Today is THE DAY... for what? What ever you want!

Seriously.
Today is THE DAY to start your NEW YEAR off right.

Some people make Resolutions.
Set goals that are, simply put, unattainable, unrealistic and just too hard to make stick.

Other people go the other route.
They make wishy-washy generalizations about things they may, or may not want to have, say or do in the coming year.

And still others?
They ignore the whole New Year -New Start debaucle.

I tend to be somewhere in the middle.

There are things I want to strive toward.
Better myself, improve my writing, increase my freelancing, be nicer, be better, be more than I am...

There are things I want to accomplish that may take time but that I am working toward.
Move South... sooner rather than later. Be financially sound... again, sooner rather than later. Help my grown children move out and start living independently! Again MUCH SOONER than later, PLEASE?

And then there is the what I want to be when I see me...
I want to be the me I see in my mind's eye, not the one I see in the mirror or photos.

Today I have started on a Journey to Me...

I have started a blog that will catalog that journey, no matter how awful it may be.

Join me and watch my weight loss saga unfold at:  COLOR ME THIN ...
Where I will try to be remain focused and goal-oriented, but I may get a little cranky from time to time.

I will continue my journey to me here on Dawning... because really, my Dawning is taking place every day that I discover a new something about myself and those around me...

Even when I am trying not to!

What I want to BE when I grow up List

Over at SITS I joined a group with activities to help me find my voice, my blog voice that is, and my audience... again the blog-reading one.

This week we were called to write a list- in 10 minutes- and the grocery list was not the one they meant so... here goes.

This is my list of things that I would like to be... when I grow up, or when my kids do, which ever comes first.

1- a Super Hero- any kind will do... I just think it would be cool to have people actually need me for something other than a meal and clean clothes and as a chauffer.
2-a doctor or a PA or a Nurse Practicioner or an herbal healer or Wise Woman - but not the kind that were burned for being witches.
3-a college graduate... a prerequisite to number 2
4-an acclaimed author... with a real book with my Nom-De-Plum or alter ego's name on the cover.
5-the best person I can be... and not feel guilty for wanting to be ME instead of Mom or Wife or person-you-can-always-count-on...

I know that I will in all likihood not acheive any of these because, let's face it, I am Mom amd Wife and Person-you-can-always-count-on and...

I like who I am and that is probably the thing on my To Be list that matters most...
6-Happy to BE me!

Writer's Workshop: Like Ace of base.... I Saw the Sign

Welcome to another offering from the writing prompts at Mama Kat's


Todays prompt is : 


5.) Describe a moment when you saw someone hit their breaking     
      point.





She seemed calm, normal actually, at first,  as I watched from across the room.


Then, an eerie light began to glimmer, just beyond her pupils, as if from some other place behind her eyes, an almost manic look.


Her mouth turned down with sadness, her brow furrowed with anger and then her coloring got, well, blotchy.
Her face, her chest and down her arms grew cold, then hot,  then prickled with goosebumps as she balled up her fists.


It was then, right then, as she slowly slid to the floor, that she surrendered to her anger, the sense of inadequacy, and cried...


" I give up. That's. It.  I'm. Done"


She sighed, her body going limp, her eyes filling with tears, her head drooping as she leaned against the mirror, slowly breathing in, then out... as I realized that I was the only one in the room.

SMO Anyone ? (no, it's not a drink, sheez!)

Social Media Optimization

Yeah... that's the new 'Thing' in technology.

What does it mean? What is it?

It's what you do every time you 'Like' someone, or something, on Facebook.
When you tweet a link or re-tweet something that really cool person you think you might like to know tweeted.
When you Stumble Upon your friend's website or Blog.

It's what Blogger and Disquis and WordPress and all those other places where people like me can set up and maintain a blog... a place to talk to themselves in cyber space... are promoting in a not so round about way.

It's what companies like to see.

It's where more and more are getting their products talked about and tried out and wanted by Real People in the Real World.

It's the NEXT BIG THING for Ad Execs and Companies with products to sell....

And it's not going away any time soon...

But on a Computer Geek timeline... it's probably already outdated!

Back 2 Blogging... Why Do You Blog?

(Friday Foto Feature will be available Saturday Sept 18th- Please come back then to view BratChld's art! But first you gotta check out today's post!)

Today is the final Back 2 Blogging Challenge: Why do I blog?

Sponsored by:




Today's challenge - Sponsored by :our friends at Standards of Excellence,Westar Kitchen and Bath , and Florida Builder Appliances, two very special SITStahs

The question is 'Why do I blog?'

Well, the answer is simple ... yet complex.

