Thank You, Bloggers

It's been several years since first discovering the blogging world; or more like, discovering how varied and vast the blogging universe actually had become.  I'm sure I was reading plenty of blog posts under the assumption that they were journalistic accounts written by someone earning a regular paycheck from a newspaper or magazine publishing house.  At that point, the internet was providing as much of the news as I was getting from television, and I had pretty much abandoned print magazines, for snazzy, ever-changing, mobile online content.

Years before, I arrived early to the world wide web party. I bought my first computer with the intention of self publishing children's storybooks. (I have a very interesting story about that for another post.)  That time coincided with my being determined disabled.  (That story is a huge blur peppered with memories of unbearable pain and sorrow... an unimaginable reality.)  Anyway, my only real comfort was my little family.  I had decided - since it was becoming more and more evident that I was in no condition to keep a job - something that I could do was teach my little ones at home.  So, with my husband's encouragement and my mom's support, I got on my new computer and researched "homeschooling."  Most night's would just pass right into early morning while I explored the wealth of information (and rubbish) at my fingertips.  Now that I think about it, I'm certain that there were countless times that I was visiting blogs specific to early education.

The other thing that was keeping me "logged on" was shopping.  Catalogs which were filling up baskets around the house were now filling up the internet.  How convenient, my condition was worsening and my symptoms unstable, yet there it was... online shopping.  During times when I had little to no energy, or was barely able to move, much less trek out to a mall with three small children, I now had the internet for shoe & clothes shopping for them.  Good thing most days my fingers could handle typing away for long stretches of time.  I was getting pretty good with this computer business;  I had a printer, a scanner... a whole slew of hardware extras and software.  Remember floppy disks?  No...  oh never mind.

So I was learning, teaching, shopping, and biggest surprise of all... I was creating!  And loving it!  There were lesson handouts, newsletters, greeting cards, calendars, brochures, my little book.  Clip Art; Photoshop, I believe the software was called.  The name Broderbund also comes to mind.  It was so much fun.  I though, how great it would be to have a job doing all that stuff and be paid to do it.  I had no idea there was such a thing as a graphic artist.  Back then, if someone said, "You should try blogging."  I'd probably give them a blank stare.

Well, I know what blogging is now... I think.  It's like a book, or magazine, or newspaper, but without paper.  Today, if someone asked which blog I last visited, I would not be able to say.  But back during a very lonely and difficult period, when the only thing I had to help me cope was my sense of humor, a sudden burst of relief came in the form of blogs.  They made me "feel" again.  Happy, sad, mad; soothed, awakened, spirited - I felt it all.  This was good.  It was very good.

In no particular order, these are the authors, bloggers and posts that have provided inspiration and introspection, and invoked most heartfelt emotions. And thank goodness, LAUGHTER. I am grateful for them all, and yes, these are the ones which come to mind at the moment.  (Click highlighted, bold items below to link to corresponding blogs.)

The Bloggess

People I Want To Punch In The Throat

LIVESTRONG

Dooce

An Inch of Gray

Knuckle Salad

Robin O'Bryant

Mark Joyella

Hello Giggles (One of my posts was even featured during this blogs first weeks!)

Thoughts From Paris

Wendi Aarons

MarinkaNYC

Liz Henry

Jasmine Banks

YKIHAYHT

Wendy Liebman

Heather Christena Schmidt

Good Men Project

RSA News

Dean Obeidallah

So many more blogs have joined this list since things took a turn for the better.  I've even become a huge fan of a crazy mix of YouTube creators.  Time doesn't allow for regular reading or viewing, but I'm still enjoying blogs, vlogs, and late-night talk shows as much as ever.  If I could possess even a tiny sliver of what the creators listed here have, that would be conviction.  They have a story, a story worth telling, if for only that one person who is going to laugh, cry, guffaw, or re-examine and re-evaluate their beliefs.  And, sometimes, call bullsh*t.  Thanks for that too bloggers.

Writer's Block... Writer's Block... Writer's Block...

That's what I imagine muttering all day if I were a writer with, well... writer's block.  Good news, then.  I am not a writer.  I'm a... hmmm.  I don't know what I am, but I do know who I am.  I am someone's wife, mother, daughter, sister, auntie, friend.  Jeepers, that does sound very much like what you'd find on a gravestone, doesn't it?  *shudder*  Actually, I'm not even sure if that friend one applies.  I see no friends.

Let's see... I guess I could say I'm a car singer, a food eater, a movie watcher, a typist, an imagineer - no, I think that's a Disney thing.  So, let's say, imaginer,  goer-of-when-things-get-tough, a sayer (Is that even a word?) of, "What you think about, you bring about." A maker-up of words.  Oh yeah, I've always thought myself an "idea person."  Problem.  All these great ideas come to me when I'm either driving, in the shower, or doing something which does not allow me to take the time to make notes, draw sketches, or do research.  For instance, I have an idea for a design to assist individuals who use walkers.  I have some ideas for jewelry design.  Oh, something else I've always wanted to do is create a suitable-for-everyone program about.... hmmm.  Sorry, my secret.

There are things I'd like to learn, like, play guitar, piano, drums!  I wish I were a good singer.  I'd love to be in a play - my "acting career" ended in the sixth grade.  I had so much fun doing school plays.  I loved to dance, and wish I had done ballet.

See, now I've gotten all wishy.  I'm a dreamer; a feeler.

I want to be a writer, but the only way I could see that happening is doing it as part of a team.  So, I don't much get writer's block, it's more like writer's lonelies.  Is that a word?

Summing Things Up ~ November 1 - 2, 2014 *

You know, that day that starts off bad then ends up even worse?  That's been my day.  So, yeah.

*Update

Seems today was a bust, but yesterday was pretty nice.  Last week I enjoyed thoroughly.  It was good to be free of terrible dental pain that walloped me the week before; it is still a bit tender at the site, but much, much better.  Another mood booster was stepping on the scale and seeing a few pounds lost.  This is good... very good.

