Warm Fuzzies

It's been a lovely Holiday season - in so many ways so very different from previous years. While each year has been delightful in it's own way, this year has been filled with lovely warm fuzzy type things that fill me with contentment and peace. O/our pre-Christmas activities were busy in a good way, and once vacation began everything improved!

Christmas Eve dinner at The Mountain Branch Grill & Pub (click here) with extended family was just wonderful, both the food and the company. Master chose the Roast Duck for me which the Chef prepared perfectly. Master's own 1# Pork Chop was delicious if a bit dryer than the last time W/we were there. I'm sure the immense crowds of Holiday revelers had something to do with that. Everyone else enjoyed their meals as well, and the evening was a success!

Christmas morning was a traditional morning complete with a child anxiously "dying" to open gifts, sleepy parents wishing for more sleep, a yummy breakfast, and a shared happiness all around. A bit later as naps and gift-enjoying set-in I baked some cookies and set out a tray of crudites while Master created delectable smoked salmon appetizers. After a big breakfast this was more than enough to hold eveyone until dinner of pork crown roast, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a simple romaine lettuce salad with balsamic vinagrette. Complimented by a lovely geverztraminer, and finished with a pecan pie and a mixed fruit pie, all were completely satiated. A rousing game of Scrabbble was the perfect ending to the day. (My 75 year-old mother may seem sweet and gentle, but don't let that fool you - she's cut-throat at Scrabble!!)

This Holiday W/we've also made time to see a couple of fun movies, National Treasure (click here) and The Golden Compass (click here) and have thought about seeing more. Such a beautiful change of pace for U/us to be able to sit back and relax a bit, do the things W/we want to do, and not feel overwhelmed and undertimed. Sadly, O/our Terps didn't win their Bowl game, but the Redskins are doing well (knock on wood) so W/we take the good with the bad.

Last night W/we spent a hilariously good time at a Holiday party. Such wonderful friends, well-known, and just-met! Just watch out for those spiders and their world wide web!!!!!

W/we're so blessed with such wonderful friends, and as 2007 ends and 2008 begins, W/we are grateful for those many blessings in O/our lives. Hoping that the New Year brings the best that life has to offer for each of you.

.

Gift Wrapping

One of my students asked me today why I was so jolly. I'm glad she noticed that I was friendly and cheerful and took the time to speak to each student. But I wish all my employees were equally "jolly" everyday. I'd like the students to consider cheerfulness the "norm" rather than the exception. Anyway, I reminded her that we only have one life, and it's so much more funner to be happy than to be unhappy. So I choose happy!

All the gifts for the employees are wrapped and ready to go. No, I didn't use the wrapping paper in the picture above. Didn't think it would be appropriate in my particular workplace. Pity.

Looking forward to making some cookies and fudge, as well as completing the decorations at home. Thank heaven Friday is the last day to work until January!

I'm working very hard at being very good about gifts this year. Experience has taught me that the less patience I show the longer I must wait to open gifts.

Wish me luck!

.

Knowing Ourselves

Arena (known to self and others) accepting, cheerful, giving, helpful, loving	Blind Spot (known only to others) able, bold, calm, caring, dependable, dignified, extroverted, friendly, happy, idealistic, intelligent, kind, modest, observant, quiet, reflective, relaxed, self-conscious, sensible, sentimental, shy, silly, spontaneous, sympathetic, trustworthy, warm, witty
Façade (known only to self)	Unknown (known to nobody) adaptable, brave, clever, complex, confident, energetic, independent, ingenious, introverted, knowledgeable, logical, mature, nervous, organised, patient, powerful, proud, religious, responsive, searching, self-assertive, tense, wise

Dominant Traits

72% of people think that Daddy's Little Girl is caring
61% of people agree that Daddy's Little Girl is loving

All Percentages

able (11%) accepting (27%) adaptable (0%) bold (5%) brave (0%) calm (11%) caring (72%) cheerful (16%) clever (0%) complex (0%) confident (0%) dependable (11%) dignified (16%) energetic (0%) extroverted (5%) friendly (44%) giving (38%) happy (16%) helpful (16%) idealistic (11%) independent (0%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (16%) introverted (0%) kind (16%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (0%) loving (61%) mature (0%) modest (22%) nervous (0%) observant (5%) organised (0%) patient (0%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (5%) reflective (11%) relaxed (5%) religious (0%) responsive (0%) searching (0%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (5%) sensible (5%) sentimental (11%) shy (5%) silly (5%) spontaneous (5%) sympathetic (16%) tense (0%) trustworthy (27%) warm (22%) wise (0%) witty (5%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 29.7.2008, using data from 18 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view Daddy's Little Girl's full data.

