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I've never been so happy to experience the beginning of a new year. Personally and for the world in general, last year was awful!
Motivation to write for my blogs escaped me last year . . . there was just too much happening on many levels. Slowly but surely, my writing mojo is coming back. I knew it would . . .
Lately, my heart and soul has been into my blog Peace, Love, Happiness and back into my journey of self-awareness.
My artistic mojo is back and my online store will be reopening soon . . . so much to do!!
The new year started off with some good news and I just see it as a sign of a fabulous new year to come.
Happy New Year . . . hope your new year has started off right too!!
While in the midst of our daily struggles, it is so easy to get so bogged down in our own little dramas and forget there is a big world out there full of people going through their own drama.
It hit me last night as we watched the news. The story of the war in Syria is one we hear with regularity and sadly, as a society, we have become desensitized and have learned to tune it out. I'm ashamed to say that this is true for me. This news story hit my heart strings in a big way. The story included some amateur video footage of what was going on in the streets . . . the camera focused on a little girl, maybe 5 years old, standing in the middle of the street with gunfire and bombs going off all around her. The look in her eyes and the sheer terror on her face is now permanently fixed in my thoughts. No doubt she has seen a member of her family killed right in front of her, perhaps several . . . maybe she's an orphan now.
It occurred to me that she does not know what is going on, can't comprehend the politics of it all. All she knows is that she is terrified and has no idea what to do. She was born into a turbulent part of the world, it wasn't her choice, she didn't ask to be born there, but fate and destiny put her there. That little girl, who should be happily playing with her little dollies anticipating Santa's visit, could have been me, it could have been you.
I was so blessed to be born in the United States, despite dysfunctional politics, exceptional poor economic times, rampant unemployment and a society going mad, which drives me and so many others crazy sometimes . . . nevertheless, I could have been that little girl with terror in her eyes . . .
On a lighter note, I have been updating my website and have so many new ideas. It had been a while, so I was able to look at everything with fresh perspective. Sometimes it takes being away from something to realize what you want to do with it. Same with writing . . . it has really been a while since I was serious about rambling on about the things I love, bother me and express my thoughts into words.
I'm back!!
The photo quality is awful, however, I had to grab the camera as I was sitting at the computer to capture the moment of the sweet face . . . what an awesome personality!
Kiki was adopted in March and it seems like she has been with me all my life. It is amazing how much joy and love a pet can bring.
She and Mimi Luna the cat are growing closer . . . well, at least the hissing and barking isn't a 24/7 episode to deal with. They are tolerating each other, but I have noticed that they are sharing the couch more every day. When Mimi is taking a nap in her cage, Mimi will come out looking for her. The first thing Kiki does when she wakes up is go to the kitchen, close to the back room where Mimi likes to hang out.
The biggest problem is that Kiki is very playful and loves to chase Mimi . . . and it scares Mimi. Poor little kitty!
One time when I was in the kitchen, I caught them rubbing noses. How sweet is that?
Hopefully they will soon be like sisters and the next pic will be one of them together!
The straw that broke the camel's back for me was Mayor Bloomberg of NYC having a major hissie fit over the size of sodas. I can't believe they actually passed the law . . . outlawing drinks being sold over a "certain size". Isn't that a personal choice?
Last week I heard that they are gonna start installing cameras at school trash bins so they can "catch" those who are throwing away their "healthy lunches." If they have the food in their possession, didn't they pay for it? Isn't it a personal choice to eat it or not? How much is the spying going to cost the taxpayers? Where will it end?
The United States of America is starting to look like something I don't recognize. Am I in the middle of a nightmare or did I wake up and socialism has taken over? "Big Brother" is alive and well . . . and watching us!!
It isn't because I don't think we have a problem with obesity in this country, especially with children starting off their lives with unhealthy choices, but . . . CHOICE and FREEDOM are the optimum words here.
In the case of the Mayor of NYC being bothered by the size of a soda, not only does it interfere with personal choice, but it also interferes with the way retailers sell their products. What are they supposed to do with the stockpiles of supplies purchased in order to offer that "certain size" . . . too bad, suck it up to a business loss, thinks the powers that be. Something is not right here!!
Their lame answer is that you can purchase multiples of the smaller size!! Those who want to consume more will do so anyway, so WTH did you accomplish except to waste a lot of time and money having your hissie fit?
