Through The Tulips Words of 'Wiz'dom

August 8, 2009

Putting on My Hat

Filed under: Techy — gardener @ 11:51 am

Looks like I’m going to put on my computer nerd hat and head off to the living room. I had plans to write something more here today, but Marcel’s niece popped in with their laptop that won’t start. They had tried to install a camera driver the other day, and the computer asked to reboot and when it attempted, it wouldn’t start Windows.. Of course, they are horrified that they’ve lost all their photos and such, and I hope that isn’t the case. I’m going to do what I can, but I’m no miracle worker.

The one thing that annoys me.. is that when they got the laptop- a friend of their step-dads decided they shouldn’t have Windows Vista on the computer so they installed XP over the Vista. SO far there hadn’t been any problems, but I have a concern that this has created some sort of conflict with the software.. I guess I’ll try to see if I can get it to boot in safe mode and go from there..

Wish me luck!

August 7, 2009

In My Shoes

Filed under: Inspiration,Life,photography — gardener @ 2:13 pm

I was sitting here a little while ago, writing what started off as an answer to a simple question in an email of someone asking my experience about a particular situation, and that response grew into me sharing personal pieces of my life journey that I haven’t really thought about in a while.   It was in that moment, when I realized that in sharing that journey- that I have a story to tell..  one that may impact the life of another person.

Oddly, this came after my mother-in-law said to me, when I was expressing concern and compassion for someone who was struggling with a particular situation-  “Don’t feel compassion and concern for them, they are the way they are based on their choices.”     My response was that it may very well be the case, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve compassion or concern, and that I can’t be that uncaring.    My mother-in-law may very well be correct in that person being how they are by their own choices, but that’s neither here-nor-there.

I believe we should walk a mile in a persons shoes before we stand in front of them passing judgement and making accusations.  We never know what has brought a person to their current situation, and sometimes, a smile and maybe a bit of compassion makes ALL the difference.

Remember that- and I challenge you to BE that difference.  Anyone can be ordinary.  I challenge you to strive to be EXTRAORDINARY!

August 6, 2009

Filed under: Gratitude,In the Neighborhood — gardener @ 12:59 pm

It has been a warm day here in the land of Never, and my favorite guy has gone off to work for the evening, leaving me home alone to do what I please. Granted, I don’t have anything exciting planned- a little television and a cool bath. That should help cool me off and hopefully will also help me get some rest this evening as well. I actually love the gorgeous days, but I love being ‘cool’ in the evenings when it’s time to snooze.

Lately, I’ve had many ideas pass through the grey matter that I want to write about. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed (and hear it comes with age, although I am not too quick to accept that concept) that if I don’t write those ideas down, that I tend to forget them, which means some ideas that I really found to be great, have fallen by the wayside so-to-speak. Maybe, if I forgot them, they weren’t that great to begin with.

Since I’ve been keeping notes about everything else, and I am trying to pull together some ideas for this and my other sites, it looks like I’d better start writing down everything in hopes of actually ‘remembering’ what I want to say.

Does anyone else have this little problem?

I wonder if I can blame it on the heat?

My cool bath awaits. I can almost hear it calling out to me, so I’ll say goodbye for tonight, but not before I share a few things that I’m grateful for today-

My Gratitude List for August 6, 2009.

Today I’m Grateful For:

  • Spending the day with a great group of friends over shopping, lots of chatter and food.
  • The waiter at the restaurant we had lunch at today, who was as sweet as he could be.  THANK YOU!
  • Leftovers, which meant I didn’t have to cook in this warmer than usual weather.
  • Starbucks- although it isn’t Illy- it’s GOOD!
  • Little notes from people that brighten my life.

August 4, 2009

Kids in Crisis?

Filed under: Health/ Fitness,Life — gardener @ 8:33 am

This morning I was watching the news, and heard some news that really surprised me. A new study shows that more than 70% of American children have lower levels of Vitamin D than they should have, which increases their chances of heart and bone disease.

The cause, based on the study is poor diet and lack of sunshine.

I never remember hearing things like this when I was a child- Why? Because we couldn’t wait to get home from school, get our homework done and get outside. Even in the sweltering heat of the summer months, we came inside to grab something to drink and/or eat and out we went again. Times have obviously changed.

It saddens me when I think about so many children today who would rather sit at the computer, watch television or play video games instead of spend any time outside, and what saddens me even more than that, is the parents who would rather use these items as a glorified ‘high-tech’ babysitter so they can do whatever it is they do during the day.

There needs to be some sort of balance, a balance that is set by the parents, not the children, since we all know, if given their choice- many (notice I said many and not all) children would prefer to stay inside and ‘do their thing’.

I am concerned that if this trend continues, the amount of overweight children in this country will continue to rise, along with the number of diseases that have started showing up in children.

The cycle can be broken. Are YOU doing all that you can?

