Did you ever stop and think of things that you thought of in the past and forgot them?
Or things that you wanted to do but never had the chance?
At my age, if I don't write things down, they disappear forever, or at least a few years. My short term memory is something of the past, and long forgotten. This is due in part to Fibromyalgia. A curse I have that robs me of life as it used to be. But that's not what this is about. Just an explanation of why I have such a crappy memory.
Anyway, I was thinking of things I have never done or done in a while or had in a while, and thought I would have a chance eventually. There are also things that many don't know about me. These are my exposed thoughts.
As a kid, I loved turnip, mashed with lots of butter. My grandfather loved that about me, because he liked them too. But nobody ever makes them anymore. Well, my friend Peggy did, a few weeks ago, and they were delish! They were white turnips, and she grew them in her garden!
I grew up in the 60/70's, a time of free love and make love not war. I didn't go to Woodstock, I was only 13 after all. And I never tried drugs. Never wanted to and still don't. I have enough prescription meds that my doc says I need to survive, so many that it is almost like a meal when I take them.
I've never been to the ocean. Really. Well, from 10,000 feet up.
I am allergic to cats. Never was around cats until I was 18. I went to visit my Great-Aunt in New York and she had a beautiful Calico named Timmy. He loved me. The first night, he slept at the foot of my bed. When I woke up in the morning, my eyes were swollen shut and crusted over. I couldn't breathe, and I was itchy all over my body. My aunt took one look at me and exclaimed "You're allergic to cats!". Needless to say, I had to move to my other aunt's house who had only outside cats. Believe it or not, I now have a cat. She found us, probably was dumped since she was only about a year old, very clean, well fed and pregnant. She lost her kittens, but stayed with us. That was 7 years ago and I have not had any problems with allergies around her. She sleeps in the bed with me, usually on my pillow at the top of my head.
I grew up on the South Side of Chicago... South Side Irish. I am a Cubs fan! I used to like the Bears, til Ditka left. Now I don't really pay much attention to sports.
I never did learn to swim.
I am afraid of heights. Can't even stand on the 2nd step of a step ladder. I am also claustrophobic and don't like to fly. I think they all go together.
I didn't read "50 Shades of Grey" or any of its sequels.
I still believe there is a Santa Claus. He may not be a man in a red suit with a white beard, but a spirit who looks out for us and somehow makes things appear when we need them.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Age Does Have Its Advantages
I used to be concerned with what others thought of what I did, or wore, or said, or how I acted. I would plan my day around what I thought others wanted me to be. But that wasn't being me. I finally learned that who I am is what I am and if someone doesn't like it, then they had to make their own adjustments because I am being myself!
I don't give a rats patootie if someone doesn't think I should have my hair as long as it is "at my age". I will keep it this long until it drives me up a wall, which is usually a short trip!
I will dance like a 20 something because I CAN! I can shake it with the best of them, and usually do. It's good cardio according to my doctor, keeps my heart rate up, keeps my blood pumping, keeps my muscles in tone. It's like aerobics except that you enjoy who you are doing it with and the music you are doing it to and where you are doing it. I figured that on a weekend I dance on average about 4 hours total. Look up what it shows for strenuous aerobics and how many calories you burn. For 4 hours of dancing, according to the calculator I found on the web, I burn 2,160 calories! The calculator is at http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi
and has several different activities that you can figure calories burned on. The one I used for my dancing was the one called "Dancing - aerobic, ballet, modern".
I will do as I want as long as it makes me happy and doesn't cause anyone else any harm. I am through with the fears of what anyone else might think, I am doing what makes me happy. I have come to the conclusion that if someone has to stand around and observe others and comment negatively, then maybe they are lacking some self confidence or self respect in themselves. Having those qualities would allow them to just be who they are and not what others want them to be. It's so much easier to follow your own ideals, you don't have to get approval from anyone except you. Sure saves a lot of time trying to figure out what to wear to go dancing!
