This Here Blog

Most of you probably didn't notice, but a couple of weeks ago, a Trolly person with nothing better to do on Father's Day came and left a few Trolly Comments on This Here Blog.

I refused to engage in any back and forth with said Trolly person; I simply deleted the comments and enabled comment moderation for the time being until said Trolly person gets a life (oh, I can only dream....).

But I did want to address a couple of things here on This Here Blog.

Is everything that Trolly person said true?  Hell No.
Am I going through some major shit in my life right now?  Hell Yes.
Am I going to blog about every detail here on This Here Blog?  Hell to the NO.

You see, This Here Blog is MY blog.  I can blog about whatever I want to on here.  What I DO post is the truth, but that doesn't mean I have to tell every single detail of my life.  (I just farted - must I blog that??)

Apparently I have an online fantasy life here on This Here Blog, and I wanted to apologize if all the luxury and glamour of my fantasy life have caused any of you to be jealous.  Please don't hate me because of my incredibly fantabulous existence that I portray here on This Here Blog. I still love you little people, even if you'll never reach my level of awesome.  You can at least visit my blog and attempt to absorb some of my amazingness.  You're welcome.

(in the interest of full disclosure - I JUST BURPED.  'Scuse me.)

I don't expect you to blog about that fight you had with your husband.  It's ok if you don't tell everyone that you fell off your diet HARD and ate the whole pan of brownies.  It's ok if you don't want to share that you accidentally forgot to pick your kid up from soccer practice and the coach had to call you and you felt like a real douche.  Or that time when you drank too much wine at your neighbor's cookout and puked in her azalea bushes (yes, I did see that.).

Because on your blog, you post what you want.  On This Here Blog, I will post what I want.


And that's all I have to say about that!

We're Going to be Okay

My kids and I.  We're going to be okay.
We're going to be okay because we are strong and we are resilient.
We don't much care what other people think.
What makes us happy goes beyond what people think SHOULD make us happy.
We dance to our own beat.
Even when circumstances are not what most people consider ideal, we are still okay.
Even when circumstances SUCK, we are alright.
We understand what truly matters in life.
We make the best of what we do have.
When life is difficult, we don't give up.  We don't feel sorry for ourselves and mope around.  We may scream or cry or curl up in bed.  But WE GET UP.  And we keep going.  We fight for what we want. And we know that regardless of the outcome, we will be okay.
Because we have each other, and we love each other.  And when you have a love like that, you will be okay.
Nobody can take that away from you.

this pic is a few years old but I just LOVE it!!  =)  

Closing Time

Fragging Time, one last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer. 
Fragging Time, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here....

~* Thanks for your thoughts/prayers/etc. for my Mom, Dysfunctional Nanny.  This week's visit was more about questions than answers.  Basically, she's so healthy that they can't figure out what's wrong with her.  She has some unusual levels in her blood and they just can't figure out why.  They've sent off more blood for further testing and may be doing a bone marrow biopsy on the next visit, which is in two weeks.  I'll keep y'all posted.  (my mother is VERY old-school and distrusting of the internet, so I don't want to go into minute detail here for the sake of her privacy.)

~* The CNA Appreciation Day was absolutely fabulous.  The massage...I have no words.  OK I do, but they're NSFW.  My massage therapist was a large man who goes by the name of T-Rex. Need I say more? I am currently accepting donations to the Dysfunctional Mom Needs a Weekly Massage Fund.
There were also manis, pedis, eyebrow waxes, makeovers, prizes (I won a $25 Gift Card to a scrub shop!), fantastic food, and a beading table where I made some adorable earrings. And more that I can't remember.  It was really a wonderful event and I thoroughly enjoyed the pampering!

~* Have you ever had a blog friend disappear?  You read their blog faithfully, and then one day they suddenly stop posting?  That's happened in recent months with two of my favorite bloggers.  I emailed them both; no response.  I'm worried.  If y'all are out there....I miss you.  Call Me Maybe???

~* Last night my best friend Danielle kidnapped me and took me to a drag club.  We'd been before, it's a really fun place.  I wasn't planning to go out last night (and haven't been out in forever), but I'm so glad we did!  It's always a blast with her.

Have a great weekend, friends!


Closing time, time for you to go out to the places you will be from. 
Closing time, this room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters come. 
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits, I hope you have found a friend. 
Closing time, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. 

My Quiet Spot

Today I'm joining in with Mama Kat's Weekly Writing Prompts.  Because you know, it's pretty much world famous.  Like my potato salad.

The prompt I chose is this one:

2.)   Time for a break! Show us where you go for quiet time.

Some people might choose a library or a coffee shop for their quiet time.  

Not this chick.  I head to the lake.  Usually, Lake Alice on the University of Florida campus.

I have a need to connect with nature.  It's a spiritual experience for me, and very relaxing and centering.

Now, I know you're probably thinking, "Are you BATSHIT CRAZY???  You consider it relaxing to hang out with animals that could quickly kill you with a move called a DEATH ROLL?!?!"

click for full "RAWR" effect

To which I reply, "yes.  Yes, I am batshit crazy.  Did you really not know that by now?  Try to keep up.  Sheesh." 

I'm pretty sure he's smiling and posing.
Not threatening to eat me for lunch.

I've lived in this area for my entire life.  I know to give alligators respect and keep my distance.  I'm not up in their face.  We can all hang out together.  It's peaceful.  COEXIST!

he...wants to soak up the sun....

Once the sun starts going down, it's time to walk across the street and watch the bats leave the bat house.  It's an amazing, awe-inspiring mass exodus.

click to read....interesting stuff.

