Share Your World ~ 6/29 or 6/30

Rules and Ping Back.  Thanks Melanie for hosting.  Good to get back to our roots spoken as a novice of this most wonderful prompt challenge. :).  I’m a bit late in posting.  Monday was a bear.  Well if days of the week could be animals.  Somebody stop me …

Questions:

Must we have evidence to know the truth? Yes in my opinion.  Thing is evidence can be misleading.  What we believe is the truth as we understand it.  Your truth may vary from mine hence the current state of affairs. We are a country divided.

How much control does a person have over their life? Zero, zip, nada.  We can only control our reaction to what life tosses at us. But control my life?  hahahahahahaha  Never.

What is gravity and how does it work? Gravity keeps us from floating up in the air.  I really should know more about how gravity works considering the astronomy course that I took freshman year of college covered it but that was so many moons ago (pun intended). I guess I forgot ;).  

Can a person be happy if they have never experienced sadness?  How about vice versa? How would they know?  I am convinced I am such a happy person because life has kicked me in the proverbial nuts.  From the very beginning if I am honest.  Reminds of the following song from Glee Club at St.MM.

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Gratitude:

Please feel free to share a song, a poem, a quote or an image or photo to show what you were grateful for during this past week.    (Optional as always).

I am grateful that Melanie hosts this challenge every week.  I always feel better after a share.  Such a wonderful sense of community.

Share Your World ~ 6/22/20

Rules and Ping Back.    Thanks Melanie for hosting.  Very interesting focus today.  For some reason I hear this …

Questions:

Have you ever ‘dined and dashed” (i.e. eaten the meal and then run out the restaurant door without paying)? No but my friend Lisa Anne would hang back after a meal when we all got up to leave or pretend she left something at the table then she’d go back and take the tip her parents left for our meal.

Have you ever been in a car accident and either left the scene of the accident (providing it was a fender bender and not serious) or denied culpability for causing it when you did, (if it were minor or serious)? Yes but was just me in my car; reached down changing the radio station and bump … looked up to see the fire hydrant.  I just left the scene.  When I got home, I saw my car bumper had a small ding. I was going slow and pretty sure I didn’t hurt the hydrant.   Of course I will never know.

(Oldie which has been asked many times before)   Have you ever found a wallet or purse or some money (over $20) in the street and just taken it, thinking ‘finders keepers, losers weepers?   Or would you be ‘good’ and hand it in?  I have never found a wallet but I have gone back to return money if I was given too much change 🙂

What was the last thing you stole or shoplifted?   If you never ever considered doing that, tell us your secret!  An Orange Crush t-shirt.  I was in 7th grade and hanging out with Lisa Anne.  You know her as the tip thief.  LOL

We were quite the crime ring trio that day.  Lisa took Old Spice cologne and a necklace.  Not being strong enough to say no, I took the shirt when she goaded me to pocket something. The third party with us was Lisa’s next door neighbor Jean.  She did not take anything but held the necklace until we left the store.

Jean is how we got caught by calling her bff  to spill the beans.  She didn’t realize that her mom was listening on the other line.  Lisa’s and my parents got the phone call and we went over to Lisa’s house to discuss.

I’ll never forget being in her living room.  Sitting back to back on the ottoman.  I can still hear her mom saying “Why did you steal your Dad’s Father’s Day gift??!?  You had $17 in your purse!!!”

Next day we were taken back to Woolworth.  I returned the shirt and she returned the cologne and necklace.  We apologized while the manager took the items back.  He banned us from the store 😦  No police involved.  Woolworth had the best soda foundation too.  Five years later when I worked in the mall, I’d go there for french fries and a Coke.

Gratitude. My gratitude is for finally catching to clue to let go … Work last week was better than it had been in quite some time.  Why?  I control what I can and the only thing I have influence over is my attitude.  Everything else is up for grabs …  That’s freeing y’all.

As always, more to come.

