Yankee or Rebel?

I've always felt a strong tie to the South and Southern life. Maybe it's because my dad was born there, or that I spent a lot of time with my Georgia-raised grandfather as a kid. Or maybe I spent a past life living there?

I love most country music, although I will say that the slow, whiny, twangy songs make me turn the station. Upbeat country rock songs are my favorite. (Song of the South gets me singing every time, so does Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, and Shania). I love the idea of Sunday chicken after church, fishing with a cane pole (even though I am allergic to fish), and driving on a red dirt road. Somehow, southern living seems so much simpler than the New York rat race. Of course, I could be romanticizing the south, especially since I've never spent much time there. A week here or there, but nothing more. This is probably naive, but southern people seem to be more friendly, more welcoming, and more family-oriented. But I could never live there. I have an intense deathly fear of tornadoes! Give me the snow, sleet, and ice any day over a tornado. Maybe. Probably.

The key to happiness

Today I spent some time outdoors reading and relaxing on a blanket under the warm sun and next to a babbling brook. This is what I read: Happiness is not a feeling, it's a decision. I thought about that for awhile today and I decided that it does indeed make sense. Every day we are presented with a choice to be happy or unhappy.



I think it's definitely easier to choose to be unhappy, especially if we aren't feeling well or if we're worried about something or if things just aren't right in our lives. But if we choose to be happy, that's the tougher decision because we then have to make a concerted effort to think positively, react positively, and behave positively. That takes so much more effort than choosing to be unhappy, but it would make us feel better in the long run. Our mood improves, our appearance improves, our relationships improve, our productivity and morale improves, our overall health improves. So I'm going to give it a go. Whenever I am feeling stressed or upset or disgruntled or under the weather I'm going to try to decide to be happy and see what happens. Hey, it can't hurt, right?

If you're happy and you know it...

Someone asked me a question recently that made me look at myself in a way I never did before. It was like I was looking at myself as a book, delving deeper to find hidden information. The question was: Are you happy? I feel happy. But I know I'm not happy every minute of every single day. Events cause my feelings to fluctuate throughout any given day, but I'm sure that I am generally happy. I'm happy with my life. I have a good, supportive, and loving family. I have a husband that I adore, who is also my best friend. I have a small group of friends that I consider close confidants. I'm healthy. I have a good job. I have a nice home. I have what I need to survive, and I've been blessed with extra. I am happy. But what I realized after thinking about that question for many hours, is that there are areas of my life that I could improve to make me happier. For example, I want to give back by volunteering in some way. Since they built the Golisano children's hospital all I've wanted to do is volunteer to read to those kids. Giving makes me happy. I also need a creative outlet. I like taking photographs, so I enrolled in a photography class so I can learn how to really use the new camera my husband gave me. About five years ago I learned to knit. Since then I've made countless scarves and hats, but now I want to venture into something bigger: my goal for the fall is to make a sweater! Obviously, I enjoy writing. I want to develop my writing to create something that can be enjoyed by others. I feel like I have a story to tell, to share with the world. So, that's my promise to myself for the rest of this year before I turn 30. I am going to work on bringing more happiness into my life by doing things that challenge me and bring me joy. I'm going to break out of this rut I've fallen into of "should's", and I'm going to do things that I want to do, that will bring more joy and fulfillment into my life.

Measure twice, cut once

Aiming for success in life is a good thing. But isn't life more than just a list of successes? Accomplishments feel good, but are they really a true measure of a person? Can a certificate or award represent what's in a person's soul? Or is life more than just paper awards and accolades?

As I prepare to write down this next thought, I am reminded of a saying about how people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I by no means think I live a flawless life, but I would rather be surrounded by a few humble, honest, and caring people than by those who like to boast about the wonderful things that they do on a daily basis. My time on this earth has been short, but from what I've witnessed it seems like the boasters are most often telling false tales (even though they are the ones whol ultimately gain recognition for their wondrous deeds), while the ones who remain quiet are the ones actually contributing to society in phenomenal ways.

President Obama gave his educational address to students across the country today, and one of the things he said that really struck me was to be the best person you can be. I think we could all benefit by living by these words, no matter what our political affiliation. I think if we all tried to be the best version of ourselves we could return the United States to a better place. And, I think we'd all be genuinely happier. Because after all, isn't that what life should be about?

A person's life should be measured not by how successful they were or how much money they made, but by the friends they kept, the people they helped, and the love they gave and received. That's my opinion.

Whose life?

Addictions are scary. Watching someone close to you suffer from an addiction is terrifying, especially when they refuse to recognize the effects of their reckless behavior. When pleas to stop, along with multiple shed tears, are ignored, what else is there to do? "It's my life, I can do what I want." True, to an extent. But what happens when the effects from the decisions of that life infringe on the lives of others? It's a selfish argument. I won't buy it. But I'm out of ideas. My heart hurts and my head aches. I thought I could wipe my hands of it and say, "Not my pig, not my farm." But I can't. My heart won't let me. So what now?

Do you serve the Lord? (this is not religious, I promise)

My husband is fascinated, well, maybe borderline obsessed is a better way to describe it, with The Lord of the Rings. He's read all of the books and has seen the movies at least a gazillion times. Lucky for me, there is a marathon on T.V. this weekend. I've watched the movies with him, but I've never really gotten into them like he has. I'd like to, but it just hasn't happened. They seem to lose me as soon as they get dark. I also might have fallen asleep while watching. At the theater. I don't understamd what all the hype is. He says it's the story. So, I guess I'm going to have to actually buck up and read the trilogy this winter. Who knows, maybe I'll get into it?

Is anyone else out there in my boat? Who has read it and has something to offer me? Liked it, disliked it? Reasons?

American as apple fritters

I woke up to reminders that today is the ninth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. My Facebook page had many posts from friends stating they would never forget that day. I could never forget that day. On the morning of September 11th, 2001 I was driving to campus (SUNY Binghamton) from my Riverside Drive apartment when a news report broke through my music channel to say that a small plane had possibly hit the World Trade Center. About ten minutes later I walked into the library and saw my then-boyfriend and now husband, and he told me that a second plane had hit. We walked to the union and watched the events unfold. The towers came down and people around us started crying, some dropped to their knees, and others jumped on cell phones to connect with loved ones that might have been in harm's way. Classes were canceled for the day. The whole thing seemed so surreal, and many people were sure that we were in the beginning stages of World War 3. That day will forever remain a vivid memory for me.


So today I decided that in memory of the events of September 11th, I would do American things. I started off my day at the farmer's market, making sure to be extra friendly to my vendors. I wanted to spread cheer and positive energy today. After that I did some mundane chores around the house, like hanging the laundry to dry outside. I love that we have the freedom to do that, unless you live in a neighborhood that doesn't permit that sort of thing. In the early afternoon I met my mother-in-law for some apple picking and apple fritters! What says America more than apple pie? (I can't make that, so I hope apple crisp can suffice?) What a beautiful day for some down home American living!


God bless the USA! And bring tolerance, understanding, and peace to our world :)