2014-12-05

The Weirdest Summing Up You'll See All Week. Probably.

I'm turning my e-frown upside e-down and looking at things the Thankful Way.

Instead of:
"I hate being broke at Christmastime"
I'm thankful for:
Stuff that 'really matters' meaning it's FREE.

Stuff like:
We're healthy, for the most part. I mean if you don't count stuff like cholesterol levels and BMI. Screw you BMI. You don't know my life, bunch of weird numbers invented before Doritos.
from fatgirlchangingherworld.com

Not all people have full health, not even all people I know. 

At least we live in a place where we have a lot of options for treatment. I'm thankful for that.

Thankful we have time to do things like cookie decorating with Grandma Ready, that's how my 2 yr old says it. They had a blast & made a big mess. And ate a lot of cookies, BMI be damned.

Speaking of messes, we made a big one following a post left on my FB wall about Play Snow.

It's 1/3 cup hair conditioner and 3 cups baking soda. I didn't even have enough baking soda and all the kids that were here LOVED IT. 

We also do things that don't go over as well, like "Hot Cocoa Picnic In The Park." Good idea at the time, but with a 2-,4-, and 5-yr old it was a messy, spilling, staining and complaining festival. Meh, I tried.

Goodwill Industries.
Chock full of old, cheap, FANTASTIC treasures like toys, clothes, decorations and LAMPS! I picked up a couple lamps for $2/each and a ton of puzzles for the kids. Can't beat that.

Perspective.
It helps me a lot. I haven't lived a charmed life or anything, you'll be shocked to know with my level of charm, but I've met a lot of different kinds of people and done a lot of different kinds of things and it's really helped for me to see other people's opinions. 

I've worked for very rich (very not nice) people, and volunteered with very monetarily-challenged, and completely wonderful gifts from the universe, people. Unlike the racists sheltered opinionated people in my FB newsfeed, I don't feel the need to add insult to injury about the reaction to certain news items. I've said it before, but if you just really, truly cannot understand that level of anger, frustration and rage, just thank your lucky stars.

I'm all for NON-VIOLENT protests of people who don't think they're being treated fairly. If you live in a place where you're treated fairly, and have basic freedom and civil rights, chances are someone, at some time, may have had to fight for that. We should be thankful that they did. 

I wanted to write about it, but I couldn't make time. Probably for the best, I doubt it would have done much. The people who read my blog are good, intelligent people. Yet they read it anyway, nyuk nyuk. I'm thankful they do! They don't need my advice. I don't even know what advice there is, what call to action can be brought forth. When something happens where *I* live, I will go to congress.org and look for someone to e-mail. Usually I get a cookie cutter response, but I feel like I did SOMETHING. I don't even know here. I feel I'm not in a position to be helpful right now. I am currently overwhelmed by other things that need my full attention. 

I'm thankful I can opt out of things. Not everyone can.

I'm thankful I have choices. Not everyone does.

I'm thankful I live in a place where I don't fear for my life on a regular basis. Or the lives of my children. Even if they make mistakes. And they will make mistakes. Because they're human. That's what humans do. It's actually kind of our thing. Everyone makes mistakes, the young, the old, the rich, the educated, the religious, oh gods yes the religious, the professionally trained.

But my children will most likely have the luxury of learning from their mistakes. They will have the opportunity to make amends, to apologize. Because they won't have an immediate trial by firing squad for the way they look.

I just wish everyone could say that.

I really wish EVERYONE could say that. 

Just some thoughts. 

I want to put something funny here, but I can't seem to.

How about a suit made of Ugly Sweater material??
This post is part of the Ten Things of Thankful, and really it's not supposed to be this much of a bummer. And it almost never is.



34 comments:

  1. I love your list, Joy! I agree wholeheartedly with your "Perspective." I can't imagine a life where I have to be careful anywhere I go because the color of my skin makes me look guilty.
    The play snow looks interesting. How much did it make? Is this something I don't want to do with 16 4 year olds at preschool? When you work with kids, there are some things you just know not to try (like weaving paper) and others that you have to find out the hard way that it was a bad idea (hot cocoa in the park or putting stamps and stamp pads in the art center).
    My husband is a Goodwill MASTER. He finds all kinds of stuff there, because he's willing to go several times a month and look.
    BMI is a four letter word....

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    1. It's horrible. Having to talk about it with my son and his friends is heartbreaking. I can't imagine parents around the world. Overwhelming. Ugh.
      The 1/3 cup conditioner+3 cups baking soda makes about 1/4 of a shoebox ? Each kid could have their own box. It might be hectic with that many, unless you have toys orcups and spoons at least to play. They weren't really sure what to do until I gave them all utensils. Also the 5 yr old boy kept wanting to wipe his hands, he would put them right back & immediately want to wipe them again :) so I guess at least one towel for each. Do they have smocks for painting? I would put those on them. Baking soda wipes off easily w a wet cloth but then their clothes are damp. The overall cleanup was fast. It's baking soda, my table never looked so clean!

