It is not my intention to use this blog as a place to rant; I prefer to stick to talking about the everyday things in life that make it an adventure. However, in the past week I have seen two things in the news that just have me asking myself, and everyone else, Why can't children just be children???? Why do we encourage them to grow up before they've even had a chance to enjoy childhool???? I'm talking about the recent announcement of a new doll (Breast Milk Baby) available for little girls as well as the "push up bikini" recently unveiled by Abercrombie & Fitch designed for 7 and 8 year olds. Really??? The doll in question apparently comes with a "bib" type thing that the little girl wears over her chest. Pressing the doll against the bib causes the doll's mouth to start moving, simulating breast feeding. Do we want to encourage little girls to want to experience breast feeding before they are much more than babies themselves???? As for the "push up bikini", what in the world is there to push up at that age anyway??? Do we want our 7 and 8 year olds to strut around the beach trying to look like their teen age counterparts, inviting the stares of men and boys both? Doesn't this just encourage children to want to be grown up before their time? And won't "push up bikinis" just make a statement to the male of the species that little girls are fair game??? Both of these new products just make me want to cry; our children are already subjected to way more "adult" behavior and products than is good for them, why do we need to give them anything more???
Let the children be children; let them enjoy what little innocence they are still allowed. The world will come at them quickly enough when they are older. I really believe they should have as carefree a childhood as possible. There's plenty of time to be an adult later.
What do you think?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Do You Worry About Having an Empty Nest?
I have three grown children. Everyone said as they were growing up that one day they would all be on their own and I would suffer from "empty nest syndrome". I also have a cat named Asti. With a cat in the house, the nest is NEVER empty. The only difference is that it's no longer YOUR nest! The cat is the master of all he surveys be it the sofa, the love seat, or the bed! And he expects to be attended to ... constantly and upon demand. In the same way an infant trains his/her parents to understand what each cry means, so does a cat train its "staff" to know what each MEOW means! There is the "meow" that means "I'm hungry and you haven't filled my dish in the last hour", the "meow" that means "I'm napping and I don't WANT to get down off the sofa", even the "meow" that means "I'm really lonely when you turn out the lights and go to bed, can I sleep with you??" It's enough to drive you crazy! Then again, when he looks at you with those big, beautiful eyes when you come home from work and meows "I'm so glad you're home!" it's worth every crazy minute! I've included a picture of my cat Asti just so you can see why it's so hard to resist his welcome home meow.
Do you worry about having an empty nest? No need to worry - just go get yourself a cat. By the time you're done waiting on him hand and foot it will be just like the kids never left! LOL
Have a great day!!
Do you worry about having an empty nest? No need to worry - just go get yourself a cat. By the time you're done waiting on him hand and foot it will be just like the kids never left! LOL
Have a great day!!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Orange Barrels
I don't know about where you live, but in Michigan on sure sign of Spring is the appearance of the dreaded Orange Barrels! This is the season for repairing all those potholes, resurfacing the roads that are more holes than road, fixing bridges, generally repairing all the damage casued by the harsh winter conditions.
As I drove to work this morning it occurred to me that sometimes I too need to do repair work. As I go through the adventure that is life, I sometimes have to endure less than optimal conditions. Sometimes even harsh conditions. As a result, my spirit becomes broken, my self-confidence crumbles, my normally optimistic outlook becomes less than optimistic. It's time to put out the barrels to help me keep track of where the work needs to be done and get busy. I also need to remember that, unlike road repair areas, others can't see the orange barrels I've set out so I need to try to be patient with them if they seem to be interfering with the repair schedule.
It also occurred to me that if I have orange barrels in my life, then it's possible others do too. That being the case, I need to give them a little more understanding during their repair time too.
If you have repairs to make after a long harsh winter, don't feel alone. I suspect there are many of us who need to get out the orange barrels from time to time. Good luck with your repairs, whatever they are!
As I drove to work this morning it occurred to me that sometimes I too need to do repair work. As I go through the adventure that is life, I sometimes have to endure less than optimal conditions. Sometimes even harsh conditions. As a result, my spirit becomes broken, my self-confidence crumbles, my normally optimistic outlook becomes less than optimistic. It's time to put out the barrels to help me keep track of where the work needs to be done and get busy. I also need to remember that, unlike road repair areas, others can't see the orange barrels I've set out so I need to try to be patient with them if they seem to be interfering with the repair schedule.
It also occurred to me that if I have orange barrels in my life, then it's possible others do too. That being the case, I need to give them a little more understanding during their repair time too.
If you have repairs to make after a long harsh winter, don't feel alone. I suspect there are many of us who need to get out the orange barrels from time to time. Good luck with your repairs, whatever they are!
Friday, March 25, 2011
What's Your WIG?
Just lately in my job there has been a move to identify goals and then plan specific things to do to reach them. I've been thinking about it and I realize that the process we are starting to use at work, can work for anything you might need to achieve. Briefly, it works like this:
Step 1: Identify the Wildly Important Goal (WIG) you need to accomplish and set a deadline for reaching it.
