Diana's Stream Of Consciousness

My Domain

2009-01-21T13:15:00.000-06:00

Well, after three years on this blog, I'm posting my last blog entry here. This blog will be automatically redirected to my domain:

dianabrunson.com/blog

A Short Delay But Happy New Year Anyway:)

2008-12-31T23:17:00.001-06:00

The unveiling of my new blog probably won’t happen tomorrow, but it won’t happen any later than Monday, January 5th, either. I guess I need more time then I thought.

In the meantime, I hope all who are celebrating the new year at this time are enjoying the holiday season and haven’t lost hope in being successful and having a prosperous year. Why settle for a year? Make it a prosperous life. Filled with love.

The photo is courtesy of captsolo from flickr and taken in Riga. This is just one thing I love about the Internet. Although I live in the state of Illinois, which is in the United States of America, I can share photos from across the globe.

Well, I just experienced a cool synchronicity and I want to share it before the new year, which is in less than an hour from now. I don’t know about you, but it seems like this year just flew (Heh, I rhymed). The truth is I’ve been saying that since I turned 25. This year has been one of the quickest ones yet.

Happy New Year!

The Curious Bunny

2008-12-28T22:41:00.002-06:00

Whenever we rearrange furniture, or add more or get rid of something, our rabbit, 'Bunny' gets so curious. It’s like everything is new for her, each and every time.

My sister gave me her old bed frame and after I put my box spring and mattress on it, I got Bunny out of her cage just to watch her investigate, sniffing the legs and going underneath that strange thing that wasn't there before, to see what she could find. She really is adorable. And no guys, she's not for lunch or dinner.

I can just imagine what she would do if I had a pop up tv. I'd let her get on the cabinet just so I could watch her curious nature at work.

If we have a closet door opened, she’ll go half-way inside and then she’ll sneak. Her sneakiness is one of the cutest things she does. Bunny almost tippy toes while she sniffs the area. But ya gotta be careful. If you say, “Psst”, she’ll get scared and jump back or turn around and run out of the room. They're really sensitive.

Bunny has such a sweet and fun spirit. I’m sure that not only did Adriana choose Bunny. I believe that Bunny also chose Adriana. They were pretty comfortable with each other from the very beginning. And I’m so glad, because I think that perhaps they needed each other.

Do you have a pet that you just know chose you?

Glasswing Butterfly

2008-12-27T22:46:00.000-06:00

Clicking on the photo will take you to the source.

This is a glasswing butterfly, named as such because of the translucent wings.
Here are some more of these lovely creatures. I just had to find a photo that I could share on my blog. It's just too pretty not to. I wouldn't be surprised if that web site had photos of some interesting-looking kitchen sinks or toilets.

Olympus gives a more in depth description of the glasswing butterfly. It also shows the butterfly microscopically.

Are You Ready For the New Year?

2008-12-25T22:01:00.001-06:00

Do you have plans? Goals? Hopes? Dreams that you are finally going to fulfill next year? Are you excited or is it going to be just another year for you?

This quote comes from the book, "The Laws of Success" by Napoleon Hill. My intention is to use it as my mantra. Last time I said this I forgot about it. I didn't take it seriously. I forgot about it. This time I'm going to have it in front of me all the time. Right on my monitor.

"Today I will do everything that should be done, when it should be done, and as it should be done. I will perform the most difficult task first because this will destroy the habit of procrastination, and develop the habit of action in it's place!"

Those things that should be done have been keeping me pleasantly busy. I'm loving what I'm doing and doing what I love. And getting paid for it. An accomplished goal. A dream come true.

I'm also preparing for changes to this blog. I don't normally do resolutions or have a goal for the new year, but this year it's different. I still have work to do. I've got my creative juices flowing now. Look for the unveiling of the new blog on January 1, 2009.

I see a lot of newness coming next year. I don't know what life is going to bring me. My intention is to take advantage of a best buy or two or three, which I have been able to do, but not as often as I'd like. Whatever it is that the future holds, ready or not, here it comes and here I am.

How about you? What do you see coming next year? Are you hopeful?

