Why is it that we watch things we know are going to make us cry? ok, not everyone cries when they watch things, so I am just talking to them and I am including myself in this group, so no pointing fingers.

I find there are shows or movies I have watched that I know have sad parts and made me cry, but I find that I can’t look away or turn the channel and then I sit there and boo hoo.

I was watching an old episode of Criminal Minds, the one where Agent Hotchner’s ex-wife is murdered and you are so ensconced in the show and the characters, you are shocked when it happens and then incredibly sad. I have seen this episode multiple times, still makes me weepy.

Why do I watch Beaches when it comes on? I know I’m going to ball my eyes out! I don’t even care for Steel Magnolias, yet, I can’t turn away when it comes on and then i am crying like a baby. I love the Harry Potter movies and I cry like crazy when the main characters die, but I’m still going to watch the movies.

I guess we’re just gluttons for punishment, that’s all there is to it.

Isn’t it interesting how the weather is so different in places all at the same time.

Yes, I know different regions of the country have different weather, it’s still interesting how it can turn on a dime where you are and be so different at the same time. For example, last week, it was in the high 70s in Colorado and in the 50s in Atlanta, people were turning on their heat and here, the air conditioning.

When we left for Las Vegas on Friday [not to worry, I will be telling you all about our trip this week] it was quite warm, the driver from the parking lot to the airport turned on the AC and all the posts on FaceBook for New York, Boston and Atlanta, brrr. We got to Las Vegas and the weather forecast for the week, high 70s during the day and low 50s in the evening. Let’s just say, I’m glad I only brought two shirts that were 3/4 sleeve, DCM wore shorts all week and the evenings…shorts and tshirts, what? Last night, it started to cool off a little, then the wind picked up and didn’t quit.

This morning, after being awakened by the wind hitting the windows and the whistling all night and morning, we looked outside and the palm trees looked like they were going to get uprooted, the pool furniture was in a pile, the fountain had a cyclone going on, the revolving doors were bolted shut and the traffic lights looked like they were about to swing hard enough to go flying down the street!

It was finally comfortable in Las Vegas and we were leaving, go figure.

We landed in Colorado, 30 degrees! and we could see our breath as we walked from the plane to the gate, just on the jetway! I need to get to the storage unit! I need my winter stuff!

What’s it like where you are?

If we, as a society are supposed to love the bodies we have, then why are mannequins still so freaking skinny?
Does wonders for my self esteem, what about yours?

I could go on a rant for hours, but why bother? Doesn’t that statement say it all?

Anyone that knows me knows I can’t always finish what I have on my plate.

At home, no worries, leftovers and some food is always better the second day, right? Can I get a oh yeah for lasagna? Yum! But when I go out to a restaurant, it’s a to go container for me, sometimes I ask for one right away and I’ve also thought about bringing my own to the restaurant, would that be weird?

Pic asked DCM once if he was bothered that I didn’t always finish and took food home, I never want him to feel like I am taking advantage when he buys dinner, he said no, because he knows that I will have it for the next few days.

Now, depending on what the food is and where I am, I usually try to find someone to give it to, especially if it’s a burger, why not share! I always ask the server if there are homeless people nearby so I can give them my leftovers, it always happens when I go to the Vortex on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. There are times I will go out of my way, as in walking or driving around the block a few times, I would rather see someone who is hungry have something to eat when I am so lucky to have too much.

One thing I don’t do is give someone money, I don’t know where it’s going, unless they flat out have one of those signs “why lie, I want beer” so I would rather buy someone lunch or give the mine and who couldn’t use a “thank you” and “have a blessed day” everyone once in a while.

There are quite a few homeless people near where I live in Colorado, one or two guys in particular and they are at the light near my apartment, whenever I have leftovers, I like to bring it to them, today, quite a treat! Two pizzas (left over from last night) and half a chicken, enjoy!

Tonight, it was hard, I walked around for about 45 minutes with some leftovers, even after I was told that there probably weren’t any in the area, but I tried and then I felt really bad throwing it away, but I knew I would never eat it and it would go to waste, especially since I’m in a hotel. I’m sorry to anyone who is hungry.

I’m not sure I have a closing for this random musing, so I’ll just say goodnight!

Ok, at least tonight and a few times.