I Blog because I enjoy writing. The porcess of writing helps me to put my thoughts together in my head, to sort out feelings and issues to be dealt with, to release some of the frustration and anger that has accumulated over the years.

I started my blog, initially, as a place to showcase the handcrafted items for sale on my website and to have a place to post my original crochet patterns.

Of course, LIFE got in the way, as it tends to do, and I wasn't designing jewelry or crocheting much, if at all.

But, I still had a desire to write.

So I started writing, or I went back to writing, short stories and poems. Then I moved onto tackle the book I have been wanting to write for years and years... and that brought me to Blogging.

As I began putting my past down on paper, I came to realize that I was writing about a stranger, or at the very least, someone I had not known in a very long time. Someone I thought it was about time I get reacquainted with.

To that end I reassessed my Blog and re-thought my style and decided to let myself write what myself wanted as a way to find out who I am, now that I'm all grown up.

I Blog to find me. To let the voice that I kept quiet and hidden for so long free.
To get to know me, the me that I thought I would never be again.

And because it really bugs my kids that I talk about them...

BusyMom's gotta have some fun some how, right?

Back 2 Blogging--- Inspiring Women

Today is the Day 4 Challenge : Write about a woman who inspires you....

Well, I did that a week or so ago so here's the link to that post Who Inspires You

But through the years other woman have given me inspiration and encouragement.

Woman like my ex-mother-in-law, Carolyn.
She worked as a night nurse. She volunteered as an EMT for the local fire department where she manned the ambulance 2 nights a week.
She raised 4 chldren while working and volunteering in the community, the schools and at our church.
She helped me when I was in nursing school. She understood the trials of working nights and raising small children, the exhaustion that is omnipresent day and night, the stress of dealing with death and dying on a daily basis and the toll it takes on a marriage.
She stood by me when my marriage to her son crumbled. She helped me to move on with my life.
She helped me to be ME when I wasn't sure that was possible.
She died 11 years ago. After I had remarried and had TeenBoy and BratChild. They were no relation to her, but she made them special blankets and pajamas when they were born and came to see them several times before she died.
Six was born 9 months after she died and had he been a girl?
Karolina would have been his name...





Today's challenge - Sponsored by :our friends at Standards of Excellence,Westar Kitchen and Bath , and Florida Builder Appliances, two very special SITStahs

Back 2 Blogging Challenge...Day 3

Today's challenge - Sponsored by :our friends at Standards of Excellence,Westar Kitchen and Bath , and Florida Builder Appliances, two very special SITStahs

is to re-post an entry with a title I a proud of... and then tell you why.

Well here it is...

Feng-Shui Me!

Ok- so that’s not exactly how it works, but man wouldn’t that be great?

What is Feng (Fung) Shui ( Shway) anyway?

According to one definition found on the web it is " the ancient Chinese philosophy and practice of creating harmonious environments."

With a definition like that you would think the first rule would be to throw out all the kids and then the husband and family dog!

But No... one of the major things in the article stated that you should place your desk so that your chair faces the door to allow the Ch’i to flow...

Oh and for those who are not Chineseology literate... Ch’i ( cheeeee) is basically your life force. And I know you all want a positive Ch’i so turn your desks around... the boss won’t mind!

Another principle of Feng-Shui that I read in a book... yep there’s a whole section just on how to decorate your house in Feng-Shui fashion at the public library ( you did not think I paid for a book with words I can barely pronounce did you?)...
is that you should never place the head of your bed against the wall with the toilet on the other side...
Makes for VERY BAD CH’I .

And rightfully so I say. I never get a good night’s sleep listening to the toilet run on all night and the water dripping from the faucet. Although the book also said that water features in the home helped to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere that lended itself to the Positive Flow of the Ch’i so maybe I just did not appreciate that role of the dripping water faucet...

Nope, on second thought I appreciated it...
I appreciated that hubby needs to check the darn washer and make it stop dripping!!!

By far my favorite Feng-Shui principle is ELIMINATE CLUTTER... so that means that I can get rid of the kids and hubby and the family dog? Oh, no, that means that I have to throw away the junk mail and clean out that bottom drawer in the fridge and sort thru the shoe boxes full of old photos and actually DO something with them?

Yeah, I’ll get right on that as soon as I turn my desk around, move the furniture in my bedroom to the other wall and install a water-wall in my living room for effect...
But then again getting rid of the kids, hubby and the family dog would be easier?
I know, I’ll send the kids to school, hubby to work and let the dog out with a nice bouncy ball he can chase for a few hours...

