Hmm.

Still trying to work on this Etsy thing. I want to put an Etsy badge that links back to my shop.  And of course, I am having a bit of an issue.  All technical of course, which bores me after about five minutes.  In this case, the resolution has taken me about an hour--and then I realized I'm not able to do....right now. I won't bore you with the issue. Pretty much think I can handle it.  Tried a new lay out, which I love the bold colors-yet might be a little too busy. Stay tuned.  In the meantime, you can click on the link to make a visit to my Etsy Shop while I dabble in Blue Bell Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

I tell ya what--I gotta maybe re-think this whole fancy book learnin' thing I got going on. I just took a Sociology test online. Not so good. I thought I'd answer all 50 questions.
Wrong.
I missed three questions. Somewhere in the middle of the pack. I had but 9 seconds to go. If  I'd gone back the WHOLE test would not have counted. Not enough time. Considering the grade I received--not sure it much matters. *sigh*
I know I must re-do my strategy. My impatience holds strong. I just want classes done. 
This semester I took 4 classes. The beauty of that, they all started and ended at  different times. As of  today, I have successfully completed one class, while another class ends on Wednesday--and you know about my dropping of the Statistics class. So, all is left is the Sociology class I stunk up on the exam tonight. 
Checked the syllabus, I have two more tests and I can try to get some extra credit.
Blue Bell Cookies n Cream Ice Cream calls my name. That is a test I know I can pass.
Stay tuned.
PS. The painted flower pot posted is a new creation----plastic. Those don't break in the mail. :)

Well, It's Another

Saturday night and
I ain't got nobody
Except:

Hmm.

Me thinks this isn't such

A bad thing at all.

Yep. Not at all. 

Yep. Si. Oui.

I got a cell phone tonight.
I am still shocked how smooth the sale went.
Carlo, the sweet and cute young man in the T-Mobile store,
Who sold me the phone showed me everything about it
I was just in awe with the stuff that's on
This less than a half inch thick phone:
Microsoft Office, GPS, and of course the camera
Really? Technology.
And where is this phone right now?
In its box.
I have learned how to shut the phone OFF.
Tomorrow I will read the direction booklet
As for right now tho, ice cream awaits...
Stay tuned.

Tuesday....all ready?

Yep it is. How's it going with all of you?
Had one of those 'what if thoughts....."
Like for instance, if I decided to move back to Iowa after
I got laid off from the job that actually brought
Me here to Dallas, instead of stay in Dallas
There would be no Blue Bell Ice Cream
Flavors, in Iowa, for me to call friend..... :)

So did you hear....

How Michele Bachmann wished Elvis Presley Happy Birthday only to have it be the anniversary of The King's death?

How my the new teammate I'm training is really catchin' on? She's good and I told her so..

How I painted a terra cotta pot green, and I really love that pot because the rim is 3/4 inch instead of 1 1/4 inch--gives me just enough more room to decorate...scary, I would ever care about such things..

How I really should hire somebody to clean my house. Better yet to tear it down and build a new

...and how, I need put the ice cream back in the freezer before it melts all over the counter!

Those Days...

Ever have one of those days where you think you demonstrate your flexibility on the the job? Where you put away what YOU had planned for the work day. 'cause you are thrust in to train the newest teammate?

At day's end you think it's gone pretty good. You and the teammate have laughed. And you're thrilled she 'gets' it. You're impressed. An asset to the team she will be.

Then when everybody is gone, you speak to your acting manager (because you true manager) is in another state. You have a good report with your acting manager. The AM wants a run down how it went. You tell her great. Tell her the new teammate will fit in nicely.

The AM, not really thinking what she's saying, says how the True Manager, wanted another teammate to train the new person. Only reason the other teammate didn't, was she's on vacation. So I was left, because our other teammate, on our 3 person team, had just come back from a week's vacation and swamped. Yea, that true manager knew teammate was out.

All was left was me. Runner up. Trainer by default. Acting manager was sorry she told me the whole communication. I gave up going to jury duty on Monday, because I didn't want to leave our team in a lurch. At the new teammate will be a good part of the team...

