Goodwill

    Goodwill is a wonderful organization. It is one that I am happy to say I donate to on a consistant basis. I'd rather donate to Goodwill then try and sell items. I get a "feel good" feeling when I do that. I feel that I'm helping others as well as clearing my clutter. What I don't understand is why people must feel that they have to write their donations off when it is tax time. Donating is supposed to make you feel good that you are helping the less fortunate, so why should you benefit from your kindness at the end of the year? Comments are strongly suggested.

Liars

    The above image says it all. I am not a liar. I hate liars. I do not understand why some people feel that they must lie. Are they that stupid that they think they will not get caught? What bothers me is not so much the lie, it is the fact that they think I am that stupid to believe it. Especially when they are confronted with evidence. I usually do not confront someone about a lie until I have researched my suspicion. I give them the benefit of the doubt. Once I have confirmed my suspicion, I confront that person. Lying in a relationship really destroys the trust that is required to continue the relationship. Once that trust is destroyed, there is no turning back, because like the picture above states, once you lie, it is going to be very difficult to ever believe that person again. Remember, you always get caught in a lie. And my favorite saying "What comes around, goes around." I am a firm believer in karma.

"Taxi!"

    Anyone that is a mom or a dad knows that this is one of the many hats we wear as parents these days. It seems that kids are always needing to be shuffled here and there almost everyday of the week. I try to limit their activities during the week because of school, but try telling teenagers that. Their life revolves around their friends at this age, and it does not matter to them what day of the week it is. A nice reminder usually works.

    I remember when I was younger if I wanted to see my friends or go to the mall, I either walked, rode my bike, or took public transportation. Ok, there is no public transportation out here in the sticks, but they DO own a bike as well as a pair of useful feet. My daughter once told me that it is "gay" to ride a bike. I guess I was "gay" when I was younger?

    I think one of the reasons children now a days are overweight is because they are sitting in front of the T.V, computer, or video games all day. When it is finally time to go out and socialize, they are being driven everywhere. In my house, I  limit the hours of computer use as well as the video games and television. They are upset when I do this and sit around whining that there is nothing to do. I offer suggestions on what to do, but I guess they are really not into scrubbing floors. They also tell me there is nothing to do outside, it is boring. After sitting around for a while, they go outside. Funny thing though, when they finally DO go outside, I do not see them for a awfully long time. I guess they found something to do.

Mother-Son Dance

    I had the wonderful pleasure of attending the Mother-Son Dance at my son’s school this past Friday. He was the best date I have had since my divorce.


    The only problem was that he refused to dance with me. He claimed it would be embarrassing to dance with me in front of all his friends from school. I was quite surprised by this remark, as I did not think these feelings of embarrassment came until they were about eight or so.

    He left me sitting alone most of the night. Frankly, I am quite used to that lately the way my social life as been. So, I just enjoyed the peace and quiet for a while listening to the music. A few moments later, my son came running up to me stating he had fallen and bumped his head on the floor. As I proceeded to check the back of his head for blood, I was not prepared for what I actually found. It was the biggest bump I have ever seen or felt on anyone’s head.

    I have never been the parent that handles injuries very well. I always left that up to my ex husband. But I got to tell you, I learned really fast. I kept an eye on him for the next 30 minutes or so, and then we left. By the time morning came, he was just fine. I am thankful to God he was fine. I do not know what I would have done if my baby was seriously injured.

Migranes

Migranes. I hate them. I loathe them. I would rather do anything else in the world than have to deal with them. I don't get your typical migranes. I'm one of the few that experiences the "visual" migranes as well as the extreme pain that regular migranes offer. Most people do not experience both. It's either one or the other. Leave it to me to experience them both. I am sure some of you are thinking "What the hell is a visual migrane?" Well, it's pretty scary. I remember many years back when I was at work on my computer when I experienced my first one. I had no idea what was happening because I have never heard of visual migranes. It is really hard to explain. First, when I would look at the computer or an object, an aura of light would completely block out whatever I was focusing on. My peripheral vision was just brightness, wavy light, and stars. It felt as though I was in the middle of a lake and the sun was reflecting off the water. That is what I usually see. Closing my eyes does not help either. I can still see it. These usually last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half. After the visual migrane subsides, the pain comes. And boy does it come. I am told there is nothing that can be taken to lessen the visual part of it, and nothing I can take to prevent them. I am just thankful I only get these about once every six months.

White Horse

I dedicate this song to someone I thought was special in my life. I guess I was wrong.

Texting-- Is it getting out of hand with teenagers?

    As a parent, I am having issues with my teenagers and their texting habits. I understand the need for communication, instant gratification, and the need to stay connected with your friends. The thing is, when I was their age, we did things a little differently. We actually called our friends on the telephone. We probably talked for hours and ran up a hefty phone bill for our parents, but it was more personal.

