Month: February 2016

My Awesome Birthday Gifts

Posted on by Lady CAS

There are times that you get a gift for your birthday and you say yeah ok I like this, or this will come in handy. You truly appreciate it and are happy for it. Then there are times that as soon as you hear about a gift you are receiving or get a gift and PUFF UP with excitement and pride and know exactly how you are going to spend every moment with these gifts. You have already planned every waking minute with said items. I did not ask for anything for my birthday yet when i said the things that I had planned to get for myself on the months leading up to my birthday and the days after, people felt compelled to get them for me. I was ecstatic because obviously I already had planned to get them for myself so I really wanted them. I had researched them and everything. Then I got 2 unexpected gifts…but let me slow down and start from the beginning.

So the first person to get me a gift was my sister though I received her gift last due to it being left at her house and me just not meeting her there. My mom had seen it and they kept telling me how awesome my gift was. And indeed it was. She has incredible fashion sense and tends to buy me awesome clothes (well anyone in our family). She needs to be a celebrity shopper or something. Anyways, she bought me a cute sweater with with some pizzazz from one of my favorite stores (Torrids) then I saw it…Some shorts though likely pajama shorts I will find myself in them in random places (the beach, maybe working out, and possibly doing some crazy event). They were shorts that had WONDER WOMAN on them. I was excited and never knew I would be excited about something like this. But I was. I was really excited about them. I think partially because I see curvy larger girls wearing such cute things and I always wanted things like these but they just never looked right on me or I could not find them in my size and here they were. I was in love. I actually felt moved by these shorts and my sister had no idea she had done something so sincere with her normal giving nature in just that action.

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Then there was my husband’s gift. I asked for an ice cream cake and boy o boy did he deliver. He let me choose the one I wanted from Cold Stone called Strawberry Passion. It was layers of moist red velvet cake, strawberry puree and strawberry ice cream with graham cracker pie crust wrapped in fluffy strawberry frosting. I was in HEAVEN. Usually I only eat one slice each year of any ice cream cake but this year we bought a 6 inch cake and I ate half of it and he the other (over the course of 2 days). I did not regret it one bit, only made sure to start the veggies immediately upon finishing it to tame the rising sweet tooth that was sure to come since I rarely to eat such sweets. Again paradise…I just sunk into the sofa and melted into another universe with it.

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Then the next day I met up with my best friend for breakfast at a new restaurant (well new to us) and we had an amazing breakfast and she gave me an itunes card. I was planning on getting some new music via that same platform and was enthusiastic about it because I had been listening to some new artists and needed to get it in my repertoire soon so I could play it non-stop until I could just about hear it on the radio or anywhere else and think the next song is…oh wait this isn’t the album, lol. I have done that so many times in my life wearing an album out. Thank you girl. I need this music in my life it was so positive and great and been reaching to me for weeks. That card was right on time. It gets me started revamping my music collection, it’s been a while.

Finally, my mom and I were having a conversation about my husband. He sometimes has moments of MANLINESS. You know the moments people, these are the moments where he shoves his foot so far down his throat that when he realizes that it is there it is up to his thigh and he can read the label on the back of his pants. Welp he had that moment about 2-3 weeks ago. He started making more and more comments about me taking over ‘HIS’ tablet. Which before then was our tablet our so I thought. Granted he got it with a deal with his phone, but said we would share it. He rarely ever used it and neither did I. Then I started using it more and suddenly so did he…but not really because I did he just did because of some apps he put on it as did I. So when he made the comment, “man you have had MY tablet so much lately that I forgot what it looked like” and tried to laugh it off. I said ‘MY’…’YOUR’ and then he laughed and said ‘OUR’ and I said don’t worry I will get my own. Then he didn’t like this. Because he knows when I buy things I research really well and get exactly what I want, like I did with my phone and everything else and he is usually jealous.I knew he meant what he said, but he kept trying to play it off but he did a bad job of it. He next line went something like…Man see you gonna go get an iPad air or something that got everything, and a gazillion gigs of memory and what not…and he droned on for like 5 minutes.