Winning tickets to a red carpet event was exciting, and I'm really glad I was able to spend Thursday afternoon with my sister anticipating the excitement of seeing favorite celebrities like Robert Downey, Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Emma Watson, Julia-Louis Dreyfus, Judi Dench, and director Mike Leigh.  All of whom were being honored for achievements in the entertainment arts and outstanding do-goodery.  I love British film and television, so it truly was something special for me to have a tiny glimpse into that world.  This made for a very nice week, indeed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Below is my tiny effort to reverse effect stemming from my contribution made into the disappearance of all the mixed candy bags that I brought home leading up to Halloween.  None of which lasted anywhere near October 31st.

This Is Fifty With Lil Fitness Challenge

Ain't No Turkey Progress:  

Day  1:  11:58 pm; 30 second wall sits!  Whoa.

Day  2:  10:30 pm; 30 second wall sits.  Ouch.

Day  3:  11:53 pm; 46 seconds - wall sits.  Whew.

Day  4:  5 hours standing at Britannias red carpet event.

Day  5:  11:15 pm; 30 second wall sits. Wow!

Day  6:  11:57 pm; 30 second wall sits... long day.

Day  7:  11:59 pm; 31 second wall sits.  Knee pain.

Click here to view enlarged chart.

One of my favorite online catalogs is Title Nine, and I found out on Twitter that Ain’t No Turkey 30 Day Strength Challenge is underway, and I'm doing it... in the beginner category, of course.  Here's a little more information from Time Out With Title Nine blog:

• For a PDF of the above chart, please click here.
• Hashtag your progress using #AintNoTurkey, and share your story and photos on their blog.

Fun, right?  Let's do this.  Two minutes... here I go!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Life Reimagined progress has stalled a bit going on three weeks now. Health issues, automobile trouble, mom-care problems, the list goes on. Regardless, here's me keeping it real, a photo from 10:58 PM tonight.

Very, very real.

I still haven't given up hope though, and I refuse to abandon the notion of a truly carefree, purposeful, fulfilling life beginning at 50. I just have to convince myself that I deserve it.  I don't think I was ready for age 50, nor am I sure if I'm even doing it "right."  What I am willing to do is, explore the possibility of reinventing myself.  And what do you know, AARP has this really nifty website, Life Reimagined, designed to assist and guide you through obstacles that might be keeping you from confidently approaching what should be a purposeful, fulfilling chapter in your life at age 50 and beyond.  And that is exactly what you'll find me doing and sharing on my blog each Sunday.   So, come back. comment, visit my YouTube channel THIS IS FIFTY WITH LIL.  Let's talk and compare notes.

Please click here for more information.

I signed up for Life Reimagined beginning of October and find it is already helping me imagine the possibilities that lay ahead.  This makes me happy.  If you know of anyone in the AARP stage of life who is feeling a bit stuck, please consider sharing this website with them.*


*This is not a paid endorsement.

For more information go to:

• www.aarp.org
• lifereimagined.aarp.org

Hello November!

What a beautiful day it was in the Coachella Valley today! Crisp air, breathtaking blue skies, stunning white clouds that were gradually pushed along by dark, rain soaked grey ones.  The perfect day would have brought with it steady showers; perhaps tomorrow.

This month goals and challenges will test my resolve.  October 29, 2012 was the beginning of our family's period of restoration, where we still find ourselves today.  It's a process, and time will tell when this reality gives way to healing, then peace.  Everyday for the past two years  acceptance has been my focus; perseverance my intent, with gratitude guiding me along.  It's a challenge, one that I gladly accept.

Meeting goals that I've set for myself has not been an easy task, but I do make an effort, especially if these goals bring much needed diversion and contentment.  Reinventing my life will take some courage, and I'll have to dig deep to recover my sense of adventure that saw me through my younger years.  This I also gladly welcome.

Establishing some semblance of normalcy again will be tricky as children each decide when the perfect right time to venture out on their own comes.  One daughter has already mentioned her intent to remain in area of the country where she is currently enrolled in college.  Hopeful this will not be too arduous when our eldest and youngest prepare to break away, and that my husband and I can gracefully accept that this is simply a part of life

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

November Program:

• Participate in NaBloPoMo by committing to write a daily blog post.
• Make concerted effort to sort out The Place in preparation for holidays.
• Commit to keep up with daily fitness plan.
• Enjoy this season of gratitude and togetherness, and make best effort to spend more time with loved ones.

That's November 2014 in a nutshell.  Hope you will check in often.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Below is my tiny effort to reverse effect stemming from my contribution made into the disappearance of all the mixed candy bags that I brought home leading up to Halloween.  None of which lasted anywhere near October 31st.

This Is Fifty With Lil Fitness Challenge
Ain't No Turkey Progress:  
Day  1:  11:58 pm; 30 second wall sits!  Whoa.
Day  2:  10:30 pm; 30 second wall sits.  Ouch.
Day  3:  11:53 pm; 46 seconds - wall sits.  Whew.
Day  4:  5 hours standing at Britannias red carpet event.
Day  5:  11:15 pm; 30 second wall sits. Wow!
Day  6:  11:57 pm; 30 second wall sits... long day.
Day  7:

Click here to view enlarged chart.

One of my favorite online catalogs is Title Nine, and I found out on Twitter that Ain’t No Turkey 30 Day Strength Challenge is underway, and I'm doing it... in the beginner category, of course.  Here's a little more information from Time Out With Title Nine blog:

• For a PDF of the above chart, please click here.
• Hashtag your progress using #AintNoTurkey, and share your story and photos on their blog.

Fun, right?  Let's do this.  Two minutes... here I go!

14,440

BOO!

OoooOOOO... OoooOooOooo... 

How's that for scaaaarrrry?

Another Halloween has come, and with it, another opportunity for me to skip dressing up.  I've only dressed up once as an adult.  In order to encourage my youngest child to join in on family candy-collecting fun, my seven year-old son was zombie patient, and I was creepy Nurse Helga to my daughter's Dr. Fun Stuff.  To break-up what we feared might be our five year-old's scheme of dressing up as a ballerina - forever - we somehow managed to convince her to let us smudge some "creepy" make-up on her face... you know, to keep with the theme.  It was work, but she did it.  Ugh, five year-old prima donnas!?

