Sharon

Running Away

Posted on January 3, 2013January 3, 2013 by Sharon

I’m lucky.

Lucky enough to be running away to a more moderate clime for a week. Jenny has access to a condo in sunny (hopefully!) Florida for a week and we’ve decided we are going to run away. We’ve invited another friend to go with us, so it’s going to be a full on girls week at the beach. Yes!!

Since I got a tablet for Christmas, and I’ll have time lolling about, I expect to be reading some. I read emails and computer stuff all the time, but I rarely get to read for pleasure. I’m excited about that.

Since I’ll be at the beach, it’ll be the best and easiest way to get used to getting up every morning and taking a walk, which is part of my goals.

Speaking of goals… near the end of December, my hubby sent me an email about lists and resolutions. I found it to be very interesting in its approach, because it focused on a different approach than the usual New Year’s resolutions scenario.

Basically, it said that instead of deciding you were going to start doing something new, you should stop and assess what you are currently doing first. I looked at it as a kind of pat on the back or re-affirmation of what’s going right in your world. Essentially, it was to make a list of what works and make that your KEEP list. Then to look at what you are doing that isn’t working and instead of beating yourself up and deciding that you were going to yet again re-commit yourself to doing something that hasn’t worked, to instead add it to a STOP list. I found that to be a fairly freeing thought. And finally, to look at your KEEP and decide if there was any reason or room to START anything new. If there was, it suggested that you not overwhelm yourself with a huge list of things that you’d never truly get to, but instead focus on one or two things you thought you could really commit the time to and go with that.

So…

KEEP, STOP, and START

What would that mean for me?

I think I will keep:

writing in my gratitude journal
making increasingly healthier food choices
working at my job, but remembering that my job is not my life
communicating with friends and family and making sure there is time for those relationships
blogging when the mood hits me
collecting music – about the only thing I *really* collect
being open to new thoughts
viewing all things from multiple angles and finding the most positive way to see them

I think I will stop:

complaining- it’s amazing how much we complain and we don’t even realize we are doing it!
beating myself up if I make an error
depriving myself of sleep when I need it
being afraid to try new things
having an attitude of lack at times. (this one is so off the mark of my reality because I REALLY am blessed!!)
expecting every day to be a highly productive day

I think I will start:

physical self care – walks, sleep, downtime when needed, dr. visits instead of “toughing it out”, me time through hobbies

Looking at this, I don’t feel overwhelmed, but clarified in the direction I want my life to go. So, running away to Florida fits right in here and sunning myself like a lazy lizard is the perfect thing to do just before a spring and summer of busy-busy and go-go.

Musings and Mutterings

Mrs. Claus, Santa and Peacock trees

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Sharon

Every year, I do a post on some of the strangest ornaments and decorations I’ve seen that year. Earlier this year I did one called Odd Ornaments.

Since then, I’ve been to the mall, and I gotta say that THIS, stopped me in my tracks.

I think if I found this in my living room, I’d have to call in MIB because I’m afraid it might actually be an alien or something. If you like it, then more power to you, but for me… it’s an abomination. One that I have TWO pictures of!

Just in case you hadn’t realized just how heinous it truly was to me, I needed a second shot to let you guys truly understand.

This same store also boasted the secret assassin, Mrs. Claus. AKA as Pinhead…

See how she’s tasting that special mixture she’s whipped up for Santa? And what’s with the pins in her head anyway? Anyone got a clue what’s going on here?

A-HA!! I knew it!

Mrs. Claus (Pinhead), has baked up a dangerous dessert for Santa. She’s perched on top of the packages with her deadly delight and is waiting to see if Santa needs another dose (taste) of her lovely muffin before he finally succumbs. And if that doesn’t work, she plans on dropping the darn thing on his head while he sleeps! Evil biotch.

Musings and Mutterings

Fuzzy, Buzzy and Mean

Posted on December 31, 2012December 31, 2012 by Sharon

2012 is almost gone and I’m sure 2013 is going to move along at a steady clip as well. Which is why I’m sitting here at 12:20 AM on 12/31/12 working on finishing my list of “things to blog about”.

I guess I should start with the farthest topic and just work my way through the rest.

In October I had a fairly surreal experience. At least it seemed surreal to me. Within 6 hours I went from wandering around an arena filled with hay-chomping, poop-producing, spitting and costumed alpacas

To the most elegant tea room you could imagine!

Complete with three-tiered trays filled with exquisite finger sandwiches and delicate pastries that servers would expertly balance on one hand and themed rooms, each with its own decor, it was adorable. Around every corner you could see every little girls version of high tea come to life. Upstairs, near the gift shop, they had some tea sets for sale. They were gorgeous and a far cry from doe-eyed alpacas!

