Life lessons A to Z

Happy Wednesday, worldwideweb! As part of my birthday month, I thought I'd share an A to Z of some things I've learned along the way in life. Enjoy! And try not to be a dbag today, to yourself or anyone else.

A. Actions speak louder than words. Do what you say you're going to do.

Photo from leloveimage.blogspot.com

B. Don't think so much. Just be. This is my favorite quote from the fabulous novel Ordinary People.

C. Comparison is the thief of joy. Appreciate what you have, don't worry about anyone else or what they have.

D. Don't drink and drive, and don't be an asshole drunk.

E. Excuses are lame.

F. Facebook is not a therapy office, nor is it a place to air dirty laundry. It's a social network. The End.

Photo from sanespaces.com

G. Graciously accept aging - some people don't have the privilege of growing old.

H. Honesty is the best policy.

Photo from letsbehonestdho.blogspot.com

I. If you don't love yourself, nothing else matters.

J. Jail is bad, so don't do anything that might land you there if you get caught, mm'kay?

K. Karma doesn't have a statute of limitations. Treat others how you want to be treated.

Photo from grazesandgroanswithlifesspillsandthrills.wordpress.com

L. Laughter cures most things. So do loving and loyal friends.

M. Manage your expectations of others and of situations and you will be happier overall and less bitter about things you never had any control over anyway.

N. NO DRAMA - don't create it and don't participate in it. It's like Beetlejuice. Don't even say it.

O. Own up to your part in things and take responsibility.

P. Play the best hand you can with the cards you've been dealt.

Q. Quit blaming other people for what's in your life. Whatever is there is there until you choose to get rid of it.

R. Race the sun - have productive and full days. You'll sleep better at night.

Photo from blog.wireguided.com

S. Stand up for what's right, especially when nobody else will.

T. Take vacations, enjoy every day, and have fun.

U. Use correct spelling and grammar.

No lie, I was fortunate enough to be behind this guy this very morning. Please sir, the possessive...you're killing me.

V. Vote. It's a privilege many people in the world don't have, and one of your freedoms that many soldiers died to protect. The least you could do is inform yourself about candidates and issues and pull the lever.

W. The world doesn't owe you anything, so check your sense of entitlement at the door. If you want something, you have to work for it.

Photo from themillionairesecrets.net

X. eXtremists are bad news and tend to ruin things.

Y. You can't control what other people do or say, but you can control your reaction to it.

Z. Zen states are good.


Sayonara, amigos.

SMD

Hello birthday month.

It's here.

Welcome March, month of my birthday, March Madness, daylight savings time, spring training, spring the season...My birthday is in 14 days, doo dah, doo dah. I'm sorry. I can't help myself.

How does one kick off the month of their 35th birthday? By buying gifts, of course. Mine: 

Hello, pretty. We're finally going to rendezvous. You will arrive in just a few days. I can't wait.



Ok, this is not a birthday gift, but it is on its way from Amazon. Free shipping and all.

I need it to make my own ranch dip mix and dressing and I can't find it in stores.

I will classify this as a useful birthday bonus.


A friend of mine from college had a book of poetry published, so I ordered that too. Check her out here.

HARK!

Guess what, guess what? I'm going to have my very own label maker.

Debbie gave me one of hers long ago, but it didn't work for long and I never replaced it.

Is it weird to be so excited over a label maker?

When you store everything in clear plastic containers and have handwriting like a serial killer's

(which I do) ...

I say it's very exciting to own a label maker. Very exciting indeed.

Thank you for the recommendation, Laura.

I have my eye on a few other things as well...specifically a dress, a cardigan and a glue gun after yesterday's blog.

Last night, I baked March two loaves of english muffin bread - my first time baking bread that was not a quick bread - as an offering of good will. It's quite good toasted. March, I hope you enjoy the bread and are a kick ass month in return.

Marching in like a lion,

SMD

p.s. Milo's Kitchen Treats for dogs might be recalled, they are making some dogs ill. Thanks Jennifer K for the info!

In 35 days, I will be 35.

I just thought you should know.

Happy Thursday. May the golden gods of work smile benevolently down upon you, giving you a productive yet speedy day. If you're off from work, please consider bringing me a coffee from Dunkin Donuts. The line was too long this morning.

Also, I want this hat.

Toodleoo mes amis,

SMD

p.s. Thank you MFD for cleaning off and warming up my car this morning. Doing those things myself makes me an angry troll.

Read me, and feed me 107 cups of coffee. Immediately.

I love reading. I am from a family of readers, it's just what we do. I love a book that draws you in, a page turner, one that you can't put down.

I'm looking at you. You kept me up. LATE.

I do not love when the page turner keeps me up way past my bedtime on a school night.

Coffee. A lot a lot a lot.

It would be wrong to Costanza myself under my desk and finish this book, right?

Happy Friday!

SMD

p.s. Continually disgusted with the Komen Foundation and their spin on things.

p.p.s Relay-ful weekend! Light the Stage for a Cure by the Woodbury Drama Club tonight and Strike Out Cancer Spare Lives tomorrow from 2 - 5. Let me know if you want more info on either!

Wake up ladies.

You are not equal to men. Across the board, you don’t receive equal pay for equal work. Your maternity leave is still a bit dicey as the FMLA doesn't cover those who work for smaller companies and guarantees only unpaid leaves. And still, STILL, people want to legislate what you can do with your own uterus. And they’ll put your health in jeopardy to prove it.

Yesterday the Komen Foundation announced that they are cutting funding to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood provides an array of services to people who cannot afford to get them elsewhere, including cancer screenings and breast exams. Wait a minute…isn’t the Komen Foundation dedicated to improving the health of women, particularly breast health? Why would they break that partnership?

It seems that Komen has bowed under anti-choice pressure. Look…whether you are pro-choice or anti-choice is your business. To me, the bottom line is that we should not be placing laws on women’s bodies. Why this issue even exists is completely beyond me. And why the religious right is using their large numbers and tidy piles of cash to apply political pressure to what is supposed to be a women’s health organization into cutting funding to a healthcare provider is incomprehensible.

Unlike abortion, women's health is EVERYONE's business. I will not support an organization that is anti-women. In my eyes, Komen has just joined those ranks.

During and immediately after college, I went to Planned Parenthood for my annuals and exams because I couldn’t afford to go anywhere else. Contrary to what the radical right would like you to believe, Planned Parenthood is not an abortion house.

Ladies, I implore you to open your eyes and ears to what’s going on around you. Don’t just glance at headlines. Your rights are still at stake. Roe vs Wade is not set in stone. Jackholes keep trying to overturn it, and what do they use as leverage? YOUR HEALTH.

It’s time to push back, vocally and mightily, on your elected officials. Hit organizations that are anti-women where it hurts – in their pockets.

Newsflash to the assholes behind this and to the cowardly leadership at Komen: cancer doesn’t give a shit which side of the abortion issue you stand on. It comes for everyone.

I denounce Komen for putting politics before women’s health and bowing to political bullying. Women need you, Komen, and you failed them. I apologize in advance to my people who ask for donations for their Komen walks...The Komen Foundation will not get another cent from me, even if they retract this idiocy and fund Planned Parenthood again. Planned Parenthood, my check is in the mail.