Here's a photo from that year after wet wipes were brought out to tackle make-up removal from little faces. I am conveniently cropped out of it.  CANDY TIME!

NaBloPoMo prompt for October 30, asks, "If you had unlimited resources and artistic skills, what would you want to be for Halloween?"  I'd just want to skip it all and get right to the candy-eating part.  *sigh*

*****

Below is my tiny effort to reverse effect stemming from my contribution made into the disappearance of all the mixed candy bags that I brought home leading up to Halloween.  None of which lasted anywhere near October 31st.

#ThisIsFiftyWithLil

My Progress:  
Day  1:  11:58 pm; 30 second wall sits!  Whoa.
Day  2:  10:30 pm; 30 second wall sits.  Ouch.
Day  3:  11:53 pm; 46 seconds - wall sits.  Whew.
Day  4:  5 hours standing at Britannias red carpet event.
Day  5:  
Day  6:
Day  7:

Click here to view enlarged chart.

One of my favorite online catalogs is Title Nine, and I found out on Twitter that Ain’t No Turkey 30 Day Strength Challenge is underway, and I'm doing it... in the beginner category, of course.  Here's a little more information from Time Out With Title Nine blog:

• For a PDF of the above chart, please click here.
• Hashtag your progress using #AintNoTurkey, and share your story and photos on their blog.

Fun, right?  Let's do this.  Two minutes... here I go!

How To Not Stand Out On Halloween

If you're a little kid, simple, wear a costume.

As a kid, every Halloween (or Friday if it fell on the,weekend), my school planned a parade.  Every kid was supposed to dress in their favorite costume to show off during the big parade that went around the playground.  I don't remember candy being handed out during these parades, but there were awards for best creations: scariest, funniest, homemade, creative.  I won twice!  I did not want to win.  I did not want to wear a costume.  I didn't want anyone to see me.

I did not like costumes... unless they came in a cardboard box with transparent lid that revealed a fantastic plastic face mask with tiny eye, nostril, and mouth holes cut into them, and a thin stretchy band to hold the mask in place, along with a coordinating highly flammable cape, or gown, or cover-alls, all nicely folded beneath each mask.  Yeah, that's the only kind of costume I'd wear.  But we were poor, so no store bought, boxed, toxic paint fumes smothered mask and highly flammable woven fiber material costumes for me.  The only thing I understood was that my mom was mean for not buying me one of those boxes.  Every store had stacks of those boxes... one for every kid in the U.S.A.  This is how you win a best costume ribbon at the school Halloween parade, right?

I have only two memories of those school Halloween parades.  Third grade, my mom made me a princess costume.  She brought out my first holy communion dress and shoes, and made me a wand out of a stick wrapped with tin foil.  I hated dresses.  I had bad memories from the only other day that I wore this dress... I had an "accident" mid-way through that special First Eucharist EVER mass.  Amen... sigh.  Anyway I walked the parade circle in a white dress carrying a stick.  Big deal, it could have been any old day, you know, if I liked wearing dresses. So the rest of the school day, we sat and watched all the other classes have their turns.  I don't remember a judging committee, but apparently there was one because I won in the "prettiest costume" category... and everybody was looking at me.

My other memory was from the fifth grade.  But first, an explanation:  I grew up in East Los Angeles. I had the scariest (in my opinion) walk to and from school.  The neighborhood where we lived seemed to be where a few gang territory boundaries were drawn.  Police helicopters and ambulance sirens alerting arrivals at the very-close-by hospital emergency room entrance were the norm.  Scary gang members and impressionable youngsters "in training" were everywhere - males were referred to as cholos; females, cholas.  All this was very frightening to me.  Now, back to Halloween and school parades.

In fifth grade, mom insisted that I dress up as a mummy.  She bought extra rolls of toilet paper, made me stand still and cooperate as she wrapped my arms, legs, torso and head with the very delicate, easily ripped apart strands of butt wiping tissue; red food coloring took care of bloody gore effect.  I remember it was warm that day, and by the time we headed out late for school I was done with Halloween.  Mom and I reached the bottom of the hill, a quarter of the way from school and I was pretty much "paperless."  I still had to walk the playground parade circle - in green shorts, white tank top, and sandals (the style popular with girl gang members).  Oh, I also had random red splotches all over me.  I won again.  I have no clue in which category... probably the one most scary for me.  Everybody thought I went dressed as a chola.  My name was called, ribbon pinned... while the entire school watched... sigh.

So, tips on how to not stand out on Halloween:

• Just give in and wear a costume; nothing dazzling.  Or...
• Fake sick close to school parade time; or at home first thing in the morning.
• Remember, in the end there is candy. Got it... CANDY! If you do it right, loads of candy.
• Lastly, if you hated Halloween as a kid, you're gonna love it when you have your own kids.  I sure do.

Do you have your costume ready?

*****

Click here to view enlarged chart.

One of my favorite online catalogs is Title Nine, and I found out on Twitter that Ain’t No Turkey 30 Day Strength Challenge is underway, and I'm doing it... in the beginner category, of course.  Here's a little more information from Time Out With Title Nine blog:

• For a PDF of the above chart, please click here.
• Hashtag your progress using #AintNoTurkey, and share your story and photos on their blog.

Fun, right?  Let's do this.  Two minutes... here I go!

Day  1:  11:58 pm; 30 seconds - wall sits!  Whoa.
Day  2:  10:30 pm; 30 seconds - wall sits.  Ouch.
Day  3:  11:53 pm; 46 seconds - wall sits.  Whew.
Day  4:
Day  5:
Day  6:
Day  7:

OH, The Horror! Or 50 Minutes... ONLY FIFTY MINUTES!

Movies?  Books?  Uh, no.  I absolutely do not enjoy watching horror flicks.  I'll pass on the thriller genre section of the library, too.  Nor will I purchase a scary book at a bookstore.  So, I'm sure you've guessed, I'm not a fan of scary stuff.  It's just not my thing.

So, that answers today's NaBloPoMo prompt:  Do you enjoy being scared such as watching horror movies or reading scary books?

