To My Naysayers

It has been brought to my attention that my persistently positive personality might be hard for some to take. And to those who feel this way, I am truly sorry. I am going to clear up a few misconceptions about my personality. Here it goes!

I have my bad moments too. Notice I say moments, not days. I argue with my spouse, I yell at my kid, I curse aloud, and I get in a "mood". I get irritated easily. That being said, I don't dwell or stay that way. What's the point? Being human doesn't mean you have to be wallowing in self-pity or self-destruction ALL the time.

I have had several bad things happen to me in my lifetime. I have made huge mistakes and lost plenty. I have missed opportunities and walked down the "dark" path. All of these life experiences have made me who I am today. And I am not stupid enough to not pick up on the notion that I might not be everyone's cup of tea. Being an adult affords me the understanding that everybody is not going to "like" me and that's OK. Life is hard enough as it is without petty drama.

I am around pessimists all the time. The energy it takes for someone to find fault in every little thing must be exhausting. I've been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt. What changed me? I cannot pinpoint one thing and don't care to. I think it's a combination of my life experiences and my sheer will to be just stubborn enough to overcome it all. Once you start looking for the positives in situations, I promise you will find them. Even in the most direst of occasions, you can locate one positive. It may not be what you expected, but there truly are silver linings in every cloud. The key is your attitude. That is soooooo cliché but it's just the fact.

Religion (not organized) plays a huge part in my thought process. I find comfort in knowing and understanding all the I have been given and my role in it. I still struggle with finding my purpose on this Earth, and honestly, probably always will. And that's OK too. I'm where I'm supposed to be right now.

It's not that I have the key to the good life. I have many downs. I struggle like everybody else but I truly try everyday to find that silver lining in even the darkest cloud. It is a gift that I realize may be quite annoying to a lot of folks. Especially when they are not in the silver mining mood. I recognize that I have been blessed and try to make the most what is given.

Am I perfect? Far from it. Ask anybody in my family who the spoiled, stubborn brat is and I'll bet ya loads of money their answer will be ME. And that's OK. ;) Do I live a charmed life? Definitely not. Do I have more than most? Depends on what most you're talking about. Am I grateful for EVERYthing (even the bad stuff)? Beyond words YES.

I just wish sometimes that everyone would stop, get still, and listen to their inner voice. And try to handle in the most positive way you can muster whatever life throws your way. And know that you are never alone. Everybody, including me for sure, has bad "moments". Just try to keep them moments NOT days, weeks, months, or even years.

Thanks for listening. Later blog readers........

Dogs, Hogs, Elephants, and Forgiveness

It has been a wild week here at the Davis hacienda. I am going to start with last Saturday and catch you up to this Sunday. Try to bear with me as I'm probably going to sound schizo (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

Last Saturday the Hogs played the Dogs from Georgia in Fayettenam. Let me just say as a lifelong Hog fan, I was flabbergasted. I don't even care that we lost because I enjoyed seeing the football actually being thrown in the air. Little to no running up the middle. What?!? Who are these athletes!?!? LOVED it! I know we should've won the game but we didn't....that's OK. Yesterday, we played the Tide in Bama. The first half I actually thought that our defense played pretty well. Heck, ANYthing was an improvement over last week. It just kind of fell apart on us. We let Bama beat us and we could've beat THEM. Our defense reminds me of a pinball machine. Our players are the ball just bouncing off the other players. We like just bump 'em and fall down. Wrap them up boys, wrap them up. Our schedule sucks and just to even show up and compete speaks volumes in my book. We've got something special going on at the U of A and I hope TRUE fans support Petrino for at least 2 more seasons. I have NO doubt that he's the coach for us.

Speaking of coaches, I am BEYOND thrilled that Manboob lost. Man, that felt good. My only wish for the rest of our season is that we beat the crap out of him in Oxford. Please Please PLEASE make this happen SOMEbody! LOL

Today started out quite interesting for me. I let Cliff out for his morning ritual. I go back to let him in....NO Cliff. NO sign of Cliff OR Mitts. I call for them..nothing. I look in the front yard and side yard....no Cliff. He's very hard of hearing and can't see too well. Not good. So, I put on my robe and muck boots and head out into the neighborhood. I tromp around the street, the vacant lots, neighbor's backyards....no sight of Cliff or Mitts. Now, I'm a tad worried. So, I get in the Armada and drive around the block. AHA! I see Cliff. He's by the road in some random yard of somebody I don't actually know. I pull up and he's staring. Because he can't see. Until he hears my voice does he bolt literally in my direction. I put his little fat body in the front seat where he immediately shakes his jowl dripping with slobber. He's got a LOT of slobber. That's all I'm gonna say. He's breathing hard and is stressed out, but excited all the same! I could've killed him. Mitts is keeping her distance...the little convict.