The link above doesn't always work, so I'm inserting this link in hopes that it will always take you to my window.

If you haven't shared your choices in my Johari Window I hope you'll do so now. It's always good to know how we are perceived by others.

.

Quick, Call AAA!

The gift buying is just about done, the greetings sent, time for wrapping, mailing, and decorating. In the midst of this we're dealing with life's difficulties, and trying to turn any negatives into positives. I'm sure something good can come of Santa's "Flat" if he's open to the possibilities!

I'm thankful for the Christmas music which warms the spirit and brings a smile, for the friends we talk to, spend time with, open our hearts and homes to, and make plans with. So many ways to pamper ourselves and fill our hearts. I'm grateful for all our friends!

I'm Thankful For:

I am thankful:

For the wife who says it's eggs 'n bacon tonight, because that means she is home with me, and not out with someone else.

For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato, because he is home with me and not out at the bars.

For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes, because it means he is safe at home, not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay, because it means I am employed.

.
For the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes that fit a little too snugly, because it means I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine.

For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a home.

For all the complaining I hear about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and I have been blessed with transportation.

For my huge heating bill, because it means I am warm.

For the lady behind me in church who sings off key, because it means I can hear.

For the pile of laundry and ironing, because it means I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means I have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means I am alive.

Live well, Laugh often, & Love with all of your heart!

.

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas

Beautiful snow all day, Christmas shopping after work, and receiving a Christmas card from a dear friend and mentor from my High School days (daze?) ;)

.
Today has been just lovely, and so easy to count my blessings! I was blessed to see the beauty of the snow covered tree limbs along the roads. Life is good.

.
I must admit that while in Barnes & Noble I saw a book entitled "Lost Subs". I was excited to see a book about the lifestyle in a mainstream retailer; followed instantly by fear and worry that a submissive was lost - how sad - and omg if someone else could be lost then perhaps it could happen to me too! Oh no!

.
So of course I felt compelled (if a bit trepidatious) to look more closely at this book, if for no other reason than to find out how to make sure that I never become a lost submissive!

.
Imagine my utter shock, dismay, and ultimately relief to find out this book was about sunken submarines!

.
oops!

.

On The First Day Of Christmas

Greeting cards to share with friends and loved ones, gifts to consider and purchase for special friends, decorations inside and out to plan for and arrange, and best of all, doing it all together!

Really, on the first day of christmas my true love gave to me, himself!

Enjoy the cartoon, and your preparations for this winter holiday season, whatever holiday tradition you observe!

.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hoping all my friends, Pilgrims and Indians alike, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and are able to find what you are truly thankful for. Wishing an attitude of grattitude for one and all!

.
Have an appreciative holiday, however you spend it.

.

Rock vs Water

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance."

~ H. Jackson Brown, Author

.

Of Goats, Calves, and Stone Cutters

Kismet shared a wonderful blog entry about skinny goat vs fatted calf theory. I encourage everyone to read it here: KISMET'S BLOG

So naturally, when I came across the following story I felt compelled to share it here.

A traveler came upon three individuals working with stone. Curious as to what these workers were doing, the traveler approached the first worker and asked, "What are you doing?" Without the slightest hesitation, the worker replied, "I am a stone cutter and I am cutting stones."

Still unclear of the workers' task, the traveler approached the second worker and asked the same question. To this the second worker thought for a moment, gazed briefly at the traveler and explained, "I am a stone cutter and I am cutting stones to earn money to support my family."

Perplexed by the two different responses, the sojourner approached the third worker and asked, "What are you doing?" Stopping for a moment, the worker stared at the stone in his hand, slowly turned to the traveler, and said, "I am a stone cutter and I AM BUILDING A CATHEDRAL!"

I'd have to say that the 3rd stone cutter is most definitely of the fatted calf mentality!

.

The Real Thing?