*****

Something pretty great happened today and I look forward to sharing more about it on Friday.  Here's a hint for now.

Image by L. Carilo

Yum.

*****

Now, about there being "only fifty minutes" left on the clock until midnight.  One of my favorite online catalogs is Title Nine, and I found out on Twitter that Ain’t No Turkey 30 Day Strength Challenge starts today, and I'm planning to do it... in the beginner category, of course.

Here's a little more information from Time Out With Title Nine blog:

• For a PDF of the above chart, please click here.
• Hashtag your progress using #AintNoTurkey, and share your story and photos on their blog.

Fun, right?  Let's do this.  Two minutes... here I go!

I just did 30 second wall sits... whoa.

Sunday, 26 October OR The Day Judd Nelson Did Not Die

UPDATED:  Monday, October 27

For weekend of October 26, 2014 in Entertainment News our collective memory may go like this:

"Hey, remember that weekend when Jim Carrey hosted SNL? Nude body suit? Dancing? Blond wig!  McKinnon... come on, even Lorne Michaels showed up on screen. You know, that time you laughed longer than you've done since forever at an SNL skit... that weekend.  No? Me neither.  Because, Oh God! Judd Nelson died?!? "

Noooooo...

Of course Judd Nelson didn't die over the weekend.  Here he is reading the L.A. Times, Sunday edition.

Image by Gregg Klein

Wow, I guess people do still read newspapers. Huh?  Live and learn.  Also, damn, he's still cute as ever, that Judd Nelson.  Go on, Google search images.  I'll wait.

Now, if you are reading this blog you may be asking, "Who is Judd Nelson?"  To that I say, "Don't make me come over there."  Judd Nelson is the only reason to watch The Breakfast Club movie. Okay, one of eight reasons, and yes, I am including the high school library.  Oh my god, such a great movie!

Wait, what?! You say you know nothing of this "Breakfast Club" movie. It's okay, my kids haven't watched it either... putting me in the "worse mother ever" running.  I need to fix that.  Anyway, all I can say to you in regard to your life having been deprived of the wonder that is this movie is, stop what you are doing and go watch it.  I'll wait.

Also, Judd Nelson was the sole reason why I'd watch Suddenly Susan reruns at the crack of midnight in Texas.  Okay, it had a pretty great cast too.  And that's all I'll say about Judd Nelson.

*****

So my Life Reimagined progress has been further interrupted... week two.  Life, right?  It was a good day.  Found time to get out, visit with my sister while out running some spur-of-the-moment errands for mom, and picked up roast chicken dinner to bring home for everybody.  I'm still super behind getting the kitchen - and rest of The Place, for that matter - in order, so that come November, I'll be ready to cook my little heart out on a daily basis.  Oh, well.  Right now, I'm just tired.  My neck is a bit sore, and flare-ups at broken molar site come and go.

So here's me keeping it real, a photo from 10:46 PM tonight.

I told you I was tired.  Says so right there on my face.

See, tired, but happy.  Fingers crossed that next Sunday's post will actually include  what I have been planning to share these past two weekends. It's a little project I've been looking forward to starting, so I should get going on it.  It's going to be good.

I hope you had a very nice weekend.  Let's try our best to make it a great week.

*****

Fun should begin at 50, right? Well, I'm fifty, but I don't think I'm doing it right.  I don't think I was ready for age 50, but what I am willing to explore is the possibility of reinventing myself.  And what do you know, AARP has this really nifty website, Life Reimagined, designed to assist and guide you through obstacles that might be keeping you from confidently approaching what should be a purposeful, fulfilling chapter in your life at age 50 and beyond.  And that is exactly what you'll find me doing and sharing on my blog each Sunday.   So, come back. comment, visit my YouTube channel THIS IS FIFTY WITH LIL.  Let's talk and compare notes.

Please click here for more information.

I signed up for Life Reimagined beginning of October and find it is already helping me see the possibilities that lay ahead.  This makes me happy.  If you know of anyone in the AARP stage of life who is feeling a bit stuck, please consider sharing this website with them.*


*This is not a paid endorsement.

For more information go to:

• www.aarp.org
• lifereimagined.aarp.org

Sources:

• mashable.com/2014/10/26/jim-carrey-nude-bodysuit-snl/
• latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-judd-nelson-not-dead-20141026-story.html
• nbc.com/saturday-night-live

Wilson!

This post might get a bit "linky."  And by linky I mean, whoever stops by to read this blog post may find a link or two, or three, or more. If there are any links they'll look like this: bold, italicized, & underlined.  They may even be further highlighted by appearing in a special font color and background that I've chosen to draw attention to the link which will lead to another post or website when you click on it.  Get the picture?  Try it on the link below...

NaBloPoMo BlogHer prompt for October 24, 2014 is: "If babyhood is spring and young adulthood is summer, which age do you consider to be the start to the "autumn" of life?"  If you place cursor over the highlighted area and click on it, you will be linked over to my blog post, Are You There Autumn, It's Me Lil.  Easy, right?

Now, on with today's blog post:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2014
Wilson!

Wilson!
You know, Tom Hanks's buddy from the movie Cast Away.
I love that movie!

I need someone to commiserate with... someone compassionate, someone that will sit and listen to my woes, or even better, just sit in silent support and sympathy.  Someone like Wilson.  You know Wilson, right?

Wilson was just a damn good listener.

Why?  Why! Because I've been tempted to go full-on Chuck Nolan on my own ass... or mouth.  Ick.  What I mean is, I need to see a dentist; probably an oral surgeon.  But as luck would have it, out of countless dental practices in my immediate area as well as neighboring towns, it turns out that the procedure required to fix my problem is not covered on our dental group's benefits.  Also, of the four dentists named as providers on our benefits list, I would rather neither get anywhere near my mouth... here's part of the reason why.  I've gathered from several reviews that they're not quite the cream of the crop, more like bottom of the barrel actually.