Yep, one of those days.

Blue Bell Homemande Vanilla Ice Cream awaits...

Sunday Six

Tyson Chandler is his name.

He is a member of the NBA Dallas Mavericks. Tonight is Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Dallas needs just one more win out of these last two games to bring home the Trophy. The game will be played in Miami--yet the Dallas has proved they know how to handle the 'Heat.' The city of Dallas hopes this the Sixth and Final game! ******In the meantime, as I countdown minutes to the game, I think how great it's been to not worry about some school paper due on Monday. I'm on a two week break. I don't want to go back to this particular school either. I need to find another school to transfer to. My education is important to me. What I've run into so far is, I need to enroll and register before the new school will even discuss what classes I have taken will transfer or not. Seems like a waste of my time. One school said it would be at least a year and a half for me to finish. That's a big ol' no from me. Stay tuned.****** I just remember what my Pastor Rickie Rush, of Inspiring Body of Christ Church said last week, "Specialize until your special." That is so good on so many levels. I'll just trek onward. I am being led and for once I'm OK with that.

OK. Back to tonight. 30 minutes until tip-off. Got my Mavs t-shirt on. Blue Bell Homemade Ice Cream in the freezer and a cat who purrs louder than the hum of the a/c. Sounds like the makin' of a NBA Finals Championship game to me!

GO MAVS!

11:24 PM

In 36 minutes it will be April 8

April 8 is my birthday

I won't tell you my age

Even t ho some of you know.

I will say when I was 21,

I thought people my age now--

Were, well..OLD.

I'll think of that when I try a new shade of lip gloss...

Anyway, I love my birthday.

Bittersweet in one way-

My dad would call me at 4:30 AM--

Which was the time I was actually born-

Since Dad passed in 2001, I do miss those phone calls-

Dad would tell me each year, how he waited and waited

For mom to have me.

They'd endured 4 unsuccessful pregnancies

Before me. I was their last chance, the doctor them.

Then I arrived on the scene

And I get to have another birthday--

Even if I thought old people got this far.

Right now, tho, I need to go to bed--

Or I just may stay up a few more minutes

And have a couple scoops

Of Blue Bell ice cream--just to get the birthday started

Because anything could happen in 36 minutes...

On the 2nd day of January in 2o11, Two good things happened on this day. First, I headed to Inspiring Body of Christ Church and learned about being Born a Winner. Evem with the being born with just one ear, my mom's death when I was 13, and being a minority within the minority of my hometown--I'm still born a winner. Good sermon. Pastor Rickie Rush thanked all of us who came on New Year's Eve and joked how we pretty much stayed all night. Yea, walking outta church at 1:30 AM. All good.

Then the second good thing that happened was the Dallas Cowboys ended their season with a win. The dismal year was 6-10. Yet, was better than the 1 win and 7 losses they started out with.. I'm glad their season is over. I'm sure Jason Garrett will be named as new head coach. He finished up the Cowboys with 5-3. Just a sad season, with the Super Bowl being played here next month. Oh well. Training Camp starts in July. Be here before you know it.

Oh, and I guess there is a third thing--I'm 'bout to devour my first tastes of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice cream for 2011.

Yep. It's all good.

Tired on a Tuesday

Exactly.

I'm not even going to go into some long winded about what I could talk about, because--

Well, I'm tired.

Fatigued.

The job I have is not quite brain surgery, yet

It drains so. Just don't feel there's enough time.

Anyway.

I'm off to watch a Michelle Phfiffer(sp?) movie on HBO

Where she's involved with a younger man....

Hmm.

Gosh, like I've not lived THAT story!

I'm so tired, I don't even feel like talking about it--

So, I'm gonna get:

And curl with cat in front of the TV....

Tired on a Tuesday deserves it.

Heart and Humidity.

Since my little open-heart surgery adventure, back in March '06, I've learned to listen more to my body. My body's reactions, I usta pretty much ignore. Learned how to adjust, unless the culprit is humidity when the heat is high. Like today.