Voila’- Instant Feng-Shui- the creation of a harmonious environment without all the work.... and those Ancient Chinese thought they had all the answers... I guess this modern American Woman is capable of finding a few of her own!

Embarrassment? ... High School? ... same thing

This post was prompted by this week's writing assignment from Mama Kat's writer's workshop prompt #3 to write about an embarrassing moment as if it were happening in slow motion.

This is my first time doing this so... hope you don't mind if it sucks totally.

There.
Across the room.
Her head comes up, her curls bobbing gently as she turns toward me, tucking an errant strand behind her ear in irritation.

Slowly, she smiles. First one corner of her mouth lifts, then the other. Then her nose crinkles, her eyes sparkle with genuine... warmth and pleasure?

Her chair scrapes across the floor as she deliberately pushes away from the table, and her friends. She stands, and it's as if she has unfolded herself, turning away from the meal before her.
A hand tugs at the waist of her sweater, goes to her neck, then lifts to shoulder height before waving in my direction.

I am surprised she sees me, is waving to me, beckoning me to sit with her.
I feel the tug of what may be a smile pull at my lips, a feathering of breathlessness in my chest. I think to myself, "I am included."

A slight nudge to my back as I begin to raise my hand in response, a murmur of sound in my ear as I list slightly to the left, reaching out to steady myself against the table there.
"You saved me a seat! Thanks!" A voice, moving from my side, toward her table as I right my stance, regain my balance and turn.

She is smiling fully now, all teeth and dimples, as she embraces the voice with warmth and friendship, pulls out a chair for her and they sit, together.

Her head turns my way, as if she senses me there. "Did you want something?" she asks.
I look past her, find a point across the room, pretend there is someone there who is seeking my attention.

As I walk past her table I ignore the frown and slight confusion I see on her face. I ignore someone else at the table saying, "Did she think you were waving to HER?"

I try not to turn red, to die of embarrassment, right there in front of everyone.
And I try not to hear her say, "Why? She's not too bad, just different, that's all."
One step in front of the other, then another and another, until I am free of that table, those girls, her.

She was a friend, once, but no longer. I sit and wait, watching the seconds tick by in agony, until the lunch period is over and I can escape into the crowd of drones shuffling toward their next classes.

A deep breath, my throat hurts from the swallowed tears. I grip my books with whitened knuckles and join the parade, zombie-like, moving forward, never once looking back.

Where, oh where, have all my thoughts gone?

I have been feeling a bit under-inspired the past week.

Now, not to worry!
I am, almost certainly, sure it is a direct result of the somewhat depressing events of the past month or so...

Death, illness, the kids getting out of school... You know, the normal stuff.

In an attempt to get my creative writing juices flowing I tried using a Random Topic Generator .

It sounded like a good idea at the time... really, it did!

Until I saw some of the topics:

Reasons to not be popular - okay had no idea this was something you could actually choose!

Getting up in the morning - well, first I roll over, then I sit up, then I put my feet on the floor, then I stand up then... Voila' I'm out of bed!

Fun things to do with your lunch - Hmmm, I guess eating it isn't fun enough?

Numerical sight-singing - Ummm, what?

Anti-gravity technology- the only thing I know about this is... astronauts use it to train for outer space... and you float if you have no gravitational pull.

AS you can see by the above topics - and mind you these are the good ones- I was not so sure about the whole topic generator thingy.

But look! It actually worked. Not exactly the way the developer thought, or the way it was marketed for use, but it did generate some blogging material.

Very much like my life, I'd say.

Things, events, plans are made with specific end results in mind.
But rarely, if ever, do the end results actually resemble the original.

Adapt. Go with the flow. Don't sweat the small stuff... and it's all small stuff.

And in the words a a world renowned author :

It's all fun and games until somebody gets a paper cut!

Oh, Come on June 30th...

It's all about SHARING, baby... and I like to share!

It's Saturday Sharefest on Secret is in the Sauce so I thought I would share The SITSgirls with my readers who haven't already checked them out.

It's a cool place for bloggers to get to know, and read about, other bloggers from all over the world. A place where you can give, and get, support for your own blog and those of others.

The blogs range from comedic to political to crafts to how to live on a budget to adopting a child from another country to satirical commentary and cartoons!

A little something for everyone, and everyone wants something!

And if you don't write them, but like to read them... again a great place to find a blog about whatever it is that interests you! ( go ahead you know you want to check it out...)

So, roll up your sleeves, charge up your laptop battery and get comfortable when you visit Secret is in the Sauce... you'll be amazed at the fun you'll have and how quickly time will fly once you start checking out the awesomeness to be found there.

And on Saturday's you will also find some helpful info for bloggers of all experience and types.

