Controversial Subject

Okay, so it's probably not the best idea to have a brand new blog where you talk about something controversial.  But, this is something that is important to me.  I'm talking about diversity in the United States and how still today it is not truly fully embrased.  I know it's a cliche saying to say "why can't we all just get along", but really, why can't we?  I will never ever understand people who don't believe we are all created equally and I have given up trying to understand it. 

All I know is that for me, I don't care what race, religion, sexual preference, food likes and dislikes, cat or dog lover, accent you speak with, and every other thing that makes us diverse, you are.  Diversity is a beautiful thing.  Embrace it people.  Man, what a boring world it would be if everybody was the same. 

Anyway, I came across a gentleman named Fredrick Wilson II who makes a whole lot of sense. Hopefully the points he makes will be taken to heart. The specific video I came across is the one I am posting a link to here in my blog.  I live in the state of Missouri, and although I am all the way across the state from Ferguson Missouri, we have all heard a lot about the protests that are going on there.  The things that have gone on there are horrible.  Protests are still going on.  It's embarrassing for my state in my opinion.  I don't understand how anybody can think it's okay to protest in such a way where you destroy property and loot businesses and just do plain ignorant things.  It's ridiculous.  Anyway, this gentleman put out a very good video where he is addressing the way some of the African American community is acting (not specific to Ferguson at all).  Notice I say "some".  That is because the vast majority of people in general are good people, but all of us have people who can make a community, race, religion, etc. look bad.  Unfortunately that is where some stereotypes come from.  In this video he is trying to steer people in the right direction in regards to their actions.  Here is a link to the video (it's only a little over 5 minutes long). 

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152314396513715&set=vb.673253714&type=2&theater

Someone had shared it on Facebook, and it has been widely shared and that is how I came across it.  I think some of the things he pointed out could be applied to other people as well.  I chose to begin following his Facebook page too. 

Anyway, I saw that video of him trying to help steer people in the right direction, and then this morning on the show Sunday Morning they did a piece about a man and his family who fled here from the Middle East and the struggles that are going on over there.  It just all makes me so sad.  How many wars have to be fought in the name of "religion"?  I guess I will just never be able to understand it.  We're all people.  We're all the same in that we are made of flesh and bone.  Why should it matter what color we are, or what religion we are, or where we were born, etc.?   

I hope I didn't offend anyone with this post, and if I did I guess I just have to say "too bad".  Because this is me, and Living My Life as Me means you will see whatever might be bothering me on a particular day.  Today, it just so happens to be things like race relations and diversity and how I am sad about that right now.  I feel strongly that as a human race we need to stop the hate.  We have come a long way over the years, but we have a lot longer to go.  I will do my part by raising my kids to embrace diversity and to be an example for them and for those around me.

Lady Bugs, Skulls and Owls, Oh My!

I have this fascination with lady bugs, skulls and owls.  Do you want to know why?  Well, as for the lady bugs and owls (and butterflies too actually), it was my Grandma who was my inspiration.  But first, let me start with the skulls.  I love creepy.  Everything creepy, scary, macabre, etc.  I can't remember when it started, but I just always have.  I gravitate towards scary movies, books, TV shows, etc.  My favorite holiday is Halloween.  I love to decorate for it, and to be honest if I could, I would leave my house like that all year round.  Here is just an example:

That's the kitchen table.  Place mats, goblets, candles, the whole bit.  I even decorate the bathroom believe it or not.  I like the creepy stuff as well as some of the more rustic looks too.  This is how I like to decorate the coffee table:

I also have light up ghosts, trees, etc.  You get the idea.  My goal is to get a black artificial tree and decorate it in a Halloween theme (like a Christmas tree, but Halloween).  Those things are just crazy expensive unfortunately. Skulls though, I can have those all year round.  I have lots of shirts and jewelry with skulls on them.  Some people think skulls are evil, but I think that is just plain silly.  I am not evil.  I happen to be a very nice person who wouldn't hurt a fly (okay that's a lie, I would hurt a fly; I hate those things).

As for owls and lady bugs (and butterflies).  I think I got that from my Grandma.  My Grammy lived with us for most of the years I was growing up.  She was a very colorful lady.  I think I got my love of clothes and makeup from her too.  She always had her nails painted and wore makeup a lot of the time.  She also had an owl collection which I just loved and have carried that love throughout my life.  I was so excited when owls became "trendy" again.  It seems like they're everywhere and I love that. 