Getting to Know My Introverted Self

2008-12-14T22:51:00.000-06:00

I’ve known for awhile, maybe a year or two, that I’m not only shy, but I’m an introvert. I used to think that being shy and being introverted were synonymous. I’ve been reading about both and they’re not the same after all. I do have my moments of extroversion, but those are very far and in between. I love my alone time.

You can be introverted without being shy. Can you be shy without being introverted? I’m still not sure about that yet. But I’ll find out.

Since I started researching this subject, suddenly I’m not even needing to hunt for other introverts. There are many of us online. Writing about it. Maybe now that it’s becoming more clear to me, writing will be easier for me. I don’t know, though. There’s a quiz you can take to find out if you are more extroverted or introverted. At the bottom of the page there is a chart that shows the differences between the two. The description for an introverts natural weaknesses jumped out at me and got me reassessing my life:

Failing to share their thoughts
Not asking for input from others
Relying too much on writing
Taking too long to act

This does depend on a few things though. It depends on how well I know the person, how comfortable I feel with that person, and it also depends on how I’m feeling at the time.

I don’t really have a problem with the third on the list. What really got my attention was the last line. I stay in my head too much and rather than writing it down, I just keep it inside. I still want to learn more about why that is.

If I wanted information about something and I knew someone who I could ask, they probably would not be my first source I’d go to.

For instance, if I were interested in finding information about the best diet pills, for instance, I would probably do the research on my own rather than asking someone, no matter how well-educated they are on the subject, unless the person was a friend. Even then I’d still do my own research.

Governor Blagojevich Arrested and Released

2008-12-09T16:41:00.000-06:00

I thought I was going to sit and watch The Young and the Restless while I ate breakfast this morning. Instead, I turned the tv on and found U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald at a news conference reporting on the arrest of Illinois Governor Rob Blagojevich.

Governor Blagojevich was arrested early this morning on charges of corruption. He is being accused of conspiring to sell the President-elect’s Senate seat which is now vacant. I’ve heard some reporters use the word, “indictment”. The Governor has not been indicted. A complaint was filed which led to his arrest. He was in court earlier this afternoon and was released on his own recognizance.

By everything that was said during that conference, I won’t be surprised if Governor Blagojevich is found guilty of these charges and that he will indeed be indicted.

A Temporary Sob Story

2008-12-04T18:58:00.000-06:00

I try to stay positive. I really do. Sometimes it’s just so hard. Like right now. It’s been three weeks since I’ve had any work to do from the main company I write for, which means Friday won’t be payday for me. Maybe my blog isn’t good enough any more.

My problem is I don’t always know what to write about. I’m pretty much a recluse, especially now that it’s cold outside and there’s snow on the ground. So I don’t always feel like I have a lot to say unless I delve into my past (maybe I should do that more) or write about my spiritual journey. I have another blog for that, which I need to work on.

I didn’t go to the food pantry last month. I decided to save the two dollars that it costs for the bus. I haven't decided what I should use it for. My phone bill or food. I still have a lot of bread from the church that I walk to in the summer. I haven’t gone there for over a month. It’s a forty-five minute walk. I may go if I get too low on bread.

I haven't decided if I'm gonna take the bus to the food pantry this month or combine the two dollars from last month with the two dollars for this month’s bus fair. The food pantries help a lot and I’m so grateful for what I’ve received from them, but right now I need to figure out which would be better for me to do.

* * *

What timing. As soon as it gets too cold for me to take those walks to get food so that I can have money to pay bills, I stop getting work. I did do one write up for a company that I don’t do much writing for. That will give me a few days worth of groceries. I still have my phone bill to pay, though. I should get that money in about two or three weeks.

I hate sounding like such a downer. Putting all this negative stuff out here isn’t really something I enjoy doing. But maybe it’ll help me. How? I don’t know. Or maybe it’ll help someone else who is struggling. At least you’ll know you’re not alone.

