26 days of Me – “T”

T is for:

 

(Tactful):  Definition:  1.  having or showing concern about upsetting or offending people.

Being tactful is very important to me.  I make it a point to be very careful with how I word things to other people (generally).   Of course occasionally I do get a brain fog and stick my foot in my mouth.  I am not happy with myself when that happens.  I know that I appreciate when people speak to me with respect and regard for my feelings, therefore I practice this myself.  A person without tact is very offensive to me.

 

(tape):  Definition:  1.  a long strip of plastic or cloth with adhesive on one or both sides, usually on a roll.

Yes, you read correctly…I did say “tape.”  Whenever I wrap a gift for someone I tend to get a little carried away with the tape.  I don’t know if I am just enjoying the gift wrapping so much that I don’t want to stop or if I just want to prolong the receiver’s suspense in opening the gift? lol  Yeah and there’s more.  I ALWAYS take a piece of tape off of the roll when I am using it and stick it to my bottom lip.  I know….I’m a weirdo.  Not sure why I do that but I always have. lol  Below is a pic of my son unwrapping a gift (Christmas 2003).   He really had a difficult  job to do since his mom is such a tape monster. lol

26 Days of Me – “S”

S is for:

(Simple):  Definition:  1.  straightforward, uncomplicated, trouble-free, effortless, undemanding.

I do consider myself basically a simple person.  I am not extravagant by any means.  I dress casual.  I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.   I’m satisfied with pizza and a movie instead of fine dining and fancy dress.  Expensive gifts are nice and I love all gifts that I receive, but I am equally as satisfied with a small token….regardless of price, that says the other person thought of me specifically.   I lead a simple life and it suits me well.  The less complicated I can keep things, the better. 🙂

(Scrap-booking):  Definition:  A scrapbook is a book with blank pages used for the mounting and preserving of pictures, clippings, or other mementos.

I enjoy creating scrapbooks.  I have three scrapbooks filled with pictures of my son and I have not yet made it to his first birthday. lol  (I’m sure I will have a library full when I am done as he is now 15).  I am also working on a scrapbook of my immediate family (myself, my son and my fiance’).  I have plans for several other scrapbooks as well.  Hopefully I will find the time to complete each one.  I miss living near my friends who also like to scrapbook.  Maybe I will eventually make some new friends here on the coast who enjoy it as well 🙂  Below is a pic that I am sure will make it into one of my scrapbooks.  I shall entitle it “Pants-Head.”  This is my son and the title is self-explanatory. lol  (Such a cutie).

26 Days of Me – “R”

R is for:

(Responsible):  Definition:  1.answerable to somebody: accountable to somebody for an action or for the successful carrying out of a duty.

My dad and I have never been extremely close, but I have learned one very important thing from him over the years and that is to be a responsible person in general.  I am very thankful to him for instilling this quality in me.  I pride myself in being a responsible parent and for having a strong work ethic.  I hope that my son takes this quality along with him one day and carries it through his life as well.

(Remembering):  Definition:  1.  keep something in memory: to retain an idea in the memory without forgetting it.

I am a day-dreamer.  I often get lost in thought remembering past times (good and bad).  The events and experiences of my life have shaped me into the woman I now am.  Often I reflect on the fun times I’ve had and feel thankful that they happened to me, and reflect on the bad times I’ve endured and feel thankful that those situations helped me to grow and to become a stronger, more educated person.  Day-dreaming (remembering) can sometimes set me up for “worrying” if I am not careful, but it can also take me on a wonderful trip down memory lane and cause a smile for a mile 🙂  Below is a pic taken of one of the cottages at the children’s home where I worked for over 20 years.  Hillview Acres is now closed (due to the darned economy), but I remember it often both with sadness and with smiles.  I will always love HVA 🙂

 

 

26 Days of Me – “Q”

Q is for:

(Quiet):  Definition:  1.not noisy: making little or no noise.