  

Share Your World ~ 6/15/20

Rules and Ping Back.   Thanks Melanie for hosting 🙂

Questions:

What do you think of professional motivational speakers?  Do you think they motivate? Depends on the topic they are peddling. And yes I am letting my opinion slip as peddling has a not so nice connotation.  Used cars salesman like.  And cue “Little Miss Sunshine”.  The Greg Kinnear character and his steps to enlightenment.  If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it sometime.  He was selling dreams of fulfillment and unfulfilled himself.   Art imitates life sometimes.  Not to say ALL professional motivational speakers are unfulfilled because there are no absolutes.

 Do you have a favorite flavor? Cherry

While out walking, you hear a rustling in some bushes.  What do you think of? Bear!  Seriously, Colorado has bears going into populated areas these days.  A friend of a friend shared an article on FB.  No bears in my neighborhood but anything rustling in bushes would cause a panic attack.  I’d probably scream like a little girl :).  It is why I walk with my gig.   I am constantly on “do you want some fire scarecrow” mode as I am out and about.

What’s your ideal temperature (nature-wise)?   Hot, cold, temperate and mild, humid or bone dry? Mild.  If I could duplicate the weather in Lompoc CA and push that to Texas, I would.  The weather is so nice, the homes are not always built with A/C because they rarely have to use it.  Sitting on the patio at night, talking with family around and small fire pit in July.  Priceless.

Share Your World ~ 6/8/20

Rules and Ping Back – thanks Melanie for hosting.

Questions:

How comfortable are you speaking in front of large groups of people?

I love to speak in front of a large audience.  I don’t get to do that often enough any more but I used to facilitate training for entire departments.  Good times I tell ya.  As long as I am prepared, I’ll talk to anyone about anything.

What would be the best thing you could reasonably expect to find in a cave?

I’d have to go into a cave first and I’m a bit claustrophobic so no thanks …

What did you think was going to be amazing but turned out to be horrible?

I can’t think of anything.

What’s the silliest thing you’ve observed someone get upset about?

Speaking for myself I used get upset any time I had to wait.  So silly.  Now I take reading materials or other things along to use the time wisely.  I actually jokingly call it forced recreation.  Time away from the busy day to day.

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Gratitude: 

Please feel free to share something that gave you an uplifted spirit during this past week.  

Today I am grateful for my family.  They keep me sane.  Most days anyway.  LOL 🙂

Share Your Word ~ 6/1/20

My new favorite activity. Thanks Melanie.  Folks you need to check this out right HERE.

Is it ever okay to commit a crime?  Please explain.

Yes and hard to explain by I believe this but I do.  Not to make over simplify but when one steals bread to avoid starvation, I can live with the stealing.  Guess I need to be careful with my answer because if stealing bread is okay, what else might be?  Where does one draw the line?

Do you deal with change well?  (not money, because I know some wit out there is thinking how bulky coins are. Well I did any how.    ) 

I am a pro at change … as in professional.  My line of work has been nothing but change for over 36 years.  I decided a long time ago that I could either embrace the change or be miserable fighting against it.  I have found over the years that it is much easier to “roll with the flow” and work within the system to evolve the stupid things the decision makers have made over time.  The only thing I can control is my attitude.  

Do you like birds?   The sound of bird song in the morning, taking pictures of them, as food?   

I was pecked by a goose as a child <long story for another day>.  Traumatized me for life.  I like the ducks on the Riverwalk because they are mostly in the water and cannot hurt me.  I have several pictures that I have acquired over the years.  

Floating duck

I also love the sounds birds make in the morning as I take my walk.  Very stress relieving. As food, chicken or turkey is yummy.  I know it is supposed to be healthier option than beef.

What’s the least used item of clothing you own?

My winter coat.  It never gets cold enough.  I have one just in case.

I am grateful for my tasty lunch and the time I took to step away for a bit and write this.

As always, more to come.

