Positivity Shift

Now that the weather shifts in trend towards the warmer side of things, I have been truly loving just finding a pool of sunshine and parking myself in it with my book of the moment. I am lucky enough to have western facing windows in my bedroom. The afternoon sun comes in and creates nice warm rays across my bed. I will often find Erza lounging on my bed, soaking up the warmth.

Vitamin D has been proven to help lift your mood. Sunshine helps your body with the processing of vitamin D, so that means that laying in the sun, within reason, can have some pretty nice perks. With the warmer weather, that means more chances to get outside for your daily dose of sun.

I have been getting curious about what activities people are doing outside while we are still warming up. Here in Wisconsin, the water is certainly still way too cold for any fun to be had, so that means we need to find things to do on dry land. My family has already started the spring cleaning of our yard. Sunday afternoon was spent picking up sticks, raking the grass to lift the dead vegetation off, and cleaning up a winter’s worth of dog poop. The gardens have been left alone for now, to allow the new life a chance to get a solid start.

Green has become the color of the moment due to the sprouts that are peeking out from under the leftovers from last year’s garden occupants. My favorites are the daffodils, mostly because they pop up so early compared to the other flowers. Certainly doesn’t hurt that they are my favorite color, yellow. There is a small patch of them in one of our backyard gardens that I go out and cheer on every year. The one year that I forgot to get out there early, we only got one actual bloom from the bunch. So ever since I have been informing the daffodils that I believe in them and celebrate each bud that turns into a beautiful flower.

This time of year, as things begin anew, I try my best to embrace the positivity in the air. Time to renew a little bit of faith, and spend some time just soaking up the sunshine.

Year 29

I recently celebrated my 29th birthday. This year also happened to be my golden birthday. Turned 29 on March 29th. To mark the occasion my family went out to eat for dinner. There ended up being 18 of us around the table. I felt incredibly loved and special to have so many people who traveled to celebrate with me.

Now, I recently was reminded that when we celebrate a birthday, the age we are turning actually marks the completion of that many years. So having said that, I have been thinking on what I have come to learn in those 29 years.

I know that it doesn’t take much effort to be kind. People go out of their way to be mean and rude to each other these days and it boggles my mind, and hurts my soul. If you just take a breath, and think a moment, being kind to your fellow person makes the whole day much brighter. Spreading just a little positivity can lift spirits and it might come back around to you in ways you never expected.

Laughter has become some of my favorite sounds. I treasure the memories of chatting with my siblings or my friends and everything we said would just make us laugh even more. My parents were never afraid to laugh and have fun with us while growing up. They would sing along with us in the car, be incredibly silly with us, and show us that it doesn’t take much to have a wonderful time. Those moments will forever be something I will hold close to my heart.

Finding small moments of joy or positivity can lift your spirit. When I have those days where it felt like everything was working against me, making a small list, just three things long, of the little happy moments, would change my perspective and show me that it wasn’t as dark or bleak as I had thought. Once in a while I reach for one of my notebooks and find that looking back at the happy moments from previous days helped me see that times where I feel like I can’t get any headway, are really not as horrible as I have been thinking.

I have been learning and growing for 29 years, and I will continue to grow and change as I age. So I am grateful for moments like birthdays that remind us to pause and reflect on how far we truly have come.

Thank you to everyone for all the birthday wishes and the love sent my way. Here is to year 30 and all the incredible moments that are to become wonderful memories.

Fun Filled Weekends

This weekend I have been getting out of the house and having fun with my friends. Yesterday B. and I went out for lunch and then to a garden center that was hosting a thrift sale for the local humane society. I obviously wanted to go and support them, they have given me five incredible animals the past few years, and I am glad I have the means to give them a little help. Today, A. and the kids are picking me up and we are heading to Action City for a morning filled with games, laughter, and memories in the making.

Some weekends I am not up for having big plans. The week was hard enough and I need the weekend to recuperate my energy levels for the following week. This week though, I am very grateful for friends who make plans. I have been enjoying getting out with them lately and I hope my body cooperates, and lets me continue to have lots of fun. (One of the draw backs of having chronic illness.)

