I'll Never Fall in Love Again - Dionne Warwick

 There's no hidden meaning behind my choosing this song today LOL  I just really like it.  I actually heard the original version from Promises, Promises this morning on the radio and thought that Dionne had recorded it as well.  Of course she did.  Her voice and Burt Bacharach's music go hand in hand.  She charted with this one up to #6.  I always enjoy a good Dionne vocal! Enjoy!

Quick Capstone Update

 

Well, I am into week 3 of my capstone project class.  It's going ok, to be honest.  It is a lot of reading and researching things online.  That is fine and I need to keep reminding myself that it is fine.  I am doing some evidence-based research and so it's not exactly hands on active. So when I feel like I'm not doing anything, I have to remind myself of that.  I am on the right track and that is what matters.  Each week, we have competency reviews and that is going ok too.  I am looking back at classes I have taken and drawn from them. I know I can do better with them if I will start earlier in the week with them.  I tend to do things in a linear way and that is always at the end of the line. I need to shake up my way of doing things to produce a better product.

Anyway, I have reached out to some people and communities about LGBT sensitivity training for their employees and trying to find out what has been successful and what has not.  I have not heard back yet, but I am not giving up on that.  I am also sitting through as many online trainings as I can that are available to me.  It has been informative and even if it is not quite as on topic as I would like, I still find something useful in them.  Like I am finding training on DEI as opposed to specifically LGBT and I still watch those because I can cull from that as well.

It's a good process so far but being sick has put me way behind this week.  I know I can get things done, it will just take careful planning. Even sitting at the computer for more than one hour exhausts me.  Oh, well.  No one said this would be easy!  But I'll get it done!

No adulting for me this week

 

I am taking a break from being an adult for a few days LOL  I tested positive for Covid on Tuesday and it has wiped me out. While I am definitely on the mend, each day presents new and different challenges and symptoms.  Today it's like a very severe cold.  But that beats the fever I had and the aching joints.  Still, I am putting aside my adulting duties while I recover from this. God bless my roommate and the people I work with for taking such good care of me.  And I will admit, it is nice to be the one taken care of for change!!

Normally, I have my list of things I have to get done every day.  I have thrown that one out the window this week.  I need to rest and not stress myself over domestic duties. I also need to focus on my schoolwork.  I have not felt like doing anything these first few days of the week but I need to focus what energy I have on that because there is a lot to do between and now and Monday.  I will get it done, it is just going to have to be in different intervals and I am going to focus on some different things this week.

As much as I don't like being sick, it could definitely be worse.  I will get done what I absolutely have to and leave everything else by the wayside until I'm back up to par. That is all.

Being sick

 I don't enjoy being sick.  I don't think anyone does. And after 5 years of avoiding it, I finally have covid.  It has been a rough 48 hours but I'm feeling better today.  Just incredibly tired right now.  Anyway, normally when I get sick, I get depressed. But I'm not this time.  I am in a relatively good mood for feeling like complete crap LOL

But I've been thinking about how being sick when I was growing up was never a scary time for me.  Mom was a great nurse, and she always made us feel cared for. In the late 70s and early 80s, we did, in fact, have the saltines, ginger ale, chicken noodle soup and The Price is Right to cure whatever ailed us.  That and love almost always seemed to work.

While I have all of those things in stock just in case, I doubt that they cure covid LOL.  But that's ok.  I'm taking things slowly and will be better.  It is just nice to remember being taken care of back in the day.  It's comforting. 

50 at 50 - travel

 One of the things that I want to do this year is get some travel in. I haven't really traveled in a long time.  Not even weekend trips here and there.  It has not really been in the budget, but I do know there are ways around that. And I will be looking into those ways this year. But I also have not really made the time to do it.  I have not planned in advance, which I really need to because of work.  There are a few places that can be day/weekend trips that would not be affected by my work schedule.  I just need to coordinate better so that I can make it happen.  These are places I have been to and want to revisit.  I will post later the places I've never been to that I would like to travel to. Here are a few of the places I'd like to go this year:

Charleston, SC - The last time I was there was about 15 years ago.  I did not get to do much sightseeing as we were there for a wedding and that took up most of the weekend.  Would be lovely to go exploring the city again.

Old Salem, NC - This one is just one county over, so I really have no excuse other than my laziness for not going. And it's been over 30 years since my last visit!

