Where is the Love?

The love of my life :-)

I'm amazed in 2012 that there are still people who will make racist/culturally-biased comments in public places. This was a topic of discussion in a recent college class. The part that bothers me so much is that most comments are based on fear or ignorance. If you don't really know much about a culture/race, who are you to criticize? One thing I have learned is the some things never change. Sadly, people who live with any kind of hate in their heart are missing out on others who may enrich their life in ways they never knew. People they could learn from. People they could love. People are people, regardless of the color of their skin. When everyone in the world understands that, we will be able to live together in harmony. I wonder if that will be in my lifetime...

Goals Aren't Just for Setting

There are a million reasons to set goals for yourself. For me, it provides a destination to work toward. It's easy to set a goal, but not always easy to reach it. Sometimes there may be bumps along the way, but keeping true to your goals (and modifying them if needed) and maintaining momentum to accomplish them is possible. Today, I met one of my goals (from my goals page)...and that is an AMAZING feeling. Meeting one goal motivates me to move forward to accomplish even more. Remember, goals aren't just a list of things to post on your refrigerator. They aren't just for setting. They are for ACCOMPLISHING! Make sure you are doing at least one thing (hopefully more than one) to accomplish your long-term goals...it may be work, but it will be worth it.

The ABC's of Happiness

I agree with all of these... :-) Hope they give you some good ideas for creating your own happiness.

What Happened to Sundays?

I distinctly remember many Sundays when I was a kid... everyone had the day off and families could always get together on that day. All the stores were closed...and people were okay with that. They simply did their shopping and errands on another day. Sundays were reserved for downtime. The practice of keeping businesses closed on Sundays was known here in the States as the "blue laws." Sadly, somewhere along the line, Sundays became just another day for our capitalistic country to make money. Most stores and services today (except banks, schools, and government offices) have SOME hours on Sunday. Now getting together with family is more difficult because there is always someone who works on Sunday.

Maybe our country would be a better place if we took some of the lessons of the past and put them into action today. Everyone deserves a day with their family, friends, and loved ones. Everyone deserves a day reserved for downtime. I'm all for bringing them back. I realize this may inconvenience a lot of people, but hear me out. I believe the benefits of reinstating "closed on Sundays" would be beneficial to us all. 

1. Reduced Sunday Traffic

How peaceful it would be if stores were closed on Sunday again. No one hitting the roads early for those early morning specials. There might also be less obnoxious advertising in the Sunday papers.

2. More Time to Spend With, Not Spend On

Before the repeal of the blue laws, people would attend religious services, then share a meal with family and/or friends. Without a place to go to needlessly spend their money, people might actually rekindle more productive activities and get a life towards the end of the weekend. 

3. A Break for Service People

Take it from someone who worked in the retail/restaurant for several years - anyone working a service job deserves a guaranteed day off each week. Hotels are open 24/7, but retail workers should get a break like the rest of us.

Of course, the downside to bringing back the blue laws is that the stores and roads will suddenly be flooded with even more people during the work week and on Saturdays. In my opinion, that's a small price to pay for one day of mandatory sanity every seven days. 

The Right Thing

I don't think anyone sits down to weigh their options on an important decision and thinks, "I'll just do the wrong thing." I firmly believe that most people want and choose to do what is good and right if it is in their ability. The hard part isn't in making the choice as much as figuring out WHAT the right thing actually is. It is not always clear. What makes it even more complicated is when there is no ideal solution to a problem -- just the lesser of two evils. What should you do then?

Instead of making decisions based on right and wrong, many people do what looks good to others. In fact, most politicians live out their entire political careers doing this very thing. When I log onto social networking sites, I see many people showing only certain aspects of their life -- because they care more about what their life looks like to others than how it is for themselves or their families. I have learned that looking good is not always doing good, and certainly does not always leave you feeling good.


If you have really thought out a decision in your life and feel it is the best one for you, don't feel the need to justify yourself to anyone. Your life is yours, including all the choices and consequences. If you feel strongly about something, make choices that reflect that and don't allow anyone to criticize them. Stand firm in your ability to do the right thing for yourself and your family.

Things I Believe In

Lately I've been noticing many articles telling readers what to think or stand for on a variety of topics (you gotta love an election year). I don't have any inclination to repeat that nonsense, but here are a few things that I believe. Take it for what it's worth.

• I believe that people can change and grow if they choose to. It starts with making different and sometimes scary choices to make your life better. The best way isn't always the easiest way, but the work is worth it.
• I believe that you have to let go of people in your life that do not believe in, or truly care, about you. That doesn't mean you drop everyone that thinks differently than you. Instead, make a conscious choice to surround yourself with the people in life who lift you up, not bring you down.
• I believe that people grow and mature at a wide spectrum of rates. Some children grow into responsible teens and adults early in their 20s. They make the good choices and have an early payoff in life as a result. Others make make many, many mistakes along the way. It takes longer for those people to learn their lesson. They learn the hard way, but are stronger because of it. I also believe there are people never grow up. They are trapped in the glory days of their youth or the angst of it. Sometimes they never leave their childhood home.
• I believe that you can't take it with you. Even if you could, would you want to? Life is better when you are happy with what you have. Accumulating things just makes life more complicated. Keep it simple.
• I believe that the world would be a better place if everyone on the planet reached out in kindness to another person at least once a day.  I try to do something nice for at least one person each day. It is an amazing feeling to be the reason for someone's smile. 
• I believe in trying your hardest in the things you do with your time. Time is so precious -- why waste it doing things halfway? Whether you are working, in school, volunteering, or doing anything...give your best efforts. Knowing you gave your all makes success even sweeter.
• I believe all relationships take effort to maintain. Checking their social networking status or comments is not enough. Nurture your connection with your family and friends, especially through gathering together in person or talking on the phone. This brings more joy than any text ever could. 

St. Bubba Day

Happy St. Bubba Day!!! 

Summer 2003

My daughter, Katelyn, ADORES her brother, Patrick. When he was a baby, she never left his side -- except for naptime. But the word "Patrick" was impossible for her to say then. At barely one, she couldn't even say "baby" coherently yet. What she could say resembled "bubby", which stuck as Patrick's nickname for a couple years. 

St. Bubba Day 2012 (with a special card from Katelyn)

When he turned two or so, it evolved to "bubba". His plump, little cheeks framed the cutest smile on the planet. Once he started kindergarten, he adamantly wanted to be called Patrick from then on. Patrick loves having two special days every year: his birthday and "St. Bubba Day", which we still call it. I love having unique traditions in our family. I hope we always remember the stories behind them.