The World As I See It: April 2011

Showing newest 20 of 27 posts from April 2011. Show older posts

April 30, 2011

Review:

Did you notice the new design? We had a pretty major site change and it's all thanks to Margaret at The World As I See It. Last Friday I joined her blog hop and she mentioned she does design work. And voila!

As someone who is incredibly stupid when it comes to graphics, logos, etc (my best effort was the old logo) I was grateful for someone who was willing to work with me on making the blog look better. Margaret did that and so much more! She took my logo and made it 100x better (You can actually read the words now!). From that and the basic colors I gave her, she made the background and side bars (did you see that Twitter/Facebook don't overtake the side now? That's thanks to Margaret!). She also made the signature you'll now see at the bottom of every post and the blog button on the left.

Margaret also worked quite quickly. I literally asked her on a post Friday afternoon and had a whole new design by Saturday morning! She worked with what I had and did the extra needed to redo my logo (she had to go find the original piece of ClipArt I used and fix it from there). Margaret really listened to what I want and made it happen. If you are looking for someone to do a blog design for you, please contact Margaret at The World As I See It. She is fantastic, helpful and quick!

Mrs. No No Knows Design

This is one of my latest designs.
Here is her review:

Those of you who have been with me for awhile may have noticed some changes over the last month or so!

My blog has been COMPLETELY re-designed and I even have a new logo and great new buttons that much!!!

It's all very cool and I love it a lot. It's really different than what I had before, but it's also easy to navigate and easy to read.

This design came courtesy of the web-design master, Margaret. Here's her website, if you want to stop by and check it out.
Let me tell you about the process that we went through: We started off easy (well, I started off easy, she had a harder time because I only knew that I wanted my blog cleaned up, but hadn't really, really decided WHAT else I wanted....however, I did know what I DIDN'T want....poor Margaret....). She sent me pics of things, and templates, and previews and had me look them over and tell her what I did or didn't like (every time!) and then she would adjust accordingly. If you couldn't tell from my description this far, the thing that impressed me the most about Miss Margaret was her complete sense of PATIENCE. If I didn't like something, she changed it; If I didn't get back to her right away, she just kept plugging away at; If I thought it was perfect, she continued in the same fashion. Her communication skills are great and I never felt like I was being left out to dry (so to speak) or interfering with her work. She answered all my questions and inquiries very promptly and was quick to make sure that I approved of where she was going with everything. Which, is a HUGE plus since I could not have made all these changes myself (without TONS more education in web design)!!

Friday I had my infusion and lets just say that for the first time since I have been doing them I had to get poked twice. She kept digging with the first needle until I told her I couldn't deal with the pain any longer. There is nothing that hurts more than a nurse fishing around in your arm trying to get a vein that she has missed but doesn't want to re-due it and get it right. After about 3 or 4 minutes digging around I finally said that's enough. I can't take the pain anymore. She then poked me again a little higher up on the vein and got it in the first time. Now where I was poked at hurts and I got a battle wound (bruise).

I also got an email from my daughters adoptive family. It totally made my Friday. They told me about her and also enclosed two pictures for me. I am not going to post them but if you would like to see them let me know and I will email them to you. I can't believe how big she has gotten and how much she looks like my little brother. She is short like I am but has the coloring of my little brother. They said that she is all girl and is really good in school. I was so glad to hear from them and happy that she is doing good. It will be six years in July since I had her and placed her for adoption. I know I made the right choice when I look at her pictures and see how happy she is.

I didn't do that well this week when it comes to not eating. I tried my best but lets just say that this week wasn't the best. I also haven't done well on my diet but I am going to try and go walking tomorrow even though I will have to go by myself. I really just need to charge my Ipod and go for a walk every night. I need to lose the weight and I also need to get in shape for our trip to Yellowstone this summer.

That is all I have for today. I still have a few spots left for designs so let me know if you are interested in getting a free design!

Great Email

All the organs of the body were having a meeting, trying to decide who was the one in charge.
"I should be in charge," said the brain , "Because I run all the body's systems, so without me nothing would happen."

"I should be in charge," said the blood , "Because I circulate oxygen all over so without me you'd all waste away."

"I should be in charge," said the stomach," Because I process food and give all of you energy."

"I should be in charge," said the legs, "because I carry the body wherever it needs to go."

"I should be in charge," said the eyes, "Because I allow the body to see where it goes."

"I should be in charge," said the rectum, "Because I'm responsible for waste removal."

All the other body parts laughed at the rectum ,and insulted him, so in a huff, he shut down tight.
Within a few days, the brain had a terrible headache, the stomach was bloated, the legs got wobbly, the eyes got watery, and the blood was toxic. They all decided that the rectum should be the boss.
.
The Moral of the story? Even though the others do all the work...
The ass hole is usually in charge

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April 28, 2011

Freaky Friday & Free Blog Designs

It is time again for Freaky Friday Follow. There are just a few simple rules to follow for this one:

Grab the button and post in on your blog
Make sure you follow the hosts
Leave a comment so we can return the follow.
Try and follow are least 2 other people that are linked up
Link up to the post that has the button on it!