Now it was my turn to laugh. I said I would not get a something that expensive, I promised that whatever I got would be less than $50 and still out do anything he got and that I would be happy as pie about it all. He soon forgot about the conversation. My mom and I talked about this conversation about 2 weeks later…It just happened to come up as my husband managed to make another comment earlier that day again about my use of the tablet…She said well how much do they cost and I said $40-60 and there was one I was looking at around $50 or so that had everything that I was going to get. She then said, well, I have not given you a birthday gift yet, would you rather that be your gift…and I said well SURE. I had not even thought of that.

I said welp buddy you are getting your just desserts now, LOL. I usually do not play a game of war with my husband…who am I kidding yes I do. We do it all the time, all in fun and we will have fun with this as well my whole family for weeks to come, but he deserved it for being a numbskull. I made sure it had all the bells and whistles too including coming with a keyboard case, stylus, and headphones, having more memory, buying an additional memory card to expand the memory, and having an hdmi port (which came with the cord) to hook to the t.v. Yep I went all out.And of course front and rear facing cameras. And since he’s a tech head he is going to want to get his hands on it and play with it and I will know when he tries because he will need my PASSWORD or PIN to get in. I’m not hiding a thing but it’s so I know when he has it, LMBO. I did the same thing with my phone for the first 10 months because he likes to try to download and change everything and make things like he wants it telling you what apps you needs and don’t need (I can’t stand that). I almost got in car accident once trying to voice text (cus I was trying to see what happened to it and turn it back on) only to find he THOUGHT it was not a necessary function and disabled it. I’m like um I use my voice features to call, text, and so on while driving dork, why would you cut that off? I use it to stay hands free (with headphones or bluetooth) and not look at the phone which defeated the purpose that day, smh.

Anyways, he had no idea this tablet was coming, at least not this way because he thought it was weeks away if I ever did it and he did not know I ordered it. It came this morning. I hugged my package to my chest and danced around my house. Since he doesn’t read my blog (though it goes to email since he is a subscriber) he won’t see this and I will just walk in the house and start using it). I have half a mind to tell him it’s from my love but I won’t do that, BWAHAHA.

I have taught him time and time being selfish gets you nowhere, LOL. I share all my stuff with him and he never takes care of it and breaks it which was another reason I wanted my own tablet before he did that and I did not have one. The man had torn through every pair of headphones, charger, and misc gadget in our house…if you know what’s good for you it better have a warranty.

can’t wait to see his reaction tonight! I know this is wrong but you have to have fun in your marriage, LOL this is our way…Can you laugh at each other? How do you have fun? We declare war!

I Love You a LATTE Kind of Day

Posted on by Lady CAS

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I am a naturally energized woman. It just comes out of nowhere. When I think I have nothing left my second wind comes. Then when that disappears, welp I somehow get a third and fourth. I know it’s a strange thing to say since by having a chronic disorder and an autoimmune disorder I should be whining about how tired I am and never having enough energy but I do somehow always manage to get by. I know this is nothing but my faith in God that gets me there though because there are days like yesterday that I should NOT have been able to finish the day without every symptom I have flaring up and raising every alarm and me just passing out.

I had a 20+ hour day and was so active in the day that my “pacer” app hit new records for me and I was not even shocked. I was actually elated. My boss at my part-time job even freaked out because I was not at my second job at my usual time though and he thought I was not coming in (though I do not have to be there right at 6p as long as I am before 2am) to get my few hours in. He apologized for the freak out since I am always god at calling AND texting to make sure someone gets my message by noon on any day I am not going to be in. I did not need the apology because I understand that in his position it probably has happened many times from other employees. He was just doing his job and checking just in the off chance something happened and he needed to send someone to fill my position last night. When you have worked with a ton of part-timers you understand the mentality and you do not mind it, in fact you admire and appreciate his efficiency and dedication especially at 8:13p.

Yesterday, I woke up at 4a worked my full-time job until 1:30p. Then went grocery shopping and put those away at home. Then got to the dentist office 10 minutes late, LOL. But I knew that it was easier when it was less busy at that time than fighting the after work crowd. I got an excellent report by the way at the dentist better than I had in a while since they always say my gums are inflamed and this time they were excellent.