Wilmington, NC - I used to go here every summer when Aunt Billie was living.  I have friends there that I would love to go for the weekend and visit.  One of my favorite cities!

Colonial Williamsburg - It has probably been 40 years since I was there.  Mom and Dad took us for a family vacation once.  I still have the fife that we bought as a souvenir!

Savannah, GA - when I was at Tybee Island with the Abernethy family about 16 years ago, we took a day trip into Savannah.  It was a wonderful time, and I would love to go back. 

Hopefully I will make it to several of these places this year.  And if I do not, I will keep them on my list of things to do and adventures to have!

Gifts for others this year

 While there is no question that I love giving gifts to people in my life, I think that this year I am going to start doing something different.  I want to give some gifts to people that I don't know.  Since I do not have an immediate family of my own and by that, I mean having children and grandchildren, I feel like I could use my resources to make some child's Christmas better.  I do realize that we are half a year away from Christmas, but why wait to get started?  

The thought occurred to me the other day when I was on Facebook and a picture of a Holly Hobbie tea set showed up on my feed from one of the holiday groups that I belong to.  It's something that Santa brought to me when I was about 4 years old. I loved that set and wish I still had it.  Oh, well.  Anyway, remembering how special Christmas is to children really got to me because Santa coming was such an event to me as a child.  While Santa did not bring me everything I wanted, I cannot imagine what it would have been like to wake up on Christmas morning and Santa had not been there at all. By the way, I have rectified Santa's oversights and bought some of those missing toys for myself.  

Yes, I bought her for myself after Santa forgot!

So, my goal this year is to set aside a certain amount of money each month and go shopping for toys.  With the tariffs upon us and prices rising, I know it is going to be doubly hard for some people to provide for their children at Christmas. I would love nothing more than to be that Santa for kids who might have to go without.  It's just something I have been thinking about, and I really encourage others to do something similar. Giving to others is often the best gift I can give to myself. 

Multitasking

 I am not a very good multitasker. I never have been.  When have to many things going on at one time, I never seem to get them accomplished.  And if I do, then they are not up to the level that they should be if was focused on only one thing at a time. That is one of the things that makes trying to balance home life with school difficult for me.  I have a lot of things I need to get done around the house each week while at the same time I have a lot of schoolwork to get done as well. I know that I can get lots of things accomplished if I put my mind to it. I just need to find a system that works better for me.  

I make a daily list of things to get done around the house.  I'm thinking that I need to start doing the same thing with my schoolwork.  Map things out and get them checked off one by one instead doing a little here and a little there. I believe that will motivate me more to reach the goals I want to.  I really do wish that I was one of the helicopter people with octopus arms that could do a thousand things at the same time but alas, I am not.  Not even close. Tonight, I am doing laundry.  I have schoolwork that I need to be doing as well but I cannot focus while I've got laundry going.  Yes, it sounds weird, but it is what it is.

Everything will get done.  I will see to that. It just may take longer than I hoped but the end products will be what I want them to be.  That is all. 

Easy Street - Annie

 The film version of the musical Annie opened on May 21st, 1982, 43 years ago!  I loved this movie so much and was obsessed with this record.  I still have it!  Our whole family went to see this one Sunday after church and I just was mesmerized!  One of my favorite numbers from the film is Easy Street.  Enjoy!

Why do I enjoy doing my household inventory?

 One of the things on my 50 at 50 list is to complete my household inventory.  I know that may not sound like much of an achievement in the long run, but I put it on there because it is truly something that I love to do.  Strange, I know haha!  And I've written here before that it all started with Aunt Sara's estate.  She did two household inventories:  one of her possessions and one of the family items.  She lived in the family estate after all and there were things still there that belonged to all of the children, not just her. I loved reading those documents.  They are history.  And that is what I want to preserve.  I am not sure who the history would be for, but I still enjoy doing it.

