Category: Blogs

Know the Warning Signs

Mom, did you ever snitch on a friend?

Times were different when I was growing up honey.  There is so much more that can cause harm and danger to kids.  Is someone you know in trouble?

Will you promise not to tell anyone?

I wont say anything unless there is a risk to your friend. What is bothering you hon?

It is Sheryl.  She is talking about her boyfriend and I think he is being too rough with her.

Why do you say that?

Because he is texting her all the time and getting mad if she doesn’t respond.  Wants to know where she is all the time… and the one time I saw them together he grabbed her arm pretty tight it looked like.  I’m scared for her mom.

Do you want me to talk to her.  Or do you think there is another adult she would trust to bring it up?

Would you talk to her.  I just hope she isn’t mad at me for snitching.

If I was her, I would be happy you are concerned.

Good, she’s coming over in an hour.

It is a much bigger problem that the occasional argument, and it is important to identify to get help. Here are some of the warning signs and a hotline number for the Domestic Abuse Hotline…

Don’t brush it off as just a one time thing, it is serious and will just get worse. The website has a chat option available as well as the number to call. Remember you are not a snitch. If you love some one in trouble, help them!

1-800-799-(SAFE)7233 Domestic Abuse Hotline/thehotline.org

For Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – snitch

Fandango’s Flashback Friday – January 22

This weeks FFF goes back to 2017 when I wrote this poem for the word prompt of privacy…

What’s Inside

Can I get a little privacy

A little time to myself

Where I’m not

Girlfriend, mother, daughter,

Sister, or even friend…

*

A time when I can just be me

And not trying to impress someone

Or take care of another

A time when I put myself first

Not second, third or further down the line

*

Maybe it is not privacy I need

Maybe it is a change in me I need

A determination to be put first

A strength not to be walked on

A confidence that I matter

*

…maybe it is just not in me

Is Stinkiosity Even a Word?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It has been a little while, but Fandango has done it again.  Sent me to the Great Google Gods of the internet to decipher another word.  And even with the definition from the Oxford Dictionary all I can pull out of my head was an episode of the old TV show Growing Pain.  The oldest daughter Carol is a smart kid and trying to impress a teacher fills a paper with all sorts of mile long words.  The teacher is not impressed and gives her a bad grade saying it was too much.  After an argument from Carol, I will never forget the teacher’s line was “(it was) replete with stinkiosity.”  In other words, it was pedantic.

Sorry, that is all I’ve got today.  Maybe the next post will trigger something worthwhile.  Have a great weekend everyone!  (((HUGS)))

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – pedantic

Mumbles … Meme

When my daughter first introduced me to memes they were dominated a lot by “LOL cats” or maybe that is just what she often found and shared with me. Back in 2009 Pepsi released some limited edition aluminum bottles, one of those bottles had LOL on it. So it was an idea of mine to create our very own LOL cat with the cat we had at that times (he has since passed away). It was to be a picture used for our daughters birthday card. And since the “can haz” phase of memes was happening this is what I came up with…

My own personal LOL cat. Now I could search the internet for a funnier meme, but this one is special to me, especially since he is no longer with us. Do you have a LOL cat picture?

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – meme

Trouble With A Capitol T

Way back when my mind was affected… I would never look at the word “trouble” the same way again.  Travis Tritt tried to alter my view in 1992 but The Music Man kept me locked in with “a capitol T and that rhymes with P and that stands for “pool.””

Here is the Trouble song from The Music Man…

And Travis Tritt’s attempt to sway me…

For Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – trouble

Fandango’s Provocative Question – #104

This week Fandango has asked a question about education.  His provocative question for this week is –

What do you think is the one subject (or thing) that should be taught in school that isn’t?

image from unknown artist

I could mention a lot of things but there are two things that I think should be taught.  The arts. Music, dance (I took modern dance instead of gym class) and art classes.  It is important to feed a child’s creativity.  And while you most likely won’t need to know how to read music to succeed in life, I think it is still necessary to make a well-rounded adult.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

And speaking of adults… kids need to know about a lot of grown-up things.  Basic math – balance a check book or bank account, file taxes, figure loan or interest rates.  Living skills (used to be home economics, now is family consumer services) – minor plumbing, cooking, laundry, sewing basics (sew on a button) basic car maintenance.  I know kids should learn these things at home, but there are so few who do.  Their parents are working and involved in their own projects.  Not only did I have two semesters of home ec (a quarter of sewing and one of cooking) but I had an adult living class as well.

Ok, go to your school board meetings and fight for the future of your kids.  Life is truly more about knowing how to make a budget than what year the Louisiana Purchase happened.

