On Having Options In Life:

Here I am up on my soap box again. I haven’t been here in a while and I have to say that I’ve missed it.

The phrase “I don’t have a life.” makes me ill.

You do have a life. You are breathing, talking, (some of you) blogging, moving individual who it seems is unhappy with the state of your social life.

You have options in this, you know.

You can get out and meet others. Volunteer. Be seen. Join groups or clubs. Help out other organizations. Protest the things you don’t like. Be where other people are. (Few of you are bed ridden and so sickly that they can’t be with other people at times.)

But you do have a life. It is what you make of it.

True. The person you want to mate up with may not be interested in you.

You may be something of a joke because of your choice of dress or other things not as fixable about yourself, but there are people out there that do see beyond skin deep.

This is a matter of self worth here. People for ages have made something of themselves out of nothing. Mostly by learning to be happy with what they are and if not, changing it.

But mostly I want to say, don’t let other peoples yard sticks knock you off your perfectly good road in life. Be the best you can be and be proud of it. Not a, ‘wish I had that’ to distraction kind of a person.

Look around at the good things in your life and put on a smile. You do have a life, and I like you for that.

On Thank You Blog Readers:

I’d like to thank all of the people who read my blog.

You make my day. Pure and simple. Thank you very much.

I know that not all of you have blogs of your own, so I can’t return the favor and look in on your life.

I know that not all of you have a follow list that brings me to you automatically. And I appreciate the trouble you take to find me each time you look in.

I think about you daily. I wonder what and how you are doing.

I wonder if you liked what I have to say enough to come back.

I try to come up with things to entertain without going overboard. (That is not changing who I am just to accumulate readers.)

I like that you accept me for who and what I am. I can open up and show you my warts, and you still like me enough to come back and play.

I would also like to invite you to my annual Thankfulness Tea Party the weekend of February 19-20, 2011.

Pick one of the two available dates.
Put on the clothing of your choice. (Dress fancy or casual.)
Add some music for mood.
Invite, or not, the people of your choice.
Have some food and treats. (You don’t have to serve tea if you don’t want to.)
Write down all the things you can think of that you are thankful for. (To be re-read to yourself in the coming year at your convenience.)

Just take some time to enjoy your own life.

Thank you readers for coming into my life.

On Being Noticed:

Award in hand, Okay on the screen of my computer, I have been nominated for the Stylish Blogger Award. In all its silvery white and black glory. (I just love the starkness of black and white.)

Now back in the days I first started this blog I was nominated for quite a few awards but being a novice at the computer back then, and having a lemon of a computer, I couldn’t snag the Awards or pass them on.

And then there is the not playing well with others thing I have. (It is an anti rule thing. And I live by my own rules.) Nothing to do with shameless self promotion, which I am for by the way.

Amy at ‘The Ultimate Goth Guide’ gave it to me and I’m giving it a try.

Rules:
1. Thank and link to the person who gave you the award.
2. Jot down 7 random facts about yourself.
3. Give the award to 15 other bloggers and let them know about it.

Thank you very much Amy at Ultimate Goth Guide, I’ll try to live up to your standard. Great Blog you have there by the way.

Facts about myself
1. I have never colored my hair. See fact #2.
2. I’m allergic to henna. And look like that blown up like a balloon allergic reaction in a comedy movie when I come in contact with it.
3. Sadly I don’t have any tattoos. See fact #2.
4. I am listening to random music on my computer at the moment, something I seldom do. I’m a music makes the mood person and need to match or create a mood with the right kind of music most of the time.
5. I am over weight and having trouble with that, but only because of my health. I’m not a fat snob.
6. The snow is deep outside and I like feeling incased in it.
7. My knitting mojo is missing at the moment.

Now for the hard part. Picking ‘only’ 15 other blogs and linking to them.
In no order, rhyme or reason. Sorry if your name didn’t come out of the hat.

Severina at The Ornigraphic Blogopticon http://omnigraphicblogopticon.blogspot.com

Whitey at Skunk Hollow http://whitey-skunkhollow.blogspot.com

Siouxsie at Siouxsie Law http://siouxsielaw.com

Rebecca at Scratch That http://rebeccanazar.blogspot.com

Grace at Little Black Crow http://littleartycraftycrow.blogspot.com

Miss Mousie at Knotty Mouse http://www.knottymouse.com

Rainy at Honey and Ollie http://honeyandollie.com

Hexotica at Hexotica http://gothicburlesque.blogspot.com

Fuzzarelly at Fuzzarelly http://fuzzarelly.blogspot.com

Sooticas at Fallen Angels & Hidden Demons http://sooticasdream.blogspot.com

Rustic Goth at Rustic Goth http://anotherpaintingblog.blogspot.com

Alison at Brainylady http://brainylady.blogspot.com

ScarrySweetheart at Beautiful Darkness http://scarysweetheart.blogspot.com

KT at Why Not? http://kamsarmer.blogspot.com

And last but not least … (My first and longest blog follower by the way.)
Sue at Crochet and Garden http://crochetngarden.blogspot.com

As Ultimate Goth Guide added in her post on this, Feel free to opt out.

