Monday Musings: The Musings Edition

Making a low carb commitment last week really helped.   There were a couple of times when I had to cling to my integrity that I did, indeed, make a commitment.  I had added “no chips and fries” in a comment on that entry, so that helped when I was eating out last week.   I lost 5 pounds, and I feel much more in control today than I did one week ago.  Well worth it.  I have lost a total of 73 pounds.   Relosing the 22 pounds I regained.   I’m thankful.

I’m working on my Margafesto.  Yes.  Really.   I started writing it two weeks ago, but within the first paragraph, I found my mind rebelling…recoiling from the responsibility of being a better person.   I am long used to doing things like water…following the past of least resistance.   But I really need some change in my life. 

Do you ever consider giving up all social networking?   Or at least taking a break from the countless hours spent in front of a computer screen doing…not much?  I do.  I also think about giving up this blog.   I’ve had it for four years…but I have been blogging for much longer than four years.  I probably won’t give up Margaret’s Musings…I keep thinking that one day I will actually write in it.  Write, as in words of substance, words that matter. 

Yesterday, Ole Boy and I went walking on the TVA Nature Trails…my foot is a little better now because my doctor put me on a dose pack (prednisone) for five days.   I have today and tomorrow left.   My foot is not nearly as “better” as I wanted it to be.  I keep hoping and praying.

I Now Have The Answer...

Sometimes I question myself on my “Dear So-n-So” entries.   I wonder if I am being unchristian-like in my sometimes pointed, sometimes fun-poking questions and statements.   The jury is out…I don’t have the answer on that.   What do you think?

What I do have the answer on is sugar.

It’s not like I didn’t have the answer some months ago.   But now…I feel the answer is reinforced.   When I look back over my now-defunct “diet” journal from last year, two things I was certain of:   I couldn’t eat sugar without repercussions, and I was being obedient to God when I abstained from it.  God made a way out for me and it’s up to me to choose the path He so graciously supplied; to choose, and to be thankful that I do, indeed, have an escape. 

I have been struggling (and gaining weight) because I allowed myself to fall for the ole “you can have a little” trick.  I now have made a commitment to abstain from sugar/bread for one solid week.  I have to clarify, and say that I do not plan to ever have sugar again, but because I have struggled with it so, I am committing to one week, and prayerfully believing that I will be “detoxed” from the poison that sugar is to my body.  I must remember that I can’t rely on myself, but that I can definitely rely on His strength. 

When I first realized I was struggling, I fell back into the mindset of “I have to…” trying to rely on own willpower, a mindset of being on a diet, limiting, counting...all those things that I prove over and over again that I can't manage to do.   I even made a new unpublicized blog (because I am ashamed to have fallen so far, walking a road I never thought I be on again) to write about getting back on the right track.   Well…Jesus is the right track, He is my freedom.   The new blog will go by the wayside, and I will write about struggle vs. freedom here.  It’s only fair, is it not, for the ones who cheered me on to be aware that I fell down.  Thanks to God, (who is for me, not against me) I can (and do) refuse to stay down.  

Thursday Thunderings

Dear Local Blogger:

I remember having a conversation years ago with a loved one.  I told her that if everyone is disagreeing with what you’re doing, they can’t all be wrong.   I wonder if perhaps there’s a bit of “no one is going to tell me what to do in my own space” type thinking going on right now, which is perfect within your legal rights.  It is, after all, your blog.  

You asked those disagreeing with you to name one 9/11 victim, referencing that we all could name the Twin Towers, but not any of the victims.   However, you may want to consider that 9/11 happened 12 years ago in New York; the local young girl hasn’t even had a funeral yet.  That makes a big difference when naming names. 

I really hated the old building is gone, too.  I am at a loss, though, to understand what you are thinking on this one.   I don’t believe you are as hard-hearted as this situation is making you appear.

Dear Student:

I couldn’t help but listen, you chose to sit next to me…and believe me, I tried to block you out.   Maybe you don’t realize that you say “like” no less than 8 times per minute.   And when you are gossiping about a conversation with your friend, that total doubles.   “Like, I was like, you can’t like do that.   She was like, well, like, I don’t know what she said.   But, like, I was like OK, like do what you want, and she was like do you think, like, I shouldn’t?”     The thing is, I could tell you and the young man weren't very well acquainted, and I just don’t think you impressed him…but I think you really wanted to.  At one point, I tried to tally how often you said it, but you went into a roll of “likes” and I like, lost count.

Dear Hair: 

Sometimes, because of the way you misbehave, I really do consider a wig.

Dear MidSouth Vendor: 

It just looked funny to me, for some reason, to see you in the fast food drive through line in your MidSouth Van ordering coffee.

Dear Jacks:

“Extra ice” isn’t to be confused with “hardly any ice at all.”

Side note:  I am a little hesitant to post this particular entry...but have decided to anyway.  For you non-locals, there was an old landmark building (I have photos, but can't find them!) that was destroyed by fire after a terrible accident that resulted in the death of a beautiful 25 year old girl and critical injuries to a 25 year old young man.  When I first heard the news, I was immediately saddened that I would no longer see the old building on my many trips to Tennessee.   I will miss it.   But I am more more saddened by the tragic loss of life.   There are too many variables to speculate on the facts of the case, who was thinking what...why...so I won't.   I do know that people of all ages make really stupid mistakes, and sometimes, those stupid choices cost lives...sadly, at times, the life of the one who made that last bad decision.  