Mumbles … Operation

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. on Pexels.com

I am at a loss.  Serious case of writer’s block on this one.  Maybe it is because I usually say surgery instead of operation.  I just can’t get the words to flow, it all sounds forced.  My sister recently had an operation to replace her shoulder that she broke in multiple places.  But all I can say about that is I think she was lucky as I know it wasn’t long ago I heard the hospitals were near maximum capacity.

My dad had an operation when it was discovered he had blockage in a few places, so he got a triple bypass.

I myself have had an operation on my eye (lazy eye when I was very young).  A C-section for my daughter who refused to use the door out.  And then gall bladder surgery…. But that was the three little dots with the microscopic procedure.  And of course, the operations surrounding my breast cancer – lumpectomy, port implant and implant removal.

And then as a kid I really SUCKED at the gamer Operation… always got the red nose lit!

That is about the best I can do with a train of thought write… I didn’t cover my mom’s multiple operations for diverticulitis.  I have had oral surgeons work on my mouth… does that count as an operation?  I was put under for my wisdom teeth removal and a couple of teeth to make room for braces to straighten me out.

What about you… have you had any operations? 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – operation

Mumbles … Epitome

“Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil.”

– Elle Wiesel

To see the display of violence that took place at our capitol yesterday… I must speak up. I must say I fear for our country. I fear that evil has taken hold of the democracy I grew up in. I heard today there was talk of invoking the 25th amendment. I feel helpless here, unable to do anything to save the United States in the last few days of Donald Trump’s presidency.

But maybe that is not right. I have already done my patriotic right, like millions of other Americans did, by voting in the general election last November. And it has been registered and verified and certified and any other “fied” it needs to be. It was saved from the destruction of the rioters when someone grabbed the boxes it was transported in. It has been made official in congress that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be in power in less than two weeks now. I just hope we make it that long.

What happened Wednesday at the capitol cannot happen again. We cannot turn a blind eye to it either. We need to make sure the guilty parties are punished to the full extent of the law. I am still haunted by the fact that our president said he “loved” the rioters… how can he defend them when they attacked our government? Does anyone have the answer?

Written for Fandango’s One Word Challenge (FOWC) – epitome

Yes, I Know My ABC’s

I have worked hard these last few days to catch up with the current year on posts… and now I am going to stop and take a little look backwards at what was often referred to as a dumpster fire of a year, 2020. (A special thank you to Deb over at Being Aunt Debbie for inspiration for this list when she did her own alphabet list.) Anyone else want to give the look back a go?

Astronomical phenomena – the Christmas star was present in the sky

Biden and Harris – the team was elected President and Vice-President in November

Covid 19 – It had a HUGE impact on our lives

Divided – For a nation that was in a fight for its life with Covid it was very much a year of pick your side

Elections – It was the biggest one to date, so many people voted on both sides.

Face masks – They were recommended, not recommended and recommended again, people both embraced and refused them and a lot of people still don’t know how to wear them properly

Governors – They were left to deal with lock downs (or not), mask mandates and closures with no real guidance from federal government

Healthcare workers – Those doctors, nurses, and all staff in hospitals and clinics were (still are) pushed to the breaking points trying to comfort and care for those with Covid and other illnesses

Isolation – Very little contact with others as lock downs and closures took place

Jokes – Late night comedians tried to help lighten the mood in the midst of a fierce election and a killer pandemic

Kindness – There were stories of millions of face masks being made, neighbors helping neighbors and loved ones being reunited by extreme measures

Loss – Numbers too high of those who did not make it through to 2021

Matter – All lives won’t matter until black lives matter…

New hobbies – millions of people took up new hobbies, mass baking caused flour shortages and I saw more posts of artwork from friends

Out of business – Far too many businesses had to shut their doors for good after costly shut-downs

Postponed – So many events were postponed, including my own daughter’s wedding

Quarantines – Many who became exposed or had tested positive had to quarantine for 10 days to 2 weeks

Remote learning – Children and parents bonded over home schooling as students were kept home in isolation from the virus

Shipping and delivery – Online shopping skyrocketed between Amazon and food delivery services

Toilet paper – Of all things there was a run on toilet paper, but supplies also ran dry for cleaners, disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer

Unemployment – with so many doors closing many found themselves out of work

Vaccine – We were approved for two vaccines for the Corona Virus

Wash your hands – Never before did I think the nation would need lessons broadcasted on how to wash your hand properly

X-rays – They showed the damage Covid could do to the human lung

Yucky, year-end and yearn – It was a yucky year but we made it to year-end and we yearn for a better 2021

Zoom meetings – I had never heard of Zoom before 2020 now it is everywhere