Polperro - feels like a lost world

My friend Keb mentioned to me that I had not visited his favorite town of Polperro... I can see what he likes about it.  Polperro is a village and fishing harbour in southeast Cornwall.  I am including some pictures of it I took myself from Google street view.  Seems very "quaint" and pretty.  The Polperro Festival is the 3rd week in June - stop by and enjoy if you are in the area! :)

** April 18, 2012 UPDATE

One of our favorite places we've discovered is this quaint chocolate shop in Polperro (thanks Keb!)

It's name is The Chocolate Dream Company.  We'd messaged them on Facebook and yesterday finally heard back from them! Since then we have befriended them and I have personally spoken with Maz - the owner - on Facebook and am anxiously looking forward to meeting her on my trip to the UK!  This will definitely be one of my stops!  

Ok... Commence drooling......

Be sure to go to their facebook page and LIKE them!  and stop in and buy some chocolate if you are in the area!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Chocolate-Dream-Company/170328106329243

** Origional Blog ** 

Polperro's history is one of fishing and smuggling and now, tourism.  Here's what Wikipedia has to say about smuggling and Polperro:

Smuggling is understood to have prospered since Polperro developed as a port in the 12th century.^[9] It reached its zenith in the late 18th century when Britain's wars with America and France precipated the high taxation of many imported goods, making it worthwhile for the local fishermen to boost their income by the covert importation of spirits, tobacco and other goods from Guernsey. Much of the success of the smuggling trade through Polperro is ascribed to the influence of Zephaniah Job (1749–1822), a local merchant who became known as "The Smuggler's Banker". A more organised Coast Guard service was introduced in the 19th century along with stiff penalties, and led to much less smuggling. Part of the South West Coast Path was originally used by Revenue Officers as they patrolled the coast in search of smugglers. Whilst the Coast Path is maintained by the National Trust, the foreshore belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall.

I could see spending a weekend touring some of these shops, couldn't you?

This patio of this hotel looks so inviting!  A glass of wine and a good book while people watching would be so fun from here! 

Not sure what this house was but I was intrigued by it.

I liked the name of this shop :)

Wonders if the bakery is for sale or just the building? Maybe above it? You'd spend your entire time working hungry from all the amazing smells, I'm sure!

We all must stop and thank God for our blessings :)

If you happen to be there - send me a postcard!

I think the tram takes you down to the shore.

The town streets are so small they do not allow you to drive on them anymore (well not tourists at least).

Have you all seen an infatuation with me and ice cream lately?  Do we even have half of these flavors in the US?  Like Honeycombe?

Love ~ Peace ~ Happiness

Marianne

Back to Cornwall and Devon - Kinda Rocky Here (an info update on my rock obsession)

We've discovered I'm obsessed with rocks now, haven't we?  No sooner had I thought I moved on from the Cornwall area but then I get word that there's a show called British Countrysides that featured  - wait for it - yes! Rocks!

A lot of my questions were answered with this show.  So I wanted to share them with you!

Remember how I was so amazed at how the UK had so much rock and where it came from?  Ya well, this show answered that.  Can you imagine thousands of years ago, the magma under the earth forming volcanoes?  How about the land between Europe and the US being all dry and being able to walk between them?  Is it a  bit unfathomable?

This show started out with Wolf Rock.  Wolf Rock was a volcano that became extinct.  The molten rock inside solidified into igneous rock.  Millions of years and a succession of ice ages later, the last of the cone was washed away, leaving only the hard rock.  This Rock at this location was huge, causing ships to crash upon it.  So James Walker had a lighthouse built on top of it in 1861 and it was lit in 1870.  It wasn't automated until 1988.  Hard to believe!!!  Here's a picture of this amazing lighthouse.  See the very top of it?  That's a helicopter pad so they can go out and do maintenance on it.

 

Moors

A term that we, in America, do not use much is Moor.  According to the dictionary, a moor is a tract of open uncultivated upland; a heath.  We have words we use here for that like field, among others.  The show took us to Dartmoor which is in south Devon, covering 368 sq miles of land.  It's a savaged, untamed country covered in myths and stories of beasts, dogs and large cats.  Once covered in dense woodland.  People moved in the area and cut down the trees for building and fire, leaving the land empty except for the rocks.  The people moved out.  Rather an eerie feel for a land.  For someone not familiar with the land, wondering where the huge boulders of rock in the middle of nowhere would have come from.  

