#it’s just about magic the gathering cards or sports jerseys

[javaberrychip1998]

I genuinely don’t think “girl math” has anything to do with misogyny and honestly it’s been bothering me all day after seeing a post about it because I think people are interpreting it incorrectly.

It’s not “girl math” as opposed to “boy math”.

It’s “girl math” as opposed to “grown woman math”

It’s in the same realm as “I’m just a girl”.

It not about gender it’s about youthful whimsy.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #405

“today i went to therapy, told him the embarrassing issues that i’m having with my life  /  he told me that i need to change; life is not a video game, so stop playing & open up your eyes”

What was your favourite sweet as a child? Things like Baby Bottle Pops, Ring Pops, Airheads, etc. Do you like to wear socks to bed? NOOOOOOO. I don't wear socks unless I have to. What’s your favourite berry? Strawberries. If you have a job, how long is your shift? I don't. Do you like sunflowers? Well yeah. Are you counting down for anything? No. Are you watching TV? What’s on? No. Do you have make-up on? No. I haven't worn makeup since last October. Are you any good with kids? People have told me I am, but I beg to differ. What if you had a baby with the last person you kissed? We're both cisgender women, we physically couldn't. Do you think you’ll be married in 5 years time? It'd be nice honestly, but I kinda doubt I will be. What is your favorite card game? Magic: The Gathering. What is the weirdest thing you’ve done in public? Ha, probably the times I've gotten down on the ground beside the road to photograph roadkill... More than once has someone stopped and asked if I was okay, haha. Favorite sleeping position? Twisted half on my side and stomach with my legs just sorta splayed out. What is your dad’s name? Ken. Have you ever been on a diet? Multiple times. Do you own any jersey shirts? No. Are you proud to be of the nationality you are? There are two moods I have on this: I'm either neutral or embarrassed. Can you remember what you last clapped for? Omg the woman who facilitates my TMS treatment was telling Mom and me about this one time a tiny snake got in the lobby and I did a lil squeal and clapped a bit because I was just excited to hear about a little snake, haha. What is the geekiest part of your music collection? *shrug* Maybe game soundtrack music. What do you eat when you raid the fridge late at night? Well, not really the fridge, but w/e. I'll usually get a granola bar or something of the sort. What is the little physical habit that gives away you're insecure moment? Kneading/wringing my hands together is a dead giveaway. Do you have too many love interests? No. How much money would it take to get you to give up the Internet for one year? If you want honesty... probably no amount would lmao. I rely way too heavily on the Internet for so many things. Do you talk a lot? It depends on my mood and who I'm around. Do transient, homeless, or starving people sometimes annoy you? What a fucking awful question. They don't annoy me. It can be awkward driving past them, but they're in no way annoying. Do you consider yourself to be a nice person? I definitely try to be. What is your ideal marriage location? Either a gothic-looking mansion or something of the sort or a wooded area in the fall. Do you tell your friends about your sex life? I don't have one to talk about. Would you ever admit to having done plastic surgery of any kind if confronted? Yeah? No shame. What kind of watch(es) do you wear? I don't wear watches. What do you cook the best? My family likes my scrambled cheesy eggs... basic as that is, haha. When my sisters would go to Taco Bell all the time and save the hot sauces for later use, I would use some packets in the eggs I cooked. Honestly amazing. What's one car you will never buy? "Anything that is two door, or low to the ground." <<<< This right here. On the other end of the spectrum, I also won't ever buy a car that's high up. I need a good medium so I can actually get in with ease. What's one thing you're a sore loser at? Hm, I dunno. What kind of first impression do you think you give to people? "Wow, she's awkward." What's one thing you like to do alone? Draw. When's the last time you cried? Not long ago at all because I was just so exasperated over my weight gain. Do you think you're cute? God no. Do you have problems changing clothes in front of friends? I don't change in front of anyone if I can avoid it. Did you like kissing the last person you kissed or the one before that more? The last person. I gotta say I was not a fan of kissing Girt because for whatever reason his lips were ALWAYS wetter than lips naturally should be and I just didn't dig it, man. That and every kiss with him was awkward. Whose bed other than yours did you last lay on? My mom's. What turns you off immediately? Acting sexist, to name one. Which city do you particularly enjoy visiting and for what reasons? I don't like going into cities. Do you often take pictures with the camera on your phone? No. I don't like the camera on my phone. In the past year, have you lost weight or gained weight? How much? Gained. You don't need to know. What year was the last car you rode in/drove? I have zero clue. What’s your worst/funniest experience with one of your neighbors? "Worst" and "funniest" are very different... but I can tell you the worst easily. At my childhood home, our next-door neighbors