Just Sayin’

Draw Something is destroying my self confidence

by Lindsey on April 17, 2012

A few weeks ago a friend of mine invited me to play Draw Something. I took at a look and a first glace it appears to be a harmless Win Lose or Draw type of game. You choose a word, draw the word, and your friend tries to guess what you drew. Easy enough.

I was WRONG! Instead this app is intended to drive casual finger artists completely insane. My phone, who was once my best friend and my long lost soul mate, has now become my nemesis.

Let me demonstrate what I mean.

Not me

Not me either

I will obviously not be the next great Draw Something artist. I want to see your Draw Something drawings! Post them!!! Unless you are really good and then don't.

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Friday the 13th Origins and Superstitions

by Lindsey on April 13, 2012

in Just Sayin'

I myself am not superstitious. However, I got a itch today to find out what the big deal was with Friday the 13th. There will be 3 Friday the 13ths in 2012. According to some sources it is the most widespread superstition in the United States. But why? Its just a day. Right?

Jason, of course it one reason. I don't watch horror movies anymore and the origins of the bad luck came way before the movie.

Another theory is that there were 13 people in attendance at the last supper, 12 disciples plus Jesus. The crucifixion of Jesus took place after this meal, and was on a Friday. Some sources even say Eve ate the apple on a Friday, the Great Flood started on a Friday, and the Tower of Babel tongue-tying happened on a Friday. None of these except the crucifixion have I found substantial proof for though.

In Ancient Egypt, the number 13 represented death. Of course, the Egyptians celebrated death and saw it as a desirable transformation. No other culture, that I know of anyway, has though the same about death at the Egyptians. Thus, if 13 represents death, it must be bad.

Twelve gods were invited to a banquet at Valhalla. Loki, the Evil One, god of mischief, had been left off the guest list but crashed the party, bringing the total number of attendees to 13. True to character, Loki raised hell by inciting Hod, the blind god of winter, to attack Balder the Good, who was a favorite of the gods. Hod took a spear of mistletoe offered by Loki and obediently hurled it at Balder, killing him instantly. All Valhalla grieved. And although one might take the moral of this story to be "Beware of uninvited guests bearing mistletoe," the Norse themselves apparently concluded that 13 people at a dinner party is just plain bad luck.

In Rome, Friday was execution day. Just trust me when I tell you their execution methods were very gruesome.

Superstitions

It is not good to be born on Friday the 13th because it means bad luck for life.

It is not good on that day, change your bed because you will have bad dreams.

Also one superstition says, the one who pass a funeral procession on this day will die tomorrow.

On Friday the 13th, do not cut your hair because a family member will die.

Also, do not cut your nails, it will be followed by bad luck.

Do not start a new job or business on Friday the 13th, it will be followed by collapse or bankruptcy.

Do not start traveling on this day, only problems can occur.

Also, ships should not be allowed to set sail because they can sink into the sea. (see history of HMS Friday from Britain which was set sail on Friday the 13th 100 years ago to try to quell the superstition. The ship was never seen or heard from again.)

Do not consult the astrologer on Friday the 13th, because of superstitions.

Never change your sheets on Friday the 13th as it will bring bad dreams.

Are you superstitious about Friday the 13th?

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20 Lessons I’ve Learned in my 35 Years

by Lindsey on April 7, 2012

in Just Sayin'

Today I turn 35. I have earned every single one of those years so I'm claiming all of them. I hope I've learned some valuable lessons along the way.

1. Don't give up on your dreams

It is good to dream. And dream big. Don't listen to any of the lies you will hear when you start pursuing your dreams. Just go for it.

2. Adapt and overcome

One of my high school English teachers always used to say "overcome adversity" anytime we had complaints about anything. That was some of the best advice I ever received and the constant repetition has made it stick in my head over the years. I accomplished things in that class I never thought I would like writing a book. Thanks Mrs. Smith for making AP English an actual AP English class.

