Make My Day!

No, seriously...make my day! It's really easy!
Maybe I'm just one of those people who's so easily pleased, that any little thing with make me smile. Nah, that's not it. Maybe I'm so desperate for something to smile about, that I'll smile about anything. Nope, that's not it, either.
The fact of the matter is that I was raised to appreciate the little things in life (no self-pun intended...). I was brought up in a household where rainbows, moonlight, snowflakes, butterflies...even Christmas lights were magical things. They were each something tiny, yet beautiful, and my mother wanted me to see the simple beauty in everyday things. It's what gave me my photographic perspective, and for that reason, my motto is "For every beauty, there is an eye somewhere to see it." On the other hand, it also gave me Magpie Syndrome - I'll stop dead in my tracks on a busy sidewalk to investigate something sparkly. And as much as it always irritated my mother, it fostered my love for little bits of treasure (or, as Mom calls them, my "inkity trinketies") LOL
To that end, when something simple happens, I revel in it to the fullest possible extent. Everything is a celebration, at least in my heart, and I really wish more people saw it that way. Here's an example:
The other night, my knee was aching BADLY while I was at work, so I spent my entire shift gimping around the store and trying to stay off of ladders. While on my break, I went downstairs to the outdoor smoking area (we smokers are banished to a particularly windy outer corner of the mall building), and as I was wading through the mass of people, I realized that the man (I can hardly call him a gentleman...) in front of me had noticed me and my distinct hobble, but was still so dead-set on leaving the store in a flash that he was going to let the door shut before I could come through.
So, I huffed a little inwardly and kept on toward the door, ready to shove it open, when lo and behold...the door opened in front of me! A hat-clad head peeked around the door at me and I heard someone say "Are you alright, miss? You look like you could use a hand!" It was the Salvation Army greeter. He'd actually set down his bell and stopped what he was doing to help me out! He is the first of many SA greeters I've seen in my lifetime to actually put aside his work to lend a hand, and I couldn't help but let my huff float away and smile as bright as I could for him. I thanked him, of course, and he just smiled and said "No need to thank me...everyone needs a little help now and then!"
For the rest of my smoke break, I smiled. Before that, my knee had been killing me and customers had been generally wretched, with a few pleasant exceptions, and that simple gesture turned my mood right around! As I passed his collection kettle on my way back in, I dropped my spare change like I usually do, and wouldn't you know...before I could thank him, he leapt to and opened the door for me! I thanked him again, and this time he just winked. His help and his smile did wonders for me, and mean-spirited customers suddenly didn't matter for the rest of my shift, because I had that special little thing to hang onto.
So, in the spirit of making my day, here's a few things that will always and forever do just that!
1. Share something with me - Whether it's a picture of someone you care about, a story you heard, or even just a laugh over something silly...the fact that you cared enough to share it means the world to me!
2. Be nice to me - Too many people hang onto the negative things that happen to them, so I try my best to remember the people who go that little extra mile to show me a little courtesy!
3. Don't be afraid to say "Hi!" - In my line of work, I see so many people in a day that I can't keep count of them all. But, sadly, most of those people never say hello to me, even though I make it a point to greet every person I see. Outside of that, I do my best to be friendly to anyone who comes along, no matter if I'll ever see them again. Taking a second to say "Hi, there!" leaves a lasting impression, believe me!
I don't expect the world to be my best friend, and I certainly don't expect perfection. I don't expect to change the world, but maybe my philosophy could change some attitudes. And, really, wouldn't it be a little nicer for everyone if more people found a some amount of joy in something as simple as a smile?

"The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for."
~ Ernest Hemmingway

I Promise Not to Sing...

Today, December 16th, is a special day, and this blog is for someone special!

