Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Pet Peeves and I Wonder

I want to blog about what I call "Pet Peeves", and "I Wonders"  of mine,
We all have them, and since this is my blog I can "talk them out" right?
It's your choice of course to continue reading, but I hope you will.
I would also like comments on how you feel about these things, and what are some of your "Pet Peeves and I Wonders"

For one, I wonder who dug up these minerals out of the ground and mines and  decided, "Oh, that's pretty, I think I will put an X number of dollars on this, and re sell for that amount and make a killing.
And, who decided that diamonds are worth a fortune?

I mean, they were put there for all I would think..
I guess I picture someone looking at an object, and saying.."I'm not sure what this is, but it's pretty, so I think I will benefit from it by charging others to look at it or own it.". 

                                         
                                            


This is a Pet Peeve of mine..We that work shouldn't have to pay for others that dont want to work, or doesn't try.
I understand being in need.. But, I feel there is some kind of job you CAN do to help yourself.. How about McDonalds,Wendys..Etc. These places are always hiring. I understand the need for assistance, but I'm talking about people who CAN work and don't. They just work the system, and we pay for it
.

                                        


I raised three kids by myself and worked three jobs. They weren't easy jobs.. Cleaning houses, working in a convenience store, and a drive through food restaurant..
I really believe no matter how hard the economy is right now, we can do what we are able to help ourselves also.
Now, I am disabled and can't work, and everday I wish I could help my husband by being in the work force.

Just to clarify, I'm not angry.. I am more curious about these things.. I guess the "I Wonders" and the "Pet Peeves" kind of go together.

I wonder who decided that atheletes and actors should make Millions, while Firefighters and Policeman who put their life on the line everyday, hardly makes enough to survive.
Granted, we ALL love sports, especially in the U.S, but is that a reason to overpay them?

                                                 
What about actors, yes, they give us entertainment, and the media hypes them up, so we will all pay good money to see their movies..
I have my favorite actors, but I don't think they are worth millions!

                                                       

                                                        
                                               
                              
                                                     

                                               
                                                     
                                                       
                                               
What about all our military men who put their lives on the line everyday, leave their families, their homes and friends.
Don't they deserve just as much for all they do?

                                                 
                                           

I just think a great system would be to pay fairly for the job performed.
I feel the Corporations have gotten so greedy, that they are consumed more and more by how much money they can make, at the average American's expense.

 And a very strong "Pet Peeve of mine is abuse.
Any kind of abuse. Child abuse, Spouse abuse, Animal abuse, and abuse of the Elderly.
Seems to me since drugs run rampart in our country, there is  more and more abuse problems. More murders, robberies, more crime than ever before.

Please if you see abuse, don't hesitate or be scared to report it. The most important thing is getting help for the one's being abused, and getting them out of the situation.
                                                      

                                               
                                               
                                            

I love this country and I am SO glad I was born here.We have a lot to still be thankful for, and I try everyday amidst my own personal struggles, to not "dwell" on my pet peeves, or my problems
I try to remember all the different ways I have been blessed.

I just wish our country would be more equal in pay, and somehow we could control all the drugs here.

It seems most of us are all struggling with something in our lives. Loss of jobs, illness, loss of family members and loved ones,..

I don't know what anyone's personal beliefs are, and that is your business.. But, I have to speak up and let everyone know..
I could not have made it through everything I have been through (And it's been a lot!) without a "Heavenly Father" above, who reassures me it's just temporary here, and there is a better place waiting for me.
He has consoled me, given me peace when I needed it the most, answered so  many prayers, and yes, some prayers he hasn't answered the way I wanted.. But, I know he has plans for me that I don't understand.

Lets all reach out to others we know who are struggling, and lend a hand, a kind word, a smile..It might make someones day and help them through..
And, laugh everyday at something, even if it's yourself!
Laughter soothes..
                                            
                                           




I have a shop on Etsy where I sell my flowers I make from pencil shavings, nice vintage pieces, woodworking creations, and various eclectic crafts.
I can promise you what I have won't cost a fortune, and I know you will find something just for you or someone you know.
Ginascornercrafts.etsy.com

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Being Southern

I was born in the Deep South..Meaning La/Ms area.
Both my grandparents were originally from Ms, and so was my parents.
I was raised in a small town which bordered Mississippi. All I had to do was cross this small bridge from La, into Ms.
I feel I was raised in both areas, and I grew up with people from both States.

It was kind of strange, because the Mississippi boys and girls, didn't get along with the Louisiana ones. I was accepted by both, and felt in the middle of all the arguments that happened, especially on the weekends.

