Why Men Die First!

This promises to be the LOOONGEST week I've had in a while... from last Saturday to next Saturday I be spending over 60 hours at work or working- then add in transport time for Jon, Church related things, cooking, cleaning, etc... you get the idea. So, to lighten the load, here is an email I received from my principal- of all people! What a great man!

Why men die first: (his title- imagine my thoughts as I read this subject line in a message from my boss!)

Still so funny! And so eerily true!!!

Have a great week!

An Important (List) Book!

So I am not feeling very well right now and am facing yet another 10 hour work day, starting with the early attendance school shift. So I should really be headed for bed. However,  I feel VERY prompted to write this first (the HG will not leave me be!)

To my Charly:

I am proud of your upcoming book for some very good reasons! First, I am proud that you spent so much time and energy on writing and developing all of the ideas for your book. There are not too many people who will stick to a project like that for so many years, especially at such a young age. Second, I am proud that you had the courage to talk to John Bytheway and then follow-up with email after email after email (even if it took me nagging a bit) until you accomplished your task! But most of all, I am proud of your book itself. Now I know that you do not consider it a real book, do not think that it is important to others in the grand scheme of things- but this time, I think you are wrong.

Your book will most likely be VERY important to at least one person- as in be a huge, important event in their life! To you, a book like this would have been a fun read, a source for some good ideas, something that would never be life-changing. But I can think of some lives that, to them, this book could influence and improve in BIG ways...

For example, I have a young woman (student) who means a lot to me this year who could really use your book today. (In fact, I will be sure and buy her a copy, even in September). She was in tears today because of her boyfriend- lots of reasons- but one reason that has come up in conversation on multiple occasions is that her boyfriend does not take her on dates (no money, you see.). To someone like you, this is not a big deal or something that could have an easy solution... you have a great imagination and you don't have this girl's background or circumstances. To this dear girl. your book and the dates it will inspire will mean A LOT!  

To the young girl or boy who reads your book and asks that other young guy or girl out as a result of being inspired or simply thinking that they can have a date without the cost most kids incur from a date- your book will mean A LOT. Think of the future: How many of these kids would have not had a date in high school if it weren't for your book? Even if that only happens to one young girl... well, your book has now become VERY important to that one young girl. So isn't that saying something? Isn't that perhaps one reason that our Father in Heaven helped you with your writing talent? Because not only are you that important to Him, but that girl is that important to Him. 

And as to wanting to write something to change the world... well, besides this book, your other two book ideas will definitely change the world for AT LEAST one person. I know it. AT LEAST one young man out there needs to know what you know they should know about dating, and AT LEAST one young woman out there needs to know some of what you have learned from dating those 100 guys. SO keep writing- every word has the potential to change the world!

I love you! And I will be having a book launch party!!! So please show up for it!

Mirror, Mirror...

I need to start by saying that pictures of me have never been among my favorite things... and it's not just been since I gained the weight either. I never remember seeing a current picture of myself and being thrilled. People will look at the same pic and tell me how good it is or how it looks just like me- and all I am thinking is, 'do I really look like that?!' (My kids will tell you that I do not have many pictures floating around out there...)

But I heard someone remark once that there is a good explanation for this: People are used to seeing themselves in the mirror. So when you see another image of yourself, you just don't look like you because it is how others see you, not how you see yourself. So as a matter of study, here at two pictures of me (and no, I do not think either is fantastic, however...)

Do you see any difference? Do you have a preference? Funnily enough, I do on both counts... and the 'winner' is the mirror image!

The Curse of St. Valentine!

Now lest you think I do not believe in love or do not think there is any in my own life, you will have to see the end of this post...

But for now: Valentine's Day has yet to be a good day of the year (for more than a week, that is) to me. Those that I had during my marriage- yeah, well mostly best forgotten.

Two years ago, a very exciting and fun day and evening- fun date, etc... fast forward a week from then, no longer on speaking terms which led to being dumped by TEXT MESSAGE! Not my definition of Valentine fun...

One year ago, I spent more than two weeks on the gift I sent, just to be dumped by EMAIL less than one week BEFORE the big day. And no, he never did return my gift...

This year, the curse has gone one better, I have now encountered at least 5, yes I said 5, con men online in just under two months! (of the ones I know to be frauds)! Maybe it's just the same guy trying out various 'techniques' to see if I would ever be that stupid/desperate/whatever-it-is... yeah, that's NOT going to happen.