You Are 76% Real

You know who you are, and you're pretty darn comfortable with yourself. Like everyone, you struggle with the parts of yourself that aren't so great... But you're good at accepting who you are and not dwelling on your faults. As a result, you're confident, optimistic, and very real.

How Real Are You?

.

Gazing Upon Goodness

Gazing Upon Goodness

The Importance Of Seeing The Good In All

Our perception shapes the lives we lead because the universe adjusts itself almost instantly to our expectations. When we look for negativity, we are bound to come across it in abundance. Conversely, we create positive energy when we endeavor to see the goodness around us. As easy as it is to criticize the people and situations that frustrate or hurt us, we do ourselves a disservice in the process. It is important to see the good in all as there are blessings hiding in every aspect of our outer-world reality, and the potential for grace exists in all human beings. When our lives are flooded with challenges, grief, and pain, we may be tempted to believe that some individuals or incidents are simply bad. But if we look for the good in all, good reveals itself to us, easing our doubts and reminding us that the universe is a place of balance.

There is a perceptible energetic shift that takes place when we choose to see the good in all. The unnecessary tension that came into being when we dwelled on negativity fades away and is replaced by sympathetic tolerance. We can forgive those that have wronged us because we recognize in them traits we admire, and we may even discover that we can bring out the good in one another. Though loss still grieves us, we recognize the beginning of a new phase of existence that abounds with fresh opportunities. Each new challenge becomes another chance to prove ourselves, and we learn to show great patience in the face of difficulty. There are few pleasures greater than gazing outward and seeing beauty, wisdom, and harmony. These are the attributes of the universe that help us to cope when we encounter their opposing forces.

Since you create your reality, you make your world a better place each time you acknowledge the good in your circumstances and in the people you encounter. As you draw attention to the positive aspects of the world around you, your understanding of the affirmative nature of all existence will grow. There are few lessons you will learn in this life that will prove as instrumental to your happiness and satisfaction. In appreciating the all pervasive goodness that exists in the universe, you internalize it, making it a lasting part of your life.

For more information visit the DailyOm for October 5, 2007.

.

The Train

Some folks ride the train of life

Looking out the rear,

Watching miles of life roll by,

And marking every year.

They sit in sad remembrance,

Of wasted days gone by,

And curse their life for what it was,

And hang their head and cry.

But I don't concern myself with that,

I took a different vent,

I look forward to what life holds,

And not what has been spent.

So strap me to the engine,

As securely as I can be,

I want to be out on the front,

To see what I can see.

I want to feel the winds of change,

Blowing in my face,

I want to see what life unfolds,

As I move from place to place.

I want to see what's coming up,

Not looking at the past,

Life's too short for yesterdays,

It moves along too fast.

So if the ride gets bumpy,

While you are looking back,

Go up front, and you may find,

Your life has jumped the track.

It's all right to remember,

That's part of history,

But up front's where it's happening,

There's so much mystery.

The enjoyment of living,

Is not where we have been,

It's looking ever forward,

To another year and ten.

It's searching all the byways,

Never should you refrain,

For if you want to live your life,

You gotta drive the train.

(Author unknown)

Where To Buy?

I NEED YOUR HELP!

I'm trying to find out which Wal-Mart sells this mirror!!!

.

Sometimes We All Need A Little Bubble Wrap

Monday Motivating Moment

Your Inspirational Message from Workplaceissues.com

September 24, 2007

"Handle With Care"

On occasion, we will see a container marked "Handle with Care" cautioning the handlers that the contents inside are fragile. Presumably, the handlers will be diligent and respectful of the contents and will cautiously carry the container. Each handler may honor the instruction, drawing upon his or her own personal value system, work ethic, and respect for the trust that the sender has placed in the transportation system.

From time to time, we may need to be "handled with care" when we are experiencing challenges, turmoil, and crises in our lives. At these times, we may be more sensitive or unable to cope with even the slightest challenging situation. It is then that we could attach a label that is marked "handle with care."

The same applies to others -- our children, spouses, significant others, friends and co-workers. The label suggesting that we are vulnerable may not always be displayed outwardly, but may be detectable only by looking closely. Some people may be more vulnerable than others and they may show it.

Other folks feel that it is necessary to hide their vulnerabilities, believing it to be a sign of weakness. Or they may believe that no one cares. However, the absence of a label or hiding the suffering does not mean that we are not in extreme emotional pain.

There are numerous causes of our emotional pain, and there will be many times in our lives when we experience our frailty. Our pain can be eased when we know that someone truly cares and they express their concern. We must also handle our self with care during these times. It may be necessary to add a protective layer around ourselves as we are recovering, to ensure that we are not further harmed by a careless, insensitive, or thoughtless "handler" with whom we come in contact. This requires wrapping ourselves with the understanding that even when we experience bumps and bangs there is generally no intent to harm us.

In addition, if we are cloaked in the recognition that we are stronger than the situations and people that we encounter, we can survive anything. We may not enjoy the journey, but we won't come out of it shattered.

We can assist our selves and others by asking for what we need. We can assist others who may be in pain by asking what they need from us.


Affirmation for the Week:

“I will be alert to people who are in need of "handling with care" and I will treat them as I want to be treated when I have that same need.”

Have an inspective week!

Mary Rau-Foster

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright 2007 by Mary Rau-Foster. All rights reserved. However, if you find this information helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to print this page and put it on your bulletin board. Thank you.
For subscription information see: www.workplaceissues.com/mmmotivator.htm

..

Renaissance Festival

My first time at the Ren Faire - EVER! And they were mean to me. :)

We had a delightful day, the weather was beautiful, Master and I enjoyed all the sights, O/our son even allowed himself to have fun. (I have proof - pictures of him smiling and laughing!)

W/we have plans to attend the Ren Faire again in October with dear friends, and this time W/we're planning to wear costumes.

The picture above is just further proof of my "Princess of Pout" title. Nobody does it better! And I didn't gossip, and I didn't belong in the stocks (But at least my hair looked good!!!) ;)

.

.

.

Word Warriors Unite

Your English Skills:

Grammar: 100% Punctuation: 100% Spelling: 100% Vocabulary: 100%

Does Your English Cut the Mustard?

.

The Inner Blonde?

You Are a Strawberry Blonde

Men see you as flirtatious, but they also see you as a challenge Because you're totally fearless and carefree You've got the lightheartedness of a blonde, with the attitude of a redhead

How Blonde Are You?

..

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.

But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

.

.

.

Home Again

Well W/we're home again. Tired and hating the whole un-packing thing, lol, but fine nonetheless. W/we had a wonderful time visiting friends and family this past week, and then capped it off with a weekend at a resort in West Virginia.

.
Monday night W/we visited with MikkiStar (I'm still full from that dinner!!!) And for those of you who read her blog, she's just like that in person. She is who she is, not fake or phony, no putting on airs. W/we both loved her to pieces and did NOT want to leave! And if you DO read Mikki's blog then you've already seen a couple of pictures W/we took that night. Above is another one Mikki took of the 2 of U/us together at the Harding Memorial.

W/we visited family for the next few days, some from my side and some from His side. Had the chance to do some exploring and shopping in downtown Ann Arbor, and loved it. Such a lovely city, with all the benefits of city life without the hassles of the congestion and over-population around here. Small town living with big city benefits, the best of both worlds.

Now it's time to wash clothes and settle back in, spend time catching up with the 16 year old who stayed home with the pets by himself for the week. That was his vacation, and while I know he enjoyed it, I think he's secretly happy to have U/us home. And W/we're happy to be back home with the dog, cats, and son.

Hope all have been well during the past week, and hope to catch up with everyone soon!

.

Becoming

A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot.

It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.

~ Mildred W. Struven

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee.

Upon hearing him complain about how difficult his life was, she put three pots of water on the stove. When the water came to a boil, she placed carrots in the first pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third. After boiling for 20 minutes, she asked him what he saw.

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," he replied.

She brought him closer and asked him to feel the carrots (they were soft), the eggs (they were hard), and to taste the coffee (it was good!)

She explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water.

Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique: after they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

~ condensed from unknown source

.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm

These steel shot filled gloves of leather are wonderful!

Perhaps my new favorite toy, and yet I have so many favorite toys; the violet wand, the floggers, the stick-ball bat.

But these delivered completely different feelings from everything else, and Master used them oh so beautifully. He has a way of making music, and my body just hums!

Don't mind me, I'll be the one in the corner with the goofy grin on her face!

.

Simple Pleasure?