As for butterflies, I remember her having clothes with them and also her just talking about how pretty they were.  Butterflies and how colorful they are just remind me of her.  Lady bugs hold an extra special place in my heart.  My Grammy told me they were gentle little beetles, and she said that you could tell how old they were by their spots (which of course I know now is not true - but what a cool little story for a kid).  She also said they didn't bite (which also isn't true but I have never been bitten by one).  We had a special bond with the lady bugs, she and I.  Every time we would see one we would hold it and make a wish before we let it fly off. 

When I was grown and on my own I still carried those memories with me.  And, for Christmas one year I went to Michael's and bought a wooden butterfly house that was unfinished.  I painted it white, and stenciled lady bugs and flowers on it and gave it to her for Christmas.  My Grammy loved that butterfly house and kept it hanging outside until it literally fell apart.  I don't know if butterflies ever did live in it.


Several years ago cancer took my Grammy from us.  At the time she lived with my Mom and Dad which was on the other side of the state from me.  I went there for the funeral and to be with my Mom (Grammy was her mother).  This was in January.  Mom and I were sitting on her bed sharing memories and out of the corner of my eye, I saw something on the floor.  Would you believe it was a lady bug?  In January, in Missouri, where it was freezing cold with snow on the ground?  Where did it come from?  Well, I picked it up and put in on one of the plants in the house.  I had this "feeling" my Grandma sent it to us to comfort us.  You might think that is silly, or wishful thinking, but it really did comfort me.  Later that night, I went to my hotel room.  I was sitting on the bed looking at a picture of my Grammy and just kind of talking to her in my head.  Would you believe, crawling up the wall, there was a lady bug?  Well, you better believe it, because there it was!  I knew right then and there that she had sent it.  I called my Mom and was just bawling my eyes out telling her about it.  Then, I turned and it was gone.  I didn't see it again in my room.  Ever since then, every time I see a lady bug I think of my Grammy.  So, you see why they are so special?

Las Vegas

So, what better way to start a blog than with something exciting?  My husband and I celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary in July and his gift to us was a trip to Las Vegas.  We've actually been together for 27 years and are high school sweethearts.  We left for Las Vegas this past Sunday and got back yesterday.  First off, let me just say how much I hate to fly.  I can't stand to be in an airplane surrounded by all those people, hurtling through the sky at 500 miles an hour.  But, if I get to do something fun, I will grit my teeth and do it.  So, the trip started out kind of rocky and ended kind of rocky but everything in between was wonderful.

If you ever want to go to Las Vegas, I highly recommend looking into Southwest Airlines vacation packages.  We got an amazing deal and got to stay at a top of the line hotel.  Caesar's Palace was absolutely beautiful.  Our room was 650 square feet!

And the view was perfect!

I ate like a pig, but think I burned off a lot of the calories from all the walking we did.  Both of us realized we are definitely not youngsters anymore.  Our 40 something bodies felt all those extra steps by the end of the day.  It was SO worth it though.

We did lots of window shopping and bought a few things.  Nothing extravagant.  If somebody has a lot of money and likes to spend it on designer duds, you can certainly find anything you want in Las Vegas.

We went to see Penn and Teller perform and that was really great.  We also saw Cirque Du Soleil perform Zarkana, and that was beyond amazing.  I don't think a word has been invented to describe how cool those shows are.  I was in awe the whole time.  That is the second time we have seen a Cirque Du Soleil show and I honestly can't say which I liked more.  I think I liked them equally.  Next time we go to Las Vegas we will go to another show for sure.  Or, hopefully one of the shows that tours will come around here where we live.

We had such a nice time together and it was so nice to get away for a few days just to be a couple again.  We have two boys, ages 18 and 15, and we haven't been away together since they were little.  We've done several family vacations and I love those, and it's also nice to do something just the two of us.  I think the boys enjoyed us being gone too.  They did a great job taking care of everything while we were gone.  No college or high school was missed, and the dog was still alive when we got back.  ha ha

Oh, and we did gamble just a little bit.  I have a hard time putting money in a slot machine and losing it so I only gambled about $50.00.  I would rather have something to show for my money so I bought a few shirts instead.  My husband gambled more than me but I think all in all he still only lost about $50.00 by the end too.  You don't have to be a gambler to enjoy Las Vegas.  It's a beautiful city with lots to do.

It was a wonderful anniversary trip!

This is a whole new world

Well, this will be a whole new world for me.  I hope I am doing this "right".  This is my first time creating a blog.  I do have a You Tube channel where I talk about some things but I don't put out videos every day.  I hope this blog can be a place where I can share my thoughts much more often than I do You Tube videos.  Please be patient with me while I figure this whole thing out.