Then I left there and went to the hospital to sit with my grandmother who had just had hip replacement surgery that morning. She got out of surgery around 3. By the time I get there at 4:30p physical therapy is there rubbing her legs and minutes later she is up and walking for the first time since her surgery which she literally just got back from. I was amazed and proud. She was doing great, such a trooper. I sat with her and kept her company and talked with her nurses and made sure I got any information needed for my mom and aunt who would be with her more often than I for the next couple of weeks during her recovery.

I left at 7:50 and grabbed dinner and put gas in my car. Then went to my part-time job. called my boss who called mere minutes before that with the freaked out to ensure I was looking at the work phone to check in and did just that. I cleaned my building and left work. I went home and walked through the door at 10:55p and then sagged with the weight of the day finally. It had hit me all at once. I was glad that my ankles had not swollen to grapefruit size again. It told me that it was in fact going off my migraine meds for those 3 days that did me in last week. They were a tad swollen but who can blame them for 20+ hours of movement this time. But they didn’t really hurt but the rest of me did. I put my clothes in the wash, got my things together for the next day, and ate what my husband cooked. Then he said GO TO BED in a text, LOL. He was in another room because I was going to sleep with my foot propped up and he didn’t want to snore me out of existence or bother me in any way so he slept in our guest room. I don’t think it took me 20 minutes to fall asleep for once. I was sleep around midnight thankfully.

I woke up this morning and laid there for an hour before being able to move, LOL. It was hard work moving. I knew I overdid it yesterday but what was I to do? I needed to do those things, they are not everyday occurrences, at least not in that sequence. So I borrowed some energy from today and cheated a bit. Needless to say I’m paying a bit for it today. I bought a coffee today. I can count how many times I drink coffee each year. It usually follows a day like yesterday…So there you have it. It’s a latte sort of day with mindless clicking at the keyboard to stay awake, countless to do list pre-made so that I can’t forget what I was doing and stay on task and a I made everything for today on my calendar yesterday or Wednesday because I knew I would be in this mental state. My memory gets bad on days like today thanks to my migraine preventor so I just prepare for it. My to do lists, emails, and client workouts are all set and I get things done when I am alert and able. That way when today comes I seem on my game though I am totally NOT.

Days like today between the mindless clicking on the keyboard I have large lulls of daydreaming, I have switch between project often, and sometimes I have to walk around or read a book or something to keep it together (usually only lasts for about 5-10 minutes at a time) but I know it’s my anxiety getting to me because I need sleep. Today will be a bit worse since my co-worker took off and I have no one to talk to…Fridays in my facility people leave early so it is always a ghost town in here and then without someone in here and I’m feeling like this I am trying to rein in my stir crazy feeling. The anxiety of no sleep feeling bottled up and then wishing I could sleep but being buzzed on coffee is a weird sensation!

Knowing Your Community…The Rewards are Immense

Posted on by Lady CAS

It is amazing how little many of us know about our own communities and the people in them, myself included. I will not pretend to be all knowing and Mrs. High and Mighty. I will be the first to admit that I ignorant when it comes to my community. However, I know exactly who to go to to find things out. My family is a great source of information in respects to my community because they have strong ties in my county and state. So many people know my family that it is shameful when I have no idea who someone is. SERIOUSLY.

My great-grandfather is one of the pillars of the community. I have friends who have known him almost as long as I have because of the many properties he owns. They may live in one of them or in his neighborhood and say say yeah I know Mr. B. I’m like he goes by Mr. B.? And my family is like you didn’t know that? I’m like no…

Then the great things he has done in both the community and church over the years, I am telling you I can listen to his stories for hours and have. I love listening to him telling me how he grew up and the people he met over the years running his many shops, restaurants, and businesses. He is a legend in this area. He had famous people come through this area through the ‘chittlin circuit’ (the south, east, and mid-west establishments where blacks could safely play during racial segregation) knew they could go to play their music to sing and play in his establishments back in the day. With him, my great grandmother, my mom and her siblings working in these establishments too these stories are endless. The antics are pretty funny too. When they ask me where I get some of my behaviors I just turn some of their stories right back around on them.

