Really need to get my REAR in GEAR!!

How many or you remember P.E.? You know, physical education, back when we were in school.  I remember one time trying out for the track team in junior high (what they now call Middle School, I won't go there, it's showing my age).  I never made the team, I wasn't fast enough, but I was a lot faster than most. And because of this competitive failure, I hated running.  Anyway, that was not a part of P.E., but running was.  I hated it! In fact, other than when we got to play games, I remember just doing what I had to do to get by. I was just not coordinated enough, which  I now find very funny.  However, I over came the awkwardness and coordination issues and became fairly athletic.  I played tennis and softball all through junior and senior high.  Then I went to college, and of course, we had a P.E. requirement. BLAH! Why couldn't we just test out of that like some of the other courses? Naturally, I took the easiest one, P.E. 101 -  Running! NNNOOOOO!!!! This class became P.E. Run-0-Run!

I remember running the basketball courts.  There was a line that was around the perimeter of the courts and there were 8 courts. This was a popular sport at my college, especially pick-up games.  Anyway, that was our class, we were to run around on that line for 15 minutes and keep count of how many laps we made.  I hated this practice so much! However, after not making the track team in 8th grade I was not going to fail this class.  I learned I was a slow runner, but very competitive, so I'd always sprint at the end to try to make up time. My heart felt like it was going to just jump through my ribs and flop out there on one of the courts by the time I was finished.

The instructor finally let us off the courts to run a path around the campus.  The path was a 3 mile trek,  so I really had to learn how to pace myself to keep the heart thing from happening.  I mean who would want to see that? A heart just jumping around on the pavement while it was gasping for air and blood? That was not going to be my heart they saw.  The funny thing is that when the class was over, I discovered I loved to run, albiet, very slow.  My roommate was a runner too! We both worked parttime so we usually ran after we got off of work, which was usually 9:30 at night. Back in those days, it just felt safer. If you saw us you'd probably stop and go "Huh? Did I just see what I thought I just saw?".  When I said I ran slow, I wasn't kidding, I really had to pace myself once I got the heart thing going. I'm sure you can understand why.  I was so slow that my super athletic roomie would literally run circles around me while I ran a straight path.  Sometimes she'd get ahead of me and run back to me, or just do the circle thing, but we were always together to keep each other safe, unless we were running in the day. 

I miss those days!  I could run 3 miles and think nothing of it, even with shin splints. Eventually, the shins gave out, got spooked a few times running back home after I graduated and of course life took time away from me. Did I say that I miss those days, I looked decent and healthy to boot. LOL! Anyway, my mom's pastor has challenged her congregation to do a 5k towards the end of April, 2012. That's 3.2 miles!  So, I'm hoping to get back into the 3 mile routine, I know I can walk that fairly easy.   What I would like to do however, would be to run it.  My DH (see above to find out who that is) says he doesn't think I can or should run it, he's afraid I'll mess up my knees.  Getting old, it's a witch with big ol' capital B and as much as I hate to admit it, he's probably right. I hate when that happens.  I was walking 3 miles a day in my neighborhood (yes, it's that big believe it or not), until I got spooked again by a person of questionable motives. Heck, he just scared me to death, luckily these days I have a cell phone and immediately called 911.  Anyway, of course, once I got over being spooked, I was out of the habit of walking. Hate when that happens too!

So this 5K has given me something to work towards, a goal.  I just need to get out there and get back into my old routine of walking.  Then one day, maybe I'll be able to run it instead, and I sure hope I can do that without the shin splints this time around.  Off I gggggggggggoooooooooooooooooooooo.......................................

Heavy Heart today....................

I have a wonderful, bright, 6 ft 1 in., sandy blond, blue eyed, lanky 17 year old..  I'll never forget his preteen years, they were awful.  He was picked on, bullied and pretty much treated differently from all the kids it seemed, through elementary school and the beginning of middle school. (This played into my decision to home school him, but I'll save more of that for another day.) There were a few that he got along with, but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that he really found his one true best friend.  They have their days where it's just not a good hang out day, but they have each others back for sure.