Thick layers of rock hid hot magma that tried to force itself upwards, but wouldn't allow the magma to come through the land since there were no volcanoes.  It was forced together in giant underground domes.  Then the magma cooled into giant pockets of granite.  Eventually, the land around them has eroded and they now have these huge granite boulders called TORS - which is another term we don't use very often in the US. Here's the definition according to WIKIPEDIA: A tor is a large, free-standing residual mass (rock outcrop) that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest. In the South West of England, where the term originated, it is also a word used for the hills themselves – particularly the high points of Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.

(a representation of the hot magma that created the TORS above)

There was so much more than about the rocks than I can post here, but needless to say, I understand how the UK has so many rocks and sources of it, but I still don't understand how that area has so much more of it than the US.  Makes me smile and intrigues me enough to keep researching. 

Ponies

Although ponies clearly are not made of stone, these are from the same region we've been discussing and because of their cuteness, have earned a spot in my blog :)

Still in Dartmoor - PONIES!  I have become completely fascinated with these ponies!  Dartmoor ponies are this amazing hardy breed due to the extreme conditions they have to endure on the moors.  They have excellent stamina and are considered work ponies.  They used to work in the mines and quarries in the 1930 and had numbers in excess of 25,000.  Now, they are mostly just used for keeping the moors grazed and the numbers are down to 1,000 or less.  They have small heads featuring wide set eyes and alert ears.  I'm including some pictures of these amazing creatures but what I cannot find is a picture of one of their tongues.  Looking at the vegetation in the area that they are grazing on, I can imagine they have a very thick, tough tongue.  If anyone has a picture - please send it to me at itsthewriter@gmail.com and I'll be sure to update this :)

 (Aren't they pretty?)

Till Next time... I think it's time to move a bit more East....

Love ~ Peace ~ Happiness

~*~ Marianne ~*~

Stone, Stone, and Beachy Kinda Things

The more I research the UK, the more I like it. It's hard as an American to understand the magnitude of some of the things in Europe. Age related mostly. The quality of products is another. Yes, some of you know this already, I have become addicted to STONE. It's all I talk about with some people. STONE.

From what I can tell, there are four main stones in the Uk. They are Granite, Limestone, Sandstone and Slate. Here's a chart of where you can find those stones mostly:

In the UK, so much of their things in history were made of stone.  You see this at every corner.  Houses, Buildings, Walls, Streets.  I've only virtually toured a small part of the UK, but even when I have been in the UK in person, I noticed this more than anything.  I guess that's since Americans use poured concrete more and wood as their preferred building materials that it's a shock to us to see so much stone.  I keep asking my British friends stupid questions.  The biggest one I have is: "If all this stone was dug out of the earth, at what point does that change the topography of the land? "  Seriously!  You take huge boulders out of the land and the land is now lower, right???  

I have been told that the rock changes by region.  The type of rock, the look of it, etc.  Probably one of the biggest examples I have found of this is in the pictures below (courtesy of http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/BS-KS.html)

 The buildings in the images above from Keswick, Cumbria, England, are almost all green. In fact, the town of Keswick is almost all green. That's because the Lake District in which Keswick sits is the home of numerous quarries of green slate, or "greenslate" as it is known locally. These slates are largely the result of metamorphism of Early Paleozoic volcanogenic rocks. There are various shades of green in the slate, each with is local trade name, so there is some variation in the green of Keswick. The images above also show that stone masons trim the houses with red or brown stone, further enlivening the otherwise green visage of the town.

In America, most of the bridges you see (even the small ones on back country roads, are poured concrete.  I have noticed in the UK that even these small ones are stone.  Here's a picture of one I particularly liked, showing the age of the stone:

Here's one of the Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St. Philip Howard.  Can you imagine how much stone this huge Cathedral used to build it??

 And look at this picture... Called Wall House.  How Profound :)

Another part of the UK I am fascinated with is the shorelines.  Communities near the water are so wonderful. Having grown up in Florida, I personally miss the shore now that I live in Ohio.  Even the Great Lakes would not be enough for me - I want to look out and see the Ocean  and imagine what lies beyond.  The romantic notion of a bottle with a message washing up on the shore has never occurred to me while on the beach, but I suppose that the ocean, to me, expresses freedom.  You have to cross an ocean to go anywhere, whether it be by boat or plane.  For me, crossing the ocean takes me to Europe.  To the UK.

