I have finally decided to give up posting anything on FaceBook.  It’s not worth it anymore.  I usually post things that I think are funny.   The things I post don’t always reflect my actual opinion.  Some things I post on purpose to play devils advocate.  I like to see if I can’t get people thinking.  Well, anymore everyone just takes everything so serious and gets offended.  So it’s just pretty useless to make light of something, be sarcastic, joke, like something, comment on something or share your opinion on anything.  I feel it’s only going to get worse as time goes on.

I just find it very interesting that people think that by posting something they are going to change everyone’s mind.  Instead of having a civil conversation on issues that are not agreed upon, everyone results to name calling and putting people down.  There is no respect for opinion.  The last I heard this was a free country and part of living in a free country is to have your own individual opinions.  You don’t have to like everyone’s opinion, but I think you should respect it.

The biggest issue I see is if people don’t agree with me, they will go on to tell me how stupid and uninformed or uneducated I am.  They will tell me that my opinion is wrong.  I don’t understand how someone can be wrong for their beliefs.  That’s kind of why people left Europe and came to the new world….at least that’s what I thought.  But it seems everyone has forgotten this.

Now….you have a group of people that do not want to understand what is going on.  They take short cuts in their “research” of what is going on in the world.  They take meme’s as truth.  They think that just because someone posted something that is worded in a factual context that it is in fact …well….fact.  You have people who bitch and moan about how wrong everything is and how corrupt government is, yet they will not vote.  They think that voting for a specific person for President is what is going to change the world we live in vs. their local government including their Representatives, Senators, and judges.  This is where the real change takes place.

I guess my point here is that whether or not you think someone’s opinion is right or wrong, it’s still their opinion and they are entitled to it.  if people want to base their opinions off of made up stuff…that is their right as well.  But I just hope when people are forming these opinions they are looking at all sides of the situation and listening to everyone so that it is a true opinion.

So my holiday rant.

RANT! RANT! RANT!

This will be the first time I have ever spent the actual Thanksgiving holiday alone.  It has always been MY HOLIDAY!  I mean for years I always make a big spread.  It’s kind of the joke because I cook way too much food all the time.  But it’s something that I really enjoy doing.  Except for this year.  This year I will be sitting here playing some stupid video game watching TV.  And probably crying. (I do that a lot lately).  But….it’s all part of this whole journey bullshit thing I have to go through I’m sure.  I mean Pete will be here tomorrow night and we are doing Thanksgiving on Friday vs. Thursday.  So it’s not like it’s a huge deal really.

But the one thing I will not do regardless of the fact that I’ll be sitting home by myself is going to a flippin store.  I mean if ever there was a time for me to hit stores for Black Friday on Thanksgiving it would totally be this year.  I mean I have absolutely NOTHING to do until 9:00 pm when I have to head to the airport.  But then I sit and think about it.  One year Erik and I went out because I had never experienced Black Friday.  And after that experience.  I will never ever do it again.  I really dislike people anyway.  And when you have a bunch of ungrateful assholes grabbing and fighting over something they think is a huge deal (and it’s not because they have jacked the price up and then cut it so it’s really like what it should be anyway).   So I will be completely content keeping warm in my nice cozy room by myself vs. that bit of craziness.  I mean I just don’t understand the importance of having to get so much STUFF!  I have been packing and going through all my shit and geeze…why?  There is no reason to have things.  To give presents just to give shit….whether you really want it or need it.  And how long are you really going to use it?  I mean of course there are some things that I have gotten that I use CONSTANTLY!  But I have so much stuff that I forgot I had.  Which is why my mom and I used to do the regifting thing.  Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but every year there are a set of presents specifically for this.  It’s stuff that has been given before.  The stuff that only gets played with or looked at for a day or two and then stuffed somewhere to be forgotten.  It took everyone 4 years to figure out that I had been giving them the same thing every single year.  Which is exactly my point.  But it comes down to everyone basically gets like one real gift.  The rest of it is necessities…socks, underwear, shirts.   Two years ago I didn’t get Erik socks and he about had a cow.  These are the things they look forward.  They roll their eyes at them…but they are the most appreciated.

I think it’s hysterical that all these people preach about their religion and what the holidays mean, yet these are the same people that are out fighting with people over saving a few bucks for some unnecessary item they have to have more so out of principle than necessity.   Which is in part why I think the whole holiday season is crap.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I absolutely love to decorate.  I love all the festivities.  (one wouldn’t think I would but…it’s kind of my time of year.)  I love the social aspect of the family together and spending time together.  Playing games and just being silly.  That’s what I love about the holidays.  I do enjoy watching people open gifts.  But if you know me my gifts are all either hand made or silly.  I believe that gift giving should either be from the heart and/or fun.  And if you can do both with one shot…all the better.

But let me just state my opinion about these parents that are buying their toddlers and young children iPads and $200 headphones.  Really people?  I mean REALLY!?  Why is it necessary for a 6-year-old to have an iPad?  What the fuck are they doing?  And Beats headphones?  I mean come on.  They are 6!  Mozart seemed to do just fine and I highly doubt your little protege is the next Mozart.  You know why kids are ungrateful entitled ass holes?  Because you are buying them every fucking thing they want.   Oh! I know…they have worked so hard and saved up their own money…bullshit. If that were the case you would make them use that money to buy whatever they wanted.  And I don’t get it.  When I was 6 and had money my ass wanted candy!   I know…but you got them on sale so you didn’t pay full price.  You know what?  Why is it so important for you to make sure your kids can compete with other kids in this realm?  It’s like back in the 70’s-80’s I wanted a pair of Jordache jeans.  My mother said absolutely not!  You don’t need to spend that much money to have someone’s name on your ass.  So my ass had no name on it and you know what….I survived.

