I learned...

This past week has taught me a valuable lesson..... Never, never, never use your use your debit/Mastercard for online purchases. I use mine alot. Everyday spending now days requires this valuable piece of plastic. It was probably just a matter of time but someone got my info and ordered, of all things, green tea and vitamins. It wasn't thousands of dollars or anything. Just enough to totally screw up my account and leave me with a minus $200 balance. Talk about upsetting--the whole situation is crappy. I've logged almost 3 hours at the bank dealing with this and time at the police station filling out a police report. Now it's waiting time for the investigation. I guess I can now chalk it up to important lesson learned--the hard way. Ugh!!!

Rite of Passage

Yesterday was a rite of passage for me. I have turned 40 and the time has finally come.....the dreaded mammogram. I was a little nervous. I had heard the horror stories of not being able to wear powder or deodorant before hand, the humiliation of having someone adjust your breast into the just right position, and the pain of smushing your once rounded boobs into pancakes. You know what? It really wasn't bad at all. I knew the tech taking care of me and that made me feel so much more comfortable. Being a nurse used to nudity, the getting topless and wearing the pink SuperWoman cape didn't bother me much, as there is no room for modesty in the hospital. I do have to admit though, my heart was beating pretty fast when she lowered the plate down the first time. But to my surprise, it didn't hurt at all. I was like "Ok, I can do this." And I did. It was fast and painless. I can proudly say I have joined the ranks of millions of women who undergo this rite of passage every year--I have gotten my mammogram.

Exercising My Right

Today is Election Day. I just got back from casting my vote. I don't know what it is but voting is so exciting. The whole idea of adding my input to determine leaders and decide issues is invigorating. Up until this morning I was I guess what you could call an undecided voter. I have been torn as to who to give my vote to. I did some more research and settled with relying on my gut. My one vote will probably not make much difference but it feels so good. Our country's voting system may be flawed but I am happy just the same. It seems like it would be better if the popular vote would determine our nation's next leader. The whole electoral college thing just gets me and I don't know if it's really fair. But regardless, I have exercised my right to vote and I'm proud. Here's me casting my ballot--you know I can't pass up a photo op.

Bad, bad, bad blogger

What is it with me? Here I am again almost 4 months later. I really need to get the hang of this blogging thing. I have so much to share--my exciting life (lol), my projects, and thoughts. Here's to a "do-over". I'm gonna keep with it this time.

My Speed of Life

How do you prefer the pace of life? Do you wish things would speed up or slow down? Illustrate with something that has been on your mind or on your calendar or share your preference between working slowly or quickly on a crafting project.

I most certainly don't want time to just fly by. It seems like it goes fast enough already. I want to enjoy the simple things and treasure the moments. I hate getting wound up about deadlines and stressed out over things. But with me it's a constant battle because I can stress pretty easily. But on the otherhand, I don't want things to go so slow that I'm constantly looking at the clock. Like at work, I would much prefer to be steadily busy that just sitting around. That drives me crazy. Same when I'm working on a scrapping project, I don't want to pussy foot around...I want to get it done and be happy with it. So I guess you could say I just want a happy medium. That's the pace of life I dream of.

The Road Not Taken

I'm playing a little catch up with my blogging prompts for my class. This one asks...Have you ever been inspired by the words of a poem? Share the poem with your blog readers and tell them how you came to value its words.

The first one that jumped in my mind is Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I remember reading and studying this in high school. I don't if it was the words, the tumultous teen years, or both, but this poem seems very representative of that time in my life. It was a symbol of choices. The choice of what path to take. Should I follow others or go my own way? Sad that I could not do both. This poem spoke to me as if to say it's ok to travel your own path. And you know what? It has made all the difference...it has made me who I am today.

What's in Your Suitcase?

Today prompt is a game of "What's in you suitcase". We are to list our necessities for travel. Well, this one is not that bad. The number one thing I have to have is my CPAP!!! I would be totally miserable and unable to sleep without it. One time Quaid and I had to spend the night in Dallas due to bad weather and it was a long terrible night without it. Next I would have to have lots of underwear and socks, along with makeup, comfy shoes, reading material and clothes of course. And I always manage to pack some scrapping supplies....never leave home without them!!!