had a pair of Rottweilers in their back yard within a chain-link fence, and we had a LOT of outdoor cats at the time. (I will emphasize every time I bring it up to NOT keep cats outside.) Somehow the dogs got loose and went on a rampage trying to kill our cats; one young one was killed, while our fearless mother cat, Chance, literally fought them off to defend her new kittens. More were maybe killed, I honestly can't remember. My mom was hysterical and threatened to call animal control if it ever happened again. I was absolutely, utterly heartbroken. The last time you burned your tongue or mouth, what were you eating? Ummm I want to say it was some sort of pasta that I didn't let cool long enough. Honestly, are you shallow? Far from it, honestly. Can/could your parents tell when you were lying? Not always. Besides clothes, shoes, and accessories, what’s your favorite thing to shop for? I love window-shopping at Morph Market, haha. AAAAAAAAAALL those ball python morphs, man... *drools* Does/did your parents ever go through your computer or cell phone? When I was younger, Mom was very intent on figuring out why I was always so secretive about what I did on the computer (mostly RP-related things) that ohhhh yeah, she'd do some digging. The night she finally snapped, demanding I tell her my passwords to everything, and she ultimately found out about me being a forum RPer, was literally almost traumatic to me, I think. I know, that sounds INCREDIBLY overdramatic, but I'm not fucking joking. I was in my room SOBBING on my best friend's shoulder, who was spending the night. I was just so embarrassed, and I *still* am when I share that fact with people I know, even though I have no reason to be. Like I don't do any weird or kinky RP shit, it's just genuine, artistic writing with actual, well thought-out plots, but I still feel like people would think it dumb, childish, and just weird. What song reminds you the most of a particular day in your life? Why is that? "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. I've talked about it a few times before and really don't feel like doing it again. Do you have any close friends that were adopted? I don't think so. Who, in your opinion, is the best thriller writer? I don't know. Does your mom eat meat? Yeah. Was your dad ever on a sports team? Lots in high school, I believe. Do you prefer thick or thin crusted pizza? Thick, by a long shot. What do you have in your fruit salads? Not a fan of fruit salads. Have you ever spent more than two weeks in a wheelchair? I've only needed a wheelchair once in my life, and that was just to get inside and maneuver around the doctor's office when I tore a ligament in my foot. So no. What are your favorite word? Serendipity, tranquility, lucid, etc.; pretty, peaceful words like those. Is there a lot of drama in your life? Nope. I don't do enough or have enough people in my life for there to be. What are you listening to? An extended version of "Nightsong" from WoW. Do you hear any animals right now? No. I'm sure I'd hear birds if I didn't have my earplugs in, though. Have you ever played fetch with a dog? Yes. Have you ever pet a stingray? No. Who is the last baby you held? Emerson, my youngest niece. Do you have any scars from an animal? Yeah; I've got looooots from my cat playing too rough. Have you ever seen an Igloo? I don't believe so. Do you like Korn? They're high on my list of faves. Are you more afraid of tornadoes or hurricanes? Absolutely tornadoes. Do you like mushrooms? Ugh, NO. Have you ever been on Omegle? No. So do you have a favorite M&M? Just the regular ones. Have you ever snuck out? No. Do you currently feel like you have pretty stable career goals/a pretty stable life plan? Have you ever felt this way? I don't know, man. I know what I WANT to do, I just don't know if I'm ever going to get there. Or if what I want will be financially supportive enough, now that I'm really losing interest in photographing people. I might just have to if I want to be financially stable with photography, which would be okay, but bleh. I'd much rather just work with nature. If you could buy an android that was was convincingly human and could be tailored to be your perfect partner, would you want one? No. I don't want to build my own partner, nor do I want my romantic partner to be an android. I want life to just introduce me to a person who is uniquely themselves, who have built themselves from their own life experiences, and not just have a perfect spouse tailored to everything I like. If you do not identify as being “straight,” can you remember back to your childhood some things you did that were, in hindsight, possible indicators of your future sexuality? Yes, especially in middle school. I thought women were prettier than probably a straight kid would, and looking back, I definitely found the natural curves of the female figure to be attractive. When you consume media (movies, books, etc.) with a romantic element, what sort of romance scenarios interest you most? Hm. I know I prefer serious ones over silly; like I'm a sucker for Nicholas Sparks' style, if that says anything. If you are female, do you feel connected to other women as a class? What sort of things make you feel a strong sense of sisterhood or female empowerment? This is too big of a question for me to feel like delving into right now, haha. But I can say it more so depends on the individual than the gender when it comes to feeling connection over anything.

