life – Page 27 – Site Title

Press Reset

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“Don’t forget power in resetting, on any given day…you are allowed to start over, if you feel like you’re going down the wrong path, RESET.” Reyna Biddy

When the sun goes down and you find yourself staring at another day ending and you realize that progress is not being made, hit the “RESET” button. You are not stuck even though it might feel that way at times but you have the power to change whatever it is you want to change in your life. You need the mindset, know what it is you’re after, hit “reset” meaning clear the slate and start over again. .

It is not that simple I know. In fact, it might be one of the hardest things you’ll have to do because changing your mindset is not easy and it is not simple either. Old habits die hard and sometimes they are hard to give up because there is comfort in hanging on to things that feel comfortable even if in reality they are not. Laziness, putting out the least effort possible and waiting for the world to reward you for nothing in particular is not going to work and it has never worked.

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C. S. Lewis

It takes YOU to change your place in the world. Where you stand, how high or low you are in the grand scheme of things all depends on you but one thing is clear, progress needs hard work. It means falling down a few more times than you wanted to but always keeping your eyes on the prize. If you want that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you’ve got to go after it. It is human nature to want to make life simple but it has other plans for us. Life is about learning from your mistakes, saying “no” to easy and knowing that you’ve got to throw yourself into “hard” to make it happen. Falling down is part and parcel of this thing called life but standing back up and moving forward gives you another chance, another opportunity to reach your end goal. You need to be better and you need to set yourself apart from the ordinary to make it. Sparkles and sunshine sounds good but it is going to take grit and determination to get you there.

Hitting “reset” and doing the same old things over and over again is not going to do it either. You need to “refocus” to get things going again. If something is not working, focus on what it is and change it. Try different angles and attitudes and at some point you’ll get it right, at least I hope I will at some point in time. Until then, I’ll hit “reset” as many times as I need to and I’ll tell the “victim mentality” I carry around with me which keeps me from achieving my goals to hit the door as well!

So if you’re standing where I have been many many times before and watching the sun set on another fruitless day, hit “RESET.” Tomorrow is on its way, it’s a new day to work your magic on a blank slate and to have your name written there as a success story. It’s all up to you.

Reset, refocus, readjust, restart, as many times as you need to. JUST NEVER GIVE UP!” Unknown

Have an amazing day.

WHY?

I had an interesting discussion with a girlfriend yesterday and it all centered around the question WHY. She wanted to know “why” things happen the way they do but more specifically “why” the people who do bad things are living their best lives. It’s a question, I ask myself as well.

It seems and I place the emphasis on “it seems” that those who go out there and wreck havoc in other people’s lives, more knowingly than not knowingly seem to walk off into the sunset with no consequences whatsoever.

Looking at my own life, I’ve seen it happen many times over. My ex cheated on me and left me holding a bag of broken dreams. It was painful, heart-wrenching and it took a very long time for me to place my trust in anyone and I still don’t. Did he pay a price for what he did? It “seems” like he’s living his best life. He’s bought himself a big house, surrounds himself with luxury items and has a new woman to boot, a redhead no less. Not the same redhead he cheated with but another replacement. He must love redheads, I’m dark-haired. Moving on….What about what he did to me? Why is he living his best life? More specifically, why is he being rewarded for all the asinine things he did including his bad behavior? Those are my questions. Any answers?

It will come says “karma” very smugly.

I’ve met several more of the same loser types on the path of my relationship building focus. Like a heat seeking missile, I gravitate towards the same no good types. So called “nice guy” types with a penchant for lying and cheating. Why? Is there something pre-programmed within me that seeks a special kind of pain? The kind that surrounds me each time my heart breaks into pieces? I tell myself that this time it’s going to be different but each time when it happens, I ask why? Why do I always wind up with almost the same types and why can’t I get rewarded for a change for being the good girl? Why are these no-good, two-timing individuals (for lack of a better word!) not being held accountable for what they did?

