Fall Colors: Better Late Than Never

The leaves are finally starting to change colors. They are about a week behind normal, maybe even a little more. It's really beautiful right now. Lots of reds, oranges, yellows and greens. Now we just need the weather to get into fall mode and cool down a little.

New Path

These are the first days of my life on a new path. I quit my old job and am now embracing my new life as a mother and small business owner. I thought I would miss my old job, but I don't. I want to get a report on the person who replaced me, but I have no desire to go back.

Our business is doing very well. I wish I could take all of the credit for the growth, but there were several things put into motion earlier, as well as the awesome weather we had. Still, I like to think a small part of it was me. At least I won't have to worry so much this year about financial issues.

Part of the new path also involved a make over. I got a new hair cut, had a spa day and bought some new clothes.

Another part is the letting go side. I'm having a huge yard sale and getting rid of lots of stuff.

Time to turn over a new leaf, so to speak.

Cleaning House with Goals

I just started reviewing my life goals. It seems like some of the things were out of date -- like start a family (my son is 2 and half) and some things were completed long ago. I think I updated my goals at one point, but they must not have made it to the current goals file I can find. I think it's important to have goals, but they so often seem to get lost in the every day living of life. Which is more important -- moving in the "right" direction towards the future, or just living your life as it comes? I can see that on my list there were many things I did, many things that I thought were important, but didn't do, and then a whole host of things that didn't get done, but are still on the list. Now I have to sort out in mind these goals and how they fit the current me. Maybe I need to clean house, like on all those home improvement shows -- I have to go through each goal and see if I should "KEEP" "DISCARD" or "SELL" it. I'm not sure what the equivalent of selling your goal would be, but I could certainly use the keep and discard piles. That makes a nice mental picture -- going through your goals and heaping them into piles by whether we should keep them or not. On all of those shows after you think you have your keep pile, they make you go through it again and get rid of most of the stuff you thought you should keep. Interesting thought for goals. Maybe I will need an outside party to look through my goals with me and see if I'm keeping them for sentimental reasons or just want to have it so I feel important. I'm usually pretty good and paring down my physical resources, but I think I will have a tougher time on the goals front.

Happy Anniversary to Me

It is my 14th wedding anniversary today. It seems so hard to beleive that someone who never thought they would get married has been married for fourteen years. I can still remeber that day very clearly. At this time I would have been upstairs at my in-laws house getting ready and looking out the window as chairs are being wiped down (from the very light rain shower) and the few early people start arriving. My mothers, my sisters, my cousin and I are all laughing and taking pictures and sneaking little bits of food here and there. The day seemed to pass so quickly. I remeber walking around the porch and down the aisle with my father. I remember looking at my soon to be husband as we stood in front of friends and family as sweat poured down his face (it was already getting hot, even in the morning.) I remember my mother reading a poem and trying not to cry. I remember my sister-in-law holding my little neice in her arms. I remember my Grandma and Grandpa and all of my family smiling in the sun. I remember watching my sisters and cousin walking back up the aisle to the porch, then all of standing in line as everyone passed through. I couldn't stop smiling. I don't remember all of the words that were spoken, but I remember all of the love and support. It's amazing I can remember it so well after so many years.

Post This

Just need to vent a little bit. The weather is great and I don't feel like enjoying it. I'm here inside avoiding doing anything useful or fun or whatever. Instead I'm fooling around online. Maybe I haven't been getting enough "me" time? I don't know.

LIttle Annoyances

Why does it seem that the littlest of things can set off a normal every day occurrence and make it into World War III? Speaking of World War's they just had in the news an story about the last WWI veterans still living. One is from Ohio and is 108. There was a quote from his 85 year old daughter. It seems very surreal to think about how long he has lived and how many changes he has seen. I wonder what his one piece of advice would be for the world. What has he experienced that his shaped his world -- what is his contribution? Maybe mine should be to not get quite so annoyed at all those little things. Easier said than done, of course.

My top 10 Little Annoyances (In no particular order)
1. Trimming your nails with a knife.
2. Whining and complaining about things you can't change.
3. Whining and complaining about things you could change, but don't.
4. People who aren't open to hear the other point of view.
5. Books being treated badly.
6. Chocolate being under appreciated.
7. Never getting to go to the bathroom uninterrupted.
8. Getting caught up in a good book and staying up way to late, then having to be coherent at work the next day. (But it's usually worth it.)
9. People who outbid me in the last minute on an eBay auction.
10. Toilet paper on the roll the wrong way.

What are yours? Those little (or not so little) things that get under your skin?

I fear I should log out now, so I can go read a book -- but, oh no, I won't stay up too late. I have to be in early tomorrow.

Shopping as an Altruistic Activity

What can I say, I've been out there living life and haven't had time to write about it. Okay, really I've just discovered something else to do on the computer and my Internet connection is slow, so it has consumed all of my time. I've discovered eBay. Yes, I know what you're thinking -- she's addicted to shopping -- well, you would be right. Only, I already was, this just means I don't have to leave the house to do it. This could be extremely dangerous for someone with my anti-social tendencies, but fortunately, or unfortunately as the case may be, it isn't quite the same thing as shopping in person. But now I can have the thrill of the hunt right here in my own home. I can also get rid of all those things I don't want anymore and then use the money to buy new stuff. I'm trying to keep the amount spend about even with the amount sold. It's working so far.

It amazes me the things you can find, and sell on eBay. I put up some DVD's thinking I'd get a dollar or two and they sold for eight. It's also fun to just look around and see what other people are buying and selling. If I had the time (and better that dial up) I could get lost just browsing through the offerings. At first it seems like a daunting task -- there are so many possibilities, where to begin? But once you get into it, it leads you from one place to the next, then eBay starts giving you ideas and recommendations (like any good shopping site that wants you to keep shopping.) Pretty soon you're bidding on a lot of 50 doorknobs and don't remember even having that many doors once the glaze of addiction fades and reality sets in.

My husband thinks I'm addicted and is on a first name basis with the UPS man. He got mad at him for driving on our new concrete, but where else was he supposed to go? Me, I now having a speaking relationship with the Postmaster of our small local post office. (See, it's even expanding my social network.) Between eBay and my book swap site it seems like I'm single handedly keeping the post office in business. I'll bet the post office loves the advent of online shopping and exchange sites. Maybe they'll think about that before the next rate increase. Sure everyone is (okay, my Grandmother will never do it, but most everyone else is) using email instead of sending letters. But once you get through the email inquiries, there is the final exchange through the US Mail or some other carrier. They should be grateful. Think of all those lovely packages stacked up and waited to be sorted and delivered from one end of the country to the other.

There you go -- I have now logically connected shopping and supporting the government. (This didn't even include all those shopping indexes, sales tax, and jobs supported by shopping.) We're expanding our horizons, touching people from across the country and around the world. Pretty soon the world will be one mall with no boundaries, the only wars will be price wars, the only conflicts will come when there aren't enough Coach handbags, or scrapbook paper with sailboats, or diamond earrings for everyone. But then there will be substitutions, people will benefit from war and conflict by getting a good deal -- the ultimate goal of any shopper.