So, my husband's been the lucky one since moving here.  And by lucky, I mean that he's had his dental issues taken care of before my serious dental problems flared up. I ran into my former boss about a year ago and mentioned that my husband was having problems, but that it just wasn't in the budget to take care of dental costs on a cash only basis.  Well, that nice old boss of mine said to call the office and not to worry about payment in full; he'd let us work out a payment plan - whatever we could manage.  Whew. That was such a relief.  We're still making payments on that, but at least the husband had work completed... by a great dentist.

And now it's my turn.  At least I haven't had any emergency room visits like my husband had. Needless to say, I've been in pretty severe pain this week.  However, I'm not at all comfortable with the fact that the only way for me to get relief is by taking four Advil every six hours.  They've helped, but they aren't going to repair damage.


I'm not quite at wit's end yet though, but time does get away from me and I can't quite seem to hash out adequate solution to this problem.  I have been wondering if there's a crowdfunding organization specifically for people who need assistance paying for cost of medical or dental services.  I know of websites where causes/projects/creative designs/inventions/business start-ups raise funds, like Kickstarter, but I'm not trying to make potato salad here.  I'm just hoping to find a good dentist and specialist who will give me a recommended treatment plan to extract whichever molars need greatest attention before the problem worsens, and to be able to pay for whatever services are necessary.  I don't know.  I was stunned to learn what some people do to fund vacations and wedding honeymoons.  I thought, "What gall."  I was more than happy with my $750-ish wedding/dress/reception, and $250 honeymoon.

But don't get me wrong, I can't stop wondering, "Hmm... maybe looking for crowdfunding for dental work isn't such a dumb idea.

What do you think?

*****

FUN FACT

One of my favorite YouTube channels is Mental Floss

and if you'll notice in video below (just click on image)

there is a replica of Wilson from Cast Away movie

just over Host John Green's left shoulder.

Coincidence?

It's A Fun Factapalooza!

A dentist invented cotton candy...

I LOVE COTTON CANDY!

Okay, I love candy. Period.

Are You There Autumn, It's Me Lil ~ Friday's NaBloPoMo Blog Post Today

It's Saturday. Yep, Saturday evening and I'm just now posting Friday's BlogHer NaBloPoMo post.

A warning:  This might get a bit "linky."  And by linky I mean, whoever is curious enough to visit today's blog post about yesterday just may find a link or two. If there are any links they'll look like this: bold, italicized, & underlined.  They may even be further highlighted by appearing in a special font color and background that I've chosen to draw attention to the link which will lead to another post or website when you click on it.  Get the picture?  Try it on the link in the following paragraph.

So, Friday. Hmm... title? BlogHer prompt for October 24, 2014 is: "If babyhood is spring and young adulthood is summer, which age do you consider to be the start to the "autumn" of life?"  Now, to come up with a title and jot down my thoughts on this.  Hmm...  I think I have it!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014
Are You There Autumn, It's Me Lil

I'm not sure when "Autumn" stage of life begins. When my mom was in her mid 40s I thought she was pretty cool, hip even.  Well, maybe not hip and cool so much... more like, fun. Yes, she was fun to be around.  I just did the math.  I was 10 when my mom was 45-ish! Seems she didn't hit "Winter" until, maybe, age 80.  No kidding... really.  As for me, personally, I think I reached my Autumn when my first child reached 21.  Or maybe when I saw my second child off to college.  Perhaps it won't actually happen until my third (and last) child turns 18 or graduates from high school... next Spring!  Which ever.  I'm ready for this Autumn stage of life.  It is my favorite season after all.  Who knows.  I'll keep you posted.

There you go, and there wasn't a single link to be had beyond the sample link.  Cool, right?  Now, on to NaBloPoMo post for Saturday, October 25, 2014.  See you in a bit.

No Leaves For You!

Somewhere in the Southern California desert
Image by L. Carilo

Who's There?

~ Banana.
     Banana.
       Banana.
         Banana.
Knock, knock.
~ Who's there?
Orange.
~ Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say banana?
Remember that?  Is it still big with the kids nowadays?

I love bananas.  And, I love oranges.  I love the color yellow; the color orange, hmm...

I'm glad I found this wonderful Fall Leaves background for my blog.  I think it's perfect.  And I think many would agree the color orange in nature is truly magnificent.  So please enjoy a few of my favorite images featuring the color of Fall... orange.

Autumn morning skies... perfection.

image

A fresh fruit salad made complete with orange segments and a drizzle of honey... yum.

image by L. Carilo

A cool October afternoon sit down in the courtyard among vibrant flowering vines fills the senses... 

image by L. Carilo

Yes, I also love the color orange.

Health & Wellness ~ The This Is Fifty With Lil Method

Health.

Wellness.

The This Is Fifty With Lil Method: *crickets*

I'm gonna have to revisit this on a future post. Most likely when I'm finally free of severe pain caused by dental issues which are also hampering my ability to eat.  For instance, today's menu: mashed potatoes, apple sauce, more mashed potatoes, followed by slow torture trying eat a small piece of chicken, then more mashed potatoes.

So, I'll just excuse myself to continue my course of treatment - 4 Advil every 6 hours with a bottle of water - until I can see a professional.

I'll keep you posted.

Chestnuts Roasting On An...

... open fire.  No, no. If I recall correctly, that should go more like "roast pig on a spit turning over a sizzling fire."  Haha, I crack myself up.

Now I'm wondering, does that count as a campfire or bonfire.  It was an outdoor fire anyway.  Around the holidays during our Hawaii-living days I learned that roasting a pig over a spit for a celebratory meal was tradition.  And that was a good thing as far as I was concerned.  Man, it was so good.

So, it was either our last Christmas on the island or the last over-night camp out at Hulopoe Beach.  Either way, there was tons of food, relaxed atmosphere, perfect weather, and friendly folks.  Did I mention the kalua pork?  Oh, boy! Served over white rice with simmered cabbage and yummy dinner rolls... delicious! 

Yeah, it was back during our Hawaii days where we last enjoyed an open fire, great food, and good fun.  It's due time to do that again.  Gonna put it on a Must Do list; maybe when we are in Vermont for College Girl's 2016 graduation.