So if you would like to know a few of the many 'subtle' signs of a dating con:

1. Asking for money for the lawyer, the illness, the temporary situation, the... ANY REASON from someone you have never talked to face-to-face! Um, yeah, first off, I do not have any spare type money. Second, if I did, I would give it to my kids, my family, my neighbors, to someone I actually have known for more than a month!

2. Writing techniques that have a distinctive Russian and/or Spanish type accent when you were supposedly born and raised in the good old US of A by American parents! Here's a little tip: poor grammar is VERY different than someone writing in English as their second language! Not only was I the English Sterling Scholar for my high school, not only do I have a daughter who is the most fabulous writer in the universe, but I taught English for a few years to students with disabilities (believe me, I know what poor grammar sounds like in the written word) and many of my students are Hispanic (so I know what English as a second language sounds like!)

3. Claiming to have lived in the USSR for several years growing up to cover the whole accent in your writing thing... Yes, either I am very attractive to men who have lived through this experience or it is a common lie told by the aforementioned con men!- 3 'different' men with the same cover story sounds just a tad bit suspicious, don't you agree?

4. Saying the old 'I was led to you' or some version thereabouts when all you know about me is my eye color , that I am divorced, and have children... Um, at least be smart enough to have actually looked me in the eye before you try that line! On second thought, remembering someone who actually did just that- even then, keep it to yourself- may only be a good line if we are at the altar of the temple- at least then I may believe it!

5. Signing your name as Bob on one message and as Josh on another (one in which you attached a head shot entitled 'Bob'!) Really?! I am supposed to believe that one is your first name and one is your middle name, that your family calls you one and you go by the other- but you used them BOTH yourself?! Really?! You haven't seen me, so why do you presume that I have the word 'gullible' tattooed on my forehead?!

Now for the proof that I know loves exists and that I am blessed to have it in my own life:

Happy birthday, Mom! and backwards'Monk'...

Today is my Mom's birthday... I still miss her wisdom, hugs, and smile!

But I am so blessed to have had her as MY mother!

I love the TV show, 'Monk'! I always chuckle when Adrian Monk says, 'it's a blessing.... and a curse!' So in that spirit, I have thought of some things in my life that have both a blessing and a curse- but seeing as how I like to have something positive last, I'll do it backwards!

**Single sites on the internet.

My curse: attracting all of the scam artists, unemployed, or just plain what-were-you-thinking?! type guys! Yes, I have been hit up by no less than 3 scam artists really looking for money in just the last 2 months! Maybe I should offer my great talent for finding these types to the sites themselves- for a fee! Might be a great 2nd income!!!

My blessing: being able to spot and/or catch these scam artists without being trampled emotionally or financially! I know there are so many others around who fall for every bit of these scams before even thinking there could be something wrong. At least I have been taught so much better than to believe something too good to be true and to never part with a penny to someone I didn't know very well. (Thanks Dad!)

**Employment (I must say that I do feel badly even complaining a little in this area when I know so many wish they had employment...)

My Curse: Being a public school teacher in the state of Utah means that I have made less money each year for the past 4 years now than the year before-which equals me taking on extra part time assignments just to make up some of the difference... working an extra 10-15 hours each week (on top of the 40 + involved in teaching) means less time with Jon, less time to do things I need to get done, less time period. Also, so much less energy! Talk about long weeks/days!

My blessing: Being involved with MESA has given me new opportunities to learn and to make new professional contacts. Supervising attendance school has given me a chance to help students in need. Tutoring students on home/hospital release has been a true joy. I learn a lot, they get some help, and I get to work with students who truly want to learn! (mostly...) All of this has also helped with the finances a bit. Finally, being a public school teacher has always been a blessing to me in part because I felt like my spending time at work, away from my own children, was in part helping others- it wasn't just a job for me to make money. This has been something VERY important to me as I had always dreamed of being able to be at home with my kids instead of out in the job market...Working with the students that I do has been nothing but a blessing to me!

**Home with just Jon. (my 'only child'!)

The curse: Nobody to complain to when I am upset with Jon, nobody to help me problem solve when there is a difficult decision or situation regarding Jon... and nobody to side with Jon when he is upset with me... And no one else around for either of us to do something with when the other is not at home!

The blessing: Spending all of that time alone with Jon! He and I can pretty much talk about anything now! (There were some rough weeks at first- but no more!) Jon has had to step up on the cleaning- and he has! Example, I came home tonight (after an 11 hour work day) to a spotlessly clean kitchen! No evidence of breakfast being eaten in the wee hours of the morning- and that included clearing the clean dishes out of the dishwasher and sweeping the floor! All because he was 'bored while waiting for' his ride to school... My time this year and next with my last only child is such a blessing for me!!!