Again, Karma whispers, “You need to wait your turn. I can only do so much and there are too many of them!”

My message to Karma: “Can you get some help please and get this process moving along? It’s taking too long!”

I know of someone who cheated on his wife and walked off at the drop of a coin and took up with someone new. He called her his soulmate. How can someone else’s wife be your soulmate? Just saying. Anyway, a long time later, his second wife had an accident and died from her injuries. Karmic retribution of the worst kind? If so, it took a long time coming. He still howls to the moon about the unfairness of it all but doesn’t see the pain he caused and his hand in what happened. Did he get what he deserved? More specifically, did he learn his lesson?

Is there a force out there that keeps tabs on all the wrongs we do and the pain caused to others? If so, the question “why” from my girlfriend will be answered at some point in time when the Piper comes calling and it’s time to pay the price. The message is clear, ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING. Karma is a b**ch and it collects when the time is right.

“When it rains, look for RAINBOWS. When it’s dark, look for STARS.” Unknown

Either way you’ll come out on top if you do.

Have an amazing day.

Solitude

“A place where you meet yourself, where you embrace and appreciate your own company. Exactly, where you face your fears and rethink your decisions. Solitude is that essential place to recharge our inner energy.” Tuwalily

It’s a place I go to where I can shut out the noise, the distractions and the clutter that make up my life. I go within where there is peace to be found, resilience and strength. Solitude and stillness is where answers can be found and I get the strength to move on from where I’m at.

Solitude is defined as a “healthy, personal discipline that allows you to engage in meaningful self-reflection. Loneliness, however, is a state of sadness because one has no friends or company.” fullsailleadership.com

I embrace solitude and there is a certain deliciousness that comes from being still and listening to what is being told to you. When you get rid of the chatter, you get clarity.

“Solitude is where I place my chaos to rest and awaken my inner peace.” Unknown

Meditation, yoga or just a simple walk in the fields helps to open up a world of possibilities. A world where you are not confronted by what others think of you, of having to measure up, or of conforming to what is considered the norm. You can let go and just be yourself. It’s a place where you can go deep within and really see what you’re holding there, find out who you are and a place where you can learn to let go of what doesn’t serve you. There is peace within and unlimited resources but in order to reap the benefits, you need to come face to face with the ugliness, the so-called remnants of your past and retrain your mind to see different. Change your mindset and everything will start falling into place as it should. Solitude is where I find my peace and if I’m willing, it shows me who I am and what I need to change to get to the other side.

“Solitude is dangerous. It’s addicting. Once you see how peaceful it is, you don’t want to deal with people anymore because they drain your energy.” Unknown

I spend a lot of time by myself. I’m learning to love it to the point that I choose my own company to that of being with friends or family. I think that I am my own best friend which is a good thing but as the quote says, it can be addicting and like I sometimes say, I’m a recluse or at least feel like one at times. I’ve come up with a solution to this predicament. I’m really going to make an effort to spend more time with people to break this monotony because both is needed to make me a complete person. However, home is where my heart is.

My bouts of solitude has made me stronger and fully capable of dealing with what life throws my way. There is strength in solitude so seek it, use it and learn that there is a source you can go to when life decides it’s that time again. What time? Time to learn another lesson and before you go, “Oh no!” make solitude your friend and ally and things will start looking up.

“Make yourself a priority once in a while. It’s not selfish. It’s necessary.” Unknown

AND

“I’m not Anti-Social. I’m Pro-Solitude.” Unknown

Have an amazing day.

Been There, Done That!

How often have you used the words above to describe the “deja vu” feeling of having experienced the exact same event or incident over and over again with the very same and often painful outcomes? I know I have and I’m sure many of you have. So why do we keep repeating the same cycle over and over again? Perhaps, it’s because of this.

