Introspection.........

"...why should we not calmly and patiently review our own thoughts, and thoroughly examine and see what these appearances in us really are?" 

~ Plato

 

Introspection......I feel like my entire year thus far has been filled with it!  I guess I have to take blame for that though.  I set out at the first of the year and decided it was going to be a year of change for me.  I was going to make some big changes, I was going to do things I would have not done in the past and so on.  I have to say, I have done a little better at this than I originally thought I would and we are not even half-way through the year so I am pleased with that.  Of course with all of that introspection comes the good and the bad.  There are light and easy days and there are heavy days.  Days that you just feel a bit like the weight of the world is planted firmly, centered on your chest.  My nephew informed I had been changing quickly....lol  I told him only because I pushed myself to do so.  He said there were things he would like to change about himself and I told him he had to just make it a challenge for himself as I have done.  Approach one thing at a time and most importantly, start before I did!  HA!  

Anyway......More on all of that later.   I took Starla to see Bridesmaids on Sunday.  It was actually pretty funny.  Then we took a ride, had to have a snap shot!  Speaking of, when I got home from the movies I checked my messages to find a message from someone who said:

"I went hiking today and took several pics which had me thinking of your daily post, wow you have some great shots and just want to know that your post were enough to get me out and shooting some."

" I guess I kinda wanted to thank you cause I had a great day shooting and hiking, which I've not done as much as I used to, so thanks for being you"  ~ Bri

Wow, thank you so much for sharing that with me.  It means a lot to me that you took the time to actually tell me.  I know there are a ton of people that read my blogs and check out my daily snapshot blog without ever speaking a word.  I am totally cool with that, don't get me wrong.  My blogs are set up so that anyone, anywhere can read them, comment on them or even just click next if they have no interest.  It is always nice to know though that somewhere they have a positive impact on someone. 

The snapshot blogs was one of my new challenges.  I am happy to say that so far I have done good, there is a post for every day of the year!  I love photography.  I am by no means an expert and I have a lot to learn.  Maybe, just maybe, one day I will save for a more proper camera and maybe even take a class.  Who  knows.  Although I have always been more of one to learn by trial and error.  I know this is not always the best or easiest way but I think that in the end all that you learn, good and bad, tends to stick with you more!  Just my opinion, we all have those ya know.  Either way, it has been good for me and it has allowed me to open my eyes and sometimes see something crazy beautiful in something that just months before I would have driven right past and not taken a second look.  It allows you to appreciate so much more in life, you take more time, you really take things in. Who knows, maybe I will go crazy and continue it through 2012?  We shall see.  I will start working on my book soon.  I think that if I don't start uploading and placing photos now that when I am ready to do my 2011 Coffee Table Book I will be completely overwhelmed!

Well, it is Monday, as much as I truly do not want to I suppose I should get to work! 

So, I have been a bit slack due to the simple fact that I just haven't been home much!  So today I took my nephew to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean IMAX 3D movie.  We made a trip by Dillards so I could pick up a few things and then we headed to lunch at Calhouns.  Food was great as always and our waitress was quite entertaining as well.  My nephew cracks me up.  As most know I sort of swore off dating for some time and well recently I decided to get back into it.  So, my nephew decided it was time he tell me what HE thought was important for me to focus on.  (He is 16 so that makes it that much better)  So listed below are the things he thought were Important:

• He has to be very good to me
• He should be able to get along with him (my nephew - ha ha ha, gotta love him)
• He should make me laugh
• He should take me nice places 
• He should have a good job
• He should enjoy some of the same things that I enjoy doing
• He should not enjoy something that will occupy too much of his time and take attention away from me (this one made me giggle)
• More importantly he says, this guy should NOT hurt me.  If he does he will break his legs and .....Well I just wont repeat the rest of that but I am sure you get the point there.
• Oh, and he said that he needed to be quick and witty.  Since I am...lol
• He said that he can't be easily intimidated.  
• He has to be able to keep up.
• He said in some aspects he needs to counter me.

We discussed marriage and kids and all that stuff.  I also discovered that there are "bonus points" added for the one that actually asked if my nephew approved!  LMAO!  He was not too keen on the idea of me possibly getting married in the future.  He said that when people are not as good as they should be that Divorce ends up causing a lot of hurt and that he does not want me to be hurt that this would really, really upset him.  He is an insightful little thing isn't he?  So, even though he is in this stage of "I want to be a BA"  (bad ass, of course the fact that he doesn't even say it says a lot)  lol  It is very clear that he is a smart and loving young man.

IMAX was good as always - Can you go wrong with a 60' screen?

So tomorrow will be Starla's day.  We have plans to go see Bridesmaids.  I hear it is pretty funny.  She is a little in "girly" mode and decided that POTC 3 was just of no interest to her at this time.  LOL  No biggie, I haven't seen a lot of movies in the theatre lately so I am happy to take her.

