Month: April 2014

I was nominated for a Leibster Awarded by Eli Garmont

11 Questions For My Nominees:

1. How you describe your style?

Good Question. This is one I had to think about. Overall I would say my style is laid back. I love a nice pair of comfortable jeans, a nice pair of shoes and a nice shirt. Though I usually end up in a T-shirt, sweat pants and tennis shoes. My husband says when I dress up though I clean up nicely and I would prefer a very nice outfit from Ann Taylor or Brooks Brothers. I love their clothes.

2. Favorite food?

I love steak. I admit it, I am a meat eater. I try to eat responsibly, but if there is a nice thick steak on the grill, forget it. I am there.

3. What’s the most important thing on a relationship?

Trust

4. Do you collect something?

I have stopped collecting at this time, but I used to collect Cloisonné and Fritz and Floyd mice.

5. If you could be a pair of shoes, what type would it be?

Easy Stride

6. Favorite TV show?

Depends on the season, but right now it is Game of Thrones.

7. What’s the main issue that worries you about your country and how you can change that?

The economy and the enlarging gap between the rich and the poor. In order for any society to survive it must have a stable “middle class:. Without the “middle class” there is no work base, no tax base to work from and no stability. The poor get poorer and the rich get richer to the point that society collapses. Two pyramids that stand on point, one facing the other. So, unstable that anything that disturbs the balance will destroy both. That is what I can see happening in this country.  

8. Favorite season and why?

I love the fall. I have always loved the fall. The colors, the smell of the woods. Halloween, Fall festivals full of apples, pumpkins, baked goods of every sort. Wonderful. The weather is usually such that I can tolerate going out and my fibromyalgia doesn’t bother me too much.

9. Favorite quote?

“As the sun rises tomorrow, there is hope for a better today.”

10. What was your first thought when you saw this nomination?

Great!!

11. Why eleven questions when it can be 10?

Good question. I am not sure, but I see as one more opportunity to find out something great about someone else.

Thank you for the nomination Eli!

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I changed my blog theme, My Leibster Award Nominees and Questions.

I changed my blog theme. I liked the other one because of the colors, but it was hard to read. So, I changed it to a cleaner, easier to read theme. I also wanted to acknowledge that the photograph I used for my header was taken by someone else and I “borrowed” it. I hope they don’t mind. I just love the look of the picture.

I had put my Liebster Award Nominees in my Part 2 post, but didn’t put the questions for them. So, I need to do that in this post.

My Nominees:

http://driftingsilent.wordpress.com/

http://remindyourmind.org/2014/04/26/the-age-of-transition

http://jodhiaoife.wordpress.com

http://redhottruth.wordpress.com

http://todayiamchoosinghappiness.wordpress.com

My 11 Questions are:

Why did you start blogging?

What is one goal you really hope to achieve this year?

What is your favorite food?

What is your favorite Book and why?

What is your favorite movie and why?

What is your pet peeve?

What is one thing you would change in the world?

Do you have a pet?

If there is one thing you could teach your child/children what would it be?

Do you believe in Ghosts?

What is your favorite season of the year and why?

Thank you to all of the people who read my blogs, who have nominated me for the Leibster Awards and have liked my posts. This is a wonderful experience and is helping me to realize how much there is to offer the world in the way we support one another and our thoughts.

 

He’s so fine

What was it about my husband that drew me to him? We actually “met” online on Yahoo personals. I was actually getting ready to delete my profile when I saw a response from him. I don’t remember what his picture looked like, I don’t think there was one. What attracted me was his post about Halloween. We both love that holiday and Christmas is a close second. At the time he was also feeling out some Pagan/Wiccan leanings and I found that very interesting. As well as the fact he was helping the Chaplain on board his ship with Catholic Mass. I thought this all made for an intriguing combination. When we did eventually talk he had a very rich, nice tenor voice. He was and still is a great listener. So, I guess the first thing that attracted me to my husband was his mind and then his voice. As he talked me through the very rough time of finally breaking off with my then husband (as saga best left untold and the best thing that happened to me) and moving across country from San Diego to Virginia he talked to me. He would call me and talk me through the rough patches. I finally made it to Virginia on December 22nd in the morning. We met that evening at WalMart-because I knew where that was, and we have never been separated voluntarily since.