Monday Musings: The "It Makes Me Shudder" edition

Dear Miley Cyrus:

I’m embarrassed for you.  Certainly what little bit of self-respect you had left took a hike during the VMA show last night.   What a completely unnecessary spectacle you are the morning after that distasteful presentation.   Thankfully, I didn’t see it live, and I only caught a small clip before clicking off of the trash you called a performance. ::::shudder::::

You were already famous…you didn’t have to pull a lady gag-gag to get attention.   You were a pretty girl and a talented performer.  You are not handling the transition from child star to adulthood very well.    Here’s an idea for you…take a break, a good long break, and see if you can find your sanity.   The world doesn’t need one more trash bag.  How about being a role model instead of being just plain shameful?  You can be much better than this.  

Dear Billy Ray,

Bless your achy breaky heart.   After last night, we realize just why your heart hurts.

Dear VMA  Show:

Why didn’t someone break to a commercial and stop this girl from publicly humiliating herself?   Even if this morning she’s not embarrassed, one day I have no doubt that she will be.

Dear Lady Gag-Gag:

You make me ::::shudder:::: with repulsion.   Put some clothes on!

Dear MTV:

Once upon a time, you actually were a viable source of entertainment.   Now, you are a detriment to our society.  All society.    

 ::::shudder::::

Wednesday Whys

Why is McDonald’s so popular?

Why, if I eat breakfast at Jack's every day for a week, I gain weight, but my coworker can eat breakfast at McDonald's every day and never gain an ounce?

Why do I have a harder time forgiving someone who hurt my child, rather than just hurting me?

Why would Jane Fonda be cast as Nancy Reagan…of all people, Jane Fonda?!

Why are the books much better than the movies?

Why do I know so much about (certain) celebrities, and practically nothing about my next door neighbors?

Why do my natural instincts want to rebel at going to see "The Butler," even though I feel it would be a very good movie.

Why do movies cost so much?!!   I'd almost have to take out a loan if I were to take all my angels to a movie, and if it's 3D, I feel I need to take out a second mortgage.

Why do I have the urge to completely revamp this blog?   Probably going to happen!

Happy Hump Day

Capricious Contemplations on a Whimsical Wednesday

If UNA keeps painting those parking lines each year, one day they’ll have curbs for stripes.

The “man on the bench” in North Florence, in front of McDonalds, if you’ve been by there on an early morning (or often late afternoon) you’ve seen him.   He waves at the drivers who wave at him, until lately.   He’s found him a chick to sit with him.  He now completely ignores all the waving drivers…it’s kinda cute.

  

TRESemme’ extra firm flexible hold?   Don’t believe a word of it.  Not flexible…STIFF!

   

Oprah’s racism story?  Even as she stated it, right before she cried “racism,” the story didn’t sound racist at all.   Switzerland apologized, but the clerk says the details didn’t go down quite like Oprah claims…and I believe the clerk, mostly because the story Oprah related just wasn’t racist.   At the least, if it happened the way Oprah claims, but the shopkeeper denies, the clerk was being a little snobby, not racist.  I am weary of the over use of words such as “hater” and “racism” when in fact, it’s neither hate or racist.   I’m not saying hate and racism doesn’t exist, it does, just not nearly as much as the accusations would suggest.  Oprah has now apologized that it got blown up…seriously?  What did she expect?   I think pretty much what she got was what she hoped for.  

  

I was at a place I hadn’t intended on being.   I had other plans that got suddenly changed.   While I was there, a lady showed up for just a minute, and I realized that I was still harboring some unforgiveness toward her when I couldn’t even look at her, much less speak.   God probably had arranged that meeting, because the timing was pretty much perfect.   Forgiveness ain’t my strongpoint.  

  

Time to go to work…

Boys and Hair Bows

Maybe it’s just me.  I just don’t believe I would have told this story in such a public manner, if only for the sake of my child.

Read Story Here if by some slim chance you missed it.

I can understand taking action against the idiot who confronted her, but I can't understand why a mother would want to post this story in such a public way for the future humiliation of her son, complete with pictures and his name.   If she had never made such a big deal about it, the boy would have long forgotten the incident.  Instead, now the family is (according to the author) being harassed and bullied, and it could have been avoided by just going to the police in the first place, instead of repeatedly publicizing it .  Since the other Walmart customers who witnessed the encounter did not "offer support or console" them," I can't help but wonder if the story is exaggerated a bit (hopefully not for the sake of more blog traffic at the expense of her son).  It does look as if she's sensationalizing it.

Folks tend to remember blown-up stories.   Can’t you imagine some yay-hoo telling their first grader (who’s a bully, but mom doesn’t realize that), “Hey that’s the kid who wore the pink flower hairband in Walmart and his mom told the whole world about it…”  A happy school year would just be over for Dexter.   Wouldn’t the poor child would be mortified to have the pink flower hairband story follow him all through elementary school?

Again, maybe it’s just me.  Some things are better left untold to the world.