Lately I have been having a problem with checking the box on forms.Married-single-divorced? Gee I don't know what do I feel like today?
Well I'm definitely not married, but do I check single or divorced?
Single doesn't seem fair to my 3 legitimate children, but divorced was 17 years ago and doesn't really apple anymore.Maybe I should just leave it blank.
The only box I don't have a problem with is nationality. I always check Anglo, but that doesn't seem fair to my French, Scottish, Swedish and English ancestors. After all Spanish, Native American and African American have their own boxes.
Maybe I should leave that blank too.
Last but not least is the box that covers your eye color. All my life I have had a problem with that one. My eyes are not brown, green or blue.They are an odd mixture of grey and green and really don't fit in any box. Maybe I should leave that blank too.
Perhaps the only box I can truthfully check is female. That's never going to change!
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Monday, July 4, 2016
In other words
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
I watched the flag pass by one day,It fluttered in the breeze;
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform,
So young, so tall, so proud;
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
He’d stand out in any crowd.
I thought… how many men like him
Had fallen through the years?
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves
No, Freedom is not Free.
I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still;
I listened to the bugler play,
And felt a sudden chill;
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant “Amen”
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend;
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea,
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No. Freedom is not Free!
©Copyright 1981 by Kelly Strong
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Living a healthy life
From 2000 to 2004 I wrote many articles as a columnist for the Cibola Beacon in Grants, NM. They were mostly life stories and the interviews with local residents were not only fun, but interesting. Some of the lives had surprising twists and turns. In 2013 as a member of the group Write On People, I also wrote several articles for the paper on various subjects, as a contributing columnist. One in particular I would like to share today because I was told by a reader that it was probably my best work. It was titled, Living a "Healthy" Life.
When most people think about healthy living they focus on what they put in their mouth. From research and my own experience I have found that living a healthy life encompasses much more than diet. It includes our environment, the people in our lives, the homes we live in, the thoughts we allow into our minds and the choices we make on a daily basis.
Of course, we all know that we should drink plenty of water. The recommended amount is eight glasses per day. This isn't hard to do in the summer when everyone is thirsty, but winter is a different story.
Drinking water replaces what is lost through urine, bowel movements, perspiration and breathing. It is a necessary ingredient for our bodies to function properly.
Although it is not necessary to become a vegetarian, adding more fruits and vegetables is essential for good health. Synthetic supplements (vitamins) are not the same as consuming natural foods. The most nutritious fruits are: watermelon, apricots, apple, avocado, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi, guava, papaya and strawberries. Top of the list vegetables are: most beans, asparagus, sprouts, button mushrooms, carrots and of course, anything green.
A great idea for adding variety to the menu is to think of a color wheel. White is for bananas and mushrooms, yellow for pineapple, mango and squash, orange for papaya and orange, red for apple, strawberry, tomato and watermelon, and green for guava, avocado, cucumber, lettuce and celery.
Telling someone that they can't have something is like giving them a green light to eat it anyway. For this reason I don't feel any food should be completely off limits; not even a hot fudge sundae or a perfectly seasoned portion of prime rib- once in a while.
Being overweight is the number one health problem in our country. If you are not close to your recommended weight you are prone to multiple diseases and a decreased quality of life.
Daily exercise will help get your weight where it should be. It really doesn't matter what you do as long as you exercise on a regular basis. Find a variety of activities that fit your physical capabilities and that you enjoy doing. Exercise lowers the risk of disease, lowers blood pressure and increases life span and bone density.
Next is resting your mind, better known as sleep. Getting enough sleep is important whatever your age. Inadequate sleep leads to eating high-sugar foods that are not good for you and can cause weight gain.
Another way to rest your mind is meditation. All it requires is to sit quietly and turn off your "self-talk". Focus on deep breathing from the abdomen or listen to calming music. Just five minutes a day is enough to begin a good habit.
Eliminating all the negative things in your life that are causing you stress is like weight loss for your mind. Spring cleaning can be done at any time of the year and should include those people who are draining your positive energy. Don't forget to take the time to laugh, especially at yourself.
Great advice from a local physical fitness trainer is, "Decrease your stress level by limiting the number of commitments you take on. Many people are stressed because they are over-committed or over-scheduled."
Now that you are a healthy person living a healthy life get involved with your community, join a group that interests you, take up a new hobby, look for people with similar interests or simply pay more attention to the beautiful world our Creator has provided for you.
Healthy or not your life is what you make it.
