Be Really for Real You.

We do all sorts of things to fit in... 

As women, we tend to wear bras even though they feel like torture devices, we tend to wear make up despite mounting evidence that it causes cancers, clogs pores and sometimes gives one the appearance of a clown...

Men even fall prey to social conformity by tending to be the ones to mow the grass or striving to be the one in a relationship with a higher pay grade...

Whether on purpose or by default setting, we do things that help us blend in, play our part or "fit in" as society or our cultures expect us to. 

Why?

Why should I wear a bra? To make others more comfortable? Why should I wear make up? So I'll look like everyone else?

Maybe we should instead challenge the "norm." Perhaps we instead might do what WE WANT. Whether that means going braless, or it means an internship instead of a college degree... 

Do yourself a favor and quit doing whatever is expected of you, and instead do what is RIGHT for you. 

Sit down in a quiet place and THINK. PRAY. MEDITATE. Do whatever it is you do that helps you process things. Consider what you're good at. Consider what you love. Consider what you hate...

A general rule I follow is this: if it makes you smile, you're doing it right. 

Try it. 

See what happens. 

A full pollen basket

I did a little research one day after I noticed that this one bee had huge red bumps on its legs... apparently this is what happens whenever their "pollen basket" gets full... The day after my initial discovery of this, I decided to chase bees around my backyard for three hours with a 300x zoom lens on my new fancy camera, while I practiced taking pictures in manual mode... I'm happy with the results! After the bees realized I wasn't a threat, they even came surprisingly close to me, so the last couple of shots were taken with the bees practically at my feet. Let's just call this a crash course in photography, shall we? Here is more info, if you're interested yourself...

Finding yourself is a funny thing...

I think my name was Alice once... Upon a dream... 

When I were naught but a little one, I cried every time Alice fell into the rabbit hole. Scared out of my wits! 

As an adult, I empathize with the Tim Burton Alice... I had "lost my muchness" for a while, but I finally Slayed my Jabberwocky... 

Official or Unofficial Experience

Officially, you may not know squat about it. Nothing on your resume indicates prior knowledge. Your credentials are lacking in this department...

Unofficially, you may have done this for years as a hobby or to save a little dough you'd spend paying someone else to do it...

Be it, repairing appliances, fixing leaky pipes or even taking photographs of your kiddos; unofficial experience IS experience, and unofficially it can be your foot in the door to your destiny...

Don't discount yourself too quickly as being lacking in education... You know SOMETHING. You're good at SOMETHING. The world needs your unique skill set and ability and it needs it Today! 

-written after hearing an inspiring story of a man who worked on his own tv and computer for years and it landed him a job he was Technically not qualified for. 

No More Excuses

I'm trying something new... I'm attempting to stop making excuses for everything. 

I either did, or I didn't. 

I am or I'm not. 

I will or I won't. 

I always feel as if I have to explain myself, but why? Am I trying to earn approval? Keep my nods up? 

That, and honestly it can be really annoying to listen to all the reasons one Didn't accomplish a task, or for that matter to hear a justification speech for why they Did...

The Nap Room

I wholeheartedly believe this revolutionary concept should be implemented in every learning facility from Pre K through to Grad School. 

It's simple. It's needed. It's a Nap Room!

No, I'm not joking. 

I grew up in a home where my family was rarely in bed before midnight, or even home for that matter, so the fact that I maintained excellent grades through school is a mystery. 

Some of my friends weren't so fortunate...

Lack of sleep is a serious problem. It can make you drive worse than if you were drunk (myth busters), it can cause your thoughts to jumble, making speech difficult, if not incoherent, and it is not at all uncommon for the sleep deprived to be excessively moody!

Perhaps we should view adolescence the way we view toddlers, in this respect. Whenever my two year old hasn't had his nap or is awoken prematurely, he is a terror! 

Whenever he hits growth spurts, he will at times sleep until 10:00am, then go down for a 3 hour nap by noon!

Are teenagers not hitting one of the biggest grown spurts of their lives? 

What teen do you know who hasn't hit a stage at least once where they could sleep past noon, if not all day?