[cabildoquarterly]

New Prose: Annaliese Jakimides

Images by Annaliese Jakimides

Gratitude Bank

I have been accused of being a Pollyanna. But please don’t dismiss me so lightly here. I see the devastation. My heart is crackling, splintering, over those not just dying or sick, but all the others who are suffering. It’s one thing to be pretty much locked at home in a place with space—multiple bedrooms and a sit-down kitchen. But five or six or seven kids, extended family even, closed up in a one- or two-bedroom apartment with a galley in which you need only pivot turn from sink to stove? The homeless. The jobless. The hungry. I am even anguishing for the drug addicts who cannot go without their fix (my brother was one for almost 50 years, so, trust me, I know). But even in the toughest of times, we can find joy, often in the most unlikely places, if we remain open to the possibility.

In my life, I have lived with only macaroni and butter and pepper, lost my home, worried about housing and work, lost a son to his own hand and many others to health and age, situations of their own making and not. I am, however, made to see—or at least look for—the light in everything. And so today when I went for an early-morning walk in the city I now call home, I headed up deserted Main Street where all our small (almost everything is small in Bangor, Maine) storefronts and restaurants are shuttered, except for the card table outside the bookstore for picking up orders and the few adjusted-to-a-version-of-takeout eateries. I crossed West Broadway, a holdover street of big houses from the sea-captain days, to see the new (and extraordinary) chain-saw sculpture carved from a damaged tree in front of Stephen and Tabitha King’s house. As I approached the corner, peaceful space turned into raucous street construction. Backhoes and diggers, foremen, laborers, and flaggers. The sound of pseudo-normalcy in almost spring—we had snowflakes last night. And then I heard “Hey” shouted over the machinery din and turned to see a smiling woman, wielding the stop/slow flag with one hand and waving her other cigarette-holding one at me.

The last time I had seen her, she was stoned-oblivious, tipping over, hanging outside Dunkin Donuts downtown, but not oblivious enough to not recognize me as someone she vaguely remembered, and so we passed a few words. This is not the first time a shout-out recognition has happened on the outside with someone I met when he or she was an inmate at the local jail and I would explore life with them through the lens of children’s books. I know, it sounds impossible and crazy, but ask any of them, it’s a door opening into a deep interior of our shared lives.