My friends have always been a bright light in my life. They get me and are very understanding. B. A. and L. are my three best friends. Sadly L. lives across the country or I am sure we would be hanging out much more. I am also grateful to have lived in the time of easy communication. I am able to reach out to all three with a quick text whenever I need or want to. That text can sit there, in their inbox, as long as it needs to, and they can answer when the get a moment. Two of them are professionals with busy jobs, and the third is an incredibly devoted mom who is always busy as well. So I am glad whenever they get the chance to message me back.

This weekend is the first in a long time, where I get to see more than one friend, in just those two days. My social battery is being given a workout, but I couldn’t be more thankful to have the time with them. Like I mentioned earlier, it is weekends like these that are memories in the making, and I know I will look back at them and smile.

Fun filled weekends are few and far between these days, especially as adults with responsibilities. So when you get the opportunity to spend a little extra time with someone you love and cherish, don’t let it slip away. Let yourself have those fun packed days every once in a while.

A Day For All Kinds Of Love

As we approach the Hallmark created holiday of Valentine’s Day, I have been thinking. I am single again this year, like always, so I may not have a romantic valentine, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have lots of love to celebrate. In my opinion Valentine’s Day has always been about showing those we love how much we care for them, and we have just lost sight and narrowed that view point down to just romantic love.

Growing up, my parents always gave each of us kids something on Valentine’s Day. Some of my favorites are my teddy bear that says you are my sunshine on it. My mom calls me Sunshine because she used to sing the song to me when I was little. I have always loved the song, so the nickname stuck. My mom and dad reminded us every year that love doesn’t just mean romantic partners. Love is a connection between people that truly care for each other.

Ever since one of my best friends has had her kids, I have started giving them valentines as well. This year I gave them little stuffed animals. A got a kitty, due to her love for them, and W got a dino that he has dubbed Sparkles due to the gold spikes on the back. I have gotten lots of pictures ever since I dropped the stuffies off with the kids, of them hugging them and playing. W has become pretty attached to his dino, and I am pretty thrilled that I could provide him with something he holds so dear.

When I gave the stuffies to the kids, I reminded them that Valentine’s Day is meant to celebrate all kinds of love. Family love, sibling love, friendship love, as well as romantic love, to name a few. As we approach and begin to celebrate the day of love, it is not only important to remind ourselves that it is about all kinds of love, but we should also show those we care about how much they matter to us more than just once a year.

Here’s to showing those we love how much they mean to us.

An Extrovert and An Introvert

You might have heard of the idea that the way an introvert makes friends is to be adopted by an extrovert and then become friends with their group of people. I certainly have had moments where I felt like I was along for the ride. As an introvert, I must spend time by myself, or even with a few close people, to recharge my “Extrovert Battery”. Otherwise, I am not very pleasant to be around in a social environment.

Some may not be aware that our furry companions also share these tendencies. My brother’s cat, Gobi, is very shy and it takes some time for him to warm up to company and make his way down the stairs to socialize. I would classify him as an introvert without any hesitation. Erza on the other hand, is an extrovert through and through. She wants to say hello to everyone, give them affection, and then receive some in return.

On Christmas Eve, when my Mom’s side of the family gathered at my home to celebrate, Erza started to make her rounds. She set up camp on a dinning room chair and said hello to everyone as they passed by. Once we started to move the furniture to make the table big enough for the whole family to sit around, Erza took that opportunity to try her best to steal a seat at the dinner table. As people started to find their chair, Erza was shuffled around until she ended up sitting next to me. My cousin, the last one to sit down, pulled out his chair and found Erza staring up at him as if to inform him that that seat was already taken. I couldn’t help but giggle a little at her antics as I picked her up and placed her on the couch to allow room for my cousin to join the rest of the humans at the table.

Due to her very obvious social nature, I have been having moments of laughter. This introvert adopted an extrovert. Since I am her link to the outside world, I will have to try and be more social, just to satisfy her social needs. Maintaining her social calendar is just one more duty to add to the list of things I must do as a Cat Mom.

Summer Heat 2024

When I was a kid, Summer was spent doing our best to find fun ways to stay cool. Dips in the kiddie pool, popsicles, and running through the sprinkler were the popular solutions to the heavy humidity that weighed us down. Living near a lake for part of my childhood also helped. My family is big into water activities, including going to the local beach, and boating when we get the chance.