On the other side of the ocean, I have found these in Brighton and Hove that have created curiosity.  Today I discovered that they are beach huts.  People own or rent them and they are their little home away from home while at the beach.

The other thing I have noticed is that many of the ocean areas are clean and defined.  Most beaches I have seen in the US are a hike to get to, often over sand dunes and a wooden bridge.  This picture shows a green lawn edged and neat, lined by beach huts, and probably a walk way between the huts and the sand of the beach.  Here's a picture my friend Pete took on vacation in Lyme Regis.  Apparently, some of these actually have electricity in them and chandeliers, kettles for tea, etc.  Fascinating!

Writing this makes me feel so naive.  Stones and beach huts have amazed me this week.  So simple, huh?  But in America, we are young compared to the UK.  We have built things by blueprints and engineers.  Things in some of the smaller towns of the UK just seem so simple.  So prehistoric to an American.  The thing that reminds me of this daily is when I was in Portugal last summer and I noticed so many tile roofs on houses.  I noted how many people in America these days cannot afford to replace their tile roofs with tile, settling for shingle roofs instead.  My friend Peter said, "America is not old enough for their tile roofs to be going bad".  Now, I am not a roofer nor do I play one on television, but that really made sense to me.  How is it we have tile roofs needing replaced?  It reminds me, though, how young of a country we are compared to the UK.  Look at some of the pictures of stone I showed you today and think back what amazing historical things these stones have seen in their lifetime ....

Love ~ Peace ~ Happiness
Marianne

UPDATE ON THE MINACK THEATRE (Video)

Southern Uk - The sunshine on my virtual keyboard - stop and view the roses....

This week, I am traveling in the southern most part of the UK. First stop?  My little google man (does he actually have a name? I'll name him Ed....) lands on Minack Theater in Cornwall.  Wow, what a story and amazing pictures on their website.  The Minack is famous.  Theater groups from all over perform there, including dramas, musicals and opera.  The theater, built by Rowena Cade who was born in 1893.  She herself built it with the help of two men.  The history can be read here: http://www.minack.com/history.htm - read it - you will be impressed as well!  Here is a picture I took from their website.

As with everything, I'll update my blog as I visit these places this summer!

So I left The Minack and continued driving around Cornwall, finding interesting buildings and places that intrigued me.  As an American, I often stop and look at architecture and buildings built (by American standards) a long time ago - but by European standards, just yesterday.  Small towns and intriguing spots.  I'd often see a "barn" that I can only guess is like a "barn" that we think of.  The difference? They were stone and looked like small houses.  Here's one I found...

Next Official Stop?  Lands End.  Also south and along the shore.  Land's End (Cornish: Penn an Wlas) is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles (13 km) west-southwest of Penzance.  They definitely play upon their name there - Lands End.  End and beginning of everything.  Apparently, Lands End is privately owned but the area certainly is scenic being right on the edge of the water.  Here are some pictures I took of it.

As you can tell, these are not professional pictures - I took them using Google Maps Street View as I will all my pictures until I get to the UK and take them in person :)


Cornwall was definitely a pretty area.  It had lots of agriculture and the villages in it are small and scattered.  What I have yet to understand is where they get their groceries from.  Do they drive to bigger towns?  I suppose there's no midnight ice cream runs like in America.  I am left to guess better planning and not forgetting things when you are at the store are in order if one lives in such a rural area. (If I am wrong - someone tell me!).  But the one thing I have learned about the British is that food there is much more natural and homemade.  Perhaps they run out to the barn (see pic above), milk a cow and make their own ice cream.  Yes, this must be the case.  (Again - someone post a comment and tell me, ok?)  I'm pretty sure I saw ice cream at the First and Last House (again - picture above) but I'm talking residential.  