And now for the forgiveness part. To forgive and forget is truly a challenge for even the best of persons. Most of us are guilty of holding onto a grudge or a past hurt. I am no exception. Today, Brother Keith delivered a powerful sermon on forgiveness. Today, I have forgiven and been forgiven by those who I have wronged and/or wronged me. To actually face up to and deal with hurts that have extended from years to months takes strong fortitude. I am happy to say I am filled with strong fortitude. I only hope that if you are reading this blog, and you have been hurt or hurt somebody, truly think about extending the olive branch. Make yourself accessible. You will not regret it and you will be blessed ten times over. Even if that other person does not reciprocate, YOU will be better for the effort. I promise you that much.

Well, I am hoping this week brings all that it has to offer to you and MORE. Later blog readers....

Question #1: I have received a suggestion from Allyn H. (shout out!) that Clifford may require his own blog. I am actually toying with the idea. What do ya'll think?

Do you ever?

Do you ever wonder about your life's purpose? Lately, I find my self pondering this question deeply. How one evolves or arrives to the current state of their being is beyond me. I think back on my teen/early adult years and often recoil in horror AND admiration at my actions. To be young like that is really to be fearless. Being an only child afforded me with a jump on adulthood. I thought I really knew EVERYthing. Boy was I wrong.

Getting married at age 29 was quite interesting. I only thought I knew what marriage was really about. Again, boy was I wrong. Thank the Lord Anthony is a patient, PATIENT man.

Becoming a mother at 30 (a hair off 31) completely changed my perspective on life and the world in general. I cannot begin to explain, nor could I, the profound changes in our lives all because of one little bundle of joy. Who teaches one about parenting? You would think your own parents. And I'm not saying I didn't mimic some of their style but in reality you come up with YOUR own way of doing things. God help Blakely. ;) And boy, I know I've made some mistakes and again thank the Lord for a patient, PATIENT child.

Leaving the comforts of a cushy State job after 17 and 1/2 year to become a teacher was a bold step. I really thought teaching was my "purpose". Honestly, the jury is still out on that one.

Leaving that teaching job after 3 1/2 years was surprisingly difficult as well. But my husband made it much, much easier on me. I miss being "in charge" of a classroom but is that what teaching is really about? I don't think so.

Starting graduate school at ASU has been an eye opener. I really feel that I am supposed to get my Master's in English. The question remains am I supposed to teach after that and if not, then what the heck? Honestly, I am drawn to law school like a moth to a flame. I would so love to defend the indefensible but just don't understand the "reasoning" behind this thought.

I pour out all of these on my blog because I'm feeling the need to assert the statement: I am not perfect and I do NOT have all the answers.

I cannot explain why bad things happen to good people. I cannot explain why some choose the lighted path while others choose the darkened one. I cannot explain why some people are so close-minded while others are very open. I cannot explain basically good versus evil. But what I can explain is that no matter what only YOU are responsible for YOU. Each day you just have to get up, strap on your armor, head out, and hopefully make a positive impact on the world. Some days you succeed, some days you fail. Life goes on with or without you. How's that for an ego buster?

So blog readers...good luck on each and everyday of your lives. No matter what kind of day shows up in your world, remember you are not alone. Later.......

Attitude

I barely got up at all this weekend. I was a slug. I was a bit depressed and pretty much not feeling my best either. I am ashamed I spent so much time doing NOTHING. Of course, a lot would say one needs downtime. I just don't subscribe to that at ALL. I even put on my stat update on Facebook that Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down. What a sourpuss. I got to thinking about Tyler Parten's family and Zack Jones's family. Who am I to sit around here and be depressed and/or mope? I have absolutely NO reason not to be joyous that I am alive one more day and all of my family is as well. What on Earth is wrong with me? Very uncool. So, I changed my stat to an absolutely chipper one! And ya know what, I felt better immediately!

For those of my readers who don't believe in God or question His existence, this may be hard for you to read. But I know He is real and I also know that the Devil is real. The Devil tried very hard to steal my joy today. I let him in and he started right off. After I changed my stat update, i managed to get coffee on my cool white tee, drop an entire carton of diet cokes not once but TWICE, and stare down a 2 page essay on the epics.....now this might have made me go right back into a funk BUT I totally won out today! I recognize when I 'm being messed with and I just decided to remain positive. And ya know what, it works.

