Independence Day

Next Wednesday is Independence Day. I was jolted to this reminder several minutes ago when one of my neighbors started letting off fireworks. Now I know what a pacemaker must feel like. A moment please . . . ahh, now my that my heart rate is slowing how about a little discourse on Independence Day. (Feel free to stop reading at any time . . . it is a free country!) Now for a little history -- I'm a little rusty so bear with me.

Independence Day began as a celebration in honor of the Colonies (now commonly referred to as the United States of America -- minus a few states) declaration that they were no longer a part of the nation of Great Britain. This declaration was made despite the fact that much of the colonial population was originally from or had near ancestors from Great Britain.

An interesting phenomenon when you think about it. Imagine if Iowa declared independence from the United States. (Although Iowa would need to be much wealthier in both resources and money -- but that is a tangent I will choose not to follow.)

It was originally celebrated in much the same manner as today: cannon salutes -- fireworks, state dinners -- cookouts, music, parades, etc.

It is the only holiday celebrating the United States.

I was thinking about that: a celebration of the United States.

What should that mean to me? What does that mean to me?

To be continued . . . on Monday.

50 cents off

Coupons are a girl's best friend. My new goal is to use them more. Save some dough.

Since I don't subscribe to the Sunday paper, my mom is sharing the coupons she doesn't use. I got my first batch today. However, because I am not yet practiced in the art of coupon shopping, I failed to bring them with me when I went grocery shopping. I know, I know, I'm an idiot! But I have to give myself a little break . . . I mean it's my first day!

I am kicking myself because there were a couple coupons that I could have used. Next time.

Now, back to my clipping!

Laughter is the best medicine

I find that the best part of my day today was a laugh. I can't even remember what the story was -- I probably wouldn't do it any justice if I retold it here -- but I do remember the laughter.

It wasn't the polite kind of laughter I give, appreciating the effort of the person to put forth a humorous anecdote. But a true chuckle of enjoyment and pleasure.

Sigh. Those are the best kind of laughs.

Not a shopaholic

I have a lot of hobbies but shopping is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the occasional shopping trip but only once or twice a year. All other shopping expeditions are planned for efficiency - in and out -- and hopefully, with what I went in for.

Today's excursion was a mixed blessing. I went looking for a pair of black capris. Unfortunately there were no capris to be found, black or otherwise. However, I did find t-shirt I liked and it was seventy percent off! Yea!

We'll save the capris for another day.

Contented?

So much emphasis, these days, is on happiness. Do it if it makes you happy. Are you happy with it? I'm not happy so I need to change something so I am happy.

I believe this is the wrong way to look at things. There is no way that everyone will be happy all the time. There is no way you or I will be happy all the time. Look at kids. They may not happy because they want that candy bar right now and will let you know it in the middle of the grocery store. Loudly. Yet just because they get that candy bar does not mean it is good for them physically, emotionally, etc. They may regurgitate that candy bar all over the back seat on the way home. Or realize that, yes, I can control my parents by embarrassing them with loud tantrums in the grocery store.

Same with our lives, just because we fix something because we aren't happy at the moment doesn't mean we are making the best decisions.

Ah, enough of that now. Just thought I would throw out a little extra since I missed Friday's posting. I will probably talk about this more as I try to become more contented.

Contentment seems the better thing to strive for. Harder, maybe. Not the norm, definately. But worth it.

Searching for a way to make what we have (marriage, career, family, spiritual life) is not always easy. We have to confront some issues or people that we (and by we, I mean I) have been putting off. Possibly because we (I) really hate confrontation, conflict, contention, etc.

Contentment is realizing what we have now is worth it. Worth the effort, worth a little unpleasantness, it takes to enjoy what we have to the fullest.

Ah, enough of that now. I will probably share some more in my effort to become more contented. But I think I have more than made up for Friday's missed post.

Tick, tick, tick

I wish I had some power over time.

It wouldn't have to be anything extravagant like time travel or anything like that. But I would like to be able to stretch five minutes into ten every once in a while.