My Leibster Awards part 2

So onto part 2 of my Leibster Awards write up. I just want to state that all of these people have wonderful blogs themselves. Lively and full of self exploration.

Nicole Davis: http://triumphantwings.wordpress.com

Annabel: http://annabelmcquade.wordpress.com/author/annabelmcquade (She was the first one to ever nominate me!)

Nicole Davis:

  1. What is your simple pleasure in life? That one things that puts a smile on your face.

         The smiles of my grandchildren. Listening to music.

2.      If you could talk to one dead person who would it be? Why?

         It would be my father. I do not like to make promises I cannot keep. I have tried very hard in my life to ensure that when I promise   something I do it. My father bought a little farmhouse that was built in the 1700’s, early 1800’s. It did not have electric or water and all that needed to be put into the house along with other significant repairs. My father asked me, I didn’t know he knew he was dying, to make sure the house doesn’t get torn down and that I would finish restoring the house. When I promised him this I thought he would be around for awhile and that we would work on these things together. I shared his vision for the little house. He died shortly after I made the promise and it has bothered me to this day that I allowed my husband to talk me out of keeping that promise. I keep thinking I should have at least tried. But, I admit I was overwhelmed by the thought of it. So, I would say I am sorry to him.

3. What is one thing you have lost that you wish you had back?

Time. I wish I had the early years of my children’s lives back. I was working hard, harder then I really needed to in retrospect and I lost so much time with them. Time I will never have back. It wasn’t worth it.

4. If you were in your dream home, describe how the view from your back window would differ from your current view.

There would be large picture windows and French doors that open to a large deck. There are stairs that lead to a path that slopes down through the trees. Over and just beyond the trees you can see a large lake. Calm and sparkling in the evening sunset.

5. Do you share your blog with family/friends in real life?

Yes. If they wish to read it, they can.

6. Do you have any annoying habits?

I bite my nails and I say “Awesome” a lot. Especially if I am nervous. Not great habits for job interviews.

7. What habit do you find the most annoying in other people?

That they interrupt others and don’t allow them to finish speaking.

8. What is one life event you never saw coming?

My breakdown on leaving the Navy. I thought I was so much stronger than that. I fell apart for awhile.

9. At what age did you truly grow up? If you haven’t yet, what age do you think you will grow up?

Lol..I haven’t. I don’t think I really ever will. But, the age of 25 was a life defining time for me and that was when I really started to change and “grow up”.

10. If you could go back and tell your younger self one thing, what would it be and why?

That I am worth so much more than anyone thinks. That while it matters to me what my family thinks, I cannot let it define me. That it is okay not to get married. That it is okay to try and be my own person. That if don’t love yourself you can’t really love someone else. That it is okay to love myself.

11. Tell us about something that made an impact on your life.

The day I was saved from myself. I was 25 and had left my husband and gave my baby to my father and step mother because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I might have ended up living in my car or on the street and I wanted better for her. Anyone would be better than the piece of trash that I felt I was. I had “escaped” with my boyfriend to CT and was staying with my mother. It was a horrible situation. I had just gotten a call that night from my father who said I would never see my baby again. They were going to take her from me. They had told me they would keep her until I found a place, not that they were never going to let me see her again. I fell apart. The next day I took a bunch of pills and sat in the cemetery across the street and waited to die. I figured that I wouldn’t inconvenience anyone. I felt a warmth, a presence. I felt warm, comforted and safe and I felt above all else love. A voice in my mind told me to “Get up.  Get up and get help. God is not done with you yet. You have more to do. You have a purpose and it is not done yet. As you have heard, “God does not make Junk.” Is your life really worth the opinions of others? Get up.” So, I got up and went home. My boyfriend took me to the hospital and they had me drink the charcoal and throw up. But, there were very few pills in my stomach. I don’t remember there being any pills. That was my miracle. Because my Mom was on pretty heavy medications at the time. I truly believe that I was saved that day. That was the day I made up my mind to not give up, to get up and keep going no matter what and find what my purpose in this life is. It was the turning point in my life.

Annabel:

If you could choose any era to live in (including modern day), what would you choose?