Summer tries to slap us upside the head, just a few more times, until October comes round the bend. This morning, when I left for work at 7:30, the temp was already 80 degrees F and the humidity was 88 %. Muggy with a capital UGG.

I felt it. Bad. It doesn't happen that often, yet when it does, I do panic. Smacks me upside the head. I wonder if my breath will be short. Will I pass out? I didn't have to walk far from the parking lot to my job, once I arrived. I'm glad because I felt it all the way. Don't like that feeling.

Yea, my scar itches sometimes, however it's the high humidity like today, when I'm reminded I did get my chest cracked open and a machine pumped blood and oxygen into me to keep me alive while surgeons worked on me. Oh, and and for my mitral valve replacement surgery, they had to readjust my heart so they could go behind it and inside my heart to fix me. Adventure, indeed.

So this morning I recalled it all. Now when I left work today, the temp was up in the 90's, heat index over 100, yet the humidity is at 52%. Not as hard as this morning's smack upside the head, just a little thump.

You realize how far you've come and with a wave from Mother Nature, you realize how fragile you really are. So you seek a remedy:

Trust me.
It works.

Saturday Just...

HOT.

Got up and headed to the grocery store and I think that's about it for me today. On the outside anyway. You can tell I wasn't too serious about other errands if I didn't pop in my contacts in. Nope, got my 100 year old bent, scartched up glasses on.

Suppose to creep to 104 degrees F today. Joy. I'm gonna make my own iced coffee. I seem to buy it everyday, why not save my couple bucks? Got watermelon. Even got peach sorbet instead of my ice cream. It was on sale, so I'll give it shot. Could be tasty. I'll let you know.

In the meantime, gonna work on my stories for my novella. I think I finally have the idea, which really was the original idea--a collection of short stories, with the same backdrop. I tried to change it up, yet the original idea really is the best.

So stuff to get done. And I promise myself I won't take too much of lead from these kitties...

Well, maybe not TOO much....

Toast of Tuesday

That's what my Blue Bell Peaches and Homemade Ice Cream will be--

Just a smidge of an update. Yesterday, I wrote about how Bear's, my ex, Facebook page said he was married. Then by the time I came home last night Bear's page was gone. There's also been no response to my text. of congrats. I am still kinda sorta surprise I've heard nothing, yet I'm kinda sorta not. I just hope Bear's happy.

Ya know, in recent times, two relationships meant alot to me. Bear and Movie Man, another I'd posted about. They were/are two totally different men yet more alike than I realized. If there was way to merge em together, I'd have the most perfect man--well, except Bear hated cats and Movie Man liked them, but was allergic. So the 'perfect man' would need to like cats and take allergy pills or shots--

I digress.

These two knew of each other. Bear and Movie Man even met. We all laughed and it was a fun moment in time. We even tried to start our own writers' group--which just lasted one time. I still have the papers they wrote that one and only time. They may have been jealous of each other in a dizzy kind of way. Bear and Movie Man both knew what one man gave me, the other man wouldn't or couldn't.

The main thing is I loved them both. And now both are out of my life. For awhile, actually. When enough was enough of me being mad at myself (not them) for my actions, I realized it was time to close the chapter. If we should ever cross paths again, we'd have our past and it's OK to visit--I just can't stay there. We would basically start all over to know each other now. And realize it all can't be like before. I would get made at myself all over again...

My smidge became more of a smudge.

Oh well.

Blue Bell Peaches and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream makes a smidge, smudge smile-

So 'cuse me, my bowl awaits to runneth over!

Mope Hot

Hot. Got up and done for my writers' group today. Heck, I really oughta write something, that has absolutely nothing to do with school--then I can get critiqued. I guess I'm having withdrawal. We did have a great time--as usual. .

I usually don't mope about not having a man 24/7. Yet, today....being in Iowa made me realize how much I miss having an under-my-own-roof family. I'm blessed with wonderful friends here in Dallas, although I question what keeps me here. No family even within a 300 mile radius. Ponder over the relationships where I adored each man at that moment in time. Four come to mind right off the bat (at least for this post....)