And from there, we traveled downtown to a church that’s hosted an annual holiday craft show for 39 years. This same church, I’m told, runs a soup kitchen and is the resting place of Leigh Master, a local man who owned Furnace Hills and was an abusive slave owner. Go here to read why his grave’s cracked, why he’s said to haunt the woods, and other rather unsavory things about him.

Musings and Mutterings

Upgrades!

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Sharon

If you come by here every now and then (hello mostly family) then you may have noticed something different. I’ve effectively done a “paint job” on my blog. I’ve taken the bait and upgraded my blog. Notice the lovely new color scheme?

Soon, if not already, I should have my own domain name for my blog as well. It will be http://www.campnini.com .

For any of you uninitiated, when we recently purchased our new home, we named it Camp Nini because it reminds everyone of a lodge or camp. Nini, pronounced nee-nee, is the name given to me by the twins I did daycare for long long ago, so when my lovely daughter started reproducing, I decided that’s what I wanted to be called. And now you know… betchya feel enlightened, eh?

I’m supposed to be doing my holiday cards. The holiday Pandora page is playing, but I’m just not feeling it. I’d rather be playing with my blog – or re-reading it and taking a red pen to clean up some of the errors or poor grammar I’m finding. However, MUST. FINISH. HOLIDAY. CARDS. And pack up gifts for mailing, and clean the house for the party on Friday, and and and and and….there’s always another and….

Musings and Mutterings

Winding Down

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Sharon

I’m tired tonight, so there may not be too many witticisms. It’s a good kind of tired, though. Concerts are done and all went exceedingly well. Even the one I was stressing about which was in a never-before-used venue ended well. Gotta hand it to those volunteers. There is no way to do this kind of thing without them.

I’m finished shopping (ok, ok, I have one more gift to order) and I’m getting things wrapped and set up. I had such fun wrapping some gifts today. I had holiday music playing and ribbons, paper and various sparkly thing all around me while I sat splay-legged on the floor. That’s one of my favorite things about wrapping. I sit on the floor. When I’m there, I realize I don’t sit on the floor often enough.

Decorating the house has been– different. I had a bunch of decorations I hadn’t put up in years, so in some ways, it was nice to find them and find new homes for them. But then there are others I look at and think that there is no way I’d ever put them up again. Funny, even though this house has most of the same color theme as the old one, not everything that “worked” in the old house “works” here. It’s almost like I pull something out and the house offers me a perfect visual of where it could go, and if I happen to pull out something the house doesn’t like.. it goes back in the box. I did have a great time decorating the playhouse out back. I’m not finished with that project, but I am for this year. It’s so much fun to look out the window and see the “neighbors” turn their lights on and off.

Another thing I’ve decided this year. I think I’m going to buy one set of LED or SOLAR lights a month. I think next year I should be able to put out my whole outdoor display with only minimal electric pull.

Tomorrow I’m going to get my office together and write out thank you/hoilday cards. Then I have some baking and package mailing to do before my baby comes to visit. I’m really looking forward to seeing her. We have plans to go with Jenny and Megan, Lisa and my sister to the Hack and Slash show. That’s always a hoot. Jenny and I even got matchy-matchy jammies. Hers say Naughty across the chest and have HO HO HO on the pants. Mine says Nice across the chest and my bottoms have heart-shaped candy canes and snowflakes. (it’s ok if you say, Awww!)

I got my gift early from Hubby. He got me a Samsung 10.1 tablet. Now we can officially say we have just about every form factor there is for personal computing. Lol…

Time for a nap. :0)

Musings and Mutterings

Odd Ornaments

Posted on December 7, 2012December 18, 2012 by Sharon

Every year I go out and look for an ornament for my tree, but usually end up finding things that make me scrunch up my face and wonder, “how the hell did they get that thing marketed as an ornament”?

Or I find something that’s busted up just the right way that I deem it worthy of a blog mention.

This year, I’ve been out early, and either my tolerance for bad holiday ornaments has increased, or someone didn’t have too many bizarre ideas about what people would want to hang on their trees to celebrate the season.

Maybe I’ll have to update this blog as the season wears on, but to date, here are the only three ornaments that I felt worthy of mention.

1. Celebrate the season of “Christ” with a devil head hanging from your tree! C’mon, everyone is doing it!

2. Ah’ll be Bach…or Beethoven… or maybe just to kill you so you never exist. So, small child, go to sleep and dream of sugar plums and fairies and maybe….a Terminator.

3. And finally, Beware the Christmas pterodactyl!!

Musings and Mutterings

Food

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Sharon

I’m trying to be as gluten free as possible. Seems to be helping in many ways, but wow… wheat is everywhere. I’ve found some good resources so far. I’m also pretty dairy free anymore. I do still dabble in butter… oh butter… the love of my life! But now I use one tablespoon at most with my breakfast and that’s it. :0(

Milk has been on my no-no list for a long time and it’s only once in a while that I miss cheese.