Step 2: Identify 3 things you can do that will most likely result in reaching your WIG and when/ how often you will do them.
Step 3: Keep track of your progress. You can make a chart, a graph, a checklist, whatever works for you to help you visualize how close to your goal you are.
Even though there are other things you may need to do, always make sure that you accomplish the 3 things you have listed and the WIG will take care of itself. The other things you need to do will just fill in around those 3 things.
Step 4: When you've accomplished your goal(s)..... celebrate!!! Reward yourself with something you truly enjoy. For example - treat yourself to a massage, a sporting event, an hour of quiet reading time, a lunch out with a friend. Pick whatever most appeals to you and fits in your budget.
My WIG for this weekend is to remove the clutter in my house ... one pile at a time!
What's your WIG for this weekend? Or for next month? The year?
Try the steps outlined above and let me know if it works for you!
Have a great weekend, Linda
Step 1: Identify the Wildly Important Goal (WIG) you need to accomplish and set a deadline for reaching it.
Step 2: Identify 3 things you can do that will most likely result in reaching your WIG and when/ how often you will do them.
Step 3: Keep track of your progress. You can make a chart, a graph, a checklist, whatever works for you to help you visualize how close to your goal you are.
Even though there are other things you may need to do, always make sure that you accomplish the 3 things you have listed and the WIG will take care of itself. The other things you need to do will just fill in around those 3 things.
Step 4: When you've accomplished your goal(s)..... celebrate!!! Reward yourself with something you truly enjoy. For example - treat yourself to a massage, a sporting event, an hour of quiet reading time, a lunch out with a friend. Pick whatever most appeals to you and fits in your budget.
My WIG for this weekend is to remove the clutter in my house ... one pile at a time!
What's your WIG for this weekend? Or for next month? The year?
Try the steps outlined above and let me know if it works for you!
Have a great weekend, Linda
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Not So Adventurous Day
Somtimes life gives you a day that is calm, peaceful, with relatively little adventure. And that's OK! I love life and I love adventure, but a nice unadventurous day now & then just gives me a chance to regroup and prepare for the next great adventure.
When I have a day like that I like to take the opportunitiy to think about everything I have to be thankful for and thanking God for His care & provision. I also like to read a good book, take a looong nap (if it happens to be the weekend), spend quality time with family & friends.
What do YOU like to do when life hands you a calm, peaceful, unadventurous day??? And what things do you have to be thankful for? If you actually spend time consciously thinking about that, you may be surprised how many things you come up with which will be a BIG help when life gets a little more adventurous than you're comfortable with! I know that works for me!
Have a great day, Linda
When I have a day like that I like to take the opportunitiy to think about everything I have to be thankful for and thanking God for His care & provision. I also like to read a good book, take a looong nap (if it happens to be the weekend), spend quality time with family & friends.
What do YOU like to do when life hands you a calm, peaceful, unadventurous day??? And what things do you have to be thankful for? If you actually spend time consciously thinking about that, you may be surprised how many things you come up with which will be a BIG help when life gets a little more adventurous than you're comfortable with! I know that works for me!
Have a great day, Linda
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
What's YOUR adventure like today?
It's always good to remember that everybody has a different adventure. What may be going on in MY life adventure today, is not going to be the same as what's going on in yours. I've found that by sharing my adventure with others and having them share theirs with me, a person can learn a lot about appreciating life.
I've been writing for a few days now, giving you all an idea of what my adventure is like, expressing opinions, etc. I'd love to hear back from you about YOUR daily life adventure. I'll bet you could teach me a few things! Leave a comment or start your own daily blog and leave me the link to it. I really enjoy getting to know other people and hearing about how things are in their lives!
Hope to hear from you soon,
Linda
I've been writing for a few days now, giving you all an idea of what my adventure is like, expressing opinions, etc. I'd love to hear back from you about YOUR daily life adventure. I'll bet you could teach me a few things! Leave a comment or start your own daily blog and leave me the link to it. I really enjoy getting to know other people and hearing about how things are in their lives!
Hope to hear from you soon,
Linda
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Not as easy as you might think!
That's what I have to say about blogging every day! It's not as easy as you might think to come up with something interesting and relevant to say. Then again, I guess we can just consider that as part of this adventure we call life !!
Are you one of those folks whose family (especially children) believe that you can fix anything???? I come from a long line of "fixers". For some reason, we've grown up with the idea that, because we are the "MOM", we're supposed to be able to fix anything for anyone, but especially our families. Talk about adventure!! I was 41 years old before I finally was able to admit to myself AND my family, that I am not a miracle worker and I CAN NOT fix everything! They still don't always believe me; probably because for years I had everyone fooled into thinking it was true - including myself. Now, don't get me wrong, being able to be the only person who can save the day can sometimes be an enjoyable thing ... but what happens when there really is something you can't fix???? Then everyone cries about how you've let them down, you didn't come through for them, sometimes even going so far as to say you don't really love them.
