Update: I got my first 5 star global rating yesterday and I thought it was from one person. I googled it and according to Amazon “A 5-star global rating on Amazon signifies a book has received exceptionally positive feedback from many reviewers, indicating near-perfection or outstanding quality.” Who are these reviewers, that’s what I would like to know! Anyway, it is exciting news. Now, I’m addicted. I need MORE! 😊
I found this interesting and it did put a smile on my face. This is what it said:
Reviews for “The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie” are positive, highlighting the book as a magical, imaginative journey that teaches children the importance of friendship and the excitement of the unknown. Reviewers praise T. J. Mueller’s writing for capturing children’s imaginations and delivering a real message through its colorful characters.
T. J. Mueller creates a world that is both enchanting and relatable, making the story appealing to young audiences.
If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, my new children’s book was published on August 28th and even though I don’t see any reviews at any of the bookstores, it is still too soon, I did come across one that made me sit up and take notice. I like the review and it is exactly what I wanted to get across.
Get a copy and give me a review as well but BE KIND.
Yesterday was a blur! The test went fine but spending almost 5 hours at the hospital and having this radioactive stuff shot into me and then doing three rounds with the machine to find out if there was anything wrong took the wind out of my sails!
I think it wasn’t just yesterday that brought about the exhaustion, it was the week leading up to it. Emotions were running wild and not knowing made it all the more nerve-racking. I had all kinds of “what if” scenarios running through my head and none of them good.
I crashed last night at around 8 and didn’t get up till 5 this morning. Still feeling tired but more than that, it is the radioactive stuff coursing through my veins that is causing problems, just psychological ones. I googled on how to get rid of it and was told, drink plenty of water to flush it out of your system. It takes about 24 to 48 hours before it is out and gone for good. I hope! The other thing is to keep away from pregnant women and small children. No problems there but Chachi was not too happy last night. I tried not to hug him, kiss him or to cuddle with him and the little bugger didn’t understand it at all.
This morning, I stripped the bedcovers and threw them in the wash. Then I took a shower and used scrub to get whatever is oozing out of my pores a run for the money! After that, I took a walk in nature. There was nothing going on there. The trees were a bright green with no show of changing anytime soon. Fall is taking its time getting here but it will be here sooner than later. However, I realized that nothing much had changed since I set foot on the fields which was about three days ago.
Here’s the thing. Life moves on, nature does the same and what you’ve got going on is your business alone. I recall when I was grieving for the friend I lost, nature and life went on and didn’t stand still not even for a moment. The burden was mine to carry alone and how I dealt with things even more so. I think the message is, YOU have to deal with whatever comes your way. It is all up to you and with that in mind, I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life and I better put it to good use. I plan to.
The sun is just coming up and it is casting shadows and light as it weaves its way through the fields. A beautiful sight to see and I know that today is going to be a beautiful day.
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?
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.
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.
“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.
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!”
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.
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.
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