Right now, I’m scared. Scared that I won’t get any more work, scared that I won’t be able to pay my bills, and scared that I’ll run out of food. There is a pantry I can go to this month, but with the weather the way it is, it’ll be more difficult to carry it all. I may just have to get less than what I’m allowed. They’re only open on Wednesday. I was too tired too go yesterday and didn’t have the energy to walk or carry heavy groceries home.

I’ve been worse off than I am now. A lot worse. There was a time when I was making my own shampoo and having to use it very sparingly. Which meant not always having clean hair. I’m eligible for food stamps, but getting the information to them is an issue.

Well, this is my sob story which wasn’t as hard to write as I thought it would be. Posting it publicly might be another story, though.

Things will get better. I know they will. But right now, I don’t know. I think I need to find other work. Maybe outside of writing. Only…where? And how will I even get there for an interview if I get called? And then how will I get there if I get hired?

(Later)

This is only temporary. I'm not just going through it, I'm growing through it. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger", right? Well, hopefully. Depends on your perspective.

I'm done feeling sorry for myself and with all the above being said, I did an internet search and found an inspirational web site with some good articles to read.

Hmm, I wonder what will come through (my stream of consciousness) next time. I promise I'm not always feeling sorry for myself and I don't think that life sucks. Only when I'm struggling, and even then not all the time. I may have let this setback get me down, but I refuse to let it keep me down. I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

When life gets you down, find the light inside yourself. It's there. I'm sure of it.

Thanksgiving Perspectives

2008-11-27T17:55:00.000-06:00

What are your views about Thanksgiving? With all of the different stories told about the history of this holiday, it can be confusing. But I believe that the message is the same. To be thankful for everything in our lives. Why take one day out of the year to be thankful? I’m thankful every day. Well, I won’t say 24 hours a day 7 days a week, but I’ll just say I’m thankful throughout the year.

We all have our own reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving. Growing up in foster homes allowed me to get a glimpse in the lives of different families. It wasn’t like what was portrayed on television where each member of the family would say what they are thankful for. If the parents were religious a prayer was normally said either by the man of the house or another male family member.

I celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s a tradition and because it’s one of the holidays where I cook a bigger meal then I normally do. There’s only me and my daughter since my son is stationed away from home, so I don’t cook much any more. And there’s just something about having a bigger meal during special times that makes the food more appreciated by both me and my daughter.

If you have been celebrating this day, I hope it’s been positive, fun, memorable, and full of more reasons to be grateful for you.

image credit:
cloned milkmen

Brain Hacking With Water

2008-11-25T19:14:00.001-06:00

Except for two days, I'm still drinking at least a gallon of water every day. It helps keep me hydrated, which counteracts the caffeine in the four cups of coffee I drink per day and it will prevent brain fog.

Drinking enough water also helps keep your mind clear so you can focus better and it gives you energy. Focusing better means more productivity and even better quality work. Of course, I’m only going my own experience, but from what I’ve read it’s probably true for others as well. Here are 15 Ways to Hack Your Brain For A Better Life. Hey, drinking water is on the list.

Take care of your brain and it’ll take care of you.

A Reflective Birthday

2008-11-22T18:40:00.002-06:00

A company that cleans gutters was hired to clean mine. I got a letter saying that they would be at the house some time this month or next month. They came yesterday. On my birthday. I’m glad they didn’t come early in the morning. I was already awake when the noise began. Our rabbit, Bunny got scared. Poor baby. She wouldn’t even come out of her cage. Petting her head calmed her down.

I turned 45 yesterday. A good excuse for cake. Not that I need one. An excuse that is. I baked a chocolate cake. Mixed chocolate frosting and whipped topping together to make the frosting less sweet and fluffier. For the most part, it was a day like any other day. It was a good day spent with my daughter. She makes me laugh. Getting older doesn't bother me. It doesn't even bother me when my daughter laughs about me being a grandma.:-P I don't feel old enough (how should that feel?) to be a grandma.

I was in a reflective mood much of the day. Actually much of the week. I thought a lot about things that I've been planning but have been putting off for too long. One word can describe the reason. Fear. Maybe you can relate. Here are some questions Grace asks that you can ask yourself just as I am asking myself:

"“What do I really want? What brings me joy? What vision do I hold of my life and how can I get there? What have I been postponing? What am I waiting for?” You’ll have an opportunity to address what is still undone in your life."