♥♥♥♥♥♥

Happy Birthday, Aunt Cawnin!
♥♥♥♥♥♥
I've known you all my life, and I'm glad I have someone
as unique and wonderful as you to call an aunt!
You are beautiful, inside and out, and I love you!
So, for your birthday, I cooked up
something special in my head,
and managed to make it come to life in Photoshop!
I know you'll appreciate it, and I hope you like it!
♥♥♥♥♥♥
♥♥♥♥♥♥
With Love,
Your Littlest Hobbit

The Stupid Stick

I'd like to tell everyone a little story about learning lessons and taking your punishment.
It all began with a remote control, at the station for Keyser EMS, the ambulance service I used to work for. We had satellite TV at the squad as a convenience and courtesy to our members and visitors, and (as is standard with any satellite box) we had a remote control. Since the TV was for use by any and all members and their families, several members would bring their kids to the station with them for functions or just to visit or have dinner, and the kids would want to watch TV. Seems simple enough, right? And it should have been that simple, but it wasn't. I don't know how many of you have ever put a remote in the hands of a child, but the average child can and will misplace a remote control at the speed of light. This is a natural occurrence - kids lose stuff, it's in their job description at conception. So, of course, it was nothing for our remote to come up missing and resurface hours or sometimes a day or two later, usually under a couch or in between the soda machines. Kids will be kids, after all. And honestly, there are buttons on the satellite box for a reason, and that reason is - REMOTE LOSS. It doesn't get much more simple than that. Unless you're familiar with Keyser EMS...
Where the story gets complicated is here - our administrator at the time was not a very...how shall I put it...physically inclined??...individual, and the very thought of moving to accomplish a task as simple as changing the channel on the TV irritated her to no end. So, every time the remote was misplaced, she would launch into a station-wrecking hissy-fit and tear the squad apart until she found the remote. After three fits like this, she decided she'd had it and called only one of the members whose children were often with her at the station and outright blamed the children for the lost remote. The member was so upset by the singularity of the claim against her children that she refused to come to the station while the administrator was working, and would not bring her children to the station under any circumstances, as she didn't feel like they were welcome anymore. And it didn't end there.
My shift ran immediately after hers, and my partner and I walked into the station one morning to find the remote attached to a broken yard stick with plastic zip ties. Thinking someone was just messing around with some spare equipment (as was typical in our station), we chuckled a little and cut the remote free. It remained a free remote for the remainder of our shift and the shift immediately following ours. Then the administrator came back on shift, and when my partner and I walked in for our next shift, we found the remote once more zip-tied to the yard stick fragment with a rather large note which informed us that NO ONE in the station was to remove the remote from the stick under ANY circumstances.
Seems our "fearless leader" was so tired of having to heave herself two feet from the couch to the satellite box when the remote was MIA, that she'd put it on the stick to keep it from being lost again. So, the remote remained on yardstick incarceration for the remainder of her stay as administrator. When my partner and I came in to work on the morning after her last shift as a KEMS employee, our first order of business for the day was to cut the remote off that stupid yard stick, then call the member whose children had been blamed and invite her and her children down to watch TV, anything they wanted, ALL DAY LONG.
As a reminder of general stupidity, we hung the stick on the wall from a leather cord and wrote "STUPID STICK" in big, black letters across the length of the stick. From that day forward, anyone who'd done something considered stupid by the general consensus of the company or members in attendance was threatened with a Stupid Stick Beating. Several of us met the business end of The Stupid Stick, and I'll admit...I actually got a few smacks myself (like when I backed into the pole...long story for another day!). And with the threat of MORE Stupid Stick whack-attacks, I quickly stopped doing stupid things!
My question to you, my readers, is this:
Why don't more people/places implement Stupid Sticks? Be it in the workplace, at home or amongst the general public? I can tell you from experience that a chunk of yard stick works WONDERS, and all it takes it a couple cracks with it before the punished party decides, "Hey...this SUCKS!" and ceases the stupid behavior. Now mind you - our Stupid Stick smacks were all in good fun, with no intention of doing any real harm to anyone. It's like snapping someone on the butt with a wet towel...it stings like hell, but everyone has a good laugh about it. Most importantly, people learn to cover their asses, figuratively and literally!
So, in today's society where intelligence seems to have taken a nose dive, doesn't it make sense to put an end to stupidity? Theoretically, as fewer stupid acts are carried out, more enlightened ones would arise.
Just a thought!