He has other friends that he's witnessed making some really poor decisions of late. However, I'm hopeful and thankful that he appears to be learning what not to do by watching these young men and women make decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. They just appear to be thinking of the moment and their lives now and not able to picture the future. You know, like when they say some bad words or something disparaging on Face Book, it's there forever, but they don't believe that.  They unfortunately are finding out that life is not all fun and games.  I've talked to my son and I feel that he is on the right path.  He's got a plan now, at least one that he thinks he wants to pursue and I'll do everything within my power to help him achieve it.  I won't always be able to help him, nor will I always be willing, because he needs to be independent, but I want him to be happy and do what makes him happy.  Isn't that all that we ever want for our children? Besides, I'm sure he'll change his mind about his career path, but for now it is set or so it seems.

Anyway, my heart is heavy, because when my son was a tween, going through puberty, being in that awkward stage of life, when the other kids thought it was funny to hide his bike or skateboard, just to see him get mad, pick on him (which he hated - he thought they didn't like him, and we could never sway him to believe the opposite, it was tough), etc.... Kids are really mean and in today's society it seems even worse, because it is so easy to put it out there for EVERYONE to see, just because all kids have cell phones, i-Pods and  i-Pads these days. One bad shot or click and their lives seemed to be ruined forever.  Anyway, I was always fearful for my son in those days.  He was never happy and we could tell he was going through a bit of depression, it was just that time of life.  I see his brother going through it now.  All I feel I can do, besides be a parent, hold them accountable for their actions, love them unconditionally, is help to guide them and let them know that they are loved. 

Unfortunately, what brought on all these emotions, is a young man (12) just a year older than my soon to be tween, felt that it was necessary to take his own life yesterday.  He was my neighbor's (a very good friend of mine) son's best friend.  My friend's husband is a good friend of his father.  The father was an only parent, for reasons I don't know, nor am I interested in knowing.  Whatever the reason, having been raised by a single parent for the most of my childhood, I'm sure he has struggled over the years, it's never easy.  I'm sure he is just devastated and lonely at the thought that he couldn't help his son.  I know when my oldest went through this stage in his life, it was difficult for me and I had help.  That's why this saddens me so, for a child that young to think that there is no other out.  I don't know all the particulars of his life other than what my friend has enlightened me to, but still you have to wonder.  I can't help but wonder if it was other kids that made him feel worthless, like my son felt from his peers. All he ever wanted was a friend and I never gave up hope that some day, my son would find that friend and confidant that he so desperately needed outside of our home.  We all need friends, luckily I'm married to my best friend, but I do have great girlfriends too, like my neighbor, who is feeling so heartfelt for her son and husband's friend today.  I just pray that I can make my son's strong enough to know that when it seems like no one else cares or loves them that I'll, well we'll,  love them unconditionally and that God loves them even more than we ever can or could.

Update: 02/22/12  Found out yesterday that Alex's death was probably an accident, not intentional! Although that still leaves me with a heavy heart, I do find it a bit more comforting and I hope you do to.  It still brought back feelings for me from when my son was that age and the cruelty that kids can do.  Words do hurt and I'm guilty of using them for that purpose.  I think we all do that.  It's quite the challenge to stop and think before you speak, but it's a great exercise in control, something I try to work on everyday.  Blessings!

Yeah, I found it, maybe this computer isn't ready to give up yet! Anyway..........

Wow!! Has it really been 2 years? Since I blogged that is! LOL! It's kind of funny, at least to me anyway.  I really started this blog because my sister and a friend of mine started theirs, and because I thought it was something that would appeal to me.  And, to be honest, it really does. (I keep picturing a commercial where this guy and girl meet at a party and discover that they both love blogging, back when it first came out and I had no clue what blogging was.) I like to write, especially now that it's not required of me, and of course, when I started, I got writers block. I could not think of anything I wanted to blog about.  I know my title says 'My Daily Dose of Relief', but I just blanked out and really didn't think I would be of any interest to anyone. Even though it was supposed to be a way for me to get some relief and let off some steam, but as usual, LIFE got in the way too, imagine that!! LOL! At least I can laugh about it now!!