Here she is—Marie, I think, although I’m not good with names—waving and shouting, telling me she’s doing okay. Amongst all this heartache and disruption, she’s working, working for the state, a good job with benefits. “You look great. I’m so happy to see you,” I call back. She nods, smiles through a waft of smoke. I am so happy, so happy that I fairly skip the few remaining blocks to my apartment.

I am adding this exchange, the vision of Marie at work, to my gratitude memory bank of these times, to live beside, among others, my grands, who live in New Jersey with a Covid-19 death toll that has long ago surpassed its Vietnam numbers; my grands, who know someone who died from it; my grands, whose parents are still working; my grands, who, in the midst of it all, are experiencing being children, I would say, for the first time. No daycare. No school. No out-to-eat with the whole extended family. No gatherings for birthdays, holidays, babies, weddings. No sports practices. No wrestling meets or soccer games. No adults organizing the where/when/who/what of everything.

And so, they are now, this just-turned-eleven-year-old boy and his eight-year-old sister, best friends. They must be. There are no others readily available. Some squabbles, but not so much. They have figured out compromise and concessions in ways they couldn’t seem to comprehend before.

“Ama,” my granddaughter says when she calls, “want to see our art?” Some is explosive movement, geometrical shapes, blazing colors; others, Georgia O-Keeffe’y; and still others, penciled cartoon characters. It’s noontime; she explains they are done with the schooling that their amazing mother manages to navigate while setting up a website to sell goods online, potting plants, responding to customers and vendors.

“Done?” I’m incredulous “When did you start?”

“We start at 6:30 so we can have the rest of the day to play.” Play. I love that word. Their dad knew play—out in the fields, the woods, where you go dream up your worlds and interests somewhere inside or outside on the 40 acres of a northern Maine homestead. In their busy, managed lives, these children have not known “play,” the kind that takes a fair amount of unencumbered, idle time, lazily expanding imagination. And so, these days, they are tenting inside magical worlds; painting; dancing and choreographing; building games from discarded Zappo boxes and plastic kitchenware.

Today, my grandson tells me his album (well, maybe I said “album”; he probably had another word) is going to “drop” soon. Recently, he downloaded an app and has been playing around with lyrics, his and others’, making changes, finding connections. Every day, I watch the short video of him singing on my phone and am reminded that there is still much we can find to be grateful for. The phone. The din of machines on the corner. A hand waving. Sneakers on my feet. Voices of people—known and unknown. Breath.

***

Annaliese Jakimides’s poetry and prose have been broadcast on local and national public radio, and published in many journals, magazines and anthologies. Nominated for the Pushcart Prize, she has been a finalist for the Stephen Dunn Poetry Prize and the Maine Literary Awards, in both poetry and nonfiction, among others. She has written about many of Maine’s creatives, including Lois Dodd, Noel Paul Stookey, Melissa Sweet, Ashley Bryan, Clara Neptune Keezer, Alex Katz, Cathie Pelletier, Daniel Minter, and Harold Garde. Her work is rooted in place—inner city and raw, open rural—and people. She now lives in downtown Bangor, Maine.

[mandimormon-blog]

Door-No-More

Once upon a time in a village named Covington.  A vibrant, young housewife polished her floors to reduce pathogens transmitted by bodily fluids (primarily vomit).  She scrubbed and scrubbed the tiles with a brush assuring each square was meticulously cleansed and free of germs.  She mopped the entire home, freshly.  Just then, the smaller, younger, less feisty girl on this given day, entered the bathroom, and in a blink of an eye explosive diarrhea splattered across the bathroom, covering the girl’s clothing, the bathtub rug and virtually every square of tile in the entire room. 

We’ll call this story Monday. (In case you were wondering, I repeated the process of sanitation.  Names of persons have been protected.  If you don’t have children and you find this story gross or inappropriate, good luck in your future.) Since the morning routine had been unusual, getting just two kids ready for school, while trying to separate them from the illness occurring in the same little cottage, when my son arrived home after school, and had been hanging out for over an hour, Remi realized he'd worn his pants backwards, all day long, and the zipper was unzipped in the back, displaying the perfect view of his Big Hero 6 undies.  Wow.