Although at work I can be quite noisy (I work with kids); there are many times that I am quiet.  Some of those times include…when I am around a group of people who I am not familiar with; when I do not want to be singled out; and especially when I am angry.  When I was a little girl I used to “pout” when I was upset.  Normally I would go to my room and be quiet.  I guess in a sense I am a grown-up who still pouts when I don’t know what to do with my anger. lol  It is not uncommon for me to separate myself from everyone else and to have quiet time when things are bothering me.  I ride the introvert/extrovert fence in my personality…but being “quiet” definitely has its own unique place in describing me.

(Quirks):  Definition:  1. odd mannerism: a peculiar habit, mannerism, or aspect of somebody’s
character.

I am very fascinated with the personalities and ways of others. I am sometimes intrigued or even entertained by observing other’s quirks.  We are each uniquely different and although some quirks can be annoying, there are many more quirks that are interesting.  Maybe observing “quirks” is a quirk of my own? lol  Below is a picture I took of some quirky “pink people” at the zoo.  I think they were more fun to observe than some of the animals we saw that day. lol

26 Days of Me – “P”

P is for:

(Positive):  Definition:  1. optimistic: confident, optimistic, and focusing on good things rather than bad.

There is way too much negative in the world already.  I choose to be a positive person.  I learned a very useful tool once from watching the old Disney film “Pollyanna.”  The title character is named Pollyanna Whittier, a young orphan who goes to live in Beldingsville, Vermont, with her wealthy but stern Aunt Polly. Pollyanna’s philosophy of life centers on what she calls   “The Glad Game”, an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. It originated in an incident one Christmas when Pollyanna, who was hoping for a doll in the missionary barrel, found only a pair of crutches inside. Making the game up on the spot, Pollyanna’s father taught her to look at the good side of things—in this case, to be glad about the crutches because “we don’t need em.”  I try to view life that way.  Difficult and frustrating things seem to be around every corner in life and often we focus so hard on those things that the good things become less obvious to us.  But often if I stop and REALLY think about a situation I can usually think of something to be glad for.  (It could be worse worse; This is temporary, etc).  I have also found that being positive keeps me feeling healthier physically.  Being negative is a giant headache that I just do not want.

(Pancakes):  Definition:  1.thin fried cake: a thin flat cake made by pouring batter onto a hot greased flat pan, and cooking it on both sides.

I LOVE pancakes!  Being on a diet right now makes that fact very difficult.  Pancakes are just so yummy!  A few years ago a good friend of mine Cathy (who lives far away and I miss dearly), took me to iHop for my birthday.  iHop was celebrating “Horton Hears a Who” and were serving “Who Cakes.”  Let me tell you…they were the bomb!  They were stacked high, drizzled in blue and purple icing (which was to die for), sprinkled with tiny candies, and had a Dum Dum sucker stuck right in the top.   They were the best pancakes ever and “I” got to eat them.  Yum!!!!  So, I am shouting out another big “THANK YOU” to Cathy for such a delicious and fun birthday gift.  Ahhh sweet memories! 🙂  Darn…now I’m hungry again.  Where are those boring carrot sticks?…lol  Below is a picture of the quite amazing “Who Cakes.”

26 Days of Me – “O”

O is for:

(Over-Protective):  Definition: 1. To protect too much; coddle: overprotected their children.

I have been accused of being over-protective of my 15 year old son.  I screen his friends more than some parents, I monitor his Facebook,  I limit the amount of time he is “out” with friends away from home, etc.  Jeremiah says that among his friends I am known as “the strict parent.”  I don’t want for him to feel different from the rest of his group, but I believe in creating as safe an environment (physically and mentally) for my son as I can…even if it makes me the “mean” or “strict” mom.  Am I over-protective?  Perhaps.  Do I love my son?  Absolutely. 🙂

(Ocean):  Definition:  1.large sea: a large expanse of salt water, especially any of the
Earth’s five main such areas, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and
Antarctic oceans.