So go on, leave my blog and hop over to theirs.
I don't mind a bit...
as long as you come back and see me again real soon!

My Sharefest Saturday Link today was: Welcome 2008 or How to Crochet a Rasta Scarf!

White Line Fever... That's what I'm working on right about now!

Today is a day when I'm not really here.
Well, I'm here, but I'm just not here, typing this blog post.

Actually, I am in the process of driving the 600 miles to my sister's home while en route to Louisiana. (See yesterday's post)

Because my life seems to resemble the lives these ladies lead just a little too much... I thought these could stand in for me today... they like when you leave a nice note too!

From Hip to Housewife:
http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2010/03/15/at-least-my-dog-still-loves-me/

That Girl Blogs:
http://thatgirlblogs.com/white-noise/

Peeling an Orange with a Screwdriver:
http://peelinganorangewithascrewdriver.blogspot.com/2010/03/swivel-sweepers.html

While you're enjoying the blogs above I hope you'll think of Me, travelling across the country with TeenBoy...
and send prayers our way...
for me to live thru the trip with him, or for him to survive the trip with me...

Either way it works!

FAB FRIDAY... just telling a few friends who tell a few friends who... you get the picture

I got this idea AND the matching BUTTON (isn't it neat!)
from Crystal @ Wanna Be Balanced Mom

The premise is to write a blog about another blogger who has inspired you in some way.

The very first blog I read that made me want to Do More Be More with MY blog was Jenny@The Bloggess.

She is funny, witty, satirical, cynical, has one heck of a sense of humor!
And she has actually made a bit of a career from her blogging... she's (IN)Famous!

She inspired me to write.
Not just a blog, but a story or two, and maybe even a book.
I know a whole book, right?

It's not like she TOLD me to go forth and write a book.
It's that she makes me laugh and when I laugh I get endorphins to my brain that make me feel good and when I feel good I feel like I can do anything and when I feel like I can do anything... I try!

So, Jenny TheBloggess, makes me laugh and that makes me feel like I CAN... do whatever I want.

Thanks Bloggess... and I didn't even talk about how much I enjoy your OTHER blog!

Bloggers Make the World Go Round... Really, They Do!

Doing something different today...

(and we'll pretend this is Saturday's post too shall we?)

A Blog Hop List

I have read many of the ones on the list, but as there are so very many, it may take me a while to visit them all!

But I will soldier on, visiting, reading, subscribing to RSS feeds as I travel across the world wide web, from country to country, making new friends as I go...






Oh, and Have a Wonderful Weekend...
I know I will, just as soon as I drop of TeenGirl at a birthday party, catch up on house hold chores, and tackle the BOYS ROOM ,
Oh, and get some sleep... THEN I'll have a great weekend!

Or whatever's left of it anyway.

Sunshine Award Recipient.... ME!

I was given an AWARD!

It came to me from ELLE @ A for Effort

I enjoy her posts immensely, and am thrilled that she likes mine!
Heck, I'm thrilled that anyone, even me, likes mine!

According to the rules I have to pass this LOVELY AWARD - I just love flowers don't you?- on to 12 Bloggers that I have come to know and love...

I will do the best I can, well, cuz that's all I can do!

If you have already received this award... I think it needs repeating:)

1- Nancy @ From Hip To Housewife
A really cool MOM in NYC that thinks a lot like me!

2- The Girl with the Flour in her Hair @ Peeling An Orange with a Screwdriver
Her sense of humor is a little skewed... and I like it!

3- Alissa @ Slightly More Than Dirt
A Mom with Kids taking life one catastrophe at a time!

4- Theresa @ Substitute Teacher's Saga
Life from the view point of a Teacher... enlightening and enjoyable!

5- Allycupe @ My Life As I Know It!
She's NOT afraid to share her life with the rest us... Thank Goodness!

6- Allie @ Hyperbole and a Half
Her Pictorial Views of her world and the one we all live in... WOW!

7- Mr.Lady @ Whiskey In My Sippy Cup
I like what she has to say, and I even learn things... she must be good!

8- EM @ Life,Liberty and the Pursuit
She makes me think and laugh and think again!

And That my Dear Readers is about all I can come up with...
not the full 12, but 2/3 of them...
Math DOES have it's uses in THE REAL WORLD...
Guess my teacher was right after all?

BUT WAIT!
THERE's MORE!


This was sent my way from a Full Time Mummy in MALAYSIA...
She's sweet and funny and getting the hang of this Mum-Gig @ I'm a Full Time Mummy
Check her out AND give her some love...
We Moms need a little support now and again...
without it we just might end up in jail!