On Tuesday morning, my oldest daughter said to me, “Mom, I want to make a unicorn for my Valentine’s Day box.”  Admittingly, I was up for the challenge but a part of me thought back to simpler times, when I was an elementary-aged child and Pinterest didn’t exist.   We didn’t get samples of the best of the best Valentine boxes ever made in the history of crafting.  

Here came the moment I’d been waiting to happen for months.  Which ‘recycled’ or ‘repurposed’ boxes from my storage closet would be utilized and which ones would be truly “recycled”?  If you missed it, several weeks ago, I wall-posted a friend of mine who happens to be the blogger behind “Save Time, Make Time”.   My predicament was – I long to be a minimalist.  I dislike clutter and too much “stuff”. But I’m not a true minimalist, because I will occasionally buy paper products for convenience and drink out of a plastic water bottle.  I have my shortcomings, as we discovered in ‘Purgeney 2017’.  Regardless, Lamora wrote a spot-on-topic blog focusing on how to organize these items that seem to get tossed into my utility closet into an unruly heap.  Things like plastic bags, used gift bags, grocery sacks (ALDI shoppers unite!), and cardboard boxes.  

After her inspiration, I organized this closet.   I even put a couple of nails into a board 1) to hang my grocery sacks on and 2) to manage clothes to be donated < #organized  - I give a half laugh at that because of the current status of my closet upstairs, it’s better.  After recycling two ginormous bags full of paperwork, but FAR from perfect.  Another side bar, I hate staples.  I broke two nails in the process from ripping staples out of schoolwork.  After I was finished with hours of sorting, organizing, and recycling, there were probably 57 (no joke) staples I had to clean up.  

Did you know you could create a unicorn out of two empty cereal boxes, an empty oatmeal box, and a square kettle box?  You can. Magical crafting supplies include duct tape, a white roll of paper, a variety of colorful crepe paper, and a Sharpie.

I’d done extensive Pinterest research on choice Valentine’s Day boxes.  I had even found a few unicorns but Reis wasn’t impressed she wanted a very specific head-shape, like the unicorn emoji.  So, on her handy, dandy Chromebook (I wonder if modern-day Steve from Blue’s Clues would have a Chromebook?), she pulled up Google Images and showed me.  Maybe I’m not remembering accurately, because it was a few days ago now, but I think at that point there was the sound of dramatic scissor chopping, duct tape tearing, and my eyebrow lifted slightly higher on one side, as I glanced back and forth at my cardboard and at the screen of the “perfect unicorn representation”.

As did my thing, Reis did hers.  She chopped three strips of crepe paper, out of each piece of approximately 18 inches, in each of her desired colors.  She was very particular over this.  She also chopped hearts out of the glitter duct tape, printed her name, and cut small pieces of “frayed” white crepe to add texture on a couple of the sides of the box.  Very clever.

It only took a couple of hours, start-to-finish, and a Dollar General Run for tape, glitter duct tape, and more crepe paper, and it was done.  Voila!  Presto!  

The crown of the unicorn head, (I’m guessing it’s the crown - like a human head), there’s a flap we taped, and double taped, and triple taped  - in every direction – maybe 22 times – to allow entry for Valentines!  

Too much detail?  I apologize.   Let me briefly explain Remi’s Valentine Box (which is actually a bucket).  Sure, this isn’t in chronological order, Remi went with me to the Dollar Store a couple of days before unicorn crafting, to select her supplies.  She, too, had found a great example of a cupcake on Pinterest. She loved it!  The thing is, this pinner somehow had access to a rounded piece of foam and was able to shove all of her pieces of tissue paper into that to secure it.  We had no such luck with a rounded piece of foam.  But while shopping Remi came up with the idea we could probably use a bowl. Best suggestion ever.  We found a cheap plastic bowl, a plastic bucket, tissue paper (ripped into strips), a red bouncy ball, cardstock for the cupcake liner, and about 24 glue sticks to secure the tissue paper to the plastic bowl. Thanks to my husband’s handy work, he cut the perfect circle in the bowl for the “cherry” or the red ball to fit on top. Kids insert their cards and candy through that, and it falls into the “cupcake”.  