Now that I am older, I don’t run through sprinklers anymore. (Bad knees) I mostly only dip my feet in the kiddie pool to cool down. Popsicles will never go out of style, but I much prefer ice cream. Trips to the local beach have become fewer and far between, but they certainly hit the spot when I do get to go.

I recently went to the beach to celebrate W.’s 5th birthday, one of my best friends children. He had a blast getting to swim in the lake with his friends, and play in the sand. I was one of the few adults with a full swim suit on, because when you go to the beach, you wear a suit in my family, so I was out in the water with the kids to make sure they stayed safe as they went deeper. The water certainly helped me not feel the sun’s heat as much. (I will be forever grateful to my parents for the swimming lessons growing up. They really help in moments like that.)

What I didn’t notice while at the party was how red my skin was getting. I did apply sunscreen part way through the event, but I was too late. When I got home, I was already feeling the tender spots on my shoulders and back. My face was pretty red as well. Thankfully I normally recover fairly quickly from sunburn. I am already back to normal, and it has only been a week, only a little bit of pealing.

Taking care of my sunburn is what reminded me of those long summer days when we would spend so much time in the sunshine, but it felt like those nasty UV rays couldn’t touch us. Maybe my parents were more liberal with the sunscreen than I remember.

Today is going to be another warm day, so make sure you stay hydrated and protect your skin from those UV rays.

626 Day

Today is June 26th, also known as 626 day. Stitch, also known as Experiment 626, is celebrated today. The whole idea of this strange alien creature could find a family and a home is very heart warming. Stitch is just one of my favorite characters. Growing up I was very much a Disney child. I watched those movies over and over, and even into my adult years, I still had to see the Disney original movies.

The varied stories that unfolded before my eyes, mesmerized me. Mulan learning to fight in the army to protect her father and family. Hercules fighting for the path in life he wanted, and being willing to throw it all away to save the woman he loved. Pocahontas fighting for a Romeo and Juliet kind of love because she wasn’t afraid to dive into the deep end of another culture. These ideals are the ones that I held on to.

I obviously watched the princess movies as well, and they do hold a special place in my heart. Thankfully though, I have incredible women role models in my life that have taught me to be strong for myself and not depend on a love interest for validation. The songs from The Little Mermaid will forever be part of my playlists. As will several of the other soundtracks. I also will hold the princess movies close because of the memories that are attached to them.

Stitch and all the other Disney character are special to quite a few of us and the fact that we have days like 626 Day to come together and celebrate them and the impact that they have had on our lives is really special in my opinion. These characters reached across cultures, continents, and language barriers to create a community. That is pretty magical if you ask me.

Momentous Moments

Thanksgiving was this past Thursday. Like most years I spent it with a large group of my family and lots of good food. My family certainly knows how to cook. Side dishes included green bean casserole, home made baked beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and fresh home made buns, to name a few. We certainly don’t go hungry on holidays.

In the spirit of the holiday, I started to really think about what I have to be thankful for this year. I am incredibly grateful for my loving family and friends. I am always thankful for the good food and laughter that fills the day. And it may make me a crazy cat lady, but I will always treasure the fact that I have Erza.

This year one of the main family members was absent due to the fact that she was in early labor. My cousin welcomed a beautiful baby boy over the weekend and we couldn’t be more thrilled as a family. The new addition is the first of his generation, the first of the great grand kids for my Mom’s parents. (Another thing to be thankful for: my grandparents are still around to love on the new baby.)

With new beginnings come reflections, and I have been looking at my own life. I am certainly not were I thought I would be at 27 years old. Ten year old me thought I would be this incredible published author by now and that I would be married with maybe a kid or two. None of those things have happened yet, but I refuse to talk down about it. Just like choosing to be thankful for the good in your life, instead of focusing on the bad, I am choosing to use positive self talk.

When I finished college, a couple of my female family members continued to remind me to choose the words I use carefully. I earned my degree, instead of I have a degree. In this light, I am choosing to say when I am published, and when I find the right person to share life with, I am sure I will look back at today as the simpler times.

Overall, I am thinking about the moments that become so important to us and those we love that we hold them close to our hearts and protect them. I certainly count hearing about the new baby as one of those moments. Holidays with my family will always be high in the ranking of memories that I treasure.

Here’s to many more magical moments that turn into treasured memories!