Continuing on with the subject of things being more natural, it always amazes me when I find a garden in the UK (what in America we would call a "yard") and they have a vegetable garden.  There are exceptions to the rule here, but many Americans simply go to the grocery store or farmers market when they need fruits and vegetables but when people in Europe need herbs or vegetables, chances are they may have grown them.  I see this as a good illustration as using what is in season in your garden now to plan your meals rather than living on a whim and just being able to drive to the grocery store.  Neither are right or wrong, but from someone who would rather live on a holistic natural diet, this really appeals to me.  Imagine the taste of fruits and vegetables that aren't covered in wax to make them look pretty or pesticides.  One day I was driving around in Saint Banbury and found this amazing looking garden that excited me ;)

 

(Thanks to the unknown owners here)

Another picture that is one of my favorites is a wheelbarrow of Rocket that my friend Peter sent me to show me what Rocket was.  Rocket was something I was not familiar with in America although I'm sure somewhere they may have it?  

Here's the definition from Wikipedia:  Eruca sativa (syn. E. vesicaria subsp. sativa (Miller) Thell., Brassica eruca L.), is an edible annual plant, commonly known as rocket, roquette, rucola or arugula, not to be confused with Wild rocket. It is a species of Eruca native to the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal east to Lebanon and Turkey.^[1][2] It is closely related to Eruca vesicaria and included by some botanists in that either as a subspecies E. vesicaria subsp. sativa^[3] or not distinguished at all;^[4] it can be distinguished from E. vesicaria by its early deciduous sepals.[

Ok - back to more travels -watch for the next blog coming soon to my blog on your computer where Technology melts with Humanity!

Love ~ Peace ~ Happiness

Marianne

Technology Melts with Humanity

January 1st - don't we all look to it as a fresh start? A new beginning?  This year, especially, I am.  The past year was a difficult one.  I was fired.  Defeated.  Anyone who knows me knows I don't stay defeated long.  But six months of 2011 was defeat for me.  Recently, I decided that January 1st, 2012 would be a new start for me.  Where will it take me?  Across the world I hope!

Ok, those who read my blog regularly know me from either in real life or online.  Many know me from an online community called Second Life.  I used to be very addicted to SL (short for Second Life).  I love the fact that you can meet people all over the world in one place.  I have met tons of people - doctors, lawyers, architects, owners and managers of all kinds of different businesses, entrepreneurs, musicians, and even a few unemployed people.  I have met people from all over the globe in SL.  The US, Australia, almost every country in Europe, Indonesia, Thailand, and the list goes on and on.  I have met people of all walks of life.  Missionaries, educators, dominate people who can just say the word and people listen, to those who willing will follow people and those in the middle.  It all fascinates me.  I spend a lot of time alone and SL gives me the avenue to explore people.

Recently, I started looking at where I was going (hence this blog) and realized I hadn't gone far enough.  I hadn't met enough people in real life.  I hadn't seen enough or done enough.  I have this passion in me to be a world traveler and to take my daughter with me - teaching her how big the world truly is.  I honestly believe it's one of the best gifts a parent can do for their child.

One day, I was driving (one of my other favorite things to do) and it came to me.  It hit me like a brick (no - one was not smashed into my windshield - thank goodness!) but into my brain virtually.  It hit me like a ton of them - Technology Melts with Humanity.
Without people, computers serve no purpose.  Behind most computers, whether it be at home or an office, is a PERSON.  Unique.  Creative.  Boring.  Exciting  - you name it - but a HUMAN PERSON!  I decided my fate at that moment and time.  I was going on a quest to match technology with humanity.

Ok - I know you are reading this wondering  - huh? What?  She's a nut for sure.  I'll admit it - I am!  But realizing that life is short, I have to do this.  So starting today, I am reaching out to the world to know you.  Starting with my computer, will be traveling across Europe in search of people.  Yup - Google Maps on Street View will take me to places I cannot get to yet.  It will let me see interesting places and hopefully interesting people.  I will share my experiences with you.  Who knows who/what we will find?  Let's get started!

So, the plan?  To find these places and people on the computer and contact them via their website or facebook if I can find either for them.  Then this summer, I'm going to go meet these people in real life after getting to know them via the computer.  Hence -Technology Melts with Humanity.    I'm sure some people will have fun stories to tell me - others maybe sad.  We'll discover them together.

I'm asking for help.  Please put my blog address - itsthewriter.blogspot.com in your facebook page, twitter page, sl profile - anywhere where people will see it.  Let's get people following.  I have more plans to be revealed soon - please help me!

Thank you for reading, my friends, and together we will all have a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Peace ~ Love ~ Happiness

Marianne

Facebook me Baby! Small Business Guide to surviving it!