As you know, I am a vegetarian, a veg head and when I became a vegetarian, I didn’t like a lot of vegetable. Yeah, that makes sense.

I liked the basics, salad stuff, you know lettuce, carrots, celery, broccoli, yeah, that might be it, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that I like a lot more veggies. You name it, I may have tried it and probably enjoy it. There are still some veggies that are not going to happen, well not now, maybe later.

One of the vegetables I had always thought were kind if grody were brussel sprouts. When I sold home decor, someone had decorated with them and I thought, that’s the only thing that should be done with brussel sprouts!

About a year ago I was at a party and someone had brought seasoned, grilled sprouts and they were delicious! After that, I started eating brussel sprouts, seasoning and then frying on the stove top, just in olive oil, not deep fried, don’t know how that would be, although a lot of things taste better deep fried, right?

There have been a few times over the last year that I’ve cooked sprouts and really liked them and others, not so much. Tonight, I cooked a bag of seasoned sprouts in the microwave, one of those cook in the bags veggies and they tasted off, bitter, nothing made them taste good and they smelled funky and doesn’t smell have a lot to do with it?

If you have a suggestion on a good way to cook them, please let me know.

Ok, so I am on a brussel sprout break right now, I’ll keep you posted if things change.

Kids up through kindergarten age don’t know how lucky they are!

Babies and toddlers take naps, preschool, kindergarten, they take naps, some are forced, but they take naps. We drive our kids around to get them to fall asleep, we push them in their strollers on a walk around the neighborhood hoping they’ll fall asleep. Once they fall asleep, we leave them in the car seat, the stroller, wherever they are, that’s where they sleep, we check on them and get them when they wake up.

As we get older, we fight sleeping, taking naps, we are kicking and screaming, well, toddlers fight it, but as we grow up, we begin to appreciate the value of a nap. We call them different things…cat naps, cats have the right idea, power naps, that would be for the corporate set. When you’re tired, a quick 20-30 minutes can do a world of good.

I totally value a nap! Especially a good one, when it’s bad or not restful, you feel like crud the rest of the day, not good, but when you have a good one, oh man…aahhhh… Imagine the prefect setting, for you, of course. For me, one of the best is in the fall, windows open, there’s a slight breeze and you’re on the sofa with a light blanket, sun shining; maybe you’re in the mountains in a cabin, the sunroom, maybe the bedroom, but on top of the covers with a light blanket covering at least your feet, sigh. I remember the first time I came to Colorado for a friends wedding and I was at the hotel, on this big comfy bed, window was open and I laid down and was out like a light, never felt better!

The best thing is to wake up on your own, just stretch out and open your eyes and you’re smiling. Wouldn’t you agree?

The worst…when the phone rings or someone wakes you suddenly, are you not in the worst mood for the rest of the day? Or a good chunk of it? Guess what happened to me today…I was feeling a little sleepy, so I decided to rest my head for a moment and just as I began to doze off, the phone rings, it’s a recruiter, great! something worth waking up for…until he told me the rate on the job, I got up for that? That was the end of my lie down, bummer, oh well, there’s always tomorrow, right?

Have you, those that are searching/have searched, found that searching for a job can feel like a full time job?

When you’re looking for a job while you have a job, you try to find pockets here and there where you can search during the day, maybe you don’t have internet at home or you work from home and you search after hours, but still need to respond to emails when you can, sometimes take a call from a recruiter during the day.

It can be exhausting, especially if you’re not happy, so you’re being drained at work and then you have to look for postings online, used to be in the paper, well, you could still look in the paper, but the most popular way today is online. And it’s exhausting!

I was doing that during my last full time job, shhh, don’t tell. I would search on my personal laptop when I would take breaks talk to recruiters when they would call and after I moved to Colorado, since I kept my east coast hours, I was able to do a lot after 3pm MT, I would ask recruiters to call me after 3.

When you don’t have a job, you spend all day or at least a good part of it searching job boards, applying for jobs, answering emails from recruiters. Then you wait to hear back from them, send emails or call to follow up, is there any progress, are there any updates with the job/project/contract.

It’s amazing how exhausting it can be to search the net when you really don’t have anything else to do, haven’t you found that to be true as well? You’re on the net and all of a sudden, it’s three hours later and you’re not sure what you were doing, but you’re exhausted!