Things That Have Made Me Smile...

Most of the people who read this blog (if I still have any readers left save one) know what my life has been like the past month. I am having to find little smiles wherever they can be found & search for reasons to be joyful. It is not my intention to bemoan my life or whine about the guilt I feel ... Rather, I want to share my happy thoughts:

This is Zelda Fitzhare. She has been part of my pet zoo for about 10 years now, and ranks near the top of the favorites list. She spends her days propped up against my pillow, but her nights are spent lounging against one of the bed posts. This past Thursday morning, I awoke to the above picture and I just had to laugh out loud - those feet!!

Saturday morning something terrible happened: I awoke to her laying flat on the floor! Friday had been a particularly rough night for me. Apparently, my tossing & turning tossed Zelda right off the bed. I felt horrible! Therefore, I placed her in a much more comfortable and restful position. Well can you blame me? She is one of my dearest friends!

Saturday night I had dinner out with my family. I never did get around to making my bed on Saturday, which worked well for Zelda as she had that nice place to occupy. However, I know I couldn't lay down all day so I was certain she was ready for a change of position. She's such a sweetie, waiting up for me like she does:


Yes. I am fully aware that I am silly and childlike. However, I believe these personality traits are part of the reason why I have a zest for life & a sense of adventure. I think I'll just keep right on finding happiness in these foolish things.

On an unrelated note: One of my (what I think are two) regular readers asked where my US Open Tennis Championship picks are. Never fear. I shall be blogging about the tourney soon. My life has been very busy and I still feel like I am chasing myself most of the time.

Oh-and one more thing-A person who reads but does not comment mentioned his disagreement with my statement that there are times when love just isn't enough. I do plan to address that thought at a later time. Perhaps AFTER the tennis tournament!

If you're reading this - thanks for sticking with me.

As I've Matured

This is actually one of those semi-annoying email forwards. However, some of the statements are quite true so I figured I would post them here and see if I could have some fun with it. The images did not transfer well, but I am sure you will get the general idea.




I have learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.

I have learned that one good turn gets most of the blankets.






I have learned that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.

I have learned that whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.





I have learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to others. They are more screwed up than you think.

I have learned you can keep vomiting long after you think you're finished.







I have learned that it is not what you wear; it is how you take it off.


I have learned that we are responsible for what we do unless we are celebrities.





I have learned that 99% of the time when something is not working in your house, one of your kids did it.

I have learned that age is a very high price to pay for maturity.





I have learned the people you care most about in life are taken too soon and all the less important ones just never go away. And the real pains in the ass are permanent.

I have learned no matter how much I care, some people are just jackasses.

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~The following are my own thoughts~
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I have learned that for a relationship to be long lasting and fulfilling, love isn't enough.

Sure, relationships take work. The ones where I see progress-forward motion-are worth working on. The ones that just move around in circles and never get anywhere and consistently cause negative feelings for both people are very difficult to maintain. Sometimes, I just give up for a while. There are times when I feel guilty for that and other times I want to scream, "Can you blame me???"

How Many Do You See?

How many roses do you see in this picture?

This question probably falls under the category of "trick." A fleeting glance may cause a person to say they see three roses. Upon closer inspection, the more observant person may claim to see four. When looking at the photograph, a person honestly sees three or 4 flowers. But that is an erroneous perception, isn't it?

Naturally, there are only two red roses. My taking the shot with the vase positioned in front of a mirror skewed the perspective a little. This placement created the illusion of there being more flowers than there really were.

In my mind, this is a perfect example of "things are not always as they seem." In any given situation, there are many different perspectives from which the circumstance can be viewed. Often, people are too close to a particular life-event to have that ability.

I believe the perspective from which one sees a situation is determined by two factors: the individual's personality and their past experiences. In the area of personality, some people are eternal optimists, possessing the ability to take almost any circumstance and give it a positive spin. Naturally, the pessimist does the opposite. A few people occupy the middle ground. These are the folks who often use the term, "cautiously optimisitc."

Past experience also dictates a person's perspective. "I've been here before," or "I've seen so-and-so go through this" are two common thoughts as individuals move through their lives. Time and life are linear, but also circular. Because it appears that we go through the same or similar trials again and again, our viewpoints are often influenced by the past.

There are times when, depending upon the situation at hand, the naturally optimistic person may actually become a pessimist and vice versa. This makes me think past experience has more bearing upon a person's outlook than does their personality.

So what's the point? Actually, there are a couple of them. First, in order to see any situation clearly, taking a step back in order to consider more of the angles is a good idea. Our individual perspective of a situation may not be complete. I may see something one way while you see it another. This does not mean either one of us is wrong. Often, the truth or crux of a matter lies in the middle. It is helpful to ask trusted friends about circumstances in which we may have problems being objective.

Secondly, we do not have to let past experience or the events others have gone through determine the way we perceive a current state of affairs. The past does not have to repeat itself, nor do we have to handle the matter at hand the same way we have before.

Finally, I have come to believe it is best to assume the best. Suspicious minds are a playground for accusations, confusion, and jumped-to conclusions. Optimistic outlooks appear to be more open to possibilities and options. Therefore, it makes sense to find an optimist to help you through a situation in which you are feeling pessimistic. There is a wealth of energy, encouragement, peace, and even joy to be found in the presence of such a person.

I sure do like the idea of having three roses rather than two. That is why I placed the vase in front of the mirror. Stealing yet another line from an old but favorite movie, "As your teacher Mr. Spock is fond of saying, 'I like to believe there are always...possibilities.'"

I'm Still Here..

Hi all,

Merely checking in to let you know I'm still among the living and to ask you to pray for the Barber family. It has often been said that no matter what a person is going through, someone somewhere has it worse. The truth is: no matter what a person is going through, someone that person knows has it worse.

Just a piece of grindage for us all to munch on today....