I'm Late! I'm Late! I Am Not Late... You Just Can't Wait

At the most, there's only four times a year that I need be on time, and that's for quarterly med checks with my doctor.  That's it.  How often does my doctor call me into his office at my appointment time... never.  He's always at least 5 minutes behind; at the most, about 15 minutes. But no matter what, so as to arrive at my scheduled time, I've raced from my car, up the flight of stairs, rush the length of the corridor and fling open the door with a, "Hi, Michael."  Michael is my doctor's very professional and competent office manager.  The one time I was late due to road work, I called to let them know I'd be a few minutes late.  The doctor was still not ready to see me when I arrived.  I've worked in medical field front office so I totally understand when things aren't going as scheduled as long as the front office staff inform me they are running behind, acknowledge my willingness to wait  & reassure that the doctor knows I'm waiting... I get it.

My family insists that I have a habit of running late to pick them up from jobs and school.  Here's my argument - they shouldn't have a problem waiting a few minutes, it's not like they have somewhere else to go.  They can wait.  Also, it's a two-way street because I often have to wait on them.  Ours is a one vehicle family with three people who have places to go - the bookstore, a glass company and the high school.  I am never the reason for anyone to be late in the mornings.  A set pick up time is not written in stone... they can wait.  Just as some times I have to wait for them when they are running long.  We all have phones, so lack of communication should not be a problem.  Even on that traumatic afternoon drive to the school when a little dog dashed into 45 mph rush hour traffic and there was no chance of stopping in time to keep from hitting it, and I was in hysterics. I went into automatic pilot, calling the school so that my daughter knew to expect someone else to pick her up when school let out, I asked my husband to arrange for someone to pick up our daughter.  My son was with me and kept me calm so that I could pull over to phone animal services and compose myself in order to get back on the road. I was a mess, but had to draw from some unknown place within me to get on with the day of planned errands and picking up my husband, and daughter, at his place of work.  That was a terrible day.

There is another instance when promptness is of great importance - getting College Girl to the airport with plenty of time for her departure.  Her arrivals and departures are a family affair. And part of the fun and excitement is having the chance to catch up or to tell her how much she'll be missed and let her know how proud of her we are.  That's always a fun time,  Maybe not so much for my husband because of the pressure he puts on himself to get us out of the house on time.  The rest of us are just along for the ride.  Good times.

So, I'm late once in a while, however, I am very good at arriving on time for appointments, but there was a time when I was always early... my bus riding days.  If I had to be at school or at work at a designated hour, I'd make damn sure I boarded the bus(es) that got me where I needed to be on time.  Even if it meant waking up at 4:00 am to get to my bus stop at 4:30... no excuses.

Tick Tock

TICK! TOCK!  Putting things off until the last minute... that's how I roll.  Here are some examples where I fail miserably and that often prevent me from getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

1. Meals, my eating habits are all over the place lately (Does two years fall into the "lately" category?)  Breakfast is hit and miss, Lunch falls between a handful of nuts or a tortilla with butter.  Dinners are slightly better planned, I just have to consult with Bookstore Boy as to what he has on the weekly family meal plan based on our lastest grocery shopping run.  I still feel somewhat lost about dinner as we are all walking in the door at the end of the school and work day. I really need to get a handle on this because planning used to come so easily to me at one time..
2. One thing that regularly get's right down to the wire is my daily post when I participate in BlogHer's NaBloPoMo challenge.  I really enjoy this activity and wish I had better content.  But, I'm just someone who uses blogging to hash things out that are going on in my life at the moment.  I have no clue who reads my posts, and when I see visits to my blog from other countries I wonder what exactly they got out of the time they took to read my stuff. After all, my writing pretty much can be described as merely typing exercise. Nonetheless, the fun I have, and sense of accomplishment do provide a rewarding feeling.
3. Another thing I'd like to re-establish is regular visits to others' blogs. I get so much insights and enjoyment from so many talented writers.  But my daily routine has taken a bit of a back seat to YouTube videos.
4. Which brings me to my last reason for failing to get to bed at a reasonable hour, and that is YouTube.  I have a list of subscribers that I receive emails indicating the latest posts, and I save them all and make it a priority to watch each video.  YouTube has, in fact, taken the place of network and cable television watching.  Goodbye, Live with Kelly and Michael; Hello Good Mythical Morning and Good Mythical More with Rhett & Link. I love easy access to learning channels like Sci Show, and Crash Course; As well as enrichment content as provided by Health Care Triage and The Art Assignment.  My news sources are Source Fed & others that don't come to mind at the moment.  Delightfully mindless fun, interesting facts and human interests comes by way of Grace Helbig & friends, Flula, Mental Floss, The Fine Bros, and Soul Pancake (especially Kid President) among many others.  So that's what keeps me up until 2:00 or 3:00 am.. But I wouldn't miss this for the world.  This makes me happy, and  happy is good, right. 

I can't even get into how neglected my YouTube channel creating has been lately.  I do have videos recorded, but my memory cards sit around waiting for me to do something worth watching.  The last few published on my channel, THIS IS FIFTY WITH LIL, have been spur of the moment and very rough. My hair isn't even brushed. Oh, well. I'm finding it enjoyable anyway and hope to have much improved content someday. The learning experience has been so much fun that it doesn't matter that only one family member and one friend have actually watched my videos.

Well, The Daily Show and Colbert Report hour is nearly halfway through, and I need to set myself up comfortably in my chair to enjoy many of the YouTube channels that I mentioned above.

Now it's time to edit this post and hope that it is not rubbish, but time well spent for my regular visitors.  So with that, have a good night, and until tomorrow.

~ Lil

It's Crunch Time... No Pressure

Is it crunch time? Seems everything has gone well beyond that stage in my world.  So then, what comes directly after crunch time, hmm? Wait, don't tell me, I think I know - Whistle blown.  Time's up. Goose cooked.  Done deal. Light's out.  Party is over. Good night, Marie!

I could be wrong about that then, right?  After all, I am still standing* here.  There really should be no reason whatsoever for me to ever feel under pressure.  I don't do anything! Whatever my responsibilities are do not warrant an ounce of anxiety.  Also, I don't go anywhere!  I am home day in and day out, and when not home, I'm in my car.  There is no excuse for me to be late or unprepared for anything... no excuse.

