Day 10 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 10- Write about something for which you feel strongly.

I'm not sure what this question is getting at exactly. I feel strongly about a lot of things. Flushing the toilet, washing your hands after using the bathroom, saying excuse me, please, and thank you, using your blinker, U2 is one of the best bands ever.... But maybe this question is trying to be serious and maybe controversial, so I'll try again.

I feel strongly that I can't think of anything worth writing about. The news is depressing 24 hours a day and trying to chill after a long day of work working with cranky people (including myself) makes me not able to think/feel strongly.

If you really want to read about something I feel strongly, go back to day 3 and read about my many pet peeves or read day 4 people who inspire me. Those are things I feel strongly about. And sleep. It's underrated. And needed.

Day 9 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 9- Post some words of wisdom that speak to you. I collect them like my grandfather collected matchbooks (and many other things). Here are some great ones- some deeper than others, but good nonetheless. (fun word).

Enjoy!

Day 8 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 8- Share something you struggle with.

I don't have enough time or energy to list them all, so I'll try to narrow it down to one thing. Hopefully.

Besides my weight and living healthy, which it seems everyone these days struggles with, I struggle and have struggled with making people happy. For years, I have worked hard to try to make others happy, usually at the expense of my own health and well being. Hear me out- There's nothing wrong with making others happy and helping others. That's what we all want for ourselves and for others. For most people, that's what their job requires- helping others and making others happy in some way, shape, or form.

The unhealthy part is when trying to make others happy takes over your life and consumes you, stresses you, causes sleeplessness and anxiety and grey hair (which I don't mind actually) and hosts of other crappy things. The key thing to do is what is right and to make yourself happy. Yes, you will still have stress in life, but you can't let it dominate you. My dream of being a teacher came true but cost me my happiness. I worked so hard at trying to be the perfect teacher that it caused me to lose sight of so much- my health and happiness. My mom keeps asking me if I will ever go back to teaching and I say no. But I also said I would never live in Florida and I did, so yeah. I'm not ready to go back into education because I burned myself out and I'm totally afraid to get burned again. But I don't regret it.

I'm just working on being happy and healthy for me not for anyone else right now. It's a daily struggle, but I'm working on it.

What are you working on in your life to make it better?

Day 7 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 7- List 10 songs that you're loving right now.

I don't listen to popular music playing today (I know, I know. You're all surprised). Well no- I listen to KLOVE which is a Christian music station when I do listen to the radio (and occasionally listen to NPR which is usually the news) but I don't know the bands or song names, so I will try to list 10 of my favorite songs. Which is really REALLY hard, but here's 10 (in no particular order except for #1 because that's my life theme song):

1. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For- U2
2. Kashmir- Led Zepplin
3. Electric Avenue- Eddie Grant
4. Sleep Walk- Santo and Johnny
5. Summer Breeze- Seals and Crofts
6. Shipping up to Boston- Dropkick Murphys
7. Good Day, Sunshine- Beatles
8. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed- Allman Brothers Band
9. Come Original- 311
10. Into the Mystic- Van Morrison

I could go on-

11. These Eyes- The Guess Who

12. Come Monday- Jimmy Buffett

13. Nice to Know You- Incubus

14. SOB- Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

15. Deja Vu- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

16. Alive- Beastie Boys

17. Zombie- Cranberries

18. Waiting for My Real Life to Begin- Colin Hay

19. King Without a Crown- Matisyahu

20. You Can't Always Get What You Want- Rolling Stones

And on...

21. Singing in the Rain- Jamie Cullum
22. Green Onions- Booker T. & the MGs
23.What's Going on- 4 Non Blondes
24. Sea of No Cares- Great Big Sea
25.  Alive- Pearl Jam
26. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant- Billy Joel
27. Wing-Stock- Ashley MacIsaac
28. In My Room- Beach Boys
29.See Ya Later Alligator- Bill Haley & His Comets
30. Take 5- Dave Brubeck Quartet

And I will stop because I can list all my music I have in library, and that would really show my crazy.

Day 6 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 6- Five ways to win my heart.

I'll do my best.

1. Spell and pronounce my name right. No, I'm not Mariah Carey. Sheesh.
2. Be nice. Like genuinely nice. I see through fake crap, just so you know.
3. Listen. Like really listen. Otherwise I don't share my music, my fount of useless knowledge, and anything else. But I'll listen to you.
4. Like the outdoors. I live in the middle of nowhere and I like it. You should too!
5. um. I ran out of ways. This is a weird/stupid topic for me. Nope- I figured out one more. Love dogs. There.

Day 5 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 5- list 5 places you want to visit.

1. Ireland (again). I didn't get to go to Galway and I want to go back and to County Tyrone where my ancestors are from.
2. Scotland (& England) to see where my ancestors came from before they went to Ireland.
3. All 50 States. I've been to 26. Hawaii's a big one that I really want to see.
4. Every major league ball park- I've only been to 6 out of 30. Fenway, Tampa Bay, Old Yankee Stadium, Old Florida Marlins/Dolphin Stadium, Dodger Stadium, and Toronto. I've also been to Montreal and got to see the Expos the last year they played.
5. A riverboat cruise up/down the Danube River (to see if it's really blue)

Day 4 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 4- Write about someone who inspires you.