This project, too, was a little bit time consuming.  I had a meeting on Monday night so after getting about ¼ of the way through it with Miss Remi, I had a short recess but came right back to hot gluing the night away, when I returned.  Remi helped by gathering a couple of strips of tissue paper in the color she wanted (she wanted a pattern, friends), and folding those, using a small elastic to tie around each piece and fluffing it.  Then I’d place glue and she’d carefully stick it down to the bowl.  She was happy to be able to take it to school the next morning.  

A piano lesson, a basketball practice, a choral performance of the Star-spangled Banner, a basketball game, a trip to the Temple, an afternoon enjoying PERFECT weather, and The Lego Batman Movie.

This was just the latter-half of the week.  A few time slots in our schedule were double-booked.  For example, baseball camp.  Oh, baseball camp.  

I will never be prepared when unexpected tantrums arise.  I have two examples from this weekend.  

This first concerning baseball camp – we arrived on Saturday morning a few minutes later than our goal. There was much scurrying around the house, beforehand, it didn’t help I, personally, was running behind after running. So much so that I didn’t shower… yeah, that happens, a lot.  I sometimes have to blow the sweat dry in my hair, because that’s the only option I have. Saturday mornings seem to be notorious for my children turning off their listening ears.  I only said, “Please get your shoes on.”  or “Get your shoes on.”  or “GET YOUR SHOES ON NOW!” – only like 18x.   I asked my oldest daughter and her friend to straighten up her bedroom and get into real clothes, as opposed to pajamas, because the day was expected to be glorious, as my two youngest and I shuffled out the door, to my younger daughter’s first basketball game of the season.  

Back to where I deviated from when beginning that last paragraph, we had to round up a jersey, go change into it, and by that point, the bleachers were almost full, so Jude and I opted to sit on the floor.  At this moment, Jude realized it was Saturday.  He realized Baseball Camp is on Saturdays.  Then he got really frustrated because he was upset I was prioritizing Remi’s first game over Baseball Camp.  He began to sob stating in between gasps, “I want to go to BASEBALL CAMP!”  Then he began to hit me every 15 seconds or so, out of anger.  He was clearly throwing a tantrum, which I hadn’t seen in months, not even in the privacy of our own home.  Being a child you always pick the most in-opportune moments to breakdown and give the illusion your parents suck and you don’t have to obey rules. There were only like 100+ other parents, grandparents, siblings, and kids, there, witnessing my child’s tantrum.

I didn’t speak under my breath, while gritting my teeth, (although I’ve used that method before, come on, we all have), I just ignored him.  I told him we couldn’t make it this week, we will try to make it next week. I didn’t threaten him (I’ve done that before, too).  I didn’t bribe him (this is my favorite choice while in public).  I just patiently waited until my husband arrived. Usually, I vocalize, “Your dad will be here in five seconds, cut it out.”  But I refrained.  He naturally quit when my husband arrived and said the exact same thing I said to him. “We couldn’t make it this week, we will make it next week.”  

Why does it work for him and not me?  The world may never know, but this is how the dynamics are.  I’ve been told I lack a follow-through.  I threaten but it’s white noise, because my kids know I become soft and don’t follow through with punishment.  It’s honestly because I start considering how my children really are good kids, the choices they’re making are just because they’re independent. Should they respect their parents? Absolutely.  There’s a fine line, friends.  

Remi did great at her first game.  She was a little nervous but she made a couple of baskets and did a good job of listening to instruction.  She loves sports and physical fitness.  