I do love the ocean.  Travelling over it causes me to have motion sickness and once I had the fearful experience of nearly drowning in a riptide.   Despite the negative experiences I’ve had  being “in” the ocean, I do love “watching” the ocean, “smelling” the ocean, “feeling” the ocean air on my skin, and “walking or relaxing on” the beach next to the ocean.  I also love wading in the ocean as the waves break onto the sand.  I am fortunate enough to live near the ocean (within walking distance) and I think it is amazing.   Below is a pic of the ocean taken from the closest beach to our home (Oceano Beach).  What a great thinking spot this beach has been….nice for a stroll 🙂

26 Days of Me – “N”

N is for:

(Natural):  Definition: 1. present in or produced by nature, not artificial or synthetic.

I have strawberry blonde hair and green eyes which probably tells you before I have a chance to that I have pale skin.  I wear my hair straight most of the time, I wear minimal make-up (unless it is a special occasion), and I dress very casual the majority of the time.  I’m a blue jeans and t-shirt kind of girl 🙂  My nails are short because I work with children and the fragrances I wear don’t fill the room. lol  So, I think “natural” is a suitable word in describing myself.   Don’t worry…I do not hang out at nude beaches.  That’s a bit extreme. lol

(Novels):  Definition: 1. long story: a fictional prose work with a relatively long and often
complex plot, usually divided into chapters, in which the story traditionally
develops through the thoughts and actions of its characters.

I love to read.  If a book is based on a true story, I like it even better.  Currently I am reading “House of Sand and Fog” by Andre Dubus III.  Not sure yet what I think of it…it is leaning towards sad. 😦  One of my favorites is “The Forgotten Garden” by Kate Morton.  I enjoyed it so much I have purchased another of her books called “The House at Riverton” and it is the next read on my list.  I don’t take as much time for reading as I would like, but I do love it!  The pic below is just one of my face….just natural ole me. lol

26 Days of Me – “M”

M is for:

(Mannered) Definition: 1. behaving in a particular way or having manners of a particular kind.

I have never take taken a course in “proper etiquette” or even attended a well-to-do fancy dinner where impressive dress or a fat wallet were required; however I do believe that I have “good” manners.  I always say please and thank you and try to show appreciation to my dinner host or server when I have an opportunity.  I remember my “excuse-me’s” when I need to interrupt a conversation and my “I’m sorry’s” when I jump the gun and interrupt anyway.  I try very hard to listen intently to others when they speak and to acknowledge what they are sharing or teaching me.  Often I will let someone else go in front of me in line if it looks like they may be in a hurry, and I enjoy holding the door open for someone if it seems it might be helpful.  It is not often that you will see me take the “last one” of anything.  I think manners are important and I know that I appreciate it tremendously when people show manners to me.  On a bad day my manners might be lacking.  Thankfully I do not tend to have bad days often. 🙂

(Movies) Definition: 1. A sequence of photographs projected onto a screen with sufficient rapidity as to create the illusion of motion and continuity.

I really enjoy watching movies, especially on the big screen at the theatre.  I love the volume in the theatre and the size of the screen as it makes me feel like I am right there on the scene. lol  My favorite movies are romantic comedies, but I also enjoy action movies, and yes children’s movies as well.  Sorry, you can’t work with kids as long I have and not appreciate a funny, animated flick….I’m sure I always will.  Put me right in the middle row of the theatre… in the very middle seat with some un-buttered popcorn, bottled water, and either milk duds or Hot Tamales and I will tell you that it must be what heaven is like. Lol  I am currently dieting  so it would not be the “ultimate experience” to visit the theatre right now without enjoying the above mentioned snacks, but seeing a movie would still be worth it….I love to go.  Watching DVD movies at home is definitely a great second option. 🙂  Some of my all time favorite movies are The Wizard of Oz, Anna and the King, Empire of the Sun, and The Truth about Cats and Dogs.  Trust me I could go on………………………..  I couldn’t find any pictures in my files that were specifically connected to manners or movies so I thought I would just share this picture that I took at the Aquarium of the Pacific several years ago.  This guy definitely looks like he belongs in a movie….dont ya think? lol

26 Days of Me – “L”

L is for:

(Listener):  Definition of listen  1.make conscious effort to hear: to concentrate on hearing somebody or something;  to pay attention to something and take it into account.