Halloween Memories

Yesterday was Halloween. I absolutely adore Halloween, but have noticed a change as I have gotten older. Traditions and routines have changed with the passing years and I can’t decide how I feel about it.

Some of the favorite memories were the family time. Trick or treating involved all the grand kids getting ready in their costumes, then posing for a picture out on the front step with the pumpkins we had carved for the year. We would set off into the neighborhood and knock on door after door. Somehow the miles we ended up walking didn’t even phase our young bodies, we just kept moving if it meant more candy to add to our bags.

Obviously pumpkin carving is a Halloween staple. One that my family honored every year, including this one. Yesterday I spent two hours elbow deep in pumpkin guts trying to clean out the large cavern inside to allow me to be able to cut a super cute face on one side. I went for a traditional Jacko lantern face this year, with the one tooth on each side of the mouth. In the past I have attempted many of the fancy designs, and several even turned out great. There is something about the traditional face that keeps brining me back to it though.

I no longer get super dressed up, or go out to a party like I did as a kid. But I refuse to let go of a few traditions. I will try my best each year to carve a pumpkin, and get at least a few sweet treats to eat. And who knows, maybe if I have kids, they will get to enjoy all the traditions that I loved as a kid. A full circle moment would really make my heart happy.

A Reciprocal Connection

I have been thinking lately about how my family’s animals picked us just as much as we picked them. I have written in a previous post about Erza picking me, but the other animals in my life followed that same pattern pretty closely.

Maggie was still needing to be with her mom when I first got to meet her. My parents took my sister and I to meet her when she was around six weeks old. We were supposed to have gotten a puppy from a previous litter, but the mother had sadly miscarried. Maggie was a part of the next litter to be born, so we had first pick.

When we went to meet Maggie, we sat down in the puppy play pen, and were obviously surrounded by Maggie and her litter mates. Every time one of her siblings tried to get our attention, if Maggie wasn’t being held by one of us, she would push them out of the way. “This is my family, so back off,” was probably what she was thinking. She wanted to love all of us, and not share.

River was a rescue puppy. I saw a listing on the local humane society’s Facebook page about a litter of puppies, and River wasn’t even one of those listed. Another family had already shown interest. Fortunately for us, that family changed their minds, and we ended up with him.

Originally his name was Galileo. What a mouthful of a name, especially for a puppy. So when we got him home, we decided to change his name. My sister offered up the name River because of the strip of white fur on his nose, it looks like a river.

These connections were meant to be if you ask me. I think that we receive the pet we need when the time is right. They choose to love us just as much as we choose them.

Chalkfest: 2023

Today I went to see all the incredible artists at Chalkfest with my friend B. For those of you who have never heard of this festival, let me explain. The local college, that I also graduated from, University of Wisconsin: Eau Claire hosts a day long event that invites local artists to come and decorate a square of the sidewalk along the central area of the academic buildings on campus. Each artist pays a small fee and they get several hours to create these incredible works of art. They use art chalks to cover the pavement in vibrant hues that quite a bit of the community comes to see.

Chalkfest has become a family event, with area set aside for the kids under twelve to also get involved in sharing their creative spirits. Food stands were also up and running, several local favorites setting up booths. A crowd favorite was the cotton candy booth that was spinning the sugar fresh for each order. Of course the BluGolds (UWEC Mascot/Student name) had to get in on the action and set up several stands to serve up grilled food and fresh coffee. (Although the heat of the day made the coffee stand a lonely place to be.)

B. and I did two laps of the art while it was in the process of being created. On the second one I broke out my camera and took several photos of my favorite works. The detail and vibrant colors that the artist were able to create blew my mind and I was so glad I remembered to bring my DSLR so I could capture even just a bit of their beauty. (Hopefully I can get those photos up on my portfolio soon! Please check back) Also on the second lap B. was enjoying a small cupcake sized cheesecake from one of the food vendors. She said that the raspberry lemon flavor was very refreshing and helped cool her down.

Back when I would return to campus each fall, I would make guesses in my head about which square would last the longest. The colors are so rich that many of the works of art will only slightly fade with each rain instead of washing completely away like the sidewalk hopscotch we used to draw as kids. Since this was my first time seeing the art the day it was created, I welcomed the different perspective on something that I hold fond memories of from back in college.

