BOO!

did i skeer ya? HAHA! ;)

i thought maybe i’d sneak up onya since it’s been a few weeks since i last yacked on here. yep, i’ve still been around…reading your blogs (not commenting much tho—that brain fog is debilitating! LOL!)…and ive WANTED to chitchat here but…

…but it would have been all bellyachin and negative and weh-weh-poor-me and then i’d feel guilty dumping all that on all you poor folks who are expecting sillygolucky, NOT whiny-go-wretched!! :P

plus i do have a bit of an excuse as i was actually BUSY…WORKING…hehe! last week i had my 3-day outing at the ag institute with 13 high school students from chicago. it made for 3 veryvery long 13-hour days! and other than being a challenge sticking to our planned outdoor activities (we had daytime -30 degree windchills), everything went smoothly and the students had a great time. our activities focused on sustainable agriculture, alternative energy, wildlife/resource conservation and reducing our carbon footprint. plus, every day the students helped prepare their own meals from fresh ingredients. it was rewarding for everyone! :)

anyhoo, i’ve super missed writing in my blog. i have plenty of time nearly every day to post SOMEthing. i’m just one of those (forever) recovering perfectionists, and i feel like if i dont have something to delve about or slighty-sorta-lifechanging to say that it’s not worth posting. obviously that’s a goofy way of thinking!

maybe i’ll get inspired sometime soon and come up with something fun to do on my blog for a while. maybe even spruce it up a little around here. cause it IS ALMOST spring here in the bitter freezing midwest! ;) so that may call for some blog spring cleaning :)

okay, i’ve totally rambled on. hehe. i thought i’d peep in and let you all know i’m still kickin!!

have a thoroughly theriffic thurthday! (heh, im sucha geek. you know, the alliteration and sylvester the cat thpelling. hehe. okay anyway.)

~josey~

love/strongly dislike meme ;)

 

hola, friends! =)

a few weeks back, my buddy rolando tagged me with this lil ole meme! 

now, i have to say i’m one to cringe a little when i have to list things i “hate,” cause sometimes “hate” is a bit of a strong word.  however, we can just assume i mean “strongly dislike” hehehe…but for purposes of the meme, i’ll stick with the original wording! :P

AND i’m not gonna turn this into something all philosophical and stuff.  you’re gonna get what comes to my brain first! 

i looovveeee (in no particular order. ;)  teehee.) : 

1. chocolate
   
2. my husband <3
   
3. God
   
4. animals
   
5. music
   

i hate…

1. lack of compassion
   
2. when people leave their shopping carts loose in the parking lot
   
3. pollution
4. sex and violence on tv, movies and games
5. too much salt on my food

  

there ya have it! =)  nothing too earth shattering, but fun nevertheless!  now, i hereby tag:

• starshine
• doc ern
• christine
• amy
• thatfunnyguy

 

have fun!!!

~jos~! 

still thinkin spring

this is our current weather. 

it’s supposed to be -20F overnight.

thankfully the wind is supposed to let up, but the windchills will remain the same.

travel was quite hazardous today, as the winds have caused lots of drifting and the bitter temps create unremovable ice on the roads—even interstates. 

 

i am thankful for safe travel, a warm house, warm snuggly clothes and hot water =)

safe and warm thoughts to anyone else in this crazy weather! 

 

finally, my own album!!

 

YES, i am back once again :)

here’s another quickie meme that i got a TOTAL gut-busting laff from.  you’ll see why when you read on.  

and i promise, i didn’t cheat!!

a while back, olga tagged me with this one.  i’ve seen a lot of folks do it and they’re usually dang funny!  here’s what i got.  interesting how in my last post i was just talking about my uh, singing/musical hobby…LOL!!!

 

 

 

and if its true about the universe drawing you to certain things or vice-versa…why did i get the SHORT BUS? LOL!!! :P

anyhoo, that was fun and easy!!  you wanna play??  here’s how—just follow the steps by clicking the links and read the instructions below.  let me know if you did it!!

 

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/

The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result as a comment in this post.

 

 

have fun!!! and sing along with short BUS next time you’re in the tub! hehehe!! ;) 

~josey~

seven (not so?) weerd facts

 

wow its been a while, but here i am playin a meme :D  i was tagged for this one first by ivy, and then by tish (i noted she tagged me on 1-27-08, but i cant find the post!  hmmm…LOL…im losin it!).  soooo anyhoo, he’re we go… 

7 weerd facts about me
(AKA: 7 things you don’t know but i do)

 

***LONG PAUSE***

 

 

***another LONNGGGG pause***headscratch***

 

 

hmmm i must reveal too much info about myself in my blog on a regular basis!! LOL!  time to do some digging…

OKAY! 

 

1. i realllly realllly wanna learn to play guitar.  i MEAN REALLY. (long story why i havent!)
2. the “alternate” female name my parents had picked out for me before i was born was “Misty Leigh.”  EEP!!
3. i cry more during movies when an animal dies/gets hurt than when a person does. (old yeller anyone?  bambi?  flicka??)
   
4. i peed my pants while sitting in my chair in kindergarten because i was afraid i would get locked in the bathroom.  yes, it was a puddle around my chair!! (no carpet.)  and [dont read on if you’re easily grossed out] the kid next to me stuck his finger in it and smelled it and said, “hmmm, water. we must have a leak.”  ROTFL!!!!!!!
5. i am a SIMS freak.  i have every single SIMS and SIMS2 game.  i was also a beta tester and short-lived addict of The Sims Online.
6. in high school, an exchange student from Finland taught me to play my nose.  uh, kinda like this. LOL.  its fun.  TRY IT! ;)  well hey, it makes kids laff at least!!
   
