What I (Maya Angelou) Has Learned Wednesday

I am handing today's post off to the late, legendary author and poet, Maya Angelou. Please soak in her wisdom while I soak the bird for tomorrow's Thanksgiving Feast...

Maya Angelou, 4.4.28 - 5.28.14 

1) I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

2) I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

3) I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

4) I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."

5)  I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

6) I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.

7) I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

8) I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

9) I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

10) I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

11) I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

The Happiest of Hump Days and Happy Thanksgiving!

~Babaloo

Writer's Workshop - Different than my parents

 


List 5 ways you are different as a parent than your parents were...

1) Modern technology... my parents parented me before YouTube, social media, texting, smart phone apps, video game consoles, tablets, laptops and cable. If they wanted to find me they had to yell. If I was out of earshot they'd have to come find me. If they wanted to know what was going on with me at school they would have to ask. My kids, as soon as they were old enough to be out of my sight for extended periods of time have been reachable by modern technology. If I need to know how they are doing in school, their grades are a few clicks away. I sometimes feel sorry for them.

2) I think, no, I know that I am more open than my parents ever were. My kids and I have open discussions on just about everything. There isn't anything one of them could bring up (as long as they were serious about it) that I would "not" discuss with them. My parents were very secretive and wouldn't talk openly about most things. I don't know if it was out of fear or just the norm to not discuss sensitive topics with young people.

3) I laugh about it now, but my parents (especially my dad) were very racist. I didn't realize how narrow their viewpoints were until I went out into the world and was exposed to so many other viewpoints. My kids, on the other hand, are bi-racial. Their dad is Hispanic and I am Caucasian. Because of the area we live in they have grown up in a cornucopia of diversity. Not because I am into new-age philosophy or have some rainbow agenda, it just worked out that way. I think my kids were exposed to every race, religion, economic class, sexual orientation and ethnicity before they could walk. They have a deeper understanding and tolerance for others that, not from a lack of trying, I don't think I will ever attain in my lifetime.

4) Pets! What did I ever do without pets? We weren't allowed to have pets growing up. Personal taste of bot of my parents. My dad used to chase dogs out of our yard on a daily basis. Never cared for them, never cared for the mess they made. He didn't care if the owners were right there watching, he would pick up a rock and throw it at any dog that wandered into our yard. As soon as my kids were old enough and shortly after we bought our house we got a dog. I love that dog and nearly two years ago we adopted a little friend for him, so now we have two. Some of my fondest memories are watching my boys interact with those dogs.

5) We are a two income family, my husband and I both work full-time. Growing up my mom worked as well, but part-time and with my dad at their auto part store. She was usually home when we got home from school and was always available. I'm not sure if this has been a dis-service to my children or not, but it would have been nice to experience being a stay-at-home mom.

Most Quotable Friday - Maya Angelou

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ~ Maya Angelou

“What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.” ~ Maya Angelou

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
~ Maya Angelou,

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
 ~ Maya Angelou

“Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” ~ Maya Angelou

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good morning' at total strangers.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” ~ Maya Angelou

Thursday Blurbs

1. I was blown away last week when a friend and co-worker shared a very personal secret with me. I was honored that she shared it with me and it made my respect and admiration for her grow more than I ever thought possible because I had always thought very highly of her. It is just so true how everyone you meet has a struggle, something only they know about, that they have to deal with every day. *Sigh* It almost made me want to share my secret with her. I feel like someday I will. But now isn't the right time.

Post-it paper clipped for safety

 2. This drives me absolutely crazy. See this picture on the left? I come in to work and find things like this on my desk all the time. It is from my boss. She likes to write me notes on Post-it notes... and then paperclips them on for good measure. What does she think is going to happen between the time she puts the note on my desk and the time I see it? Are we going to have a wind storm? Will there be a volcano eruption that could potentially melt the adhesive off the Post-it? Are we infested with Post-it eating nocturnal creatures who are afraid of paper clips? Are there crazy ninjas that come at night and take Post-it notes off our desks but leave them in place if there is a paper clip? What is the reasoning? Thinking about it makes my brain hurt.