My parents continued in such a legacy. They keep ties in this community. My dad worked at a local news company with national syndication and afforded him opportunities to meet and interview community leaders as well as work with charities in the community.

My mother working with the schools worked with children and helped with many school led organizations that helped with literacy, child development, and advocacy. I still believe that if my mom never went on into administrative work, she would have been an amazing social worker or child advocate! She is passionate about children and their rights.

Though I had no idea about all the people that I had come into contact with over the years in my jobs…they have come full circle as I have grown older. I worked at an establishment when I was younger that was full of community figureheads and I had no idea that those faces I saw held so many positions. I have to remind them that I used to work there and they were like oh yeah. And now because my dad got an award alongside some of them I need to stay in contact so I can hob knob, LOL.

Moreover, I have been afforded some amazing opportunities with my parents that I did not fully appreciate or comprehend when I was younger and I thank God for their patience, pictures, and the memories to commemorate/ immortalize the moments as some things can never happen again. I have pictures with senators, congresswomen, pictures in at at the White House (apparently you cannot get those as a regular person) thankful that dad was with the media, lol. Then my mom getting me my first job. I will be forever grateful. She made sure I got all my certifications, got me to all my required meetings to be a lifeguard, and talked to her friends and my after school directors and her mom who who signed my worker’s permit with my mom.

My mom also made me go to special events in the community that I never would have known about if not for her that were downtown for Raleigh. I would meet people I had no idea about but she would say take a picture, it will mean something someday. She would ask me if I wanted to volunteer in modeling things and such and I did it not sure WHAT I was doing. She was right, I look back on it now and between her and my dad I have had a very eventful life and I’m not even 1/2 through this journey. I look back on pictures and my friends are like where is that from? How did you know that person? How did you meet them? I non-chalantly tell them a story, not because it’s not interesting, but because I had no idea at the time who the person was or what was going on, as my friends are seriously freaking out like, I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU!

I guess at some point I may post some of these pictures on here and on my facebook as a throwback moment. I may even tag some of the people if they are still in these political seats (though I am not really the political type) just so they can have a little laugh at what they use to look like. Some of my pictures go back as far as 1994. So yeah anytime you can go back 2 decades, there are bound to be laughs about something in a picture, hair, clothes, furniture, something!

 

Not So Natural Beauty

Posted on by Lady CAS

Having Big Lips <–Check this Video

I would like to say that the topic today is something that I have just noticed or that is has just begun to happen in today’s society but unfortunately it has not. Though I would like to say that it is just racism…it goes far deeper than this. It is an issue of culture and someone looking to point a finger. I understand the over-sensitive nature in which we live in today but people need to understand it goes both ways these days.

You have all cultures doing things to fit in with other cultures and some of it dates back to survival while others are indicative of trends and fashion. However, should we be so quick to call it racism?

Point and case you have afro-centric cultures that have naturally curly hair that fight to straighten their hair chemically or through heat. There are those who say this is to be like the white society. In some cases, yes we have been taught that our hair is not exactly ideal. We are taught to hate our hair, to be ashamed of it, to think that when we do not have it in some manageable style that makes others comfortable that we are not appealing. Who would want to have ‘nappy’ hair as they call it. However, when you go to other countries where there afro-centric cultures are more dominant and were less disturbed this is not the case. This natural beauty is celebrated. It started back in the days of slavery though, being cut down to nothing by the words of ‘owners’ and then to continue to this day. Women coloring their hair for the same reasons.

However, now we straighten our hair and color it because we WANT to! Because we desire to. However, that it also due to trending. If we saw more women with natural hair would we follow that trend? As the natural hair movement has began I have seen the propensity in that direction and now I wonder how many women feel pride behind this or feel as if this is just a trend to follow.