It's a Beautiful Life

Good news, world, and LOTS of it!
First of all, Sue had surgery today for her gall bladder. We got a call from Bill saying that everything went smoothly and she was in recovery when he called. Just a few minutes ago, BJ talked to her and she said she was doing pretty good, considering. No one ever comes out of surgery ready to run a marathon, but Sue's had enough surgeries before that this was easier for her, really. She's not quite feeling top-notch, but she'll get there quickly enough. The fact that everything went well and she's feeling alright is enough to make me happy, and we're going over for dinner tonight, so we'll get to spend time with her, Bill and Stasia.
Second, BJ got a new car yesterday. It came down to where we just couldn't afford to make the truck payment since we'd both been out of work for so long, so we took $400 cash to a man in Nashville and BJ bought a 1994 Ford Probe. It's not the prettiest car in the world, but it's a good A-to-B car for the time being, and Probes are pretty reliable little vehicles. We have a long-term plan for that car, but I'll explain that after the NEXT piece of good news...
BJ GOT THE JOB AT DISH NETWORK! He applied to them a month or so ago and they called last week to have him in for a second interview, then followed up by scheduling a physical ability test this morning. He passed with flying colors, of course, and before we even got home from his appointment, the hiring supervisor from Dish called and left a message about receiving the results of BJ's test. When BJ called him back, he made BJ a formal offer to start work with the next training class on Monday at 8 a.m.! He'll be trained as a cable installer, and after 5 weeks of paid training, they pack him up in a van and send him out on solo jobs. This will be a good job for him since he's very technically inclined. Also, there are benefits available after a certain period, so he'll have medical insurance for himself and Addison before too long, and the pay is outstanding on top of plenty of room for overtime and bonuses.
We'd started planning things in two directions before today - one plan for if he DIDN'T get the job, and one for if he DID. Since he did, we'll be going with the plan we sorted out, which is as follows:
For starters, this job alone can and will ensure that all of our major bills (rent, electric, phone and food) are taken care of. My job helps ensure the rest (fuel, savings and extra cash). BJ and I have separate accounts right now, and we're going to be opening a joint-access account for the household so that either of us can pay bills. With that in mind, we'd like to move to a better house/apartment. Not immediately, of course, but in the near future. This one is nice, but it's so small there's barely enough room for the two of us, let alone Addison when she comes to stay. Besides, part of the point in life is to work for better where it's possible, and it's definitely feasible for us to get a bigger place after a while. We also have plans for better vehicles for both of us. We hope to be able to trade in the car BJ has now with some cash on top of it to get a better car, be it another Probe or something else. With BJ having the new job, combined with my job, we'll be able to save up and set some money aside piece by piece specifically for that purpose.
Also, BJ's friend Geno is setting up to buy a new truck, and he made BJ an offer last night to hand over his current truck to BJ for about $1000 in April of next year. By then, we'll have the money for it, and we'll have traded BJ's Probe for something a little better. So, when he buys Geno's truck, I'll take over driving the other car and we'll be selling the car I have now, a little `89 Subaru GL named Lily B. (cause she's a Li'l Badass LOL). I paid $600 for it, and while I don't expect to get exactly that, we'll get what we can for her.
In the meantime, I've taken over responsibility for the household budget, and it's improved by leaps and bounds in just the week that I've been the resident bookkeeper. I might not have always listened as well as I should have, but my mommy taught me well. As long as we stick to the budget, we'll do very well for ourselves. As it stands, our budget is so tight it has no room to squeak...instead, it kinda grinds to produce that strange, ominous steel-door-creaking noise, like the door to the Bat Cave LOL
Oh, almost forgot...we'll have Addison this weekend, which is something we always look forward to! It's nice to hear her tearing around the house, and personally I just like to see her and BJ together. He loves her dearly, and she loves him just as much. You can see her little eyes light up when she sees and talks to him, and for all his tough-man cast-iron front, he melts when it comes to her. Also, she's really starting to like me. She's to the point now that she'll say my name and ask for me when I'm not visible, and she can recognize my picture. And you all know I'm a sucker for kid-hugs...nothing beats a pair of itty-bitty arms squeezing you for all they're worth! It makes me miss Matt (and, boy, do I miss him!) but I know I'll see him again soon.
I'm still working and trying to figure out whether or not I'll have the money to make it home for Christmas. I would love to be there, especially since Grandma is having pictures taken this year so she can have a new picture with her and all the grand- and great-grandbabies, and with this being the first Christmas without Nanny or Poppy. If I can't make it home, it'll break my heart a little, but just so everyone knows - even if I can't make it, I'll be safe and in good hands.
So, as you can see, things are looking up for me and BJ, separately and together. I could talk for days, and you still wouldn't understand how truly HAPPY I am with the place I've found in my life. I have a good job and good relationships to build on, a wonderful family and extended family, and someone who loves me and takes care of me as much as I do him. In short - I have a beautiful life, and it only gets better every day.
That's all for now, world...I'll keep you posted!