    My oldest is a little more into the texting than my 13 year old. Maybe because she is a girl. There have been plenty of times that she has been home and I see a text on my phone from her. You have got to be kidding! She is actually sending me a text from her bedroom----in the house----upstairs---to me downstairs! It could be a text asking when dinner is ready, or one saying she needs something. It really does not matter what the subject of her text is, the point is that she is in the same house as I am! We do not live in a big house. It is 2600 square feet. Not big enough to justify texting in the house to one another.

    Another thing that is annoying is the contant "dinging" when a text is received. She sends and receives about 3500 text messages a month. That may seem like a lot, but she has told me many of her friends send and receive a lot more than that. She also told me sometimes they have contests to see who can send or receive the most in a month.

    I guess what I am saying, is that I miss talking to my kids-----oops, gotta go, just got a text from my daughter. I have to go pick her up! Happy Texting!! :) TTYL--LOL--

Relationships for Dummies

I have put together my own perception of what I think makes or breaks a relationship.

    What makes a relationship work is something not a lot of us are aware of. A lot of us are so caught up in our own little world with our own problems, when we are in a relationship; we tend to “forget” about the other person. We forget about their needs and wants. That other person may be dealing with their own issues as well, and may need you the most at this time and vice versa. We must remember that we need to be there for each other even during those tough times. That is what makes a relationship stronger.

    We also have to learn all we can about each other. It can be anything from your favorite color, to your hopes and dreams for the future. Ask him/her what he/she likes on his/her pizza, what he/she does for a living, and where he/she is ticklish. If you are dating someone, wouldn’t you want to know all you can about that person? If you do not ask these things, the other person will think you really are not that interested, and frankly, you probably are not.

    In the beginning of a relationship, you want to find out as much as you can about that other person so you can evaluate your potential with this person. If you are not compatible, then it will not work. In order to find out if you are compatible, you need to ask these and other questions to find out what kind of person they are. You also need to spend a good amount of time with this person as well. How can you get to know someone if you only see them a few times a month? Not possible.

    Sex plays a very important part as well. It is probably one of the most important parts. I know there is a lot more to a relationship than just sex, but it is the “bee’s knee’s” or the “icing on the cake” so to speak. I am not one to jump into sex early on in the relationship. I want to see if I am compatible with the person first. I do not know the time line for something like this, as every one is different. I DO know that normally it does not take more than a month or two. After two months, if you are not taking the relationship to the next level, sex, either he or she is not interested, or there may be some other underlying issue present. Maybe they are embarrassed with themselves for some reason, or they just cannot “perform” sexually. Now, this is where communication comes in. This is another important part of a relationship. If there is no communication---- THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP. Final. End it now before either one of you "invested" too much time into it. There is nothing worse than investing your time, your feelings, as well as your heart into a relationship only to find out they were not really interested in you to begin with. What a waste of time.

Happy Valentine's Day!

    I would like to wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day! May you all be with the one you love today! I know I will be! XOXO.

A sense of Humor

    A sense of humor. I think we all have one. For some of us, it is buried deep within. There are many reasons our sense of humor could be buried, but I believe that personal trauma is one of the major reasons one buries their sense of humor.


    If a person has been hurt and experiences many difficulties, it is hard for that person to have a sense of humor. I think that in these times of difficulty, whether in your personal life or life in general, it is very important to have a sense of humor. Many of us are going through very hard times. Whether you are going through a break up, lost a loved one, or life is just shitting on you, you have to keep your head high and laugh.

    Life is just too short to be angry at someone, something, or a situation. Laugh it off and move on.

That is what I am doing.

"Driving Permit"

The time has come. The time I have been dreading for a long time. I knew this day would come eventually. DRIVERS EDUCATION. Anyone that has a teenager can relate to my feelings. She passed the test, just barely. Her idea of studying for this was the night before, even though she had the book before Christmas. For drivers education, part of the procedure is for ME to take her driving for a total of 50 hours. My question is, what am I paying $150 for? I should be paying ME $150 to take her out for 50 hours of instruction/practice. By the way, that is me and my daughter in the picture above. I am the one screaming. So, I agreed to let her drive to the store. It is not a long way so I figured this would be a good idea since it is the first time I am letting her drive.

I had the car parked in the driveway. We took our "seats" and she adjusted hers. She proceeded to back out of the driveway without turning her head to look behind her. She claims that she was using the mirrors to do this. I explained the proper procedure to do this and she argued with me. I also reminded her to adjust her mirrors so she will be able to see out of them. She had some issues using the turn signals, which I explained to her that using the signals is very important and using them eventually become a habit. An important habit. I HATE when people do not use their turn signals. Just a little "Pet Peeve" of mine.