"I hate Facebook"... have you ever said that?  I have.  As recently as six months ago actually.  I hated the act of following everyone into the eternal abyss named "Facebook".  After all - I try to be a leader - not a follower.  But guess what... I'm on Facebook.

Last weekend, my daughter had a show at her school and "Mister Tim" was there - and towards the end of his show, he tells all the audience that he'd love it if they friended him on Facebook.  I promise - every kid in that audience probably went home and friended him. (and that's not even a real word but Facebook has now made it one, right?)

So today while driving to my local Target to get bath supplies and a Frappachino from the Starbucks there (which by the way has over 26 MILLION followers on FB), was thinking about how small businesses need to market their Facebook page.  It's one thing to create a FB page, but it's another thing for small businesses get the word out there.  What do I mean?

Well - look at that number for Starbucks - 26 MILLION and growing.    Coca Cola - over 35 MILLION followers.  Wow,  right?  But a small local business?  They'd be lucky to have a few hundred followers.  That's why it's important for them to market OFF LINE as well as online.  Yes - remember the world away from the computer? (I know for my readers this is hard to comprehend, but let's use our imaginations, ok?) 

Remember passing out business cards to people you meet on the street or in Chamber of Commerce meetings and luncheons?  Is your facebook page printed on all your handouts?  What about your flyers and brochures about your business?  How about your invoices? Even putting your facebook url on your business vehicles is a great promotional tool.  Maybe encouraging family and friends to put it on their personal vehicles to help your business? If you have a brick and mortar store, have a sign made up and put it in a highly visible spot when people come in to follow you on Facebook.  Many people have it on their phones these days and will do it right then and there.  There are a bunch of ways you can market offline to drive traffic to your online presence. 

So think about it.  You've created a Facebook page.  Yay - you are now hip, right?  Some businesses create a page, and think that they are done.  WRONG!!!!!  Sorry to bust your bubble but it just doesn't work that way.  A static webpage works that way.  You design a site and you put the information you need to get out there to your market and you put that URL on the above things to promote it.  But not Facebook.  Facebook is dynamic.  It's constantly changing.  People expect changes on Facebook.  They want to hear the latest and greatest news about their friends - even if those friends are businesses they frequent.  So if all you have on there is your name, address and a quick blurb about yourself - repeat after me - "BOOOOORINGGGGG"

Yes, you are reading this from someone who used to HATE Facebook.  Yet, the fact of the matter is, Facebook is not going anywhere anytime soon.  Suffice to say, it's here to stay.  Businesses will create a Facebook page before a website (let's face it - it's faster, easier and that dynamic factor comes into play).  It's easy to make changes to your Facebook page.  Not only can you post your thoughts on there, but documents, notes, pictures, videos and more! Truthfully, between Facebook, Twitter and a Blog - you have all the tools you need to promote your business online FOR FREE. 

I used Starbucks and Coca Cola as examples because they have more followers than any other business that I know of on Facebook (not saying I am right - just saying it's what I know) and I think they do a great job marketing their business on Facebook.  I see ads for Starbucks on many of the pages I go to.  Coca Cola has contests on their pages.  Human interest info (how many of us know about their new Polar Bear thing going on right now?) 

The thing to remember out of all this though, is don't let your Facebook page be static.  Add interesting facts about your business like the history of xyz product ie how it has evolved through time, how people used it in the past, how people use it NOW, tips on saving money with it, ways it'll make your life easier!).  Offer coupons to people that go to your page and LIKE it.  Have a contest. Use it to post your newsletter every month.  The secret is to keep it fresh and interesting so people want to go back to it each time you post something, otherwise, it's like offering last weeks newspaper in the waiting room of your business.

Don't forget to work it though.  Not only do you need to focus on your Facebook page, but you need to go to your competitors and see what they are doing.  Go to other businesses that compliment yours and like their pages.  Post on their pages if they allow it.  Be encouraging - but not spamming.  Don't post on their page an add about your business but be interested in theirs!

If you use their services, send them a testimonial.  LIKE their postings.  Not only does this help them, but it helps you too because it gets your name out there more.  Create a page for your BUSINESS - not just a personal page for your name.  You want your business name out there each time you click on "LIKE" on a page.  Use your logo as your picture on that business page.  You want brand recognition here just as much as you do anywhere.  The more people see your name, the more they will remember you when they need your product / service!