Another year older, but wiser? Well, I'm not sure, but I hope so. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of big changes in my life as well as little changes that may not be very noticeable in the beginning. Maybe in yours, too. For the better, I'm sure. It may not seem like it at the time, but it will, eventually. But you have to allow the good to come in. And never give up.

image source:
turtlemom4bacon

Finding Hope

2008-11-19T18:34:00.000-06:00

I rarely watch the news. I sometimes watch the weather and then wish I wouldn't have because the next thing I know there's more talk about the war. It's depressing and it's energy-draining.

I just wonder though. How much hope do those right in the middle of the war have? It's devastating to see anyone die. What about the innocent women and children?

Prayer is powerful, but somehow I just wonder if it's enough. I guess it will have to be.

Maybe this will help some remember that there is always hope.

What do you think?

Easily Find What You Need With ShopWiki

2008-11-16T19:57:00.000-06:00

In these difficult economic times, although there has been a decrease in consumer purchases people still do shop. Whether it’s a gift for themselves, for a friend or a loved one, and if you’re not sure where you want to shop, there is a search engine that may be able to help you find just what you’re looking for more quickly and easily than if you were to do your own web search.

Shopwiki, a shopping search engine that scans the internet using crawler technology like Google uses, except it’s exclusivly for online stores. You can look for products by category and even by price or price range which you can specify if you wish.

ShopWiki is very well organized with photos and reviews (if available) of each product It lists the products, the prices from each store as well as links to the stores where you can make your purchase(s). If applicable, there may also be related buying guides which can make it even easier to find other products that you may need along with what you are looking to purchase.

If you are researching a product the buying guides are an excellent resource which are written by the ShopWiki community and edited by professional editors. If, for instance, you are looking for luggage to purchase and aren’t sure what you need, the luggage buying guide gives excellent information to help you to make a better informed decision. Not only will ShopWiki find a specific product for you, it will also find related products, such as tags for your bags and if you are taking a pet with you, pet carriers as well.

Peppermint Tea Relieves Menstrual Pain

2008-11-16T19:40:00.001-06:00

Menstrual cramps and PMS. The curse of being a woman. There are many home remedies for menstrual cramps, for instance, I love the taste of peppermint. The first time I tried peppermint tea after reading that it’s a home remedy for upset stomachs it worked. And I’m so glad I did because even before finishing the entire mug of tea, I was feeling better.

I thought if peppermint tea works eases an upset stomach, maybe it would help get rid of cramps, too. Why spend money on drugs when you can put something in your body that’s actually good for you?

I also read on several web sites that talks about this that a heating pad, a hot water bottle, a wash cloth or a hot bath can help relieve cramps because the heat relaxes our muscles.

Chamomile tea is another herbal tea that is said to soothe an upset stomach or menstrual cramps.

I don’t know about any other woman, but the last thing I want to do is exercise while I’m in so much pain. I’ve tried it and it doesn’t seem to help me. Maybe it’ll work for you.

Drinking peppermint tea, keeping my mind off of the pain (which isn’t that easy), and relaxing works better. Being stressed out can make it worse, too.

image credit:
tillwe

I Feel For Anyone Who Suffers From Incontinence

2008-11-13T17:10:00.000-06:00

I've noticed an increase in advertisements for medication for incontinence, which reminded me of a blog post I wrote last year about being tempted to go to a store to find the cheapest disposable diaper possible for the incontinence I became more and more annoyed with every time I sneezed, coughed and sometimes if I laughed to hard, which also hurt my rib cage. Well, I left out the part about looking for a cheap brand. Anyway, I used feminine napkins instead.