On Not Going To Do That Again Soon:

I got lost yesterday. I got on one of those video game web sites.

The thing is If I had just bought the game out right I would have played it with my trusty kitchen timer like I do all the other games I play. Fun within limits.

I went there just to check out some games. You know, so I don’t throw my money away when I go shopping guessing if I might like something on the store shelves.

I don’t like to buy and down load games from the web because I add and remove things in my computer and like to replace it if and when I want to. Not to mention that some games work better in one computer system vs. another.

And when I buy something, I like to hold it in my hand. I’m old fashion that way.

So anyway, I was checking out some games. Most of these web sites give you a free hour to try the games of your choice. Well I hit on a web site that gives you four unlimited time runs of some games.

I wound up playing one game all day and into the night. Partly because I’m an addictive video game nut case, and the rest because I’m frugal and I wanted to get all I could out of one turn.

Round about midnight I took my blood shot eyes off to bed.

The sad part was I even missed an appointment. Forgot all about it I was so engrosses in playing the game. Not a good use of my time and energy if you ask me.

It was fun and informative. I learned something about myself most of all.

I’m staying away from that web site in future. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because I just can’t handle that combo. If you tell me I can enjoy something for as long as I am enjoying it and I don’t stop. I won’t stop unless I have to. (Like when Mountain Man drags me away for my own good.)

I’m still a kid at heart I guess. Or just a little immature about some things.

On Like a Snow Globe:

Yesterdays storm left us ice covered and behind icicle bars over the windows.

The world out there looks lovely all snow and ice covered and sparkly, but it is cold and damp and slippery.

You’d think that being encased in ice I would just be sitting by the wood stove and knitting with a pot of tea at hand or some such thing.

No I’m scraping the walkway outside, catching drips inside, washing stuff off that has been dripped on, and putting extra wood on the stove to dry the place out.

We did fix the older leaks in the roof this past summer. The ice jams pull the nails right out of the roof. But working up on the roof seems to have caused other new leaks. Or maybe it is just the fact that we can afford to put on a new roof that is ice jam proof.

A big bad cold front is coming and they seem to always cause extra bad leaks from the back up of the ice jams. Its an adventure living here.

But I love my home. I’d never want to live anywhere else. The good days far out run the bad, and that is about as good as it gets anywhere on earth.

And it is far better to have work to do then not in my book. Having nothing to do makes me crazy and nervous.

By the weekend it will probably look like a weird snow globe in here only it will be backed up ice jam water instead of snow flakes flowing through my ice domed home.

As long as I can keep up with the adventures, I’ll take them to boredom any day. The wood pile is still tall enough and Spring is not that far off.

On Let Me Explain:

Sometimes I forget that people move on and others take their place. My follower totals stay pretty steady, but when I look to see who is there, I see some new names and avatars.

So to keep the my newer readers up to speed I’ll explain the Thankfulness Tea Party.

Nothing political about it. It is just what it sounds like. Being thankful for things in your life and celebrating them.

Once a year I have a Thankfulness Tea Party. I’ve been doing this for way too many years to really remember when it started. But I started adding it to my blog a few years ago.

The idea is to have a Thankfulness Tea Party of your own making. A link to one of my parties.

I dress fancy, have classical music playing and using my best tea set, I put out the lace table cloths and linen napkins. I add goodies to eat and flowers on the table.

How far you go is up to you. The idea is to have fun, be thankful, and do something for yourself, along with others if you choose to invite them.

The only other thing you need is pens, paper or blank note books for each person invited to the party and time to write the things you are thankful for. (More about this in another posting.) Some folks share their thoughts, others do not. It is not required.

That is all there is to it. Some people have koolaid and sandwiches on a blanket picnic in the parlor with the kids, others have alone time and a favorite snack in a comfortable place. It is all up to you.

I’ll be posting the date soon, usually one of the last two weekends in February. I state the whole weekend so more people can join in without missing work or other obligations if the one day is already filled on your calendar. But this gives you time to think about whether you want to join in and time to get your party together if you do.

On Blog Maintenance Reminder:

Some of the blogs I read have last year as their copy right date still on them. Time to update the blogs to keep current and protected now that we are in the new year.

By the way, last year it was February before I remembered. This time I did it the first time I was on the computer in the new year. It helps to have reminder cards.

Good blogging everyone.