Category: #bloglikecrazy

Throw-It-Out Thursday

Sorry folks – I had a post for today from my editorial calendar all ready to go, but I wasn’t feeling it and threw it right out the window. I woke up feeling some kind of way, saw the news, got a kick in the gut at work, and decided to let loose on here. This picture is exactly how I feel – female problems and all!

I’m not going to get into a discussion about gun control on my blog, but I am devastated for the families of the victims of Thousand Oaks, the Tree of Life, the Tallahassee yoga studio, and all the other shootings in the last week, month, year, DECADE! It’s sad that it’s such a common occurrence that it hardly raises eyebrows anymore unless it’s someone you know or you were part of it. We’re numb to it because we’ve gotten so use to it being news these days. That breaks my heart.

I also found out today a friend of mine at work is leaving. I’m going to miss them terribly even though I’m extremely happy and excited for them. When they told me I basically just burst into tears. HOW CRAZY IS THAT? We’re not even that close, but this is one of the good ones. One of the GREAT ones, actually, who really works hard to make a difference and make sure things are done right. They are one of the greatest examples we have of a model employee and I hate that we’re losing them. What I hate worse is losing a friend, confidant, and mentor. But that’s life and they’ve worked hard and deserve this.

So today has just been one of those days. All will be fine and life is still great, but today’s a day and I’m allowed to have it. So are you. If you’re having one of those days, let yourself. You’ll feel better, I promise!

A Love Letter to My Massage Therapist

Massage Picture

I’ve composed this letter in my mind a hundred times, usually on the table during a massage. I’ve always chickened out putting it into the world, but I’ve finally decided to do it.

We all have insecurities, especially when it comes to our bodies. For some of us, the older we get the less we care what others think. But those insecurities never fully go away. The negative thoughts I have about my body run rampant on the table.

A massage can be a very vulnerable experience. You’re allowing someone you don’t know (usually) use their hands all over you to help work out kinks, reduce pain, release toxins, and promote wellness in your body. You’re welcome to wear as much or little clothing as you like,  but you’re covered by a sheet except for the specific part the therapist is working on.

It took years for me to be comfortable getting a massage and my friend Amy was instrumental in that. Since then, I’ve received a lot of massages and I have the same thoughts every time: Thank you for not judging me and my body. Even if my massage therapist is judging me by chance, they never act like it or show it. My insecurities are running through my mind the whole time: I know I’m fat. I know I have dimples and cellulite. I know I have cysts that aren’t fun to touch. I know I have a fatty neck that rolls when you massage it. I know I’m overdue for that pedicure. I know my manicure left the building last year. I know you see the varicose veins on my back where most people don’t have them. If my massage therapist only knew all the things I’m silently apologizing for on the table while she works on me.

But she never needs my apology. She never acts disgusted or put off. She never leaves the room, makes a face, or coughs uncomfortably. Massage therapists are professionals and they are kind. Extremely kind…even when I do verbally apologize for my lack of pedicure or manicure. It’s that kindness and warmth that always triggers this love letter in my head. I have a special place in my heart for people who can touch other people all day long and see the healing side of it over anything superficial. They are truly special people and I am so thankful there are people who want to do that line of work. Massage therapy has been absolutely essential for my self-care and well-being.

Thank you to all my amazing massage therapists over the years, my many massage therapist friends who heal every day, and those who will continue to carry on the practice. You are like none other and you are LOVED!

The Blogger Who Doesn’t Blog

I’m terribly inconsistent in my blogging. If you’ve followed me for any time at all you know this already. I do really well for a while and then life gets busy and I slow down or stop completely. Well, this year was a doozie in the inconsistency department. I last blogged on January 1st. CRAZY SAUCE! When I attend blog events I like to call myself the “blogger who doesn’t blog.”

This year it was even worse because I found out some things were “broken” on the backend of my web site and blog when I logged in to do #bloglikecrazy at the end of October. So, if you’re one of those wonderful people who’s noticed my crazy URLs, tried to click on an actual blog title, look at archived posts, or leave a comment, you’ve received a “Page Not Found” error. YAY! GO ME! Imagine my surprise when I came across those hairy spiders after updating my widgets and engine the other night. I am aware of them and am desperately trying to fix then. I know they are atrocious, ugly to look at, and just plain unacceptable – especially coming from someone in the biz! I’m going to get this sucker figured out and FIXED.