I would choose the modern era. Primarily because of women’s rights. I don’t think I could live in a society that didn’t allow me to think and say what I choose. If you ever read the book “The Handmaid’s Tale” it will really make you think about the position of women in society and how terrible it could be. The women in America really take our rights for granted.

What has been your favourite post to write so far?

This one. Answering these questions and learning how to link to others. It is interesting the questions people ask.

In a zombie apocalypse, what weapon do you choose?

I had originally thought a machete, but decided that you have to get too close to use that. The next best thing a pipe bomb or a bow and arrow. You can make new arrows and you can shoot them from a safe distance. I really hate Zombies. I hate the thought of them and definitely freak out even now during a Zombie movie. I can’t watch the walking dead.

Do seals have to write essays, and what would they write them on?

They write on Kelp paper so they can eat their essays when they are done.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could pick one person to have with you, who would it be?

Survivor Man! If I could survive his ego that is. But, I think I would want my husband with me actually.

If you could choose to be any animal, what would you be?

A cat. They can hunt, they can defend themselves. They think they are God’s gift to the world. They purr. They give love and yet if they don’t want you, they can just leave without a second thought. They can see in the dark. I think that would be cool.

What’s your idea of a good evening?

A nice dinner and a movie with the family at home.

Favourite book?

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. A favorite series is: Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey.

If you didn’t write, what would fill the gap?

Garden, read. Play Dragon Age and Guild Wars.

What’s your happiest memory?

The day I met my husband.

If you had one wish, what would you wish for?

I would try to make a multifunction wish. I would wish that humanity would make the happiness and fulfillment of their fellowman and the preservation of our world their single purpose. In so doing they would find sustainable energy, have peace, love one another.

One of the other questions I had was what was a favorite song of mine:

This song makes me smile and tears come to my eyes. I love the melody, I love the words.

http://www.pandora.com/kris-allen/falling-slowly-american-idol-studio-version-radio-single/falling-slowly

My Nominees:

http://driftingsilent.wordpress.com/

http://remindyourmind.org/2014/04/26/the-age-of-transition

http://jodhiaoife.wordpress.com

http://redhottruth.wordpress.com

http://todayiamchoosinghappiness.wordpress.com

I am going to work on nominating more people later. I just don’t want to lose this post like I did the last one. I want to do more research and find some people that have not been nominated. Take care, love and blessings to all who read my musings.

 

 

My Leibster Award Nominations

I want to thank the wonderful people who have nominated me for the Leibster Award. This means so much to me. It has helped me to realize that people not only read my Blog, but like what they are reading and find it truly worthwhile. It is a great motivator to keep going. I am sorry that I have not kept up with each and every nomination. I am currently going to school for another Graduate Certificate to see if that helps open up my marketability for a job. I have gotten pretty far behind because I have found I like writing and blogging so much more than learning the information in my classes. Even though I find Program Management very interesting. I have to realize I have responsibilities to my family though, like cooking, cleaning and other mundane but important parts of running a household. And I not just need to catch up on my classes I have to.

Therefore I am going to combine all my nominations and responses on one page. I do hope each every one of you that nominated me understands how much it has meant to me.

My Nominators are:

NS: http://inkriched.com/2014/04/25/triple-liebster-award-nomination

Alura: http://exploringalura.wordpress.com

Athena of Athens: http://athenaswickedowl.wordpress.com

Nicole Davis: http://triumphantwings.wordpress.com

Annabel: http://annabelmcquade.wordpress.com/author/annabelmcquade (She was the first one to ever nominate me!)

Liebster Award:

The Liebster Award is awarded to bloggers with under 200 followers to try to promote their blog a little and also bring together a community of bloggers.

The rules of the competition are as follows:

  • The nominated user must provide a link back to the person who nominated them.
  • Provide 11 facts about yourself.
  • Answer 11 questions set by the person who nominated you.
  • Choose 11 more people and ask them 11 questions.

Wow that means I have to have 55 questions and find 55 more people. I think I can just post the 11 facts about myself for each one  think I can do that. Phew!! (Swipes forehead with hand..Ready…Set…Go!!!)

The 11 facts about myself:

I could not live without my family.

My name means Music in Spanish, Dance in French and Breeze in Hindu. It can be spelled Pavan, Pavone or Pavane. It was also a special piece of music written for royal funerals. So, I was a breezy, musical, dance number for a funeral.

