Versatile Blogger

Hello, I was so happy to receive the Versatile Blogger award from Unikorna at http://unikorna.blogspot.com/. I highly recommend visiting her blog and getting to know her. She is the type of person who has her own ideals and mindset and I admire that in a person. When it comes to being a sweet, caring person, she is tops, with her constant support and friendship. So Thank you again Unikorna!



Now for 7 random things about me, hmmm let me think?
1) I love being a Grandmother, it's all fun and games!
2) I enjoy walks along the waterfront in Kingston and
Plymouth Ma. It brings me serenity every time
3) I have become more of a cat person, I use
to only want dogs, now it's the other way around
4) I kinda baby my baby who is now 18, I can't
help it, he is all I have left at home
5) I am in aww of how my daughter has grown
into such a wonderful women and mother.
As well as my best friend :)
6) I am constantly intrigued by human
behavior. You never know what you learn
next about people!
7) I'm really grateful my husband and I
are going to grow old together, we have
been through the toughest of times, but
somehow, someway we keep on getting back
to the best of times :)

Even though I would like to pass it on to
everyone, these are my choices. Please visit
these great blogs!

http://nodifyouhearme.blogspot.com/. A brave women
who shares her life with what she thinks may be
Bipolar Disorder while helping and inspiring others.

http://robbiescorner.com/
Bonnies shares her life experiences with Autism and SPD to help
raise awareness.

http://ginasmusicmemories.blogspot.com/
Always a fun blog to visit to enjoy music and memories

http://www.pregnantcancer.com/
Sandy shares her journey through being pregnant with cancer. Her story is
inspirational for all of us.

http://wordsthatetch.blogspot.com/
Robert always writes beautiful poems

These awards are an excellent opportunity to get to know new people and discover amazing new blogs so I challenge you to visit them. So the rules of this award say that: In a post on your blog, nominate up to 15 fellow bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.

In the same post, add the Versatile Blogger Award.
In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
In the same post, include this set of rules.
Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

Overcome

Hello, Imagine if we all overcame the need to fit in, found another way to live besides the norm's this life puts upon us, what an extraordinary world we would have.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)

Sunday Funnies

Hello, I hope your having a good weekend. Today I will be enjoying another Patriots Playoff game. One more win and we are off to the Superbowl! For some Sunday Funnies I chose these amusing news stories. I think you'll get a kick out of them. Have a great Sunday,
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)

Students at a new Utah high school are facing disappointment after their choice for a new school mascot was rejected for one of the strangest reasons possible:

The Canyons School Board refused to accept the Cougar as a mascot out of fear that it might offend older women. In the current edition of the Webster Dictionary, the second definition for cougar sights a slang terminology that refers to "a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man." To say that the board's reaction to having a school play as the Cougars was a bit over the top is certainly an understatement!


Patricia Deshong, 25, and Quentin Deshong, 22, were arrested Jan. 7 in Metal Township, Penn., after attempting to blow up a vehicle using flaming tampons. The incident took outside of a bar and, as a result, the duo were arrested on a variety of charges, including attempted arson, public drunkenness, and criminal mischief

Beezow what?

Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop, 30, was arrested Thursday afternoon on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and a violation of probation in Madison, Wisc.

Zopittybop-Bop-Bop was born Jeffrey Drew Wilschke, according to court records unearthed by the Capital Times. He legally changed his name to Beezow Doo-Doo Zoopittybop-Bop-Bop in October.

According to Zopittybop-Bop-Bop's apparent Facebook account, when he's not in trouble with the law he enjoys activities including "eating," "standing," walking," "thinking," and "diamond." He's also single... so there's that, ladies!