She also had some issues with judging how far she was from the curb. I explained that with practice, she will do just fine. I think she was very nervous, being the first time behind the wheel. She also needs to remember to keep both hands on the wheel at all times.

I have to log all the driving activity on a log that is supplied by the state. Wish me luck! If you see a silver Kia Rio on the road, watch out. It may be my daugher! Yes, I DID SAY KIA RIO. LOL LOL LOL

Earthquake!!!

Earthquake rattles northern IllinoisFebruary 10, 2010 8:12 a.m. EST


STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Magnitude 4.3 quake jolts parts of northern Illinois, USGS reports

Quake occurred nearly 50 miles west-northwest of Chicago

USGS says epicenter was 3 miles underground

(CNN) -- An early morning earthquake rattled northern Illinois on Wednesday, shaking an area about 50 miles west-northwest of downtown Chicago, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The magnitude 4.3 quake hit just before 4 a.m. CT (5 a.m. ET), with an epicenter about 3 miles underground. The USGS pinpointed the quake between the towns of Virgil and Sycamore.

Several callers to CNN said the quake shook their homes severely, but there were no immediate reports of major damage.

Doug Dupont of Belvidere, Illinois, about 70 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, said the quake shook him out of bed and caused a 1-foot-long crack in the wall of his kitchen.

"It was really scary. It felt like a train was going by our house," Dupont said. "This is not California. This is northern Illinois. We are not supposed to get earthquakes."

Rocked my ass out of the bed!

Know-It-All People

  To the "chicken head" that inspired me to write this posting.
                         The resemblence in UNCANNY!
   
    We all know these types of people. For some reason or another, they think that they are smarter than us, and better than us. They think they are more “educated” than us. They can be our friends or our enemies. Most of the time they are our enemies, people we do not know, and especially people we do not want to know, and most of the time they are less educated than ourselves.

    I value other people’s opinion, do not get me wrong. That is how we learn from one another. I listen to comments, advice, and criticism with an open mind. I do not take it personally at all. If someone gives me unsolicited advice in a cruel way, that is just not acceptable. I am just glad that I am the bigger person and can take it with a grain of salt.

    I think that when people criticize and judge others, it is because they have very low self esteem and are very jealous of the one they are criticizing. It is a very childish and immature way to act.

    You know what they say, “opinions are like assholes, and every one has one.” In this specific case, “assholes have opinions.” LOL.

The Apple Tree

Family. What a nice and wonderful word. It makes me feel secure, happy, and warm. When it comes to my family, I could not ask for better members. Whether it is my immediate family, or extended family members, I consider myself pretty lucky. I wonder if we all feel that way about our families. I bet a lot of us do not. That is sad to know.

When I first dated my ex husband, I met his family. I instantly loved them. Not too common. My mother in law is a caring, generous and wonderful woman. We still remain very close. Now that I am back in the dating world, I have to meet more "families" that are not my own. It is nerve wracking. Not only do I have to meet their parents, but their children as well. Kids are hard to please. Especially if you are dating their "dad." What about other members of their family? Brothers, sisters, aunts, or uncles? It is very important to meet all of them. Why? Because when you are dating, chances are that man or woman is not fully being themselves. They put on an "act" to impress you in the beginning and that "act" may go on for quite a while. The best thing to do is meet their family. Their family is not going to put on any type of "act." They are going to be themselves. They will show their true colors, and chances are that their true colors will be quite similar to the true colors your significant other is not revealing to you. Like they say, "The apple does not fall far from the tree."

Update on tax refund story

****************UPDATE TO THE H & R BLOCK INCIDENT*************

Funny thing happened just now. I signed up for text alert so I can be notified when my refund has been directly deposited into my account. I called this morning to try again to get some of my fees refunded back to me. Of couse, I had to leave a message with the woman I talked to last time. About a half an hour after I left the message stating that I was not officially charges for their services, I received a text message stating my refund has been deposited into my account. What timing. Sounds fishy to me.

Tax Time—A costly mistake for me

    Preparing your tax return is not an easy thing to do. At least that is what I thought. I received my W-2 form in the mail and all the other necessary paperwork needed to prepare my return. I made an appointment with H & R Block. I have been going there for about three years now. I have always been satisfied with them until this year.

    I arrived at my scheduled appointment time and was seated with a woman. I handed her my paperwork and she began to prepare my taxes on a program on her computer. This program she was using looked like a simple program, something any idiot could do. I was a bit skeptical when she had to ask other preparers questions regarding the program. I did not feel too confident in her abilities, so I watched very carefully. I though to myself, “I could do this.” I let her continue and then she proceeded to tell me what my Federal refund was as well as my State refund. I was pleasantly surprised! Especially the State refund. More than I thought. That was good news!