B. and I finished out our adventure with a stop at Culver’s for lunch and a nice long chat. I am still thrilled that she decided to move back to the area after getting her advanced degree in Minnesota. My day was filled with warm sun, laughter, good music, and great food. The best part of going to see such incredible art, was sharing it with B. and getting her take on each one. Discussing art has always been fun form me, so I am happy to have another person to share it with. Thank you B. for a lovely day!

Summer Heat

Since we are in the middle of July now, and at the height of summer I got to thinking about how I used to spend summer vacations back in grade school. We spent quite a bit of time outside and would have to find many different ways to try and beat the heat. Summer nights hold my fondest memories though.

Specifically in high school, I had a group of friends that I still care deeply for. I am blessed with friends that have stuck with me and we still often chat to this day, nine years after I graduated. Summer was spent spending time together. We would all get together at our friend M.’s house and have a bonfire. Some nights involved movies, others board games. We would fill the house with our laughter and chatter until we decided to call it a night.

I wouldn’t call us angels, but for the most part we didn’t do the rebellious or illegal things that stereotypical high schoolers do. Inside jokes would fill our time together. Teasing each other with affection and sarcasm often too place.

My favorite memory has to be when we went to a playground by M.’s house and goofed around until we needed flash lights to see the world around us. Old school playground rules came back full force. If you were matching someone next to you on the swings, then you were “married”. The guys helped us girls get as high as we could on the swings, and helped spin the merry go round (? not sure if that is what the playground version is called.). Our laughter grew with each passing antic and sometimes got to the point where we all had to take a moment and pause long enough to take some deep breaths and get a normal amount of air back into our lungs.

Summer featured the local public pool. Most years my parents would either by a year pass or pay the fee each time we went swimming, no matter where we lived. My siblings and I learned to swim quite early in life, and my parents made sure that we were strong enough that if we were on the water, and fell in, we would be okay. Because of this training, we became little fish. A trip to the pool was always welcome and we were always excited. The pool was a sure fire activity to tire us out, and even though we were exhausted by the end of the trip, we still didn’t want to leave.

I will probably always prefer seasons with less heat, like spring, but I know that those memories hold that warmth of summer and I wouldn’t change a thing about them.

Phone Culture

This last week I got a new phone. My old one started to close out of apps that I was using and the battery life was pretty bad. Thankfully I had the option of getting one of the latest models, one of the Pixel 7 line. Obviously the new phone had updated features and a improved camera, which were big pluses for me when picking out which one to go with. But this whole process has brought a few things to mind that I didn’t think of before.

Since my phone was ordered online, and was being shipped to my house, I had to wait for it to arrive in the mail. I took the time to search Amazon for a new case that was both decent protection and still fun to look at. I ended up with a blue case that has some fun colors on the back. The drawback I found here is that my case wasn’t scheduled to arrive until Friday, the phone was projected to be in my hands by Thursday. That meant I would have some time where my phone wasn’t covered in a case, while it was in my hands.

I am a fairly clumsy person. This fact has always made me giggle due to the fact that I danced for color guard in high school, which required grace. Normally the two don’t match up. Anyways, this is the reason I have always tried my best to find a case that would really protect my phone. Lucky for me, I haven’t broken a phone yet, it is always “old age” that takes them out.

But the search for a case, and that time spent without, had gotten me thinking. Why would anyone choose to go without a case on their device? My mom always said, you pay quite a bit for that phone so it is worth your investment to pay for a decent case to protect it. So why, when you have the option of paying a little more to protect your phone, would you willing take the risk of making it easier to break?

Another thought that came to mind, is the amount of apps I have on my phone. When you have to transfer all your information and these days that incudes the apps, everything gets logged out or reset most of the time. So I have ended up deleting several apps that moved over and I realized that I hadn’t opened them in several months. So I got curious if that process is the same for everyone. Do you remove apps your not using periodically? Maybe I should start trying to implement that practice with my phone? Please let me know what you think.

One thing I will forever be thankful for though is that I am able to have a phone. That device allows me to stay in contact with my three best friends, and my friends from high school. I use it often to text my friend who lives in Virginia, sending her pictures just to make her smile when she has had a rough day. Because of my phone, I was able to send another friend a pride filled text when she graduated with her doctorate in veterinary medicine. Almost every day I get sent cute photos of my honorary niece and nephew and all their cute faces, thanks to their loving mommy, who is also my friend.