Fire Me! Please!

I got FIRED.  Yep.  Fired.  Hence, the reason for this blog to begin with.  Fired.  I've had my share of jobs in my life - all custom tailored around myself the last thirteen years to work around me being home for my daughter.  But each one I left on my own terms.  I haven't had too many the last thirteen years though as I've mostly been self employed.  When I decided to go back to work this year, it was a big decision for me.  I'd arranged a job with an European shoe company that I felt would do well in the US market. 

I quickly got to work learning about shoes.  How would this European urban shoe fit in here? What buyers should I contact? What magazines and papers need to know they exist?  I got started on a press release and quickly got it out to about fifty newspapers and magazines.  I started calling around to places like Nordstroms, Macys, and other department stores that I thought might be a fit.   I was on top of the world. I loved what I was doing.

Last winter was a tough one - we had incredible snow storms and ice and such across America - traveling was difficult to say the least but once spring came, the skies were looking clearer and so were the possibilities of getting out and selling more.  A trip to New York City ensued.  Meetings with buyers was a new experience and quickly learned you have to think quick and have a backbone and stand up for what you believe in.  Buyers can let you feel very small if you let them. 

So, here I am, learning about the shoe industry - something I had never been involved in before.  What I didn't realize was that I also had to learn to deal with the company I worked for too.  Keep in mind, I have worked for large corporate companies as well as small "mom and pop" companies.  This time it was different though.  They spoke English, yes, but their natural language was Portuguese.  I quickly realized that when I was speaking to them on the telephone, I had to stay very focused and listen very closely.  Many times I hung up the phone feeling like I only understood a fraction of the words spoken to me.  I hoped I had heard the important words and often sent an email to my boss for clarification of our conversation just to make sure I was correct. 

Summer comes along and things are moving forward.  People are starting to look at the collection, which by the way, are starting to get better design wise.  Amazon.com and I are speaking frequently about the collection.  Magazines are starting to publish my press release.  I'm getting excited at this point, right? 

I wake one morning and my uncanny sixth sense tells me to read email immediately.  It's 5:00 am my time  - 10:00 am in Portugal.  Those days I woke up earlier so I could work on their time as well.  I grab my cell phone, which is never far from my reach, and there's an email from my boss asking me to come to Portugal.  I'm ecstatic at the thought and get to work on the details.  They were releasing the new line and wanted all the agents to come see it, put in input, etc.  I knew I was going to be tested.  I was extremely nervous. 

Long story short - the trip went okay but I got back early Monday morning and by Tuesday morning I was FIRED!  Apparently, the trip didn't go as well as I had thought.  I was devastated.  People that haven't been fired abruptly have no idea how this feels.  Neither did I at the time.  When you hate your job, you mentally prepare yourself that if you got fired tomorrow, it'd be okay because you hated it anyhow.  You often have a backup plan (and if you don't - make one!!!).  I didn't hate my job nor did I have a back up plan.  It was a huge smack in the face.  Things were just starting to roll and I got punked.  It sent me into a huge depression this summer which was really hard for me to dig out of.  I took the summer off of work to spend time with my daughter and think about my next step in life.  (Hence this blog!!!) 

It's November now.  I look back and think of last January as a long time ago.  The snow on the ground is a far distant memory but know it's coming back again.  Sadly.  Why haven't I moved to a warmer climate?  Even the UK has less snow than Ohio!

A lot has happened in this  year.  I've loved, I've lost, I've learned.  I've become more determined.  I've found my footing again and am making strides to move forward and learn from the past and to see the future with clear lenses and not rose colored ones. (How cliche' .. hmmmm).  I want to say "it took me fired to make me realize...." but I just can't.  I want to say it made me a stronger person.  Time will tell.  But here I am again - with my heart and mind in my hand - willing to move forward and try to live life again.  Every day, I am finding my way more and more.  Hopefully soon, it will be very evident what the universe has intended for me to be when I "grow up".

Peace ~ Love ~ Happiness
Marianne

Say what you mean dangit!

