Giveaway at Junk Sophisitcate

Candy is having a give away on her blog,Junksophiticate. She has a great blog and it is worth bookmarking, so go and visit.

I love me some scrapblog

I recently found a new blog, Brock and Ava, and her most recent post was about a site called scrapblog. Notice my new header, I did that on the new site. It is soooooo easy peasy once you play around with it. You need to save pics as JPEG's and then resize them if you want to use them as your header. I have tried putting a header up before, but was never successful, until today. I know if I can figure it out(thanks Anjie) then anyone can.

Did I mention it is FREE to use? You can order prints or create books to purchase, but they don't charge for all the gadgets you get to use.

Go mess around with it when you have time. I expect to see some creations from my blog buddies.

Peace out,
Olive

4:20pm, Dec. 31, 2008

There are apartments up the street that would make you think I live in "the hood" and we have cars speeding up and down my street occasionally.Yesterday was a teeeensy bit different. The rate this car was driving, you would have though this dude was trying to qualify for the Indy 500. It scared the shit out of me, so I hurdled the couch and ran outside(I am nosy that way), and witnessed 3 police cars IN PURSUIT of the purps vehicle. You know it had to be some shit b/c the popo would not chase a car 70 mph through a residential neighborhood for no damn good reason. Well, here it is. The popo had tried to arrest this arrogant ass(armed robbery) and he decided to make a run for it, THROUGH MY HOOD. Wish I had known all this was going down so I could have thrown out the spikes(kidding) I keep in my trunk for just such an occasion.

Our street is full of kids and there are usually some out on bikes,scooters and skateboards. The hand that is mightier than ours new something was going down and there was not a single soul out in the street at 4:20pm on Dec. 31,2008.

Today is a new day of a brand new year. Peace out!

Count Your Blessings

The following poem was written by a fellow educator. I have her permission to post and allow fellow bloggers to copy and spread it around. Please give her credit if you choose to copy it.

A little back story for the poem...Nancy is the mother to 5 children. In 2007 her two youngest teens were in a horrible car wreck and are still recovering a 1 1/2 years later. They are doing well, but may never fully recover from their injuries. There was other spousal stuff that rained down on Nancy during this difficult time, but through it all she and her kids have perservered. I think it is a good reminder that we ALL need to count our blessings for what we HAVE and to love our families like there is no tomorrow.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday. Stay safe and hug your loved ones.


COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
by:Nancy Hanrahan

I’ve been through some sadness
I’ve been through some tears,
Loneliness, strife:
Yes, even some fears.
Perhaps you’ve been hurting
Both outside and in.
Keep looking to God,
See your heart heal again.
One smile at a time,
A laugh or a tune,
“I appreciate you,”
Spoken never too soon.
The squeeze of a hand,
Letting someone ahead,
Save that last piece of pie
For another instead.
Take nothing for granted,
Beware what is said,
Refuse to grow bitter,
Deny any dread.
Should a negative thought
Creep into your heart,
Replace it with thankfulness;
A refreshing new start.
No linger on blaming,
No dwell on disdain.
Just count all your blessings
Again and again.
Keep counting your blessings
And watch spirits rise,
Far more to be thankful for
Than you might surmise.
Don’t abide in your worries,
Your sorrows and needs,
Rather reach out to others;
Let nothing impede.
Not just for a season
Should you give from the heart,
But in each precious moment
Let your love impart.
So as you are giving
With joy all around,
Watch your peace multiply
And your blessings abound.

Great moments may be in small moments

This was sent to me and I thought it was blog worthy. It may seem a little long, but it will give you reason to consider your actions and how they might affect someone's day. Please feel free to copy, post and pass along, if you wish.


The Cab Ride

I walked to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail,
elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood
before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil
pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no
one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with
sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the
counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and
glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase
to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.
She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.
'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'.

'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she
gave me an address, and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.
'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on
my way to a hospice'.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't
have any family left,' she continued. 'The doctor says I don't have
very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the
building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture
warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a
girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or
corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said,
'I'm tired. Let's go now'

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.It was a low
building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed
under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been
expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman
was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse.
'Nothing,' I said 'You have to make a living,' she answered.
'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me
tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.
'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind
me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost
in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that
woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his
shift?

What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven
away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more
important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.
But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what
others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID,
~BUT~THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

Thank you, my friend... Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Merry Christmas

I'm just sayin.......

I can't blog about the reason for this post due to it being work related and all, but I saw this on a bumper sticker today and thought it fit the moment.


Be careful who's toes you step on.....they might just be attached to the ass you will be kissing tomorrow.

To all my blog world friends...you know I love ya

True Friendship -

None of that Sissy Stuff!
Are you tired of those sissy friendship poems that always sound good but never actually come close to reality?
Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.
You will see no cutesy little smiley faces,
Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1. When you are sad -- I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on mountain dew.

2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you..

3. When you smile -- I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.

4. When you are scared -- I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.

6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.

7. When you are sick -- Stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want what you have.

8. When you fall -- I will point and laugh at you..

9. This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end...
'Why?' you may ask; 'because you are my friend'.

Friendship is like peeing in your pants; everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth..