Random Ramblings

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope today's holiday finds everyone enjoying a wonderful holiday feast.

Sugarland

I have a new favorite song, "Irreplaceable" as performed by Sugarland. I think I listened to this song 15 times today. It has a great beat and Sugarland really does a great job. You can see the concert attendees in the the video really enjoying themselves as I did.

My first time hearing their sound was on the AMA show this week. I'm really glad that I watched the show. You can listen to Irreplaceable on YouTube and here is the link.

Useful tips

As the holidays approach there will be spills. One item that I have found very useful on greasy spots on your clothing is hair spray. Yes hair spray. It does not need to be any special brand. I have used it to lift greasy stains and some stains I don't know where they came from out of clothing. Also it has without fail removed ink from all the items I have used it on.

I don't remember where I originally found this tip, but it has been of great use.

Run Granny Run

Doris "Granny D" Haddock, watch this HBO special about her walk and her run for U.S. Senate in her home state of New Hampshire. She is an inspiring woman.

Halloween

I love Halloween! The costumes and decorations. It was always one of my favorite times. You can be who you want to be on that night! This is a link from Answers.com about Halloween containing some practical information about this wonderful holiday.

This is a link to Halloween Magazine Online. Looks interesting! Everything from party themes to recipes!

Have a fun and safe Halloween night everyone!

Working through grief.

Grief is nothing to be trifled with. It has stages and you must remember to honor each stage. People looking in at your grief do not like what they see. It may remind them that they have unresolved grief in their life or just makes them uncomfortable. Whatever the reason is they may want to rush you through your process. Take the time you need to process your grief. This is a link to Wikipedia on grief and the stages of grief. (The information is still being edited, but I believe it is a good piece of information.) When I went to my church for counseling one of the tools I was given was "if it is your grief it will feel good". Grief is the natural part of healing upon the loss of someone or something in your life. Like all other things we experience in life enjoy the journey.

My Mother recently passed away. Some days I can say that and not cry, and other days my eyes well up with tears and I cry. It is never easy to lose someone. I have gone through this process many times in my life. This one is one of the harder times.

We Be Illin' Event - "Limp-a-thon"

I received an email today about an event in NYC that I wish I was well enough to attend. The following is the text from the email.

Limp-a-thon!! We might run if we had better healthcare...

If you are a person without health insurance and you get sick, it's as if your government has punched you in the leg 200 times. That doesn't feel good. And, it would leave you with a pretty nasty limp. To make that point clear, please join us for We Be Illin's first ever "Limp-a-thon"!!

We will meet at Piano's (158 Ludlow, NYC) at 3:00pm on Sunday, Nov. 4th. The limp will begin at 3:30. We will limp to Thompkins Square Park where the Limp Off will take place! Limpers will be judged on originality, style, and believability. Winning limpers will win prizes as well as the jealousy of their peers. The finish line is at The Lakeside Tavern (162 Ave B) where we will enjoy drink specials after our long journey, some tunes, the company of friends, and support from We Be Illin.

The necessary rules are:

-no blocking sidewalk traffic!! We must limp 2x2 and in a straight line..we need no trouble with our nice but law enforcing local police!
-we cannot carry wooden sticks or weapons, we are not rioting, we are simply limping!
-you must follow directions from the nurses at all times!

So please help us spread the word about our need for every American to have health insurance by showing what its like to not have it. Lets limp it out…together!

If you are in the area stop by and support the effort. Those of us that need the help will appreciate it. Here is the link to the website http://www.webeillin.org/.

The movement of our planet.

This article caught my eye yesterday as I was leaving the Post Office. We could be in for more shaking in California. I was here when we had the Loma Prieta and it was frightening. What this article suggests is as large a shake if not larger. The link is to the San Jose Mercury News article. (The first time I clicked on this link it allowed me into the article. This time I had to sign up for a free account.)

Put your final wishes down on paper.

I'm betting from the title you can tell what I've been dealing with. My Mother passed away from breast cancer on October 5, 2007. She never really wanted to talk about what her final wishes were until the last minute. Now I am working to make those things happen.

There are people out there that love to prey on you and your loved ones when you are highly emotional. Please, learn from my mistakes. People that appear to be to good to be true are. They seem so nice and are so helpful. In a heartbeat they will turn on you and lie. Get everything in writing, everything. That is why you should not make decisions in a rush. Take your time and think things threw. I did not have the think time I needed.

The material things are really not that important in the end. What was most important is that I talked to my Mother and said I loved her, she told me that she loved me. It was like we saw each other for the first time in years in that moment. All was forgiven on both sides. That is the important thing, the rest does not matter.

First rain of the season

I love the first rain of the season. It is a refreshing bath to the planet and it smells so good! Everything looks, feels and smells clean. While driving home last night I was witness to natures light show, lightning. It was beautiful! No fireworks show can compare to what the planet can put on.

Here is a link to Wikipedia showing pictures of lightning. Hope you enjoy it!