We often don't say what we mean for a number of reasons.  We try to be politically correct.  We learn this at such a young age.  Funny how we teach our kids to be truthful but teach them to smooth things that they say over.  I remember my daughter telling me that things tasted bad when she was two or three years of age.  My husband used to be horrified and tell her not to say things like that.  She, of course, would return the favor by saying "But it's the truth!"  I laugh at it now but my feelings were hurt at the time.  It does, however, make you stop and think about what you are saying, doesn't it?  "Tell the truth... unless it'll hurt someones feelings"... does a "white lie" make things right?  How old is the question "honey do these pants make my butt look big?"  I'm pretty sure that men are taught from the moment they are born to say "No dear - you look great!"  See! Usually another "white lie"!


What about the politicians?  White lie city.  I don't even want to think about all the commercials that will be starting up again soon on the television.  The thought makes me cringe.  The twist their words to make just enough of what they are saying be the truth.  I have a friend (who will probably read this and laugh) who knows how to say just enough of a story to make himself be truthful and honest.  I call it half truths.  I can usually tell when he thinks he's talking to the average person and call him on it by saying "ok now tell me the rest of the story".  Politicians are the same way.

What about the times we tell people that it's ok that they just insulted you?  Words come out of peoples mouths before they realize it and when they see the hurt look on your face, apologize.  In return, we say to them, "Oh hun ,it's ok - I know you didn't mean it".  Why do we give people free passes to hurt people?  Why can't we say in return what we think about their comment?  Are we scared to be honest back to people?  They didn't think twice when that comment blurted out of their mouth.  Address what they just said and bring it to the table with you.  Often, things said by people stems from rumors they heard from other people.  We often walk away from those conversations wondering exactly what they heard from someone and who that someone was.  Wouldn't it be refreshing if we stopped and said something like... "I can see how you might be concerned about that issue, but let me tell you the truth so we can dispel this incorrect information."?  It can take courage to do that, but wouldn't you walk away from that person knowing that you said your peace?  Usually people say that if you defend yourself too much, people think you are covering things up.  Sometimes that is true.  It's hard to just keep your mouth shut.  Occasionally, though, it just feels good to set things straight for yourself.

It's a fine line between those "white lies", political correctness and being polite.  If you speak your mind too much, you are thought of as vulgar, or creating drama.  If you are too quiet, you are a pushover.  This thought is making me think about the lessons we have learned along the way - like I mentioned earlier - "the truth is necessary unless ......"  It's that grey area that confuses kids.  Those kids grow into future adults.

Christmas is coming.  Last year, my daughter called me out on the Santa issue.  I'll be careful what I say here - but we'll just say... I was called a liar by her last year.  Again - those white lies surface and bite you in the butt! 

Welcome to the year 2011

Can you imagine living a week with really crappy internet?  Welcome to my week.

We are having trouble with our internet this week and they are saying it'll be Monday before it's fixed.  I'm literally using my cell phone as my modem to write this.  I'm grateful for that, but for some reason, I'm finding myself still struggling with the quality it's putting out this week.

It's reminded me of the good ole days of dial up internet.  I'm laughing as I say that!  It should have been a statement of how we used to only be able to communicate via faxes or written mail - and here I am whining about dial up vs high speed internet.  How spoiled we have become.  Welcome to the year 2011.

We walk around with our cell phones in our hands constantly checking email, text messages and online updates of the weather, flights, and even our children's progress at school.  Oh - did I turn on/off the porch light at home?  That can be done now too.  The cable company even has it so you can watch tv and program your dvr these days too!  And when the internet is down?  Withdrawal city!!!!  TOTAL MISERY!!!

So today is Sunday and internet came back up last night.  I can see clearly again!  Woot!  Pathetic huh?  I could use the excuse that now I can get back to my job hunt (laughs) but truth be told - I just need to contact with people that I have become so used to!  Even though I have had internet on my cell phone and tablet, it's just not the same!

But ya - I do need to get job hunting too.... any ideas?
Have a great week everyone!  Happy Interneting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you Discontent? or Do you suffer from Discontentment?

dis·con·tent

   [dis-kuhn-tent]

adjective

1.

not content; dissatisfied; discontented.

noun

2.

Also, dis·con·tent·ment. lack of content; dissatisfaction.

3.

a restless desire or craving for something one does not have.

4.

a malcontent.

For a few weeks now, this word has weighed heavily on my mind.  How many of us are discontent in our lives?  Do we even realize it?  Do we wake up happy to be alive?  Thank God for the day? Or do we moan and groan and stomp off to the shower dreading the day before it has even started?  