Anytime you are faced with a challenge, don't complain about it. Don't gripe about it. Adapt to the new situation and find a way to overcome it to the best of your ability.

3. Live healthy

You only have one life, one body. Treat it right. Exercise. Eat healthy foods.

4. Less is more

You don't need to have everything. Declutter. Get rid of the stuff you don't need. Scale back. Before you buy something new determine if you need it or just want it. If you do buy something new get rid of anything it replaces. Donate it or have a garage sale!

5. Have a modifiable self concept

People are constantly growing and changing. It is important to know who you are and know what your beliefs are. However, you also need to take into account that you will change based on events in your life and knowledge that you gain. You change when you have kids. You change when a relationship ends. You change when you realize something important about the world. Having a modifiable self-concept will help you to roll with the punches a lot better.

6. Sometimes its OK to fake the funk

The first day I started teaching, i honestly had no idea what to do so I faked it. I put on my best teacher hat and just did it. After a few classes, I was more confident and didn't have to fake it anymore. In that case, faking it got me through. You may need to fake it for a family event. Pretend someone didn't hurt your feelings. Its ok to fake it until you can make it.

7. Love yourself

If you don't like yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?

8. It's never too late

Its not to late to change your mind. To change your attitude. To quit that bad habit. To start a good one. To say I'm sorry. To say I love you. To go back to school. To learn a new skill. To do anything at all.

9. Procrastination is bad – m'kay

Procrastination doesn't actually help. I used to think I'd do something later because I was exhausted. As it turns out, those things just pile up. If you do it now, it won't take long. The longer you put it off, the longer it will take to accomplish.

10. Don't be a victim

Be a survivor. Bad things happen. The second it is over, you are not a victim anymore. You are a survivor. Act like one. Don't dwell on the bad or on the the past. Focus your eyes forward and start moving.

11. Let go

After you move on, let go. Holding on to the past gives someone else control over you. Do you think they sit at home and think about you as much as you think about them? Put them out of your mind. Take your life back. It will save you lots of stress and all of the health problems that go with stress.

12. Trust yourself

You know more than you give yourself credit for. I promise.

13. Learn new skills

One of the best ways to stay young, to remain competitive in the job market, to be able to help your kids with homework, or just succeed in life is to never stop learning.

14. Have faith strong enough to be told no

This was a hard one to learn. There were a famous three that said go ahead and throw us into the fire. God will save us. But even if he doesn't, we still believe. The mortality rate of those who live on earth is 100%. Bad things are going to happen to everyone. Build a faith strong enough that you can handle it if God says no to your prayer.

15. Learn to entertain yourself

The words I'm bored make me cringe. I'm never bored. I always can find something to do. Get an e-reader and carry it with you. Get a hobby. Do something!

16. Change takes time

Don't be discouraged if you try something and don't see results right away. You didn't gain that weight all in a week. Its going to take more than a week to lose it. You didn't start thinking negatively one day because you decided to. It happened over time. It will take time to retrain yourself to think positively. Give yourself a break and keep at it.

17. Dream bigger

If your dreams don't scare you a little bit, you aren't dreaming big enough. They sky isn't the limit. Men have walked on the moon.

18. The world doesn't owe me anything

This world owes you nothing and you should expect that the world won't do you any favors. Do the right thing because its the right thing, not because you expect something in return.

19. Don't compromise

Be strong in your convictions. Keep an open mind. Be willing to hear the other side of an issue. Don't agree to do something just because you feel you should if you know you really shouldn't or can't or actually won't. Be who you are without apology.

20. Laugh

Often. A lot. Loudly. Be silly. Enjoy yourself! Don't take life so seriously. No one will get out alive anyway.

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Adrienne Rich, one of my heros, died today

by Lindsey on March 29, 2012

in Just Sayin',Poetry

Adrienne Rich died today at the age of 82.