I love the learning that comes along with doing this inventory.  Looking at each item and writing down the history that I know of the piece.  Who it belonged to.  How that person came to own it. How long they had it. One of my pieces of furniture has "lived" in Wingate, New York, Virginia, Tennessee, Raleigh, Wilmington, Monroe and now Greensboro.  It's done a hell of a lot more traveling than I have! Then I like to look things up and learn more about the pieces.  I learn styles, patterns, manufacturers. I love what things were used for, how they were part of everyday life in different eras. For example, I have a celery dish.  Who uses those anymore?  Well, in all honesty, more people than I thought still have these and use them.  Not necessarily for their original purpose because having celery on your dining room table doesn't have the same impact that it had 150 years ago! It is also a good escape for me. Looking at things from the past and imagining what life was like in those days. I wonder how my family members used these things and cherished them. I love that. 

It is just interesting for me to learn these kinds of things.  I love learning.  I didn't always love learning, but I do now.  And that's one of the main reasons I love doing it.

"What if?"

 There is a difference between simply looking back on life and spending way too much time wondering "what if?". I fluctuate between those two. I need to spend more time simply looking back and growing from what has been, using those things to move forward. I need to let my history be part of who I am now yet remain history.  I cannot change it, so why dwell on it? 

I tend to spend a lot of time in the land of "what if?" when things are not going well.  I know that I am not the only one who does this.  It's a natural thing to do. It just does not help me. Yesterday was a hard day for me.  Not bad, but hard because I had a lot of what I call "adulting" going on. I went to get an oil change and came out with a new tire. While I was at the garage, I got a text about my Dad's health. I talked to him later that evening. He was doing ok, but I can tell it was weighing heavily on his mind. 

In the time after I got off of work and until I went to bed, I was in the land of "what if?" off and on throughout the night. It made it hard for me to concentrate on what I needed to be doing, ie homework. I finally just stopped and tried my best to clear my mind. Thinking about all of the things I could have and should have done was not helping me.  It is time to start thinking about what I can do and will do. That will be better for me.  Easier said than done, but at least I will give it a try.

Taking my car in

 I will be the first person to admit that I know very little about cars.  It was never my thing.  I am not opposed to learning about cars these days, it is just not at the top of my list.  And so, it is very comforting to know that I have a garage that I can trust where I take my car to. I know that I pay more for things that I could, technically, learn how to do myself and save some money.  But, oh well.  We pay for convenience in our society, and this is one area where I definitely am willing to do that. 

I took my car in after work to get my oil changed and a new set of wipers put on.  I asked them to check one of my tires because I have had to put some air in it several times over the past month.  I figured there was a slow leak there somewhere that could be patched.  Of course, I was wrong.  While there was a slow leak caused by a nail in the tire, it could not be patched. I needed a new tire.  Not exactly what I wanted to hear.  My budget is tight right now because of paying tuition.  I did actually consider waiting but then I realized that could do more damage if something happened to the tire while I was on the road.

I got the new tire and paid for it.  That hurt LOL I have a credit card specifically for my garage, but I decided not to use it.  As much as I want to see money in my bank accounts, I thought back to something that my Dad and others have said to me before:  if you can't pay for it with cash, you don't need it. So, I chose to pay with my own funds.  I do have a credit card that I use only for necessities now. Not that this tire is not a necessity, it is just the principle of paying for it on my own.  

Ah, well.  It's all done now.  At least until I take my car in later this week to get more things done LOL I might end up using the card then since pay day isn't until next week!!  We shall see!

Sunday mornings

 It is Sunday morning now and as I sit here sipping my coffee, my mind has taken me back to 401 Brookgreen Drive and the Sunday mornings I spent growing up there. Church was always a must on Sunday mornings unless one was sick. We would be in the car by 9:30 ready for the 10:00 Sunday school to begin.  When I was younger, Mom would brew a large urn of coffee for her Sunday school class, and it was always my job to keep it stable in the car ride to church.  I'm happy to say that I never spilled the coffee!

The Sunday paper was always an important part of our ritual.  Of course, Dad was always up before the sun, and he'd usually have most of the paper read by the time we got up. After reading the paper, he focused on the crossword puzzles until it was time to dress for church.  The Sunday paper was always exciting as a kid because it meant two things:  the funny papers and the weekly tv guide. Back in those days, and it feels strange to say that but oh well, the funny papers were huge.  It was a 6 to 8 page, large, in color, insert that we poured over.  Ziggy, Garfield, Peanuts, For Better or Worse, Hagar the Horrible, Family Circus, Dennis the Menace.  I loved them all. And the tv guide!!  Kids today just do not understand the planning to took to schedule one's tv viewing.  You had to really pick and choose, especially in the days before VCRs, not that kids today know what those are either haha! It was some serious stuff!