As bad as the economy has been, why are we making it a little more difficult to run a business that involves food? Corporations like McDonalds have cultivated their marketing endeavors for decades and all of a sudden, government has invaded their board rooms. The poor "happy meal" has been deemed evil by the food police!! One of the most successful marketing endeavors demonized. What is wrong with this picture?
Back to the school lunchroom . . . the government is wasting money on food that is not being consumed because it is not what the consumers want. Hopefully they are at least donating what is not bought to homeless shelters.
In my opinion, the answer is education, not taking away choices. It is not about unhealthy eating being a good or bad thing . . . it is about PERSONAL FREEDOM AND CHOICES!
I don't even want to get started on the health insurance industry and their role in all of this!
What if the kooky people decide that unhealthy eating is good and force it on us? I know what I just said is far-fetched, but not so long ago, I would have thought that McDonald's having to defend the happy meal was way far-fetched in our society of free enterprise.
Wake up America . . . we don't need these people making choices for us. Isn't it our right to have the FREEDOM to make our own choices?
ahhhhh yes I feel better now . . . I think I'll have a huge Pepsi while I can still drink what I want to drink in my own home :)
After writing every day and maintaining a ridiculous number of blogs for all these years, I've become a blogging slacker. But it is actually a good thing for me . . . it means I finally have a real life after years of not really having one!
Plans are in the works for revamping my blogs and website, and getting back into the retail business. Retail is in my blood!! I miss having a store and working the flea markets!! Being creative is also in my blood, so we are in the process of getting the work spaces planned out so I can get back to making jewelry and sewing.
Through the years and waves of depression, my office and creative space became like a warehouse of boxes with all my inventory and supplies . . . a general dumping ground. As a result, I lost my desire to create in that way, especially with my office being a definite nightmare of disarray!
Anyway . . . the desire is back and my hands have been itching to get back to the sewing machine and my boxes and boxes of jewelry findings and broken vintage jewelry. Not fun is getting the spaces organized . . . ugh, I wish I had a magic wand!
The Captain and I are very excited about getting involved in local arts and crafts shows, selling at the local flea market on weekends and selling my creations to local boutiques and tourist traps . . . along with online sales.
Life is full of changes and transitions . . . this one is very exciting!
Peace, love and happiness leaves little to write about . . . I'm happy :)) For me, that is everything! You can't run down to the store and buy it . . . it just is. All the money in the world can't make you happy!
Life has finally returned to normal . . . the furbabies have learned to co-exist without constant drama. Very sweet!!
We survived the wicked part of Tropical Storm Debby with a very large cracking oak tree lurking over the house in the midst of fierce winds that haunted me for days. It seemed as if the storm would never go away!
The political season becomes more disgusting by the day. All I care to say is that even if I have to crawl to vote, I WILL . . .
Hope everyone is staying cool in this crazy hot weather!
What a couple of months it has been! It has been one thing after another with The Captain going in for surgery, slow recovery, then back in the hospital . . . he's finally been released by the doctor to go back to work.
In the midst of all of this, the van decided to die on us after being stranded several times. It happened the day The Captain had a doctor's appointment to get his release to go back to work . . . had to reschedule the appointment and prolong his going back to work. At least she warned us, but we didn't want to hear it and didn't listen . . . anyway, she's back on the road again, good as new!
The pet wars have continued, although they seem to be trying to tolerate each other. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to introduce a new doggie to a cat who is very spoiled. Mimi has not been amused at all by Kiki. At least they can now be in the same room without a lot of barking and hissing going on. What a relief! My girls have been just what I needed through these months. They are both sweetness and love :))))
The good news is that my knees are a bit better since I have been determined to exercise them more. Hopefully I will not need the knee replacements . . . I'm really sick of hospitals, even as a visitor. There is no way I want to be a patient who has lots of physical therapy to look forward to.
I'm slowly getting back to posting to my blogs . . . I just didn't have the energy or the focus to concentrate, but it is coming back! Guess it had a lot to do with our strange sleep schedule throughout his recovery . . . my days and nights are really mixed up at the moment.
Hope that spring has brought you guys lots of sunshine and smiles . . . it is already hot hot hot in Tampa. This past weekend is when I first noticed that the humidity is starting to get thick and the storms have already started. Summer has arrived in Florida!
