Author Archives: Tricraftual
I am still here!!
2013 was an interesting year. It was about focus and change and patience. Things I had to learn. It ended well but it was a tough year in general. Anyway it’s 2014 and who knows. I did my first 5K New Years Day. Don’t get excited can’t run but I can walk. A group of my swim friends and some runners I know and some runners who are swimmers (confused yet) did the January 1, 2014 Hangover Run in Westfield, New Jersey. Three of us walked. I had never done an official race so when I saw all of those people I decided to let them run and walk past me. We were the last three to complete the race. Lol. Did it in 58 minutes. I was happy. Now I have a best to beat. We had a cheering squad by the time we reached the finish line. And a plan was hatched!!!
I intend to do some type of athletic event every month this year. Well that’s my plan. I am going to sign up for a 5K in February but I must admit if it’s too cold I will not do it. We’ll see. I signed up for a practice triathlon that takes place at Montclair State College (indoors) in April and I am signing up for the Irongirl Triathlon in September. I will let you know as I fill in the blanks.
Happy New Year, it’s about the mind, body and spirit this year.
T
that’s me back row second from the right. 62 and going strong!!!
Can’t Afford To Save Money!!!!
So is this too much to ask? I want to open savings accounts for my granddaughters. Just something small to get them started and I intend to occasionally put money into each account (I have two granddaughters). The major bank that my son and daughter-in-law use wants $5.00 per month for balances under $300.00! Really? I found one that only requires a $50.00 deposit and charges $1.00 per month if the balance goes below the $50.00 mark. These are the same people who are offering interest rates that are little more than if you kept the money in the sock draw like grandma did. I just want the kids to get the idea that they need to save to get the little things that they want. I realize that you don’t get rich this way but it’s a start.
Sometimes my mind goes in too many directions
I’ve learned that we should try to live day by day. That doesn’t mean don’t plan it simply means savor each day and let the next day take care of itself. Having said that my very active mind is revisiting ideas that I have had in the past and I can’t seem to shut it up. I am again entertaining the idea of returning to school. It’s such a bizarre idea that I can’t believe it. Frankly, I’m not sure that I can handle the rigor of higher education. On the other hand I am intrigued by the idea of continuing my education. So we’ll see what happens. I don’t want to rule anything out. Who knows what can happen. I am open to the possibility.
Hey! The Hair Dye Doesn’t Help!!!!
Okay I’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. If you are a man and your hair is gray or salt and pepper when you go home tonight, do not use that black hair dye or as my friend calls it the shoe polish dye and come to work tomorrow. IT DOES NOT LOOK NATURAL!!! Especially if you do the mustache! You do realize that people are snickering when you leave the room. Just saying.
The End of Creativity is Near!!!
My students get tired of me telling them how media and technology are ruining our ability to imagine and create but I believe that it’s true. My Mom was born in 1916 and she often talks about how they entertained themselves pre-TV. She said that my Great Aunts and Uncles would entertain by playing the guitar and piano and singing. She was and is a prolific reader and spent many an evening reading to amuse herself. She passed that love of reading on to me.
My friends and I could play outside all day with a pair of skates, a jump rope and a dollar for penny candy. Today I saw a commercial for the movie Carrie. I thought it was for the original on TV but it wasn’t. They have actually remade Carrie. Does that make my point?
So Long Summer
Ordinarily I am sad when summer ends but this year for me personally, I’m not sorry to see it go. Perhaps one day I will go into detail but let’s just say that I was not able to do what I set out to. I didn’t compete in my scheduled Triathlon and will have to wait until next year to do it. So no crying over split summers. I officially began training for the 2014 season. Not sweating the small stuff as they say.
Call for help. It’s out there
Lee Thompson Young former Disney star apparently committed suicide early today. I didn’t know him as the “Famous Jett Jackson” but had watched him on Rizzoli and Isles” for several seasons now. He didn’t look the same to me this season but certainly I didn’t see trouble in his eyes. This scares me because more and more young people see death as the solution to their problems.
I can’t begin to understand how they feel because I don’t feel that way. I know that there are people out there willing to help if they are reached out for. All we can do is keep in touch and pray that the person facing these issues looks for help.
A Kind Word Can Mean So Much
Today at church a young man came up to me and hugged me and thanked me for encouraging him the week before. At first I was thinking what did I do? I thought some more and said to myself I guess that telling him perhaps learning patience was the lesson that he was to get from his recent undiagnosed illness. I told him that this summer for a variety of reasons I had begun to learn the same lesson. Things are not always done in our time frame but one way or another they get done. Any way, after two separate hospitalizations he finally has a diagnosis and is receiving treatment. He is beginning to feel better and I was happy to hear that news. I didn’t think I did any thing and he felt differently.
So if the kind words are in your heart, let them out of your mouth. They may help some one.
I Don’t Like Everybody. Do You?
There is some wisdom with age. I don’t like everyone that I meet and that’s okay. If I can, I avoid people who rub me the wrong way. If I can’t avoid them, I try to keep physical distance. If I can’t do that I remind myself that I don’t have to be around them for long. This is a change from my younger self.
In the past I would have been confrontational or obnoxious when having to be around people who are not my cup of tea as they say. Now I realize that as long as they are not doing anything to harm me, I don’t have to give them much thought.
This topic came to mind because recently a friend took some unintentional actions to be a slight and became angry. I thought they were kidding when they said they were angry only to find out later that they were serious. Wow!
My advice to everyone is don’t take everything so seriously. There are always real issues on the horizon. Save the angry energy for when there is a real problem.
Everyone Needs a Break
Today is my husbands birthday. At the last minute we found out that his best friend and family were going to Atlantic City (NJ) and we decided to join them for the night. So yesterday we drove down. Had dinner with them and I did a little casino time with them. Hubby doesn’t partake. This morning by 8:30 a.m. we were on the beach. I began walking and before I knew it I had walked three miles. Then in the chilly ocean and some time on the beach. It wasn’t much but it was fantastic!!! No matter what the budget (ours was very small) you need to get away when you can. Trust me.
Me at the beach this morning
The Atlantic
First Steps the Hardest 