The Scariest Show I Ever Watched

Okay, I was a child, so maybe it isn't the scariest now, but I don't know, because I've never watched it again. :)

I saw this list on Yahoo News today:
13 Scariest TV Episodes of all time:

Guess what #1 is?!
#1 The Final Escape From Alfred Hitchcock Presents

We watched this. We were terrified. My mom, for the most part, was more careful about what we watched, so this was an anomaly for us. We couldn't sleep. At all. I remember my mom trying to assure us by talking about how those people were actors and after they stopped the camera, they all  just got up and said "good job, today; that looks scary" and then how they went home to eat dinner with their families. It didn't help. Well, not entirely. lol And to see it on this list, makes me feel so much better about my fear. Hey, it's okay to be afraid if everyone else was too, right?! Anyone else remember this one?

I think I was much more comfortable writing about this before I realized there was a link to the episode. You can watch it!!! SCARY!!!

Happy Halloween. DON'T watch this with your kids. Really.

Class Starts Today!

"More input!"
When Number 5 from the movie, "Short Circuit," says this line, I totally understand. I always always always want more input. Sometimes, this is a bad thing. I can get overwhelmed by how much I "don't know yet," instead of focusing on what I do know. But, in general, I love to learn as long as I'm keeping it balanced with the rest of my busy life. So, I am super excited about my new learning venture.

I am pleased to announce that I am currently enrolled in the the Health Coach Training program with The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. This means that in the next year, I get to study more in depth all the ins and outs of nutrition and heath, which I do on my own anyway. When the program is over, I will be a Certified Health Coach and have the opportunity to work with clients who are also looking for ways to gain a healthier lifestyle and a healthier view of themselves and the world.

The program incorporates multiple aspects that I believe are important for maintaining a healthy life. There have been times in my life where I have been totally connected to myself and my desires and have had little trouble doing the healthy things that make me feel great. I didn't need motivation to exercise, I just did it because I loved it. Then, there came a time where I allowed other "things" to get in the way. This will change.

Though I have maintained a relatively healthy diet with my family and myself, I love discovering new ways of looking at food and the different ways that they can power our minds and bodies. I am also really looking forward to connecting with the world in a positive and meaningful way.

In addition to benefiting myself and my family, I am really excited to be able to learn how best to help my community become happier and healthier.

So, off I go, with my backpack and lunchbox in toe. Not really. It's all online and waiting for me to get started. Here comes Polly!

Earth Laughs In Flowers...

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

That is all.

A Small Change

Sometimes all it takes is simple small change to get an entirely different perspective. For example: this morning I took the diffuser off my blow dryer and it was like a whole different appliance. Not better, not worse. Just different. Who needs to take their diffuser off with me today?? Anyone?! :)

A Word On "Man Caves"

I hate them.

Okay, that was three words.

I feel like in a world where we are fighting to keep our families together, fighting to keep interests together, fighting to keep our finances in check (recession, anyone??), "man caves" are entirely over rated. Why all the positive publicity on man caves, when there should really be some negative publicity about them. When we design our homes, we are creating a warm and inviting place for our friends and family to come and share and enjoy he company of others.

If you happen to have extra room for a ping pong table, great. But shouldn't that be a "game room" or "rec room" for the whole family to enjoy together, rather than isolated and dubbed as belonging to one gender? In our very "equal" time of society, how do people even justify saying that men are the only ones who want to play?

I vaguely remember a suggestion about "cave time" in a popular relationship guidebook, but as I recall, he was not specifically suggesting creating an actual "cave," rather he was suggesting that in "some" cases it would be a literal retreat, ie, a garage or time with friends, others it would just be a mental retreat from the stressors. He didn't imply that one should invest great sums of money and take space away from a family living environment to create an area to isolate oneself on a regular basis.

Take a few minutes to quietly connect with your thoughts, fine. Take the only precious few hours you may have with your family and isolate yourself from that interaction, not okay.

It will be much easier to connect with your family and friends if you are sharing passions, interest, hobbies, and more importantly, time.

Don't Brush Your Teeth In the Shower

Little or no rainfall in the past couple of years has severely depleted the lakes and rivers. In Andrews, our water comes from underground aquafers, not lakes and rivers, so we actually don't have water restrictions. Unfortunately, there are some who really should be cutting back more than they are. It's sad to see big pools of standing water in the streets at anytime, but in a drought, it feels worse.

Now that the water supply is a critical level, the surrounding cities have finally implemented their own water restrictions, and since the restrictions didn't really work, they are now fining people for going over their allotment. The amount of water they are allowed is plenty, it just doesn't supply a lot for watering grass. Many residents are doing a really great job, coming up with really innovative and/or resourceful uses for all of their water, which in many cases, all of us should be doing anyway.

One thing that confuses me is when people cheerily state that they are saving water by brushing their teeth in the shower. Huh?! Clearly turning the faucet on low volume for a second, then turning it off, brushing your teeth, then turning the faucet back on for a couple seconds to rinse is far more efficient than standing under the shower water at full volume to brush your teeth for two minutes, all the while letting all that water run down the drain. Yet, it hasn't been a suggestion from just one person; quite a few have thought this might be a really awesome plan. Each time I see it, I have kindly suggested they continue to brush their teeth at the sink, rather than in the shower, and have reviewed the amount of water involved in the two choices. I can only assume these people have previously been brushing their teeth in the sink with the water running the whole time. Really?!

Guess My Drawing

As if the Roomba weren't a lazy enough way to vacuum (hey, if you have one, I'm not judging, I just might borrow it for a couple days), Aidan was just playing "Guess My Drawing."  After a few unsuccessful guesses from Allie and myself, he told us it was a "Chair Vacuum."
Me: Oh, like a riding lawn mower?
A: Yeah, but you don't drive it, you just sit; you control it with your eyes. So if you move your eyes to the left, the vacuum goes left. And then you move your eyes to the right to make it go right. It's a good invention, right?!
Me: uuummm...yep, uh-huh. It's awesome.

A Fine Line

"Fat-Free Organic Milk?! Mom, there comes a time when milk stops being milk. You may have found that line." ~Alex

(imho, organic milk just tastes more like milk, not less)

Carry On

You know when you spill juice on your toes and you just know that no matter how many times you wipe it away, at 2pm you will be really annoyed by that stickiness that just won't go away? No? Well, that was today for me. Despite the sticky, the day has to move on. Children need love, neighbors need words of encouragement, that friend who just had a baby needs dinner, and the water bill has to get paid. Despite the sticky, the world goes on.
How cute is this little guy?!

One day, when it's "Cuties" season again and my toe isn't sticky, I am totally going to peel my fruit like that.

(and this post is finally the 4th and final positive messages posts that were supposed to be sent in 4 consecutive weeks to my RS sister for my service to her...how fitting)

Inner Strength

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 We all have an incredible amount of inner strength. When we put aside our doubts and fears, we have the strength to face whatever the day brings.

(This is the 3rd of 4 positive thoughts posts. I'm way behind on the weeks that it should have been posted, but...whatever.)