“Been there, done that. Then, been there several more times, because apparently I never learn.” Unknown

I’ve done this many times over. This meaning, “I told myself I would never go through this and find myself in the same uneventful place again.” Like dating the wrong person with the exact same habits as the one I left behind. Then I find myself months down the road faced with the exact same situation but with another individual. I told myself I would never do cheaters, liars, control freaks and narcissists ever again but lo and behold, it never fails. They seem to come out of the woodwork as far as I am concerned and I am faced with the self-same situation only to scream, “What am I doing wrong?”

I think we are creatures of habit and therefore love embracing familiarity more than commonsense! What feels familiar is comforting. It gives us a sense of warmth and maybe even a feeling of “home.” You’ve heard the saying, “Home is where the heart is?” Well, not in this case! According to Isabel Buchbinder, “repeating patterns do not happen by coincidence. Repeating patterns are merely lessons which can be seen as an opportunity for us to evolve and grow.” The question remains, how often do you have to fall in order to grasp the lessons you have to learn? Unfortunately, there are no clear-cut answers. Some learn quickly and others not at all. I hope I am NOT in the “not at all” category but it sure feels that way at times.

Here again, Ms. Buchbinder has some good tips on how to break free and to move on to greener and more acceptable behavior traits. She says, “the reoccuring external situation is trying to get our attention so that we focus within and change this internal limiting structure and thus break the pattern. She adds, “don’t bleed on those who didn’t hurt you.” It just means heal yourself first before entering a relationship. This also means, “once you heal your subconscious limitations and traumas, you no longer repeat patterns and you will start attracting life situations which are more suitable for your well-being and more heightened state of life!”

“Life will keep on repeating the same situation through different circumstances until we have learnt the lesson.” Isabel

How do you break this self-fulfilling prophecy? Here are five steps from Isabel, not easy but worth the try.

The first step is to become aware of the pattern.

The second step is to observe the situation but don’t react.

The third step is to identify the lesson it is trying to teach us.

The fourth and perhaps the hardest step is to accept the situation, integrate, heal and let it go. Letting go takes forever in my world and even when I do, I keep looking back with one foot in the past and one foot in front.

The fifth step, if you’re confronted with a “repeating pattern” again, it’s just life wanting to know if you’ve learned the lesson and have fully let go. Lord, have mercy!

Be gentle with yourself, accept what you can’t change, learn from what you can and take the next step in the right direction. If you find yourself faced with the same old stuff from another individual but in a different body, don’t walk but RUN! and don’t look back.

“Break through that imaginary ceiling you’ve placed over yourself.” Unknown

AND

“Life has a way of making you repeat the same patterns until YOU choose to break the cycle.”

Have an amazing day.

Life Lessons

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“Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.” Nicole Sobon

Starting over is a hard thing to do. It means accepting what has happened and making the decision to move on. It is not that simple is it? We often want to stay awhile and in some cases, we never want to let go because there is comfort in holding on. I know someone who has held on for over a decade and still refuses to let go, not because it was the best thing that had happened to him, I am sure in his mind he thinks it is, but because he is comfortable where he is and so his life is at a standstill. He rekindles the memories over and over again and never gives them time to fade or to heal. It is like a wound that refuses to heal because he keeps picking at it.

I think looking at the past and all that we’ve had to live through especially the bad parts as lessons learned instead of as things that happened which brought us to our knees, might just do the trick.

Speaking from my experience of the betrayal and the divorce that followed in my own life, it did bring me down to my knees. As I have said before, I felt like a bird with clipped wings and I was for a long time. It is only recently that I’ve decided to look at my past, mindfully go through the remnants of what was left of the life that was once mine that I realized I would never do it again. What? I would never settle for a man with no morals or integrity. These are the building blocks of any relationship and so I will not settle for less. That said, the lesson I have learned is that I won’t be dependent on one man to make me complete. I am complete as I am and learning that has opened new doors for me. I am stronger, more capable and I wouldn’t say fearless but less fearful. There are new roads to travel with my new found sense of freedom and knowledge of myself and I am taking it with me along with all the other lessons I will learn to the finish line.

“Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you.” Unknown

Losing a loved one is hard to bear. I was lost for awhile when it happened to me. I accompanied my friend on his final journey and back then I didn’t realize it would take superhuman strength to do that. My focus was on despair, anger, sadness and an incredible sense of unfairness. I didn’t see the strong woman emerging out of the cocoon she was in. ”I can’t” was my mantra but I learned soon enough that I was capable of so much more even if it meant losing someone very dear to me. Life was teaching me a lesson if I was willing to learn it. The problem was I wasn’t accepting any lessons at that time. I hugged and kissed him goodbye without breaking down, that came later. I think there is tremendous strength within each of us that only comes into play when called upon to push ourselves to the limit. I learned that weakness is an option, an easy one. It is easy to run and hide, but the other one, strength is learned while going through what is considered the impossible and still coming out on top. I did.

When I became an empty nester, I thought life had come to a standstill for me. Being a mom was my biggest role and I relished it. He was my world. When he left to pursue what all young men do, part of me refused to let go, the selfish part. Eventually I let him go with tears in my eyes and slowly, very slowly, I learned that I was fully capable of handling this and much more.

Life never stands still and those things that it throws our way, the ones that make us cringe and shy away or the ones that make us throw up our hands and say, this is enough, I can’t do this, well they are exactly the ones that will teach us who we are as a person, the ones that will open new doors if you let it and the ones that will take you to where you need to go. Did I pass with flying colors? Not without putting up a fight first. I cried and berated at the unfairness of it all but when I calmed down and looked within, I found the answers to go on and I learned that there was enough resources within me to battle even the worst storms one step at a time. Simplify your life, get rid of the excess that blinds you to what is happening and maybe you will learn the lessons life is teaching you. Remember it may not be fair, it may not be just but in order to get to where you need to be, it is necessary and that in itself might be the hardest lesson to learn.

“In my life, I’ve lived, I’ve loved, I’ve lost, I’ve missed, I’ve hurt, I’ve trusted, I’ve made mistakes but most of all….I’ve learned.” Unknown

Have an amazing day.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT

Quite often, we let the people we interact with on a daily basis and the world around us with its idiosyncrasies and events that happen to us interpret how we feel, how we react and how much worth we give it and if we are important or not in the grand scheme of things. I am guilty as charged.

The Dalai Lama said it best, “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

Yet we do it time and time again. Just yesterday, a girlfriend broke up with her so called boyfriend. He was for all purposes a NO-GO as far as I was concerned and it was clear for all to see including her but she was in a difficult place nonetheless. Finding out she was “not important” was a devastating cross to bear even if she saw it coming. Yet, this is nothing new. We hand over how important we are in a relationship to the other person and forget in the process that YOU as a person matter and you define how important you are and what you will stand for and what you won’t put up with.

“When you are important to another person, that person will always find a way to make time for you. No excuses, no lies and no broken promises.” Unknown

Relationships are hard enough as it is to navigate without having to deal with the “invisible man,” meaning the guy who says he loves you but when it comes down to showing you that you are important, he shows time and again that YOU are an afterthought and as far as the importance scale goes you are on the bottom rung of the ladder. The disappearing act happens not once, not twice but over and over again. No guessing game needed here. It is up to you to put yourself front and center and to say enough is enough!

“You are important and you matter.

Your voice matters.

Your life matters.

Your feelings matter.

Your story matters.

ALWAYS.” Unknown

Let me add to that. You as a person matter and don’t let anyone take you for granted either.

One Day It Just Clicks

“You realize what’s important and what isn’t. You learn to care less about what other people think of you and more about what you think of yourself.

You realize how far you’ve come and you remember when you thought things were such a mess that you would never recover. And you smile.