So as we go into this holiday season.  Seriously think about how much of a freakin hypocrite you are being as you are out purchasing some bullshit item someone or you want out of greed…

RANT! RANT! RANT!

SMOOCHES!

I am pretty much convinced that Cleo is supposed to be a therapy dog.  Every time we go to the dog park she has to go up to all the people.  She seems to gravitate to the elderly, people who seem frail, depressed, sad and young children.

Today we were at the dog park walking our laps around the perimeter.  A little boy and his grandmother were walking towards us.  The little boy stopped because he was afraid of Cleo.  Cleo just stopped and waited.  I told the little boy she would lick him if he wanted.  He seemed unsure.   Cleo slowly walked up to him and stood there.  Then gently licked the top of his hand.  The little boy was still a little unsure.  Cleo waited again.  The again moved in slowly and licked the back of his hand.  The little boy giggled a bit.  Cleo wagged her tail and we continued to walk.

There is another old man that brings his dog to the park.  He doesn’t walk around so well.  So he usually slowly makes it over to a bench and just sits there.  Cleo always goes over to him and gets up and loves on him for a few minutes.  It always makes him smile.  There are so many instances that I could go on for pages and pages on things she has done; how she sees someone sad and goes over and leans up against them.

Since I have been home with her I think it has helped her.  I mean we get out and walk and stuff every day.  She is listening better and seems a lot more calm than she was.  I really don’t think she is the type of dog to be alone.  She literally follows me around everywhere and has to be near me all….the….time.   She really has come a long way.  The only thing I get concerned about is her becoming too needy.  I mean she’s already push as hell.  So I have to really make sure I keep the boundaries when she’s pushing it too far.  And let me tell you….boy does she push it!!!!!

Well on another topic.  Pete comes back to visit me the day after tomorrow.  I’m pretty stoked about the whole thing.   Went shopping for food for our Thanksgiving feast on Friday.  People are pretty bat-shit crazy. But that’s  a whole different blog entry.  I think I have everything I need for the feast.   This year because I didn’t want to do the whole traditional dinner…mostly in part because the kids are doing 2 traditional Thanksgivings on Thursday so figured it would be nice to change it up for them a bit.  But also because I didn’t want to go through all the work of what I usually do.  I mean there’s a bit of selfishness going on there.  With the whole house thing wanted to go for something a little easier.  I think we will all survive.  I mean I’m not cutting turkey out completely.  I was going to do the Kentucky Hot Browns in addition to the Fondue spread.  But after talking to my sister in law she brought up to do hot brown appetizers.  Which is brilliant!  I can put them together and then dip them in the bearnaise sauce vs. pouring it over them and baking it.  So that’s pretty exciting!

Thanksgiving is one of my top 3 favorite holidays!  So hard for me to not go completely crazy.

It’s been quite some time since I have posted anything.  Again I completely forgot I had this.  I really need to write down or schedule in “blogging time.”

So what has been going on the last 5 months of my life.  My baby kitty is no longer with us.  It was a very sad day.  But she did live 17 1/2 years.  So the old girl had a good run.  doesn’t mean I miss her any less!

Erik moved out and took Lucy with him.  Kind of bummed about that.  But very happy he has a good job and is out on his own starting his life.  It makes me a very happy mamma to see that he is finally getting to call the shots.  I just hope he does realize that regardless of anything I’ll always be there for him. It’s kind of a mom thing.

In September I went to NY to spend some time with none other than the one and only Danny. (see photos under the travel tab!) It’s kind of a thing it seems.  But as always we had a total blast.  I’ll have to upload the pictures from the adventure!  It’s always an epic time when we get together.  He helps keep me grounded.

And the big news.  Pete was offered a job in Missoula Montana.  His last day of work in Colorado was October 16th and he started his new job on October 19th.  So it’s been exactly 1 month since that has happened.  I’m staying in Colorado til the house sells.

I always say that everything happens for a reason and the way it’s supposed to.  This whole situation is just that.  Although it would have been nice to sell the house and move up to Montana right away…I think there are lessons I’m (We) are supposed to learn by this whole situation. Once we realize these lessons I feel the universe will let us move on. One of the biggest ones I have come to realize is how much I take for granted some of the things Pete does around the house.  And I really really really don’t like being away from him this long.  But that I already knew.  The longest we had ever been apart in the last 19 years has been 2 weeks.  So this is kind of a big deal.

My first few weeks by myself were really hard.  I was not adjusting well and was in the whole anxiety panic attack mode.  That was fun.  That also spirals pretty fast.  But I have been trying to be as positive as I can and do a whole lot of self talk.  I’ve decided to try to make the best of this entire situation.  It was easier when I was working because it gave me something else to focus on.  But once my last day of work came around it was really really difficult.  So after many hours of talking myself off the ledge I’ve come to a sort of acceptance.  Mind you I still hate the current situation, but an old lesson comes into play….you don’t have to agree with something but you sometimes need to just accept it.  So here we are at acceptance.   I’ve stopped fighting and trying to push the situation.  I’m going to use this time wisely to see if I can’t set down some foundations and do a little more soul searching (My GOD how much of that must I do in a lifetime?  Obviously until I figure that shit out)  No one said I was quick to learn lessons….that’s for sure.  Okay so we are going to do this again.  You know if I would just pay attention and remember some of the things I learned maybe I wouldn’t have to keep repeating and having to go through the same stuff all the time.

But anyway.  This is what has been going on.  Not really overly exciting.  It could be a lot worse for sure.  So I’m going to continue to put out the positive vibes and pay attention!