Hello Again!

Well, it's been just a little bit since we have seen each other.  In fact, the time flies pretty fast now days.  Work is super busy, kids are growing quickly, school is almost half way over and Christmas is approaching.  With all that being said, is it okay if I try my hardest to NOT feel guilty that I am relaxing today?

Love,

Me

Trending Today: Famous Coffee Outlet & The Diaper Changing Incident

 So this baby walks into a bar.....

Nah, that didn't happen but I thought it might get your attention.

In Denver, CO, a very popular coffee chain, I am not going to name names, but it rhymes with Carbucks, had a little incident with a dirty diaper and a baby who was with his not-so-happy mom.

It seems that the mom was enjoying her coffee when she realized that her one-year old son needed his diaper changed.  She proceeded to take him into the restroom when she discovered that there were no changing tables offered by the establishment.

Does "Carbucks" think that it's only customers are laptop carrying, blazer wearing, non-fat, skinny Mocha Cappuccino drinkers?  What about the mothers who bribe their children with a Strawberries & Cream so they will do their chores after their homework is done?  It seems like more and more families are frequenting this coffee heaven and maybe the owners should re-think who their clientele is.

So, to continue the story, the mother of the baby decided to change her son's diaper in the seating area, right in front of tea drinking athletes, elderly paper-readers and impatient businesspersons.

Let's just say, this is not exactly great drinking entertainment and some of the employees decided to take matters into their own hands by treating the mother with her very own clean-up towel and words of disgust and laughter.

Mom was not too happy and I am sure, a little embarrassed.  She decided to give them their drink back when she poured it on the floor, causing quite a stir.

Now, I am a mom of two and I remember the days of searching for a changing table and sometimes not being successful.  What was I to do?  One time, when I was at the mall, I was in the only bathroom available and the only changing table was broken.  Luckily, I had a changing pad in my diaper bag and a blanket that I was able to lay on the floor to get our business done.  I know, not the most sanitary, but a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do!

What do you think about this story?

(Huff Post Denver was used to reference the events)         

Friends

I have been doing a lot of thinking about friends and the art of having a successful friendship.  I have found that as we grow older, friendships are harder to keep and new friends are hard to come by.  

When we were younger, our relationships were somewhat "forced" because we were stuck in the institution of school and we either got along with people or we were loners during recess, lunch, sporting events, weekends, etc.  As adults, we are in a similar situation with our jobs and our co-workers.  However, now we must all get along, whether we like it or not.  Outside the doors of work, there is a whole world that can be kept completely separate.

Some of us have friends that we have carried from childhood into adulthood and they are our sounding boards, our social buddies and our friends for life.  Many people, like my self, have gained friends and lost friends through re-locations, marriages, relationships, divorces, starting a family, etc.  Everything that life throws at us is a potential deal-breaker for a friendship.  

For many of us, as adults, we are so busy with our lives, being parents and spouses, that we simply don't have time for friends.  Of course, there are different situations and many people find a very happy balance between all of their responsibilities to everyone.


My husband and I were talking about friendships just the other night.  I explained to him that it is hard to find that "perfect" friend who will fulfill all of our friendship needs.  I told him that I have many acquaintances that I have different things in common with.  When we speak, it is always about our common interests and experiences.  Sometimes our conversations are light and friendly and other times, they can be deep and emotional.  It just depends on the common ground that you share with one another.  Are these people that I would hang out with or spend time together?  Probably not.  But that's okay.  We are both getting from each other what we need.  If the occasion arose for us to do something together, at least we have that history we can build on.

In all of our lives, there comes a time when either our kids have gone off to college, we may have switched jobs or we may have suffered a loss in our marriage, that we feel all alone and we need someone to turn to.  This is when I believe in the phrase, "Everything Happens For A Reason".  People are brought into our lives at the most unique and unexpected times and they serve a purpose.  I truly believe this.


Occasionally, I meet a really interesting person and we hit it off.  This may be my new hairstylist, the teller at the bank, the nurse at my doctor's office or my children's teacher.  When I meet them, I think about how nice it is to talk to them and since we seem to get along, I wonder if they could be a potential friend.  But as an adult, I don't know how to expand on our casual conversations without sounding like a stalker.  It reminds me of the funny comedy, "I Love You Man!".  What if the person you are trying to friend thinks you are hitting on them?  What if they reject your offers to get together?  I can think of all sorts of "what if's" that make me timid to pursue anything.  


Why can't it be as easy as jumping in the sandbox and saying, "Will you be my friend?".

Where Did Jennie Go?

It happened like a snap in my head. What happened to Jennie? Where did she go? When was she replaced by this boring, fat, depressed woman? I have known for sometime that I have been depressed. I have been allowing myself to wallow and be sad, and all the while trying to not appear so to my friends, family and co-workers.

Depression is a scary thing and can do all sorts of crazy things to your life. Unfortunately, the one thing that it can do, which is make you lose lots of weight, did just the opposite with me. Food has become a sense of entertainment for me, as well as losing myself in television shows and playing endless hours of video games. Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with doing those things, in fact, I really enjoy them. But when you prefer to stay home and alienate yourself from any relationships that you have, there is a problem.