I am way behind on house cleaning so I am hoping this next week to get caught up on that for sure!!  I can't stand that my house is so dirty!  Good lord, I have become my parents!  EEEKKKK

So, anyway there is a quick little update on things.  I will try and write more later!!

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than youever dreamed yourself to be.

~ Patanjali – the author of Yoga Sutra

M♥M

Well, today is Mother's Day and My Mother is, AMAZING.

 

My teacher, my rock, My Best Friend!

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

~ Washington Irving 

I must admit, we do have our moments but, no matter what I always know that when nobody else is in my corner, SHE IS.  She is always there no matter what my sister and I or the kids need.  Really, she is always there for anyone, not just us.  She has always been that way though.  She taught us about God, how to be polite and respectful, how to be a friend and how to share. She taught us how to cook, knowing she would never actually stop; she taught us how to take care of ourselves.  She taught us the perfect way to roast a marsh mellow, how to laugh; even when we don't always feel like it.  She taught us to get out, explore, and this one is very important...when you gotta go, you gotta go but; never go up hill because that will get your shoes wet!  LOL


I know over the years my sister and I have absolutely put her through some hell; we were kids, we don't always do as we are taught.  Good and Bad, all of the proud and not so proud moments; Mom has never given up on us, she has always had our back and always been there to fight for us.  She taught us all of the big and little things in life but more than anything for her undying and unconditional love for us she taught us how to love; being the most amazing example one could ask for.  My mom has sort of always been everyone else's mom.  I have a couple friends during my teen years that actually lived with us for a while.  I remember growing up the BVS Football team always yelled "Hi Mom!" as soon as they saw her.  The kids always gathered at the house, we played ball in the back yard, fought in the front yard and she was always there.  Jimmy came to her when he fought with his father, Josh hung out and even went shopping the day after Thanksgiving, Geoff was willing to clean or so do anything she asked.  I am pretty sure he was much better behaved for her than anyone he has ever known.  When one girl was out with friends, drinking and terrified to go home in the middle of the night she knew it was OK to call Joyce and she would take care of her.  As always, she did.  Over the years we have no doubt become best friends.  We shop together, travel together and yes we actually "hang out".  For 15 years it was just my mother and I.  I can always depend on her.  Growing up she always set her own wants and needs aside for us kids and to this day she still does that very same thing.  I could not have asked for a better and more loving mother.

Because I feel that in the heavens above

The angels, whispering one to another,

Can find among their burning tears of love,

None so devotional as that of "Mother,"

Therefore, by that dear name I have long called you,

You who are more than mother unto me.

~Edgar Allan Poe

There are 365 days in every year.  Make no mistake, I recognize daily how blessed I am to have MY M♥M.  I have so many friends that have lost their mother's at such young ages.  I have a number of friends who's mothers are too far away for them to see.  I even know a few that never had the blessing of meeting their mothers, but I know their mother's have met them and watch over them daily, patiently awaiting the day they will finally meet again.  I often say a little prayer for them when I am thinking how lucky I am to have her and even more how lucky I am there she is literally just a call away when I need her.  I call her every day, not out of obligation or request but because it simply puts my heart at ease.  That will never change!  I could ramble on forever and ever about all the reasons I love my mother and about all the things that make her so wonderful so I will just stop now....LOL


To all of my friends that are Mother's, I hope you all have a beautiful and blessed day with those you love!  Love you!

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. 

~ Jewish Proverb

Friday Fun

This has been such a long week.  I have to admit that before I even made it 10 houses down the road to the stop sign this morning I was ready to go back home and crawl back into my pjs and chill out on the swing....oh well work it is.  Ok, it is Friday, my boss is playing golf, the other gal in the office refuses to work Fridays and the other guys are out delivering checks.  All of this = A Long Drag Ass Friday for ME!  Oh well, why not find something to mindlessly entertain ourselves with in between the purse monotonous joy of doing the "Friday busy work" we have let stack up all week.....C'mon, you know you do it to.  It is the always easy but always boring crap work for the days when you need to do something, you just don't feel like putting too much effort into it.

So, this site has some fun and interesting little tests.  Check out some of the things I have learned about myself already this morning.  I can even survive for 32 seconds after kicking a bear in the balls!:

Let me just add, I am thankful this one is only 47%.  

If it was 50% or above, stick a fork in me, I am done!

I was heading for the hills!

Now Christie & Tiff, you are going to love this one!

HAVE SOME FUN THIS FRIDAY!