Timothy Clark probably didn't think his plan through when he allegedly shoplifted from a Wal-Mart at the same time that police were holding their "Shop With A Cop" charity event

The Power Of The Gentle Personality

Hello, I hope your doing good today! I am doing great. I actually got a call for a job interview! And not just any job, a job I really want! I don't like getting my hopes up, but it is days like this that help give me a sense of renewed hope, that I so need, in this haze of a job search I have been on. I'll share more about the job if it works out, just keep your fingers crossed for me, and maybe your toes too. Ya, I guess you could say I'm that desperate that I would ask you to do the toes too! When I came across this article today from Gerti Schoen, it was just what I needed to read. I know I have become more insecure about myself, more sensitive, over the past year and a half. The insecurity and sensitivity stems from trying to start my life over, achieving the goals I had set for myself a long time ago, but never had the opportunity to see them through. Reasons being from life circumstances, to my own mistakes. And even though I can honestly say I am at peace with the past and happy to be where I am at today, those insecurities just have a way of creeping up on me now and then. I have been sensitive to the fact that maybe I won't achieve what I set out to, maybe there is something I need to change about me to fit in somewhere, you know how it is when those negative thoughts start rolling around in your head! But thanks to this article by Gerti it has helped to give me a new perspective today. That being a sensitive, and sometimes insecure person, does not have to be a bad thing. It has just been part of the journey I need to take to be become an "actualized version" of myself. I like that don't you? Achieving an "actualized version" of ourselves. I hope this has helped you too if you are having any insecurities about yourself or your life as well.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)



The first thing that absolutely must be said about introverts and gentle people of all kind is that we have a lot to offer. Many of us walk around with the nagging worry that being aggressive and flamboyantly extrovert is the way to go. That we have to change at all costs in order to be successful, noticed, appreciated and so on.

We don’t.

Gentle people can have very fulfilled lives. We find meaning and confidence in working hard at what is important to us. We crave connection with others and want to lend a helping hand. We are empaths, people who have the ability to put themselves into another person’s shoes, and thus create loving and harmonious relationships.

Most of us, in fact, have an artistic streak. I am thinking about the legions of young actors and artists who come to New York City, enduring rejection and discouragement seemingly without end, but they keep plugging away at their goals. They may not always end up becoming big movie stars. But they find the self-exploration that comes with the job rewarding and meaningful.

The sensitivity we possess may sometimes feel more like a curse than a blessing. But when employed skillfully, it enables us to create powerful relationships of mutual respect and inspiration.

Not all gentle folks are shy or socially awkward. Some of us are curious and outgoing, have lots of friends and always turn to new interests. But most of us do prefer smaller settings and one-on-one meetings to big gatherings. We crave the intimacy of a quiet tête-à-tête that enables us to focus on the deeper aspects of a conversation. We may come across as aloof, but nobody could ever accuse us of being shallow!

So no, you don’t have to become another person to enjoy life. If you are feeling bad about yourself, chronically anxiety ridden or inferior to others, it’s not about trying to be different, but to become a more actualized version of yourself. To bring out the talents that lie underneath the layers of low self-esteem and/or depression. To take pride in the skills and experience you have to show for yourself.

What it takes is persistence. Learn about who you are. Observe yourself. Write about yourself. Take pictures of yourself. Look yourself in the mirror. Be “selfish” – not as in self-centered, but as in self-aware. As those wise old men said: To study the self is to forget the self. You have to find yourself before you can be truly useful to others. It’s an exciting journey.

GERTI SCHOEN, MA, LP

End Piracy, Not Liberty

Hello, As you have probably heard on the news, many websites are blacked out for the day to protest these acts. I am glad they are taking a stand. If you want to help with this cause you can click on the link below and sign the petition. These acts will effect you and your use of the internet. So please take a minute out of your time today to protect our freedoms.
Thank you,
Janet :)

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business, millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

We Remember Silence

Hello, To honor the memory of Martian Luther King Jr today, I chose my favorite quotes of his to share with you. I would have to say the quote in the picture is my absolute favorite. How true it is, that we remember the silence of our friends, and even family, in our darkest moments, in our times of trials and tribulations. As he inspired a generation with the civil rights movement, he also inspired a lasting perspective on how we should view and treat one another, basic humanity 101, with his words of wisdom. We were truly blessed to have known him in our life time.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness”

“A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan”

“If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values – that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control”

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals”

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity"

“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think”

Tom And Tim Take Two

Hello, It's going to be an exciting weekend for Patriots fans like me. If you haven't seen these video spoofs on Tim Tebow, check them out, I think you'll enjoy a laugh or two. I hope you all have a great weekend as well.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)

When I Miss You

Hello, Today is the 4th Anniversary of my mother's passing. This is a poem I wrote one night while thinking of her. Simply amazing is the power of a mother's love, for it transcends death and lives within us forever.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)