But as I stated, it goes both ways. You have euro-centric women who get perms to fit in. They want curly hair to fit in. They want curves and fuller lips. They get tans to become darker. And society says they are trying to be ‘black’. Why does it have to be black, there are other cultures that have these same attributes first off, and secondly some white people have just as many curves, curls, and complexions without alterations before you begin making such comments.

Everyone is going for crash diets to be super thin. We all make different changes often. The difference is everything we do, whether it is natural or not, it is how we carry ourselves and what we then project to others. We must make sure that we are not hypocritical pointing fingers, calling people racist for what we do not understand; making assumptions. Try to understand or simply ask. We all enjoy mimicry (it is after all the deepest form of flattery) but let us try to understand why we are doing it and its consequences as well. Do not always follow things blindly and do not be so condescending to those who do. You never know, you may actually be following something without even knowing it. We are all beautiful in our own right let us not judge how we deem that right to be so!

Ask and You Shall Receive

Posted on by Lady CAS

Usually I offer my help to most anyone in need. However, there are those who I may not know are in need and therefore I always state that if you are in need, by all means speak up…I am not a mind reader. I enjoy helping others and if I can do something for you within  reason I will try my best. I like to do busy work when I am at work because when I am bored I looked bored, and looking bored at my place of employment or most places can spell bad things in the long run. You can look lazy, useless, unmotivated, or even unambitious. I am in no way any of these things; however, from the outside looking in, anyone can look like this when you have lulls in your work and a person happens to catch you like this a few times.

So I prefer to stay busy. It also helps the time pass by so much more quickly. And helping people as I always say gives me a sense of accomplishment like no other. It makes me feel so fulfilled and happy I just cannot seem to get enough. I prefer to offer my help and genuinely desire to give it than to be demanded to do it. This way I know that I am doing it of my own free will with no strings attached. I know I will not asked for it, I was not offered a reward, and I was not promised any recognition. I do not even need a thanks for it, because knowing that I helped them and they were able to benefit is enough, though most are grateful enough to offer thanks which is greatly appreciated. That is enough for me.

Such things like this makes me want to pray for them even more and intercede on their behalf. I pray and ask for mercy and blessings for that person and/ or their family. I want nothing but good for them. I do not do it to get into heaven, or to get more favor with God, or to get that next job or promotion. I do because it is right and feels good to do so. You should want to do good for those reasons not for leverage.

Migraines. The silencer.

Posted on by Lady CAS

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Many people who have never experienced a full blown migraine say one of two things, they surely cannot be that bad… or are they really that bad? People who have dealt with people or lived with those who have had them realize that after having so many of them the pain must be real the symptoms must be real and that after doing the research and seeing others like them in the doctor’s offices and hospitals, it is more serious than they may have ever suspected. In some cases it can mean more serious underlying issues.

In my case, I have a family history of migraines. I did not know this growing up. I had a fairly normal neurological history I felt until middle school. I started experiencing head aches that became more frequent. My mom would give me extra strength tylenol. I would easily recover. Sometimes it was simply that I was hungry or tired from all the things I was doing and that would solve the issue. However, when I got older and got to high school I began having ‘optical migraines’ where my vision would become fuzzy and it only affected my eyes. It sucked. Those became more and more frequent. I had glasses and contacts but taking them off/ out did not help. Nothing really did. I just had to ride it out.

Then they began…MIGRAINES. I cannot say I remember the first one exactly, but I can say that I remember thinking it was a headache but much worse and telling my mom that the light hurt and it hurt when I moved. She said I had a migraine. And I said what it that. After that I never really had to ask ever again…I fluctuated between headaches and migraines for about 6 months. I always knew when I had one. I do not get regular headaches anymore and I do not know why.

When I get a migraine it is always on one side of my head (right or left) and I am light, sound, and motion sensitive. It will not go away without medicinal intervention and they use to stay the same strength without waning until for many days. Now it will undulate but still will not go away until I take medication and still hang around for days. I suspect the reason it undulates is because of both my MG and because I take an aspirin every morning in addition to my migraine preventor each day; which is different that what I use to do a for the last 15 years.