When we returned home, I went to check on the oldest girls and guess what?  They were in their jammies, the room was a disaster, and they were watching a video on the Chromebook.  I reminded them 7x more (give or take), the room needed straightened up and they needed to get out and get some fresh air, but it was like I was speaking a foreign language.  

I bobbed and weaved around the house as I picked up shoes, and random items, wiped down counters, and threw laundry in.  I was trying to expedite the cleaning process so I, too, could get outside and enjoy the beautiful day.  My personality type will not allow me to “enjoy” anything until my tasks are done, otherwise, my stress levels rise.  I don’t think I’m the only one.  

I reminded my oldest, again, and again.  So, I sent my husband a text and said, I’d like for her to get outside but not until her room is cleaned up and she’s ignoring me, Ignoring me while I beat on the door over and over, again, because it’s locked.

A few minutes later, he walked through the door with a drill.  Without saying anything, he unlocked the door, and took the door down, as in removing it.  That was the moment crap it the fan.  This was the most ultimate punishment in the entire world, friends.  You would think that we grounded her for all eternity. Nope, just removed the door.  She had a complete and total meltdown.  The reason I’m saying this isn’t because it’s funny, (it’s a little funny because as an adult human, we know this is minor in an eternal perspective) but to shed light for other parents, sometimes something seemingly subtle can make the biggest different in obedience.  Through the complete meltdown, my husband told her if she changed her behavior he would put the door back on that night, but not until she changed.  

It worked!  It worked!  If you have a tween or an 11 going on 25 year-old, this could help you, too. You’re welcome.

Let me back all the way up to last Sunday, because I finally posted the last blog on Saturday.  Last Sunday, we had our Second Annual Sabbath Bowl!

What is Sabbath Bowl? It’s exactly as it sounds.  We prepped some amazing superbowl-inspired appetizers, quite the spread.  We turned our dining room table into a football field and created two teams. This year it was the Lumpers v. Jedos. A set of Elders (or boy missionaries, as Jude calls them, usually 18+), and a set of Sister Missionaries (girls 19+) that are serving our Ward currently, or the church  building we attend, participated.  My mother attended this year, too.  She has vast knowledge of the Bible and that is our basis, a bible trivia game.  We began with our mini football on the 50 yard-line.  Coin toss gave possession to our starting team who answers questions until they can’t answer or answer incorrectly, gaining 10 yards with each correct answer.  If the question isn’t complete, the other team can intercept the ball.  Gram was on fire.  She carried her team to the lead and maintained a tie.  In fact, they were more than generous during a question for the other team (consisting of all males), or else the girls would’ve clinched the victory.  When the score was tied up the final question was a written question to see how many of the original apostles they could name, accurately.  The Jedos ended up with the win on this one, but Gram was still our Sabbath Bowl MVP for her biblical accuracy.  

This is such a great time that we feel like adding in an Olympic Games or Final Four version of this would be super great.  As soon as it was over I was ready for the Third Annual Sabbath Bowl, next year.  Is this how football fans feel about the Superbowl?  I wonder if next year we should add in some gospel-related commercials, like a mix between Taboo and Charades?  I enjoy doing the sports announcing for this activity.  It’s great to witness this game going down, so much passion! 

Here we are to Sunday, again.  The sun is shining gloriously outside.  I love the sun.  In my mind I wanted to take a family walk, but the wind is crazy out there.  I’m on a gluten-free cake pop kick, not for myself, I can’t eat that on AIP, but for anyone else.  I’m been making them like they’re going out of style.  Also, I found this yummy snack mix recipe that my children enjoy and I gave to our Young Women, at church, today, as a Valentine gift.  It’s super easy to make and it’s gluten-free!  Win-win.

Do you remember that mantra kick I was on a couple of years ago?  Yeah, I think it was right after Time Out for Women, which is coming up, woot-woot! 