There was a time - when I was single - that you could count on me to be on time; do my job accurately and expeditiously; stick to a rigid schedule, yet have ample time open for fun.  I made it work, kept things uncomplicated, and stress free as possible.  At least that's how I remember it.  Twenty-five years gone by, and you could look up the words unreliable, procrastinator, and schlub, and I'm pretty sure you'll find my pictures for each entry. Gosh I hope not, what a blow that would be!

Once again, no excuse.  There is no excuse for this even if I'm no longer single. All that conditioning should have been the foundation to build upon after marriage and starting a family.  But, oh yeah. I just remembered... those crummy chronic illnesses that sucker punched me almost as soon as my new life began.  I was always needing help when I was feeling poorly. I never knew when I'd wake up to a "good" day, a "bad day, or a "can't get out of bed day."  As a result, I am now terrible at establishing a daily routine.  I was able to manage pretty well while my children were very young, and I was fortunate enough to rely on the fact that they could work as a team to make getting ready for school stress free.  They displayed amazing trust in each other, strength and perseverance all in the name of keeping mom healthy.  I am overjoyed at how since they were very young children, they've come to my aid when it came to grocery shopping and storage when we returned home.  They still do it to this day, for which I am most grateful.

As for their momma, these days it is often that I arrive at a scheduled appointment out of breath due to having to run from my vehicle to place I'm supposed to be at whatever specific time.  Anytime I try to make a plan to do something, I get distracted and all my ideas just fall by the wayside. Energy wanes, and I'm left disappointed.  I so want to be better, especially now that I'm at the age that responsibilities should be uncomplicated and managable.  So what gives, right?

Why am I often stressed out!? This pressure, it's all self imposed. There is no reason why I should be so hard on myself.  People are getting where they need to be on time. And it is a rare occurance when, as today, I am late to work or school pick up.  Most days, meals are ready at a reasonable hour, and light snacks are usually at hand in case there's a slight delay, but for some reason I think I should be doing a better job staying on task.  I probably should just be happy with the way things are, after all, it could be worse.  My biggest regret is not being able to keep the house cleaner and better organized.  Must try harder.

The term "crunch time" will have new meaning at my house... "Time for a crunchy snack."  A "no pressure" attitude shall be the norm.

My blog post will be the exception.  There's kind of a rush when I notice the time and it's 11:40 pm and I still have to proofread and edit my post.  Sometimes it's after 11:50 when I hit "Publish." and hope someone will read my writings of the day, and maybe find that a comment or two are awaiting my responses.  I love when that happens.

How do you handle pressure? What works for you to find balance on a day-to-day basis?  Are you feeling stressed at the thought of seasonal holidays quickly approaching?  How easy is it for you to ask for assistance when things get "crunchy?"

Are You Ready, Because This Is Happening...

A memory from age 4 ~ Favorite Song

THE BEATLES "Do You Want to Know a Secret"

What exactly is happening, with me anyway?  Age... aging,  You know how you go along holding steady from your 30's through, apparently, age 50 (at least in my case) then BAM! I mean, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... Suddenly you cannot seem to stay awake during daylight hours. I need to have at least one morning nap and one early afternoon nap!  I. know.  So you tell me.  Is this official "I'm old" phase?  I'll admit, this is a bit concerning.

It's been several weeks - hell, months - that my plan has been to sign up for AARP... mostly to see what kind of perks are available to The Husband and me now that we've reached the Golden Years - wouldn't you know it, the first known use of the term GOLDEN YEARS was 1964 - the year I was born.  So yeah, I think it is approps to apply this term to describe my current phase in life.  And although I often hashtag #ImOld on some of my Twitter posts, I'm not that old, I'm just older than a majority of Twitter followers and followees.

Anywho, evidence of this shift in my daily routine (granted, I'm always up for a lovely mid-day nap), happened this Summer when my kids and I spent weeks enjoying EW's list of 55 "must see" movies every 13 year-old should watch.  What happened? Nearly every viewing had to be interrupted due to my inability to stay awake! I needed to have a lie down midway through all these great films - never had that happen before; same with books, two or three pages in and I'm nodding off.  This is bad, yes?  It's totally an old lady thing, right? Or maybe I just need to start taking a multi-vitamin again, Or, break the habit of going to bed past 2:00 am. Or maybe, eat balanced meals and healthy snacks throughout the day.  All of those habits need some tweaking, and that's where I thought AARP might be worth a more in-depth look.

Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that AARP membership means it's all down hill from here... god no!  I actually see it as joining an inclusive club with vibrant, productive, and eager individuals full of wisdom and knowledge who could offer sensible advice.  Fun should begin at 50, right? I'm all for that, who wouldn't be.  So this is happening to me, but I don't think I'm doing it right.  And no, I'm not ready for this... age 50.  One thing I am willing to explore is the possibility of reinventing myself.  And what do you know, AARP has this really nifty website, Life Reimagined, designed to assist and guide you through obstacles that might be keeping you from confidently approaching what should be a purposeful, fulfilling chapter in your life at age 50 and beyond.

Please click here for more information.

I signed up for Life Reimagined beginning of October and find it is already helping me see the possibilities that lay ahead.  This makes me happy.  If you know of anyone in the AARP stage of life who is feeling a bit stuck, please consider sharing this website with them.*


*This is not a paid endorsement.

For more information go to:

• www.aarp.org
• lifereimagined.aarp.org

Crunch

Crunch, crunch, CRUNCH!  Aaaah, my tooth! It was one of my molars... actually, two molars. Since moving back to the desert, this has happened more than once.  And, yes, twice is way too many times. Also, if you count the fact that this happened on two separate areas of the same tooth, well.  What is this this I'm going on about?  Hear me out, because I'd love to share my favorite crunchy foods, and maybe compare notes, but first this.