This one is a big deal to me.  If you are a middle child like I am, you perhaps have struggled at some point with feeling “lost in the crowd.”  My sister was older and involved in activities before I was (she was the cheerleader mascot that the boys thought was cute, the superstar swimmer, etc).  My younger brother was the baby…. and there always exists some level of competition with that when you are young.  So, sometimes being the cool sister’s “younger sister” or one step away from baby, sometimes left me feeling lost in the crowd.  (more by outsiders than at home I’d like to clarify).  Anyway, I grew up with this sensitivity to the importance of being heard.  I try very hard to make sure that I am available to others when they need to talk (or vent) and validate that right or wrong their ideas, that their feelings are important.  This is especially important with kids.  Because they are young and not yet matured, they often feel like adults do not listen to them.  I have learned that one of the best things you can do (especially with teens) is to let them know that although you have to say no to their request, that you did hear what they were asking and why.  Will they still get upset?  Usually, but in the end they tend to feel more respected and this is what teens are often trying to achieve.  I am no pro…I just try to stick with what works. lol  It has also been my experience that sometimes people need me to “just” listen.  They are not looking for advice or responses…just an ear or a shoulder.  It’s hard to know sometimes when this is what is expected so I am careful with how I respond.   Confidentiality is huge when you are a listener who many people tend to share with.  I value the feelings people entrust in my care.   To make a long story longer….I feel it is important to not just “hear” but to really “listen” to others and this is a big part of who I am.

 

(Love):  Definition  1.feel tender affection for somebody: to feel tender affection for
somebody such as a close relative or friend, or for something such as a place,
an ideal, or an animal.

Love can be a painful thing in life, especially when we are trying to figure out how it works…but to me love is truly worthwhile.  I think it is easier for me to grasp love as a Christian because through the bible and the guidance of other Christians in my life I have come to understand the incredible Love of God.  The love I have for my child is immeasurable.  There isn’t anything that he could do to change how I feel about him.  He is my son…a gift that I treasure.  I love my fiance’ Jeff with abundance as well.  I enjoy my time with him and miss him when we have time apart.  I love how he makes me feel special (and girlie) lol and how he makes my heart flutter.  I love my extended family and friends and I even feel a love for strangers.  (it’s just the heart I was dealt).  This can be challenging when many other people do not feel this way about the general population.   As Christians we are instructed to love one another.  For me it just happens to come easy.  The picture below is a pic that was taken about a year ago of me and my sweet Jeff just hanging out and spending the afternoon together.

26 Days of Me – “K”

K is for:

(Kind):  Definition: 1. Of a friendly, generous, or warm-hearted nature.

I don’t know if I always meet this standard, but I do attempt to be kind as often as I can.  I struggled with finding a suitable “K” word and my fiance’ Jeff suggested this one.  I’m glad that it is a word that another person can associate with me.  I think life is too short to walk around being grumpy and tearing others down.  What a waste!  I like the way it feels when others are kind to me..therefore I pay it forward.  It’s amazing how one’s attitude can change when you throw a little kindness their way.  We never know what others are going through in their lives causing them to be unkind.  Perhaps on a given day I will be the only one that cuts them a break of gives them a smile despite their negative disposition.  In the words of my wise and sweet Jeff..”Couldn’t hurt!”

(Kids): Definition:  1.child: a young child.

Kids are awesome!  I currently work with preschoolers and kindergarteners and previously  have worked with abused and neglected children of all ages in a children’s home (for 20 years) and continue to work part-time as a Therapeutic Behavior Services Coach as well.  Kids amaze me.  They are so resilient and entertaining and teach me lessons every day.  They keep me supplied almost daily with anonymous Facebook statuses as they say the most fascinating and humorous things.  Working with kids is not a career that brings wealth “monetarily” but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.  Riches come in many forms and it is my belief that kids are a treasure and should be appreciated, valued and protected.  I hope that I am able to remain a kid at heart for the remainder of my life.  Below is a picture I took at Oceano Beach in the summer of 2009.  I saw these unknown children playing and having a great time and couldn’t resist snapping a pic.  Ah the good ole days of childhood. 🙂