For instance, today at work I could have used five extra minutes at the end of the day to finish the project I was working on (I really hate leaving projects undone). Five measly minutes. But alas, time stops for no man (or woman).

So now I will have to go back to work on Monday and spend five minutes on what I didn't finish today! Bah!

Life changes

I'm not a big fan of change. I procrastinate. It takes me a long time to process things. I like security in my life. So when I do make a life-changing decision I, usually, have put a lot of thought and time into that decision.

It is always a blessing to feel that decision has been the right one.

As of five thirty today I now hold only two jobs rather than three. Well, except for finishing out the two weeks. But that's simply a technicality. I am currently basking in the glow of a good decision and will hold off until tomorrow to consider WHAT I AM GOING TO DO NOW!

Basking, basking, basking . . .

Just for you (and you know who you are)

This is Cleo, short for Cleopatra. Queen of the Nile. (Yes, that Cleopatra.) She was named by my friend (and a fellow history buff).

She has an aversion to male homo sapiens. Which is completely opposite of her namesake, as Cleopatra was quite the libertine -- to put it nicely. My Cleo is wary of the male species tending to hang back and hiss.

Her day consists of eating, sleeping, racing around the house after imaginary prey, sleeping, pretending she wasn't sleeping, sleeping, monitoring all outside activity, sleeping, eating and sleeping. Needless to say she is slightly paunchy.

But she is the best cuddler -- that is, if she feels like cuddling.

My dad

My dad is the epitome of the "strong silent" type. He isn't a small talker but when he has something to say it is usually of some import. (And usually with a smile.) And I inherited my sense of humor from him . . . which I think is a great inheritance. He is definitely strong . . . a farmer (and I think that all fathers are strong -- at least to their daughters).

I think one of the best memories I have of my dad is when I was very little. Maybe four or five. I remember sitting on his lap at church on Sunday morning. My head laying on his chest as I listened to the rumble of him singing hymns and gazed at the stained glass window over his shoulder. sigh. Good memory.

Anyway, Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Forget I said anything

Did I say I was happy with the summer weather? That, of course, was before I hiked up a "mountain" in 80 degrees (plus humidity). It has taken me all day to recover. Well, at least an hour or two.

A friend and I went hiking this morning. This morning because I thought "hmm . . . it being summer now, maybe the earlier we hike the cooler it will be." Hah. Wrong. Still hot. However . . .

Blessing #1: Communing with nature.

We stood 8 feet away from two deer and a fawn. (Although not this particular deer and fawn because I didn't have the foresight to bring my camera.) We also saw a raccoon, multiple squirrels and chipmunks, and a woodpecker.

It's amazing how beautiful animals are in their natural habitats.


Blessing #2: My fallibility.

I came to the realization that I am not as fit as I thought I was. I came to this understanding as I was gasping for breath two-thirds of the way up the first hill. Again as I gulped water at the top of that hill. Again as I glimpsed a bench at the top of the next hill and thanked my lucky stars it was the last hill we were climbing.

Many may not consider this revelation a blessing (I may not consider it a blessing), however I believe sometime in the future I will.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the walk down. Now what to do with the blessings . . .

Summer at last

Today the weather has finally lived up to the season. Warm and humid. AAh. You really don't realize how much you miss it until it is . . . well, missing.

The weather has been beautiful thus far. Warm (in the 70s) with little or no humidity. There was even a week there that we had a daily rain shower but the skies were clear before and after it. But it is nice to have the weather change. Can you imagine one season all year round? Blech. I will take Iowa weather and its changes any day.

Well, how about that. An entire post on the weather!

It's a brand new day (or night) . . .

So the day has arrived. After much deliberation this blog is now open for posting. As this is my first attempt at blogging please expect very little. Very little.

So why blog you ask (or not, depending upon whether or not you are still reading this)? Good question. Why blog . . . my current answer to this question is that it seemed to be a good way to accountably journal and develop my writing skills. Not to mention air my foibles to the blog reading world. Well, we shall see.