Sometimes we take things for granted, especially the little things that seem insignificant. Master has an allergy to all things dairy - that is the stuff that comes from cows milk. Master becomes ill whenever he eats cows milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, and anything you can think of that's made from milk, or has milk in it.

Given that this is true, and me being who I am - a fixer and a pleaser - I first eliminated from his diet all cows milk products. Let me tell you, this turned out to be a challenging task. I was amazed how many foods contain "Whey". Whey is the leftover liquid once milk has curdled, and apparently it is added to a multiple of foods in order to add vitamins and minerals and even flavor.

So, I've pretty much settled on his diet, which includes soy milk, soy and goat cheeses, goat milk, goat butter, and, well, you get the point. Modern day products like the soy-based "dairy" items, and traditional products such as goat-products, have made this a lot easier. Add making more foods from scratch, using whole foods more and processed foods less, and Master is consuming very little cow products at all - and these only when eating out.

So imagine if you can, my delight - I mean DELIGHT!! at the pleasure Master felt and expressed from a simple grilled cheese sandwich I made for him. :) This slave lives for Master's pleasure and happiness, and this simple food gave Him great enjoyment, and gave me abundant fulfillment!

It was not that difficult to prepare a safely-edible goat butter, bread, and soy cheese sandwich, and yet, Master had not eaten a grilled cheese sandwich in such a long time. Loving someone and caring for their well-being means (to me) making a little extra effort to please them. I think of this as "Love in action". I don't just say the words, I live the words. I often refer to the "Happy Bunny" phrase, "It's all about me!" And yet for me, for any slave, it's all about Master. If Master is happy, then all is well in my world. And that, is my simple pleasure.
.
,
.
.

Stitches Anyone?

Ahhhh...the joys of parenting.

I love that my son and his friends want to hang out at O/our home. I always know who he's with, what he's doing, and where he is when they're here. I like that he goes to their houses or out with them too, but having them here rocks.

Partly because I really enjoy teenagers in the first place. I make sure there's food and drinks, and a degree of privacy, and a deaf ear to teenage language. I enjoy talking with them about all kinds of things, from the video games they're playing to current events.

So it's common for friends to stay all night, sometimes they sleep, sometimes they pull all night grinds on the favorite game. Last night there were 2 friends over. 2 friends I know well and trust.

That's why, when the knock came on my bedroom door at 4:24 AM and one of his friends tells me that my son has to go to the emergency room, he needs stitches, I didn't think twice. These are smart kids, and if they think something is that serious then it is.

I checked the wound myself, hugged my son tight, and told him it would be OK - he was trying so hard not to cry, and he was so scared. Pretty hard for an almost 16 year old tough guy to be strong, but he did great! Then I threw on some clothes and we piled in the car for a trip to the emergency room.

One of the boys thought he had to go home. Oh HELL no! lol If I have to sit in an emergency room at 4:30 AM, so did he!!

5 stitches in his lip later, one panic attack while getting the needle of novacaine in the gums, and we're on our way back home. He's fine, sleeping soundly, and all will be well.

This was his first set of stitches, so he's been very lucky so far! Although I didn't get my first set till I was 30, and it was 6 stitches - so I still have 1 up on him! (I really hope he never catches up to me.)

I need a nap.

.

Thoughts

I finally watched "The Secretary". Relaxing on our bed, watching together the 52" HD TV, enjoying the DVD, I'm still surprised I had never seen this movie before.

I had many emotions as the movie progressed, and some strong emotional responses. This was surprising to me, and of course I had to ponder everything since it goes against my nature to accept things as is. I have to understand the situation, as well as how it applies to me, or affects me, or how I respond to it. (Surely you aren't surprised! You know it's all about me!)

Much of what I felt was typical I think, at least in the beginning of the movie. As the story progressed I felt more submissive, and found myself irritated with Mr. Grey. This irritation progressed to something more severe, and I found myself relating his behavior to the behavior of Doms I've known in the past. (Yes, I told you, it's all about me!) And yet, by the end of the movie I came to understand that Mr. Grey was not full-grown in his Dominance, and indeed the movie was as much about his coming of age as it was about Lee discovering her nature and growing into it.