I am starting a couple new project and need some help. The first one is a blog I have started for people who have placed their children for adoption. It is called Birth Parents Place. People that have been reading my blog for awhile know that I placed my daughter for adoption when I was 20. Since then I have seen a need for safe place for girls or guys that placed their child to go and talk without people judging or saying mean things to them. I also have started a Facebook Fan Page so if you know of anyone that has placed their children please pass on the information.

I am also now designing blogs that use Blogger. If you are looking for a design leave me a comment and I will get back with you. I still have a few places left for free designs so let me know if you are interested!

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

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April 26, 2011

More By Matthew West

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New Design

As you can tell I have redone my design again. That is the bad thing about learning how to design my own blogs. Now I can change it up as often as I want to. This design is super bright and I am not sure how I feel about it yet. I may end up changing some of the colors up tonight so that isn't so bright but who knows. Those that know me know that it will change soon enough because I get bored easily. If you have any ideas on a theme I should do next let me know. I am always looking for new themes and new graphics to use.

I wrote a letter to the lady that adopted my daughter on Friday. My curiosity got the best of me and I am curious as to what she is like now and what she looks like. Since I sent the email I find myself checking my emails all the time. I hope they write back but I have to wonder if they will write back or if they will just ignore it and pretend that they never received the email. I wonder how people who placed their kids for adoption when things were so closed how they managed and dealt with it. If it was still closed like that I don't know that I could have place my daughter. I am so thankful that things are more open with most adoptions anymore. I also know that they don't have to talk to me anymore. I hope I hear from them but I will understand if they don't write me back. I made me decision when she was bored and now the rest of the choices are made by them and her when she gets older.

I am still looking for people who are in need of a blog design. If you know of someone or would like one yourself let me know. I am going to be hosting a giveaway for a free design as well. Right now I can only design blogs that are hosted by Blogger but if you know someone who uses wordpress or any other host let me know and I can get their information to the lady that taught me all I know.

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April 24, 2011

NES Check In

It has been a few weeks since I have done an update on my eating disorder. For the most part i have done okay. For some reason though Saturday nights are super bad for me. I always end up eating all night long. It is better than when I used to do it all night long every night but it is still frustrating that I can't stop doing it. I hope in time that I will be able to beat this disease.

I was going to update how my weight loss is going but I can tell you that I haven't done well with my diet and losing weight these past few weeks. I am going to start either walking at night or doing a work out dvd each night. I am think since it is nice out there most night that I am going to either go walk on the river like I used to or I am going to walk the route I used to walk in the neighborhood.

That is all I have for today! I hope everyone has had a great Easter!

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Wal-Mart Greeter

So after landing my new job as a Wal-Mart greeter, a good find for many retirees, I lasted less than a day...

About two hours into my first day on the job a very loud, unattractive, mean-acting woman walked into the store with her two kids, yelling obscenities at them all the way through the entrance.

I said pleasantly, 'Good morning and welcome to Wal-Mart. Nice children you have there. Are they twins?

The ugly woman stopped yelling long enough to say, 'Hell no, they ain't twins. The oldest one's 9, and the other one's 7.
Why the hell would you think they're twins? Are you blind, or stupid?'

So I replied, 'I'm neither blind nor stupid, Ma'am, I just couldn't believe someone slept with you twice. Have a good day and thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart.'
My supervisor said I probably wasn't cut out for this line of work.

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April 21, 2011

Freaky Friday Follow & New Projects

It is time again for Freaky Friday Follow. There are just a few simple rules to follow for this one:

Grab the button and post in on your blog
Make sure you follow the hosts
Leave a comment so we can return the follow.
Try and follow are least 2 other people that are linked up
Link up to the post that has the button on it!

I am starting a couple new project and need some help. The first one is a blog I have started for people who have placed their children for adoption. It is called Birth Parents Place. People that have been reading my blog for awhile know that I placed my daughter for adoption when I was 20. Since then I have seen a need for safe place for girls or guys that placed their child to go and talk without people judging or saying mean things to them. I also have started a Facebook Fan Page so if you know of anyone that has placed their children please pass on the information.

I am also now designing blogs that use Blogger. I am looking for people right now that will let me design their blogs for practice. If you know anyone that is interested please let me know!