I have decided that at my age, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks, because if they don't like or approve of what I am doing, it's because they are jealous! Get over yourselves already, do what you want, when you want, with whomever you want. Life is too short to let short-sighted people get in the way of your fun. Live life to the fullest before it is too late! And it's never too late to start!
I don't give a rats patootie if someone doesn't think I should have my hair as long as it is "at my age". I will keep it this long until it drives me up a wall, which is usually a short trip!
I will dance like a 20 something because I CAN! I can shake it with the best of them, and usually do. It's good cardio according to my doctor, keeps my heart rate up, keeps my blood pumping, keeps my muscles in tone. It's like aerobics except that you enjoy who you are doing it with and the music you are doing it to and where you are doing it. I figured that on a weekend I dance on average about 4 hours total. Look up what it shows for strenuous aerobics and how many calories you burn. For 4 hours of dancing, according to the calculator I found on the web, I burn 2,160 calories! The calculator is at http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi
and has several different activities that you can figure calories burned on. The one I used for my dancing was the one called "Dancing - aerobic, ballet, modern".
I will do as I want as long as it makes me happy and doesn't cause anyone else any harm. I am through with the fears of what anyone else might think, I am doing what makes me happy. I have come to the conclusion that if someone has to stand around and observe others and comment negatively, then maybe they are lacking some self confidence or self respect in themselves. Having those qualities would allow them to just be who they are and not what others want them to be. It's so much easier to follow your own ideals, you don't have to get approval from anyone except you. Sure saves a lot of time trying to figure out what to wear to go dancing!
I have decided that at my age, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks, because if they don't like or approve of what I am doing, it's because they are jealous! Get over yourselves already, do what you want, when you want, with whomever you want. Life is too short to let short-sighted people get in the way of your fun. Live life to the fullest before it is too late! And it's never too late to start!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Memories
I'll admit, I've been slacking off lately. Something has been trying to get hold of me, and I've been fighting it tooth and nail, literally (I split 2 fingernails LOL). I get home from work and I am so exhausted that I sometimes don't even check email, let alone do anymore designing. I have to get moving and start making new pieces for my shop. I have so many new ideas and hopefully this weekend I will have the time and energy to start creating again. I have one custom order to complete and my buyer has been very patient with me, which is priceless.
It seems like every other weekend something comes up and there is no time to relax. Last weekend my husband and I took a short trip to a resort in Northern Illinois, right on Lake Michigan. It was a well needed rest and respite from reality, not to mention some alone time for Valentine's Day. We had a room with a lovely view of a State park, and it even included chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne on Saturday night, along with a delicious dinner in the hotel's restaurant, which had a lake view.
We got to talking to a woman who was staying there while her husband was at the Cancer Treatment Center nearby. I was very impressed with her courage and outgoing personality, considering she was alone in a strange city. I used to travel for a former job and I could never bring myself to go to a restaurant for lunch or dinner alone. I usually ended up picking something up from a fast food place and going back to my hotel. We invited our new friend to join us for whatever meal we happened to be having whenever we saw her. She spent most of the day at the treatment center visiting with her husband. I don't know how I would feel if I was in her shoes, especially since it seemed there were several set backs in the progress of his condition. I gave her my business card and asked that she keep in touch with us. Since the hotel isn't that far from our home, we told her that whenever they returned for treatments, to let us know and we would try to drive up to visit with her.
Meeting her brought back memories of my mom when my dad was in the hospital for over 3 months in Minnesota. She stayed in a boarding house across from the hospital and ate all her meals in the hospital cafeteria or at the little waffle house next to the boarding house. She was alone, but bonded with many other women who were in the same position as she was. It took a lot of courage to deal with most of the situations that arose on her own. We would take turns going up to visit for weekends, but we all had families and jobs and couldn't always go every weekend. She had her needlework for the times she was in her room at night, but I know she was wishing one or all of us could be there with her. It took a lot of courage and strength to do what she did and I really admired her for that.