Dr. Oz was on Oprah one answering a woman's question about incontinence. He said it's pretty common especially for those who have had children. He said that the pelvic muscles get stretched out and are loosened and what we should do are Kegel exercises. Know how to do them? Just pretend you have to go to the bathroom (unless you really have to go, then you don't need to pretend) and pretend you're holding it in.

about having a fractured rib and having a cold with a hacking cough while I was pregnant with my youngest. I also wrote about being

I also kept gaining weight which made a resident doctor make the decision to order me to go on a diet. “You're kidding me,” I said laughing. Later I told the head doctor (his boss). let’s just say that resident never gave me a check up again. The head doctor was extremely upset and told me that although I should watch how much I eat, I should not go on a diet of only celery and carrots. And he apologized for that resident. I never expected an apology, but if anyone should have, it should've been the one who told me to practically stop eating.

My daughter enjoys hearing these stories, but I do have to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault that I had to sleep sitting up for the last four months of my pregnancy. Nor was it her fault that I was so hungry all the time. Seriously. I give her a hard time, but we both laugh about it. She has a good sense of humor and I’m so glad that I can share these memories with her and make light of it.

Restless and Hopeful

2008-11-13T16:15:00.000-06:00

Lately I’ve been feeling a little restless. Oh, not a lot. Just enough to cause me to think about finding a way to make enough money to take a trip with my daughter. Where? Well, Oklahoma comes to mind, but I’m not sure if my son will be there next spring or summer.

We’ve been living in this house for almost six years now. It changed our lives because my daughter moved away from all of her friends and although we’re still in the same city, she lost touch with them. I still don’t know why and she says she doesn’t know, either.

My daughter is afraid to make friends now because she feels as though her and her friends end up losing contact with each other. They keep in touch via MySpace, but for her it’s not the same as actually being together. And it hurts her too much.

My daughter tried making friends with a couple girls in the neighborhood after we moved here, but for her it wasn’t the same. And they just didn’t click. So it’s just been the two of us and while we’ve always been very close (just read the previous blog post to maybe understand a little bit), she’s 16 without a friend to confide in.

She confides in me, but sometimes I wonder if she’d rather have someone her own age to talk to. But then I remember that she says she doesn’t like the way girls her age acts. My son was the same way about all kids his age when he was a teenager.

It’s a lot to think about. The last time I went out of town was when I went to Texas with my daughter-in-law for my son’s graduation from Air Force training. This time it would be just me and my daughter. I think we could have a lot of fun together. I would even want to include her in the planning of the trip. Although the final decision would have to be mine, such as travel insurance and accommodations, I’d want her input. One day she may be doing this without me.

This restless feeling I’ve been having on and off may be a good thing. It’s given me reason to strive for more than what I have been. If you feel restless and you don’t feel like you just take that trip right now, at least plan for it. And get excited about making those plans if you really want to make it happen.

Mother and Daughter Bond Story

2008-11-13T15:33:00.000-06:00

While I had a special bond with all of my children, the bond I've shared for the past 16 years with my youngest may have been stronger for many reasons. Maybe one factor is that she was two weeks late being born. The doctor finally decided to induce labor. Another factor might be because for the first three years of her life, I stayed home with her. My son went to a daycare center from the time he was six weeks old so I could work. My older daughter was with her father from the time she was one until he kicked her out. Long story.

Sometimes it’s still hard to believe that two of my children are adults and my youngest, my little girl, isn’t really a little girl anymore and will be considered an adult in less than two years. Well, to me she won’t be an adult until she’s at least twenty. Or twenty-one. And hopefully she’ll have more sense than a lot of young adults. Including me.

I love to tell my daughter stories about when she was a baby. She enjoys them, too. My favorite story to tell her is about the day after she was born. She was in the hospital room with me and it was just the two of us. No roommate!:)

Whenever I had to go to the bathroom I'd first lock the door to the room (I was nervous about leaving her out there alone) and checked to see if my daughter was awake or sleeping. She was awake and she looked peaceful. Maybe a minute passed while I was in the bathroom when she started to cry so I hurried up to get out there to her. That was the beginning of my constant worries about her.

As soon as I looked at her and talked to her, telling her that, “It’s okay, Mommy’s right here”, she, with her big almond-shaped eyes looked right back at me and immediately stopped crying and then she smiled. Seriously. Right then and there my one day old baby girl was letting me know that we were connected. My first thought was knowing that this was only the beginning of many such experiences. I just knew that she would want to be near me more than my other children. Her reaction said it all.

