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Here’s another thought provoking writing prompt from Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.
Thirty things I vow to do this summer…hmmm…I’m never one to vow to do anything. I believe it’s all in the hands of God, so with that being said, here’s a list of thirty things I hope to accomplish this summer, God Willing:
- Learn to just “go with it”. I’m a worrier and a perfectionist, and most of the time that seems to get in the way of living life.
- Get back into the swing of writing well, and writing often. It’s been so ling since I’ve written with some semblance of a routine. I love to write, and just need to do it often so I can improve.
- Finish crocheting my plarn (plastic yarn) shopping tote. You can read my DIY Friday! post on how to make your own recycled plastic bag tote here.
- Learn to crochet using real yarn.
- Organize the house.
- Visit my parents more often.
- Go hiking.
- Have a picnic with my family.
- Garden more.
- Start working out regularly again.
- Finish painting my bathroom.
- Permanently fix the sound on my laptop – big sigh!
- Learn how to properly fix the few errors I have with the Google site map submission for my other blog, Green Earth Bazaar. It’s driving me nuts!
- Make my own body butter.
- Learn to ride a bicycle. Ha! – got you there. Just wanted to see if you
were paying attention. It’s been so long though, I may have forgotten. - Make some beeswax candles. I love candle light, it’s so relaxing.
- Start making my own bread (yeast breads) from scratch again.
- Read my way through some of the many books I have stashed away in nearly every corner of my bedroom.
- Get outside more often.
- Build something. What I’m not really sure, maybe a table or bench – something I can use outside.
- Do something good for a charity or a cause.
- Be more social.
- Finally dust off the light fixtures in the ceiling. I can’t remember when I did it last…shame on me.
- Make more time to pamper myself. Yeah, I’m worth it.
- Learn to be more patient. No wonder it’s a virtue, huh?
- Try not to cringe (that much) when a certain someone’s mother shows up without phoning (again), and try to hold my tongue (and not explode from doing so) when that someone says something crummy and insensitive like that certain someone always seems to do. You know what I’m talking about my fellow married sistahs.
- Eat more chocolate. A girl can dream can’t she?
- Fix my sewing machine…and use it.
- Cook up some homemade nectar for our humming bird feeder. I love watching our humming birds, they’re amazing.
- Reinvent the wheel. Nah, just kidding. I think the wheel’s just fine the way it is.
Peace. 🙂
- Image by jaxxon via Flickr
Have you ever had one of those moments when you just couldn’t stop yourself from laughing out loud? You know you shouldn’t do it. You try with all of your might to contain it. You tell yourself to stop it, bite down firmly on your tongue (at least I do), and use every ounce of self control you’ve got to stifle the urge to giggle. You feel the giggle start to rise up from somewhere deep within your belly. The giggle starts to slip itself out of your throat, and before you know it that giggle has turned into a full blown hysterical fit of laughter.
Much to my mother’s chagrin, I had a very inappropriate fit of hysterical laughter while out with her paying our electric bill when I was about ten or eleven years old. I was young, yes, but I knew that I shouldn’t do what I so desperately wanted to do at the time, which was to laugh at a certain someone behind the counter.
I grew up in a very small town, the kind of town where you knew nearly everyone in it whether you wanted to or not. So it’s not like the man behind the counter (we’ll call him Mr. X), hadn’t seen or spoken to us before. Mr. X was a very nice man, always smiling and polite to everyone he met. He just had one this one thing about him that I, and lots of other people around town couldn’t seem to get past. Mr. X, bless his heart, wore the WORST comb over you ever did see. It was terrible. He grew his hair very long towards the bottom of his head, which he then combed up and over, creating, in his mind, the illusion of hair on top.