There was rarely any tv on Sunday mornings. The only instance I remember is when Mom let us watch Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas on HBO.  That was the first time I ever saw that, so it is permanently burned into my memory.  Now, if I'd spent Saturday night at Grandmother's, she would let me watch tv before getting ready for church.  Jem and Kids, Incorporated!  Loved them both. Then, of course, we had to actually get dressed for church.  This was back in the day that you didn't wear anything casual to church.  Sometimes I miss that, but I suppose people need to be comfortable these days. From  6th grade on, I wore a tie every Sunday.  I didn't hate wearing them, I just was (and still am) no good at tying them!

Sunday mornings were full of love in our house. Our house was full of love every day of the week, but today I am simply remembering this one specific time of the week. 

Recipe of the Week - Fancy Green Beans

 

This is a tasty and easy recipe that you can throw together quickly.  It makes a wonderful side dish to a casserole. It's one of those recipes that I normally have everything on hand at a moment's notice, which makes it doubly delicious!

Fancy Green Beans

1 clove of garlic, chopped

3/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried parsley

2 cans French green beans, drained

Cook garlic, onion and celery in butter for about 5 minutes.  Add basil, rosemary, salt and parsley to pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in green beans and heat through for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Fancy green beans with Grandmother's chicken casserole and some marinated tomatoes

50 at 50 - adding to my list

 I found several things that I have added to my 50 at 50 list.  Even though I may not achieve everything on the list, it is fun to dream!  We shall see how it goes.

Attend a marching band competition

I have always enjoyed going to marching band competitions.  I didn't always enjoy competing in them since we almost never won LOL But I loved going to them.  When Bill was in marching band, we would drive to competitions to see them perform and had a great time.  I have also been to some regional drum & bugle corps competitions and they are fantastic!

Volunteer

I want to be able to give back to my community and this is a great way to do that.  I have volunteered in the past and I really enjoyed it.  I don't know what kind of volunteering I would like to do, but the possibilities are endless! And I might even be able to volunteer some place that would help my career.

Try 2 new recipes each month

This may seem like a no brainer, but I have been slack lately in my cooking experiences.  I have so many cookbooks and need to utilize them more.  I just love reading recipes and I need to try some and make this growing collection justifiable haha!

These are just a few of the things I have added.  I am definitely still open to suggestions as there are still a few spots left on my list!  

The last class begins

 

Well, I have officially started my last class of graduate school.  At least I hope I have haha! I am going into this capstone project with a mixture of anticipation, excitement, and complete fear.  But that is good because it will keep me on my toes and make me work hard. This week is short, however.  Before I received the syllabus, I just assumed that since the classes began on Wednesday, that the first week's assignments would be due the following Wednesday at 8:00 a.m.  That's the normal time when weekly assignments are due. No, this week they are due on Monday at 8, so I have to cram two extra days' worth of work into this one.  Well, it's the first one so I think I can handle it.

I am going to have to be careful though.  I know myself and how I operate.  I do very well scholastically under pressure.  So, I do not need to be waiting until Sunday night to start my two short papers.  I will not do that!!!  I will do some outlining tonight and then flesh things out over the next two days.  I have done a lot of research already but there is still so much more to do over the course of the next 6 weeks.  I really am truly excited about it.  I know what I am doing, and it is time for me to show that and be proud of my abilities. 

That is all. 

I Shall Believe - Sheryl Crow

 This is another song that came to me first on a mixed tape.  Thank you, Courtney! Something about these lyrics really speak to me on many levels.  And it's also a beautiful song that I find haunting.  I hope you enjoy it. 

50 at 50 - small update

 And we're well into May now.  Nothing is on hold as far as my 50 at 50 list goes. It's just going at a very slow pace haha!!  And that is ok.  Today, I am getting closer to my goal of getting my master's degree.  I start my final class today.  I am both nervous and excited about it. So, that is one goal that I am inching towards.  Keep me in your prayers for that one!

Last weekend, I went to see Newsies at the High Point Community Theatre. This helps me with both seeing new shows and local business patronage.  I have never seen Newsies before, and I quite enjoyed it.  The cast put in a lot of work in that show, and they should be very proud. I also was supporting one of our local arts organizations.  And these times, that is very important. Before the show we ate at a place called Smash and Sizzle, another local restaurant. It was delicious.  All in all, a great evening.

So, as I work on my master's I am hoping that I can get some more of these things checked off.  We shall see.  Wish me luck!

Going to the dentist

 

As an adult, I do not mind going to the dentist.  It has taken me decades to be able to say that.  When I was a child, I absolutely hated going.  I did not hate my dentist, Dr. Gibson, but I hated what he did. It was not his fault; he was simply doing his job.  I just hated having cavities filled and I had plenty of them.  Tooth care, unfortunately, was not something my parents were incredibly strict about.  But the sight of that needle to numb me up completely terrified me.  Once I had a cavity filled without any Novocain simply because I was afraid of the needle. It was not fun, but I made it through. 

Now, I don't mind it at all.  And now they numb the area of the shot before giving the shot, so it all works out.  What I hate these days when I go to the dentist is coming out with one less tooth than I had when I went in.  It has happened to me several times now.  While I do take much better care of my teeth than I did as a kid, all of those years of not taking care of them like I should have caught up with me.  I brush, I floss, I rinse.  While I know all I am doing right now is preventative care and slowing the process down, I feel better about myself for trying my best to take care of my teeth.  Or take care of what's left of them.

Do not get me wrong, I still have the majority of my teeth.  And for what I have put them through, they are still in decent shape.  But I still get nervous going to the dentist when I know there is an issue going on in my mouth.  Today's appointment is only for a cleaning.  However, I have been having extreme sensitivity to cold and hot on two of my back teeth.  My fear is that my dentist, who I really like, will tell me they need to come out.  I am tired of that being the "go-to" answer for my dental problems.  I hope that after I explain to him what is going on that he will at least try to solve the issue without using the word "extraction". 

I have about an hour before my appointment this morning, so we shall see how it goes. On the bright side, if they do have to come out, at least I will not weigh as much as when I went into the office LOL  Ah, well. So ends another escapade in adulting.  Wish me luck!

Thought of the Day

 

As I get ready to begin my final class for grad school, I am really going to have to work hard to stay focused and put my energy where it needs to go.  As an adult, I have always had this issue of not focusing on what I should and wasting time on things that did not matter in the end. I have a lot of work ahead of me over the next 6 weeks. I am going to have to find a balance between work, school and life and divide my energy accordingly.  I do not want one area of my life to fall behind because I am super focused on something else.  I know myself and I will do better if there is a good equilibrium in place.  I can do this, it is just going to take some discipline.  Luckily, I just need to follow the example set for me by Mom and Dad and I will be able to do this without issue.  That is all. 

Today's Moment of Mindfulness

 

There is great truth in the familiar saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Be aware of how we pre-judge people by their appearance, among other things. Being mindful means seeing everything in the present moment and not leaping to unfounded conclusions. 

Mary B.

 Today is Mother's Day.  It is the day we officially celebrate the women that we know as Mom.  Although, personally, I celebrate my mom every day.  While many of us, luckily, have or had the best mom in the world, Mary B. was the best mom in the world for me, and I am so thankful that I had 21 years with her. I celebrate her in the way I get up and face the world every day.  I celebrate her every time I am in the kitchen cooking.  I celebrate her when I sit down to write a letter. I celebrate her when I go antiquing and when I listen to music and when I cross stitch. I celebrate her every day. 

Mary B. embraced my differences the moment I came out of the womb.  And, believe me, I came out differently.  She encouraged me to be whatever I wanted to be and to do the things I loved to do.  As a gay child in the 70s and 80s, even though I didn't realize why I was different from other kids at the time, she was always there to let me be myself. She let me play house.  She encouraged me to play school. She took me to the library week after week so I could check out Cinderella books and the Mary Poppins records. She gave me my first Strawberry Shortcake miniature for Christmas.  Well, Santa gave it to me but, you know LOL I didn't know at the time exactly how much strength that took from both of my parents, but I am so grateful that they did that. 

Mary B. dealt with terminal illness with grace and dignity.  She showed me that life does not stop simply because of a diagnosis.  She never missed a concert or a play that I was in. She would proofread every paper I wrote in high school and didn't hold back. Her illness did not get in her way of a being a friend to those she loved.  The side effects of her chemo would not prevent her from baking a cake for anyone's birthday or for any other occasion. She taught me how to always look for the good in other people. She had an amazing network of support in her life, and I realize that it was because of her incredibly big heart. 

Mary B. set the bar very high for me and each day I do my best to live up to what she knew I could do. She watches over me and is with me still in this amazing journey called life.  Happy Mother's Day, Mary B. Fornes!

Paying for graduation

 

In my mind, I realize that colleges and universities are as much businesses as they are beacons of learning.  Everything costs money.  I get that.  I paid on my tuition this week and.....well....ouch.  I knew it was coming as class starts next week, but it still hurt. At least I have some savings put aside for this kind of expense.  I can build that back up, no worries. And when I look at my bill I see all of these different fees that really don't affect me as far as my student life.  I know that they have to be there and so I pay them without issue. 

What I don't really understand, or think is right is having to pay for graduation.  I filled out my application to graduate yesterday.  I did not stop to think that there was going to be a fee associated with this process. But, alas, there was.  $125 to graduate.  Why?  I have already paid you so much money to teach me!!!  Can't you give this to me?  I have earned it.  I personally think this is ridiculous.  Yes, of course there is a cost to print the degree and mail it.  I believe that the university should eat that cost after what I've paid to be here. This should be a gift to graduates.  Those of us who graduate during the summer don't even get our own ceremony.  We can participate in the December ceremony but that will cost money for cap and gowns and such.  Nope, won't be doing that. There's probably a fee to sit in the coliseum and listen to the commencement speaker LOL 

Of course, I added that fee to my bill.  I am so excited about that. Hopefully this degree won't get shoved into a drawer and forgotten like my last one, especially for $125!!

Networking

 One of the most important things that I have learned by going back to school for my master's degree is that networking is very important in the world of gerontology.  And that is something that I am going to need to work on.  As much as I love working in senior living, if I want to branch out into something else in senior services it is going to require networking.  Job opportunities come from who you know many times in this business.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  I am just not very good at it....yet.

Several months ago, as part of our career lattice program at work we had to attend the TRLA meeting that was being held at HG. That's the Triad Retirement Living Association.  I had a good time at the event and enjoyed meeting a few people.  We didn't stay for the entire meeting because we were at work but it was good practice for me for future events.  I even talked with my AED about attending future TRLA events.  But there are many ways for me to network.  Our local organization for older LGBT adults, the Triad Aging Association, is always having events.  Most of them are held during the day, but I should be able to start making some of the ones that are after work hours for me.  And once school is done, I will have to some time to volunteer as well.  That never hurts and gets my name out there.

I am going to start building my career network.  Even if I stay in my current position for awhile, I will at least have some contacts and hopefully good resources.  BTW, I love where I work so I absolutely don't mind staying LOL  Anway, it's something that I need to start doing.  It will help my career and my confidence....cue social anxiety.  I'll start looking for more events and see how it goes!

That is all. 

Time to look ahead for Christmas

 I suppose it is time for me to start my Christmas list for this year.  With the economy going the way it is with tariffs and such, who knows what will be available in the next 6 months.  But this year, it will be much more calculated shopping than in years past.  Not to say that I did not put thought into Christmas gifts in the past, that is HARDLY the case.  I love to shop for gifts for other people.  But this year, it is going to be much more deliberate. No impulse buying.  For one, it's probably not going to be in my budget to impulse shop.  Having to pay more for goods from overseas will put a stop to that.  I have also cancelled my Amazon Prime account so I would definitely be paying out for anything I bought on there. By the way, not having that really has helped my impulse buying.  Whew!

I will start my list here soon.  I will shop as locally as possible, that is for sure.  And I will do my best to make this Christmas as happy a one as I can for the people that I love.  Birthdays too!  I need to check my birthday book and see who's going to need a gift soon.  I love buying gifts for other people and I am hell bent and determined not to let what is going on in our country squash that feeling of joy that I get.  Gift giving is as much about me as it is about others in my book.  And I never expect anything in return for it.  We shall see. 

If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman

 Another great hit from the 70's!  Once again, this was on a mixed tape made for me by the great Mary Floyd.  I played that tape so much!!  Love this song.  

Thought of the Day

 

I realize that we live in a world that rarely holds people accountable for what they say.  I'm not talking about politicians or celebrities because who knows what to believe when they say things anymore.  I'm talking about just your regular average person.  People say whatever they like without fear of consequence.  I was simply not brought up that way.  If I said something out of line, I paid for it. Sometimes I paid dearly for words that never should have been expressed.  But today, especially with social media, people have no filters.  And almost no one calls them out on it.  That drives me nuts.  It really does. I know that I have said things on social media that have cost me friendships.  I regretted my actions but there was no taking it back.  Taking posts down doesn't make a difference. Once it's out there, it's out there. 

I've gotten to the point that I'm going to call people out in one way or another if that kind of statement runs across my feed.  I'm tired of people feeling entitled to say whatever they want, no matter how rude or hurtful, and nothing happens to them because of it.  I realize that my actions probably do not affect them in any way, but it definitely makes me feel better.  Oh well.  Time to get over that and move on.  That is all.

Pantry Shelves

 I love that the older I get the more excited I get about little household things.  I think I've talked about it before like the joys of Christmas gifts that are actually useful.  Oh, how I have loved opening up a set of new pots that were under the tree or getting a new vacuum.  My priorities have definitely evolved over the last 50 years.  But, then again, it's come full circle.  Being a child that loved playing house, it all makes sense now.  I loved it then and I love it now.

One thing about my little house that I rent, which I do love as I've been here 15+ years, which has always bugged me is that there is no pantry.  Now, there may have been one at some point, but I don't know.  There have been several remodels of the house.  It didn't originally have the laundry room or den.  Those were added later so there may have been some kind of pantry prior. But as much as I love cooking and grocery shopping, a pantry is something that is on my household bucket list.

Well, my roommate has intervened and found a solution for me.  He got me a new set of shelves to go into the laundry room that I can use as a pantry.  We measured the area carefully to make sure that the ones he'd found would fit and they do.  They arrived last week, and I spent Saturday putting them together. Luckily, they use an interlocking system, so no real tools were needed. I felt very accomplished at having put them together.  I have never considered myself good with things like that, but I actually can do it.  I just need more experience...food for thought for later on!

I got them moved into my laundry room and started stocking the shelves.  I have been building up my pantry for awhile now and there have been bags of groceries all over the place.  It felt so amazing to get those items on the shelf and out of the floor.  Organizing this smorgasbord of groceries was pretty fun for me.  And I love how it looks. I never knew I would get so excited about something like this, but there you have it.  Another exciting escapade in adulting!!

My new shelves!

My antiques store dreams

 One of the things I have always wanted to do is have an antiques store.  If you know me at all, it must come as no surprise I say that. One of my favorite things to do as far back as my early teens is going to antiques shops.  Anytime we were on vacation, if there was a shop nearby, Mom, Grandmother and I would sneak off to visit.  We usually left empty handed, but sometimes we would find a treasure.  It's filled with wonderful memories for me.

So, I have always wanted to have a shop of my own.  Even Dad has said that he thought I would go into that business.  Right now is not the time for a stand alone shop, though.  For one, it's not financially feasible for me at this moment.  Also, antiques shops are not like they were 40 years ago.  While I do believe they are coming back into fashion, it is certainly not like the 80s when they were in demand. There is the option of renting a booth somewhere.  There are several lovely antiques malls around here that rent booths.  I will have to research the cost of that:  monthly rent, shelves, displays, etc.

I have also thought about doing an Ebay store.  Since I buy a lot on Ebay, why not sell on there. Lots of the vendors I buy from have their own stores.  That is definitely a possibility.  Of course, there will be costs there too:  shipping and shipping supplies.  That is where I need help.  How do you figure out shipping costs?  I google it and get so many different answers it is enough to make my mind explode!  But that is something to research and come up with a good solution.

It's just something I have been thinking about.  Whether or not I can do it right now remains to be seen.  But I am excited about the thought.  To share my love of antiques with others who have the same love would be wonderful!

That is all. 

The Sleeping Bag

 It's interesting to me what can trigger a memory that's been tucked way back in my mind.  Yesterday, I was doing a list challenge online.  It's a website that has different lists and you compare what you've done, seen, read, etc. to what is on the list.  What can I say, it passes the time and can be interesting.  I was doing a list of movies someone had seen and checking off the ones I've seen.  She had lots of Disney movies on her list, and I have seen all of the classic ones.  One of those was 1977's The Rescuers.  It is the story of Bernard and Bianca, two mice who work for a rescue organization who help in finding kidnapping victims.  In this story, they are searching for a young girl named Penny.  