Share Your World 🌍

Today we honor the brave souls who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. My first second attempt at sharing my world is reflective of this day. Thinking deeply about it, those sacrifices are why I’m able to share my opinions in the first place.

Questions:

In your opinion, does patriotism require the belief that one’s country is the greatest on earth? By definition, patriotism is love of or devotion to one’s country. You can love and be devoted to someone without always liking them so I’d say no. Don’t read too much into that. I’m my daddy’s girl. I bleed red, white, and blue.

Why is patriotism considered by some to be the highest of virtues? Hmm. Perhaps because it demonstrates unconditional love and devotion? If it isn’t fanatical, that’s a beautiful thing to witness.

What is so important about love of country? The sense of community it brings. Unity is powerful.

Shouldn’t we be more concerned about humankind, or the planet as a whole, rather than a single country? Polly Anna over here thinks we can do both.

What is the relationship between decisions and consequences? Owning your decisions means you’re willing to accept the consequences. I’m an over thinker who doesn’t make decisions without first considering what are the consequences. Always doing a mini CBA in my brain. Should I or shouldn’t I? That is the question 😊

What is social justice? An illusion.

and one ‘easy’ one because those others? Fairly difficult. What’s one body part you wouldn’t mind losing? (told you. Silly). An earlobe.

Gratitude: What is something that made you smile during the past week? Not much sadly. I’m in a funk. Though I’m thankful for coworkers who make me laugh 🤭

Ping Back

Poppy Pin

Share Your World 12-23-19

Long time reader, first time quiz taker. This seems fun. Melanie has created a welcoming space to share. Follow this link for more … http://sparksfromacombustiblemind.com/2019/12/23/share-your-world-12-23-19/

QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK 12-23-19:

Do dogs ‘talk’ (communicate) with their own species?  My two Buddy and Spot sure do. Nope I haven’t lost my mind. Communication comes in many forms. You bet our fur babies “talk” to one another.

Have you ever had to work on Christmas Day? Not the day of but many a Christmas Eve in retail, then later in a call center.

If someone gifts you something that you immediately loathe, do you pretend to really like it anyway or are you brutally honest about your opinion? Hmm I’ve never been given anything I loathe but if that ever happens I wouldn’t say anything. I’m a proponent of it’s the thought that counts.

Which popular drink, found during the Christmas season most often, is called “milk punch?” Egg nog maybe? Too sweet for me needs rum to cut that sweetness 😉

How many ghosts show up during “A Christmas Carol?”  Three if memory serves – past, present, and future?? No maybe it was two ghosts and death? I’m guessing because never read the book and parts of the adaptation really scared me as a kid. I may not have ever made it all the way through. I know the general story of course, very high level. Wasn’t there a creepy child named Woe? When death opened his robe, the shocker. Why the heck was I even allowed to watch? My parents who were very social creatures were probably out at a holiday dance. Or I maybe I’m misremembering. I might google “A Christmas Carol” later.

Are you all about the holly and jolly or more about remembering the alleged ‘true’ meaning of Christmas?    I’m about no stress. I’ve been saying this a lot lately but everyday is Christmas or <insert special occasion of choice>. Why can it be like any other day? I’m done doing something because I think I have to. The excesses make me tired. My Lulu belle is sad. She remembers the blowouts of Christmases past when my dad was alive. She asked why we don’t all get together anymore. The short answer is her grandpa was our north Star. We still love each other but the center has come undone.

Please share a memory or thought about the holiday season if you’d like, whatever kind of celebration you may observe. 

As a kid, we’d drink hot chocolate from Santa Claus mugs. This was a special set of four that only came out the week of Christmas. One was Santa winking his left eye, another his right, one with both eyes wide open and the 4th with both eyes shut. I always got sleepy Santa with eyes closed. None of my brothers would ever trade me for a winking mug. Boy did I want to drink my hot chocolate from a winking mug. Funny what one remembers.