware of. The eBook will take a couple of months before it shows up because there is a backlog and it takes time according to the publisher. For now, the book is just another title in Amazon’s massive children’s book category. I do see that booksellers have “one in stock” signs but not sure if that is a strategy to move the book or it is being bought. I’m telling myself be patient and it will work itself out if it was meant to be. You know how you want things to MOVE, that’s where I’m at right now!

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I see it online but I can’t believe it yet! Anyway, it is on Amazon and other online booksellers but I don’t think you can order it yet. According to publisher, it is going to take a week or two to right itself out.

“The Excellent Adventures of Honey & Hubie.”

In the meantime, they are working on stocking the book. All I can tell you is that the cover looks good, it is very colorful, and stands out enough to catch a child’s eye. The characters look inviting enough for a child to want to read it and I don’t think they will be disappointed once they do. However, I am my own worst critic so I think, it could have been better! That’s coming out of a perfectionist’s mouth!

I hope it does well, fingers and toes crossed!