Anyway, in my head, I create mantras all of time like self-talk.  Sometimes it’s something like, “You can do hard things” or  “Just breathe.” or “Brussel Sprouts are good. You should like them.”  To be brutally honest, I was on a Brussel Sprout kick and now to think of them makes me want to gag.  Everything in moderation, even Brussel Sprouts.

There is a point, I promise.  The point or quote I recently have discovered and felt impressed to focus on is, “Nothing changes until YOU change.  Everything changes once YOU change.”   Apply that to everything.  To give you a visual or more personal example, consider these areas: Fitness, Health, Diet, Occupation, Education, Church Experience, Work Relationships, Marriage, Personal Relationships, Parenting, Budgeting - I could go on but those encompass a lot.  There’s a video circulating about how blaming lack of motivation is complete crap, as in it doesn’t exist.  This isn’t my advice to you, this is my advice to me.  I just wanted to remind everyone life isn’t perfect, my life definitely isn’t perfect and change is what’s going to make a true difference.  I don’t want to have a perfect life that’s not what I’m striving for, but I am trying to be better than I am, now (note: not better than anyone else but myself).  Progress is important - it’s growth.   Choices are what determine destiny.  

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There are several pastimes today that individuals get fascinating to do within their spare time, unfortunately there are actually just a lot who have no idea what ideas to go after. When you are confused about what can be quite a good pastime, don't worry as the subsequent report has lots of great tips. Keep reading for great tips about hobbies.

In case the stress of the everyday life is mind-boggling you, use a comforting activity. Establishing apart prediksi angka main togel hongkong hari ini to savor your activity can assist you de-stress through the day. Therapists typically suggest taking on a pastime to people that have problems with anxiousness. Your activity will crystal clear aside the bad and help you chill out. Switching your activity in a company is a great way to appreciate everything you do. You need to evaluate the marketplace before you take the leap. You do not desire to start a enterprise in a around-saturated market place. There are thousands of hobby enthusiasts who generate a living from the hobby, so make your own niche and cash in on it. In case you have a hobby which involves employing sparkle, there is a basic solution to keep it in order. First, get yourself a plastic-type material plate. Then, apply that plastic tray with a bit of non-stick preparing food spray. When you have any sparkle that is free, it can slip appropriate away. This could save you a lot more sparkle that can be used for future assignments. In case you are commencing a hobby, you must also grow to be as arranged an individual as you can be. Pastimes typically imply plenty of things. Virtually, lots of information will build up close to your own home. Whether or not that's coins, stamps, publications, yarn, or something that is in addition entirely. You are likely to need to retain the clutter chaos from increasing to truly benefit from the hobby as time passes. This'll make you and your family thrilled. Before you decide on a hobby that fits your needs, consider a compact task initially. If you think that you may appreciate quilting, start with a table runner or small cushion to find out if quilting suits you. If painting is popular with you, give it a try over a tiny canvass. An exciting pastime to buy is racketball. Racketball is fun since you can play it with your buddy, and you'll get a great work out in. You'll likewise be able to enjoy your competing side as racketball can be extremely very competitive. All you need is rackets as well as a golf ball. Pick-up that old acoustic guitar and study a couple of chords. You don't must get to be the next Eric Clapton, however you can certainly make use of researching a musical instrument. Guitar taking part in is a calming activity and it also offers you the opportunity to show all your other worries any time you feel the need to. Are you aware that some pastimes might be eco-friendly, plus save you some severe funds? Many individuals be anxious about purchasing a pastime simply because they believe the cash might be much better spent on fundamental needs. When you purchase gardening for your hobby, you are able to reduce waste materials by composting and taking advantage of it as a a fertilizer to cultivate healthy vegetables. 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Particularly if have a unexciting day job, a pastime provides you with anything to become interested in. Furthermore, it offers you a fantastic feeling when you complete something. Use the helpful tips above to find a new hobby or improve on an older interest.