Hubby was told to watch his cholesterol and such. He’s been so good about his Cheerios and no cheese. Most of the meals I’ve been making are vegetable-arian. (the term my youngest used when trying to describe a vegetarian. I thought it was cute, so it stuck)

Btw, if you want something to stay warm.. don’t put it in my microwave. The previous owners vented it to the outside, but gosh knows how. Now, in the winter, I open the microwave and have to wonder if it’s really the refrigerator.

I found this stuff called Perky Jerky, and Perky Turkey Jerky. It’s pretty good stuff and considering I ate some on my one hour ride home from work at 10 pm and it’s now 2:40 am, I’d say it’s pretty effective. It’s natural jerky paired with guarana. Pretty good if you ask me.

What gives? It used to be that I’d run you over if you were in the way of me and my coffee, and now?… meh… sometimes I want a cup, but generally not so much. The smell is still awesome, unless you catch a whiff of some bad coffee – in which case that aroma and the smell of skunk aren’t far off from one another. I’ve found I’d rather deal with the short taste of a 5 hour energy shot than have a full cup o’joe. How odd.

I think it may be starting to wear off… or maybe that was the cup of tepid soup and the turkey I had for dinner just now? I’m going to take my overly tired self to bed and will wake up in a much better frame of mind in the morning.

Musings and Mutterings

My 315th Post on My 1,000 Hits – Kinda

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Sharon

Never in my life did I believe I’d have 1,000 people poke around on my blog. I’m humbled. And happy!

I love to write. Even though I don’t take myself very seriously as a writer – hence the shaky grammar and occasional poor sentence structure. I do, however, enjoy the stream of writing. Just thoughts wandering around in my head and mental imagery traveling down my arms to my fingers, which in turn create a very satisfying tapping noise on my keyboard. When I’m really going with a thought, the cadence of the keys is very soothing while being equally exciting. :0)

I’m sure that sounds really wacky to some and probably very familiar to others.

The incredible loss I feel when a post disappears due to whatever technical error has occurred can be stifling and I can never reproduce that first perfect version of my post. It’s almost painful to have to start over again.

One day I’ll move all 700+ blogs I’ve ever written to one platform. Hopefully, it’ll be WordPress. As silly as it sounds, I’d love to use one of those sites that imports your blog into a book. I think it would be awesome to pull it out now and then and see what was running through my mind at any given time. Equally awesome would be copying all my journals into the same platform, even if they aren’t ever publicly posted. Just to be able to see my “entire catalog of works” would be something I’d like to do.

Hell, I’m going to live to be 113 years old, I think I can carve out some time for this project.

Maybe…

Musings and Mutterings

Not So Antique – 220

Posted on November 20, 2012November 20, 2012 by Sharon

I went to an antique store and saw this and thought, no way is that an antique. My little sister had one of these and my oldest daughter played with one as well. Maybe even the same one. Then I looked around and saw the doll house my older sister and I had and a bit later, the doll house my younger sister and I played with. Then the skeleton Halloween mask and costume, with the jointed jaw of course, my brother had. Alongside that was the Cleopatra mask and costume that I’d worn. Both were still folded and in their cardboard shirt-box packaging with the little plastic window so you could see the contents.

Then I found the Santa face that used to reside on my Mom’s side door and would always try to blow away, his pitted styrofoam face still smiling merrily at me. In the same booth were a set of colorful Pyrex bowls that were always holding something for dinner during my childhood. (mom’s yellow bowls are in my kitchen right now) Basically, everywhere I looked I saw vestiges of my childhood and I wondered if perhaps someone had picked through the things I’d donated or thrown away after I cleaned my parents house, because it sure looked like most of my life was scattered among antique booths.

But I’m not an antique. I’m not even considered classic yet. How did all my “stuff” become antiques… maybe they are just collectibles now? I think I prefer to think of it that way.

Speaking of collectible, I’m sure everyone loves to collect doll heads, right? In fact, I think the one on the left had a potential buyer checking her out!

And if that wasn’t creepy enough for you…

You’d better prepare for the invasion, because I’m pretty sure these are really aliens and the Aunt Jemima Army is assembling for an attack.

Can someone please pass the butter and the syrup?

Musings and Mutterings

Sexy

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Sharon

Ok world, it’s time for another peek into my psyche.

I find this picture sexy.

Before you get all riled up and concerned, it’s not the birthday hats or birthday button or even the ‘highlighter’ jacket that turns me on, but the fact that this man chose to wear them that I find oh-so-sexy.

It was requested of him to wear this ridiculous garb for 6 hours of rehearsal fun and frolic, (followed by cake!) so he did. Yes it was his birthday, but he wore it for over 200 children and their parents because it made the kids laugh and giggle and made the parents smile. He wore it so he could share some silliness with friends and family and joy to others. His quick wit and his ability to have fun and laugh at just about anything, including himself, is infectious.

This is what I find so sexy, and I am blessed that I am married to him.