Saturday will be 19 years since my dad passed away, and I still miss him. I can still remember the last time I talked to him, it was Valentine's Day 1990, the week before he died. We had been up there for 10 days and had to return home. The doctors told my mom as we were leaving that they would be sending him home the following week, on a med-jet. We knew there was nothing else that could be done and that he was going home to die. It was what he wanted..to be home with his family. Like the song..."he did it his way". I still think of the song "My Way" as his theme song, and almost asked for it to be played at the funeral mass, but didn't know if some would be offended. That is the only thing I regret, is not doing that, because I really believe he would have gotten a kick out of it.
He had the last word, again, the day of his funeral....there was a blizzard that pretty much paralyzed the city of Chicago. He worked for the city and we always used to give him grief when it snowed and the streets weren't cleaned off. Sitting in the limo outside the funeral home, we talked about that and laughed at the memory of it, and everyone walking by and looking in at us probably wondered what we were talking about. But then they knew my dad and his sense of humor and I'm sure they had their own memories that gave them a chuckle that day.
A very good friend gave us something to consider. I can't remember her exact words but it was something along the lines of:
"Don't look back and be sad, but remember all the good times and enjoy the memories over and over again."
It seems like every other weekend something comes up and there is no time to relax. Last weekend my husband and I took a short trip to a resort in Northern Illinois, right on Lake Michigan. It was a well needed rest and respite from reality, not to mention some alone time for Valentine's Day. We had a room with a lovely view of a State park, and it even included chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne on Saturday night, along with a delicious dinner in the hotel's restaurant, which had a lake view.
We got to talking to a woman who was staying there while her husband was at the Cancer Treatment Center nearby. I was very impressed with her courage and outgoing personality, considering she was alone in a strange city. I used to travel for a former job and I could never bring myself to go to a restaurant for lunch or dinner alone. I usually ended up picking something up from a fast food place and going back to my hotel. We invited our new friend to join us for whatever meal we happened to be having whenever we saw her. She spent most of the day at the treatment center visiting with her husband. I don't know how I would feel if I was in her shoes, especially since it seemed there were several set backs in the progress of his condition. I gave her my business card and asked that she keep in touch with us. Since the hotel isn't that far from our home, we told her that whenever they returned for treatments, to let us know and we would try to drive up to visit with her.
Meeting her brought back memories of my mom when my dad was in the hospital for over 3 months in Minnesota. She stayed in a boarding house across from the hospital and ate all her meals in the hospital cafeteria or at the little waffle house next to the boarding house. She was alone, but bonded with many other women who were in the same position as she was. It took a lot of courage to deal with most of the situations that arose on her own. We would take turns going up to visit for weekends, but we all had families and jobs and couldn't always go every weekend. She had her needlework for the times she was in her room at night, but I know she was wishing one or all of us could be there with her. It took a lot of courage and strength to do what she did and I really admired her for that.
Saturday will be 19 years since my dad passed away, and I still miss him. I can still remember the last time I talked to him, it was Valentine's Day 1990, the week before he died. We had been up there for 10 days and had to return home. The doctors told my mom as we were leaving that they would be sending him home the following week, on a med-jet. We knew there was nothing else that could be done and that he was going home to die. It was what he wanted..to be home with his family. Like the song..."he did it his way". I still think of the song "My Way" as his theme song, and almost asked for it to be played at the funeral mass, but didn't know if some would be offended. That is the only thing I regret, is not doing that, because I really believe he would have gotten a kick out of it.
He had the last word, again, the day of his funeral....there was a blizzard that pretty much paralyzed the city of Chicago. He worked for the city and we always used to give him grief when it snowed and the streets weren't cleaned off. Sitting in the limo outside the funeral home, we talked about that and laughed at the memory of it, and everyone walking by and looking in at us probably wondered what we were talking about. But then they knew my dad and his sense of humor and I'm sure they had their own memories that gave them a chuckle that day.
A very good friend gave us something to consider. I can't remember her exact words but it was something along the lines of:
"Don't look back and be sad, but remember all the good times and enjoy the memories over and over again."
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