I'm sad that one of the women I really look up to in this world has died. I am even more sad that there is one less poet in this world. One less person to look at the world and write beautiful explanations of life. There are so few poets left and even fewer people who read poetry.

I am at a loss for words. Ai, now Adrienne Rich. My heros are slowly leaving this earth. I am at a loss for words so I will leave you with Rich's instead.

Diving Into the Wreck

First having read the book of myths,
and loaded the camera,
and checked the edge of the knife-blade,
I put on
the body-armor of black rubber
the absurd flippers
the grave and awkward mask.
I am having to do this
not like Cousteau with his
assiduous team
aboard the sun-flooded schooner
but here alone.

There is a ladder.
The ladder is always there
hanging innocently
close to the side of the schooner.
We know what it is for,
we who have used it.
Otherwise
it is a piece of maritime floss
some sundry equipment.

I go down.
Rung after rung and still
the oxygen immerses me
the blue light
the clear atoms
of our human air.
I go down.
My flippers cripple me,
I crawl like an insect down the ladder
and there is no one
to tell me when the ocean
will begin.

First the air is blue and then
it is bluer and then green and then
black I am blacking out and yet
my mask is powerful
it pumps my blood with power
the sea is another story
the sea is not a question of power
I have to learn alone
to turn my body without force
in the deep element.

And now: it is easy to forget
what I came for
among so many who have always
lived here
swaying their crenellated fans
between the reefs
and besides
you breathe differently down here.

I came to explore the wreck.
The words are purposes.
The words are maps.
I came to see the damage that was done
and the treasures that prevail.
I stroke the beam of my lamp
slowly along the flank
of something more permanent
than fish or weed

the thing I came for:
the wreck and not the story of the wreck
the thing itself and not the myth
the drowned face always staring
toward the sun
the evidence of damage
worn by salt and sway into this threadbare beauty
the ribs of the disaster
curving their assertion
among the tentative haunters.

This is the place.
And I am here, the mermaid whose dark hair
streams black, the merman in his armored body.
We circle silently
about the wreck
we dive into the hold.
I am she: I am he

whose drowned face sleeps with open eyes
whose breasts still bear the stress
whose silver, copper, vermeil cargo lies
obscurely inside barrels
half-wedged and left to rot
we are the half-destroyed instruments
that once held to a course
the water-eaten log
the fouled compass

We are, I am, you are
by cowardice or courage
the one who find our way
back to this scene
carrying a knife, a camera
a book of myths
in which
our names do not appear.

Tagged as: Poetry

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Working Has Made Me a Better Mom

by Lindsey on March 28, 2012

in Just Sayin'

A little over a year ago I took the leap and went back into the workforce.

For seven years prior to that I was an English Professor. I spent the last 3 years teaching online only so I worked at home. Now I work outside the home and I LOVE my job.

I was worried about the effect it would have on my kids though. Big Brother was halfway through kindergarden and Little Brother had always been at home with me.

What I found is that my kids like school, most of the time. They like playing with friends and the playground.

I also discovered that working full time made me a better mom.

I am less inclined to tell my kids that I can do something in "just a minute" and not really mean it. If I say just a minute now, I really mean just a minute. I get precious little time with them during the week so if they want me to do something I want to do it.

They are tired so they go to bed on time for the first time in their short lives. This means I get to go to bed at a more decent hour, which makes me less tired, which makes me less grouchy.

We eat healthier. Always being on the go and having activities after school each day makes me think much more carefully about what we are eating and the effects what we eat has on our energy level. Caffine and sugar crashes make for an ugly evening.

I talk to my kids more. Part of that is because they are older but most of it is because I am not a participant in every aspect of their lives. I have to ask if I want to know what they did that day.

I happier and more confident with life and am able to pass that attitude to my kids. Having adult conversations, being more than a mom is important to me. I know for some people the opposite is true. I want to have success and worth beyond that of being a mom though. My job provides that. It also provides ample time for adult conversation.