Now, a little closer to the present. A couple of weeks ago I was looking in my closet for something. I don't remember what. In my search, I came across my daughter’s baby bedding. A crib sheet and a couple of blankets. Once she was too big for them, she used them for her baby dolls. I loved watching my little girl use the same blankets that kept her warm from the time she came home from the hospital.

I still have some of her baby clothes, too. I have the outfit she wore home from the hospital, a few dresses and a blue velvety outfit with a pair of black shoes that her godmother gave to her. She died before my daughter was ever old enough to know her.

Most of the clothes my daughter wore when she was a baby was given to me for her and then when she grew out of them I gave them to someone who needed baby clothes for her daughter.

My daughter is 16 now and I’m so glad that she enjoys it when I tell her stories about when she was a baby. It’s good to write these memories down. I didn’t do it when my kids were little so now I want to remember and capture as many of those precious moments as I can. Keeping just a few special baby outfits has helped me to share her story with her.

Be Happy With What You've Got

2008-11-12T20:08:00.000-06:00

My computer is very limited compared to what are being sold today. It’s true that computers have a limited lifespan, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be rendered useless. My Compaq Presario is 10 years old and yet I’m still able to work at online. I can’t watch most videos and when I can, I have to let them run through once before watching, unless I don’t mind (which I do) sitting here at my desk for 30 minutes or more watching a video that is only five minutes long. That’s probably due to not have broadband, though, too.

I can upgrade most if not all of the hardware and I can even upgrade the operating system. Well, once I have the money I can. My Argus camera is supposed to only be compatible with Windows 98SE and above and yet it’s working on Windows 98. I read that there’s not much difference between the to Windows operating systems so maybe that’s the reason the camera works.

My daughter’s father bought that camera last year for her birthday along with a SanDisk SD memory card. The memory card worked for a few months and now it doesn’t. Her father didn’t give us a receipt so I can’t get it replaced. I’m not sure if a new one would work anyway. He doesn't know anything about digital gadgets. It's a good thing he didn't buy a compact flash memory card since it's not compatible with my camera.

The camera’s memory works but it only holds eight photos. I do like it and I'm glad I’m it works and so I’m not going to complain. This camera is better than no camera at all. And it’s helped me to make more money which is one of the reasons my daughter asked for it.

My daughter isn't very happy with it because she didn't get the camera she asked for and it has a smaller LCD screen, but it’s also a lot cheaper. She does agree that it's better than no camera at all, though. This is a good first camera for someone who is thinking about photography as a career but isn’t quite sure. Or for someone like me who wants to take photos for her blog, which could also be considered as using it for fun.

It can be frustrating not being able to use some gadgets that could make being online more efficient, but it's not impossible. Although I can't do everything I'd like to do with my computer, it still works for an old fart. And the camera does take some good, quality pictures. It's an upgrade from what I had before.

Being happy with what you have doesn't mean not striving for more. What it means is liking and appreciating what you have in the present moment. That's contentment.

Sometimes It's Better To Wait

2008-11-11T16:27:00.000-06:00

I was planning on going to the grocery store and to the dollar store either yesterday or today. Well, yesterday would have been a good day weather-wise, but it would have been too much for me to take a 30 minute walk with the way I was feeling. And today it’s been raining all day.

I think I have two pens left that are almost out of ink and that’s why I wanted to go to the dollar store. Oh. That reminds me of the promotional pens I want to buy.

I was going to go to Hilander to buy some evaporated milk to take advantage of their sale. Buy 10 items for a dollar and get %5.00 off. I’ve been using evaporated milk rather than 2% milk. It's cheaper when you add enough water to it. Usually enough to make a gallon.

My son once asked me why I always bought the expensive milk when he was growing up. I don’t remember what I told him, but if he asked me again I’d tell him that milk wasn’t expensive back then. It was less than $2.00/gallon. And most of the foster families that I lived with had 2% milk.