I retired from the Navy after 20 years.

I was a Cardiovascular Technologist and Respiratory Therapist.

I won third place in a female bodybuilding contest in West Virginia in 1982.

I love the outdoors.

I am a Christian with Wiccan leanings. (If you want to know how that is possible, I’ll tell you later)

I would love to go tour Ireland, Scotland and England.

I love science fiction and fantasy stories.

I love mysteries and a good thriller.

I love the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit series and most any kind of Sci-Fi/Fantasy movie.

I will list the questions asked by my nominator under their name.

NS:

  1. What keeps you going?

         My family. And the faith that I am here for a purpose.

2. What’s your biggest vice?

  Shopping. I have to be very careful with money. I tend to spend it without thinking.

3. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry or keepsake?

    My Wedding and Engagement Ring. My Wedding ring is my favorite though.

4. Biggest adventure you dream of or have been to?

   I dream of going to the British Isles. I actually have distant relatives there and know my clan. The Irvin Clan. My husband’s are the    McAlpines.

5. Humans or aliens?

Depends on what your asking. I would side with the Humans in a conflict-depending on what the Alien’s intentions are of course. But, knowing humans like I do, we probably started it.

6. What burns your blood?

Intolerance and injustice. Unfairness. Humanity’s inhumanity to man and our world. Christians who spout hateful, violent, intolerant and uncompassionate words in the same sentence of “I am a Christian.”

7. If you could have a holiday named after you, what would it be?

Nonviolence is mandatory day!

8. Err…who was Liebster? And why 11?

LOL…I have no idea and I will have to look that up.

9. Pancakes or waffles?

Pancakes. Especially the Oakwood Cafe’s Sweet Potato Pancakes. They are to die for.

10. What’s your favorite cartoon bad guy?

Brain from Pinky and the Brain.

11. What do you think of my blog?

I find your blog creative and we think along the same lines on so many topics. Your writing style and the topics you discuss help me to smile and appreciate that there is someone else out there that appreciates the same things in life.

Alura:

1.  What is the most beautiful thing in the world to you?

When my grandchildren smile and are happy.

2.  What type of music can make you get up, singing and/or dancing, almost every time?

Celtic music. I love Anuna and Riverdance is my favorite CD.

3.  What is your favorite song/music of all time and why is it important to you?

This is a hard one because I love so many types of music. I don’t think there is a genre of music I have not listened to and found something to like. Even heavy metal-the operatic kind more than the other straight heavy metal. There is one song that I tend to listen to quite a bit. As far as a singular song I am not sure. I have had so many In my life that has touched my heart, soul and just brought out emotions in me. I will think on this though. I am sure there is a favorite above all favorites in my head.

4.  What is the one thing you love most about yourself, the thing that people would say is “just so you”?

That I keep trying no matter what. That I have a drive to keep going.

5.  If all of your responsibilities were taken care of (food, finances, health, emotional, etc.), how would you spend your free time?

Helping others. I would like to help create sustainable cities and find ways to help humanity and our Earth live together. But, one thing that has been on my mind and in my heart lately is building a home/school for children in the foster system where they can truly be taken care of and loved. Where they can learn they are of value to themselves and others.

6.  If you could change one thing about people as a whole, what would it be?

That they wouldn’t care about money anymore and only care about helping each other to “be”.

7.  What is your favorite color and why do you believe it stands out to you?

This is an interesting question because it seems to change weekly with my moods. But, overall I like shades of yellow. Nothing too bright. It stands out to me because it is a color of joy.

8.  If you could go anywhere and do anything, what is the first thing you choose to do?

I would go tour England, Scotland and Ireland.

9.  Would you prefer to explore the mysteries of the ocean or the mysteries of outer space?

The mysteries of outer space. The ocean is fascinating, but I have a real fear of drowning. Not that explosive decompression in space would be any better.

10. What is your idea of the perfect date? (No detail is too small on this one)

Good Food, good conversation and lots of cuddling.

11.  What does falling in love feel like to you?

Like deep breathing warm air. (That is what comes to mind right away)

Athena of Athens:

1.  Why do you blog?

I blog to express myself. To find a creative outlet. I blog so that I can gain insight from others and also hopefully give some insight and encouragement to others.