3. I did it! I did it! After years of attempting to educate fellow drivers on the road I have finally gotten through to not one, but two people! The first one was a few weeks ago when I was driving to work. A young man had veered right into my lane in front of me (without using a blinker) forcing me to brake so I honked at him. I could see him looking at me in his mirror so I mouthed the words "use your blinker" and made little blinking motions with my hand. He smiled and a few minutes later, I kid you not, he moved over to the next lane and used his blinker so the car behind him knew what he was going to do! Same thing happened last night. A
woman pulled right into my lane forcing me to slam on my brakes. I flashed my high-beams at her and she looked at me timidly through her mirror. Again, I mouthed "use your blink-er" and made little motions with my hand so she could see them. And? Seriously, not 30 seconds later she moved over to another lane and used her blinker!

4. Seriously, between the pile of lottery tickets that I finally checked and the laundry this week... I'm up $14! Whooohoo!! That is two decent bottles of wine on sale. #winning

5. I have a new hero, his name is Albert and he has the same affliction as I when he sees someone post the word "loose" when what they really mean (according to the context in which it is written) is "lose." This is his comment on a post in a SJ Sharks forum. -------------->
The original post said... "I have a top 3 teams I hate/dislike to loose to and I want to know what your top 3 teams you hate/dislike to loose to...." I mean, the poster wrote it twice so it can't be a typo. But then... Albert. LOL! It is the small things that make me happy.

6. I am bursting inside about what I'm going to be doing next week, but I don't want to throw it out into the universe because I am feeling very superstitious. So I am choosing to keep it inside and just wait until it is happening so that I can post it all over FB and Instagram. *Hee Hee*

Happy Thursday!

~Babaloo

What I Have Learned Wednesday

1. I have learned that Chuck M@ns*n (I don't want his name showing up in a search engine linking to my blog) is getting married. *blech* Gross. WTF? I can't... I don't... I have nothing clever to say. She is 26 years old, what is he now, like 90? And no, that isn't what is weird about it... that doesn't even scrape the surface of the wrongness or yuckiness of this union. Was she even alive when he went on his murdering spree? Maybe she doesn't know? Someone should tell her, just in case.

2. I have learned that "vape," the act of smoking an e-cigarette, is Oxford Dictionary's "new" word of the year. You can read more about Oxford's proud moment here.

3. I have learned (unverified, but I like to think that it is true) that some Canadian police departments give out "positive" tickets for doing something good.

4. I have learned that in 1895 there were only two cars in the whole state of Ohio and that, in what was most likely the first recorded instance of  "road rage" in history, those two cars crashed into each other.

5. I have learned that Doritos could actually be made without the orange powder residue and taste exactly

The Doritos Experience - Ha!

the same. The company decided to leave it on because the residue left on your fingers is part of the "Doritos experience."

6. I have learned that scientists can grow bacon from stem cells. What? Oscar Meyer, et al. need to get on that ASAP to avoid this impending "bacon shortage" I keep hearing about.

7. I have learned that my son has a wonderful opportunity to give back and say thanks to the family of the tissue donor who gave him an achilles tendon that was used to repair the ligaments in his knee (ACL). Jacob will be writing them a letter today and hopefully I can share some of it before we send it to the program that will then pass it on to the donor family.

Happy Hump Day!

~Babaloo

Writer's Workshop - Haiku

 Writing Prompt: Write a haiku about what you see out your window... I was inspired, so I wrote 3:

1.  Amidst a mint view

     a windowless tower stands

     stealing scenery

2.  A twelve story crane 

     constructing a new court house

     And justice for all

3. Blowing in the wind

    a lone palm tree stands stoically 

    Last one on the block

Sunday visit to Half Moon Bay

Another beautiful day in Northern California... perfect for a quick getaway! The husband and I took a long walk on the beach followed by a more leisurely stroll down Main Street and capped off with some local wine tasting at the Bartera Winery.  We forgot our troubles for a few hours and eased some stress at the same time... Mission Accomplished! "Twas a good day."

This Methodist church looks like it is strait out of a story book

Half Moon Bay / Pacific Coast looking north

Cliffs and trees formed and shaped from years of wind and coastal weather

We are getting better at selfies!

Outside a local shop