What comes to mind when you think of how cell phones are handled now, vs what they were when they first became a thing? Please let me know in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Summer Storms

One year my family had a reunion hosted at our local campground. We had set up in the group site so everyone could be together and the spaces used for meals would be communal. My parents had set up their big green tent which houses six people, while my sister and I were in smaller tents. Think sort of like having our own bedrooms while camping.

We didn’t expect the rain. Several of us threw on ponchos and other rain gear, mostly the younger generation, and played in the rain as it fell. The older folks laughed at our antics and sat together under the large roof structure that was at the center of the site. A smaller pop up was set up to go over the grill so we could still have our meals and various card games started to make their way to the tables as entertainment when we were done for now playing in the puddles.

That night I fell asleep to the sound of rain dancing on the outer shell of my small tent. Rain has always been one of my favorite sounds. The drops of water hitting the roof, or colliding with the windows just to run down them, helps me fall asleep. There is even a rain noise maker app on my phone for when I am having a difficult time getting my mind and body to wined down at the end of the day. It put me into such a sound sleep that it took quite a racket to wake me.

My father woke my sister and I up in the middle of the night. I was startled awake by the entirety of my tent shaking, thanks to my dad who was doing his best to get through the sleep fog. He called to me through the roar of rain and thunder, trying to get me to be awake enough to understand my situation at the time. When I moved on my air mattress, the entire thing shifted across the bottom of the tent. This action startled more awareness into me. Deciding to truly test out what I had just felt, I poked at the floor in my tent. The water outside had gotten so deep that it waved back at me with ripples.

It was by that point that I understood that I had picked a low spot in the ground for my tent, and that pretty soon the water was going to be so high that it was going to start to pour in my zippered door. I quickly, or at least as fast as I could possibly half asleep and walking on water, got out of my tent and rushed through the rain that was hammering down with my dad to the tent that he shared with my mom. Inside, my mom and sister were waiting and trying to set up a spot that would be comfy enough for us to sleep through the rest of the night.

Dad pulled the stakes that anchored our tiny tents to the ground and tried his best to pull them to higher ground. Thankfully it was this action that made it so I didn’t have to spend the following day in the same pjs. We had to find a way to dry out some of the larger things because water has a way of being a pest, but for the most part we managed to find our way through the storm.

Those memories serve as great reminders for me. The warm glow of happy faces and laughter shows me that even when the world around you is trying to throw everything it has at you, trying to knock you down, you can still dance in the rain and count on those closest to you to come to your aid when it certainly looks bleak.

Letter to the Future

Recently one of my friends had her second child, and it got me thinking. Maybe, someday, they might need to hear some advice or memories that I have to share. So here is a letter to W. and A., her children, from an honorary auntie.

Dear W. and A.,

Who knows if you will ever actually read this, but I thought I could at least try and leave some form of a note for you in case you need this somewhere down the line. You two were/are my first try at being an adult figure for children. Of course I babysat back in high school but it is different when one of your best friends has kids. With that fact in mind I have a few things that I think you should keep in mind as you explore the world and this crazy thing we call life.

First I want you to know that your mother is one of my favorite people in this world. She has been there for me through quite a bit and has never once complained. You are incredibly lucky to have been blessed to call her your mother. Never forget that you got a good one and that I know for a fact that each day as you grow, she only loves you more and more than the day before. So don’t worry if you have to tell her that you screwed up or that something about you is different than the majority. She will love you just because you are her child. That will never change.

Second, being normal is vastly overrated. Some of the most interesting people I have met in my life are the ones with quirks. They look at the world from a different perspective, and sometimes that is exactly what you need, a fresh set of eyes. Surround yourself with the people who have dance parties while making dinner, and are so passionate about something that they can’t help but share that enthusiasm with the world. Without the type of people who are different from everyone else, we would never have gotten the advancements that make your life easier and more interesting.

Third, create art whenever you can. You may not be hanging in galleries across the country, but you will have a creative spirit. That spark can take you places you only dreamed of. Art is one of the purest forms of self expression, and sharing that with the world is a beautiful thing. Trust me, at least you will be able to decorate your future homes with things that matter to you.