Those days are over so I had to learn to adjust in order to save as much money as I can. Now I'm glad I don't love milk as much as I used to. I gained weight from drinking as much as I did.

I can wait to go, though. Just not too much longer. Sometimes it's better wait even if it's a sale because you might realize that you don't really need or want what's on sale. I've been saving money by doing this. If the store were closer I would've gone though. Good thing it take more than 10 minutes to get there.

Everything In Moderation

2008-11-11T15:02:00.004-06:00

I drank a gallon of water yesterday. I wouldn't even say that water is my preferred beverage. The truth is, I'd rather drink something sweet with a little kick. Tea, coffee, cappuccino or if I want something kickier, a hot cup of espresso. I do like water, though and I know it's healthy, so I drink it. Sometimes just not enough.

I wondered if I drank too much water, but since I started before nine in the morning and drank it throughout the day and because I was dehydrated, I think it was enough. According to this article, it's not how much you drink, it's how fast you drink it.

I don't think I'm dehydrated any more. I hope I'm not. But anyway, I feel so much better now. I’m still making sure I drink a lot of water. Maybe not that much, but I have a gallon pitcher in my room just in case.

I also got more sleep. I woke up around seven this morning and fell back asleep until nine. I’m feeling refreshed and energized now. I said that there was something I forgot to do yesterday and I remembered it today while editing the last post. I was going to link to the web site I found about garlic being toxic to the brain. Maybe this is true if you eat more than you should. However much that is, I don’t know.

Most of the information I have found has been about the benefits of garlic. It has relieved toothaches, it cured an abscess I had and it also helped get rid of my sinusitis. Garlic has also improved my concentration and given me energy, contrary to what the article I linked to above says. Eat it as anything else in moderation.

image source:
Gio JL
Thirteen of Clubs

Brain Fog

2008-11-10T16:33:00.004-06:00

I was going to write an article about brain fog, but because there's already the same information on other web sites, I decided to just write about my experience from the past week. Maybe you can relate.

If you’ve ever had brain fog before or have it now, you’ll know how I’ve been feeling for the past week. Today was the worst day. I woke up feeling so dizzy I was afraid of falling if I got up.

I read a lot on line and now I don’t even remember what I read this week. Writing was virtually impossible. No matter how much I tried even just to free-write, I couldn’t get more than a few sentences down all week. Concentration has eluded me. The fog in my head was driving me crazy. It's a good thing I don't take weight loss pills. I usually experience the side effects which are similar to brain fog.

The causes can be numerous, including my age, but I think I was dehydrated. I thought I had been drinking enough water, but since drinking about six glasses since early this morning, I feel much better now. Most of the symptoms have finally subsided. I still feel a little loopy. Maybe that's because I'm sleep-deprived. For the past few days I've been waking up after about four hours of sleep. It feels like I've had enough sleep, but I normally sleep between 6-8 hours.

I went to the food pantry last Wednesday where they had a table with a few cakes on it. I took the Turtle cheese cake home. There’s a thick layer of chocolate, caramel, and pecan topping, which could be another reason for the brain fog. Too much sugar in my system. Dang! I wish the cheese cake didn't taste so good!

Most of the information that I found online was pretty much the same, but I think the best source is Jigsaw Health. This mental fuzziness seems to have started last month, after I started eating a clove or two of garlic almost daily. I wouldn’t have thought about that without finding the information about garlic being toxic to the brain. While I believe that this is possible, I have a feeling that it’s more likely if too much garlic is eaten.

Before I read the information about the toxicity of garlic, I ate about half of a large clove and I feel even better than I did after drinking five of the six glasses of water that I’ve had today.

Well, I hope I’ve learned my lesson from this foggy experience. It’s no fun forgetting something that I planned on doing right after thinking about it. I’d forget so fast there wasn’t even time to write a note to remind me. This is also a good reason to stay in the moment rather than planning ahead while busy doing something else.

Here are the results to a test I took about sleep deprivation:

You show symptoms of sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder. People with sleep apnea quit breathing repeatedly, often hundreds of times during their nights sleep.