I know that being a full time working mom isn't the most popular choice. I made the choice out of necessity. However, I am happy with the arrangement.

Tagged as: mindless babble

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Breaking News: Alicia Silverstone Actually a Penguin

by Lindsey on March 27, 2012

in Just Sayin'

People do stupid stuff to their kids all the time. They same then Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee) and forget them at Chuck E. Cheese.

Alicia Silverstone posted on her blog, TheKindLife.com, a video where she is feeding her son from her mouth.

You heard me right. She chewed his food for him and then spit it into his mouth. Like a penguin.

I am grossed out. Or creeped out. Talk about Mommy Dearest.

What do you think?

Tagged as: celebrities, mindless babble

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My Irrational Fear of Dropping Things

by Lindsey on March 27, 2012

in Just Sayin'

It started when my oldest was a baby. I started having those fun Mommy nightmares that I dropped him and he hit his head on the corner of the coffee table. Then it expanded and I would fear dropping him all the time.

Of course I never did.

Now that my kids are bigger and I don't carry them around, my fear occasionally pops up at the weirdest times and for no real reason.

Last night as I lay in bed I was suddenly afraid of dropping my expensive camera over the balcony and watching it smash to pieces.

I wasn't using my camera. I wasn't using my camera outside. I wasn't on the balcony.

I was inside, in bed, in the dark, trying to sleep.

Irrational fears are just that, irrational. By definitional an irrational fear poses little to no danger.

This fear strikes at strange times. I might be afraid of dropping a glass jar as I put it back in the fridge. I may be afraid of dropping the contents of my purse down the stairs as I look for my car keys. The fear rarely is an actual threat and can't really count as a phobia because I don't get an elevated heart rate, sweat, or show any other signs of anxiety. I just am a little more aware of my surroundings and my level of carefulness. Sometimes my head makes no sense.

What are your irrational fears?

Tagged as: mindless babble

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My Favorite Song This Time Last Year

by Lindsey on March 24, 2012

in Just Sayin'

Tagged as: music

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I Stink at Arguing

by Lindsey on March 19, 2012

in Just Sayin'

If you want to have a healthy debate, we're on. My mom used to say I could argue with a brick wall. I would probably win too.

Arguing is a totally different story. I truly stink at it. I always feel like Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail. I can never say the thing I want to say at the moment I want to say it.

I come up with the good stuff later.

Then again, when she was able to finally say the thing she meant to say at the moment she meant to say it, she felt horrible about it. I do too. Many times I stay quiet because if you don't have something nice to say, you shouldn't say anything.

Other times I stay quiet because I don't want to hurt people or I'm afraid of their reaction.

Other times I just don't want to rock the boat (insert singing of a quick chorus from Guys and Dolls here).

People have different argument styles everything from physically fighting to name calling to time outs.

I prefer the age old ignore it until it goes away. However, things don't seem to be going away these days.

Most people want to argue face to face so they can read body language, facial expressions, or they simply find it the fastest most efficient way to get an argument over with.

That honestly terrifies me.

I like to think things through before I say them. I like to weigh my words carefully because words can really hurt or words can heal. I want to make sure that what I say is what I mean to say. And if what I have to say is something unpleasant, well, what then?

I find it hard to be mean to people. I find it hard to say hurtful things. It goes against my nature. It goes against my philosophy of discussion instead of argument. The second you say something unpleasant in a discussion, you have entered into argument whether you wanted to or not.

I prefer to argue via e-mail or text message. As so many people have pointed out about online communications, the anonymity and the lack of face-to-face contact makes people more brazen, or in my case, braver.

I can think better in writing. I can get my point across better in writing. I don't get interrupted in writing. I just find it easier to clearly state my point. It seems too many people find this impersonal and hate it.

What about you? What is your argument style? Do you usually find it works or does it make the situation worse?

Tagged as: mindless babble

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