One tip though: that wet stuff that begins to fall out of the sky as the bats fly overhead?

That's not rain.  IN MY EYE.

That was notsomuch relaxing and peaceful.

believe it or not, there are bats in this photo. those suckers move FAST!
and cell phone cameras don't do them justice.

So, there you have it.  This is where I go for quiet time.  I watch the alligators, turtles, bats, and people, who are also fascinating.  Especially when they almost stumble over an alligator.  Heh.
Where do you go?

Visit Mama Kat's Losin It for more Writing Prompt posts!

hey y'all

Just a quick request.
My mom is going in for some tests tomorrow because of some health issues she has been having.
It could be nothing, or something minor. or....something else.
 If you could send out some prayers. good vibes. thoughts. etc.  I would greatly appreciate it!

A Few Fragments for You

I'm not really full of fragments today, but I do have a few.

It's been a good week.  Some stress was relieved, some good times were had.  And on one of my days off, I slept until 5:00 pm.  No joke!  I guess my body was desperately in need of sleep!

Next week, a retirement center in my town is having a "CNA Day Away".  It's a day for caregivers to be pampered with free massages, manicures, pedicures, etc.  I can't even explain how much I'm looking forward to this!!

Earlier this week I posted this.  If you missed it, I'd love for you to give it a read.

I'm leaving you with you a conversation I had with my 87 year old client yesterday.
She takes a medication that makes her urinate a lot.
She also gives herself insulin shots in her thigh 4x a day.
This equals to a LOT of pulling her pants up and down.

So today, after assisting her with that for the 845th time, she says in a high-pitched voice:
'Mommy, what did you do today?  Oh, I pulled a lady's pants down.  Over and over and over.'
Me: (laughing) Well, that's my job.
Oldie: Yes, but that's not really something you want to share with your children. You want them to aim a little higher in life.

And.I.DIED.
I love my job!

Visit Mrs 4444 for more Friday Fragments (and some UBER cute puppy pics!!!).

That Which Does Not Kill Us.

I've always been a very trusting person.  Sort of Pollyanna-ish in that I believe people are good until proven otherwise.  I never suspect someone of being out to hurt me or take advantage of me.

I've been hurt a few times because of this, but not enough to change.  And despite many red flags, I recently trusted someone whom I definitely should not have trusted.  And I got burned.

I met this girl I'll call Dana years ago, before I married husband #2.  Then she moved away and we had no contact until late last year.

Dana literally has no friends.  Her own family will not have anything to do with her.  But I felt sorry for her. People who knew her warned me not to trust her.  But I assured them that it was okay. I insisted that she wasn't a bad person.  Also, she's bipolar.  As someone who has suffered with severe depression and anxiety, I have a great deal of sympathy with those suffering from mental illnesses.  So even when she showed her nasty side, I told myself it was the illness, not her.  But bipolar does not mean pure evil.  And this girl is pure evil.

I made her very angry in April.  I was more than willing but NOT ABLE to do something she wanted me to do.  I was going out for a few drinks with my (real, true, God-given) best friend. Dana wanted to come along, but needed me to pick her up from a neighboring town, then take her home afterwards.  I simply could not afford the gas, and she had no money to offer me for repayment.  I told her I was sorry, and she said it was fine.

And then she proceeded to try to destroy every aspect of my life.  She has told vicious lies to try to ruin my relationship with my CHILDREN, to get me fired from my job, and to get my friends and loved ones to turn against me.  She told people about my private life, but twisted the truth and exaggerated the reality to make me sound like a horrible person. And then made up stories that had absolutely no basis in fact.

I've been doing battle against her lies for nearly two months now.  She didn't succeed in any way.  At times, I thought she would.  I thought her evil lies would win.  But they won't, she won't.  It's not over, but progress has been made.  My faith has been restored.  Some people are quick to believe negative things, especially juicy, Jerry Springer-like stories. But fortunately, the real world deals in facts, not made-up lies.

I would be lying if I said I did not want revenge.  BADLY.  I can taste it.  But I won't do it.  I won't risk getting myself in trouble for her.  She is not worth it.  I know, beyond a doubt, that she will pay for what she's done, in some way. I may never know or see it, but I know it will happen.  Things like this don't go unpunished.

I'm a strong person.  I've been through a lot of shit.  This nearly broke me.  This had me, at one point, literally lying on my best friend's SIDEWALK outside of her house, sobbing my heart out.  With my head in her lap, she rubbed my back and promised me that in the end, it would all work out.

And it will.  This didn't break me.  It won't break me.  SHE won't break me.  Evil will not win.
We're going to be alright.

The Stupid Tired

Y'all, I am TIRED.  In 13 minutes I will be finished with my fourth 12-hour shift IN A ROW.  I have worked 48 hours in four days.  SHUT.UP.


I am now at the point that where in I have The Stupid Tired.  Everything is funny.  It's eerily similar to being drunk.  I would assume, as I haven't actually been drunk in at least 24 hours.

To explain what I mean, I will share with you a bit of a recent text conversation:

Friend: do you like to eat?
(I knew this person mean "WHAT do you like to eat?", but a. I have the stupid-tired and b. I'm kind of an asshole.)
Me: Yes I do.
Friend: lol I mean WHAT do you like to eat.
Me: I like pretty much everything.  Except for the stuff I don't like.  That shit's nasty.
Friend: lol and what's that?
Me: Mushrooms.

And then I laughed till cried.

Sweet dreams, amigos, I am OUT!!!