Remembering - Friends

I am not an easy person to like - I admit it.
I remember being told years ago that no one would ever want to marry me.
Yes, that memory still hurts.

I pretty much have one (maybe two) friends from high school and none (maybe one) friends from college that I have stayed close to.  Don't get me wrong - Facebook is great and allows for lots of people to stay in touch (and I like that), but we aren't active parts of each others' lives.
And sometimes, Facebook drives that point home in a way that creates permanent scarring.

I also have a few friends from Unity and Pool where we have had to part ways due to my relocation - some because of the Kentucky move years ago and some because of the Michigan move more recently.

It was so easy to hear - "We will stay in touch! We will visit,"...
But we don't... And they didn't...
And some I don't want to...
But I miss what we used to have.

We have gotten to know a few people since we moved, but it is still in the "getting to know you stage" and honestly, I miss having friends.  I miss having someone that I can go to dinner with... who I can just hang out with...

But as I mentioned earlier, I'm not an easy person to like.
I get it.
I even catch MBB making comments about me - sometimes in jest...
Sometimes not.
And that makes me sad.
But, I am me.
And I really don't have the energy or the desire to change.

I already have a list of things I can't say anymore in our new area...
(Yes, I admit - I hate being teased.. especially when I know that even jest start with some truth.)

But, I do remember and miss having friends.
Having someone who got my sense of humor (very dry) and loved me for who I am.
Not someone who "liked" me just because I was their boss or because they want to know my husband.

And alcohol makes me remember this even more.
(No - I didn't write this at 5am on a Wednesday while intoxicated... I scheduled the posting to go out in the future - to follow the trend of my Remembering posts being on Wednesday.)
No, this isn't really a "pity me post".  Sometimes, it just helps to type as I cry and let it go.

Namaste.

Happy Father's Day!

I'd like to take a moment to say to everyone a Happy Father's Day.

Whether you are a Dad, stepped into the roll of a Dad (shout out to step-dads, moms, siblings, cousins, etc), buried your Dad or lost your Child - today is a day for you.

Namaste.

Generations

There are five generations living together in the USA today...
Four of them are working today making a living...


Lately, it feels like everyone is focusing on one generation only.
I don't agree.
I think it is important for all of us to understand all of the generations - why they do things the way that they do and how we can work / live together successfully.


I believe that we can all learn from each other.  To cast aside anyone - young or older is wrong.


So, I have put some of my thoughts here (and some research with my best fiend).
I take no credit for creating any of this, but I will say that these are generalities and do not apply to everyone who may be in that generation.


The Silent Generation 1925 - 1945 (ages 73-93ish)
-Expected a hard life (Christmas present may be a full meal)
-No major protests...
-One income families
-Corporate loyalty
-Disciplines, self-sacrificing & cautious


Baby Boomer 1946 - 1964 (ages 54-72ish)
-Huge population increase that followed the Great Depression and WWII (77 million).
-Famous for spending every dollar they earn - fueling world ecomonies.
-Fought for environmental protection
-First TV generation
-Cold War, bomb shelters,
-Saw the assassinations of JFK and MLK
-Space travel
-Civil Rights Movement


Generation X (Baby Bust) 1965 - 1980 (ages 34-53ish)
-First generation to experience the highest level of education in the US to date
-Want to save the neighborhood, not necessarily the world
-Don't necessarily feel like a generation
-Exposed to AIDS and its risk
-Ave 7 jobs over the course of their career
-Latch Key kids
-Deep credit card debt
-Quick to diverse - many single parents
-Saw the fall of the Berlin Wall and the split of the USSR


Millennials (Gen Y) 1981 - 1994 (ages 24-33ish)
-Have a "safety net" of their side hustles
-Enormous academic pressure
-Fast / immediate processing
-They have been constantly told that they are special and expect that from the world
-They work hard, but prefer a more relaxed work environment - flexibility
-Need to feel that they are bringing value to their job or they will move to another that they do


iGen (Gen Z) 1995 - 2012 (ages 6-23ish)
-More tolerant of different cultures, sexual orientations, races
-Will never have known a world without computers and cell phones
-More cautious, less risk taking
-Less likely to go to church
-More likely to use Instagram
-Less "face to face" due to smart phones
-Heavy use of gaming
-Grew up more protected than prior generations

I am interested to keep learning about the generations.
I don't believe that all of the stereotypes are accurate for everyone...
For instance, I am a Gen X, but I am not heavy into credit card debt and I have only had one job in my career (so far).

Namaste.

#FridayFinds - Mr. G's Barn (Toledo)

We found a new ice cream place a few days ago...
But the line was so long (onto the road) that it was border-line dangerous to get in line.

So, we decided to come back later.
And later was today.

I have to say that I am impressed.
For a place that is mainly soft serve (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and orange sherbet), they know how to do it up.  Between the cyclones and the specialty sundaes - there is lots of variety.

The place?
Mr. G's Barn
(unfortunately, my picture of the sign didn't take - Google Mr. G's Barn in Toledo and you'll find it).