I’d love to hear your feelings on this subject.

Attitude Adjustment

Filed under: Life — gardener @ 3:34 am

I have to say, that in spite of the cramps I’m having, that my mood is much, much better than yesterday. Even though I find myself slightly irritated about nothing, my mood has improved so much. I can officially say I’ve taken my ‘grumpy pants’ off.

Marcel will be headed to work soon, and I have the afternoon to myself. I’d like to get a few things done, but I’m not sure how far I’ll come. I’ve spent some time curled up on the sofa, and am now starting to move around a little. I did have a discussion with Marcel about what AEDs are, and how having them in restaurants and other public facilities can be the difference between life and death in some instances. I don’t think until then, he’d really heard of them.

I’m also getting ready to turn on my new crock pot for the first time since I bought it last Thursday. I’ve been wanting to test it out, and found a really great black-bean salad recipe, so I have the beans soaking and will get them cooking within the next hour or so. I’ll be sharing the recipe on SimplyWizardress a little later on.

Right now, time to make a few phone calls.

August 3, 2009

Grumpy Pants

Filed under: Life — gardener @ 12:22 pm

I have my cranky-pants on today, which is why you haven’t really seen much out of me in terms of writing today. What I have found, is that there is a silver-lining to every dark cloud, and that Miss Crankypants is able to accomplish quite a bit when she is feeling cranky, so that’s a definite plus.

I had all the household things done so that I’d have the day to do what I wanted, and rather than goof off, I actually caught up on things that had been on my ‘to do’ list for a while.

Tomorrow is another day- I expect for it to be better than today- not that today was actually ‘bad’, because it wasn’t, but you know how it is, when your grumpy, things tend to be magnified. I blame the hormones and that oh-so-fun time of the month. I know, TMI (too much info), but it is what it is folks.

Alot is going on in my world.. fortunately not with me personally, but things that affect people I love. I hate seeing people I love and care for struggle and hurt. It’s a helpless feeling, but I do know that prayer changes things, and as all things- this too shall pass.

See y’all tomorrow.

In the meantime- tell me something good 🙂

August 1, 2009

“Keepers”

Filed under: Gratitude,Inspiration,Life — gardener @ 1:20 pm

My friend Samantha received this from a mutual friend of ours, and she shared it with me. It is one of those things that after reading it, with tears in my eyes, I read it again, and thought about the truth in each and every word- about what matters in this life, and what doesn’t.

Take the time to cultivate and nurture ALL that matters in your life, and don’t sweat the stuff that doesn’t.

“Some things we keep.”

One day a woman’s husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t “anymore”. No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more “just one minute.” Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say “I love you.”

So while we have it, its best we love it, care for it, fix it when it’s broken and heal it when it’s sick. This is true for marriage … And old cars … And children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep — like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what.

Life is important, like people we know who are special. And so, we keep them close!

July 31, 2009

Golden Silence

Filed under: Life — gardener @ 6:03 am

Is it horrible of me to be happy that my husband is off fishing at the moment, and that I have complete silence in the house? I do love my husband and his company, but as you may or may not know, the doctor advised him to stop with the Zyban after he woke up the other morning with heart palpitations, which he swears are from the medication. Rather than take any chances, I’m glad the doctor asked him to stop them.

He’s made an appointment for next week to see about finding another alternative to stop with the smoking. In the meantime, for whatever reason, he’s struggling. He isn’t smoking any less, so I can’t say that it’s any type of nicotine withdrawl, but he’s been a bear to live with, and it is giving me a headache.

I’m biting my tongue, and often smiling through gritted teeth- but sometimes I just can’t do that and I react. I’m only human, after all.

I know he’ll feel much better if he can get that poison out of his system, but what am I in store for when he actually stops, before he does get it out of his system and stops having withdrawls? Lord help us both, is all I can say….

If he can get past the cigarettes, I can get past his moodiness. It’s for a good cause, I keep telling myself. 🙂

July 29, 2009

A Picture’s Worth…

Filed under: Inspiration,Life,photography — gardener @ 11:02 am

There are times when words cease to be necessary, when a moment, an object, or even a photograph tells the story-

Dare to be different- Dare to stand out in a croud and be yourself, even if standing up for yourself and what you believe it may not be the most popular thing. ANYONE can go along with the crowd and do what everyone else is doing.

Staring Back

Filed under: Health/ Fitness — gardener @ 10:58 am

This morning I was looking at myself in the mirror as I was getting dressed, and I couldn’t help but notice that I really need to get back to my strength training and be consistent.  It has been a while, and I notice that the flab is still there, and obviously it isn’t going to go away on it’s own.  I’m not taking fat burners, and haven’t been strength training, so I don’t know what I expected when I looked in the mirror.

Obviously it wasn’t what I saw staring back at me. Just another reason that I’m happy that I’ve recommited myself to this journey, to my health, to my life.

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