My longest migraine was 60 days. but most of my migraines last 3-5 days and come 1 to 2 times a month. However, since starting my migraine preventor 3 years ago it has been 1 time a month for about 1-3 days. And the migraines are now at about 80% strength instead of 100% strength.

Yes, I want to miss work, and stay in my bed in a dark room and never move again but I can’t. When I was in undergrad I did this. I was absolutely crippled by my migraines. I could only afford to take imitrex (which I am now allergic to) once the migraine hit and nothing else worked at the time. I hated it because I had to take the nasal inhaler and it would drain down my throat and tasted horrible. But it was that or be crippled and possibly end up in the hospital again. That happened once while at school. I ended up having ‘cephalgia’ as the diagnosis but in addition I am pretty sure I also had a panic attack as they had to put me on 2.0 ml of oxygen because I could not breathe since I was in so much pain and could hardly see, was vomiting from the dizziness, and every time someone spoke it was like an anvil struck me in the back of the head. My blood pressure was 160/90 when they took it. Normally my bp is 106/60 so that freaked me out even more.

I was crying and my parents were at home in bed while I was in the hospital at school. I was scared. I just wanted to go to sleep and have the pain go away. It was not a good night. Those of you who have never experienced a migraine I urge you not to take your friends and family member’s condition lightly…this is a neurological condition that can mean so many things. Have them go to the doctor if they have not been to be sure it is not something more serious. However, even if it is not…A MIGRAINE is STILL SERIOUS! People are very fragile in this condition even if they power through like me. They are doing everything in their power to have a normal day while in excruciating pain that physically affects them and causes high blood pressure, fast heart rates, irregular breathing, and so on. That person is giving you all they have that day and it should not be taken lightly.

Mentally and emotionally they are giving everything they have as well as it takes great concentration and effort to do everything that day. they have to work twice as hard to remember things and focus. More energy is exerted on every task. So please be considerate. I’m not asking you to go easy per se but just be mindful of what it takes for them to be there and do all they do when they could have easily called out and left you in the lurch that day. That means they think more of you, their co-workers, and the company to push on despite how they feel. At least that is how I feel! Now I will take me and my migraine into my office and get on my conference call with my director now. Have a great day guys!

Little surprises are the BEST!

Posted on by Lady CAS

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So I woke up to texts and facebook messages from friends and family this morning wishing me a happy birthday. It was awesome! Some people do not like that facebook does this but for me, this is why I entered my birthday which is optional to display. I want people to know when it is so they have NO EXCUSES, LOL. It’s the only day out of the year I want someone to make a big deal but I just never say it! However, a big deal to me has either greatly depreciated or when one actually comes I almost have a heart-a-stroke (yes I just said that).

I mean coming into work and my co-worker put it on our big whiteboard and made it all artistic made my day. I seriously laughed out loud and he was the first to say happy birthday out lout to me today. Every client that comes in can see the board because we use it for informational bulletins to them so most of them read it coming in and each time I’m quiet and just have managed to forget it’s my birthday again, someone else shouts happy birthday to me. It definitely makes coming to work on your birthday feel like less of a ‘day’ and more of a celebration. I usually tell people I don’t really care if I work or not on my bday, but I guess it’s because I do not have plans during the week on that day. Why not work. I can always celebrate on the weekend if I choose.

I will say aside from that little thing are the individual posts from people on facebook. I mean yes there are those that just say happy birthday, which I appreciate the acknowledgement; however, I cherish the individualized comments that are a bit more thoughtful because like a card they are from the heart and offer those who are not right with me or live nearby the opportunity ti still tell me how much I mean to them. You may find that vain, but to know that you are needed, loved, and have positively impacted someone’s life are all great feelings.

I am so thankful for the birthday wishes! They truly make this gal feel so important, it may go to my head before the end of the weekend…But hey we all need a few days a year like that, this happens to be mine! Now onward to free food and desserts from all these restaurants who will give this to me based on my good looks…*co-worker says you mean your ID saying your bday* I say ahem they are checking my good looks! I’m getting all these things based on my looks people, let the big-headed, all about me moments BEGIN!