    Then the bad news. This will cost me $400.00. I thought I heard her incorrectly---------- $400.00! This company will get my $400.00 because this woman filled in a few blank squares in a program! All she did was take information from my paperwork and the system basically calculated it! At that moment, I probably should have told her that I did not want them to prepare my taxes and walked out with my paperwork. But I did not. I am still asking myself why I did not leave.

    She then asked me how I would like to pay for the services as well as how I would like to receive my refund. I had a couple of options, and I chose the cheapest option. It would be deposited directly in my account. Since I could not pay the fees at that time, I agreed to have the fees taken out of my refund. In order to do this, it would cost me an additional $29.00. Wow, this company sure knows how to take your money. I agreed to that as well. I guess I was in a pretty agreeable mood.

    As I was watching television one night, I saw a commercial for H & R Block at Home. Curious, I went to their website. I was amazed at what I found. On their home page, were three choices to do your taxes yourself USING THEIR SOFTWARE at a fraction of the cost I paid. There were different levels of cost depending on how complicated your tax return would be. The most expensive one, the one I would have used, only cost $59.00. I felt like I was just stabbed in the back. When you get your returns done at H & R Block, they ask you sign a form stating that H & R Block informed you and explained to you all the services they offer. Hmmmm, I did not remember her telling me about this. Why would they tell customers this? They would lose a lot of money in fees if it were not for the dumb asses like me. So, I called corporate to complain. They told me that since I already paid for the services, I would not be getting any adjustments. I did not pay for it yet. The IRS is still processing my refund. So I called corporate back. Now I am waiting on another return call. I am guessing I will not get a return call until AFTER I receive my refund. How convenient.
    I have officially learned from yet another mistake…………..

SOLD ??

    I was just told the other day by my Realtor that I have an offer on my home. It has been for sale for about a year now. Most people would be happy to have an offer on their home, I particularly am not. Why? There are two reasons why. First, the offer is no where near what I owe currently on the home. I am sure that I am not the only one dealing with this. The housing market has been horrible for a long time and the outlook is not so great either. Back in the day when I was a Realtor, things were so different. I am glad that I am not a Realtor now. I was not really good at lying to get a sale, so I did not enjoy it at all. I feel that all Realtors are basically dishonest sales people trying to make money. If you can bull shit, then you will sell real estate. What really makes me laugh are the students that are taking the classes to prepare for the exam are all excited that so many agencies want them to work for them. Talk about naïve. Of course they all want you to work for them, because hopefully you will make them money if you sell. These types are the ones that will not do well at all. LOL. That always cracked me up.

    Second, I have only been living there for about three years, but I have become a bit attached to the house. It is a very large home, about 2600 square feet. A lot for me to clean and maintain. I am not looking forward to moving heavy furniture and packing. I am not moving far at all, so I am thankful that the kids will still be able to stay in the same school and be close to the friends that they have made. So, out with the old, and in with the new.

    I was asked if I was going to move into the city, to be closer to someone close to me. I would, but the Chicago schools are horrible compared to the schools out here in Joliet/Plainfield. I am sorry, Superman, I would love to move closer to you, but when you retire in a few years, you can move closer to me. There are plenty of farm houses here with wrap around porches for you. And when you do, we can get that porch swing you love so much!

“Old Fashioned”

 
     What is old fashioned? When I think of old fashioned, I think of many different things. I think of the drink that many old folks drink. The way someone does something may be considered old fashioned. The way some people incorporate things in their lives can constitute being old fashioned. How about dating? Is there room for old fashioned in today’s dating world? The answer to that can be either yes or no.

    Let’s take a look at this from a gender point of view.

    Females are usually the ones that are old fashioned. Some of us were brought up to believe that you date a man, he picks you up from your home, brings you flowers, walks you to the car and opens the car door for you, helps you with your coat and chair, takes you out to a very nice place to eat, helps you with your coat and chair, maybe to see a movie, and then when the night is over, he kisses you on the cheek and leaves you at the door. Then the woman will wait for the man to call for the second date. This can go on for a while, then they fall in love, get married, and then the sex will begin.

    Now, it is a totally different story for the men. He picks you up for a date. There are no flowers. That is just not a manly thing to do. Plus, he does not want to look desperate. He is in the car before you even reach it. Sure, you go out to eat, go to a movie and even have some popcorn. After the movie, he will want to take you out for a few drinks. He thinks if he gets a few drinks in you, that maybe you will put out. The night is going good, more drinks are consumed and he thinks he is getting some. Well, it is time to go home. He is pissed because he did not get any tonight after spending all his money. He says he will call you but you know damn well he is not going to call.

    So, you tell me. Who is more “Old Fashioned?” The men or the women? I am sure there are old fashioned men out there. In fact, I know there are.

    Question is…….do we really want an old fashioned man or do we want the bad boy? Or maybe a little of both.