It just seems to be a very long week.  I think I said yesterday that it was dragging a long like a fat bag of bricks! No joke!  It has just been one of those weeks.  My ability to procrastinate with certain things seems to be beating me at the moment.  I really need to get it in gear.  I need to get my  house cleaned.  I need to get the weeds taken care of under the porch before they consume me.  I need to find a way to clear my mind, to relax, to just be.  I need a BREAK!  I feel like I have just has so much going on.  I actually overslept Monday morning...this is simply not something I do.  I don't recall the last time I had a decent night's sleep but if I had to guess it might have happened then, had I not had to get up of course.  I find myself lately forgetting things or overlooking simple things, this is not my nature.  I don't forget anything and I am overly observant.  I don't feel like I have been lately though. 

I always seem to have a million different things on my mind.  Some things stick and some slowly, over time fall away. Gotta clear my mind.

I read this and it just seems to be resonating with me right now for whatever reason.

Sometimes you have to say no to the good,

so that you can say yes to the better

~ thanks for that amylee

So we are approaching a holiday and in typical, spoiled, unappreciative fashion this individual I often speak of is already complaining about what they will or will not be getting for Mother's day.  I mean good lord, give it a rest already.  Someone said "Hell, what's it matter, no matter what he gets you he will be in trouble. It is either not enough or too much or not the right 'fit' or too cheap or to expensive."  LMAO!  I don't think she took too much to that but seriously that is exactly what it is.  I get so tired or such ungrateful asses.  With all that has happened these past couple weeks, with people in our own community that have lost everything they own, some have lost loved ones and you are really going to continue to be such a pompous ass.  WOW....It just never ceases to amaze me, the behavior of others who seem to live in their own little world.  I mean really, The Truman Show was just a movie.  The world simply just does not revolve solely around you. Of course these are also the types of people that when something goes wrong in "their world" they expect everyone to stop, drop everything and devote themselves to them.  Not going to happen.

Maybe SHE should take a moment to look at the images below.  20 minutes or so from where we live and work.  Yes we have dented cars, cracked/broken glass, tress and shrubs that had seen better days but come on, you can't look at these images and really tell me any of us have a damn right to be complaining about material things in life. 

Camp Creek Community in Greene County Tennessee.

 

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, 

nor the most intelligent that survives. 

It is the one that is the most adaptable to change"

~ Charles Darwin

So....I have been OK about updating but not great.  I will continue to improve on that.  There has been SO much going on lately.  Let's see, the weekend of April 9th Starla and I took off on another one of our mini road trips.  We always make it home before the day ends but often get lost a number of times along the way.  That is part of what makes it so fun.  We venture off somewhere new and always see something a little scary and something amazingly beautiful it seems.  We have a good time though rain or shine.  We ended up making a huge day of it and went all sorts of places and found all sorts of "new" places.  New to us at least.  We finished off in Johnson City with dinner and then started our drive home.  It was supposed to have stormed all day but ended up being sunny and beautiful.  Just as we were headed out the rain started.  Just as we entered the Green Co line on I81 there was a tornado warning over the radio and about that same moment we started getting pounded by hail the size of golf balls and even bigger.  Needless to say it made the almost full hour that we sat there, moving no further than maybe a quarter mile if that - VERY LONG!  Let me just say, the abrupt Tornado Warnings is not something that happens around here.  When it does, it usually doesn't end well.  I guess we can say that is one down fall of living in these beautiful mountains!  It was not fun for sure!  When all was said and done and when the reports from Green Co residents and officials were coming over the radio before we even made it home I was just THANKFUL.  My sister said that mom called her and told her when she spoke with me (while I was sitting in the storm with nowhere to go) that I was handling this all quite well.  I was.  I just kept reminding myself (even though I just had my car repainted!) that this is why I have insurance and that Starla and I were OK.  We even got out of it without any broken car windows unlike a lot of other people.  We were safe and in the end that was really all that mattered.  They had a tornado come through when my mom was little and one of her sisters (my aunt) actually got picked up by one and is still with us today!  I will try and remember to upload the video we took on the interstate later, don't have it with me at the moment.

April 27th-28th - This event already has a Wikipedia page!  That is just crazy!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadoes_of_2011  Of course, this page is not fully updated and will continue to change.  That last streak we had like this I believe the news said was 1974 and even that when did not create the death toll that this past week did.  Over 342 was the last count released over 6 states.  Alabama, they were absolutely pounded by the fury of mother nature.  Greene Co, Tennessee (mind you, where Starla and I sat on the interstate just on the 8th) was hard hit in our area.  They are still cleaning up.  Everyone is still cleaning up in all 6 states and several are still doing "Recovery" and there are news posts of tons of "missing".  It has all just been crazy.  It catches everyone off guard here because Like I said, especially in the area I live in, this sort of thing just doesn't happen every season!  Lots of thoughts and prayers still going on in my heart and mind for ALL who are dealing with this.

His daddy doesn't allow his face on the internet but he is a doll!

April 30th started off with a beautiful morning at the park taking pictures of one of my most favorite little guys ever and with one of my most favorite people!  Good morning with Julie and Dawson and he did pretty good for a 2 year old at the park. He is a joy though.  I just adore him. The only kids I like more are Starla and Jeramy....LOL  After that I headed towards NC with John.  We ended up walking the gardens and trail at Biltmore, exploring a little of the old neighborhood and then decided to take the long drive home over the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It was nice.  Had not done that in ages and I grew up doing it every weekend with mom and dad so it was a nice day.

I love having this park so close to me!

Biltmore Gardens

May 1, 2011 (US)

US forces kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan

'Justice has been done,' Obama says; 9/11 mastermind is buried at sea after deadly gunbattle"

Well now, this has clearly been a long time coming.  From the moment it was announced I have watched the posts on FB and read peoples comments, not saying too much on the matter.  I have a friend currently in the Middle East who will be leaving in another week or so headed for India.  I have another friend, hopefully, on their way here now.  They were in Dubai and headed this way but by the 20th will be heading straight back to the Middle East (using this loosely, I know, can't really give out a specific location).  I hope they both along with everyone else are safe as they travel.  There has been a lot of talk in regards to the US respecting the Religion of this man.  Without getting into religion it can be simply put that we are taught from a young age that "Two wrongs do not make a right".  I think that for us to stoop down to the level of our enemies does nothing but show we are no better than they are.  This is a pretty clear rule that we have learned at one time or another in our lives.  It is also a good thing to point out that in being respectful of that we are not out to enrage others just so we can behave like a bunch of jerks!  If you want to get all religious about it.  As Christians we are taught to love all of God's children.  That does not discriminate between race, sex, religion, region or anything else.  It is a simple and clear rule.  We are taught that it is not our place to judge others, that is God's place.  If we choose to be disrespectful of someone elses beliefs then you are not being very "Christian".  It goes to the whole being a hypocrite thing.  It is like "selective hearing", so many people chose to be "Christian" but only when it suits their current needs.  They have created "Selective Christianity". I would like to say that everyone's disrespectful outbursts will have no role in what the future now holds given this recent and long awaited news but I feel that more than ever it will not go as planned.  I guess only time will tell.  I have saw a few people that have spoken well in their response.  I will share what my friend Rita Davis posted with you as it is the one that resonates with me.

Freedom rings true! Hypocrisy.... sounds about the same. God bless the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for all of us, and may God bring true justice to light. I do not rejoice in someone's death, but in justice being served. I pray that in this instance - we will be thankful and somber at the events unfolding. None of us can correctly judge this man, situation or these people for eternity... let's keep that in mind - we will all stand before God at some point. But by Grace We Will Be Saved! Let's not be self righteous.

 I think that everyone truly needs to make more of an effort to be respectful of others.  I have a lot of friends with very different views in life.  Some are straight, some are gay, they are of all nationalities, some are true Christians and some don't believe.  I DO NOT Judge them based on these things.  It is simply not my place to.  I need to live my life within the boundaries I set for myself, not someone else.  I embrace all of my friends and all of their differences.  If I don't want someone telling me that I can't believe in GOD and I can't believe in loving whom ever it may be that I choose to love then I clearly have no right telling someone else.  They have the same right I have and if I expect them to respect mine I have to respect theirs as well.  In the end, for me, we are ALL children of GOD and it is his place, not ours.  I appreciate the eclectic group of people I have in my life and I learn something from all of them and in the end if they can learn something positive from me, I am happy with that.  If they were all just like me, well I would venture to say my back yard would be filled with holes 6' deep....LOL

My  mom just LOVES the word HYPOCRITE!  Ha ha ha.  I remember one day my brother using that word and mom turned and immediately asked for the definition of Hypocrite, when Brandon could not tell her he ended up writing the definition until he could never forget it!  LOL  Trust me, there is an upside to being the baby in the family.  The first time I told my mom that she "irked" me, I damn well knew the spelling and definition.  I knew better!  Gotta love my mom!

By the way mom, thanks for waking me up!  I call and check on mom every morning as I am driving to work so when I had not called and it was later than my normal time she called me.

I hear this wonderful song in my ear, I keep turning it down though because I am sleeping!  Finally I hear more lovely music in my ear and I pick up the phone and see mom's smiling face:

me:  grrrrr Hello!

mom:  what are you doing?

me:  I am laying here!

mom: Are you still asleep?!?

me: No, I am waking up....geeesh.....

mom: You are supposed to be at work! You overslept!

me: OH CRAP!

mom: You better call work!

bawhahahahahahahaha......Happy Monday Morning!

It is not sufficient to be worthy of respect 

in order to be respected. 

~ Alfred Nobel

Respect for ourselves guides our morals; 

respect for others guides our manners. 

~ Laurence Sterne