When I miss you

When I miss you mom
I turn towards the sun
With the rays on my face
I feel your love and grace

When I miss your hold
I stand still in the wind
and feel the strength of
your soul

When I miss your eyes
I see them in the mirror
through me they are
still alive

When I miss your smile
I look to the night
Each star wishes
they could be so bright

When I miss everything
about you
I stand in the rain
until it washes away
the pain

When I look at what you
left behind
I am so blessed and believe
When our family is gathered
your spirit is with us and
will never leave
Today and forever I will
miss you until together
again we will be

Lifestyles Of The Poor And Hopeless

Hello, Yes, sad but true, this is the style of life that 15 Million Americans are living today while trying to achieve the American Dream, myself included. And you know there would never be a show featuring this reality of life, because it would be an unpleasant reality, people would prefer to watch the rich and famous one they had years ago. I can tell you this for sure, because even though I have been living as one of the 15 million the past two years, unemployed, bordering on depression and hopelessness, with each, "Thank You for applying, this position has been filled by another candidate" the reality of what is really going on didn't hit me until I had to go to my local Unemployment office last week. I just needed a letter for something else stating my benefits ran out in 2010. I had always filed my benefits over the phone, so I never had to go to the office. All I can say is wow, what an eye opener. I went on a Friday morning and they told me it was a 4 hour wait. I thought to myself, I don't want to sit here for 4 hours, I'll come back when they open next week early and be one of the first in line. And that's what I did. Getting there early got me #38 in line. As I stood in line it grew and grew, I saw every age group, male, female. The man ahead of me was in his late 50's, probably close to retiring and there he stands, in the unemployment line. I talked with him and some others while we waited to get in and the main theme that ran through all of our stories was the same, hopelessness. Then they open the doors and we all file in, and right after me they stopped taking people. All the others behind me in line were told to come back later or come back the next day. I never thought I would have to feel "lucky" to get in an unemployment office! I waited about 4 hrs for a letter that took 1 minute to print. I left there that day just disgusted with our government. I am not a big political person, but I do know that we have all been pretty much screwed out of the American Dream. I will never do better than my Parents who worked a job without a college degree and were able to obtain the American dream and then some. And it's just not me I think about, I worry for my children and grandchildren, will they ever be able to achieve their dreams. And now being an Election year, I can't stand that I have to listen to them all babble their BS, and I don't even watch the debates, but I have to hear them between the news and the commercials. I just don't believe any of them are going to change anything. They promise the world and deliver nothing, election after election. I had faith in President Obama and I still do a little, because I can't believe that anyone could turn this around in less than 4 yrs. I remember everything going down hill when Bush was in office, so putting another Republican in is something I am definitively against. No offense to anyone who believes otherwise, it's just my observation, my opinion, if you can convince me otherwise, feel free to leave me a comment. I know this has been a depressing post, but it is something I felt the need to write about. I wanted to help you see the reality of the numbers like I did. If you have a job be thankful. Don't take it for granted even if you hate it some days. Even with my college degree, and working with an employment agency, I apply at places even like Walmart and still nothing. There is probably an average of 500 applications for every position posted from what I'm told, it's that tough out there. I also wanted to share this with you so if you do go and vote this year, really think about what is going on in America. Remember the reality of these 15 million people that have lost their American Dream, because it could be you among them at anytime, and trust me, it is not a good place to be. If we don't do something about it now, it will be gone for good, if it isn't already.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet

They're right about that!


Pretty much what the Unemployment line looks
like before it opens everyday in my town


My perceptions of the Republican Candidates lol!

Obey Your Passion

Hello, We all have Passion. Each of our Passions are unique and as individual as we are. For most of us, our Passions are not just of love or lust, they encompass every aspect of our lives. Alive are we, who do Obey them.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)

PASSION

It lies in all of us
Sleeping, waiting and
though unwanted, unbidden,
It will stir, open its jaws
and howl

It speaks to us, guides us
Passion rules us all, And we obey
What other choice do we have?
Passion is the source of our
finest moments

The joy of love, the clarity
of hatred, the ecstasy of grief
It hurts sometimes more than
we can bear

If we could live without passion,
maybe we'd know some kind of peace
But we would be hollow, Empty rooms,
shuttered and dank

Without passion, We'd be truly dead!