I moved out of the South in 1990 into Idaho, then five years later into Oregon. No ONE ever leaves their family in the South to move as far as I did.
Every time I went back to visit I would hear, "GIRL you need to move home, Whatcha doing in the North anyway, your not a Yankee.."

Recently after 17yrs I moved to Kentucky trying to get closer to my Mother, whom I thought was in worse health than she is. Thankfully, even though she has numerous heart problems she is doing very well, and sometimes I think it was a "ploy" to get me back closer. *Smile*

My heart is still in Idaho and Oregon, and I want to move back so badly. I love being around the Mts and all the clear streams, where you can see to the bottom, and the beautiful waterfalls.
After being raised around Swamps and the Muddy Misssissippi, I was totally fascinated with such beautiful clear water.

I have family there as well as in the South, especially my youngest daughter, who knows she has Southern Blood (as we say), feels she is more from the North West area..Also, my husbands only child is in Oregon, as is his only grandchild.

When I first moved to the Northwest, they didn't understand  ONE word I was saying. I can't count how many times I was asked WHAT, or WHAT does that  mean?

I collected a few Southern Slang and Meanings, and I think when I do move back, I am going to print off pages and pass them out LOL..
Here are a few.. If you've never been around us Southerners this will help you..
And, NO the actors on Tv doesn't really sound like us. A few is originally from the south ,and they can pull that Southern Accent out, when they are acting.. 
I didn't even know I had an accent until I moved to the Northwest.

Mark Twain once wrote: "Southerners talk music!" Yes, indeed, there's no "language" more musical 

Here are a few..

 Gussied up – cleaned up and dressed very nicely (perhaps formally)

Hissy  Fit..Apparently I threw a lot of these when I was young.. I can still hear my Mother tell me, "Quit throwin a Hissy Fit.


Kaniption Fit.. These are worse than Hissy Fits.. If your being extra bad,  you are now throwing a Kanipition Fit...

A hankerin’ for – a desire/craving for


High cotton – wealthy; successful (and maybe snobby)

When someone was doing well for themselves, they were referred as living in High Cotton.

honky-tonk – a bar, perhaps where country music is played live for folks to dance

This brings back memories of when I was young. Our parents would leave us with our grandparents on the weekends, and they would tell us, "We're going Honky Tonkin..

kin/kinfolk – family, especially extended family

knee-high to a grasshopper – very young and small, as in, “The last time I saw you, you were knee-high to a grasshopper, and look how grown-up you are now!”

lick – (noun) any amount at all, usually used in negative sentences such as, “I didn’t get a lick of work done today because my boss kept calling me in for meetings.” (verb) To beat up, as in, “I licked him good that time.”

mash – to press or push, as in, “Mash that green button and turn on the computer.”

ornery – difficult to deal with; stubborn; finicky

reckon – suppose, guess, as in, “I reckon we’ll see you at the reunion.
My husband still uses this word wrong, as many times as he's heard me say it lol.



skedaddle – to leave hurriedly
snug as a bug (in a rug) – very comfortable



tore up – broken/destroyed, as in, “I came home to find the curtains all tore up,” or, “My knee has been tore up since that skiing accident back in ’93.”



Loafin: Going somewhere not important, just doing something
My husband didn't understand this either. One day my Mother called, and she asked my husband, "What Y'all doing?" We were sitting at the house and he told her, "Just Loafin" She said, "Where are you, and he said home".. I thought she was going to bust a gut laughing! At least my husband makes my Mother laugh a lot

uppity – snobby





Used to could – used to be able to, as in, “I can’t do a cartwheel any more, but I used to could.”
We always put it together like this Ustacould.. One word..


varmint – an animal (usually wild)

Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. – an expression of surprise, shock and/or disbelief

y’all – a contraction of you + all. This is the informal 2nd person plural in Southern English.

yankee – a person from the North

younguns – young people

Darn tootin'
Function: Colloquialism
For sure. Correct. "You're darn tootin', that is oil.

Figure
Function: Verb
To calculate, consider, conclude or decide. Example: "He hadn't figured on winning the lottery

Feit to be tied
Function: Colloquialism
Angry.

Fixin'
Function: Verb
To get set : be on the verge Example: We're fixin' to leave soon.
Function: Noun
Customary accompaniments. Example: We had a turkey dinner with all the fixins

When I lived in the Northwest, they were always asking me, "What does fixin mean?"

I'm fixin' to go down the road a piece (I'm going down the road for a short distance.)