Well that all changed a couple of weeks ago..........  I was actually sitting at my desk, which you is where you will hardly find me.  It's where I run our business and usually you'll see me flying through my house to get to the phone before it goes to voicemail.  Anyway, it's that time of year when everyone is updating directories and ads, so I get a lot, and I mean a lot, of telemarketing calls.  It used to be really bad on our home phone, luckily I was able to trim that down thanks to the FCC's Do Not Call list.  (That reminds me I probably need to re-list my numbers, I'm sure it's been 5 years since I've done it.)  However, the calls I received on our personal phone were nothing compared to our business number, it drives me crazy.  Before you say get Caller ID, I have it, but my phone started messing up so I had to go to another little phone we had on hand.  It has Caller ID as well, but usually by the time I get it, since I'm flying from the couch or kitchen to get here, I don't have time to see who it is.  Besides that, a lot of these companies use long distance numbers now instead of unknown or out of area, etc...but so do a lot of my regular customers. They use a cell phone from the area where their families are as to not run up long distance charges,  can't say that I blame them.

OK, I know, get on with it.  As I was saying...  a few weeks ago I got a call that did several things to me which made me want to blog.  1.  I was mad because of the nature of the call. 2. I didn't stay mad, because I felt really bad for the telemarketer. 3. I finally got an idea to blog about, which has now led to other things I want to blog about, LOL. And boy, do I have a long list.  So here is the jest of the call I answered and regretted, then felt bad about. 

Telemarketer (T for short): May I speak to the owner?
Me: speaking
T: May I speak to the owner (OK! not a good connection and I could tell he was probably new, reading his queue cards)
Me: (a bit louder) Speaking!!
T: Oh, OK! How are you today?
Me: Fine!
T: I'm so and so from so and so (blah, blah, blah!!!)
Me: OK!
He proceeded to read from his queue cards, (believe me, it was evident by now) and finally he wanted to send me some information in the mail, to which I agreed, simply because I was  feeling sorry for him, I've been a newbie too! But what happened next just shocked me.  Not only was he new, he wasn't very educated either. It really drove home as to why I home school my children, but that's for another post, I promise.
So the call proceeds:

T: Let me confirm your address is XXXX XXXXXtray
Me: XXXXXtree (correcting him or I'd never get what he thought was so important that I receive)
T: Oh! OK! XXXXXtree D?R? Doctor, is that XXXXXtree doctor?
Me: (stifling a huge laugh, but somehow managed not to) NO! that would be Drive (really shocked by this and trying to make sure I wasn't being arrogant with him, that would have really made him feel bad)
T: Oh, oh yeah! Drive! OK, thank you.
Me: no problem, etc....

This is where I felt really sad for him, I knew he was new and obviously, painfully, not educated as he should be. I found my self wondering how he passed the test (or if they even test these people) and I knew I was about to blow him out of the water.  I had to interrupt him and tell him that I just was not interested in what he was trying to sell me.  I felt bad, because I know he probably thought it was due to his mess up, but in all honesty, it wasn't. I tell telemarketers at least 2 times a day, NO!  I wish I'd had the courage to tell him that, but I didn't, oh well, maybe he reads blogs, LOL! I can only hope. Anyway, it just got me thinking about the educated masses our school systems are putting out and how obvious it is that a lot are failing. Again, I'll save that for another post. 

So as we say in the south (I picture Paula Dean here) G'Night, Y'all!!! (My husband would be so proud of me because I usually make a point of saying you all, stickler for correct grammar, can't help it) :-) Until next time and it will be sooner than 2 years, I promise!! I've got my LIST!

PS...spell check is not PERFECT and neither am I, never won any spelling bee's, so I'm sure there are a few misspelled words and incorrect punctuations. (Never can completely remember where those darn things go!) So, please forgive me in advance and in the future too!

ERG!!!

Ok! Either it's this poor excuse for a computer (not really the PC's fault, it's ancient), or I just don't know what I'm doing! Anyway, I had this long post about why I'm finally going to start blogging.  Took forever to write it and plently of editing, was pretty decent too, and what happens? I hit a button and it was all wiped out! So, yes I'm ERGING!!!  But, I refuse to be beaten by a machine, so I will prevail and just write again tomorrow when I'm not so tired!  Then I'll explain why I haven't blogged in almost 2 years.  I know you are just dying to know anyway, which leads me to say 'Anticipation, it's making you wait', (singing the old ketchup song in my head, are you?  LOL!)!

G'night ya'll (picturing Paula Dean here, I'll leave it up to you to find out who she is)