Someone brought this word to my attention and I guess I had never really thought about the true meaning of the word before.  As you see above, it can be used as an adjective as well as a noun.  

I tend to think of this word as DISCONTENTMENT... the noun.  A physical word - an object.  I tend to have a restless desire or craving for something I do not have - hence - discontentment.  

What about you?  Do you have everything in work you desire? How about your personal relationships?  What about your friendships?  How about your relationship with yourself or with God?  Do you desire things in these relationships that you don't have?  We often don't look at our relationships carefully enough.  We accept them for what they are and move on. I'm not sure whether this is good or bad.  I think it can be good to just accept people for what they are when you love them.  I think this is the most used method in life.  Probably the most Christian like.  When do we stop, though, and really evaluate our own life and say "it's just not enough".  I'm not talking about just personal stuff.  Maybe it's your job.  Maybe it's your friends who are emotional vampires - the people in our lives that suck the life out of us.  

I started seeing what was sucking the life out of me recently, but in addition to that, realized that perhaps I was sucking the life out of some of my friends as well.  I realized that discontentment had become a habit.  Happy to whine to people about my misery instead of taking the perpetual "bull by its horns" and do something about my situation!  So I chose to start doing something about my "discontentment" and start making strides in doing things in life that make me happy.  I choose to wake each day and thank God for the new day instead of dreading what is to come before it comes.

Don't let habits rule your life.  Look at your life and realize that habits can be broken and make adjustments.  Realizing them is eye awakening.  Make notes to yourself to think differently if you find yourself discontent about things.  Discontent with your job? Work hard to get a promotion to get away from that boss you hate so much then!  Find a new job!  Work for yourself!  Do it positively though!  You CAN change things in your life.  Don't settle.  Life is not written in stone.  It changes daily.  You can make it change.

Once, Twice, Thrice? Nope just ONCE

Have you seen the movie Once?  If not, it certainly is worth the watch. I fell in love with the music from this movie before I saw the movie.  A friend encouraged me to watch the movie, and then encouraged me to watch it a few more times, insisting that I would see things the second and third time that I did not see the previous watches.  He was right.

It's  a love story.  But it reminded me of having dreams and wants in life and having the courage to reach for them and go after them, despite what has happened in your past, and what might happen in your future.  This is a huge thought, really.  How many of us are so paralyzed by something that has happened in our past that we can't seem to move forward?  How many of us have a fear of failure and refuse to reach out and grab their star?


I think we often feel that joy is there only for a chosen few.  When in fact, we all deserve to be happy.  Life is extremely short.  Yes, it's often eighty plus years but considering how old the world is, that's nothing.  Don't be afraid that there isn't enough hope in the world, or that there is none in your world... it's there.  You just have to be courageous enough to believe in it.

It's hard to be courageous.  Trust me - I am VERY aware of that.  So this week - I encourage each of you that reads my blog to make it your word for the week... COURAGE.  Write it down on something.  Look at it often.  Then find a way to be courageous this week.  It might be something small.  It might be a huge task.  But whatever that is for you, just be it.  COURAGEOUS.  Grab your star!!!

Then I even double dog dare you to share your COURAGE in the comment section as it happens!

Peace ~ Love ~ Happiness

HEY! Just HEY!

Ok, I am sure many of you will point out to me that HEY is for HORSES. But guess what!?  It's HAY that is for HORSES and HEY is for me saying hi to each and every one of you at almost midnight my time.

I've been thinking long and hard about this for days now, and I think I am going to eat my own words (and what YUMMY words they are!) and start a new business for myself!  YEP!  I'm doing it again folks..... I'm venturing out on my own and being my own boss.  Know why? Cuz I'm just too darn stubborn to listen to anyone elses orders.  I can fire myself daily if I like and be bullheaded enough to ignore it and be back at it the next day!  Yep, I'm like that.  

Want to know what I am going to be doing????? Keep reading daily cuz I'll give hints and updates.  Can anyone guess??  Come on... Guess... and I will give you one hint... it's NOT phone related.... (sorry mom!)


Now with that said, I'm still looking for the adventure - so keep ideas coming to my inbox at itsthewriter@gmail.com or post them below .... ya never know what might catch my eye!!!!

Peace ~ Love ~ Happiness