Let's see, one I knew was gay from the start and since I'm an only child, to share was not part of of my vocabulary. Then another man discovered he was gay, but said he wasn't when dressed up in women's clothes. Or the man who told me he felt like man around, while the other times he felt like a little boy. Finally, the man I thought I would marry, have cute kids with--the whole nine yards, told me I expected too much and so he ran...

Hmm. I know there are good men out there. Titus Men that like cats.

Since it's not time for that man and I to meet yet-I'm off to slice fresh strawberries into my bowl of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

Well, so much for THAT mope!

Sunday...Already?

Man on man, where did the time go? It's Sunday and of course I have some paper to write for school. Let's see, it is: "Hypothectical Working Agreement"...sure.

Let's talk about something FUN! Got my praise on at MY church, Inspiring Body of Christ Church, with Pastor Rickie Rush today. The tricks Satan uses on us to rob our faith. Powerful stuff. All these messages have hit me right where I live. The blessings are there. Satan knows that. He's tried ways upon ways to steal my thunder. At times I've let him. ...Yet all is good. Just keep my eye on the prize. And I look unto the hills where my help comes from.

Now get this, yesterday I chatted with a minister I'd befriended a few years ago. The Minister attended the writers' conference I volunteered with yesterday. Also, back when I was in ICU with my little open heart adventure, she came to visit me. Yesterday, was the first time we'd seen each other in all these months since I'd left my/her original home church. The thing was she called me "Shade Tree Preacher." Huh? Long story short, Minister said she's always seen a light in me and said people come to me because of what I say and do. I just looked at her. Me? She went on to say Shade Tree is a person who does the work, but doesn't have the sign out front sayin' so. I still just looked at her. Minister said alot of stuff I still must ponder. Oh how my life has so changed. Maybe I'll share more one of these posts...

Can't believe it's SUNDAY. Did I tell y'all I did see "Toy Story" last week? LOVED it and got quite weepy at the end.

Oh, the writers' conference yesterday was GREAT! Met some nice folks. Badgered by one of them with WHERE was my next book? OK, she was an author who spoke and happens to be a chum of mine. Learned lots and enjoyed being around other writer people. Once I got home tho, I enjoyed being on my bed, under the ceiling the fan, with a cat to pet and remote in hand...

On that note--I'm outta here. Still some Sunday left to enjoy with a little Blue Bell Banana Pudding Ice Cream on the side....!

Another Day

That's what today is. However it's a Tuesday and I'm taking a one night breather from school. I am gonna jump on next week's assignments tomorrow--the writing part, mainly. I plan to read some stuff tonight. I printed it off so not to be glued to the PC. I am just too old school to read more than a few paragraphs on the PC. Give me a handful of book or papers and I am set.

I'm in a TV and movie kinda mode. Does anybody watch "True Blood" on HBO? Am I missing something? I don't have HBO, for one--however I know the DVD's are available. Then "Toy Story" comes out this week. At first, I wasn't gonna both--then I heard the voice of Tom Hanks just one too many times---so...could be my treat for the weekend.

And gave a thought to past relationships. How in a way I miss the relationship and not quite the person. Is that wrong? I ponder about a man who still lives in Chicago--the only man I was ever with and looked at a "BRIDES" magazine. I just knew! He adored me. I wish that could have been enough. Was I too much for him? Probably. I realize as I've aged, I was pretty much too much for most men. They said I expected too much from them.

Really?

At the time, I didn't realize they didn't expect much of themselves.

Blue Bell Vanilla Cookies n Cream Ice Cream awaits.

...and then what happened...

I was about to leave work-drained, wondering when I was going to really become 'one' with the new job. I'm almost there, not all the way, but almost. Looking back at last week, I already know more this week. Then it hit me--I still had school work when I got home.

Not feelin' that. To be in front of PC all day, then come home and straight away be in front of it again? Naw. I shoulda gone to the gym to get back in working out. Nope. What I did do, was lie down for few moments. More like an hour. Watched the news. Pet a cat. Popped my coumadin pill. Then I got up, put my food in the oven and out the door I went. .