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

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April 20, 2011

A Phone Call I Wish Hadn't Happened

I haven't written anything for the writers workshop in awhile and one of the topics this week jumped out at me and just had to write about it. I picked #3-A Phone Call You Won't Forget. Funny enough the one phone call I will never forget was from my mom after she received a letter from me. After I had my daughter I decided that I wanted to find her and see if she wanted to be in my life. I took months of me searching and paying websites to try and find her. I got an address and decided that I would write to it and if it wasn't her then oh well and if it was then I would see what happened.

I was on my way to work and my started ringing. I usually don't answer out of state numbers but since my husband is a truck driver I wasn't sure if it was him or not. After I said hello she literally said "Hi, this is your mom". I literally just sat there because I didn't know what to say. We talked for about 20 mins or so. She told me that she was so glad that I found her because she was leaving it up to me if I wanted her in my life. She didn't want to just show up and upset my life.

I wonder why has changed from that first conversation and now.
I wonder what would have happened if I just ignored her phone call and let it go to voicemail.
I wonder what would have happened if she had gotten the letter that I wrote to her and just thrown it away.
I wonder where I would be if I had just left well enough alone and left her in my past which is where I think she wants to be anyway.

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April 19, 2011

Mom . . .

I have been thinking a lot about my own daughter and it has made me think about my own mom. I have to wonder how my mom can treat me like she does. I know I could never do what she is doing to me to Brita. I can't wrap my head around a mother not caring about her kids. I understood about her not looking for me but since I have found her she wants nothing to do with us. I thought mothers loved their children and would want a relationship with them. I don't understand how she can just turn off her love for me and my brother. How do could she just walk away when I was 8 and never come back? Its like she has just forgotten about us and is able to pretend we don't exist.

When I called her on this stuff she told me I didn't have to mean!?!?!? Funny thing about it is that I wasn't mean to her I was just being honest with her and telling her how I feel. As I read through my email I guess I can see how she thought I was being rude but in the end all I was doing is saying how I felt and she didn't understand that. As I read through her response back to me it seemed like a whole bunch of excuses. She is always blaming it on everyone but herself. What sucks is the fact that since she sent that last email I haven't heard from her once. I was going to included the actual emails but now that I am thinking about it I have decided that I am going to take them out only because I am hurt and I might regret putting them in the post one day. I know this post has rambled and probably talked about the same things over and over again but like I always say "This is my blog take it or leave it!".

For all you parents out their how do you forget you have 2 children????

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April 17, 2011

About Kindness

Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not. ~ Samuel Johnson

In all honesty, the LAST thing I want to do is treat someone kindly when they have been rude or disrespectful to me - even when it’s my own family. I find myself thinking “I’ll show them what rude really is.” or”Pfft, they look like they’re in a bad mood today, they cannot even be bothered to smile, well then neither can I.”

There is something about someone treating me disrespectfully that makes me feel as if I am not obligated to be polite. I know this is a petty mindset, and I cannot behave any old way I want. I believe it is my responsibility to be kind in such situations, even though any feelings of fondness for the person are absent. However, I do try to remember that kindness/being polite must not be confused with giving someone carte blanche to treat me like a dormant.

The reality is, I really do not know what is going on in the life of someone I encounter at the store, bank, post office, or any number of other public places. Whatever it is could be contributing to their bad attitude for the day. My kindness - even if it is just a smile - could be the encouragement. In some cases, the politeness I grudgingly extend prevents me from becoming as ill behaved as the rude person I am interacting with.

Families are made up of people too. They can be just as rude, and mean as total strangers. There are even times when I do not like one or more of my family members. Not liking them does not negate my responsibility in being polite to them. Even in this circumstance, I do not have to allow them to run me over with their rudeness. On more than one occasion, I have had to let a family member know - politely - that I love them, but I will not allow them to speak to or treat to me inappropriately.

Why do I feel I should treat people kindly? One reason is I want the impact - no matter how small - I have on a person to be a positive one. The other reason is I think it is the right thing to do:
Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord for gave you, say you must forgive others. ~ Colossians 3:12-13

My obligation in every interaction is to be kind, or polite - NOT A DOORMAT.

What do you think? Do you think we should be polite in every situation? Or are there times when it is okay to be rude?

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A Few Great Songs

Jill told me about this artist and I have fallen in love with his songs. I am going to post a few of my favorites. His name is Matthew West.