Be Your Moon

Hello, Beautifully said, and don't we all need someone like this in our lives! I am lucky enough to have a husband who is also my Moon, now more than ever.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)



"Everyone wants to be your Sun, but not me "I want to be your Moon so I can light up your Darkest moments when your Sun isn't around"

Not That Resolution Again!

Hello, Yes I know, with the new year, comes that resolution to lose weight and get in shape once again! About a year and a half ago, I started making some changes in my diet and started walking. I thought I would share with you what has worked for me, if you have chosen this resolution. I have been able to go from a size 14/16 to a size 8/10. I hope this year I get down to get a size 6/8. I usually walk 5 times a week for 30 minutes, but occasionally I don't get in the full five days, but even if I only do three days a week, it still keeps me from gaining the weight back. It is hard to start, but once you do, it get's easier and easier. I feel guilty now if I don't walk. I enjoy the time to myself as well, I watch music videos while I walk because the visual of the music usually keeps me entertained and before I know it I have gotten so into the music videos, that my time is up for my walk. I love it when that happens! I can't afford one of those Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig programs either, so I just used some of my common sense and followed some advice I found along the way and put together what has worked for me. I also drink plenty of water during the day and when I need a kick before I start walking I drink Ice Tea for the Caffeine and that way I avoid coffee with the cream. I hope that maybe I have shared something you didn't think of and it helps you too.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)

I have never been a breakfast person, but now I am starting to eat it
because they say it does kick up your metabolism. I have been eating
the instant Quaker Oats and it does seem to keep me fuller during the
morning, it has slow digesting carbs, so you don't crash like you
would on other sugary breakfast items. The best part is if you use
water to make it it has only 150 calories. I love the feeling I get
too when I eat it on a cold New England Morning. If you don't have
time for a sit down breakfast, There are lots of protein drinks
and bars. But I would suggest mixing it up with and egg once in
a while. I know eggs are good for you one day and then not so much
the other, but I believe anything in moderation is ok. So for a quick
breakfast with protein, and only about 77 calories, I suggest boiling
up a couple of eggs the night before your busy week and keep them
in your fridge, then you can just grab one, warm it up if you prefer
it that way in the micro on a low setting and your good to go!


I usually have a grilled chicken salad everyday for lunch,
I don't know why, but I never seem to get sick of having
it, I think I'm addicted to them. I have a half a pita with
it too. It keeps me full for the afternoon and I think the
protein from the Chicken helps give me energy to do my
afternoon walk. Once in a while I'll change my lunch up
with these low calorie SmartOnes by Weight Watchers. The
Three Cheese Mariana is really good, it's definitively my
favorite and Progresso Soups are good too


Dinner: I cook dinner every night for my two guys, who are
basically meat eaters, so I try to buy lean meats cause
I don't usually make anything special for myself. I usually
will just eat smaller portions of what I make them. But if
I make them something really high in calories or something I
don't like, I will usually have another salad or just some
pasta with sauce. I also keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the
freezer and sometimes a bag of frozen scallops (I only get
frozen scallops if I get them on sale at the Hilltop, a local
Butcher Shop, they are getting so expensive!) And I'll whip
up a low calorie dinner with one of them, usually scampi,
with lot's of garlic, yum, yum, I am Italian after all!


Snacking at night while watching TV can be a bad habit,
but it all depends of course with what your snacking on.
This past year I started snacking on Grapes while
watching TV because they only have about 3 calories
a piece, awesome huh, you can fill up easily on 10
or 15 big ones and you have only taken in about 30
or 45 calories!! For something crunchy these chips
are so good, the Sea Salt are my favorite and they
are starting to come out with lots of other flavors.
I love that I have been able to snack at night w/o
putting back on any of the weight I have walked off :)


Condiments I use to avoid adding Calories:
This and the regular butter flavor are good on a baked
potato, or on toast, you can even cook with it, the best
part is it is 0 calories! And if your not to thrilled
with the taste you can add something else like bacon bits
on a baked potato and light jam or reduced calorie peanut
butter on the toast

Ken's has the best tasting light dressings and I have
tried a lot of them. The store brands may save you a
little money, but it's not worth it, they taste watery

Using this in your coffee or whatever you drink or eat
can keep you from gaining up to 10 pounds in a year.