What did I do? I got bit my a zillion 'skeeters and whatever else pops up out of the grass to feast on my legs and watered my backyard. I have sprinklers in the front but not in the back. The whole process was relaxing. Except for scratching my legs where critters bit me. Four of my houseful of cats decided to step out side. For one, it was his first time to venture out the door. And he'll be 3 years old on June 12. He didn't stay too long and wanted to go back and guard the house from the inside. The other three chomped grass while the weenie dogs next door watched them and the birds waited for them to go inside so they could munch at their own feeders. .

After all that, I ate my grub, caught up with my soap, pet another cat--and decided to do some school work. Got that done and once again. sighed a relief this class is over Monday. I also realized if I had to attend campus classes after work --oh my, I may have dropped most of it.

Any I could go on, alas Blue Bell Vanilla Cookies n Cream Ice Cream awaits. Priorities...

School Crush

Yep. A crush and I don't mean the fun, good, sweet kind of the object of your affection smiling at you in Geometry Class. Now, being older you wonder if he really smiled at you or wanted first dibbs on your Geometry home work? I digress.

My instructor in my current college class crushed me about my latest paper. Honestly, I felt GREAT about this paper. Enjoyed even to write it. Interviewed two folks who work in the human services field. I just KNEW my paper was gonna hit the bulls eye.

Wrong.

The instructor said my paper 'jumped all around" and my questions posed and their answers were 'not focused." I had to list my questions and evidently I soured the milk by not asking about their daily 'routine'--well, to me they explained what they did daily and I wrote about it. I will admit I about blew my top. Yes, I knew this a paper was of our own doing, however if she wanted us to ask particular things maybe she should have provided a list? Oh, and she said I had a 'poor intro'--and I thought it was GOOD. Reading is all in perception. Oh well.

I held it in. This is the LAST week of this class. I have another 1500 word paper of my own due Saturday, along with a 100 word contribution of my team I'm on. Also I will say, this class has been the most challenging--well, with the writing. And I consider myself a writer--a fiction one tho! My last two instructors required 700 words and occasionally 1000, and not every week. I guess this instructor wanted us to learn how to get it done. Maybe.

The papers have been my downfall. This class, especially, due to the new job going full throttle now, and oh yea, a dislike for writing non-fiction and really finding the time to write a 1500 word paper on whatever. This weeks paper will be about the United Nations. She gave us a list to pull from. I could just find an article, copy, paste, cite it and be done with it.

*sigh* Too honest I am. At least I felt good about one of these papers, so perhaps that IS a good sign.

What I've learned is, moving forward, I will try my best to jump head of writing the paper game. We know the due dates and subject, per the syllabus. These papers in this class, plus the extra stuff she's wanted us to do and work has wore me down--however this IS the last week of this class.

A new class starts June 8. Meanwhile I gotta cat curl after I get a dish of Blue Bell Vanilla n Cookies Ice Cream..

Stay tuned.

Monday There

The a/c just kicked on. Yea, summer is about here. Over 90 degrees. I digress...

Ya know I have a paper due Saturday. I took a gander to see what it had to be about. To be proactive as it were. Well. Gee. I have to write a paper that is based on a interview I do with a human services professional. So, I'm glad I look now, instead of--oh, I dunno, Thursday. The beauty of this is, I do KNOW a human service professional who works with those who have been abused, and dabbles with those that have multiple personalities. Plus, she watches Dancing With the Stars, like me! I await her response to my e-mail, if she will let me send her questions. Stay tuned.

I could go on, however I really don't wanna. All my school stuff is done until I tomorrow or Wednesday--except to gather info for this paper. I've missed a doctor's appointment because of being engrossed in my job. I've not written any thing fun like a story or screenplay, because of school and work--

So tonight, I'm headed to the couch for a little Dancing With the Stars (down to the Final 3), a cat, and Blue Bell Cookies n Cream ice cream to help take me there--just like The Staple Singers perform one of my favorite songs. Just close your eyes and let it take you...