 

Beth Ditto:plus-size collection for SS16

Posted on by Lady CAS

I love this! The style and confidence is so beautiful!

Ravenhawks' Magazine Magick for Mind Body and Soul

Beth Ditto debuts ethical, plus-size collection for SS16

Beth Ditto:plus-size collection for SS16

 

Curvaceous chicas wanting to wear pieces with an edge and be ethical at the same time have musician and style icon, Beth Ditto, to thank  with the launch of her new SS16 collection for making that possible.

The Beth Ditto collection is available online from Beth Ditto05_255r1-814x102409_743-1024x814

 

The Gossip frontwoman has launched her debut plus-sized fashion collection for SS16. The colourful “bold and brash” range –  available online in the US – includes form-fitting dresses, silk jumpsuits, and a hand-embroidered, vintage-sourced denim jacket.

The Beth Ditto collection is available online from Beth Ditto

Arkansas-born Ditto, known for her sassy style, said: “I wanted to make pieces to last years. Beyond trends, beyond chain stores. I wanted to create something all its own, something just for us, made with love and consideration. Made ethically in the USA as a small company with no corporate input. Uncompromising, unapologetic, humane, and timeless. Go-to pieces designed to last.”

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Prices from Beth Ditto’s SS16 collection start from $65 for…

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Three Day Quote Challenge: Day 3

Posted on by Lady CAS

I have absolutely loved this challenge, it has given me a chance to share with you my most important views and values in life. To excel and learn and now on my last day of this challenge, to love. Love is one of the first things you learn in life. The only problem with love, if you can call it that, is that you learn to love others first before yourself.

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When you first come out of the womb you learn to love mom and dad and everyone who cares for and nourishes you. It is then their responsibility to teach you what love is and how to instill that within yourself so that you may learn to love yourself and in turn better love others intimately. This is a hard lesson for many and so they tend to look for love in all the wrong places not quite understanding the lessons they were taught in love or because their lesson in love was incomplete due to a rocky upbringing.

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However, we can all overcome this simply by learning that we are worth giving and receiving love. It is a precious gift that is free and is should be considered more valuable than diamonds or any tangible item. With this said love freely! It may sound like a hippie notion or idea but what one does not understand that everyone is deserving of love on some level even if it is not on the level they may always desire.

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When you can love fully it is as if your entire world opens up. You are able to be in that embrace of love and freely explore life in it’s safety.You can fall in love with ideas, creation, life itself. Then you know you know love and what it can mean to lose it and never want to experience it (though it happens at times). Because knowing love is like no other feeling!

Now, here are the rules of this challenge::

  1. Post in three consecutive days.
  2. You can pick one or three quotes per day.
  3. Challenge three different bloggers per day.

I would like to nominate the following three individuals to participate in the ‘Three Day Quote Challenge’, if they so choose:

  1. Keith Garrett Poetry
  2. Youpinek
  3. Micah Le Lann

I really hope you guys will participate, and share with your internet friends some quotes that have had an impact on you in some way. I look forward to reading your posts, and to sharing more quotes with you all!

Thanks again to Jan for inviting me to do this challenge, you guys should definitely check her out, she is such an awesome person.

Thanks for reading, friends.

Chris

Immobile walls, Cankles, Hives, and Rumbles

Posted on by Lady CAS

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SO yesterday despite everything I was determined to have a good day and I think that upset the entire universe. I mean I felt like everything was against me and it was pretty comical once I thought about it at each obstacle within my day. I did not even have to wait til the end of the day or assess my feelings after feeling grumpy. It never got to that point. Things just kept happening but I kept rolling with them but I swear it was like something that would only happen in one of my fantasy books.

I have noticed the more stable I get with MG the more clumsy I have become again. I used to be VERY clumsy before I mean if you looked at me and I had a sheepish grin (which was often) it was because you probably just missed me getting up off the floor or catching myself from falling or running into something.