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April 16, 2011

65 Questions

1. Tell us who the last person that you took a shower with.
I haven't ever showered with anyone. It always seemed weird to me to shower with other people.
2. Tell us about your favorite tee-shirt. Extra points if you show a pic. (We know. What can you do with freakin' extra points?)
I don't have a favorite one.
3. Has anyone ever hit on you even though they knew you were taken?
Nope no one ever has.
4. Do you plan what to wear the next day?
Not most of the time. Some days I do but most of the time I just figure out the morning that I am getting ready.
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Why?
I am managing!
6. What's the closest thing to you that's black?
All of my 4 remotes.
7. Tell me about an interesting dream you remember having.
I have weird dreams about the most random things and I don't really remember any of them.
8. Did you or might you meet anybody new today?
Nope I didn't meet anyone new.
9. If you could be doing anything right now (or perhaps after you finish this ridiculous meme) what would it be?
I can't think of anything I want to do. I am doing what I enjoy right now.
10. Can you think of a meme question that's never been asked?
No I think they all have been asked.
11. What comes to mind when I say China?
Lots of people everywhere
12. Are you overly emotional?
Some days I am and other days I am not.
13. If you could listen to just one rock album (CD, vinyl or mp3) which one would you pick?
Nickelback
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Lick it
15. Do you like your car?
I love my car!
16. Do you like yourself?
Not really but I am working on it.
17. Would you go out to eat with Charlie Sheen?
Yes simply because I want to know why is he is as crazy as he is.
18. What was the last song that you listened to?
A song by Daughtry.
19. Are (or were) your parents strict?
No not really
20. Have you ever wondered what attending a wild orgy (if only to watch or...) would be like?
Nope I haven't because partying has never really been my thing.
21. I say cottage cheese. You say:
??????????????????
22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
Nope I haven't
23. What was the last movie that you watched at home?
Remember The Titans
24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
My purse
25. What countries have you visited?
I haven't been out of the country
26. Have you ever made a phone call while you were drunk that you've regretted? If yes, do tell.
Nope I haven't
27. Where were you going the last time that you were on a train?
Down town probably
28. Bacon or sausage?
Sausage
29. How long have you had a cell-phone?
Since I was 18
30. What other memes do you do regularly?
Other than my own I don't do any of them regularly
31. Who is the craziest meme host?
????
32. Who invented chop sticks?
Some Idiot
33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
Zak
34. Are you too forgiving?
Nope in fact it is hard for me to forgive anyone at all.
35. When was the last time that you were in love?
Awhile ago
36. Tell us about your best friend.
I don't wanna!!!!!!!!! I have more than one best friend.
37. What was the stupidest thing you learned in high school?
Most of the stuff you learn in school is dumb.
38. What was the last thing that you cried about?
Brita
39. What was the last question you asked?
If we could go to Sam's Club while we were out.
40. Favorite thing to do this time of the year?
Ride with the windows down and sun roof open
41. If you had to get a (or another) tattoo, what would it be?
I have no idea but it would be something to remember Brita by.
42. How would your best friend describe you?
Crazy
43. Have you ever seen all three Twilight films?
Nope and I don't plan to see them.
44. Ever walked into a glass door?
Nope
45. Favorite color on that person that you are attracted to?
Army uniforms lol
46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Not that I can think of
47. What hair style (for you) would you like to see return?
Curly hair but it doesn't matter if it returns or not because I will always have my hair curly
48. What was the last CD you bought?
I haven't bought on in years
49. Do looks matter to you?
Not really
50. Could you ever forgive a liar?
Ya I did once and come to find out they just lied again so now I would say no I can't
51. What's the hardest bill to pay every month?
My car payment
52. Do you like your life right now?
No but I am working to get it where I will like my life
53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
No I turn the sleep timer on so it will turn itself off.
54. Can you handle the truth?
Sure can
55. Do you have good vision?
Nope
56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
Yes I do!
57. How often do you talk on the phone?
All day Monday through Friday at work.
58. What celeb would you like to come home to?
Zak
59. What are you wearing?
PJ's
60. What is your favorite wild animal?
Tiger
61. Where was your facebook picture taken?
I made it
62. Can you waltz?
Nope
63. Do you have a job?
Sure do
64. What was the most recent thing you stole?
I don't steal
65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Once when I was little and we were locked out of the house.

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April 14, 2011

Freaky Friday

It is time again for Freaky Friday Follow. There are just a few simple rules to follow for this one:

Grab the button and post in on your blog
Make sure you follow both the hosts
Leave a comment so we can return the follow.
Try and follow are least 2 other people that are linked up
Link up to the post that has the button on it!

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

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April 13, 2011

Dead Cow Lecture at Vet School

First-year students at the Vet School were attending their first anatomy class, with a real dead cow. They all gathered around the surgery table with the body covered with a white sheet.

The professor started the class by telling them, "In Veterinary medicine it is necessary to have two important qualities as a doctor: the first is that you not be disgusted by anything involving the animal body". For an example, the Professor pulled back the sheet, stuck his finger in the butt of the dead cow, withdrew it and stuck his finger in his mouth. "Go ahead and do the same thing," he told his students.

The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes, but eventually took turns sticking a finger in the butt of the dead cow and sucking on it.

When everyone finished, the Professor looked at them and said, "the second most important quality is observation. I stuck in my middle finger and sucked on my index finger. Now learn to pay attention. Life's tough, but it's even tougher if you're stupid."

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