I realize I've got plenty of daylight left to screw my joy up but I'm gonna look at it as a whole day to enjoy my JOY. I hope all my blog readers keep their chins up and realize that you should live for today because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Life is filled with valleys and mountains, but it's one's attitude that can make all the difference in the world. I know I will have another "bad" day and that's OK, it's how I choose to handle it that will make all the difference in the world. Life lessons. They're important.

Today

I really don't have anything witty to say today. It's been 8 years since the terrorist attacks on our homeland. Nothing is really resolved. Our freedom still stands even if sometimes we think it's on shaky ground. Since that day I have noted several things that bear mentioning:

1. President Bush led us well during the days and weeks after 9/11. However, he ended up one of the most despised of all American Presidents. Lowest approval rating. It just illustrates the volatile relationship we have with our leaders. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
2. Our economy really sits in the toilet. Of course, we are on a rebound which is just part of a natural economic cycle but nobody seems to want to point that out.
3. We elected our first African American President. To me this is forward progress and inspiring. To others, not so much.
4. We are still in Afghanistan which people forget is where 9/11 all started. It had absolutely nothing to do with Iraq and Saddam Hussein. That's pretty much the reason GW ended up in the ratings toilet.

Speaking of Afghanistan, my heart is heavy today. Although I did not know the young man personally, I know his little sister well and think a whole lot of her. His name is Tyler Parten. He was 24 years old, a graduate of West Point, a speaker of Arabic, a Platoon Leader in the US Army serving in Afghanistan. He died yesterday protecting our freedom. My heart goes out to his family, his friends, and the entire Marianna/Aubrey/Moro area. It is always difficult to lose a soldier but none hits harder than ones you know personally. It really brings it home. Right to your front door where we don't like to always think about the things our young men and women choose to do in the military for our country. They are a breed apart and deserve absolutely nothing less than our undying gratefulness. Please pray for the Parten family.

I will end here. Remember who we are, where we come from, and what we stand for. We are free even if it doesn't feel like it all the time. God Bless the USA. Later blog readers.

Class, Drive, Friend, & the Fair!

I know it's been over a week since I've blogged but I'm pooped. College is for kids. I'm in a "list" kind of mood today. Probably because all I'm doing these days is making lists! List of classes, list of homework, list of Blake's schedule, list of Hades, etc. So, in keeping with my theme here we go:

1. My two undergrad classes are not so bad. At first I thought they were really gonna suck...but they are OK. I really like BOTH teachers. Not so much at first but here a week out, it's all good. I hate to admit it but I'm kind of enjoying the re-reading of Greek tragedies AND am loving Folklore. Folklore reminds me of all the stories my mamaw used to tell me. This past Sunday it was 9 years since she left me. It still hurts today.

2. The drive back and forth to Jonesboro is BORING to the NTH DEGREE! And people on the road just cannot drive! If the speed limit is 55...go 55! Not 50 and especially NOT 45! However, I've discovered that most prescribe to the 45 and never arrive mantra! Road rage is building but thank goodness I have my Michael Jackson cd to get me in a better mood! LOL Speaking of I cannot believe his death is a homicide. Wow. I think that's pretty sketchy. I'm pretty sure he wanted all of that stuff and I can't say that I blame him.

3. I had the absolutely best Saturday! I went to Memphis to visit with Lauri Bridges Jones (and Jeff)! We haven't talked for years but have been tearing it up gangbusters on Facebook. Twins I tell ya. LOL She took me to this fabulous-o Mexican joint. I will return! Then we went back to her house, which I love by the way, and proceeded to drink coffee for 5 hours and gossip. Awesome! Cannot wait to do it again!

4. Last night I got roped into taking Blakely and not one but TWO of her friends to the county fair. I really should've had a toddy before I went. Heck, I should've just spiked my drink there! LOL They had a blast and actually, I did too! Boy, what fun it must be to be 10 years old. How quickly we forget.

5. I am knee deep in homework this week. I even have a quiz over Oedipus. I better make an A!

6. Deer season opens exactly one month from yesterday!!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!! This is my year for the monster buck! You just wait and see!

Well, have a stellar week with this absolutely AWESOME weather! I will try to blog a little more frequently....but don't be surprised if it takes me a week. ;) Later.....