Oh, Christmas Tree!

Well, hello, blogland! Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me, didn't you? You couldn't be that lucky, evil never disappears, trust me...it's the reason so many ex-husbands still roam the earth LOL
It's been a busy time for me and my world lately...LOTS of work, not enough sleep and general holiday semi-sadness. Don't get too worried, the only sadness is that I missed a holiday at home. I know I was missed, it's not often that I miss a holiday with the families. Sadly, this year, I'll likely be missing both the big ones. Fear not, though, I'll be taken care of. BJ's family takes care of me, they're all amazing. Bill, Sue, Stasia and Addison are all wonderful, and rest assured - they'd never let anything happen to me that I didn't deserve LOL
On a lighter note, I'm following Aunt Cawnin's lead and I'm going to show off our beautiful decorations! We went to WalMart Thursday night and bought a Christmas tree, and BJ and I decorated it last night. In all the years I've had a Christmas tree away from Mom and Dad's house, I've never had a more beautiful tree! It was so pretty when we lit it up that I started to tear up a little bit. I'm so proud of it!
Sue contributed the vast majority of the ornaments (it's a tight Christmas for everyone, but no reason why BJ and I shouldn't have a beautiful first Christmas), but BJ and I added our own unique touch to it. For instance, BJ has two small handheld weapons - a keychain tonfa and a keychain kubaton - that we made into ornaments. If you don't know what they are, look them up, they're interesting little pieces of weaponry. For my part, I made ornaments of a few select pieces of my key collection Some of my old skeleton keys, my shackles key and a few of my scrolled keys are hanging from the branches. Also, as you can see, we added candy canes - BJ's are blueberry, mine are strawberry...YUM! And, for the pièce de résistance, there is the tree topper. You will never find another tree topper like that anywhere in the world. "Why not?" you may ask...well, because we made it ourselves, together! We couldn't find a tree topper that we liked, so tonight before we decorated the tree we sat down and straightened a wire coat hanger, bent it into the shape of a star, and wrapped it with a 50-strand of white mini lights followed by blue and silver tinsel (the same tinsel we used on the rest of the tree, to match). As a final touch, we attached a tiny angel ornament (courtesy of Momma Sue) to the center of the star. It's so beautiful, I would never trade it for any other tree topper in the world!
Our cat, Swisher, decided very early on that he likes this Christmas business. He's only 9 months old, so he's still in kitten-mode, and EVERYTHING in the house is a cat toy/snack...including the Christmas tree! No sooner did we have the tree up and appropriately fluffed, than he ran into the room like a furry little orange bat out of hell and set about chewing on the branches, the base, the LIGHTS (sound like my brother?!)...anything on the tree that he could get his fangs into! Fortunately for us, he's a good boy and a fast learner, so we shook the ibuprofen bottle at him and he promptly turned loose and went to his chair to watch and take a nap. Yeah, that's our aversion therapy for Swish...when he's doing something wrong, we shake a BIG bottle of ibuprofen at him and he stops and runs like hell LOL
Oh, also, I'm working on an afghan! Yup, I'm part of the crochet cult! I found a WONDERFUL website - www.crochetpatterncentral.com - and searched through all the patterns until I found one that was simple enough to fly through and keep my fingers busy in the evenings, and one just caught my eye. At first I didn't realize WHY it caught my eye, I just thought it was a pretty afghan, and then I happened to notice the website I was linked to in order to get the pattern, and then it occurred to me...I already HAVE this afghan!
Does this look familiar to any of my readers?!
I know at least one of you is saying "HEY, I MADE THAT!!"

*cough* My Precious... *cough*

Yeah, I get my creative side from Mom's side of the family...we all crochet, cross stitch, work needlepoint or plastic canvas - anything craft-related, we're totally there! Obviously, I'm no exception. By the time this afghan is done, I'll have three different colors of snowflakes placed in such a way that no two adjoining snowflakes will be the same color. I think it will turn out beautifully. So far, I've just been working in Periwinkle with a Navy border, but I also have White and a color called Sh. Dusk (it's an ombre that incorporates all three major colors I'm using) to work in. I'll keep you updated on the progress as my afghan grows!
Well, world, I believe that's all I have to say about that. I'll be back later with more goings-on in my neck of the woods!