Interesting how fiction allows us to reflect on our own lives. I wonder in what ways my life would be different had I seen this movie a couple years ago? A rather sobering thought that a work of fiction can somehow affect the course of our lives. Perception, experience, belief, and feelings all play a part in decisions we make. Since I prefer a story to have a happy ending, I'm glad that Lee came to her senses and then gave Edward the chance to come to his as well!

.

Choose Your Master

"Instead of waiting for someone to take you under their wing, go out there and find a good wing to climb under."

-- Dave Thomas

.

.

.

From Atari to X-Box 360 And Beyond

I have recently experienced a new phenomenon. That is, the perception on the part of many people that playing video games is juvenile, and something we are expected to grow out of as we age and mature.

Honestly, as a child of the era in which video games became common-place, I have always played and enjoyed the games. Some of my favorite memories of my son's younger years involve playing video games with him. I still have my Atari - although I don't play it, I could because it still works.

But last week I was watching a program on TV in which the host of the show was giving the home-owner a hard time because he played video games, and kept his game console and games in a prominent place in the home. The host remarked about the need to grow up and leave our childhood behind. That really puzzled me as I'm quite mature and responsible, I work in the same career I began 14 years ago, I own my own home, as a single parent I care for and provide for my son, I care for my elderly mother, I survived and persevered through a nasty 20 year marriage and nastier divorce (that seemed to last just as long!)

So my point with that, is that I am an adult, a productive member of society, and my enjoyment of video games does not make me less an adult nor less productive.

That comment was enough to get me started on that train of thought, and then another comment was made a few days later by someone else. Upon hearing that Master was playing video games with my teenage son (some would call that bonding, btw) my Mom commented that oh no, he hasn't grown up yet??!! (The implication that she hadn't seen that side of him before and was sorry to hear about it, and here I've chosen another immature partner.) And here I thought I was sharing something really positive, the enjoyment the 2 of them got from the games, the belly-laughs coming from the family room as they played, the comaraderie between them, and more besides. And yet, Mom saw it in a different light.

So between those 2 comments, I've been pondering a great deal on this phenomenon, and the way our culture/society perceives video games. I find myself feeling sorry for people who've never allowed themselves to relax and have fun, and for close-mindedness that allows them to make judgements about other people without acknowledging that there could be a different and yet equally valid point of view.

.

If It Ain't One Thing It's Another...

So my son is having these Laser treatments for his acne. They seem to be working nicely too. He goes twice a week for 6 weeks. Until this morning when he woke up and told me his eyes hurt. It hurt to move his eyes, and the light (which was turned off at the time) was hurting his eyes too.

I asked some questions and looked in his eyes (no infection) and then he said, "well, I might not have kept my eyes closed during the laser treatment yesterday."

omg

There followed a series of phone calls and conversations that for the most part upset me. A lot.

Including the one to the dermatologist's office, where they freaked out. As a matter of self-preservation, I made up my mind that he was going to be fine, that this was superficial and temporary, and he would be just fine. I didn't know at that point, but I chose to believe that.

Now that we're back from the Ophthamologist, I'm much more calm. He should make a full and complete recovery. The Doctor said to think of this as a sunburn. It is uncomfortable, and hurts, but it gets better. See?? I knew it all along!

What a relief.

Of course, the dog's surgeon (how many dogs have their very own surgeons???) called to say that the last blood test was conclusive and Duke had to have another surgery. Well, I was hoping he wouldn't need one, obviously, but he'll be fine also. I said so. :)

Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of good things, positive things, happening. Somehow it's the worrisome things that consume our energy though.

So since there's always something and there's good things mixed in with bad things, I'll just continue to choose the best possible ending, and let go of the negative endings. Plenty of power in positive thinking. I'm living proof!

.

Happiness

Now and then

it's good to pause

in our pursuit of happiness,

and just be happy.

-Guillaume Apollinaire

.

.

.

.

Talk

There's so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us, that it doesn't behoove any of us, to talk about the rest of us.

~Lilly Mae Outlaw

.

.

.

Work

Just in case you ever get these two environments mixed up, this should make things a little bit clearer.

@ PRISON	@ WORK
you spend the majority of your time in a 10X10 cell	you spend the majority of your time in an 8X8 cubicle
you get three meals a day fully paid for	you get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it
you get time off for good behavior	you get more work for good behavior
the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you	you must often carry a security card and open all the doors for yourself
you can watch TV and play games	you could get fired for watching TV and playing games
you get your own toilet	you have to share the toilet with some people who wet on the seat
they allow your family and friends to visit	you aren't even supposed to speak to your family
all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required	you get to pay all your expenses to go to work, and they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners
you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out	you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars
you must deal with sadistic wardens	they are called managers

THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!!!