Fourth, know that there is no one right way to do things. If there was only one correct path in life, we would all be the same. Having a world filled with diverse people confirms that there are an infinite amount of ways to move forward with your life. Whatever you attempt, if you get frustrated because it is not working out like you hoped, try another angle. You two are such unique people that there has to be a path that is completely your own.

And lastly, celebrate with your friends. Your mother and I have been there to cheer each other on since high school. I got so excited when she told me that she was expecting you, both times. She was thrilled for me when I had my knee surgery, and then showed her the scars that meant I was healing. When life gives you people that you just connect with, make sure to celebrate their wins and take an interest in more aspects in their lives than just them as a person. It will only show them how invested you are in the friendship and make it that much more rewarding.

You two are incredible and I am honored to be part of your lives. Watching you grow and learn is a true joy. I hope life is easy for you, and that you always know that you have some place to turn should you need it.

Your honorary Auntie,

K. F. Wiltrout

Changing of Seasons

For a while now I have been working on taking a photo of my local spring house in each season. The last one I had to capture was the spring season. Today I finally managed to take that picture. I thought it was so interesting because of the foliage around such a small but unique building, and how it would change through the year. Finally getting the picture to complete my set has gotten me thinking about what else changes with the seasons.

Fashion of course changes. You need to dress according to the weather. Although pretty much all of us know that one guy, usually a teen, who will wear short year round, weather be damned. After the heat of summer I look forward to when it is finally cold enough to wear my own version of a uniform which consists of jeans, a t-shirt, and a flannel over shirt. Usually all of this is combined with my current favorite pair of converse shoes.

Activities change with the time of year. In winter you can take your kids sledding down the local hills. Then in summer you take trips to the local pool for swimming lessons. Holiday traditions often follow along with the time of year the holiday takes place in. Christmas has songs that call for a white blanket of snow to be covering the ground outside your window. While a holiday like the 4th of July features water games and grilling out with family and friends.

Something that I am thankful doesn’t seem to change with the seasons, is how close my family is. No matter the weather we find a way to share the love. Home cooked food, fresh treats, pictures sent over text, a long phone call that makes you remember just how great it is to catch up with someone who means quite a bit to you. We always find ways to connect with each other. (I am also grateful for the internet and how easy it has become to stay in touch with family I only get a chance to see in person once a year.)

One of my best friends recently had a baby and I can’t wait to watch as this new life gets to explore and experience what the seasons have to bring. Welcome to the world A. K.!

Distractions Please

This week I have been trying my best to keep myself distracted. Having to sit with just my thoughts would not have been too fun for the past few days. The right side of my jaw has been in quite a bit of pain and I have been doing quite a few things to not focus on it. (I have been to the dentist and I am working on getting better.) One thing that has managed to even make me laugh was a conversation that I had with my family last night. I asked a simple thought question: Do Transformers need to buy car insurance or life insurance?

My sister answered first, “They need both.”

Mom then turned to her and asked, “But then which one pays out if something happens to them?”

This started a whole string of questions and laughter. Sister thinks that the payout depends on which mode they are in when they are “injured”, car mode or robot mode. I tend to agree with her. Many other trains of thought stemmed from this overall idea. Who would get the ticket if the Transformer is in an accident? Normally it is the driver but if the car is self driving, as is the case with robot cars, does the car itself have to pay? (On a side note, do Transformers even have money? Who pays for the parts they use to repair themselves?)

Then the idea of playing chicken came up. For those who are not aware, playing chicken in cars is where you drive directly at the other person while they drive at you. Whoever swerves to the side first loses and is deemed the chicken. When it comes to Transformers playing chicken, if neither of them swerve to avoid a head on collision, and the damage is bad enough, is that considered murder? (Kind of a dark thought sorry.) Now another thought to consider, are the Transformers ever really dead? To the best of my knowledge, the majority of engines in modern times are able to be rebuilt with spare parts. And even if the full engine needs to be replaced, would that be like a heart transplant? I am guessing an argument could be made that the body of the car, as long as it can still be morphed into the robot form, is what makes a Transformer.

We had a lot of fun just asking questions and throwing out answers on this strange topic. That is just how conversation evolves when three out of the four participants have ADHD.