Why then are we not facilitating proper sleep needs for these growing humans? 

Call me crazy, but I see a simple solution to this dilemma. Create an optional nap time on a daily basis, by providing a safe, quiet, calming environment conducive to a sound rest. 

This can be achieved by simply allowing free access to a gym floor where students may lay a mat of their own or in extravagant cases, where a facility wants to go above and beyond, they might provide a carpeted room that would be muted from startling noises that may make sleep elusive. 

I couldn't count the times I dozed off in the mornings I arrived at school early, over the years. I've slept on benches, on book bags and occasionally on the floor...

Perhaps my ability to sleep anywhere has helped me to balance my home life and school work in a way that works...

Perhaps this concept really isn't all that far fetched...

Perhaps an adaptation of this idea should become a reality...

-I don't know about you, but I'd love to see more kiddos do well in school, and ensuring they have a chance at proper quantities of sleep seems pretty legit to me.

Road to Recovery, or Mountain more like...

Whether it be Methamphetamine, Prescriptions, Marijuana, Alcohol, Caffine or Sugar; Addictions affect the majority of civilization. Personally, I'd have difficulty functioning without my oversized coffees and frequent bars of creamy milk chocolate. I'm sure you can relate in one way or another...

Some habits are relatively harmless. Others, not so much... 

All in all, you Won't quit until (and IF ever) YOU decide it is what you choose to do. No one person has the power to make that decision for another. Much like faith, it's a personal decision. We can pray for those we love, or hope they see the light, but bear in mind, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Newton's third law doesn't strictly apply to physics. You try to FORCE a person to give up their "drug of choice" they'll likely use, do, or drink more... It's proven science. Their equal and Opposite reaction will be the likely result of your forceful tactics.

That being said, Loving someone Despite their faults, Forgiving them the Pain they've caused, and Encouraging anything worth encouragement, goes a long way...

Thoughtfully,

The dear friend and relative of an ex-addict

Super yummy delicious sliders!

My little bro made these the other day and I ate probably ten of them! He used Hawaiian bread though and some seasonings not listed...

-try it out for yourself! I don't believe you'll be disappointed!

Mementos, Time Portals and Love that Never Ends

Memento: something that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or thing. 

I have this pencil; it's a Pentel, 0.5mm, has a dark green eraser and a name taped under the clip... It was my great grandmother's crossword pencil. 

I have no clue how I ended up with it, and I don't fully understand why it means so much to me...

I do know that this one, seemingly insignificant, piece of office supplies has the ability to take me back, way back, to a time when I was sucking on Werther's Originals butterscotch candies and doodling on a legal pad, lying on the floor, while my maternal great grandmother filled in the boxes of yet another of her word puzzles...

I was very young when she died, so I have very few memories of her, but the ones I carry are sweet and gentle. They always leave me a little warmer inside and encouraged. 

That woman was a tough old bird! She survived 13 heart attacks before the 14th took her... Her chest was marked by a long scar, where her pace maker was sewn in... When I think of strength and endurance, she is foremost in my mind.  

She was more handy than most men, and could make something beautiful out of rubbish. From cooking gut bustingly delicious meals, to firing ceramics in a kiln, there was little this woman took on that she didn't master. 

Gentle in manner and kind in speech, she set the bar high as to what a woman can be, but I find myself aspiring to reach it. 

I have many such things in my house, small and seemingly insignificant things, that are like portals to the past. They remind me of those I've loved, or of times I've lived... Like little memories, tucked away, to be revisited any time I come across them... 

-Cherish the Good Memories, Learn from the Bad. #Goals

The Alien in the room...

I laughed out loud whenever I first heard the expression "Not Of This World." I had a friend who tattooed the Christian Apparel symbol on his neck some years ago and I was quite confused...

"What a strange thing to say," I thought...

Or is it?

After hearing that phrase, it resonated with me and, over time, felt truer than I had previously considered...

I believe it came from John 18:36, where Jesus says, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Then it really hit home... I'm not from here and this is not where I belong. I'm meant to make an impact for the Kingdom in my own unique way, then go back home whenever I'm through... 

http://youtu.be/he32vwlKQPY