First of all, keep in mind that I've always feared going to the dentist.  I'm old... 50, so consider the fact that when I was having a mouthful of cavities filled as a little kid things were a bit... hmmm, creepy.  The dentist - a heavy smoker and coffee drinker, therefore gross smelling with horrendous breath; his waiting room - painted orange, green & really orange; the examination chair - designed for grown ups, not tiny third graders; the giant overhead lamps - that left me walking around with spots in front of my eyes on the bus rides home; the entire ball of wax, made for a miserable day.  To make matters worse, my 3rd grade teacher (she'll be mentioned again in the "crunchy" part of this post) even kept my appointments marked for every other Wednesday on the class calendar.  Wednesdays were spelling test days, and I'm pretty sure I was the best speller in class.  That calendar was directly over my desk. Fun, right?

So, there's that. Now, super-fast forward... "huuuuh".  That's supposed to be me quietly moaning. I'm in Colorado.  My family's dental needs are in the best of hands... until insurance benefits cease as a result of husband's job loss in 2007. Oh, and again when money was super tight in 2010 - long story.  It was during those rough periods that my body decided to have some sort of intolerably painful episode every now and then.  Twice it was my mouth causing the problem, but nothing a super expensive emergency extraction at the hands of a competent oral surgeon couldn't fix. Two separate occasions; two different doctors, and that was that.

Fast forward again. This time to 2012.  News junkie that I am, I have CNN on while I waste the evening away on Twitter.  Just like now, but not really; I used to follow a lot more news outlets. So this was me one night:  Hey, Jeremy Jojola from 9News Denver is tweeting story about some guy and his evil, despicable (my words) dental practices."  Hmmm, name sounds familiar. Oh, god!  What did he do?  When!  I've been to that guy's office.  He pulled my tooth!  He's done what?  A few days later: A letter.  Heart sinks. Something about if I'd been to this doctor during such and such time, I may have been exposed to HIV, HepB and/or HepC. Get tested. Call here for more info.  Me, furious; frightened.  Did I mention furious.  I was so glad I followed 9News and Jeremy, and vise versa.  I was able to have a reliable ear at a moment's notice. Everyone at the news station was great keeping me posted on what was happening with the investigation into allegations that this terrible person was putting patients at risk of infection due to the practice of reusing syringe needles... which cost only cents!  Eight hundred people received the same letter that I did. At that point we were reeling from nearly two-year long joblessness and a short few months away from losing our home, and all I could think was how was I supposed to pay for whatever cost might result from the whole thing.  Depression hit an all-time low. At least the County waived most of cost to get tested.  A week later; all clear. Whew! Fun, right?  NOT

Next jump in this timeline.  October: Can you spare a room, or two?  Our family, homeless. And for me, a hospital stay; thirteen days.  What did I do the entire stay? I munched on cup after styrofoam cup of crushed ice.

Another jump.  February: A house... The Place.  My family was together again after having been taken in by relatives.  All I wanted was to find some sort of normalcy now that my husband was working and we were okay.  One thing I wanted to do as soon as possible was to re-establish healthy eating habits.  What was I eating? Frozen fruit with yogurt every morning. Munch, munch, munch. Mmmm. CRUNCH! "huuuuh."  Whew! Only a piece of cracked molar that was more filling than tooth.  Still no dental benefits; I had to hope sensitivity in the area would be minimal. It was fine; I could tolerate it. Months later, tacos! Crunch, crunch, crunch, CRACK! Aaaaghhh... PAIN! I weeded through a mouthful of spit-out crispy chicken taco to discover a huge chunk of broken off filling and enamely bits.  Still no dental insurance, all I could do was be as careful as possible to keep from chewing food on the left side of my mouth.  That took some getting used to - both the pain, and chewing on the right side. Not too long after that incident,  mmmm... chewy steak. (Remind me to never again order steak at Applebee's, okay?). Chew, chew, chew, chew... crunch. Spit. Wow! A gaping hole with sharp edges at gum line. Yep, there went the other half of the molar on the left. *sigh*

I've since gotten used to all the gaping holes in my mouth, both from the extracted molars and the ones that have bits broken off.  And every now and then I will enjoy a yummy, crunchy snack, as well as make crispy crunchy tacos or nachos.  Here are some of my best memories of crunchy favorites.

• Once in elementary school, my 3rd grade teacher took a bunch of us "smart" kids to the Griffith Park Observatory (otherwise known, in my book, as the best field trip ever), but before that she had us over for dinner.  I don't remember anything that was served that evening, except one thing - celery.  Fancy celery. It was cut in four-inch length sticks, and the curved well was filled with some sort of creamy stuff and that was topped with raisins.  All of us little inner-city Mexican children were at a loss.  I'm pretty sure we all tried the fancy celery; I'm pretty sure we all hated the fancy celery too.  Nonetheless, that was a very fun day.
• I'm not a fan of apples. Don't hate me, please.  Truth: I wasn't a fan of apples... until I had a Honeycrisp apple.  I try to buy a few anytime I find them in a grocery store produce section; kinda expensive, but totally worth it.  So good out of the refrigerator... crispy & crunchy. Yum!
• I can't resist a delicious corn tortilla taco shell that's been filled with shredded chicken or beef. I even made a terribly produced taco-making video that I posted on my YouTube channel.  Tacos were great; video, not so much.  I'll have to remember to brush my hair and wear tinted lip balm at the very least next time.  But I won't make any promises.

I now try to keep from eating, therefore enjoying, kettle-cooked potato chips, granola topping on my yogurt, Almond Roca candy, and  assorted crunchy foods. But the major bummer - mostly because I'm pretty sure it's the reason why the structural integrity of tooth enamel was compromised - is that I can no longer mindlessly munch on refreshingly crunchy ice for hours on end.

*****

September 28, 2015:

... And the saga continues. Still no dental insurance means still dealing with crumbling teeth issues. Oh, and this time with pain and sensitivity while eating... anything. Well, actually, I just finished a cup of cream of wheat without much discomfort. I just hope there isn't another E.R. visit. End of Summer I had to wake up the husband at 2am to let him know I was leaving to go to emergency room due to unbearable pain. He decide it was best that he drive me because, after all, I was on the verge of passing out from pain with the slightest of movement. Apparently, according to my husband, some hunky t.v. doctor attended me. When you are in the pain I was in that morning, it could have been Thor and I would not have noticed. Go, IV antibiotics and demerol!