One of my biggest issues has been my never-ending struggle with my weight over the last 3 years. The pounds continue to be put on and my will-power gets weaker. I guess I felt that if I weighed a lot, and looked less attractive, that meant I was less of a person. I know that this is wrong, but being a skinny person all my life, loving the attention that the opposite sex always gave me, made it really hard to believe that person was gone. Now, I notice that because of my weight gain, I could possibly have some health issues that come with the weight.

I have always been someone who doesn't ask for help and thinks that she knows herself better than any therapist could. And, when you lose all of your friendships and have no one to talk to any more about issues, I think it's time to seek help.

So, my vow to myself is to seek out a therapist who can help me to be a happier, healthier person, not only for myself but for my family. I know that I am not alone and that others have gotten through this, so I know that there is hope.

Thanks for listening, my blog audience!!

Facebook - A Place To Meet Friends I Never Had

I put off using Facebook for as long as I could. Since this year is my 20th high school reunion, I was contacted by several people who encouraged me to join the social networking site. Once on there, I felt like I was back in high school, hoping that I would be accepted and acknowledged. High school was a time in my life that I wanted to put behind me. I was not ready for this kind of "popularity contest".

Don't get me wrong, high school was not that bad. I was never "in a clique" like many people were. I was a loner, a person who did not hang out with a crowd of people, but who kept to herself. This is not to say that I did not have friends and that I wasn't an outgoing person. I simply was not committed to being with one group of people. I knew a lot of people and a lot of people knew me.

With Facebook, you have the option to message someone before asking if you can be their friend. The message allows you to write something personal to perhaps remind the person of who you are or if you don't know someone, it is a way to introduce yourself. I like this option. There are people who simply click the "add as friend" option with the hopes that they will be remembered and accepted. There are also people who do this to completely random people they don't know in hopes of building their "friend" network. This just simply is not for me. If I do not know you or if you do not make an effort to get to know me by sending me a message, I will not accept your friend request. I don't want to just be a part of someone's list who doesn't even care who I am or what I am about. I am simply a number to them. In this day and age, there are plenty of cyber stalkers out there that just don't need this encouragement.

Maybe I am looking at this wrong, but I simply want to use my Facebook as a way to re-connect with people who made an impact in my life. I also like to use it to stay connected with my current social network. Do you use Facebook? What do you think about it?

Baby Bump? Are You Kidding Me?

Photo by Don Arnold

A recent picture of Nicole Kidman surfaced showing her in a form-fitting dress (see above). This woman is 41-years old and had a baby 4 months ago. She looks incredible!!!! Sadly, Hollywood sees her as having a "baby bump" and asked if she was expecting. Are you kidding me?

I am opening the floor for venting. Feel free to answer any of the questions below or give us your opinion:

1. Do you think she looks pregnant?

2. How do you feel about Hollywood & the media reporting about people's weight?

3. Do you think society puts too much pressure on women to maintain their figures?

4. Do you find yourself comparing your weight to other people?

5. Do you weigh yourself often? If so, how much?

6. Are you happy with your weight?

Repost: Approval, Do We Really Need It?

Ever since we were little, we searched for approval to make ourselves feel better. We may not have been aware of how important it was or that we were even looking for it. When we heard that "Atta Girl" or "Way to Go" or even better, "Good Job!" it made us feel so wonderful. The start of this need for approval began and continues throughout our lives.

Many people brag about their accomplishments so that they can receive the praise they are searching for. Others sit back and wait and hope that someone notices. When we hear something other than praise, it can be devastating. And what about when we do something we know will not win the approval of others? This is when lying comes into play. We have all lied to hide a mistake or to keep something from someone we respect. We respect those people for their opinions, but don't want to hear about it when we are wrong. We are so funny that way.

What happens when you are living your life the way YOU want to and don't expect any one's criticism or approval, and you get it anyway? Say for instance, from your boss, parent's or in-laws. That's when you have just got to hold your tongue and change the subject!!!!!

Has there been an instance lately when you got an opinion and you didn't ask for it? Was it an opinion that you valued? Did this opinion change your mind? How did you feel after hearing it? Let's hear from you.........................

Approval, Do We Really Need It?

Ever since we were little, we searched for approval to make ourselves feel better. We may not have been aware of how important it was or that we were even looking for it. When we heard that "Atta Girl" or "Way to Go" or even better, "Good Job!" it made us feel so wonderful. The start of this need for approval began and continues throughout our lives.

Many people brag about their accomplishments so that they can receive the praise they are searching for. Others sit back and wait and hope that someone notices. When we hear something other than praise, it can be devastating. And what about when we do something we know will not win the approval of others? This is when lying comes into play. We have all lied to hide a mistake or to keep something from someone we respect. We respect those people for their opinions, but don't want to hear about it when we are wrong. We are so funny that way.

What happens when you are living your life the way YOU want to and don't expect any one's criticism or approval, and you get it anyway? Say for instance, from your boss, parent's or in-laws. That's when you have just got to hold your tongue and change the subject!!!!!