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  2. Good post, Joy! I've bought some great stuff at Goodwill myself over the years.

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    1. Thanks. 95% of what we own was either a hand-me-down or from Goodwill. It's my jam.

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  3. That looks like a three-piece pajama suit...

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  4. Oh boy, that suit! I agree with everything you said here 10,000%. I am also blessed with the skin color of a person who does not have to fear for my own, or my children's lives each day. I live in a nice neighborhood. Although I am not wealthy, we have our health and we have each other and that's what the season is truly about, isn't it? I hope you have a fantastic week.

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    1. It's sad that anyone has to have those fears.
      I hope you have a fantastic week too, Jen.

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  5. My retinas are still recovering from that 'suit'.

    Excellent list. I'm thankful for many of those same things and want similar things. And isn't perspective amazing? I notice the difference even just among my friends - in some cases their perspective of life is totally skewed ("oh poor me, which fancy car should I drive today?").

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    1. It really stays with you.
      That's so true. At least my life has taught me to live without frivolous junk like overpriced named brand coffee and whatnot.

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  6. Great list and yes while it does suck to be broke at christmas the things that really matter are free.

    Your right we do have the right for non violent protest because someone fought for it. I think people forget this part way too quickly

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  7. Really good post! "You don't know my life, bunch of weird numbers invented before Doritos"...LOL! I would have substituted Cheetos and/or Pringles there for me! There are lots of good free things out there. You mentioned Goodwill and that is ironic because I'm putting together a bag of dog stuff (with Phoenix gone) to donate this year. I absolutely love to donate to different charities and organizations this time of year because it makes me feel good. That makes me thankful always! I hope you are having a great weekend, Joy! :)

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    1. Thank you! Since I was a young adult, and had in my own humble opinion a modest, reasonable amount of chub, I've been considered obese according to the BMI system. In order for me to even weigh an amount under the "Obese" category, I had to either take sketchy diet pills and suffer the consequences, or spend all day choking down raw vegetables and working out for either an hour a day or cardio, or do weight training. If I missed working out more than a few days, the pounds would come right back, even as a young adult. I just gave up. It's almost impossible for me, having a cubicle desk job, to stay under obese. I just really friggin give up.
      I'm sorry about the loss of Phoenix, our pets make such an impact in our lives. It's nice that you're donating to others. Too many people throw things away, while others need so much. Good on you!

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  8. Adunno, I saw definite Thankfuls here, even if they were coated in an unavoidable dose of REALITY. Which sometimes needs to be said, and said loud. No need to apologise. And the only bummer is that this is the world we live in.

    Your perspective does you credit, my friend.

    Goodwill sounds interesting - what is it?

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    1. Goodwill Industries is a company that operates what you call "Charity shops." The company helps people with barriers to employment learn the skills to find competitive employment. How it works is people donate items to them: Clothing, housewares, toys, etc., and Goodwill goes through the bags, cleaning what needs to be cleaned, recycling what cannot be reused, and sells what can be reused in their shops. It's a fantastic system in a society that has become far too disposable. We buy too many things for one time use, throw them away, filling our landfills and putting out far more waste than any other country on earth. We started buying things at resale and charity shops :) before I was born because we didn't have much money, but it's also just a good habit for everyone. Some people think they're too good for used items, but as long as they donate their unwanted items, instead of filling up the landfills, and using fossil fuels to burn what they consider garbage because it's "last year's colors" and whatnot. Their donations at least help the cause.

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  9. hey… sorry I messed up on the Vidchat…. (for someone who really gets a kick out of 'a night at George and Jane's I'm not do such a good job as a host! will work on it. 'specially cause we're coming up on 'Redrum Season' and a Friday NIght out (figuratively or not) will def be some to do….
    I too have a tendency to avoid the 'real' world, I serially, we're all virtual in here in this virtual world…. (being 6'6" and stunning in appearance) so I'm all in favor of not needing to discuss some of the aspects of the daily news….unless it's really funny, then maybe._

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    1. No problem, you didn't mess up anything. I just couldn't find ya. Mayhaps next time!
      Wow, I never realized you are 6'6" good for you! Every time I see you you're sitting down. And also in a tiny window in my computer :)
      I'm finding myself avoiding dealing with reality more and more, (and I'm a tiny 5'3") hopefully just for now, but trying to focus on today. Get through what I have to do, being calm, patient and happy for the small, innocent lives I'm helping shape for tomorrow's future. My being full of rage won't help them, they don't deserve that.