Take it from me .... DON'T DO IT!!!!! It's much better to make them stand on their own feet and figure out the problem for themselves. I'm not say you should never help your children out; sometimes they really aren't able to solve a problem. But generally, if they got themselves into a position where something needs to be "fixed", then they can find a way to fix it themselves. If you always fix things for them, they may never truly grow up and stand on their own feet.
Telling your child or family member "no" is never easy, but allowing them to learn to work things out by themselves helps them on their way to realizing that life really IS an adventure every day!
Have a great day; and don't put so much pressure on yourself to fix things for others. You probably have enough of your own things to fix!
Are you one of those folks whose family (especially children) believe that you can fix anything???? I come from a long line of "fixers". For some reason, we've grown up with the idea that, because we are the "MOM", we're supposed to be able to fix anything for anyone, but especially our families. Talk about adventure!! I was 41 years old before I finally was able to admit to myself AND my family, that I am not a miracle worker and I CAN NOT fix everything! They still don't always believe me; probably because for years I had everyone fooled into thinking it was true - including myself. Now, don't get me wrong, being able to be the only person who can save the day can sometimes be an enjoyable thing ... but what happens when there really is something you can't fix???? Then everyone cries about how you've let them down, you didn't come through for them, sometimes even going so far as to say you don't really love them.
Take it from me .... DON'T DO IT!!!!! It's much better to make them stand on their own feet and figure out the problem for themselves. I'm not say you should never help your children out; sometimes they really aren't able to solve a problem. But generally, if they got themselves into a position where something needs to be "fixed", then they can find a way to fix it themselves. If you always fix things for them, they may never truly grow up and stand on their own feet.
Telling your child or family member "no" is never easy, but allowing them to learn to work things out by themselves helps them on their way to realizing that life really IS an adventure every day!
Have a great day; and don't put so much pressure on yourself to fix things for others. You probably have enough of your own things to fix!
Monday, March 21, 2011
And the thunder rolled ....
I heard it .. all evening and most of the night ... the thunder from the first Spring storms. All I could think was how glad I was that it wasn't SNOW!!!!! Winter doesn't want to give up just yet, so the week ahead looks a bit chilly and damp. That's ok; I still have many indoor "adventures" to complete before I'm ready for spending more time outside than in!
So, what's on your agenda today???
My goal for the day is to remain cheerful and optimistic no matter what life throws at me. Everything is an adventure and if you look hard enough you can always find a positive of some kind!
I have work today of course, but I'm planning for a productive day there as well. Right now our WIG (wildly important goal) is to have 25 life applications completed and submitted by June 30th. We're going to make it too! We have planned our work and we'll work our plan and the goal will take care of itself! Ha! I need to do that at home too apparently! LOL
The Bible says that this is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! I agree! It's all about attitude. No matter what life throws at me (or you) today, the secret is to rejoice and be glad for it. Find just one positive in your day and focus on that!
Make it a great day ... after all, it really is up to YOU what kind of day you have!
So, what's on your agenda today???
My goal for the day is to remain cheerful and optimistic no matter what life throws at me. Everything is an adventure and if you look hard enough you can always find a positive of some kind!
I have work today of course, but I'm planning for a productive day there as well. Right now our WIG (wildly important goal) is to have 25 life applications completed and submitted by June 30th. We're going to make it too! We have planned our work and we'll work our plan and the goal will take care of itself! Ha! I need to do that at home too apparently! LOL
The Bible says that this is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! I agree! It's all about attitude. No matter what life throws at me (or you) today, the secret is to rejoice and be glad for it. Find just one positive in your day and focus on that!
Make it a great day ... after all, it really is up to YOU what kind of day you have!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
First Day of Spring
Spring ... New Beginnings, New Adventures Today seemed like the best day to start a new blog chronicling my daily adventures, opinions, irritations, and thoughts. I hope you all find this blog interesting and informative. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions of your own.
How appropriate that the first day of Spring should fall on Sunday, the first day of the week! The first thing I want to do today is to thank God for providing it for me; the sky is blue, the sun is shining, birds are singing their happy songs ... it's a perfect day for adventure! Unfortunately, today's adventure won't be all fun & games - there is work to be done!
I'll check back in tomorrow and let you know how the adventure turned out! Meanwhile, on your adventure today, tell someone you love them, thank God you are alive, and do at least one thing for someone else and one thing for yourself. Live each day like it's an adventure and it will surely be one!
How appropriate that the first day of Spring should fall on Sunday, the first day of the week! The first thing I want to do today is to thank God for providing it for me; the sky is blue, the sun is shining, birds are singing their happy songs ... it's a perfect day for adventure! Unfortunately, today's adventure won't be all fun & games - there is work to be done!
I'll check back in tomorrow and let you know how the adventure turned out! Meanwhile, on your adventure today, tell someone you love them, thank God you are alive, and do at least one thing for someone else and one thing for yourself. Live each day like it's an adventure and it will surely be one!
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