You smile because you are truly proud of yourself and the person you’ve fought to become.” Steve Maraboli

Finally,

“Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher.” Unknown

You are well worth the effort and don’t let anyone show you otherwise. Your worth is determined by you, so stand tall and show the world that YOU ARE IMPORTANT.

Have an amazing day.

The Hard Things

Most of us cringe at the thought of doing the hard things. Be it a break-up, walking away, losing a job and letting go of things that no longer serve us, it is an exceptionally hard thing to do. It is not something we look forward to because it means taking the bull by the horns and waging war on what seems to be an impossible task at first. Given time, patience, perseverance and a hard-headed look at what needs to be done to get to the other side, we find it is doable but not easy.

Easy is not what life is about. If anything, easy is not in its vocabulary. It seems at times that “living” is about going through the hard stuff. Sometimes one and sometimes a string of unsolvable and often times impossible situations but you and I know that it is those hard times and how you deal with it that brings out the strength in you. Sure, it would be easier if we didn’t have to deal with them but when has that stopped life from throwing it our way?

Where would we be without them? Probably having a great time without having to walk through the minefield of the hard stuff all equipped and designed to bring you down to your knees if you make a false move. There is no right or wrong way of going about it, it is trial and error and an undying resilience to take what is handed to you and to make it work for you. We’ve all made those false moves where we’ve crashed and burned and just when you think there is nothing left to do except to pick up the pieces and make the most of it, there is light at the end of the dark tunnel. There is that open door that beckons because as you know when one door closes, another one opens but it is human nature or at least it is mine to look past it and back at the one that has closed and is no longer available.

“Hard things are hard because there are no easy answers or recipes. They are hard because your emotions are at odds with your logic. They are hard because you don’t know the answer and you cannot ask for help without showing weakness.” Ben Horowitz

The hard stuff has kept me captive for longer than I want to admit. Truth is, I don’t do “HARD” well. Holding on is my nemesis, letting go of things that no longer serve me is harder still and moving on, well that is an impossible task at times. I hold on hoping that changes will come my way but it never does. Things happen for a reason, people are the way they are because they are wired that way and looking and hoping is not going to change things. However, whatever life throws your way, there is a lesson in there somewhere but it is hard to see when it first hits you. I think we fail miserably at times because we walk in circles, bang our heads on that closed door and refuse to move on until we are drained of energy and there is nothing else to do but to walk through that open door. Human nature at its best? I think so.

We are fully capable and have the strength within to meet the hard stuff head on and to tame it if necessary. It is the fear of the unknown in sync with the weakness within that works hand-in-hand to stop us in our tracks, makes us tremble where we stand as we whisper, I can’t. You and I have had our baptism by fire in one form or another, of this I am sure. The hard thing is just one more obstacle to overcome, nothing more, nothing less. We tend to make it more than what it is. Life is a never-ending circle of challenges in the form of “hard things” to overcome. It is mixed in with the good stuff but it is the hard stuff that brings forth the real you. Your strength, your power and most of all your ability to slay it where it stands takes courage, growth and an attitude of never giving up which will put the “hard stuff” in its place. Who knows if shown the door more often than not, it might decide to stay away. We can hope can’t we?

“I see your fear, and it’s big. I also see your courage, and it’s bigger. We can do hard things.” Glennon Doyle

Have an amazing day.

The Lighted Candle

The primary symbolism of candles lies in their ability to illuminate darkness. Candles, with their gentle glow, symbolize the search for truth, clarity and inner illumination. I equate quotes as having the same power. If you listen carefully they open doors, lead you forward and they teach without delivering a sermon.

Some of my all-time favorite quotes come from a blogger who is also the creator of the social media movement “The Single Woman.” She has written many “scathing articles and books and don’t forget quotes about her ex-boyfriend and about his pathological emotional abuse and betrayals. The lady speaks to my heart. Here are some of my favorite quotes written by Mandy Hale.

“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.”

“Just be yourself. Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful, magical person, that you are.”

And if they can’t handle you, it is their problem not yours.