Birthdays: Celebrating Another Year!

Well, I have made another trip around the sun. I am another year older. Maybe a little bit wiser too? I have always enjoyed the extra love I receive on my birthday. Getting woken up by my parents before they leave for work, so they can be the first ones to wish me a very Happy Birthday and give me my present. This year it was two new sets of very soft pajamas that I was in desperate need of. As I have gotten older I have come to value more the presents that are things that I need and will actually use, than the silly luxury gifts. Things like new pjs and bookmarks from my one of my favorite fandoms, show that the person was really listening to me and knows details about me that shows they care.

I also love gifts of new things I haven’t had the chance to try, especially art things. My friend B. sends me a gift every year and usually it is some art tool I haven’t been brave enough to spend my own money on because I am afraid that I won’t get my moneys worth out of it. I have gotten to try out so many new things just because she is my friend and she listens when I offer up ideas that I would like to try.

Gifts also have a challenge for the Birthday Person, at least I personally have one. I don’t want to ask for too much from my friends and family. Money is a very real worry for me, and I know the feeling of not being able to afford that one thing that my loved one asked for. So to combat this worry a bit, I try and aim for a decent sized list of things that are around $20. Twenty bucks, to me, seems like a nice amount that you can still afford it but it is a quality gift. My friend A. loves when I go to the Dollar Tree to get her gift. The same amount of money gets quite a few little things that she will find useful and like a treat to herself. Like candy that she doesn’t have to share with her son or husband.

Speaking of A., she is what has become known as my Birthday Buddy. Her birthday is the day before mine, so we have taken to picking a day during the week and exchanging gifts between us. During high school, because her birthday means she is just over 24 hours older than me, it was fun to have someone to go through the milestone ages with. Our senior year, our 18th birthdays landed on a weekend, and my family took me out to dinner to celebrate along with a few of my friends. I hesitated planning the dinner for Saturday because that fell on A.’s birthday and I didn’t want to intrude on her day. Thankfully she is an incredible person and she understood when I asked. She attended the dinner and we sang her happy birthday as well.

Looking back on my birthdays, I have always felt loved and celebrated. No matter how small the present, my loved ones have more than made up for it with time. Time spent cooking my favorite meal for a birthday dinner. Time spent picking up a cheese cake from the bakery. (I much prefer cheese cake over regular cake.) Time spent making my heart melt with mushy notes written on cards. Many of which I keep in a treasure box in my bedroom. But most of all, time spent making me laugh and smile.

I am so grateful for my incredible friends and amazing family. They make each trip around the sun that much better.

Thoughtful Questions

Occasionally I need to entertain myself when I don’t have my usual methods around. When the need arises, I find myself turning to what I have begun to call “Thought Questions”. These questions are usually prefaced by giving a scenario that is different from the world we know every day. My dad is often the source of these questions as well.

An example that my dad asked first and that I have asked many people in my life because I find it silly: If fish had fur instead of scales, how would they take care of their fur? Since the idea is all hypothetical, any answer can be valid.

A few answers that I have received are:

• They would go to a beauty shop run by the Octopi.

• They would have to convince land dwelling animals to assist them in procuring hair care products such as combs and brushes. This would also require the fish to assist each other due to the small size of many species’ fins.

• They would use coral or other surrounding vegetation to serve as a comb.

• They would have multiple fur dreads or mats.

Another thought question that has amused me quite often is: If you were to steal something from another person’s house, but only mildly upset the person by doing so, not actually hurt them, what would you take? Several of the answers that I have heard have made me laugh.

• The plate out of the microwave

• Their left shoes/half of each pair of socks

• The backs to their remotes/the batteries out of them

• The shoelaces out of all the shoes

• Their forks/spoons

These are just a few of the questions that I have entertained myself with. Surely there are plenty more out there and I would love to hear them. Maybe it is my ADHD, but I really enjoy hearing how other people think things through and I feel like you can learn something about the person based on the answer they provide, or even if they refuse to play along.

I have found that the majority of people that I surround myself with will play along with me, and I think that is a good sign for the type of people in my life. They are willing to be silly and play a small game. What I really love is when they get passionate about their answer and discussing other people’s answers with each other.

Overall I think thought questions are a great way to learn about others, and entertain not only yourself when your options are limited.