Yesterday the beginning of may day was amazing. I had an unusual amount of energy, which should have told me then, that I may need that energy later for events that may later transpire. Towards the end of my day about 2 hours before leaving my full-time job the gates the other worldy realm must have opened. Suddenly my boss and I could not keep up with the demand of emails, members, and events that were happening in the facility. We were crossing each other with questions about multiple events and trying to keep the event we were talking about straight while handling another event simultaneously. Then just after I was supposed to be gone for the day I squeaked out one last email and ran for the hills so I could get to my other job so I would not be there all night since I had to be able to get home, cook, and go to sleep (and rest fully 6-8 hrs) to get up at 4a today.

SO I peeled out of the parking lot on two wheels only to hit my first wall of traffic (believe me this wall was more bearable then what is to come later). I get close to the other job and have a little time to spare so I use one of my freebie birthday meals that came in the mail to Zaxby’s and get a snack.

I get to the part-time job and call my husband to tell him what I need from him that afternoon since I will be running non-stop and I’m currently at the second job and will be coming home in time to cook and go to bed. Then it happens. My tummy rumbles…more like screams at me that it did not like me eating out. It has apparently forgotten how to do this. I do not eat fried foods often and so yep I was being punished for it. I quickly got off then phone.

Crisis averted!

Then I finish at the part-time job. I was shocked everyone left fairly on time there so I was left uninterrupted to do my job and get out. Then as I was about to leave Montezuma’s revenge hit again. I called my husband and told him he would have to go to the store and be VERY selective about the items I needed for the meal and to hurry home no lolly gagging about. He tends to walk uber slow when he is not in a rush for himself…I mean like molasses. So I had to remind him it was already after 8pm and I had to be up at 4.

I get home as he is leaving to go to the store. When he gets back I prepare everything and put it in the crockpot and turn it on low so it will be ready in the morning when I get up. I undress and sit down and realize I have CANKLES. I was like what the heck happened here. I have not done anything more than usual. Then I had to think I had that one snacker size fried thingy and a small bag of potato chips but really CANKLES. I have never seen my ankles so swollen. I could not even see my ankles. I tell my husband to come look and he says sit and relax…I’m thinking yea of course…AFTER I have already cooked and done everything (figures…men).

Then my hives were PINGING! They were lighting me up. I was trying to relax so of course they would begin itching more. I mean I noticed I had a few more but seriously. So I asked my husband for the aloe vera with lidocaine and he actually applied it for me (how sweet). I needed that moment! Then I figured I would get the last few he could see at the moment which I did. Then I went to put the bottle in the bathroom and use it one more time before bed.

THEN BAM! I hit my second immobile wall! I kicked the side of the doorway as I was walking out and took off the entire small toe nail along with some much wanted skin. Both my body and myself were stunned. I mean at first I wasn’t sure if I was hurt, then the pain hit and I had to sit down and then it bled profusely. Though I express this with great detail it’s because in my mind it happened in slow motion, but it probably took less than 20-30 seconds. My husband hurt all the commotion and came in thinking I fell. It was seriously that loud. I could not even cry it hurt so bad. I could barely breathe and when he was like what you want me to do I said just let me breathe real quick, trying not to snap at him.

I know he is not the first aid take action type like me. I was trained and it is in my nature. I get this from my mom. But he will sit there and ask what needs to be done instead of knowing or trying anything. So once I took several deep breaths I asked him to come back in the room because he completely left, LOL. I asked for gauze and had to direct him to the right type in my first aid box because I have many types, and then I needed ointment (which I never used when I realized it was more of an avulsion/ hole), and I asked for athletic tape (which he brought a wrap bandage but it wouldn’t really work for this area or wound. I almost never use that stuff! Though I had been wondering where it was (as he brought it from his bathroom out of a secret place he stashed it). Little thief, LOL.

I finally asked one more favor of my husband, and that was to bring me some pillows to prop my feet and that foot now, LOL. I needed to reduce the swelling in my CANKLES and to slow the pain and bleeding in my foot. I seriously had to hold my toe and then a pressure point for like 10 minutes to stop the bleeding. Needless to say, today has not been a picnic walking and all I keep thinking is how bad I want to take a hammer to that wall, LOL.