When most people think about healthy living they focus on what they put in their mouth. From research and my own experience I have found that living a healthy life encompasses much more than diet. It includes our environment, the people in our lives, the homes we live in, the thoughts we allow into our minds and the choices we make on a daily basis.
Of course, we all know that we should drink plenty of water. The recommended amount is eight glasses per day. This isn't hard to do in the summer when everyone is thirsty, but winter is a different story.
Drinking water replaces what is lost through urine, bowel movements, perspiration and breathing. It is a necessary ingredient for our bodies to function properly.
Although it is not necessary to become a vegetarian, adding more fruits and vegetables is essential for good health. Synthetic supplements (vitamins) are not the same as consuming natural foods. The most nutritious fruits are: watermelon, apricots, apple, avocado, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi, guava, papaya and strawberries. Top of the list vegetables are: most beans, asparagus, sprouts, button mushrooms, carrots and of course, anything green.
A great idea for adding variety to the menu is to think of a color wheel. White is for bananas and mushrooms, yellow for pineapple, mango and squash, orange for papaya and orange, red for apple, strawberry, tomato and watermelon, and green for guava, avocado, cucumber, lettuce and celery.
Telling someone that they can't have something is like giving them a green light to eat it anyway. For this reason I don't feel any food should be completely off limits; not even a hot fudge sundae or a perfectly seasoned portion of prime rib- once in a while.
Being overweight is the number one health problem in our country. If you are not close to your recommended weight you are prone to multiple diseases and a decreased quality of life.
Daily exercise will help get your weight where it should be. It really doesn't matter what you do as long as you exercise on a regular basis. Find a variety of activities that fit your physical capabilities and that you enjoy doing. Exercise lowers the risk of disease, lowers blood pressure and increases life span and bone density.
Next is resting your mind, better known as sleep. Getting enough sleep is important whatever your age. Inadequate sleep leads to eating high-sugar foods that are not good for you and can cause weight gain.
Another way to rest your mind is meditation. All it requires is to sit quietly and turn off your "self-talk". Focus on deep breathing from the abdomen or listen to calming music. Just five minutes a day is enough to begin a good habit.
Eliminating all the negative things in your life that are causing you stress is like weight loss for your mind. Spring cleaning can be done at any time of the year and should include those people who are draining your positive energy. Don't forget to take the time to laugh, especially at yourself.
Great advice from a local physical fitness trainer is, "Decrease your stress level by limiting the number of commitments you take on. Many people are stressed because they are over-committed or over-scheduled."
Now that you are a healthy person living a healthy life get involved with your community, join a group that interests you, take up a new hobby, look for people with similar interests or simply pay more attention to the beautiful world our Creator has provided for you.
Healthy or not your life is what you make it.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Page 206
This post is just for fun and once again proves that the Universe does have a sense of humor. My leg has been acting up today and I am trying to ignore that fact and stay positive. Apparently I needed something to laugh at and this is it.
I just read a post on Facebook that drew me in. I usually don't pay attention to things like this but for some reason I couldn't resist responding to this one. It read, pick up the book next to you and go to page 206. The first sentence explains your love life."
Technically I had to go into the living room to pick up the book I have been reading. (This is the first hard cover book I have read in ages. I had found it while dusting a couple of days ago and figured I was supposed to read it for some reason. This must be it!)
Now then back to page 206. The first sentence read, "Married sex hasn't been nearly this exciting, and with Lyle and his chickie collection, not all that safe."
I burst out laughing and I really needed that! Some of you who have been reading my blog since it began in 2009 may remember my referring to my first husband, whom I stuck with for 13 years, as a womanizing jackass. The name was changed to protect the guilty but damn that perfectly describes my sex life between #1 and #2.
I told you this post is just for fun, even though it's true- seriously folks!
I just read a post on Facebook that drew me in. I usually don't pay attention to things like this but for some reason I couldn't resist responding to this one. It read, pick up the book next to you and go to page 206. The first sentence explains your love life."
Technically I had to go into the living room to pick up the book I have been reading. (This is the first hard cover book I have read in ages. I had found it while dusting a couple of days ago and figured I was supposed to read it for some reason. This must be it!)
Now then back to page 206. The first sentence read, "Married sex hasn't been nearly this exciting, and with Lyle and his chickie collection, not all that safe."
I burst out laughing and I really needed that! Some of you who have been reading my blog since it began in 2009 may remember my referring to my first husband, whom I stuck with for 13 years, as a womanizing jackass. The name was changed to protect the guilty but damn that perfectly describes my sex life between #1 and #2.