The specialty sundaes?
Apple Pie

New York Cheesecake

I liked the apple pie, MBB liked both...
Full transparency, I didn't try to NY Cheesecake...
Unfortunately for my hips, this is a repeat.

Namaste.

Content Issues...

I am realizing a few things:
 > I am running out of new places in SE Michigan/NE Ohio to blog about for #FridayFinds
 > I am in the midst of my travel season for work, so no time to be creative for #CreativeTuesdays
 > I am too tired to think for #RememberingWednesdays (or whatever the heck I called it)
 > I have no idea if this blog is being read or is simply here for my sanity (either is okay)

So, either I need to find time to be creative about posts or actually create things...
Or someone needs to give me a topic (and find me the time to get to a computer)…

If you don't want to post a comment here - send me an email or private message.  :D

Namaste.

Feeling Weird

We have been in nimbo for so long now, that I don't remember what it feels like to not be in nimbo.  Now that we have moved into stability at home - it feels REALLY weird.


I keep looking around expecting the other shoe to drop...
And it doesn't...
And it is making me feel very, very uneasy...


I also realized that we began our home search in Michigan over a year ago - you would think that it would start feeling like home more... We are coming up close on our "we bought the house a year ago" date.


So, I am trying to get some routines established (we already have pool), get some projects picked out (that should be very normal for us) and ease into this world of normalcy. 


Hopefully soon, things will feel like home, like relaxing, like us.


Namaste.

#FridayFinds - Ice Cream (Handel's)!

Being that we are from the Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati area... We are used to having that "special ice cream parlor" (AKA Graeter's).  We may not have gone often (I wouldn't say that it is something that we miss), but it was nice knowing that it was there.

Since we moved to SE Michigan, we have been exploring yogurt shops and of course, the normal fall-back - DQ. I think we finally found that "special ice cream parlor" here... Handel's:

We both got the 4 scoop sampler to try multiple flavors of their ice cream.

I can't remember the specific names, but I had French Silk Pie, a Graham Cracker/Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie and Chocolate Cake Batter.
I think the Graham Cracker is a repeat for me.  MBB didn't like any of my flavors (not a surprise, as he isn't a huge chocolate fan).

MBB got a Cherry, Strawberry Cheesecake, Salted Toffee and Pistachio.
If he only gets one again - it will be the Strawberry Cheesecake.  If he gets two - it would be the Cherry and Salted (the Cherry is very sweet and the Salted is very salty - so they go well together).
I wasn't a big fan of his flavors (also not a surprise).

Overall, I think this is a repeat - though we will probably split a 4 scoop sampler in the future.

Namaste.

Bucket List

I was going through some files on the computer and found My Bucket List.

I hadn't looked at the list since 2014, so I took some time to update it.
I have no idea how long it will get, but I am trying to cross at least 101 things off of it during my lifetime...

I currently have 71 things crossed off of the list...
Some of those items include:
 - Graduating from College
 - Traveling:  Ireland, Scotland, England, Japan, Alaska
 - Doing things: Singing Karaoke, Tea at the Ritz, White Water Rafting
 - Adventures: Six-seater planes, Helicopters, Submarines
 - Family: Married, Children, Grandchildren
 - etc. etc. etc.

With 24 left to do...
Such as:
 - Attending: Stanley Cup, Superbowl Games
 - Travel: Mediterranean Sea, All 50 States, Greece, Kauai, Pearl Harbor, Sydney, Italy, U.P.
 - etc. etc. etc.

Still have to come up with a few more to make that 101...

Namaste.

Completely Michiganders...

I was browsing through some of the post on the blog (fixed a few typos) and saw how much I commented on our relocation and trying to sell the house in Kentucky...

So, I thought I should let everyone know that we have closed the chapter on Kentucky and are 100% Michiganders... FINALLY.

MBB is still not extremely happy about moving to the Artic, but there are far more items in the positive side of the list than he expected.  I am extremely happy with our location - though we won't talk about visitors!

And - I asked my friend about the meaning behind Michigander...
Apparently, Abe Lincoln was the first to say the term... And it wasn't in a good way, but it stuck.
In 2011, a poll was held that revealed that 58% of residents preferred that term (according to Wikipedia).

So, I am a Michigander!

Namaste.

Memorial Day in the USA

My blog tracker lets me know that I have visitors from all over the globe, so I thought that I would share some knowledge about the US's Memorial Day holiday. I was listening to the radio yesterday and the DJ broadcasting (who is an American) didn't even understand what the holiday was for...

Memorial Day is meant to be a solemn day of remembrance to honor the US Soldiers who lost their lives in a war. It is not a day to honor any US Soldier - that day is Veteran's Day and the two are confused often.

Memorial Day was originally established to honor the soldiers who died during the Civil War and was originally known as Decoration Day.
In 1966, Congress declared Waterloo, NY as the originator of the holiday in 1866.
In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a National Holiday to be celebrated on the last Monday in May.

According to CNN, approximately 1.2 Million Americans have died from the Civil War to present day wars (https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/us/memorial-day-fast-facts/index.html).  

I remember, honor and give thanks that those men and women stepped up to defend the USA and gave the ultimate sacrifice to allow my fellow Americans and I to live as we do today.


Namaste.