I don't know if Mom took us to see that movie in its initial release. I would have only been two when it came out in June of 1977.  I know I have seen the movie, but I don't remember when exactly.  Not that I would remember going to the movies as a 2-year-old either LOL. But that Christmas (or it may have been the next) Santa brought me a The Rescuers sleeping bag.  I was so excited to get it.  Bill had a sleeping bag, and I guess Santa thought it was only right that I had one too.  I did not use it all that much as there was not much opportunity.  I didn't exactly go camping at that age haha!  But I did carry that bag around the house with me a lot.  As a pre-school age child in an era where my entertainment came mostly from my imagination, that sleeping bag became a good cape sometimes and it also made for a good fort.  Ah, the days of having a fort in the den.  Good times.

There was one time when I was very sick and I slept in that sleeping bag.  Well, Mom brought a chaise lounge into the den and set the bag on that so that I could both rest and watch tv.  I don't remember what was wrong with me, but I do remember the comfort of that sleeping bag.  I do not know what ever happened to that bag.  I obviously outgrew it but I don't know if we gave it away or sold it at a garage sale or just threw it away because it was worn.  I loved it, though and still love the memories attached to it.  All of this by doing a list challenge.

That is all. 

Please Mr. Please - Olivia Newton John

 I have been a fan of Olivia Newton John's since I first saw her in Grease decades ago.  I have several of her albums on vinyl and a few nice compilation cds of hers as well.  This song is definitely one of my favorites of hers. It charted both in pop and in country.  Enjoy!

50 at 50...it's a lot harder than I thought it would be

 

Well, here we are with one third of the year is over and I am nowhere near accomplishing things on my list.  Hell, I still don't have 50 things on my list LOL  But, I am not giving up. And I am not going to be discouraged if I do not accomplish everything on my list. It's just something I want to do for fun. By the way, I am happy to take suggestions on things.  I may not want to do the same things that you do, but it could give me some ideas!

Since the last time I wrote about this I have done a few things that have added to my list.  I want to see more theatre this year.  Stephanie and I went to see Side Show at UNCG.  It was good.  It wasn't great, speaking of the show itself not the production, but it was an entertaining evening out most definitely.  We also went to a Japanese restaurant before the show on Tate street called Don before the show.  It was excellent!

In an attempt to get out and meet people, I accepted a dinner invitation from a new friend named Morris.  We went to a place called the Pavillion.  Apparently, it has been around for like 30 plus years here in Greensboro and I had never heard of it before. Another new to me local restaurant.  It was another nice evening and I'm glad I met someone new. 

So, I am getting there slowly but surely.  I am hoping, once I start my class in a few weeks, that I can check off some of these things during that time because it will be good for me to have something to look forward to at the end of the school week.  Either way, I am enjoying this journey!  50 and 50!

My last class in grad school....and then?

 

In two weeks, I will begin my final class in graduate school.  While I am very much looking forward to this class and having this degree, I am also sad to see this chapter in my life coming to an end.  I really do enjoy being a student.  I enjoy learning. I am not sure I would have said that when I was growing up.  But the truth is, I have always enjoyed the academic and artistic aspects of my educational experience. Some of the people I encountered along the way I could have done without, but that is all water under the bridge now.

I have no idea what I can and will do with this degree once it's done.  The world of gerontology and working in aging is as much about who you know as it is what you know.  And the who I know is pretty limited right now.  Once I am done, I will start doing more networking, definitely. But first, I have to focus on the task at hand:  my capstone. I know it will turn out well because I know a lot more than I think I do.  I have had several people ask my advice on certain topics regarding an older adult that they know.  And it felt good to be able to give advice that made sense.  Advice that showed I had retained a lot of information over the past three years.

We shall see what this leads to in my life.  I doubt I will go for a doctorate of any kind in this even though I do love the learning.  Maybe another masters?  LOL  Doubtful but you never know! I want to thank all of you who have been so supportive of me during all of this.  Sometimes life has gotten overwhelming but knowing I had a good support system, I made it through those times and succeed in my classes.  I am looking forward to what the future has in store!