Now get back to work. You're not getting paid to check emails.

.

Joy

I slept
and dreamt
that life was joy.

I awoke
and saw
that life was service.

I acted
and behold,
service was joy.

-Rabindranath Tagore

.

.

.

Wonder

The Seven Wonders of the World are not really what you think. They are:

1. To see

2. To hear

3. To touch

4. To taste

5. To feel

6. To laugh

7. To love

-source unknown

**************************************************************

People travel to wonder
at the height of mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea,
at the long courses of rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars;
and they pass by themselves without wondering.

-St. Augustine

**************************************************************

I wonder what would happen if you spent five precious minutes today wondering. Wondering about yourself, wondering about the present moment, wondering about the possibilities that exist for you today.

I wonder.....will you?

Peace,
Paul - The Ripples Project

***************************************************************

Have a "wonder-ful" Sunday my friends!

.

.

.

.

Words To Live By

I've recently been reminded of some famous quotes reminding us about our behavior. It's always hard to realize that we cannot control other people, and I have learned that those who consider themselves "Dominant" find it inconceivable that they ultimately have no control over someone else. In fact, only each individual may control themselves. The fact that I yield myself to Master is my choice, and mine alone.

I used to think that with age and experience people come to learn that the world is not "black and white" but instead is "shades of gray". Alas, age and experience have turned out to be un-related to wisdom. I am, however, amazed that there are still people who believe they have the right to verbally abuse another person. Having survived an abusive upbringing and marriage, I find myself unwilling to submit to such behavior on the part of another person. Master doesn't abuse me, what would make someone else think they could succeed at such behavior?

I also must say, that those who set themselves up to be so-called experts in a field, be it as a painter, cook, or something Lifestyle related such as a Master, are under a much stricter standard of behavior. If they expect members of a group or community to respect them, their thoughts, or the words they utter, the 'experts' do not have the luxury of verbally abusing the members. Nor do they have control of the behavior of any of those members. You may only control your own behavior. My experience with those who are truly Dominant people is that they have greater control over themselves. This includes their actions, their emotions, and their words.

In any event, some of the quotes that came to my mind are:

The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven't thought of yet. ~Ann Landers

It is better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and resolve all doubt. ~Abraham Lincoln

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. ~Ambrose Bierce

Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled. ~Horace

Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them. ~Adlai Stevenson

.

Keep your words soft and tender because tomorrow you may have to eat them. ~Author Unknown

By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach. ~Winston Churchill

Basically - you can't take words back, and you may have to eat your words. So be nice, or leave.

.

.

.

Life Goes On

Days come, days go. Events occur in our lives and the lives of our friends. Many are big events, some positive some negative, and then there are smaller events.

Really, it is a small thing to have become the owner of my first handgun. And yet, it's still significant to me. I had mixed feelings about owning a gun, but since I don't make the rules, and the one who does wanted me to have my own gun, the decision was made. We carefully shopped to find the right one for me, and after much time passed, the XD9 became mine.

It has a nice, smooth feel when I shoot it - not nearly as big, and sharp, and, well, "BIG", as Master's 45. While the 45 is certainly more powerful, the 9mm will do just fine if ever needed in an emergency. For now we enjoy target shooting, and work to improve speed and accuracy with each visit to the range.

Unexpectedly, owning the weapon has given me a sense of power. Rather than fear of holding a deadly weapon, I've found safety and security in knowing that I know how to operate such a weapon, and that I am a good shot. I usually hit what I'm aiming at or near by, and while I don't need to kill an intruder in our home, I will certainly aim to stop them from perpetrating harm to me or mine. (I'm thinking the groin area will work just fine!)

So, all in all, not a particularly important event, especially in light of my employee whose daughter was abducted last Wednesday afternoon and still has not been found; and the employee whose daughter fell into a coma 3 weeks ago and is not progressing well; and good friends who are hospitalized and/or caring for those who are ill. There's so much going on in our lives, but this one, happy event is still special to me.

.

.

.