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    2. …no! wait, not 6'6" (I was being humorful about the virtuality of the internet….)*

      * ha ha

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    3. OH, well since you said you were stunning in appearance and you ARE, I figured you must also be 6'6"!

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  10. The guy in that suit looks pretty good but the suit? Well you know it is horrible.

    Yes, the news the past couple of weeks has been filled with crazy, bad, sad, and horrific stories. I have my thoughts and opinions on all of them but at the end of the day I have found that unless I am in the camp with the 'active' protesters I am going to be taken to task for thinking that there has to be a better way to handle so much despair.

    I hope that you and yours have a wonderful week coming up and that your health remains in the good column.

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    1. That suit, it's like it's SO bad it's good. Maybe that's just me?
      I know, I'm overwhelmed. I feel like I need to help, to do something, but what? Write letters to the people that sit on the juries that don't punish this brutality?
      Thank you, I hope you are feeling better and glad what you had wasn't worse. It seems some of the viruses going around are awfully strong and resistant to meds. Glad ebola didn't spread like the wildfire the media made it seem. SMDH.

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    2. I was thinking the same thing Pattie! Guy in suit "good". Suit itself? Not so "good" lol

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  11. Even though some of the topics in your post are heavy topics (and I'm not talking about the mention of BMI), your post is full of thankfulness. Gratitude is not dependent upon ideal circumstances.

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    1. I see what you did with heavy and BMI. It's a practice I need to remind myself to actually, sometimes physically, do. Remember however frustrating and stressful my life can be, it could always be worse. It HAS been worse, it probably will be at some point, the right now has many good things. You're right, it's not about perfection.

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  12. Life with out choices, without options. It's a difficult thing. I know from experience. I also know there are many folks who struggle, who strive to live a "good" life in spite of minimal choice. That is where perspective comes in. And being resourceful.
    Goodwill is a good organiztiona. In fact, I bought my most favorite winter coat (when I was in my 20's) from a Salvation Army store. $5.00! It was beautiful and lasted me years. The workmanship was far better than a lot you see today.
    Ours is unfortunately,a consumerist/disposable culture. Thankfully, there are people who donate to all the various charities. It is true - one man's trash is truly another man's treasure.

    Play snow, huh? Geez, never had that when I was a kid!

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    1. You're right. I was a single mother for years and I didn't have many choices, just trying to get through each day. Goodwill helped a lot with that. I too got some great old wool sweaters, probably 20 years ago, that I still wear. They would be hundreds of dollars new, but I got them for a few dollars, looked brand new and 20 years later, for the most part they still do.
      We never made play snow either, we played with ACTUAL snow, often gray because we lived on the corner so we got mud splatter from all sides. We lived through it.

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  13. Oh, how I love this list of thankfuls. You and I have similar perspecitves- and I love that. <3

    AMEN to everything you shared. #Nailedit

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    1. Thank you so much, Chris Carter. After about a day of looking at my Facebook newsfeed, I shut it down and tried to avoid going back for awhile. I began to think the whole world was going crazy. And I mean, in some ways, it is and always will be, because: PEOPLE. But with support, and voicing our opinions, we can try to get through it and feel like there is hope for a better tomorrow. Thanks so much for reading, and for sharing!

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  14. $2 lamps? That's a score. I once got a lamp in The Rag Shop (remember those? Think they went out of biz at least around here they did) for $10. And it worked for years. The X-mas suit totally made up for everything. Just kidding. I hear you. Sometimes we have to let this stuff out even if it isn't our typical funny writings. Completely agree w/ you on this: "I've said it before, but if you just really, truly cannot understand that level of anger, frustration and rage, just thank your lucky stars." So true. I mean I hope & pray for non-violent protest but I can UNDERSTAND the rage that might led to violence. I don't think violence is ever the answer but I can understand it.

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    1. Martin Luther King Jr said "Riots are the language of the unheard. It's nobody's first choice, but if we look at major events in history, quite often the changes didn't come easily. Part of the movement that brought us the 5-day work week involved rioting. Enjoy your weekend? Someone had to fight for that.

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  15. How do you unsubscribe from this blog? Thanks.

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    1. To unsubscribe from a blog, it depends on how you subscribed. If by email, open an email and look toward the bottom for a link to "Unsubscribe." If you follow via Bloglovin, go there, go to my blog and look for the choice to unsubscribe. If you follow by Google+, go to there.
      I assume that you posted this message HERE, instead of using a search engine to figure out your quandry, you want the world or at least ME to know you don't approve of what is posted there. That's fine, this is a post of THANKFUL and the things I listed are:
      Children and Civil Rights for all.
      People who are not a fan of those things, in my experience, do not want to learn from people with other points of view. Whatever, or whoever, made you hate those things has unfortunately pounded those beliefs deep into your mind without much possibility for growth. As it's a free country for ALL, that is your choice.
      Thanks.

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