2.  What’s the most traumatic thing in your life that’s happened?

I was raped when I was 15. It wasn’t my first, but it is the one I remember the most because of the level of betrayal. My mother put me in the situation and she knew that it could happen. She left me and it happened.

3.  How do you deal with a$$holes?

Depends on the a$$hole. There are those that I will try to talk to and try to understand what is going on with them. Other one’s I will ignore them. Saying nothing, smiling, turning your back and walking away can better than a slap in the face for some of them.

4.  Do you believe in an afterlife?

Yes. I know there is an afterlife. I have seen people’s “souls” leave their body as they died. My father visited me for a few days after he passed. I knew it was him without a doubt. Death is just a transition.

5.  What is your favorite thing to do, besides blogging

I love to watch movies

The Age of Transition

I am reblogging this because it says so much of what I am feeling and thinking right now. A very good read.

Remind Your Mind

The Very Air is Alive with Change

You don’t need me to tell you that right now we are going through fundamental changes via the Earth, humanity, and the new levels of accessible information resultant of the evolution of the internet.

These changes transcend religion, race, nationality, and gender. They are manifest through the subjects of science, art, computer engineering, and any other discipline you can think of. Through the severe weather and climate changes occurring, worldwide discontent with the status quo, and gradual shift of power over to the masses.

The alterations in the fabric of our lives have been coming for quite some time, as those perceptible enough will have noticed. This millennium, and certainly century, is a turning point for the Earth. Theories vary on what is and will be happening, but the main concern is the change is real.

The Advantage of Distance

Realistically, we cannot…

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Teen Age Idols

When I was a teenager I had a whole list of people I idolized. Captain Kirk, Spock, Davy Jones, Martin Luther King, Helen Keller are only a few that were on my list.  I had a pretty diverse range of interests. I idolized people who were strong and talented. People who believed in the power of an individual. That sounds strange for a teenager, but I rarely gave myself time for “frivolous” thought. I would daydream and I would playact, but always with a serious tone. I the Beatles were my favorite band and I had a crush on John Lennon. I thought Paul was not as interesting looking. I loved the Monkees too. And my first big actor crush that I would really admit  was a Fan Crush was Keanu Reeves after I saw the Matrix. Dreamy. lol…I was also in my thirties by then. Funny. Well, that is actually not completely true. Brendan Frasier was running a close second. I loved him in the Mummy movies. So, I wonder do we ever really grow out of “crushing” or “idolizing” people. I don’t think so.

What Inspires me

This video and the message it conveys gives me hope and inspires me to look at the splinter in my own eye. I know that not all Islamists are terrorists, just as I know that all Jewish people are not “thieves”. Americans are now looked down upon as war mongering, capitalist, greedy, etc…and we know for many, if not most of us, that is not true. I wish we could all see each other as we are. Human beings with similar likes and dislikes. We love, we hate, we can be generous and compassionate. We hunger, we love our children. We all want to matter. We can be hard and unforgiving. But we are all human. There are few differences under the skin. There are those that would say “Well that is just not true. Look at Genetics.” Genetic differences do not make us less “human”. They are what make us human and unique unto ourselves. I tell people who are racist and use the “genetics” argument as a means of lowering another race to inferior and I tell them not to look too far into their own genetic closet. They may not like what they see. We all live on this Earth. We all are human. We can all look beyond differences to find similarities and hopefully by doing this find a way to Peace.

http://urbantimes.co/2014/04/israel-palestine-poetry/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=transactional&utm_campaign=Daily+Digest

Letter to my dream reader

Good Evening to my dream reader,

I wonder who you are, what interested you about my blog that would entice you to read it. Is it the catchy title, the tag line? It doesn’t really matter because you are here and you are reading what I have to say. My words offer comfort, my words offer you insight. The darkness that may be in your life becomes lighter and you may see steps in your path that you did not see before. When you read the stories and the poems that I write I hope that they make you laugh, make you think and maybe even cry at times. You understand how important it is to be heard and understood. You understand how someone can desire to emerge from the shadows and gain substance and light. You become a rallying point, a cheerleader and a supporter. 

And so dream reader, you become each person that reads my words and appreciates and knows and understands. My dream reader is you.