I told you this post is just for fun, even though it's true- seriously folks!
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
A genuine soulmate
It was only
yesterday that I finally understood what a soulmate is and what they are doing
in my life. It makes a ton of sense to me and removes a lot of stress over the
definition of the word as opposed to a life partner, who is there for the
duration.
I now
believe that a soulmate is someone who belongs to your spiritual tribe and connects as a
human to teach a lesson. This connection was arranged long before the two
arrived on earth. Sometimes it takes more than one soul to get through the mind
of the target and it is necessary to repeat experiences. This happened to me
and it took a long time to figure out what was happening. I thought the
Universe just had a very weird sense of humor. That could be true, but it was
to get my attention.
A soulmate
is not the great love of your life as some people think. Well I suppose in a
way it is, depending on your idea of what love is. It has nothing to do with
body parts, human or otherwise. The spiritual connection can be so strong that
it causes misunderstandings between the two souls.
Soulmates are only around until the “assignment is finished”, then they cease to be connected in this lifetime. The best scenario is when they end up as friends not enemies, although that isn’t always possible.
Now that I
have a clear understanding I can see that I have had a number of soulmates in
my life. I look back with gratitude on each experience and view them with amazement
at how clever the Universe/God was in orchestrating my human education. We aren’t
just here to take up space after all.
So on this
pre-Independence Day, 2016 I wish you tons of soulmate experiences and a bundle
of spiritual love to go with them. As for me, I am searching for a life
partner.
As a friend
of mine would say- peace out.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Things don't always turn out as planned
Last night was the first of the free concerts for summer 2016 to be performed at the Riverwalk. I was anxious to go because an Albuquerque band was supposed to be offering rock and blues from the 50s, 60s and 70s. My grandson, who loves music, and my oldest son decided to go with me.
We weren't sure if it was going to happen because about dinner time it decided to rain. Turned out it was just a teaser.
The music was a little flaky. Apparently it was New Mexico's version of rock. In the first hour I only recognized a couple of songs.We all decided to leave when the band took a break. I was really disappointed in the performance. It was nice to see the recent results of some community kids, who had worked to improve the appearance of the stage area, by painting and planting native foliage.
.
Instead of heading home I suggested ice cream. We checked out Dairy Queen where we all happily munched on our individual choices of desert.
It wasn't how I had planned the evening, but I guess it only mattered that we spent time together.
We weren't sure if it was going to happen because about dinner time it decided to rain. Turned out it was just a teaser.
The music was a little flaky. Apparently it was New Mexico's version of rock. In the first hour I only recognized a couple of songs.We all decided to leave when the band took a break. I was really disappointed in the performance. It was nice to see the recent results of some community kids, who had worked to improve the appearance of the stage area, by painting and planting native foliage.
.
Instead of heading home I suggested ice cream. We checked out Dairy Queen where we all happily munched on our individual choices of desert.
It wasn't how I had planned the evening, but I guess it only mattered that we spent time together.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Rethinking
Yesterday I thought my ex husband got the best of the deal when he moved into an apartment and I ended up with the house, which will be 40 years old next month. I might have been a tad wrong about that.
Looking at him now and his current situation I do believe following my intuition was the best move.
Rethinking, I don't believe I would have been able to cope with living with the choices he has made in recent years. I may not have a lot of money, but I take care of myself and owe nobody anything. My health is is very good and I have grown to be an independent being. Poor Don on the other hand probably has more bills than he will ever be able to pay, his health sucks and he is joined at the hip to his only biological child. He can't seem to make a move without her help.
Wow look at all I avoided! I don't think the fact that I ended up with the house had a thing to do with the way things turned out.
Even though my challenges have been tough at times I wouldn't change a single thing. They simply made me a stronger person.
Looking at him now and his current situation I do believe following my intuition was the best move.
Rethinking, I don't believe I would have been able to cope with living with the choices he has made in recent years. I may not have a lot of money, but I take care of myself and owe nobody anything. My health is is very good and I have grown to be an independent being. Poor Don on the other hand probably has more bills than he will ever be able to pay, his health sucks and he is joined at the hip to his only biological child. He can't seem to make a move without her help.
Wow look at all I avoided! I don't think the fact that I ended up with the house had a thing to do with the way things turned out.
Even though my challenges have been tough at times I wouldn't change a single thing. They simply made me a stronger person.
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