So on the day in question, I knew what I might be in for when I accompanied my mom to pay the energy bill. I have to be honest here, as I recount my tale of laughter, I seem to remember beginning to get the giggles when we pulled up in front of the building (I think mom did as well – you know you used to chuckled at him too mom). So we entered the building, of course it was one of those days in which all was silent – no other souls were in that office except Mr. X, my mother, and me. We make our way to the counter where Mr. X has kindly greeted us. He and my mother are speaking, money is changing hands, receipts are being written, and then, BLAM! I could control myself no longer. I had the worst fit of inappropriate laughter if there ever was one. I knew what I was laughing at, my mom knew what I was laughing at, and most importantly, Mr. X knew what I was laughing at. How could he not? There wasn’t anyone else in that office but us, and I had been completely silent up until my outburst. I felt very bad and was totally embarrassed, my mom was embarrassed, and I’m sure Mr. X was embarrassed. He never said a word about the incident, and I didn’t get into any trouble for what I had done, but the next time we saw Mr. X, he had gotten rid of the comb over.
I have to say he looked so much better without it – maybe my laughing fit was really a blessing in disguise?
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1. I believe in God. When you sit and ponder the universe and all that is in it, when you look at your loved ones, your children – how can you not?
2. I believe there are still good people in this world, people who are willing to lend a hand without expecting anything in return.
3. I believe in speaking what is good or keeping silent. Words carry with them a mighty weight, and may come with a heavy price.
4. I believe charity never decreases one’s wealth.
5. I believe in doing good deeds. There is no good deed or act of kindness too small – even if it’s just a smile. It may make a tremendous difference in someone’s life.
6. I believe in asking for forgiveness.
7. I believe in never going to bed angry. You or the person you’re angry with may never see tomorrow.
8. I believe in being kind and dutiful towards our parents. Think of what they went through to raise us up right.
9. I believe our children are half of today and all of tomorrow – so teach them well.
10. I believe in peace. In the words of Cat Stevens’ song, Peace Train, “Someday, it’s going to come.”
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If anyone (or any company) deserves a time out this week, it’s definitely British Petroleum (BP). BP, the oil company responsible for the Deep Water Horizon oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico back in April, hasn’t been playing nice when it comes to clean up efforts. Louisiana fisherman involved in clean up attempts have been reporting health problems for weeks, with seven of those fisherman being hospitalized for chest pains, nausea, dizziness, and headaches. For the most part, these reported health problems have been ignored and denied. According to the Los Angeles Times, Graham MacEwen, a spokesman for BP, has stated that he was unaware of any health complaints among the cleanup workers. What’s even worse than BP’s outright denial of worker’s health complaints, is BP’s reported refusal to provide some cleanup workers with respirators. There have even been allegations of BP’s threatening to fire those workers who use their own respirators while on the job. Shame on you British Petroleum for putting more lives at risk, and for what – to lessen the bad publicity? It’s a little too late for that.
Learn more:
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- Gulf Oil Spill Illness: 7 Workers Hospitalized, Believe Chemicals Used On Oil Made Them Sick (huffingtonpost.com)
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Pet peeves – everybody’s got them. Here’s a small sampling of a few that really get me peeved off.
1. Men who insist on wearing their pants belted practically mid-thigh. It’s NOT attractive and it’s definitely NOT practical – no one wants to see your skivvies guys.
2. Women who insist on wearing clothes that are skin tight, too short, and too low cut when they’re in public. You’re only sending one message when you dress like that, and it’s definitely the WRONG one. Have some respect for yourselves ladies, and for others too.
3. Clothing designers that make skimpy, inappropriate clothing for little girls – shame on you!
4. The parents and caregivers who buy said clothing for their little girls to wear – shame on you too! You’re just asking for perverts to ogle them – disgusting.
5. Parents who let their small children crawl around the floors of public places. There are TONS of germs down there and you know your baby’s going to stick his or her hands into his or her mouth – yuck.
6. People who neglect to wash their hands after using the bathroom – that’s just gross.
7. Mean people, greedy people, and people who lie, cheat, and steal with no remorse.
8. Knowing there are hungry people in this world.
9. Walmart. More often than not their products are just cheap, throw away pieces of junk – and their business practices leave A LOT to be desired too.
10. Fox News. Ugh!
Peacenik Hullabaloo 