“Ten years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.”

This one is scary. Sometimes you want to settle because fear takes over but settling means giving up and you are too important for that. Do not settle for less than you want.

“The less you respond to rude, critical, argumentative people, the more peaceful your life will become.”

This one is exhausting. Learning to deal with such people is never easy, add trying to make them see different is like talking to the wall. Let it go and embrace peace.

“You’re actually MORE likely to be single when you have a lot to offer because you’ll realize that most people aren’t worthy of all that greatness.”

I totally agree, well, it is actually a more positive way of looking at it.

“It’s OK to be scared. Being scared means you’re about to do something really, really brave.”

Fear is my second name but I suppose I have done things to be proud of in spite of it. Brave things? Maybe….

“Confidence is the ability to feel Beautiful without needing someone to tell you.”

Ok this one hit home. I wrote an article yesterday about one of my OFF days and looking like a nightmare in the process. A friend told me later, I can turn all your nightmares into dreams! The problem is I lack confidence so that didn’t do much to get me out of Nightmare land!

Confidence is not:

“They will like me.”

Confidence is:

“I’ll be fine if they don’t.”

“Sometimes our lives have to be completely shaken up, changed and rearranged to relocate us to the place we’re meant to be.”

Been there, done that, many times over. Still looking for the relocation part.

“A person being “too busy” is a myth. People make time for the things that are really important to them.”

This is the absolute truth. No time means YOU are not important.

“If you lost it, it’s because you’re meant to find something better. Trust, let go and make room for what’s coming.”

Doing exactly that but can someone tell me how long this process will take?

“To get over the past, you first have to accept that the past is over, no matter how many times you revisit it, analyze it, regret it, or sweat it….it’s over. It can hurt you no more.”

True but you sure can learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes the next time around.

“You’re beautiful just the way you are. Shine on, and dare anyone to turn off your lights.”

“The only keeper of your happiness is YOU. Stop giving people power to control your smile, your worth and your attitude!”

There you go, perfectly said I might add.

Where are you going today? Are you dealing with negatives or are you heading towards more positive pastures? Let go and move towards the light. Take the candlelight with you and pass it on to someone who really needs it.

Think of one thing you are grateful for. When I first heard this, I had a hard time finding just one little thing. Within a few minutes, I had my basket full! I am grateful for the roof over my head, the warm bed, the beautiful fall day, the food that gave me joy today and the people who are dear to me. Of course, Chachi, the cat is at the top of that list too.

HAVE AN AMAZING DAY

The Wrong Guy (Archives)

He’s the wrong guy if he does some or all of the things below. There are reasons why he’s the wrong guy so pay attention to your heart and listen to your intuition. It has your best interest at heart. The following quotes clearly speak to the heart of the matter.

“So many girls fall in love with the wrong guy simply because the wrong guy usually says all the right things.” Unknown

“The wrong man will always find reasons to leave. While, the right man will always find enough reasons to stay.” Unknown

“The wrong person makes you beg for attention, affection, love and commitment. The right person gives you these things because they love you.” Unknown

“The right attention from the wrong guy during a lonely time could fool you into thinking he might be the one.” Unknown

Loneliness creates dire circumstances and this is one of them. Finding our way to the wrong guy is made so much easier when loneliness steps in.

“Don’t settle. It’s better to face a little loneliness now than a lifetime of loneliness with the wrong person.” Mandy Hale

“When it’s the wrong person, anything you ask is too much.” Steve Maraboli

“At your absolute best, you still won’t be good enough for the wrong person. At your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right person.” Unknown

Pay special attention to this one because with the wrong guy, it is never enough. Nothing you do will be enough and he’ll find excuses for why that is so. It is not you, it is him.