My Mother was trying to tell my husband (Who is from Mi) directions to her house, and she told him to go down the road a piece. When he got off the phone he asked  me, "How far is a piece". When I told my Mother this she thought it was hilarious!

 Well, I'll just swaney! (Well, I'll be darned.)

My Mother still says this, and once in a while I catch myself doing the same. Once again I had to explain this to my husband.

Don't go off with your pistol half cocked. (Don't get mad unless you have all the facts.

I'll knock you so hard you'll see tomorrow today. (You're gonna get it!)

 Dumb as a bucket of rocks. (Pretty dumb)

 Sunday go-to-meetin' clothes (best dress)

When we went to Ms to visit my Step Dad's family, who live out in the middle of nowhere..One of the boys came out in his nice shirt, and the sister said "Mama, he's in is Sunday go to meetin clothes... I was young at the time and I laughed..I still smile when I think about this.

Well he/she's just down rite sorry. (person not well thought of or respected)

It's no skin off my nose if he wants to do that." (Meaning it does not matter to me or is none of our business.)

* And here's the one a kid really hates to hear:
"GO CUT ME A SWITCH!"
Oh Boy! My Mom always made us cut a switch off of a bush in our front yard. Of course we picked the smallest one we could find. Before she would even "Switch" me, I would run out of the house into the front yard yelling, "No Mother NO!" She would say, "Hush! the neighbors are think I'm trying to kill you".. Most of the time this worked really well..


I wouldn't trade being raised a Southerner for anything! 
People have so many misconceptions about us, but one thing we will always have is Southern Pride!

                                         

                                         
                                      
                                                
                                     
                                       

                                                  

                                     
                                              


                                              


                                            


                                            

                     
                                             


I have a shop on Etsy where I sell hand turned flowers from pencil shavings, nice vintage items, handmade woodwork creations, and various eclectic crafts.
Take a look, I'm sure you can find something special for you~!
                                     "Southern Made"
Ginascornercrafts.etsy.com

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Laughter The Best Medicine


It's said, "Laughter is the best medicine" and I firmly believe this.
Laughter can put you in a lighter mood, when things aren't going well.
Some studies have shown, people with illness when they watch comedies daily, recover faster.

This is from Cancer Center of America

What is laughter therapy?

We were born with the gift of laughter. Laughter is a natural medicine. It lifts our spirits and makes us feel happy. Laughter is a contagious emotion. It can bring people together. It can help us feel more alive and empowered.

Laughter therapy, also called humor therapy, is the use of humor to promote overall health and wellness. It aims to use the natural physiological process of laughter to help relieve physical or emotional stresses or discomfort.
Research supporting laughter therapy

A growing body of research supports the theory that laughter may have therapeutic value.

For years, the use of humor has been used in medicine. Surgeons used humor to distract patients from pain as early as the 13th century. Later, in the 20th century, came the scientific study of the effect of humor on physical wellness. Many credit this to Norman Cousins. After years of prolonged pain from a serious illness, Cousins claims to have cured himself with a self-invented regimen of laughter and vitamins. In his 1979 book Anatomy of an Illness, Cousins describes how watching comedic movies helped him recover.

Over the years, researchers have conducted studies to explore the impact of laughter on health. After evaluating participants before and after a humorous event (i.e., a comedy video), studies have revealed that episodes of laughter helped to reduce pain, decrease stress-related hormones and boost the immune system in participants.

Today more than ever before, people are turning to humor for therapy and healing. Medical journals have acknowledged that laughter therapy can help improve quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses. Many hospitals now offer laughter therapy programs as a complementary treatment to illness.
The healing power of laughter

For people living with cancer, it may seem strange to find humor when facing such serious issues. Yet, laughter can be helpful in ways you might not have realized or imagined.

Laughter can help you feel better about yourself and the world around you. Laughter can be a natural diversion. When you laugh, no other thought comes to mind. Laughing can also induce physical changes in the body. After laughing for only a few minutes, you may feel better for hours.

When used in addition to conventional cancer treatments, laughter therapy may help in the overall healing process.

According to some studies, laughter therapy may provide physical benefits, such as helping to:

    Boost the immune system and circulatory system
    Enhance oxygen intake
    Stimulate the heart and lungs
    Relax muscles throughout the body
    Trigger the release of endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers)
    Ease digestion/soothes stomach aches
    Relieve pain
    Balance blood pressure
    Improve mental functions (i.e., alertness, memory, creativity)

Laughter therapy may also help to:

    Improve overall attitude
    Reduce stress/tension
    Promote relaxation
    Improve sleep
    Enhance quality of life
    Strengthen social bonds and relationships
    Produce a general sense of well-being

These are a few things that make me laugh..