You show symptoms of periodic limb movement disorder, a disorder resulting in uncontrollable leg or arm movements during sleep.

Great. There was one more thing I was going to do (either a link or write something else) and now I don't remember. Well, if I remember, I'll either post it here, write another post or I'll decide it's not that important.

Feeding the brain is essential to your health. I've read that it's the greediest organ and I believe it! If you don't drink enough water or eat the right foods (flax seed, oily fish, whole grains, protein), it will affect your quality of life.

image source:
Claudia Castro

No Worries

2008-11-05T17:50:00.000-06:00

Daily extended (by Astrology.com)
Whatever heavy load you've been carrying on your shoulders is lightened significantly today. You're entering a time of great freedom, which could be both a blessing and something of a curse. Yes, you can let go of any unpleasant assignments without any guilt -- but watch that you don't let go of too much too soon. There may be some loose ends that you need to help tie up. Passing the torch isn't as simple as it sounds -- you might not be able to wash your hands of things immediately.

Worrying about outcomes that probably won't even happen is pointless. But even if those outcomes do happen, still worrying doesn't do us any good and in fact can make things worse. Here's a couple questions to ask. "What's the worse that can happen, if I can't solve this matter?" Let go of any expectations. Just detach from the outcome and accept whatever happens.

Thought Provokers:

"Let go and let God."

Here's the summary of Dale Carnegie's book, "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living".

"Worrying Well - Learn to worry well and benefit from stress"

No Regrets

2008-11-02T17:22:00.001-06:00

Do you ever look back at your life and get disappointed at yourself for mistakes you made or for something you didn’t do? Well, I try not to do that too much, but for some reason thoughts pop into my head and if I don’t pay enough attention, they can get me down pretty quickly and easily. Why do we do that? Why do we tend to have more thoughts that bring us down then thoughts that make us feel good? We can blame that on the outer world or take responsibility for our own thoughts. The latter breeds self empowerment. The former excuses us.

If I had a choice and if I had the money, my first choice would be Oklahoma. Even if all he wanted to to was skateboard on his days off. I’d enjoy watching him in person rather just on YouTube. Although that’s the next best thing to being there. Because that’s where my son and daughter-in-law. That would even trump a vacation to a beach in California or Florida. I’d also want to get travel medical insurance because I’ve heard too many tragic stories on the news.

My Most Memorable Trips

2008-11-02T16:48:00.003-06:00

I’ve been on quite a few trips, but most of them I don’t remember much of the details. Most of them were taken when I was a foster child. I would probably have to take a few hours or more to really gather my thoughts while writing them out at the same time. The best trips I went on are the ones I remember the most. That’s probably because they were the most recent trips. I'm sure any Disney vacations I'd go on would be memorable even if I were a child. At least I'd hope so.

One trip I took was to Germany when I was still in the Army. I consider it a vacation to some extent because although I worked all day, after work, I had the chance to get out into the city and have some fun. That was one of the best two weeks of my life.

The other memorable trip for me was when I went to Texas to watch my son graduate from Air Force training. Although I had no money of my own and it was extremely hot and I got a major sunburn, it was worth it for me. A lot of tears of pride and joy poured from my eyes that week.

Loving Horses From a Distance

2008-11-01T19:07:00.000-05:00

I’ve only been a on a horse once in my life and although I was pretty young, maybe four or five years old, it’s a time I’ll probably never forget. There was nothing like being on a merry-go-round with real live ponies. I even remember petting the pony’s mane as we went around the pole. I also remember wanting a pony of my very own. It was a childhood wish that I never expected to come true, but it was fun thinking about it.

Now I’m all grown up, but I can still feel that child within me urging to come out and play once in awhile. I’ve never really wanted to own a horse. I’d be content befriending one. It may be a lifetime of dreaming, but I won’t let it get me down.

I may just have to be content to loving them from a distance. That’s all I can do and yes, it does make me sad sometimes, what can I do? If I had a horse I wonder what kind of saddle I’d want to use. I wouldn’t know the difference between Western saddles and english saddles. I guess it doesn’t matter since I can only love horses from a distance.