“Never let the wrong man waste your time and precious energy.” Unknown

If he’s the right one, he’ll find his way to you. If he’s not, he’ll be gone in a blinding minute. Sit up and take notice before it’s too late. The wrong guy is not your destiny but rather he walks in to teach you a lesson. Love is not made up of moments spent together, IT IS moments treasured together and the wrong guy will just provide lip service with no substance to it and when it comes down to showing he cares, he’s nowhere to be found. The wrong guy will walk at a moment’s notice and will even tell you to leave while the right one will weather the storm and sometimes even walk you through that storm. Wait for that person and do not settle for anything less than love, respect and commitment.

“Ladies, the right man for you will pursue you. Actively. He won’t leave you wondering whether he’s into you or not.” Mandy Hale

AND

If you want to find happiness, stay the hell away from a**holes! This is something I have to drill into my head as well.

Have an amazing day.

Out of Control!

It started out as a normal evening. Chachi, the cat, sat staring out the window saying goodnight to his TV as dusk started to settle in. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a peaceful and routine evening.

I grabbed him from his window seat to bring him upstairs but I noticed hesitation on his part. It almost seemed like he was saying, “Stop manhandling me mummy!” He’s found his voice and these days if something doesn’t go to his liking, he lets it be known without hesitation. A sign of a spoiled cat?

We made our way upstairs and after giving him a kiss on his forehead I left him to do what he needed to do. His nightly routine consisted of a thorough cleaning, his daily bath so to speak. I marvel at the diligence he puts into cleaning himself and that tongue does some heavy duty work. I got ready for bed and walked back into the room and there he was looking none the worse for wear, just a tad fluffier. He had his front paws crossed and there was no denying the cuteness. We stared at each other, sort of a Mexican standoff, and as I held out my arms, he dashed towards me. Thinking he was going to jump into them, I lowered myself slightly. He ran fast and just before he got to me he veered to the left, slid under the bed, came out on the other side, jumped on the bed, dashed past me and ran into the other room! I could have sworn, he yelled, “Wheee!” Chachi, the cat, had no intention of going to bed and my nightmare was just starting.

Ignoring the little brat, I climbed into bed ready to meditate and to watch another episode of “Seal Team,” on TV. Little did I know that Chachi had other plans. He walked back into the room, threw me a look of disdain, jumped on the bedside table and sat there staring at me with an unwavering look. Meditation was now out of the question. I asked, “Do you want to go to bed?” He let out a loud mummy meow. I turned off the lights and the little monster cuddled up next to me. All was peaceful, nice even, for about 60 seconds. Then he jumped off the bed, landed with a huge thud on the floor and took off running. This pattern went on for the next 10 to 15 minutes. I finally yelled, “Enough Chachi! It’s bedtime.” He threw me this look which said, “That’s what you think!” and took off again.

Ignoring him as best as I could, I snuggled under the covers pretending to sleep. Cookie Dough decided it was time to play football. He walked over to his dry food, grabbed a handful, threw it on the floor and started kicking it around. He was in the best of spirits and having a whale of a time. I sat up and gave him one of my sternest looks but he kept on playing. We were heading into the midnight hour by now and furball was in his element. Decorum was out the window and so was good manners. He was bent on showing me that he wore the pants in this household and that he carried a whip as well!

To make a long story short, Teletubby wasn’t giving up anytime soon. Football was fun but he needed more entertainment. Walking to his toy box, he pulled out a stuffed bird, the kind that tweets. He slapped it around for a bit and it tweeted incessantly. Looking over at me with a gleeful look, he seemed to say, “Mum, this is fun!”

Note to Self: Kill that Bird!

Finally, at around 2 a.m. all that energy was spent. Walking over to the bed, he jumped up and landed with a loud thud again. These days there is no soft landing, boss-man does what he wants. He pressed his whiskers all my face purring loudly and then he plopped down and within minutes, he was in dream land or wherever cats go when they go to sleep. I, on the other hand, was climbing walls by now! Did Chachi just get promoted to Lord and master? God, have mercy!

By the way:

He’s up for adoption! Any takers?

Just kidding.

Have an amazing day.