As I work on getting these crazy kinks worked out please bear with me. I know you are only able to view the current day’s post on the Blog page. But I’m still committed to blogging and posting every day even though the site is a bit of a mess and the issues are driving me nuts. I WILL be a blogger who blogs, at least during November’s #bloglikecrazy challenge, and I hope to keep it going even after it ends. And hopefully I’ll have the Comments working again soon so you can give feedback and ask questions. Until then, hang in there with me please!

Hugs!

I Heart D&D. Are You?

Kool Aid Man

Birmingham people will hopefully get the joke in that post title. We have a sushi restaurant here called Sushi Village that sells t-shirts that say ‘I <3 (heart) sushi. Are you?’ Really. If you Google “Sushi Village Birmingham” and then click on Images and scroll down a bit you will see a picture of the black shirt. The shirts are classic around here and a running joke because 1) the sushi there IS very good and b) it’s grammatically incorrect and we love it!

Back to the post topic – Dungeons & Dragons. Or as my husband likes to call it, “after work.” HA! I’m kidding. Sort of. Hubby has been playing D&D for years now. How many years? I have no idea. He’s been asking me to play for years. How many years? I have no idea. But I had not played a game, even after being asked at least 100 times, until just recently. Side note: If you don’t know what D&D is you’ve been living under a rock for the past 30 years and you can look it up. Even *I* knew what it was.

Why hadn’t I played until now? A few reasons. First off, I didn’t see myself spending 5-7+ hours during a weekend on one game – I don’t care how much fun it is. I’ve got things to do. Or sleep to catch up on. Or paint to watch dry. Or ANYTHING ELSE FOR 7 HOURS. Secondly, I don’t have enough imagination to make up stuff on the fly for 5-7+ hours. Thirdly, that game is COMPLICATED. I don’t care what you say – there’s spellzits, and sigils, and wizards, and teeflings, and whatsitz galore with 800 levels of 67-sided die that do everything but butter your toast. I can’t keep up and I’m rolling 1s for intellect every time (WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?).

Buuuuuuuuuut, there’s this awesome new gaming club at my company and we’re revving it up with once-a-month Game Days where we set up shop, bring in all the consoles, all the board games, all the toys, and all the kids for a day o’ fun! We had our first one in September and hubby and I attended. They went all out for it, setting up larger-than-life screens with lots of games (I have no idea what was what so don’t ask), lots of board games that I DID recognize because I’m old and old school (I like it like that), and gaming in every corner of the conference room for newbies like me to learn. They even did a “one off” D&D game (aka a shortened, mini D&D game) for anyone who wanted to play, and they welcomed novices. Well, if ever there was a D&D novice…..

We headed into a separate conference room to concentrate and sequester ourselves for the adventure and off we went! Besides stopping every 3 seconds to explain to me what something meant or on my character sheet, we did ok for a one off game with a complete noob who had NO earthly idea (ha! get it?) what she was doing. I will admit I had a BLAST and definitely held my own among the men, though they were more than gracious in helping me learn the ropes and had mercy on me more than once during our travels. I almost died like twice.

Hubby was pleased as punch that I actually played my first game and he’s excited for me to join a real campaign (that’s what the ‘games’ are called and they can last years) and keep the momentum going. He runs a few campaigns weekly/monthly and he’s hoping I’ll start drinking as much Kool-Aid as he is. Ha! I definitely liked the flavor, but not sure if I’m that thirsty yet.

No Day But Today

blog like crazy graphic
credit: Javacia Harris Bowser

It’s been almost a year. Since I’ve blogged. I kid you not. I last blogged on NEW YEAR’S DAY. JANUARY 1st. On that day I wrote a letter to my future self that will be delivered via email in like 10 years. That should be interesting. I digress….

It’s that time of the year – November. It’s time to #bloglikecrazy, that wonderful time of the year where I, along with a bunch of my blogger friends, all commit to blogging once a day during the month of November while our novelist counterparts commit to writing a novel during NaNoWriMo.

Thank you to my followers who have been with me through the years and welcome to all my new friends. You’re bound to learn some new tidbits about me during the month and it will surely bring us closer. I hope you enjoy your time here and please share your thoughts in the Comments section below each blog post. I would love to hear from you and will be happy to answer any questions I can.

Here we gooooooooooo. We’ll see if I make it.