My four children when they are all together is a natural "comedy team" they keep me in laughter. Unfortunately, we can't get together but once a year, but I savor that time.

                                       

Three of my children,Tecia my oldest daughter, Blake on the left, my youngest son, and Cory my oldest son
                                      
Me and my two daughters. My youngest of the family, Karissa on the left, and Tecia the oldest.

My husband makes me laugh all the time. He wakes up in a good mood, which I on the other hand, am "Ms Grump" in the mornings, until I am fully awake. But, he has the ability to make me laugh anytime.

                                                     
                                                  
No, he has no shame LOL! We were setting up for a Yard Sale and he found this lovely pink flower.

My pet who I refer to my "Doggie Daughter", Cookie,makes both of us laugh everyday! She is part Lab and part Brittany Spaniel. She has big floppy ears, and tiny short legs, but looks like a lab.
We have this game when my husband comes in. He will come over and kiss me and say, "Hello Mama, and I say Awww "Hello Daddy". I have sworn I am going to take a video, because it sounds just like she is saying Hello!
                                        


My favorite shows and movies are comedies, and my favorite comedian is Robyn Williams. I think he is so fast and quick witted, and I just adore him.
All my friends who I connect with the most, have a great sense of humors.
I can also laugh at myself when the occasion arises..
I will tell you one story of when I have laughed at myself.

I was looking for a job when I lived in Idaho, and I went to a company that I really wanted to be hired on with.
I went into the office, talked to the interviewer, and she seemed like she was interested in hiring me.
She gave me an application to fill out, so I went to the desk that I was told to sit and fill the application out.
I could see everyone in the office, for they were all on phones, and they could see me.
As I went to sit down,the rolling chair rolled out from under me, and I landed on my bottom HARD.
I started laughing and I couldn't stop. Not ONE person in that whole room laughed. Come On! If I had seen someone do that, even if I were on the phone talking, I would have burst out laughing right there..
I sat back down in the chair, carefully this time I might add, and the whole time I was trying to finish filling out the application, I would burst out  laughing.. I still laugh when I think about it.
Needless to say, I didn't get the job.
My son told me, "No wonder you didn't get the job Mother, they probably thought you were NUTS". I decided I wouldn't want to work at a company where no one had a sense of humor anyway.
                                                     


                                                   



What about you, what makes you laugh and have you laughed at yourself?


Be sure to visit my Etsy shop Gina's Corner CraftsI probably don't have anything that will make you laugh, but I have a few items that will cause you to smile.
I have pencil shaving flowers, handcrafted woodworking creations, nice vintage items, and various eclectic crafts.
Ginascornercrafts.etsy.com

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The Seasons Of Life

I am blogging today about something that came to me.
Even though I own a store on Etsy Ginascornercrafts.etsy.com , where I make flowers from pencil shavings, have nice vintage items, handmade woodworking crafts, and various eclectic crafts.. I am blogging about things that come to my mind, things I find funny, random thoughts, or something or someone I have learned life's lessons from.
This is a about "The Seasons of Life"

The Seasons of life never change
They just take their turns and wait..

The hot sultry days of Summer where children play, the sun shining on a long Summer day--Gives it up               

                                        
                                

To the colorful Autumn leaves, Cool Breezes and Halloween, with Children Yelling "Trick or Treat..Then Thanksgiving and Family Time
These are the better days of our lives

                                    
                               

                                        
                                      
                                             

 Old Man Winter then comes blowing in letting ALL know, it's all about Him. He causes havoc everywhere.
He freezes the trees, streets and roads amidst the stares and "Oh No's"... Then he showers us with snow, pretty, pure  and white, and making everything glow and bright.
He reminds us Christmas is near where can be heard voices with laughter and cheer, more family and friend time..
Cold snuggly Winter Nights..Warm Pj's by the fire..
                                      

                                           
                                               
                                              
                                            


Before you know it Springs light whispers can be heard..
And Old Man Winter hears her words.. He starts to fade melting all the ice and snow, letting go

Spring starts trying to push through..Letting us feel all is new.
Flowers bloom, grass grows, more green leaves on the trees start to show. And birds sing once again welcoming Spring in.
                                                     
                                                 
                                                  
                                                

                                                

.. We are born, we grow old, then comes the end of our lives(here)
But, we have a legacy we leave behind, our own children to watch and learn all about life here, and creating memories that they can hold dear
They then become older and wise, and realize
"The Seasons of Life"