I have looked up to many people in my life- teachers, family, friends-  people who have given me support and guidance. I can't narrow it down to just one, so I'm going to briefly tell you about some of them.

I had a few (ok.. I lost count) teachers that really made a difference. My first grade teacher made a strong impression at an early age (along with a lifelong love of smelly markers). My 5th & 6th grade teacher made me love reading even though I wasn't great at it. She also taught parts of speech using my favorite MAD LIBS! I had a social studies teacher in junior high that not only taught early American history, but learning "respect yourself". I had a band teacher who taught me how to play percussion and who I made her laugh so much that she stopped conducting "The March of the Toreadors" during a class. One of my favorite teachers was my kindergarten teacher who was lots of fun but even better, I got to work with her and she said I was a good teacher. That meant a lot to me.

Family that inspires me- My dad inspired me because he never gave up his dream of farming. My brother inspires me because he never stops learning and asking questions (and showed me it's ok to be different- to go against the grain). My cousin who never gave up finding love and having kids after turning 40 (is there hope for me? God only knows). My other cousin who lost her husband and is raising her young kiddos. (I think she may be Super Woman) My mom for working hard and going to college on her own terms and becoming a cop/social worker and made a difference in some lives of her own.

Friends that inspire me- I have a couple of friends who lost babies but were blessed with children and are the best moms. Someone who is kind of a surprising inspiration is a girl I went to high school with. She had a tough life growing up, made some bad choices in life, but is doing better and works hard to be a great mom.

So while some people look towards famous people as inspiration- and there's nothing wrong with that- look close and you'll find people around you who inspire you to do and be better.

And now watch a song to get stuck in your head, because "You're the Inspiration" and it's cheesy.

Day 3 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

Day 3- What are your top three pet peeves?

So many to choose from... here's my top 10 (in no particular order)

1. People who don't use their blinkers. Seriously- I'm not a mind reader!
2. Obnoxious fake people. Seriously, be real. Good or bad, just be real.
3. People who misspell/mispronounce my name. It's a curse. Repeat after me- Mo-rye-ah!
4. People who don't clean up after themselves. Bathrooms, workplaces, oh I could go on....
5. People who are obsessed with celebrities. Simmer down! They're a bunch of rich people that used to be normal people. Just because they're celebrities doesn't you should listen to everything they say and do everything they do. Seriously.
6. People who don't like good music from every decade. Widen your horizons!
7. Going back to #1, people who stay in the passing lane and go slower than people in the other lane. What the crap? MOVE!
8. People who talk loudly on their cell phone in places like grocery stores, bathrooms, elevators, planes, restaurants, an many other places. Seriously, keep it to yourself!
9. People who leave garbage when camping, hiking, go to the beach. Cigarette butts are gross.
10. Lastly (though I could go on and on), people who don't have common sense. Common sense things like cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, wear good shoes when hiking, don't swim in a thunderstorm, etc.

What are your pet peeves? (please don't say top 10 lists!)

Day 2 of the 30 Writing Challenge

Day 2- Write something that someone told you about yourself that you never forgot.

Hmm.. I'll do 2- something nice and something... crappy. I'll start with crappy. It's quick.

A guy I went out with once told me my eyes were the color of, well, crap. Yeah, thanks.

Something not crappy (ha ha so punny)... This is hard because I tend to remember the bad and not the good because I find it hard to believe positive, good things about myself. I'm working on that.

Hmm... something (nice) that someone told me about myself that I never forgot. I guess I've had some people say I'm a hard worker and funny, but that isn't as meaningful as this. I'm tearing up as I type this so bear with me... In 2003, I (finally) finished my teaching degree and did my student teaching near my hometown at Ferrisburgh Central School. I got to work with 2 classes of 4th graders, one of whom I'm still in touch with. She messaged me not long ago (on her birthday, the day I met her in 2003 and she reminds me of that just about every year ). Her message said, "Sixteen years ago you walked into a classroom as a student teacher and met a kid on her 10th birthday and left with a lifelong impact."

I don't know what I did that was anything special. But what she said is something I will not forget.

30 Day Writing Challenge- Day 1

So I found this while perusing (such a fun word) through Pinterest the other day and I thought, yeah, I could do that. I know- I'm not starting at the beginning of the month or even the start of Lent (which is 40 days not counting Sundays). But hey, a good idea needs to start when it's right, right? Haha.

Here's the Challenge.

Day 1- list 10 things that make you really happy.

1. Growing plants/flowers/veggies makes me really happy.
2. Mowing the lawn makes me really happy.
3. Spending time with my niece and nephew makes me really happy.
4. Traveling makes me really happy. (driving to work everyday doesn't count)
5. Playing with my parents dog or my brother's family's dog makes me really happy. Or any dog that doesn't bite my hand and send me to the hospital makes me happy.
6. Listening to good music (and maybe singing along) makes me really happy.
7. Seeing my extended family (usually at family reunions) makes me really happy. (Shenanigans happen)
8. Learning new things that help me understand how something works or the history behind a place or thing really makes me happy. Yes, I'm a big nerd.
9. Trying new recipes that are actually good and healthy (dang it) makes me really happy.
10. The sounds and smells of spring (peepers & the smell after a rain) makes me really happy.

Now time for some sleep that also makes me really happy. Until I have to wake up to my 5 alarms in the morning.