7. i did a lot of vocal performing and theatre stuff in high school, college and after—i LOVE music and i love to sing. (and NO, amy and steve, i’m NOT trying out for American Idol. HAHAH!  i’m too old anyhoo!)

 

i know this meme has been around a lot in the last few months, so if you’re reading this and want to do it, leave me a comment so i can come read!! =) 

happy thursday!!!

~jos~
 

monday morning affirmation

good morning :)

my sweet MIL (yes, she’s a sweetheart!) got me a simple, cute morning devotional book for christmas.  i havent been as faithful in reading them as i should be; but i’ve resolved to put it on my nightstand instead of leaving it on my desk.  that way, as soon as i wake i can read it.  it only takes a few minutes, and then i will remember to pray, also!

i just had to share this morning’s with you.  i woke up feeling horribly lousy.  (more on that in my health journal sometime today!)  if you read my post earlier yesterday, you know i’m feeling a bit down and out and a bit exhausted from life and the things its been throwing my way lately!

so read on, and i hope it encourages you, too, in anything you’re struggling with—or just to get you thru the monday morning! (especially the morning after the superbowl!)

from Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer 

February 4th

Be Secure 

I love you fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength.  The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.  PSALM 18:1-2

God can strengthen us to the point that we can make progress even during trouble.  The psalmist said of God, “He makes my feet like hind’s feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]…You have girded me with strength for the battle” (Psalm 18:33, 39 emphasis mine).

Trials and testing do not come to causes us to lose stability.  They are opportunities to prove the strength of God.  We don’t have to waver in our confidence.  Nothing will keep us from making progress today because God is our strength.

 

Crossville, TN this was a beautiful reminder for me, because through my trials i most often tell myself that, “a year from now, i’ll be stronger for all this!” or something to that effect.  in the midst of all my coping, i often times forget to bring God into the equation.  does this sound familiar in your life, too?

sure, when our darkest days come we finally, weakly might reach out and say, “God, help me!!” but do we recognize him and talk to him on a daily basis, no matter how we are feeling?  i know i dont.  i know i should.

i need to stop wallowing in my own self-pity and let God do his thang! ;)  it’s only by his blessing and strength that i’ve gotten as far as i have in my healing of endometriosis and all this shedding of layers of emotional burden.  he’s been working in the background the whole time…while i give myself credit for doing this or that to help myself along. 

times like these are the best opportunities to “prove the strength of God.”  its the perfect chance to show other people how his love and power can affect a life and be a positive force in healing, change and gratefulness.  and its the perfect chance for me to grow closer to him and trust him more.  

today i will be secure in the fact that my God is in control and i will trust him to comfort me, care for me, and ground me firmly so that i will have the strength to get through the day…and MAKE PROGRESS at the same time!

~josey~
 

i miss the rain

i’m back :)

okay, all you daggone cali folks whose blogs i read…talkin about rain, mountains, oceans, 70 degree winters…all the sudden im longing for a vacation on the west coast!!

and i’ve never even been there!  but i just know i dont wanna be in WI right now :’((

LOL!!

so anyhoo, i just hopped over to i hope so’s place.  she’s one of the guilty ones reporting on the rain recently. ;)  and because of her now, i have this song stuck in my head…

It Never Rains In Southern California.  Albert Hammond, 1972.

this one’s for you, i hope so, since you OHSOLOVE my cheesey 70s grooves! ;)  (OMG is he chewing gum?? LOL!!  and hey, you can’t say he’s not a little cute…all that winking…hahahah…!!!!)

if its raining where you are, enjoy it for me!!!  in the meantime i’ll be waiting for the next 3 months for spring to arrive…

~josey~ 

what keeps you going?

 

i’m having a blah day. hubby’s gone for pretty much the whole day and i’m blah and bored here at home.

for the last few days i’ve not been motivated AT ALL…not just with blogging lately, but with life in general.  its been like pulling teeth to complete tasks around the house and even get dressed! sadly, i think its just another hormonal fluctuation…LOL…but that’s another story. ;) (NOT an excuse FYI!)

ive noticed a pattern: i’ll be really “up” and in high gear for a week or two…then suddenly i just lose steam and the tires go flat. LOL. i think part of it is just winter…the rest of it is, once again, the physical AND mental “detox” i’m goin thru in my life right now! im not whining tho…but still, its exhausting some days!

i’ll be alright…i keep tellin myself that its just the time in my life where i’m doing a lot of soul-searching. a lot of cleaning out in the closets of my mind. im also working thru some complex health issues that really hamper some of my best-laid-out plans and intentions of losing weight and reaching other health goals.

all of the struggle, down-time, spacing out, cleaning out and moving on will benefit me in the long run of my life!! :D

anyhoo, to get to my point…hehe…i thought i’d make this simple sunday easy for myself—but thought-provoking for you! ;)

i’d like to know what keeps you going in everyday life—what motivates you—when times are tough or you just arent feeling 100%. (or even 50% hehe.)

do you have things you do every day for inspiration? where do you find strength and peace when it seems your cup’s NOT runnething over?? :D

big things, small things…one thing…lots of things…ANYthing…

i cant wait to read what you all have to say. :) i’m hoping to find some inspiration and motivation from YOUR ideas!!

happy simple sunday =)

~josey~

p.s.  i was just looking thru some of our honeymoon photos and came across this one i love…this was my first day ever seeing an ocean =D  *listens for all the gasps from the cali folks*  LOL ;)  anyhoo, it brought a smile to my face!

St. Augustine, FL